Split Zone No.13

Volume 3

175 Gaoqin Falls into a Trap

Du Yue raised her brows with interest. "Quite intelligent, but you didn't get everything right. It's not that I didn't expect Gaoqin Jiuye to be able to escape from the trap, and I did anticipate that he'll help you out, so everything is still going according to plan."

She looked at me with a smirk. "I did all this because I wanted you to see for yourself how Gaoqin Jiuye would make his decision."

Du Yue seemed to love doing things like this.

I knew what she was getting at.

Looking at the situation now, Du Yue definitely didn't come here for Bian Ying. If her target wasn't Bian Ying, then it was me. Though I don't know why she'd be targeting me, since Ta Lai is now on her side, I have reason to believe that they've agreed on working together for now.

No matter what the truth was, if they wanted to capture me alive, they'd have to divert the attention of two others - Nie Zun and Gaoqin Jiuye.

With Nie Zun in that cave, only Jiao S and Gaoqin Jiuye were left by my side. Since Bian Ying wasn't able to fight, their victory would depend on Gaoqin Jiuye's decision.

She then used the trump card at this point - Si Luo.

Both Du Yue and I knew that Gaoqin Jiuye would not hesitate to choose Si Luo no matter what happens. Even though I wasn't related to Gaoqin Jiuye in any way, the reason Du Yue planned this was to let me have a taste of being abandoned. Anyone would feel a little down if they were not chosen.

That feeling of being let down would then put me at a disadvantage in the ensuing battle.

This woman was a cruel character. If Gaoqin Jiuye did love her once, his feelings for her would probably have dissipated by now. But I told myself that I should not be sympathizing with Gaoqin Jiuye.

"Gaoqin, the longer you wait, the higher the chance of Si Luo being in danger. Aren't you going?" Du Yue looked at Gaoqin Jiuye smugly.

Even though I knew his answer, I didn't want to hear him say it. Therefore, I spoke before he could say anything, "Go, Jiao S and I are here, it'll be fine."

Gaoqin Jiuye looked at me with troubled eyes before finally handing Shen Qi to me. "Take him, he'll protect you."

Du Yue's eyes widened at this. Seems like Shen Qi had never once left Gaoqin Jiuye's side.

But I was selfish about this, since he still chose Si Luo in the end. I smiled as I pushed his hand away. "I'm not so weak that I need others to protect me. Even if I did, I just need Nie Zun. Just go, help me get Nie Zun back."

I didn't know why I had to say something like this, why I had to mention Nie Zun. It was as if I knew this name could hurt him, and it definitely worked.

The hesitation in Gaoqin Jiuye's eyes faded, and after looking at me for a few moments, he took Shen Qi and leapt up into the water above us.

I took a deep breath, feeling a little upset at this.

That's right, this was my choice. We were fated to be on opposite sides from the beginning, everything was already decided from the moment you decided to make use of me, so don't ever change in the future. You and I shall go on our separate paths. If you don't have mercy for any others, then don't have mercy towards me either. Apart from Nie Zun, there's nobody else I trust and rely on, not even you.

Let's be on opposing sides forever.

"Are you sad? Hah, have you fallen in love with Gaoqin?" Du Yue asked with interest.

I answered coldly, "Enough with the small talk, you can tell us your goal now. I never thought you were such a person, Ta Lai. Not only did you hurt Nie Zun, you're even working together with Du Yue now. Why are you doing this!"

Right at this moment, Ta Lai glanced at Bian Ying.

Du Yue seemed a little upset by it. "Obviously it's because he thinks that I'm the only one who can give him what he wants right now. Is a mere heir like you trying to meddle in the affairs of soul splitters now? What you should do right now is to pray that you'll come out of this alive!"

I smirked. "I really don't know just why Gaoqin Jiuye liked you."

Ta Lai spoke suddenly, "Li Shen, I'm sure you know the reason I approached you. Are you willing to give your personality to Bian Ying?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

Ta Lai moved the jade stone ring on his finger. "As a mark of respect, I'll still have to ask. Since you're unwilling, I'll have to use force."

Bian Ying stepped forward. "I don't know if you're ignoring me, or if you don't have the guts to look me in the eye. Lai, even if I die, I'll never be able to accept this. How could you do something like this?"

Ta Lai finally looked at Bian Ying. His eyes were shining with a gentle light.

Everyone saw how he looked at her, and Du Yue saw it too. Her right fist slowly balled up into a fist.

I suddenly wanted to laugh at this.

These soul splitters treat human lives like they were nothing, and they're trying to look for love that exists between human beings?

Ta Lai said to Bian Ying, "There were many things that you wouldn't do and couldn't accept, but you still accepted them in the end. So why is it different when it comes to me?"

Bian Ying bit her lip.

I understood Ta Lai. He was jealous that Bian Ying could accept Cang Ming, that she could stay by his side and even fall in love with him. Ta Lai, upset at this, decided to give it his all. But he was met with Bian Ying's rejection even when he gave his all, so he'll definitely feel jealous.

Sadly, he didn't understand this.

I said to Jiao S, "Jiao, go help Gaoqin Jiuye and look for Si Luo and the others. I know you're worried about him too."

Jiao S shook her head vehemently. "No, Si Luo won't die that easily. Since Gaoqin Jiuye is on his way, there's no reason for me to be there too. I'll stay with you here."

I sighed inwardly as I saw her resolute gaze. I originally wanted to make her leave, but it was too impractical of me.

"Ta Lai." I smiled at him. "You're right. It's true that Cang Ming has been forcing Bian Ying to do things that she doesn't want to, but Cang Ming does all of it for Bian Ying."

Ta Lai stopped turning the jade stone ring on his finger as he answered, "And I'm not doing all this for her?"

I glanced at Du Yue. As expected, she was visibly more upset now.

"You're doing everything for her too. But Cang Ming had only hurt himself, while you have only been hurting others." I said all this very directly.

Bian Ying interrupted me, "Li Shen, there's no need to speak with him anymore. I'll never let him take you away."

Du Yue smirked. "I'm afraid that's not up to you to decide."

She snapped her fingers.

Ta Lai looked surprised at this, and he reached out to stop Du Yue. Du Yue stared at him. "Are you still going to waste more time? Don't you want to save her?"

Ta Lai then paused.

The water floating above us suddenly fell, flooding the entire space.

I didn't expect Du Yue to do this, and I was swimming around frantically in the next second. This water felt exactly like water in the real world, and I had to hold my breath and swim in it.

Visibly was low, but I seemed to feel Jiao S holding my hand. As I focused my MF and tried to swim upwards to the surface, the water around me started to close in.

A pain shot through the hand that Jiao S was holding. It was a hundred times more painful than getting my limbs cut off, and I retracted my hand quickly. I couldn't see anything around me anymore.

The water seemed to be pressing down on me. I felt like a submarine which had already reached it crush depth, as if I was about to be compressed by the great water pressure all around me.

I told myself to stay calm. I wasn't the old Li Shen anymore.

I held my breath and refocused my MF. But I wasn't able to control it. My MF was swimming all over the place within my body. I tried my best to forcefully focus it on the Scorpion Ray on my left hand.

My surroundings were finally lit up as Scorpion Ray produced a dazzling light in the water.

Du Yue was in the middle of all this water, right in front of me. She was floating in a weird position with her eyes closed.

I got it! She was using her MF to control the water!

The water was now an extension of her limbs, and she was using MF to fight us.

Under the immense water pressure, I turned to my left with great difficulty, only to see Ta Lai appear in front of Jiao S, who was on my left!

The hand with that jade stone ring was on Jiao S's neck!

Jiao S's black hair was floating in the water, like a bunch of seaweed. Her eyes were wide open, as if there was no other way she could fight back.

Looking to my right, Bian Ying seemed to have already passed out. She looked like she was lying down with her eyes closed as she sank.

I was in a dilemma. If I help Jiao S, Bian Ying would continue sinking. If I help Bian Ying, Jiao S might be in danger.