422 Chapter 422 - Turning the Ruse (1/2)

Since the situation had developed to such a point, the guild leader of Ordnance Works no longer dared to hide the matter. With the entire guild implicated as a result of his actions, the guild channel was set aglow as the many clueless members complained about what happened incessantly. Backed into a corner, the guild leader could only come clean to the other guild leaders: He did not get his hands on the Staff of Resurrection, and that the magic staff his men had picked up from that incident before was a fake.

None of the guild leaders was personally involved in the massacre on the streets and was actually still leisurely imbibing liquor by the beachside bar. There was no need for them to act themselves, after all. The sensation they received from deciding the fate of countless players with this casual meeting pleased them to no end.

All of them were stunned when they received the confession of Ordnance Works' guild leader. They could understand what had prompted Ordnance Works' guild leader to do such a thing, and while they unanimously condemned the man for his shortsightedness, all of them had secretly broken out into a cold sweat. They were certain that had their guild been in Ordnance Works' shoes, it was highly likely that they would have done the same thing, which meant that they would be on the receiving end of this bloodbath.

These guild leaders were congratulating themselves and were once more swept up by the possibility of acquiring the equipment when Tanzanite Shade, Blue Umbra's guild leader, coldly spat, ”Does he take us to be idiots? Are we gonna believe that he doesn't have it just like that?”

They all felt that this was a valid argument and began to consider the possibility of Ordnance Works looking to pull a fast one on them. At this, Tanzanite Shade continued to stoke the flames. ”We'll definitely not let these men off so easily!”

”That's right! Let's exterminate these b*st*rds!” Everybody was whipped up into a frenzy now.

All the guild leaders present were already on edge, and, adding the effects of the liquor they had just drunk, it was very easy to incite aggression in them. Tanzanite Shade watched them curse and command their troops into continuing their vicious hunt and inadvertently revealed the faintest smirk as he fired off a few instructions of his, ”Act quickly! Before the jig is up.”

Despite how agitated and riled up these guild leaders were, Tanzanite Shade believed that a few of them were cunning enough to prepare for both eventualities. While they continued to order their men to hunt down Ordnance Works members, they were sure to assign some men to locate Southern Lone Blade and his crew. The land outside Linshui City was not large and the line of sight was hardly obstructed. It was a terrain that was ill-suited to conduct any covert operation, so if his guild did not hurry, the plan he had conceived would be for naught.

---------------------------

Over by the beach outside the city, Gu Fei was still running along the shoreline by himself. He had long left that bunch of players behind, and the scenery presented before him was like reeling silk from a cocoon. Finally, along a seemingly endless stretch of the shore, he saw in the distance a five or six-man group of players. He had finally located who he was looking for.

Southern Lone Blade's squad made a beeline for where their boats were stashed when they left the city gate. Unfortunately, the group had a Warrior and two Priests in it, so the journey still took some time. The largely unobstructed view afforded by the beach had allowed them monitor every direction and they had not witnessed anything strange crop up all this while. Right now, they could see the waves lapping up from where they had hidden their boats. Just as their hearts surged with relief, Glue shouted as he pointed in a direction, ”Someone is running toward us!”

”Someone?” Southern Lone Blade did not have Eagle Eye, so he could not clearly make out the approaching figure. Victory was almost within his grasp, so he did not tarry to ponder any further and just ordered the rest to quicken their pace.

Glue had kept his eyes on this figure the whole time. The more familiar the figure seemed, the more fearful he felt. Once he could make out the man with clarity, he bellowed, ”Hot d*mn! It's the Video Mage!”

”That guy's like a ghost that just won't leave us alone!” Everybody took a sharp intake of breath.

”He's by himself, though,” Flame Singed Clothes said.

A look of glee flashed across their faces. They had misgivings about attacking Gu Fei previously because he had Eternal Dominion by his side, but with him alone, they were confident that there was no single player out there that could go up against their elite group's teamwork.

”Continue onward. We'll take care of him if he comes over,” Southern Lone Blade said.

”I wonder how many PK points he has on him now after escaping from that street before.”

”If we are lucky, we may just be able to loot his equipment!” These men began to fantasize about a wondrous future.

The six continued to walk while taking note of Gu Fei's movement. Southern Lone Blade sent a message over to Blackwater to confirm his presence before telling the rest to be prepared for combat.

Gu Fei was closing in on them fast and was already within an Archer's attack range, but Glue did not bother to fire off an arrow, as they were very aware of how ineffectual that would be against him. They patiently waited for him to get close enough, so that they could cut off his path of retreat and slowly whittle his HP down.

One step, two steps, three steps… These men silently counted Gu Fei's every step as they constantly made eye-contact with one another, secretly checking his running pattern and already preparing the skills that they would unleash. Just as they mustered their determination to strike, he came to an abrupt halt.

He did not attack and merely lifted his hand to point right behind them, hinting for them to turn back.

”Do not fall for his trick!” Southern Lone Blade was convinced that he was trying to divert their attention and get everybody to turn, so that he could safely cover the remaining distance and attack.