Chapter 237 - Sophistry (1/2)

“I got you now, you bastards!”

A chilling voice crept from behind the four. Their body froze and looked back in reflex to see Gu Santong’s furious gaze.

Scared out of their wits, the four shivered as they lowered their heads, not daring to look him in the eye.

Gu Santong scratched his nose, sweeping the four with a cold eye and snorting, “Who was it that threw the punch on me? Step forward!”

“He did it!”

The four didn’t even lift their heads as three demons pointed straight at Violent Demon.

Violent Demon felt like kicking these bunch of ignoble bastards’ arse, but he was weak as a kitten before Gu Santong’s stern gaze. He then showed a miserable and crying smile, “It’s not my fault, I never would’ve done it if I wasn’t compelled!”

“Oh, who forced you then?” Furrowing his brow, Gu Santong fists tightened.

Swallowing dryly, Violent Demon squeaked, “It’s…”

Creak!

Violent Demon shuddered in that instant and his jaw froze open, but could not utter a sound. As if something was shoved down his throat.

Then, a cheerful cry entered their ears, “Gu Santong, you’re finally here. Thank the heavens, I thought we’d never see you again!”

Zhuo Fan and Li Jingtian staggered their wretched bodies over. While Li Jingtian’s face was tense from anxiety, by contrast, Zhuo Fan’s was that of joy, as if guileless. He even went as far as give Gu Santong an old fashioned cozy hug.

The four demons now knew why Violent Demon was choking on his own voice. Zhuo Fan’s Bloodworm was doing its thing!

These two had the life of the four demons in their hands. And offending any side now was certain death no matter how they sliced it. So the three demons buried their heads in the dirt to avoid looking at anyone.

Violent Demon’s face twitched and shivered. He was fearing for his life. Thinking Zhuo Fan would take his life to protect his own.

Getting out of Zhuo Fan’s hug, Gu Santong stared at him with resentment. Zhuo Fan was startled and faked innocence, “What’s wrong?”

“Why did you run? Why did you set up a lightning array here?” Gu Santong snapped at him. Li Jingtian swallowed dryly, his whole body frozen, while the four demons shivered.

Only Zhuo had a downright shocked expression, “What are you talking about? Who set an array?”

“You didn’t set the lightning array?”

“As if! You think we’d still be trapped with you if we could?” Zhuo Fan rolled his eyes.

Gu Santong was speechless, the four demons startled, all while confusion predominated to all present.

“You’re saying you’ve been trapped in there as well?” Gu Santong spoke, his tone still carried anger, albeit subdued.

Sighing, Zhuo Fan shook his head, “Of course, or we’d have long returned with the ingredient!”

“What, you’ve been trapped here just to get an ingredient?” Gu Santong cried, now his anger deflated.

Zhuo Fan nodded, running his mouth, “Gu Santong, do you know why there’s a 6th-grade lightning array here?”

Gu Santong shook his head, a telltale sign he bought into Zhuo Fan’s lie completely.

“Because there’s a precious 8th-grade ingredient here. Someone used the array to protect it!” Zhuo Fan spoke, “To help you get that ingredient, we had to go into the lion’s den, and barely got out alive. But thankfully you got here just in time! But why do you say we ran away? Didn’t I tell you we’ll be going on an ingredient hunt?”

“Uh, that’s…” Gu Santong blushed, fiddling with his hands, like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Somewhat aggrieved and somewhat guilty.

They were braving danger for his sake, yet he was here casting blame on them – for shame!

Zhuo Fan sighed, giving Li Jingtian a look, and the two showed a carefree smile. Gu Santong sure was an abomination, but pure as a child, and more importantly, easy to fool.

The Four Scheming Demons were struck dumb.

They had feared the kid for his power. But even after three centuries, he was still but a child, easy to dupe. Why didn’t they think of that?

But Gu Santong’s shyness only lasted a second as he pointed at Violent Demon with a frown, “Why then were they moving around the array so freely, even giving me a punch? You were clearly against me!”

Shuddering, they all felt shock and fear, with the four demons lowering their heads.

Li Jingtian’s brow was soaked, his lips dry, and looked anxiously at Zhuo Fan for help. [He may be a child at heart and mind, but everyone knows the chaos he caused Tianyu three hundred years ago!]

[It’s not that easy to dupe him after all!]

This was Zhuo Fan’s plan all along. If they couldn’t hold him with the array, then they’ll throw in a play. They’d fake being victims as well, braving the danger of death for the kid’s sake.

This worked to explain why they were in the array, and also scored sympathy points with the kid. Without any real evidence, even if the kid was dubious, he couldn’t just trash them when they were giving their all in finding him ingredients!

So, Zhuo Fan and Li Jingtian never once showed themselves as the array worked, just so they could enact this play, and give themselves a way out.

Who’d have thought however, that the Four Scheming Demons Zhuo Fan asked to keep the kid busy went as far as punching him!

Now this was throwing a wrench in his act…