367 Step Aside! Back Off! I’ll Take Them On! (2/2)

”Seems like this year's contest is going to end here!”

”The contest used to last for several days during the previous years. Looks like this year's contest won't even last for a day!”

”We have stronger contestants this year, and I thought they would proceed to the next round. Looks like our hopes have been dashed!”

”Ai, the Dragon Veins are being too well-protected! The forefathers of the Royal Family of Metal Nation were really strong!”

The crowd outside the Imperial Tombs shook their heads.

...

Inside the burial chamber, the group had not guessed that the commotion had been caused by the golden puppets. They stared at the tunnel watchfully as they continued to fend against the ancient armored puppets!

A short while later, they saw some golden rays coming from the tunnel.

Stomp!

Loud, uniform sounds were heard and the group suddenly saw several golden puppets moving in the tunnel.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the golden puppets. Their faces went ashen!

”Heavens, it's the golden puppets!”

”What's happening? It has not even been 100 years, why have the golden puppets come out?”

”Could someone have accidentally activated a trap or something?”

”No way, all of us stayed together in one place, there's no way anyone could have activated another restrictive enchantment!”

”Back off, retreat!”

”We can't continue with the contest!”

”It's such a pity! This year we had the best line-up so far but we encountered the golden puppets!”

”D*mn, why did this happen? I haven't even fought the puppets for the Eldest Prince yet!”

”Me too, I haven't fought the puppets for the Second Prince yet either!”

Many of them were bitter about the current situation. Besides being unable to perform, another main reason was that they were hopeful to go on to the next round of the contest. However, their hopes had now been dashed by the unexpected appearance of the golden puppets!

”Forget it, let's retreat! That's all we can do now!” announced the Eldest Prince.

He knew very well how terrifying the golden puppets were. Even if the whole group took on the golden puppets together, they would only be able to handle 10 golden puppets!

Not only that, but there were also thousands of smaller ancient armored puppets, and over a hundred golden puppets. It would be impossible to continue the contest.

”Huh?”

Xu Que raised an eyebrow and was somewhat dumbstruck by what he heard.

The golden puppets that only show up every 100 years have appeared earlier?

Something must be amiss. Maybe someone really activated a hidden restriction or trap?

Xu Que was pondering over this matter and suddenly he thought of something.

Nah!

Could this have been activated… by that f*cking dog?

Xu Que finally thought of Buttface. He had not seen Buttface since he had started participating in the contest.

With that dog's temperament, it was impossible for him not to show up.

Moreover, Xu Que knew that Buttface had previously dug a hole, but it had been turned into barracks for the guards.

Now that he thought about it, Buttface must have entered the Imperial Tombs before him.

And these golden puppets might have been activated by Buttface, who might have been reckless whilst exploring the area!

”Young Master Xu, things are looking bad. Now that the golden puppets have appeared, we need to leave this place!” the Seventh Princess hurriedly informed Xu Que as she slipped through the anxious crowd to get to him.

Master Zhou had stopped his weapon forging as well. The Third Prince and the rest of their team were now ready to retreat!

However, Xu Que shouted to everyone, waving his hand, ”calm down, everyone! Aren't all of you the nobility and elites of the Metal Nation? All the more reason why we should be calm in such situations, right? As everyone here represents the future of the Metal Nation, you must believe in yourselves! Understand? Be more confident, yes! Be like me, keep your back straight, stick out your chest, tidy your hair and face the danger bravely…”

Everyone was startled and stopped in their tracks. They looked at Xu Que in astonishment.

”Furthermore, what's there to panic about?” Xu Que continued his speech with a domineering aura. ”It's just the golden puppets. Just because they look nicer and they think they are so powerful? Hahaha… they're just trash to me! Step aside! Back off… I'll take them on!”

With that, he took a large stride forward.