Chapter 1354 - 65: Cunning and Greed

Chapter 1354: Chapter 65: Cunning and Greed

Inside the Powder Wine House, Lan Zuo’s gaze swept from side to side, arcs danced across his body.

The moment Roger’s Gun disappeared, Lan Zuo realized something was wrong. He quickly connected the internal conflict among the snipers and the mysterious disappearance of Roger’s Gun in his mind, realizing he was being blamed, taking the fall for a big mess.

Looking at those dozens of menacing eyes around him, Lan Zuo knew that if he couldn’t escape quickly, he’d have no chance with Roger’s Gun. Forget about making the top five in Pirate Reputation; he only had two to three sentences worth of ’explanation’ opportunity.

In the past, Lan Zuo would have scoffed at explaining, but now these lone wolves weren’t weak; if they teamed up to besiege him, he might die here.

Thinking about this, Lan Zuo’s hatred for the sniper surged; he wanted nothing more than to devour him alive.

Stay calm!

This was the first thought that appeared in Lan Zuo’s mind.

Various illuminations from abilities flickered inside the Powder Wine House. It was obvious the lone wolves inside were preparing to attack Lan Zuo, wanting to join forces to kill him quickly to see if he had Roger’s Gun.

"Little Wildcat, Tank, Bart, plan failed, prepare to evacuate."

Lan Zuo assumed a fighting stance, with the masked woman in black tight attire at his back, the one that Little Bun had previously referred to as Masked Man.

’Tank’ and ’Bart’ referred to Iron Tank and Barbartray. Iron Tank wore iron armor and specialized in using a shield sword, while Barbartray was a white man in a jungle suit.

Upon hearing Lan Zuo’s words, the curvaceous Masked Man hesitated. She instinctively wanted to punch Lan Zuo’s spine with a heavy blow, sensing that he was trying to drag her into the trouble.

At the moment Masked Man was about to act, Lan Zuo spoke his second sentence.

"Tank, open the shield!"

Just as Lan Zuo finished speaking, Iron Tank slammed the conical shield he held onto the ground.

Boom!

A metal-textured energy shield appeared, enclosing Lan Zuo, Masked Man, Iron Tank, and Barbartray within it.

Masked Man stopped her impending attack. She noticed Iron Tank’s gaze; if she dared to act, Lan Zuo and Iron Tank would likely team up against her, and she wasn’t sure whether Barbartray had partnered with Lan Zuo and Iron Tank.

Lan Zuo and Iron Tank were at least in collaboration, evident from Iron Tank’s action of opening the shield.

The lone wolves around who were ready to attack were obviously intimidated; if these four teamed up, they’d be a tough bone to chew.

A thin-faced lone wolf contractor frowned, sensing something off. If these four had indeed reached a cooperative relationship, why had they stalled all this time? These four could very well withstand their attacks and successfully snatch Roger’s Gun.

The thin lone wolf studied the expressions of Lan Zuo and Iron Tank, finding no abnormalities, yet he saw a momentary shock and anger on Masked Man and Barbartray’s faces.

The thin lone wolf immediately turned and dashed out of the wine house, feeling 60% sure that Roger’s Gun wasn’t on Lan Zuo. Lan Zuo’s statements clearly aimed to stall the crowd momentarily, avoiding being besieged. Observed closely, it seemed like Lan Zuo came up with this clever self-preservation strategy, though it couldn’t withstand scrutiny.

Lan Zuo fearing the crowd? Impossible, the madmen of the Travel Group fear not even death, so how could they fear them? Yet the current situation showed Lan Zuo un willing to engage them; either that or it wasn’t worth it, which begged the question: was Lan Zuo taking the fall for someone else?

Various thoughts flitted through the thin lone wolf’s mind rapidly. He had crawled unaccompanied from First Tier to Fourth Tier; without a certain level of intelligence, he would have died in some Derivative World long ago.

Soon, the thin lone wolf recalled the chaotic sniper battle from moments earlier, noting the abnormal sniper who fired first.

Currently, Lan Zuo was besieged and couldn’t escape the encirclement any time soon. Rather than fighting death with Lan Zuo, the thin lone wolf preferred to verify his own guesses.

Could the Masked Man, who was stronger than him, not think of this?

Masked Man crouched low, looking at Lan Zuo, who was facing away from her. As a scapegoat target, she understood this matter clearer than the thin lone wolf.

"Dare to hand it to me, I’ll fight you tooth and nail."

Masked Man whispered an ambiguous statement.

"Looks like we’ve found someone who understands. The culprit must be fleeing towards outside Zone 21; let’s team up to catch him."

"Okay."

Masked Man didn’t explain to the surrounding lone wolves that she was the second to enter the wine house, having arrived only moments after Lan Zuo.

One thing Masked Man couldn’t understand: if Lan Zuo had truly gotten Roger’s Gun, why hadn’t he escaped at the first opportunity? Cooperating with Iron Tank’s inside-outside support, even if he couldn’t break out immediately, it would be much better than being trapped here.

Lan Zuo didn’t want to escape immediately? No, he couldn’t do it. If Lan Zuo had chosen to leave the wine house earlier, working with Iron Tank’s inside-outside support, mud in the pants wouldn’t just look like dirt—it would be dirt; everyone would have assumed Roger’s Gun was on him.

Hence, Lan Zuo didn’t leave right away, creating room for the situation to ease.

"Lan Zuo, hand over—"

White Barbartray opened his mouth but was interrupted by Lan Zuo.

"Barbartray!"

Lan Zuo shouted low, and a long wooden box appeared in his hand.

"Payment."

Lan Zuo tossed the wooden box to Barbartray, whose shoulder muscles swelled, manifesting a twisted arm to catch the box. Though most contractors regarded Barbartray as rash and muscle-brained, he did have some wit; he didn’t catch the box with his bare hands to avoid any trickery within.

At that moment, what Lan Zuo tossed was undoubtedly a hot potato. Yet Barbartray didn’t discard the box because he received a prompt.

[You obtained Soul Crystal (Large) ×2.]

Inside the box were two Soul Crystals (Large), no wonder Barbartray didn’t drop the box; he couldn’t bear to.

Barbartray feigned crushing the box for everyone to see that inside were the Soul Crystals, but as greed surged within him, it was too late.

At this moment, what Lan Zuo tossed was indeed a hot potato; a very wise person would drop the box without hesitation upon determining its contents weren’t Roger’s Gun, thus cleansing suspicion.

"Break through!"

Iron Tank bellowed with rage, sound waves rippling outward, Masked Man turned her head aside.

Lan Zuo, Masked Man, and Iron Tank rushed towards the main entrance of the wine house, while Barbartray at the back was about to crush the wooden box, an Invisible Contract User appeared behind him.

This Invisible Contract User leapt, twin daggers in hand resembling two poison fangs, aiming for Barbartray’s cervical vertebrae.

A black python’s spectral image materialized behind Barbartray when he lunged forward, but it was too late.

Swish!

Black blood splattered as Barbartray crushed the box in his hands, revealing a mass of splintered wood, within which two Soul Crystals lay sensed.

Swish, swish...

Throat, underarm, side neck, eye socket—the Invisible Contract User’s dual daggers transformed into remnants, drawing up black blood lines that carved symbols in the air, growing clearer; Barbartray’s body grew stiffer.

Woosh～

The Invisible Contract User flicked his daggers, severing the black blood lines in midair, reaching out to grasp the two Soul Crystals (Large).