Chapter 297: To Kill with a Borrowed Sword

Chapter 297: Chapter 297: To Kill with a Borrowed Sword

[Zane Pierce]: Master Blacktiger! If we’re going to make a move, we should just use the Arena Challenge on those two! I think it’s best to use it right now—delays breed complications! Once we have all the crystals, we can figure out how to split them. How about it?

How about it?

Seraphina Sinclair almost laughed out loud.

Zane Pierce’s intentions were painfully obvious.

He wanted to use her strength and the Arena Challenge’s mandatory duel rule to eliminate the other side’s key members, seize the crystals, and then split the loot evenly with her, his temporary ally.

It sounded fair, with each of them getting what they wanted.

But from start to finish, Zane Pierce himself would assume almost no risk, aside from providing a bit of intelligence.

She, Seraphina Sinclair, would be the one taking action. She, Seraphina Sinclair, would be the one using the Arena Challenge. And she, Seraphina Sinclair, would be the one risking it all to kill other top-tier survivors.

And he? All he had to do was sit back and reap the rewards, walking away with half of the crystals.

This wasn’t an alliance. It was, quite clearly, using her as a disposable weapon.

Seraphina Sinclair’s eyes grew cold, but her tone in the reply she typed was unreadable.

[Blacktiger Ford]: Not a bad idea. But team up with you? On what grounds?

Zane Pierce froze when he saw the reply, but he recovered quickly. He let out a cold snort, a flicker of contempt crossing his face, yet the message he sent was still full of enthusiasm.

[Zane Pierce]: Master Blacktiger, you can’t look at it that way! The intelligence I’m providing is crucial, isn’t it? Without my inside info, even with an Arena Challenge, would you know who to use it on? Would you know who has the goods?

He was trying to emphasize his own value.

But Seraphina Sinclair was unmoved, her next reply even more direct.

[Blacktiger Ford]: The intel has value, sure, but for half the crystals? Don’t you find that laughable? The Arena Challenge is mine, I’m the one making the move, and I’m the one taking on almost all the risk. You provide a single piece of information and expect a fifty-percent cut? Are you dreaming?

The words were incredibly harsh. On the other end of the chat, Zane Pierce’s face fell, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

After staring at the text for a moment, his anger subsided as quickly and strangely as it had appeared.

Zane Pierce cracked a smile, one that felt sinister and unsettling, and replied:

[Zane Pierce]: You’re right to call me out, Master Blacktiger. I was being greedy. So, what do you think is a fair split? I, Zane Pierce, am not an unreasonable man.

He had backed down instantly, yet the coldness in Seraphina Sinclair’s eyes only deepened.

’Interesting.’

’This guy really is something else. A pity his acting isn’t quite up to par.’

Although Seraphina Sinclair didn’t know what his true objective was, she was certain it wasn’t as clear-cut as he made it seem.

Zane Pierce’s information and proposed strategy were too perfect—suspiciously so.

If he had really obtained this core intelligence from an inside informant as he claimed, that informant would have to be incredibly high-ranking. They knew too much, and the information was too detailed and too timely.

It was plausible to have information on the five leaders. But if Seraphina were one of the organizers, she would only have revealed the five IDs to attract other people to their cause.

But to publicly announce who was holding the goods and why...

’Was there really any need to announce those two things?’

In Seraphina’s opinion, there was absolutely no reason to.

Unless... they wanted to set up two scapegoats, using an external force—her—to go after them as a diversion. And at the same time...

Zane Pierce was simply the bait they’d put out. Or, he was one of them himself, and this was all a coordinated charade.

Combined with the fact that the Arena Challenge’s rules were real and binding—once used, only one person could survive.

Seraphina guessed that Artemis and Cloudmute probably didn’t even know that they were supposedly holding the Expansion Crystals.

Seraphina Sinclair’s expression turned completely glacial as her fingertips unconsciously brushed against the cool surface of her Silver Moon Earrings.

’A classic case of luring someone into a trap, while also getting them to do your dirty work for you.’

After the failed attempts by Artemis and Seaview to test her, the opposition had switched tactics.

They were exploiting her known distaste for monopolies by sending out Zane Pierce—a supposed fellow traveler who seemed reckless but was actually insidious—to present a seemingly perfect heist.

The core of this plan was the Arena Challenge: a mandatory duel where only one could survive.

If she fell for it and actually used the Arena Challenge, what would be the outcome?

Most likely, she would succeed in killing one of them, perhaps even both.

But what then?

She would absolutely not get all the crystals.

The very fact that they had set up this trap meant the Expansion Crystals weren’t actually in their possession. Seraphina would be left empty-handed.

Worse, they could use the opportunity to brand her with a damning accusation.

"Using an Arena Challenge to kill indiscriminately in a bid to steal resources."

’Look at that. What a heavy accusation.’

It would no longer be simple competition or a case of outlaws robbing outlaws, but a violation of the fragile, unwritten rules that kept the balance among humans in The Black Mist World.

At that point, even as Blacktiger Ford, she would become public enemy number one.

The monopoly could then righteously call for a crusade against her, and those who were already wary of her—or who wanted to use her as a stepping stone to power—would never let such an opportunity pass.

She would find herself isolated and mired in endless trouble.

Meanwhile, the monopoly would have two fewer major players to share the Expansion Crystals with, allowing them to further concentrate resources in the hands of their core members.

’What a brilliant scheme.’

’Truly brilliant.’

Killing three birds with one stone. They would eliminate two members competing for the Expansion Crystals, get rid of her—the biggest destabilizing factor—and ruin her reputation, completely stripping her of the ability to disrupt their plans.

Of course, Seraphina didn’t have any concrete evidence yet. She was just piecing together this grand drama in her head based on Zane Pierce’s suspicious behavior and a few flimsy clues.

The truth might not be exactly this, but the probability was extremely high.

In the Black Mist World, a place rife with schemes and betrayals, she would rather assume the absolute worst of people than fall into a trap through a moment of carelessness.

So, now was the time to go and "verify" her theory.

While Seraphina was lost in thought, Zane Pierce sent a few more messages.

[Zane Pierce]: Master Blacktiger? Are you still there?

[Zane Pierce]: Do you think my proposed cut is still too high? We can negotiate! The main thing is, this is a rare opportunity. If we miss it, I’m afraid they’ll get suspicious!

His tone had shifted from subservient to urgent, with a hint of impatience.

’But he was right about one thing,’ she thought. ’Delays breed complications.’

’It would be a waste of this perfect opportunity not to extort him a little.’

[Blacktiger Ford]: Since you’re so willing to admit your mistake, we can talk. The Arena Challenge is mine, and I’m taking all the risk. We’ll do a ninety-ten split. I get nine parts, you get one. Also, to guarantee the authenticity of your intel and to make sure I don’t go through all this trouble for nothing—or worse, walk into a trap—you’ll give me 5,000 Black Fog Coins up front as a security deposit. Agree, and we have a deal. Disagree, and we’re done here.

Message sent, Seraphina waited patiently.

This time, the reply was slower to arrive.

About two minutes passed before a message from Zane Pierce finally popped up.