CHAPTER 1199: CHAPTER 1195: THE THIRTEEN GUARDS BOUND

Bai Hu believed that no one else besides herself could activate the Spirit Vein Stone, so she confidently left the room and led the Annihilation Squad to meet the enemy.

However, despite all her calculations, Bai Hu was unaware that Xi Feng Elder had already mastered other methods. Is there anything more exciting than this?

"Xi Feng Elder, thanks to you, we two can finally free ourselves from that fellow Dong Feng Elder. This time, if it succeeds, we will both become gods!"

Xi Feng Elder made a heavy promise to Nan Feng Elder, but Nan Feng Elder’s aim was not as claimed...

"Xi Feng Elder, everyone has their own goals. What I value is not ’bloodline’ but ’power.’ So, at that time, the one who becomes a god is you, and the one who gains power is me!"

"Deal!"

Xi Feng Elder extended his hand to Nan Feng Elder, and the two swore an oath with a handshake.

Although their goals differed, they formed a temporary alliance based on mutual benefit and support.

"Xi Feng Elder, here’s the key. Although activating the Spirit Vein Stone takes longer than Bai Hu’s initiation, as long as Ye Tian and those Martial Artists keep the Annihilation Squad occupied, there should be enough time."

Saying this, Nan Feng Elder handed the key to Xi Feng Elder. Xi Feng Elder took the key and immediately said, "Rest assured, it only requires a maximum of three hours, and the Black Hole Clan’s grand plan can be implemented!"

"Very well..."

Nan Feng Elder nodded and then left the room.

Outside the room, Nan Feng Elder’s personal guard, Dong Mei, was waiting there. Upon seeing Nan Feng Elder, Dong Mei immediately said respectfully, "Nan Feng Elder, I’ve already ordered through the South City government, the entire city is on lockdown, police are dispatched to maintain order in the streets and alleys. However, these police officers have no idea what’s happening."

"Good, good."

Nan Feng Elder was quite satisfied with his personal guard, Dong Mei. Dong Mei was effective in her duties, unlike the other two deceased guards.

Since the Black Hole Clan’s grand plan was about to unfold, preventing random movement of the South City populace was necessary. If the people sensed something was amiss and fled entirely, it would be detrimental to the Black Hole Clan’s plan.

The fewer South City residents remain, the less power the Black Hole Clan acquires...

Fortunately, this time, Ye Tian led a group of Martial Artists into South City, allowing Nan Feng Elder to rightfully enforce a city-wide lockdown to prevent random movements, trapping millions of residents within South City.

"However, to prevent any accidents, once Ye Tian and his group enter the city, you must deploy a defensive net, to catch those folks like turtles in a jar. Their power can also become our Black Hole Clan’s food!"

Nan Feng Elder further commanded, and Dong Mei immediately accepted the order.

"Yes! Nan Feng Elder, I’ll go arrange it now!"

Just as Dong Mei was about to leave, Nan Feng Elder stopped her.

"What about the Thirteen Guards? Has that fellow Xi Feng Elder controlled them all?"

While Nan Feng Elder was out confronting Ye Tian, Dong Mei stayed in South City to provide information, allowing Nan Feng Elder to gather as much intelligence from her as possible to maintain control over the situation.

"It’s more than ’controlled’; they’re all tied up! That fellow Xi Feng Elder is very assertive! Originally, more than half of the Thirteen Guards were loyal to the Black Hole Clan, but after Xi Feng Elder’s interference, I’m afraid they’ll all betray the Black Hole Clan!"

Dong Mei heavily mocked, and Nan Feng Elder couldn’t help but laugh, saying, "It seems that fellow is impatient to become a ’god’... Dong Mei, there’s nothing more for you here. Go complete the task I assigned!"

"Yes!"

Dong Mei then left, while Nan Feng Elder proceeded towards the higher levels of the South City Underground City...

The room where the Spirit Vein Stone was located was on the lowest level of the Underground City, a level above lay the "altar."

Although it was called an altar, it did not resemble one. Instead, it was an oval-shaped room, with various patterns painted on the walls, resembling totems.

In the center of the room was a large stone table, which was quite regular and was a perfect thirteen-sided shape. At each corner of the thirteen sides, there was a stone stool, and on each stone stool, there was a person tied up, making a total of thirteen people.

These thirteen people were the thirteen guards of the Black Hole Clan!

Elder Nan Feng looked at the thirteen guards through the only window in the room. All the guards were tied up with the special ropes of the Black Hole Clan, unable to exert any strength, completely at the mercy of others.

Since they were all tied up, their vision was limited, and the thirteen guards were unable to see Elder Nan Feng who was observing them.

Among the thirteen guards, Tian Yi, Tian Er, Tian Qi, and Tian Shisan were not the real ones, but clones. However, the clones only had the genes of these individuals, not their memories or intellect, so these clones were like puppets, motionless, only occasionally rolling their eyes, indicating that they were alive.

Tian San and Tian Shi, on the other hand, had once betrayed the Black Hole Clan but were forced to return for some reason. Since they already knew the dark side of the Black Hole Clan, they were unsurprised by such treatment upon their return.

Tian San and Tian Shi just sighed silently, waiting for the punishment of fate...

But the other thirteen guards were loyal to the Black Hole Clan, so they found such a situation unacceptable!

Tian Si shouted loudly, "What’s going on!? Why am I tied up? Did I do something to betray the Black Hole Clan? That’s impossible! That’s impossible! Why are you treating me like this?"

Tian Liu defended, "No way, the elders wouldn’t treat us like this! Even when I leaked the secrets of the Black Hole Clan, I was forgiven, let alone others! I think there’s a reason we’re tied up. Don’t worry, once this matter is resolved, we’ll regain our freedom!"

Among all thirteen guards, only Tian Liu had a lot of faith in the elders of the Black Hole Clan because he had once been coerced by Ye Tian to disclose all the secrets of the Black Hole Clan he knew, but the elders, upon learning this, did not blame him, which deeply moved Tian Liu.

Tian Ba and Tian Jiu, although not as aggressive as Tian Si in attitude, were not as compliant as Tian Liu either.

Tian Ba questioned, "If we neither made mistakes nor are being punished, why would the elders and their personal guards tie us here? The ropes tying us are the secret treasures of the Black Hole Clan, capable of rendering martial artists powerless. They must be afraid we’ll struggle and cause trouble."

Tian Jiu also said, "That’s exactly the case. Recently, the actions of the elders have become more and more unpredictable, leading us to feel that, in front of the elders, we thirteen guards are merely pawns, to be discarded at will once our usefulness is gone!"

Tian Shiyi and Tian Shi’er, being the last among the thirteen guards, didn’t have any say at the moment and just remained silent, quietly listening to the discussions of their companions.

At this moment, Tian Si already pointed the blame at the former betrayers Tian Liu, Tian San, and Tian Shi...

"Tian Liu, you coward without a backbone, as soon as you were captured, you spilled everything! It’s because of this that the elders belittle us thirteen guards! Those arrogant personal guards can only ride over us!

Tian San, Tian Shi, you two, even more shameless! You actually got tricked by that woman Tian Qi and betrayed the Black Hole Clan. Now look, the reputation of the thirteen guards is ruined by you lot, and it’s all your fault that we’re not trusted by the elders and are tied here!"

Tian Si cursed loudly, forcing Tian San, who had been silent, to finally speak up...

"Tian Si, don’t slander me. Don’t you know what kind of people the elders of the Black Hole Clan are? Just look at the fake Tian Yi, Tian Er, Tian Qi, and Tian Shisan sitting there. Merely looking at those mute fakes, haven’t you ever doubted? If it’s to punish the thirteen guards, why bother punishing even the fakes?"

Tian San’s words left Tian Si speechless.

Indeed, if the elders were venting their anger on the other thirteen guards due to the betrayal of Tian Qi and others, there would be no need to tie even the cloned fakes to the stone stools, right?

As a member of the Black Hole Clan, Tian Si clearly knew that the Black Hole Clan had cloning technology, and he also knew that the elders had once created a clone of Tian Shisan.

However, at that time, Tian Si thought the elders were merely commemorating the deceased Tian Shisan. But now, on second thought, it seemed quite odd...

Looking again at the motionless Tian Yi, Tian Er, and Tian Qi, it further baffled the purpose of the Black Hole Clan’s elders.

Tian Yi and Tian Er were also deceased, so it made sense to clone them. But Tian Qi was a traitor of the Black Hole Clan, and she was still alive. Cloning her and binding her clone in this room was even more perplexing.

No matter the angle of interpretation, the actions of the elders of the Black Hole Clan appeared extraordinarily strange, leaving Tian Si at a loss for a suitable reason. In this way, even the resolute Tian Si found his belief quietly wavering.