CHAPTER 60: THE REAL TRAP

It took Han Xuhan a great exertion of self-restraint to not throw a punch into Mu Ran’s gut. Perhaps the fact that he knew he’d lose in the fight was the determinant factor there.

"This is an amazing discovery, Representative Ran! How did nobody else manage to find this place? We’ve got a huge lead now, and possibly many murderers to catch!"

Shen Kai’s fearful excitement was palpable, and the issue he raised was certainly something to think about.

"Boss, I’m pretty sure that the demonic cultivators wouldn’t be dumb enough to leave such a simple ’entrance to their lair’ which anyone can find easily. Nobody found this trap even though this place has been searched repeatedly.

"This has to be a temporary trap made for investigators, especially cultivators. This also indicates that the demonic cultivators were aware that we would visit."

Xuhan’s concerns were not unfounded. But Mu Ran simply smirked as if he had figured all of these out. But he was pretty sure that Mu Ran wasn’t the sort of person who thought things so far ahead so fast.

"I understand. However, this is also the easiest way to confront the demonic cultivators. At least one clue has been found, right?"

"There is no way in hell I’m going down that trap. You can’t make me," Han Xuhan protested.

"But what about the victims? Not all of them might be dead! We can’t abandon them to their fate just because we are scared of a trap," Shen Kai snapped at him angrily.

"Moreover, did you forget, underling? When the sect experts evaluated this mission, they marked the danger rating at a low level.

"They wouldn’t be so dumb as to falsify the danger level of a mission just because they’re lazy, would they? They’re all veterans, they know what they’re doing."

Mu Ran’s rebuttal was even more firm, stomping on any other objections Han Xuhan could raise.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t think of other solutions. They could always call the rest of the townsfolk here while guarding the trap and then explore it together. The sect could also be alerted without much hassle.

But that would put a certain level of danger on the lives of the mortal townsfolk, not to mention the victims inside the underground layer.

Taking the sect’s help would also reduce their performance evaluation when they returned to the sect. It could also make their targets escape without a confrontation, which would just be as bad an outcome.

Perhaps, in the world of cultivation, taking risks was the only way for a weakling to gain benefits.

"Fine. We will check out what’s on the other side of the trap." Han Xuhan finally said in a resigned manner and raised a very important question.

"So who will go inside first? I vote...not me."

"The squirrel of course!" Mu Ran declared.

Both Han Xuhan and Shen Kai found themselves struck speechless by Mu Ran’s innovation. Inquisitively, Shen Kai decided to volunteer.

"How about this? I’ll go down first and check out what’s inside after the squirrel. This is my town. I have a responsibility here."

"Shen Kai, your cultivation level is basically trash. How can I let you take on such a risky task? I’ll be the first one to go after the squirrel!"

Mu Ran laughed him off. Shen Kai looked like he didn’t know whether to feel insulted or relieved.

Han Xuhan felt that things were advancing at a pace too fast for him to make plans for. All of his backup plans would be reduced to meaningless labor at this rate. The appearance of the underground tunnel had changed everything and upended the entire situation.

If this was a trap, then these criminals sure were insidious!

Meanwhile, Mu Ran proceeded to control the squirrel with his qi and made it approach the edge of the illusory area again. The squirrel stiffly stood for a second at the edge of a pile of fallen leaves, and then jumped forward.

A strange scene took place. The moment the squirrel’s body touched the leaves, they blurred like a ripple in a pond, following which, the squirrel’s body disappeared. No sound, no contact with the leaves or the ground...

It was as if the squirrel had simply passed through the air before disappearing.

Mu Ran, whose mental concentration was focused on the squirrel, suddenly jerked back and almost lost his balance. Shen Kai and Han Xuhan rushed over to support him.

"What happened?"

"You alright, boss?"

"I’m fine. This array formation is too profound for me to crack with small tricks. The mental connection to my qi was severed again despite hiding the qi inside the squirrel’s body. But it doesn’t matter, I’ll be going in anyway. I must accomplish the goal at all costs."

Han Xuhan’s eyes narrowed at the last sentence uttered by Mu Ran. This guy was definitely hiding something from them. There was no reason for him to harm himself for people he didn’t even know. The Mu Ran he knew was not THIS righteous!

Did he sense something on the other side? He had been acting like a madman since he had discovered the tunnel. Why was he unwilling to tell the rest of his companions about it?

Han Xuhan’s nerves tingled at the implications. The contents of the main storyline quest flickered in his thoughts. But he couldn’t reach any solid conclusion.

"Alright, see you guys on the other side," Mu Ran said. Resigned to his fate, Han Xuhan watched as Mu Ran jumped gracefully inside the illusory area. The leaves on the ground blurred for a second before Mu Ran’s body vanished behind them.

After a few seconds of silence, Han Xuhan gazed at Shen Kai.

"Well, after you, Brother Kai."

Nodding vigorously, Shen Kai took a few steps back and prepared to jump in, his body bending slightly for a stable posture.

Then, like a spring tightened to the limit, Shen Kai soared forward swiftly, his speed unnaturally fast for a Mystic Path cultivator with an ordinary physique.

Han Xuhan didn’t even manage to move a muscle as he closed in on him with that inhumanely swift leap. Shen Kai’s right hand, gripping a short dagger, cut through the wind with a hair-raising howl and plunged into Han Xuhan’s unguarded back.

From the beginning, Shen Kai had never planned to leap into the ’trap’.