Chapter 409: Scapegoat

Chen Xiaolian rushed forward, taking big strides with each step!

Skyblade who was in his hand urged, “Run faster! Brat! How could you get the time wrong? Bloody Hell! How could the Blood Verdict be happening today?”

“How the *** would I know?” Chen Xiaolian gasped as he continued running up the stairs of a corridor. “Only Heaven knows how long we’ve been inside that damned space! The flow of time in the outside world is completely different with the flow of time inside the space!”

“Faster! No matter what, you need to hurry!”

Chen Xiaolian suddenly asked, “Even if we do catch up, then what? You won’t be able to stop this Blood Verdict… unless you can personally step forward to replace Bluesea? Your present state…”

Skyblade was furious. “Of course I cannot take action. But… … … you can!”

“Wait a sec!”

Chen Xiaolian suddenly stopped in his tracks. He stared with widened eyes at the blade in his hand. “You mean… … me?”

“Don’t stop, kid! Run with all you’ve got!”

“If you won’t clarify, then I will not go,” said Chen Xiaolian as he shook his head. “Although I sympathize with Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild’s situation… I am not a member of your guild. Besides, we aren’t exactly good friends. At least, it’s not good enough for me to willingly become a substitute and face death! From what I can gather, this Blood Verdict is simply an act of sacrifice!”

“I have a plan! I also won’t let you die! Enough, hurry up and run!”

At that moment, a red light flashed out from a huge oval-shaped building located at the end of the corridor!

Chen Xiaolian raised his head and noticed it. “Eh?”

“What is it?”

“A red light is shining from that competition arena that you mentioned.”

“Damn it! That means the decisive battle is about to begin! We have no more than one minute! Once the red light turns green, the decisive battle would begin. Once it has begun, no changes would be allowed! Hurry up and run! Run! Run! RUN!!!”

…

In the waiting passageway.

Bluesea quietly looked at the red light flashing on the wall.

There was also a countdown timer counting down the seconds there.

Bluesea had both hands behind him and his eyes were narrowed. His expression tranquil and those around him were simply unable to figure out what he was thinking about.

The Angel Corps member standing beside had a tangled look on his face. He looked at Bluesea with a hint of regret.

Today, will the strongest powerhouse of Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild fall…

In Zero City where might makes right, this was inevitable.

The other guilds possessed [S] class experts to support them.

However, the strongest powerhouse that Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild could send out was only Bluesea… a mere [A+] class expert.

The Knights of Darkness Guild need not send out its Guild Leader. It had simply tossed out two [A+] class experts to corner Bluesea to his death.

This was the difference in power!

When there were less than 20 seconds on the countdown timer.

Bluesea released a long exhalation before taking a step toward the door before him.

It was at that moment that a clamour could be heard from the passageway behind him.

“Hey! You are… ”

“What is going on? Who is this? How did he get in?”

“He holds the highest authority of Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild. We cannot stop him…”

Soon, two Sentinel mechs piloted by the Angel Corps members moved to surround a quickly incoming figure.

When Bluesea saw who it was, his tranquil face changed into one of surprise.

“You are… Chen Xiaolian? How did you enter this place?”

Beads of sweat filled the surface of Chen Xiaolian’s forehead. He looked at Bluesea, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. A long and narrowing blade hung down from his waist.

When Bluesea saw the blade on Chen Xiaolian’s waist, his narrowed eyes became wide open!

“You! Where did you get that blade?”

Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “There is no time to explain.”

Chen Xiaolian turned around to look at the few Angel Corps members, specifically at the middle-aged man. “According to the rules of Blood Verdict, I, using the highest authority belonging to the Guild Leader of Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild, submit the decision to change the field combatant!”

“What did you say?!”

“Wait!”

“Don’t joke around!”

Bluesea and the various Angel Corps members exclaimed out at the same time.

There was an odd look on Chen Xiaolian’s face.

Bluesea grasped onto Chen Xiaolian and said, “What are you talking about? What is going on with this blade? What do you mean the highest authority belonging to the Guild Leader?”

Chen Xiaolian was quick to reply, “Don’t you know what the highest authority belonging to the Guild Leader is? Naturally, it is the authority of Skyblade, the damned doddering bugger!”

After saying that, Chen Xiaolian pulled out the blade hanging on his waist. “This is Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild’s decision. I ask the arbiter to carry it out!”

The faces of Bluesea and the middle-aged man from the Angel Corps instantly turned exceptionally strange.

A request had appeared through Zero City’s guild system into their personal system.

The source of this request was surprisingly…

“System prompt: Guild Leader of Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild, Skyblade has initiated a change in the selected combatant for the Blood Verdict. In accordance to the rules, this submission has been passed! Your qualification as a combatant has been taken away!”

Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild Leader, Skyblade!

Seeing those words in the system caused several of them to become greatly shocked!

Bluesea stared at the blade in Chen Xiaolian’s hand and his eyes abruptly turned red.

“Guild, Guild Leader?”

The middle-aged man from the Angel Corps was the fastest to respond. He suddenly stepped toward the side before extending his hand to slam heavily on the red light on the wall!

The countdown that had reached ‘3 seconds’ suddenly stopped.

At that moment, Angel Wu who was seated in the controlling arbiter’s seat instantly stood up.

He was looking up at the sky. Truth was, he was looking at the shocking prompt in his personal system.

“Sky… Skyblade?!”

…

“Although you are the one who makes the decisions in Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild, your Guild Leader, Skyblade had only gone missing. The system could also not prove that he is dead. Thus, the Guild Leader recognized by all systems is still Skyblade. As for you, your side had never initiated an internal process to change the Guild Leader. Thus, the highest authority in Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild continue to belong to Skyblade,” Chen Xiaolian quickly explained. “At present, Skyblade is using this highest authority of his to change the name of the list of combatants… he has this authority. So, Mr Bluesea, there is no need for you to step up for this Blood Verdict.”

“I don’t need to step up? Then who will?”

…

Once again, the competition arena was in an uproar.

The reason for that… … … at one end of the Competition Arena, a figure with smoke swirling around his body walked out from an opened rolling gate. The figure then made his way to the centre of the competition arena.

On the other end, the rolling gate for the combatant representing Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild had yet to open!

The time had passed!

Angel Wu who had stood up was looking at the rolling gate on Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild’s side in surprise.

The audience were still unaware of what was happening. Even the members of Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild, Qiao Yifeng and the others remain unaware.

The system prompt regarding the change in the list had only been sent to the original combatant, Bluesea.

Thus, the others’ did not receive the notification of change in the list of combatants by ‘Skyblade’ through their personal system.

If not for that, the grandstand where Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild was occupying would have broken into a sky shaking uproar.

Seeing that the combatant for Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild had yet to enter even though the combatant on the other side had and was waiting, the grandstands began clamouring again.

“Could Bluesea be regretting?”

“Are the people from Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild finally afraid of death?”

“Hurry up and come out! Resign yourself to your death!”

…

Over one minute later, the rolling gate slowly opened up.

Amid the shadows of the gate, a figure that did not appear muscular or striking slowly stepped out.

His clothing was casual while his hand held onto a rather unique looking war blade.

As he was walking out the passageway, his figure remained shrouded by the shadows. Thus, the first thing that the audience noticed was that unique looking war blade!

When some of the elders seated on the grandstands saw the blade, they swiftly jumped out of their seats! That was especially true of Qiao Yifeng!

Qiao Yifeng stared at the blade to the point where his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets!

When the blade wielder stepped out of the shadows, two sharp screams rang out from beside Qiao Yifeng.

Qiao Qiao and Soo Soo jumped up in unison with their fists clenched. They observed the figure walking into the competition arena in shock.

“Xiao… Xiaolian oppa?” Soo Soo exclaimed in a stupor.

…

At the same time, all the members of Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild received a prompt in their personal system.

[System prompt: Chen Xiaolian had applied to join Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild.

[System prompt: Guild Leader Skyblade has approved the application.

[System prompt: Chen Xiaolian has joined Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild and can now use the guild channel and the guild’s special resources.]

All the members of Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild were instantly shocked and they let out sky shaking shouts.

“Guild Leader?!”

“Guild Leader Skyblade?!”

“The Guild Leader is still here?”

As for Qiao Qiao and Soo Soo, they were shocked because…

“Xiaolian? It really is Xiaolian? The one who entered is really Xiaolian?”

…

Holding onto the blade, Chen Xiaolian stepped into the competition arena.

Facing the wild howls and clamouring coming from all around, he could feel cold sweat filling the surface of his forehead.

“Skyblade… you are not setting me up, are you? Lying to me to get me to replace Bluesea and send me to my death?”

“Kid! Have a taste of true power! This is an opportunity that comes once in a blue moon! Feast your eyes upon the true power of [S] class!”

…

“Who is that brat? I don’t recall seeing him before.”

“Who knows? Maybe Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild chickened out in the last moment?”

“Maybe. After knowing the list of combatants, Bluesea must be scared. He must surely not want to die. Thus, he simply picked out some poor sod to go die for him.”

“No matter. Today’s Blood Verdict is ours.”

The members of the other guilds on the grandstands leaned close to each other and whispered among themselves. They cast sympathetic gazes at Chen Xiaolian who was walking into the competition arena.

Mm, this is just a scapegoat going to his death.

Pitiful fellow, enjoy your last few minutes of life.

No… maybe it won’t even take a few minutes.

Heh!

…