Chapter 133 - His Bargaining Skills

Darkness began to envelope the city while women, children, old men and women lay on the dirt inside the city. The white-eyed Anghus stood within the forest, waiting for Mafan's further instruction.

General Lofey, Ming, Tyriece, and Gib uncovered their ears when the painful vibration ceased And saw the people were lying on the dirt road within the silent city walls. The atmosphere was so serene but heart wrenching. 

Ming stepped to run to Lei An but Tyriece, who was nearer, shouted. "Don't go, brother. They are under an illusion. Maybe, the same one we experienced days ago."

The sight of Lei An and the people lying there helplessly tightened his chest. He looked at where Mafan were and about blew a needle like wind to pierce the man but… the lying soldiers suddenly stood. He waved his hand up, letting the deadly wind to fly up into the sky, making tiny holes perfectly aligned on the floating clouds above to avoid hitting anyone.

Mafan's head was still having a headache but sarcastically laughed as he let the soldiers stand on their feet in unison and made certain he stood in the middle of a thick crowd. "General Lofey, listen carefully."

The Chiangdas looked at the voice's direction while the soldiers pointed their weapons at them in one move like it was an orchestrated play.

"Why should I listen to you, asshole? Is this the country you plan to make? A country of puppets and you're the puppeteer?" He lifted his sword. "Let the people go."

"You're mistaken, old fogey. You listen to me well or those people inside the illusion will die in their sleep."

"I'll fry you first with my fire."

"You'll dare to sacrifice your men to kill me?"

"I'm not a general if I don't understand what is casualties of war, you shithole." Lofey's body turned into a huge torch. This scared Mafan but still believed in his bargaining skills.

"I won't do that if I were you, old man. Even if I die, the person responsible of the illusion will die with me as well. So the innocent women and children in the city will no longer wake, and the whole city will become a graveyard to anyone who sets foot, unless you know how to decipher the trap. But I doubt that."

The fire ebbed slowly as the general balled a fist. Killing his men would mean nothing if those in the city wouldn't be saved. There's got to be a way.

"Haha. Damn you, Mafan. You're as good as your name." It was Ming's time to sarcastically laughed at Mafan. "You blamed the people who hurt and belittle you but you're no better. What they did is nothing compared to your unmerciful manipulation and killing now. Damn your dream nation. Damn you and your ancestors for bringing you in this world. Damn you."

Ming made a little whirlwind on his palm. He let his anger poured on it, but his hand was getting worse as he used up his power. Fresh blood began to gush out from his wound. Somehow, he did not stop with his plan. 

Mafan couldn't see or understand what Ming was planning, but he wouldn't wait to know. "Don't try anything stupid, Governor, or your people will die and you'll lost your city."

While Mafan spoke, "Not if I'll get you first," Ming replied with intense concentration on his tornado. He made the wind so strong getting stronger and bigger in seconds and flew the men surrounding him. He cared not who got hit or blown, including Zhai. His mind was set on throwing those human shields from Mafan so they could capture the man and end this craziness. 

The wind whistled as it moved in circles carrying all men it passed through. Mafan was a bit scared but recalled something and stayed firm to where he stood. The tornado continued its rampage until it almost got the second to the last circle of soldiers around Mafan and it went still.

Ming froze in shock when it died down. That was his strongest so far, yet Mafan's power made it stop. He didn't know it was the stones in Mafan's necklace that negated it.

---- o ----

Xinyi and Nianshi were high up in the sky before they were released from the sound waves. They went down when they saw the human torch lighting the whole field. Thankfully, the fire did not burn the grass. The fire only began from his knees up. But how fast the fire lit, it died a minute after.

Then Ming's tornado hit the sky. They moved away from being sucked in, but it died down before touching Mafan as well. This amazed them.

"Is that how powerful the stone Mafan took?" Xinyi asked.

"I'm not sure if that was all that stone's work but I think he's wearing something else that caused it."

"Let's go down."

As they descended, the city's situation was clearer was clearer to their eyes. They saw the people in the city laid on the ground.

"What was that sound by the way, and why are they on the ground?" Xinyi asked.

"They are in an illusion trap, my lady. Same as the one trapping the Goding army." 

Rage filled her chest. Xinyi wished to shred Mafan to pieces for using and putting the innocent elderlies, women, and children in such a deadly illusion.  For her, only evil men could do such an act. 

"Bring me above him." She thought of jumping right down directly at Mafan, but he was prepared for Nianshi and let the men lift their weapons up. 

Nianshi and Xinyi grew wary of the human shield. In that instant, Nianshi transformed into a lion-dragon and growled with all his might, casting fear in the hearts of the people, including those under Mafan's spell. 

Nianshi cared less to reveal his true form. Even Xinyi agreed and would dare to dig out her hidden power within and use it out in the open just to save the innocent. Seeing those young children and pregnant women while men and women with gray hair lay there boiled her blood.

His gigantic form astounded the Godingan Chiangdas, including Mafan. 

"What in the tarnations is this?" General Lofey gasped. Ming understood why he did that.