Luring Them into a Trap

"But you can't go in yet."

Cheng Yan's clear voice echoed in the seabed, reaching everyone's ears with the aid of Psychic Energy.

All attention immediately turned to Cheng Yan.

The thin mist that emerged from the deep passage behind him spread silently.

Upon hearing his words, the leader of the unit that had arrived earlier—a middle-aged Sea Race with short hair—frowned slightly.

As troops dispatched by Crown Prince Yuanli, they wasted a considerable amount of time outside trying to break through the protective formation.

This person, however, didn't appear until they broke the formation and the Cheng Family's troops arrived.

What they're up to is obvious to everyone.

Therefore, he did not directly ask the other party why they said that.

Instead, he cleverly steered the conversation towards the newcomer, asking in a gentle voice, "May I ask who you are?"

This question seems simple, but if Cheng Yan responds, the initiative will instantly shift to the short-haired middle-aged team leader.

The people sent by the Cheng Family all maintained a calm expression, but inwardly they all rolled their eyes.

It should be noted that although Cheng Yan is only a member of a branch of the Cheng Family, her strength should not be underestimated.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been qualified to join the Crown Prince's personal guard.

Moreover, Cheng Yan served as the team leader during the previous visit to the Second Research Institute.

That's enough to prove his ability.

But now, this middle-aged team leader is pretending not to recognize Cheng Yan. Isn't that a clear sign that he doesn't take Cheng Yan seriously?

However, Cheng Yan was completely oblivious to the infighting and backstabbing common among Sea Race at this moment.

He is now nothing more than a puppet being Shisui at will, mechanically performing a play of luring someone into a trap.

He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Gentlemen, I am Cheng Yan, the leader of the delegation dispatched by His Highness Yuanli to the Second Research Institute."

Then, he abruptly changed the subject and continued.

"Currently, a top-secret research project at the Second Research Institute has achieved a major breakthrough and has entered the intelligence-blocking phase."

"Therefore, none of you can go in now."

After saying that, he winked in the direction of the Cheng Family's troops, seemingly discreetly.

Upon seeing this, the leader of the Cheng Family's troops thought he had grasped something.

He chimed in, "Then there's nothing we can do. Let's go back and report the situation."

The middle-aged team leader naturally sensed that something was wrong.

In his view, those prestigious families who also had private armies were all cut from the same cloth, none of them were good.

The fact that they're in such a hurry to get rid of outsiders suggests they might be planning something behind the scenes.

Since it involved powerful families and the Second Research Institute, he couldn't help but think about it.

The middle-aged team leader immediately became determined to enter the Second Research Institute today.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Cheng Family's troops, standing on the other side, began to wildly imagine things.

He guessed that Cheng Yan had become an "insider" after discovering a significant breakthrough in the research.

He wanted to use this opportunity to get in touch with the Second Research Institute and then connect the Second and Third Research Institutes.

That's the real reason he went missing.

As for why not contact the family...

Only in this way can the excuse of "losing contact to ensure no information leaks" be valid.

Only then could the Cheng Family openly send out troops under the pretext of searching for family members.

It's connected! Everyone's connected!

After his brain automatically sorted things out, the Cheng Family leader began to openly and secretly try to lead the group of Sea Race away.

But would the leader of the other Sea Race force next door agree?

"No, His Highness has entrusted us with important responsibilities. How can we just go back like this? We'll stay too."

The middle-aged team leader adopted a righteous and awe-inspiring demeanor.

"This will also increase the protection of the Second Research Institute, making it more secure."

The Cheng Family leader immediately stepped forward and began to persuade them.

The two sides remained deadlocked for a while.

But the middle-aged team leader had clearly made up his mind to stay.

Seeing that the troops dispatched by the Crown Prince intended to stay, the Cheng Family members were naturally unwilling to leave easily.

"In that case, let's stay as well," the leader of the Cheng Family said calmly.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged team leader glanced at them sideways, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips, "There are only a few of you; whether you stay or leave doesn't really make much difference."

Despite being openly mocked, the Cheng Family did not seem angry.

The Cheng Family leader remained calm, and he raised his hand to beckon to those behind him.

In just a moment, the seawater began to slosh, as if something enormous was forcefully stirring it.

Immediately afterwards, in the dark seawater behind them, one after another ferocious and enormous sea beasts appeared.

Upon seeing this, the leader of the troops dispatched by the Crown Prince shut his mouth.

These sea beasts are not of high cultivation level on average, but their numbers are numerous, and the troops dispatched by the Crown Prince alone are simply not enough to contend with them.

That was a miscalculation.

However, the middle-aged team leader did not retract his decision to enter the Second Research Institute.

He simply pressed the tracking device on his body silently, causing it to repeatedly turn on and off in a regular pattern.

It lasted for quite a while before stopping.

Hopefully, His Highness will pick up on his hint.

While the middle-aged team leader was secretly passing on the message, Cheng Yan said, "Alright, everyone, follow me."

Unbeknownst to anyone, a thick cloud of dust had already enveloped them.

The space had been isolated, and everyone was driven into the dark passage by the Feather Powder like sheep to be slaughtered.

In the brief moment of their conversation, who knows how much Feather Powder carrying [Bone-Deep Rot] they inhaled?

Just as a large number of Sea Race entered the Second Research Institute, things became increasingly turbulent on land.

The Demon Race seems to have recently fallen into some kind of madness.

Many spies and agents who had been lying low for a long time began to stir.

The commotion was so great that it alarmed almost all terrestrial species.

"So, can anyone tell me what the Demon Race is looking for?"

Suo Qiaoyun — the Heaven-Controlling Realm of the Human Race —sat gracefully in the elegant conference hall.

It was called a conference room, but from beginning to end, there was only one chair next to the huge round table.

In Suo Qiaoyun's view, none of the people present were even qualified to be offered a seat.

Her knuckles lightly tapped the tabletop, producing a rhythmic, soft sound.

But to the kneeling Bound Captive nearby, it was like Heavy Hammer blow to their hearts.

It was so oppressive that these Heaven Realm Awakened could hardly breathe.

After a moment, as if having made up his mind, one of the Heaven Realm Bound Captive crawled forward shakily on his knees.

He presented a document.

In the brief moment when the person slightly raised their head to hand over the documents, one could finally make out the lower half of their face.

A twisted scar ran across it, replacing where the mouth used to be.

His mouth had clearly been sewn shut.

That was the symbol of the Human Race's Heaven-Controlling Realm Guards, the supreme honor bestowed upon them by the Heaven-Controlling Realm.

Suo Qiaoyun glanced at it and casually picked up the documents.

Upon opening the file, one is immediately struck by the recent commotion caused by the Demon Race.

It's very detailed, but completely useless.

All the events recorded above were known to Suo Qiaoyun.

After all, her "eyes" are all over the world.

Therefore, this nearly one-inch-thick paper record is at best a meaningless expansion.

The old woman's kind face remained calm, but the icy coldness in her eyes grew increasingly piercing.

Adhering to a cautious approach, she quickly browsed through the information.

Suddenly, something that occupied a very small area caught her eye.

"Um?"