The Trap That Was Clearly a Trap

A week later, Shrek City.

Early morning.

The shops along the streets gradually opened their doors, while vendors set up their stalls and cries rose one after another. Everything looked as peaceful as usual.

However, beneath the surface of this calm, undercurrents were surging.

On a main street in the eastern part of the city, a young girl in a Shrek Academy uniform and with long green hair was walking alone.

Her petite and adorable appearance gave people the first impression that she was lively and cheerful.

But at that moment, she was somewhat nervous, glancing left and right from time to time and acting timidly.

This was none other than Zhang Lexuan, the senior sister of the inner court, disguised as Xiao Xiao to serve as bait.

The real Xiao Xiao was being firmly protected on Sea God Island in Shrek Inner Court, under the care of specially assigned personnel. She could not even leave the island.

Among the crowds on both sides of the street, two figures were hidden separately in inconspicuous corners.

Xuan Zi leaned against a stone pillar beside the street.

He held a half-eaten chicken leg in his hand and gnawed at it absentmindedly, but his gaze swept over the pedestrians on the street from time to time.

He raised his eyes and glanced at the Sky Screen in the sky, which still showed no movement.

A full week had passed since the Sky Screen last opened.

Previously, every opening of the Sky Screen had been only two days apart.

"It seems that after each specific segment, the interval will grow longer. I just don't know how long it'll be."

Xuan Zi recalled the final sentence that had appeared on the Sky Screen last time and voiced his judgment.

Nearby, Lin Huiqun stood in front of a fruit stall opposite him, pretending to select fruit. Upon hearing this, she nodded as well.

She moved her gaze away from the fruit in her hand and swept an eye over the situation on the street, then sighed with a worried expression.

"Sigh, Di Tian's segment just finished, and the things it revealed have already thrown the entire continent into chaos. Who knows what else will appear later?"

Xuan Zi remained silent, his gaze passing through the crowd and landing on Zhang Lexuan, who was playing Xiao Xiao on the distant street.

Zhang Lexuan's movements were natural and her expression vivid. If one did not know in advance, it would be impossible to tell that she was acting.

A trace of helplessness flashed through Xuan Zi's eyes.

Capturing a Super Douluo, and having no choice but to let a junior lead the way... This really is...

As he thought this, he unhappily took another bite of his chicken leg.

Just as he was about to swallow it.

Xuan Zi's gaze suddenly sharpened, and his entire body tensed in an instant.

Just now, two imposing figures had appeared within the range of his mental perception.

One of them was even evenly matched with him.

Xuan Zi turned to look at Lin Huiqun, only to see that she had clearly sensed the abnormality as well. The leisurely expression on her face had already turned serious.

The two exchanged a glance, and both saw the same judgment in the other's eyes.

"Hmph!"

Lin Huiqun snorted coldly.

"Looks like our plan didn't draw out that Wu Wei. Instead, it attracted a few flies!"

Xuan Zi said nothing. He merely put away the chicken leg in his hand, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes.

In the shadows at the street corner, two figures silently blended into the crowd.

Jin Peng withdrew his gaze from the green-haired girl in the distance and lowered his voice to call out to Du Busi beside him.

"Master, look. Is this the person we're looking for?"

He gestured subtly in the direction of Zhang Lexuan, who was disguised as Xiao Xiao.

Du Busi followed Jin Peng's gaze, and his eyes immediately lit up.

That long green hair and petite figure were practically identical to the young girl in the Sky Screen.

But he did not rush to act. Instead, he took a portrait from his robes, unfolded it, and carefully compared it.

He had no choice but to be cautious.

This was Shrek City, the territory of Shrek Academy, where hidden experts abounded.

Even with his Level 98 strength, he would have only one chance to make a move.

Once he alerted the enemy, finding Xiao Xiao again would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Du Busi's gaze shifted back and forth between the portrait and "Xiao Xiao" by the roadside, comparing them repeatedly.

In the end, he put away the portrait, his expression full of certainty.

This was definitely Xiao Xiao herself.

But then he frowned again and looked suspiciously at the young girl in the distance.

"Something's not right."

Du Busi's eyes held a scrutinizing look.

"The Sky Screen has already revealed the special nature of this young girl named Xiao Xiao."

"Unlocking the seal on the Dragon Vein requires her martial soul. Who knows how many eyes across the continent are watching her now?"

"Even though this is Shrek City, there shouldn't be only these few Soul Saints and Soul Emperors protecting her."

Hearing Du Busi's words, Jin Peng once again examined the area around "Xiao Xiao."

He focused and observed for a moment, quickly discovering the clue.

Around the young girl, approximately ten people were either hiding in the shadows or disguised as passing pedestrians, following her unhurriedly from a certain distance.

Those people's steps were steady, and their gazes alert.

Although they had deliberately restrained their auras, their habitual movements showed clearly that they were well-trained soul masters.

Jin Peng's eyes shifted, and he suddenly laughed aloud.

"Master, it looks like they aren't defending passively. They're taking the initiative."

He paused, a look of realization flashing through his eyes.

"Shrek plans to use Xiao Xiao as bait to draw out that Wu Wei mentioned by the Sky Screen."

"Wu Wei?"

Upon hearing this name, Du Busi reacted as well.

The Sky Screen had made it very clear earlier: Wu Wei had hidden himself in Shrek City for three years in order to capture Xiao Xiao.

Judging by the timeline, that Wu Wei should still be in Shrek City now.

Shrek Academy had laid down this bait to wait for him to walk straight into the trap.

Du Busi fell silent for a moment, rapidly running through the various possibilities in his mind before speaking:

"Old Jin, in that case, Shrek should have powerhouses at the Title Douluo level hidden somewhere, ready for any unexpected situation."

His gaze grew serious.

"Later, I'll make a move to draw their attention and take responsibility for blocking the pursuit of those Title Douluo."

"You grab Xiao Xiao and run. Don't worry about me."

Hearing this, Jin Peng did not immediately respond. Instead, he looked at Du Busi strangely.

"Master, shouldn't we wait until Wu Wei and Shrek start fighting, then take advantage of the chaos and play the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?"

Du Busi shook his head and asked in return:

"If you were Wu Wei, after the Sky Screen exposed your plan, would you still reveal yourself for a trap that was this obviously a trap?"

Jin Peng listened without saying anything.

Du Busi tilted his head up toward the sky, a hint of emotion in his eyes.

"The brilliance of Shrek's trap lies in the fact that anyone who isn't too weak can see that it's a trap."

"After the Sky Screen exposed his plan, he must have thought he had completely lost any chance of success. Yet now, there's bait placed right before his eyes."

"It gives people the feeling that as long as they act, they'll have a chance. That temptation is what makes it most fatal."

"At first, he might be able to endure it, but as time passes, that may not remain true."