Surrender?
Shen Le stood rooted to the spot, straining to keep his back straight.
Runic light swirled as gravity as vast and heavy as mountains and seas pressed down. The Storage Boxes beside him, the pillars, even the floor, all creaked and cracked. Sections of the suspended ceiling fell one after another—
Under these circumstances, simply remaining upright was difficult enough, let alone casting spells.
Moreover, the two werewolves opposite him each had a gun trained on Shen Le as they approached step by step. The three mages had produced wands from somewhere, spiritual light flickering at their tips as they stood ready to strike.
More shadowy figures hid behind doors, pillars, and Storage Boxes. Only a robot staggered forward in tiny steps. "Mr. Shen, put down your weapon and surrender. We know what you want, and you know what we want. We can sit down and talk—"
Surrender?
Shen Le laughed coldly. If, when he had first entered this city, they had not laid down an inescapable net and immediately pursued anyone suspicious;
If, when he had first entered this museum, they had shown an attitude of "we can talk, we can make a deal";
If, when he had first purchased the bronze standing figure, they had properly completed the transaction—or at least not tried to swoop in as the third party afterward—
Then he would have believed in their sincerity. They could have talked. But now, it was too late!
"First, I want to thank you." He took a deep breath and raised a hand, placing it on the last Storage Box. "Thank you for showing restraint all along, for not using high-powered weapons or spells, and for not damaging the precious artifacts here."
Whether it was out of genuine love for the artifacts or pressure from certain