Chapter 812: All Betrayed and Abandoned

Audience Expectation: 3Current Expectation: 63

The embers of the flames burned on their bodies. Beneath their disheveled appearances, two pairs of furious eyes, like those of demons, descended upon this checkpoint! Scorched smoke rose from the flamethrower devices beneath their feet. The person who had fallen into the "Crimson Flame Purgatory" with them earlier had been used as a stepping stone and was now permanently at the very bottom.

Tu Tian and Fu Di's chests heaved violently. Two violent fifth-tier auras filled every corner, making everyone present turn pale with extreme fear!

"Who... was it?" Fu Di let out a low roar and stomped the ground with force. The shockwave instantly shattered all the mailboxes into pieces. Pages scattered in the air, silently fluttering back to the ground...

Tu Tian's gaze swept over the ground at everyone's feet, and his breathing immediately grew heavy. On almost everyone's pages, there were two identical numbers... They represented the identification numbers of Tu Tian and Fu Di. The common experts who had been flattering them earlier, and even the Dragon-Stranglers who had traveled a long distance with them, instinctively avoided his gaze and fell silent.

"...Why?" Tu Tian glared fiercely at the three Dragon-Stranglers. "Even you betrayed me?!" Tu Tian could accept the malice of strangers and endure the betrayal of flatterers, but he couldn't understand why these three, also Dragon-Stranglers, would intentionally target him.

"I... no... I just..." The three Dragon-Stranglers instinctively took half a step back, their faces incredibly pale. In fact, they themselves didn't know why they had written Tu Tian and Fu Di's names when voting. Just moments ago, it was as if something had clouded their minds, and they had subconsciously made the choices deep within their hearts. Now, recalling it, cold sweat broke out on their backs. They only remembered the crimson light flashing around them, and the suffocating urgency of the huge countdown. In that moment, their minds seemed blank... All the jealousy and envy in their hearts erupted like a geyser, briefly overpowering their reason in the dimness, making them forget that this was merely a trial. Even if they had voted for Tu Tian and Fu Di, they wouldn't actually die. Once they left this place, how would they face the two of them? How would they face the Dragon-Stranglers' interrogation?

Almost everyone else present shared the same thought. Now, on the verge of breaking through the second checkpoint, they were among the fastest group in the Six Palaces. This meant they had a very high chance of accessing privileges... And everyone knew very well that if privileges appeared, they wouldn't be able to snatch them from Tu Tian and Fu Di. So, the best method, naturally, was to take advantage of the second checkpoint to eliminate these two greatest threats, thus giving everyone an equal opportunity to compete for privileges!

"Very good... you are all very good..." Tu Tian clenched his fists tightly, his eyes consumed by rage. He spoke through gritted teeth. Moments ago, they had been celebrated, but now they were suddenly abandoned by all. These two "greenhorns," who had trained as Dragon-Stranglers since childhood and had little experience with the vagaries of human relationships, were tasting this feeling for the first time... An unprecedented killing intent filled their chests.

"Kill them all," Fu Di said grimly. "We don't need these people; keeping them will only lead to betrayal." As his words fell, Tu Tian and Fu Di attacked simultaneously! Two fifth-tier auras erupted violently. In such a confined space, there was nowhere for anyone to escape. Absolute power meant absolute destruction, and they began a furious slaughter of the participants who had chosen this path! Especially the three traitorous Dragon-Stranglers, who were mercilessly beaten into pulp by the two in their rage. It was unclear how much effort the Medical Saints would need to restore their bodies... But for Tu Tian and Fu Di, they truly intended to kill.

Flesh and blood splattered in the passage, and one body after another fell to the ground. Within a mere few tens of seconds, the two had slaughtered almost all the participants. Finally, Tu Tian slowly stopped in front of a corner. In the corner, a pale-faced young woman was huddled, the very Medical Saint who had previously treated Tu Tian... She pressed her lips together, looking at Tu Tian's eyes with a mixture of timidity and stubbornness. On the ground in front of her was a page different from everyone else's. She was the only one present who believed in Tu Tian and had written the same numbers as him.

Tu Tian, having just vented his rage, felt a slight stirring in his heart as he saw the young woman's sincere eyes... He hadn't expected that other participants, and even his once-beloved brethren, had betrayed him, but this young woman had not.

"You..." Tu Tian hesitated, opening his mouth as if to say something.

"You can kill me... if you don't trust me," the young woman said, lowering her head, seemingly prepared for death. "But considering I just treated you, please be gentle... I'm afraid of pain."

Tu Tian was stunned. Fu Di, holding his blood-stained rake, walked straight towards the young woman after killing everyone else, his eyes still flashing with killing intent.

"Wait!" Tu Tian reached out to stop him. "She didn't betray me."

"Her not betraying you now doesn't mean she won't in the future. Bringing her along is ultimately a hidden danger," Fu Di said, his voice incredibly cold. In his hand, he held the woman's head he had just crushed in his palm.

"No!" Tu Tian immediately shielded the young woman behind him, stating firmly, "You cannot kill her... She chose to trust me. At the very least, I must bring her out of the Dark Palace safely."

Fu Di frowned, looking at Tu Tian. The two stared at each other for a long time in silence. Finally, Fu Di let out a cold snort and put away his rake. "Have it your way." As a hidden path opened along the wall, Fu Di turned and walked towards it.

The young woman behind Tu Tian finally relaxed, as if all strength had left her, letting out a long sigh of relief as if reborn. With great effort, she managed to move her feet and followed behind Tu Tian. The three of them walked towards the third checkpoint.

"Thank you," the young woman said after a long hesitation, then jogged to catch up with Tu Tian's pace, her eyes as clear and sincere as autumn water. "Don't worry, I truly bear no ill will towards you... Time will prove it."

Tu Tian saw those eyes, and his voice unconsciously softened a little. "Don't be afraid. Since you chose to trust me, I will protect you until the end."

"...Okay."

Fu Di walked alone in the lead, glancing back at the two walking side-by-side behind him, a flicker of disdain in his eyes.

The three traveled through the dim passage for a long time, finally arriving before a tightly shut large door. Upon seeing this door, Tu Tian and Fu Di's eyes lit up. Just as they were about to push it open, a signboard clattered down from a mechanism above! After reading the words on it, Tu Tian froze in place:

"Checkpoint Three can only be activated when there are exactly two survivors on this path.""Note: The current progress of participants on this path is the fastest in the Six Clever-Spring Palaces."