C17 The Show Is about to Begin

She had an epiphany; she understood it all!

Zhang Lieh's decision not to kill her wasn't out of mercy—it was a naked stratagem.

Qin Xiaotian and his team were dead, and that was the end of it. But she was still alive, and with life came a slew of inevitable questions.

There were only two survivors: herself and Zhang Lieh.

Given their relationship, any misstep could lead to her being implicated alongside him.

Indeed, her suspicions were correct. Zhang Lieh had spared her life so that she could take the fall, but her realization had come far too late.

With Qin Xiaotian's team dead and her still breathing, she naturally became one of the prime suspects.

If she had come forward immediately to tell the truth, there might have been a slim chance for survival.

Regrettably, Wang Xiaohua was too inexperienced, too fearful that no one would believe her. She failed to respond effectively and chose to flee temporarily instead.

If she delayed until eight o'clock or later, the Wang family would be obliterated in the looming tempest.

In a nondescript hotel room, Zhang Lieh, clad in black, was writing a post titled "The Ultimate Drama of the Purple Poison Forest," grinning from ear to ear.

Through the eyes of a bystander, he meticulously twisted the events that had unfolded in the Purple Poison Forest.

His narrative accused Wang Xiaohua and himself of conspiring to steal the Soul Jade and lives of Qin Xiaotian's team.

The most venomous aspect was Zhang Lieh's patience; he didn't release the post right away. He was waiting for Xiaohua to make the first damning move.

With time to spare, Zhang Lieh, disguised once more, left the base and returned to the Purple Poison Forest to stage the crime scene.

By eight in the evening, a throng of onlookers had gathered outside the Black Iron Tavern.

They were all eager to witness the outcome of the wager firsthand.

Or to indulge in the juicy scandal of the year.

Yet, to everyone's astonishment, Wang Xiaohua did not show herself on the tavern's third-floor balcony. Instead, a guardian robot, operated by a Holo-Brain, emerged.

"At the request of Ms. Wang Xiaohua, I, as the Black Iron Holo-Brain, will now officially announce the final outcome of the wager!"

"The victor of the bet—Zhang Lieh! Aside from Ms. Wang Xiaohua, all members of Qin Xiaotian's team have perished!"

"The betting is now concluded. The betting platform is open for those who wagered on Zhang Lieh to redeem their points directly online."

A deep, synthesized voice filled the Black Iron Tavern, and for a brief moment, you could hear a pin drop.

But this silence lasted only a third of a second before the entire tavern erupted into chaos.

Qin Xiaotian lost?

Completely wiped out?

How is that even possible?

"Bullshit! Liar! How could Qin Xiaotian lose? And be totally annihilated? I don't buy it!"

"No way! Qin Xiaotian is Qin Xiao's cousin. How could he be defeated by the bottom-ranked Wang Xiaohua? It's impossible, I don't believe it, you'd have to kill me before I'd believe it! Wang Xiaohua... why doesn't she come out herself!"

"Exactly, it can't be true. How could the winner be the one at the bottom?"

"Wang Xiaohua, damn it, come out and explain yourself!"

Clearly, the majority of those present were in disbelief.

After all, over 90% of them had bet on Qin Xiaotian to win, many placing substantial bets.

The losses they faced were staggering.

The Holo-Brain, being non-human, was indifferent to emotions. A win was a win, a loss was a loss, and it would disperse any troublemakers and arrest them without hesitation.

In a way, the Holo-Brain also served as the base's management system, and its word was essentially law.

Since it had confirmed the outcome, it meant that Qin Xiaotian had indeed been defeated and was truly dead.

This realization allowed the red-eyed gamblers to regain a semblance of rationality and begrudgingly depart.

But their departure did not signify acceptance. They wouldn't rest until they had gotten to the bottom of the matter.

With the results disclosed, there were those who rejoiced and those who mourned—a perfectly normal occurrence.

After all, even though the number of people who bet on Zhang Lieh was small, there were indeed some who had won.

They were over the moon with excitement, marveling at the staggering 1:120 ratio. It was thrilling to even contemplate.

Individuals like Yun Bing and Chu Feng were also remarkably surprised.

Consider this: a 1:120 ratio meant that 10,000 points were now equivalent to 1,200,000 points.

Regardless of the size of one's enterprise, 1,200,000 points was no trifling amount.

Thus, both Yun Bing and Chu Feng had developed a profound impression of Zhang Lieh, whom they had yet to meet.

Meanwhile, Qin Xiao was on the verge of combusting with frustration.

Inside a private room on the fifth floor of the Black Iron Tavern:

"Bang!"

A loud crash echoed as the table before Qin Xiao shattered to pieces.

"Find out which room Wang Xiaohua is in! I need to see her immediately!"

At that moment, Qin Xiao was like a ravenous beast, bellowing at the doorway.

"Yes, sir!"

At the entrance, Qin Xiao's subordinates, witnessing their boss's fury, hastily set out to fulfill his command.

Qin Xiao had initially refrained from confronting Wang Xiaohua, believing that Xiaotian was bluffing and preparing for a grand scheme.

Little did he expect such an outcome!

Xiaotian had perished, leaving Wang Xiaohua as the sole survivor.

Three hundred thousand points, with ninety percent of his own stake gone in an instant.

His capable subordinates quickly returned with the information Qin Xiao sought.

Wang Xiaohua was staying in Room 303 on the third floor of the tavern, reportedly in a meeting with the heads of the three major consortia.

"The three consortia, reaping the benefits and playing coy!"

With his anger reaching its peak, Qin Xiao could no longer remain seated.

In Room 303 on the third floor of the Black Iron Tavern:

Three middle-aged men with seasoned features were seated in the modestly sized room.

Wang Xiaohua, her face ashen, sat in a corner. Flanking her were two guardians, vigilant and close at hand.

Wang Xiaohua was in a state of panic, acutely aware of her precarious situation.

In the interest of her safety, she had reluctantly spent her points to secure personal protection from the base's guardians.

"Wang Xiaohua, I'm sure you're well aware of the predicament you're in! Let's be frank, in your current state, you're the only one who can save yourself!"

"Start talking. From the moment you stepped out of the base, I want to hear everything you experienced, saw, and heard—every single detail!"

"Otherwise, I can assure you that it won't just be you, but your entire Wang family that will be finished overnight!"

The man with a mole on his chin, one of the three consortium heads, spoke sharply. His words were nothing more than threats, an attempt to extract every piece of information they desired.

The other two heads quickly echoed his sentiment, presenting a rare front of unity.

For the consortiums, this situation was a no-lose bet, no matter how it played out. They were here because the outcome was something even they struggled to accept.

As businessmen, they had an instinctual sense that something was off.

Wang Xiaohua swallowed hard, unsure of where to begin.

"Ding dong!"

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Zhou Qian, Lee Jin, Zhao Jia, open this door or your teams will face my wrath in the future!"

"I'm Xiaotian's cousin, and I demand to know the truth immediately! Open up!"

Qin Xiao's furious voice echoed like thunder, resonating in everyone's hearts.

If this weren't the Black Iron Tavern, if the hallway wasn't filled with desperate gamblers, Qin Xiao would have blasted the door off its hinges.

The consortium heads exchanged glances and signaled to their subordinates.

The door swung open, and Qin Xiao, seething with rage and breathing heavily, stormed into the room. His subordinates promptly took up positions at the door.

After entering, Qin Xiao surveyed the two protectors by Wang Xiaohua's side before pulling up a chair and sitting down next to the consortium heads.

"Wang Xiaohua, you're Xiaotian's woman. I won't give you a hard time today, but you need to tell me exactly what happened after you left."

"Why is Xiaotian and his entire team dead, yet that kid is still alive, and so are you?"

"If you can't give me a satisfactory explanation, I'll ensure you and the Wang family pay with your lives for Xiaotian's death!"

Qin Xiao's heart was ablaze with fury, and his patience was wearing thin.

Wang Xiaohua knew she couldn't keep the truth hidden. She would have to come clean eventually, and truth be told, she was waiting for Qin Xiao.

After all, if I could just explain things clearly to Qin Xiao, I'd be able to clear my name.

Wang Xiaohua cleared her throat and began, "Brother Qin Xiao, we've been duped by Zhang Lieh!"

"That day, after leaving the base, we pursued him all the way to Moonlight Pool. He led us through a cave behind the waterfall, into a secluded mountain forest."

"It was a forest bathed in purple. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by an abundance of Spirit Plants. But our joy was short-lived, as we had walked right into the trap he had laid for us."

"We were ambushed by creatures known as Purple Poison Nether Scorpions. While most were of ordinary level, their sheer numbers and incredible speed, coupled with their ability to camouflage and launch potent venomous attacks, overwhelmed us."

"Zhang Lieh had previously used the Soul Suppressing Flower to evade the Scorpion Group. Brother Xiaotian led us in a fierce battle against them. Ultimately, after losing half our team, we resorted to activating the Golden Armored Beast's Transformation to burrow underground."

"By then, we had all been poisoned by the scorpions, our bodies slowly succumbing to numbness. Brother Xiaotian, thinking on his feet, took us deeper into the forest to recuperate and devise a plan to retreat."

"Despite Brother Xiaotian's efforts using various antidotes, none could ease the symptoms of the poison."

"Later, Zhang Lieh found us. He deceived us into surrendering the Soul Jade and then ruthlessly killed everyone, including Brother Xiaotian, sparing only me."

"Brother Qin Xiao, Zhang Lieh is a ruthless and sly man. He's been playing us all along, pretending to be weak when he's not. He's fooled us all, everyone at the Black Iron Base!"

"Brother Qin Xiao, you must seek justice for Xiaotian and the others!"

"Wuwu... Wuwuwu!"

By the end, Wang Xiaohua was weeping uncontrollably.