Zhang's voice was measured, carrying the weight of finality. "I will negotiate. I'm willing to give you the treasure. Spare me first, and kill those two."
The burly man took a step forward, lips curling into a smug grin. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, the woman cut him off sharply.
"Shut up," she said, her voice firm and cutting, her eyes narrowing as she fixed her gaze on Zhang. "Oh? You're just going to give up the treasure that you've fought so hard for? I don't think so."
Zhang met her gaze without flinching. He didn't say a word, only watching her with cold patience, letting the tension hang in the air. His silence spoke volumes, and the woman's eyes flickered, as if she were trying to read his intentions.
The burly man shifted uncomfortably, still clearly unsure of what to make of Zhang's calm resolve. But the woman wasn't done. She leaned in slightly, her voice lowering, but the edge of skepticism still clear in it. "But how can we be so sure you won't go back on your word? How can we be sure you won't say something to your sect once you're free?"
Zhang's response was calm, deliberate, the tone almost casual. "Simple. I will swear a heavenly oath."
There was a brief pause, the air hanging heavy as the words registered. The woman blinked, clearly not expecting that response. The skinny man glanced at her, his brow furrowing, but he remained silent, his mind working.
"You see," Zhang continued, his gaze sweeping over the three of them, "a heavenly oath is not something that can be broken easily. It's not just a vow between mortals. It's an oath that is known to the heavens themselves. Once sworn, it is etched into the fabric of reality. If I break it, the heavens themselves will punish me."
The woman's lips parted slightly, a flicker of doubt in her eyes, but she didn't speak immediately. Zhang's words were sinking in, and it was clear that they were considering the weight of such an oath. The skinny man, who had been silent up until now, shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his eyes flicking back to the woman for guidance.
"This isn't something I can simply go back on," Zhang added, his voice a little firmer now. "I'm not making empty promises here. If I break the oath, my soul will be bound to eternal suffering."
The woman took a deep breath, clearly weighing her options. Her fingers twitched slightly, a sign that she was still uncertain, but there was a certain hesitation in her gaze now, one that hadn't been there before. She glanced at the burly man, then back at Zhang. The skinny man remained motionless, his expression unreadable.
The silence stretched between them, thick with tension, as they exchanged glances. Then, after what felt like an eternity, the woman finally nodded, her voice quiet but resolute. "Alright, we'll accept your terms."
The burly man, though still somewhat resistant, saw the shift in the others and sighed heavily, folding his arms. "Fine. I'll go along with it. But don't think we're doing this because we trust you."
Zhang gave a slight nod. "I didn't expect you to."
The tension in the air began to ease, though the unspoken understanding remained. There was a moment of silent agreement between the three of them, each acknowledging the other's motives without speaking them aloud.
Meanwhile, Yun stood a few paces away, watching everything unfold. Her eyes widened, disbelief crossing her face as she observed how Zhang maneuvered the situation with such ease. The complexity of his strategy, how he had already anticipated their doubts and countered them, left her stunned. She had thought that Zhang was merely a survivor, someone who relied on his wits, but now… she realized just how far ahead he was, how many steps ahead he had planned.
Her chest tightened with a mix of awe and apprehension. How had he come up with all this? How had he known they would push him to this point?
It was a bitter realization: Zhang was always several moves ahead of them, and she hadn't even begun to catch up.
….
Suddenly, a sharp, echoing clap rang through the air, loud enough to make everyone flinch. The cannon fodders stiffened, the burly man, the slender woman, and the skinny man froze in place, their eyes wide with surprise. Yun's breath hitched, and even Zhang's expression tightened, his body frozen for a split second as the pressure of the sound hit him. Linglong, already on the brink of death, could only barely manage a shudder, too weak to react.
The clap was followed by a strange sensation, like an invisible weight had been dropped onto them all at once, a crushing force, an unrelenting pressure that seemed to squeeze the air from their lungs. Before any of them could fully comprehend what was happening, a deep, resounding laugh filled the air.
It wasn't a light or carefree laugh. It was cold, twisted, and full of dark amusement—as if someone were watching a show, enjoying every agonizing moment. The sound seemed to come from all directions, closing in on them, suffocating them like a thick, oppressive fog.
"Good… Good…" the voice said, its words dripping with menacing satisfaction.
The laugh echoed, not just in their ears but inside their bones, inside their very being. The force behind it was suffocating, pressing down on them with a weight they could feel in their chests. The air itself seemed to freeze, and a chilling pressure settled into their lungs, making each breath more labored than the last.
The burly man's chest tightened as he struggled to breathe, his bravado faltering for the first time. He was panicking, his mind racing to process what was happening, but all his efforts were useless. The skinny man's eyes widened, his body trembling as the realization sank in. His hands were shaking, his face pale with dread. The woman stood still, her lips parted slightly, but her entire body was tense, locked in a silent fight to keep from crumbling under the weight of fear.
And then there was Zhang. His face twisted in an attempt to remain calm, but it was clear he was struggling. His eyes darted around, trying to assess the situation, but the reality of being sealed had him frozen in place. He took a slow, shuddering breath, trying to steady himself, but his mind was racing, his thoughts a chaotic blur of fear and uncertainty. His hand instinctively moved to his side, but there was nothing—no power to draw from, no way to fight back. His gaze flickered to the others, his chest tightening at the sight of their panic.
Yun, a few steps behind him, could feel it. The sheer weight of the seal pressing down on her, binding her to this place with no way out. She had been trapped before, but this—this was different. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in shallow gasps as the dread crawled up her spine. She wanted to believe this wasn't happening, that the one who had sealed them was THAT guy.
Her chest tightened as her thoughts swirled in a mix of fear and despair.
The voice spoke again, the words slow, deliberate, as if everything had already been decided.
"Let's finish this," it said, its tone dripping with finality, an eerie calm laced with hidden malice.
The weight of it all—their helplessness, the seal trapping them—settled in fully. It was clear now. Whatever had arrived, whatever force had sealed them, was not to be underestimated. They were powerless. And as the suffocating silence stretched on, all they could do was wait—paralyzed, afraid, and uncertain of what would come next.