Otherworldly Affairs Office-Chapter 792 Mediation (Request for Subscription)
Brilliance flashed as Julian's body fell outside the arena. In this moment, both those within the competition field and the audience were plunged into a brief shock due to astonishment; less than an hour into the opening, four lives had been extinguished one after another, and all four had died at the hands of one faction. Regardless of the outcome, after this competition, the notorious reputation of the investigation hall was bound to become renowned worldwide.
Brutal! Truly brutal! The deaths of the three from the Bloodshed were one thing—even the contestants didn't feel regret for their deaths, having already deemed them enemies through propaganda. However, Julian's death completely made them realize the madness of the investigation hall.
Pei Yan was right. During the battle between him and the Bloodshed, the Spirit Monster Plane and Magic Realm launched sneak attacks, disregarding alliances, which indeed violated ethics. Yet when the audience saw Julian intending to retreat and the investigation hall persisted relentlessly, repeatedly thwarting his escape attempts and killing him right before their eyes, the look of despair on his face before his death spread a chill through everyone's hearts. Such behavior had never occurred in past competitions: they didn't even leave room for withdrawal! The investigation hall was using this behavior to declare to the major planes: Do not provoke us! If you do, it will be a relentless fight to the death!
"Sigh!" A long sigh broke the silence of the battlefield. From Pei Yan launching the attack and scattering the crowd, to the investigation hall's series of deft attacks completed in a flash, the Spirit Monster Plane members, still recovering from losing Saraf, hadn't even managed to react before Julian was executed publicly in front of them. Seeing this scene, Long Jin was both angry and helpless, left with nothing but a sigh after a long while.
"Pei Yan, you say that when people make mistakes, they should be punished. We were wrong to harm your team members, but isn't it wrong for you to have killed my companion? Aren't you afraid that one day we might come and treat you and your companions in the same way?" After sighing, Long Jin slowly raised her head, her once delicate face twisted with grief and humiliation, her eyes emitting a cold light as she stared at Pei Yan before her, questioning him word by word.
Long Jin didn't care about Julian's death at all; he was neither of her own tribe nor under her command, so he deserved to die. However, Pei Yan's actions were undeniably a stinging slap to the entire Spirit Monster Plane's face, insulting her and all her kin, which was something she couldn't tolerate.
"Miss Long, to qualify for this kind of competition and still utter such meaningless threats, are you being too naive yourself? Or do you think our investigation hall will be scared by your words? Right or wrong is always determined by the strong! The victor is justice." As he spoke, Pei Yan dismissed his face shield, drew a cigarette from his storage ring, lit it, and puffed a smoke ring with a sneer. "Sounds unreasonable, doesn't it? I used to think so too. I always believed there should be rules and limits to this world, but!"
At this, Pei Yan raised his head, pointing at everyone present with a cigarette-bearing hand, and said, "But it's you all who have shown me with instance after instance that this world operates on the principle of survival of the fittest. As long as you're strong enough, you can infringe upon and trample my rules and boundaries. Well then! I get it and I've figured it out! I'm in your world now, accepting your values! It's just that now it becomes my turn to be the strong one, and what? You can't take it? Sorry, but you'll have to! Because I'm the one standing here, speaking as the victor! Either don't provoke me, or if you do, be prepared to face the consequences! Don't say useless trash in front of me; it only strengthens my resolve to root out every last one of you."
Long Jin, momentarily speechless due to Pei Yan's blunt and harsh words, was about to retort when someone spoke first. It was Lin Daozi, who had been watching the whole time, and he stepped into the center of the field, bowing to Pei Yan with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Pei, such harsh words! Who in this world can claim to be free from the constraints of rules? Even powerful beings like my master and the Spirit Venerable experts of various planes still adhere to the Heavenly Dao rules, not daring to act recklessly. But that's diverging. Let's focus on the present!"
"Oh!" Seeing Lin Daozi come out to mediate, Pei Yan raised his sword-like eyebrows and responded with a slightly displeased tone, "Lin Daozi, I've already considered the feelings of the Immortal Palace and had the Spirit Monster Realm promise that our battle has nothing to do with the Immortal Palace. Yet, you're still insisting on getting involved?"
"Alas! It's not about meddling, just that the affection between the Daoist Realm and the Spirit Monster Plane over the years obliges me to speak up, Mr. Pei. Feuds should be settled amicably rather than endlessly pursued! Although the Spirit Monster Plane was indeed at fault initially, the ringleaders have been killed by you, and you've vented your anger. Continuing this fight will only deepen grievances and make talk of continued vendettas. Why bother?"
Originally holding a watchful and neutral position, Lin Daozi, upon witnessing Pei Yan's ruthless actions, was startled and had to intervene. He wanted to see Pei Yan clear obstacles and eliminate competitors, but it didn't mean he wanted Pei Yan to go on a killing spree. The Spirit Monster Plane is, after all, an old ally of his. Should things go that far, any newly formed fragile alliances might truly crumble after this convention.
Hearing Lin Daozi's words, Pei Yan also hesitated. He had taken lives, vented anger, and established a reputation, and for the Spirit Monster Plane, which didn't hold much animosity toward his side, continuing to entangle would only create unnecessary enemies, which is not in his interest. Thinking of this, Pei Yan smiled slightly at Lin Daozi, "Lin Daozi, even if I don't mind, it still depends on Miss Long's attitude."
Hearing a hint of concession in Pei Yan's words, Lin Daozi sighed in relief and turned to Long Jin, advising, "Long Jin, given the situation, continuing to fight is disadvantageous for both sides. I believe that Saraf must have given you some instructions before leaving, right? Consider the bigger picture! I hope Miss Long will not act on impulse!"
Seeing Lin Daozi's intervention calming the situation, Long Jin, recalling Saraf's words before exiting the competition and looking at her only remaining two teammates, found her hopes of entering the top three even more diminished. Now, with Lin Daozi mediating, she could seize the opportunity to extricate herself from this mess, maybe taking advantage of the strong teams to take out each other before making her move up.
Thinking of this, Long Jin no longer hesitated and bowed gratefully to Lin Daozi, "Thank you, Lin Daozi, for considering our alliance and speaking up. You're right, this competition is crucial for the plane's future, and everything should be based on the bigger picture. Our grievances with the investigation hall can be shelved for now. After the competition, our elders will come and seek a resolution."
