Shadow Slave had been hiding in the dark, so much so that Lin Mengya did not have a good look at his appearance.
At the command of Ambassador White Dragon now, Shadow Slave slowed to a stop and stood under the light.
Shadow Slave was a man of tall and sturdy stature. He appeared especially strong and fit in his black overall.
However, when he lifted his hands, Lin Mengya could not help but quietly gasp in shock.
“If you wish to see me, Ambassador White Dragon, there’s no need to take all the trouble. It’s just that I don’t like meeting strangers. Please speak your mind directly, Ambassador White Dragon.”
The two places where Shadow Slave’s hands were supposed to be, were replaced by two black gold sharp knives.
Even if Lin Mengya had only taken one glance, she knew that these two knives were so powerful that even the pure-steel door would not be able to withstand them.
Instead of an early fall-out, it would be wiser to buy more time.
Hearing how Lin Mengya had finally broken silence, Ambassador White Dragon instinctively waved Shadow Slave back into darkness.
“I’m the one who has offended you, Princess Anle. I’ve no ill intention towards you whatsoever. I just wanted to invite you over to my place to be my guest for a few days. If you are fine with this, please allow me to bring you to my place right now.”
Now when Ambassador White Dragon knew he had gained the upper hand and that Lin Mengya was spent, he began to sound pleased with himself. Seemingly, he was certain that Lin Mengya would obey his suggestion without any protest.
“If you mean to invite me over as your guest, this battle array seemed way too grand. Given Ambassador White Dragon’s status, you only needed to send me an invitation and I will personally go to you to pay you a visit. Unfortunately, I’m not feeling my best today. Please excuse me for now, Ambassador White Dragon. I shall definitely pay you a visit to thank you another day.”
Lin Mengya stopped holding Zhu Yan to the door. While Shadow Slave had retreated into the darkness, it did not mean there was no longer any danger.
Ambassador White Dragon and his company could very well tell that Lin Mengya was trying to stall for time.
The two parties continued bickering only because they were wary of each other.
“There is no need for that, coincidentally, I have time to spare today. I would advise you to be obedient and come out, Princess Anle. Shadow Slave, fetch Princess Anle.”
Ambassador White Dragon was in no mood for superfluous words. After he gave his orders, the two sharp knives attached to Shadow Slave’s arm instantly make drew two curved lines in the air.
At that moment, the fortified pure-steel door was cut in two as if it were some soft beancurd by the sharp knives.
Lin Mengya and Zhu Yan could not help but gasp. Given how formidable Shadow Slave was, it was no wonder that Ambassador White Dragon was so arrogant.
“I’m going to go all out regardless of danger!”
Zhu Yan clenched his teeth and pulled down one of the wooden handles in the mechanism well.
Shadow Slave, who was about to come through the door turned around abruptly to protect Ambassador White Dragon.
In the midst of the loud sound created by the moving mechanism, countless thin arrows with hooks on their tips shot out from the wall of the secret chamber.
“Clink clink” went the arrows that broke, but both Ambassador White Dragon and Shadow Slave were safe and sound. However, the traitor, who was still looking so pleased with himself a moment ago, looked like a porcupine with the numerous arrows stuck all over his body in the next moment.
“Are you only going to submit when I force you to give in? Lass, do you really think that I’m totally unprepared for this!”
Despite his face being concealed behind the mask, Lin Mengya could tell from the tone of his voice that he was mocking her.
In that instant, her heart fell to the lowest point.
The reason she had chosen not to act, but talk nonsense with Ambassador White Dragon was exactly because she knew he had made all the necessary preparations.
Although this used to Zhu Yun’s territory, he was after all being forced to submit at this moment.
Some of the secret mechanism might not be secret in the eyes of Ambassador White Dragon after all.
These mechanisms might work with people outside, but they would not help much in trapping Ambassador White Dragon in this place.
Zhu Yan calmly operated the mechanism, but Lin Mengya could see clearly through the crack of the steel door that Shadow Slave continued to station himself in front of Ambassador White Dragon to protect him. No matter whether it was flying needles or arrows, they were of no threat to him.
However, there had to be an end to the use of these mechanisms. By that time, Lin Mengya and Zhu Yan would have to allow themselves to be seized without putting up a fight.
“Let me go out and try to lure them away while you activate all the mechanisms at once.”
After pondering for a moment, Lin Mengya decided to take a risk.
The commotion here would soon spread and she believed that help from Long Tianyu and Cousin Chen’s men would soon arrive.
Perhaps all that had happened in this courtyard was well within Ambassador White Dragon’s anticipation and plan. She could be the greatest variable in this whole episode.
“You— be careful!”
Zhu Yan’s face was ghastly pale. Obviously, he did not expect that the mechanisms that could kill others in an instant had become something fun to Ambassador White Dragon like games to little children.
Although what Lin Mengya was doing at the moment was as good as digging her own grave, Zhu Yan had no way of stopping her.
“In a while, you will count to ten and I will dash out and lure them into the open.”
Fortunately, there were no other living person in the dungeon other than Ambassador White Dragon and Shadow Slave, possibly because Ambassador White Dragon was too complacent,
Lin Mengya had a simple thought. It was inconvenient for her to act here, moreover, it was not a good place for hiding.
She thought she would rather make use of the intervals between the movement of the mechanisms to dash out of the dungeon.
Firstly, Ambassador White Dragon would not expect her to resort to such a method which was equivalent to giving up her life. Only by doing would Ambassador White Dragon be caught unprepared.
Secondly, because of the interference by the mechanisms, Ambassador White Dragon would lose his life to the mechanisms if Shadow Slave decided to go after her. Moreover, with the working of the mechanisms, the speed of Shadow Slave’s movement would be greatly discounted.
Once she managed to get out, there would be many places where she could hide.
While she planned this well, Zhu Yan also did according to her plan.
Outside, it seemed that the arrows were still shooting out non-stop. All of a sudden, there was a short interval between the shooting of the arrows, and a figure dashed out through the door abruptly.
“Quick! Seize her!”
Despite Lin Mengya’s moving so fast, nothing escaped Ambassador White Dragon’s eyes.
After making a shrieking sound, Shadow Slave felt great pressure coming off him and he was about to leap up like an eagle taking flight.
“Watch it!”
Zhu Yan yelled from within the door. Before his hand stopped moving, arrows shot out towards Ambassador White Dragon with much force.
Shadow Slave gave up pursuing Lin Mengya on his own accord but turned back to protect Ambassador White Dragon by blocking in front of him again.
Everything had happened according to Lin Mengya’s plan.
If she was able to bypass the pool at the center of the room in a few steps, Lin Mengya would be able to find a way of escape.
However, to her surprise, Shadow Slave, who was fighting valiantly, still had the strength to deal with her.
He stretched out his right arm and the black steel sharp knife on it instantly went towards Lin Mengya’s right chest.
Coincidentally, a few arrows shot towards Ambassador White Dragon in this instant.
Shadow Slave put his arms around Ambassador White Dragon and together, they rolled onto the floor. However, he lost control of the black steel sharp knives attached to his hands.
“Look out!”
Zhu Yan cautioned Lin Mengya by shouting out to her, but as she turned to look, the black steel sharp knives penetrated her waist.
This scene of being impaled by sharp knives had not appeared in her preconception.
Instantly, the great impact threw her into the air.
With a “Splash!”, Lin Mengya fell into the pool of water.
Now, not only Zhu Yan but Shadow Slave and Ambassador White Dragon were shocked at how the situation had ended up this way.
“Son of a bitch! Do you not know how to do things? I want to catch her alive, but you have dealt a blow on her and sent her flying in the air!”
Ambassador White Dragon roared. Shadow Slave could very well hit the target with one strike.
However, Lin Mengya had ended up in the pool.
Shadow Slave did not try to explain but continued protecting Ambassador White Dragon by staying around him.
Perhaps he had begun to be confused by the situation.
He had never ever lost control of the knives on his hands so he wondered why he was not even able to cut open a woman’s body with it.
Lin Mengya, who had been totally unprepared when she was forcefully pushed into the pool, swallowed a few mouthfuls of water.
Fortunately, she was a good swimmer and was soon able to adjust her breathing.
The pool was also not deep. People had merely used it to soak themselves in human blood. Lin Mengya kept a little of her head over the water and she could hear Ambassador White Dragon’s angry roar.
After this blow by Shadow Slave, she had ended up on the other end of the pool.
Although she could feel her breath churning and blood boiling, she still managed to spit out the water in her mouth and climbed out of the pool with agility.
“Get hold of her! Otherwise, you might as well die!”
Ambassador White Dragon roared once again, but Shadow Slave could not bear to move away.
Zhu Yan’s heart finally settled when he was the Lin Mengya had gotten out of the pool. After this, he was able to operate the mechanisms with more ease.
At that moment, it was almost impossible for Ambassador White Dragon to escape although Shadow Slave was still able to keep him safe for now.
Despite being totally drenched, Lin Mengya remained agile and nimble.
She went along the secret passage and finally emerged from it.
By this time, there was great chaos out in the courtyard with all kinds of mechanisms and traps being activated.
Zhu Yan had quietly told Lin Mengya earlier about where the various mechanisms were, therefore she was eventually able to escape those spots where the mechanisms worked.
The night had become her best camouflage.
All the people in the courtyard were preoccupied with defending themselves against the mechanisms so much so that few had realized that their target was sneakily heading towards the main gate.
Lin Mengya had never gone to the front gates, but Hongyu had told her earlier that the front gates opened up to a busy high street. The reason being that this way, it would be able to hoodwink people.
The backyard was quieter and more secluded therefore there would be more people guarding by the back gate.
If she was going to look for help, the front yard would be the safest place to go.
While there were many mechanisms, there were even more enemies.
There were already many corpses lying randomly on the floor.
However, these men seemed to be fearless. They seemed to have learned their lesson and they were using their comrades’ dead bodies as shields.
Lin Mengya tiptoed quietly through the front gates. Along her way, she managed to detect Hongyu and Xiu’s whereabouts.
She had to admit that Hongyu was indeed an intelligent lady.
The place where they were was closer to the front gate, therefore there were not many mechanisms and also fewer enemies in comparison.
After all, if there was too great a commotion in the front yard, the people outside would be able to detect the stir.
The bright red gate was right before her eyes now.
It only took a few steps for Lin Mengya to reach the main gate.
Just when she was about to open the gate, she sensed danger rising in her spine.
Instinctively, she dodged, and immediately she heard a “swoosh”. In the next instant, there was a long shiny silver sword stuck on the main gate just in front of her.