Forbidden Zone of Deception

Chapter 175 Negotiation
The sixteen figures that appeared out of thin air were led by a resolute-looking young man holding a shaman's peach wood sword—Zhou Chen, leader of the Crimson Team, a LV3 Oathsworn, a shaman.

Behind him, his team members quickly spread out to form a perimeter.

“Han Wei,” Zhou Chen said, his voice sharp as a knife.

A lean man stepped out of the group, carrying a hunting rifle on his back, with his hunting dog, Demon Bone, at his feet.

“I sensed it.” Han Wei narrowed his eyes. “Jiang Jin is in the northwest direction, about 1.2 kilometers away as the crow flies. The Nirvana team should be there too.”

“Alright, let’s rendezvous with Shadow Blade first. Perhaps Yu Tianlun and Xu Yinqiu are already dead, and Jiang Jin is being controlled by Shadow Blade.”

Just as Zhou Chen was about to give the order to act, his cell phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.

He quickly pulled out his phone—the caller ID showed Qin Mei.

Zhou Chen immediately pressed the answer button, but a deep male voice came from the other end of the line:
"Zhou Chen".

Zhou Chen's heart sank; it was Yu Tianlun's voice!

Zhou Chen had met celebrities like Yu Tianlun more than once before.

Zhou Chen's pupils contracted slightly, but his expression remained cold: "Commander Yu, isn't it impolite to use someone else's phone to make a call?"

A soft laugh came from the other end of the phone: "Qin Mei is in our hands. I know about your relationship."

Zhou Chen's fingers tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white.

"Our relationship? Aren't we just colleagues in the Bloody Team?"

"No need to pretend, I know very well that you two are lovers."

Zhou Chen took a deep breath; his worst fears had come true.

He kept his relationship with Qin Mei hidden, hoping that no one would find out that she was his weakness.

"what do you want?"

“Negotiations,” Yu Tianlun said calmly. “Besides Qin Mei and Bai Chuanlin, everyone in Shadow Blade is dead. Please tell me your current location, and I will send Bai Chuanlin over to convey our negotiation terms. She has been implanted with Gu worms and will contact me via video call once she arrives. All of you must remain in your positions; not a single one can be missing. I know exactly who your Crimson Clan members are.”

Zhou Chen's eyes darkened. He said, "Negotiation? How?"

“I have never intended to oppose the Bloodthirsty Team. I also know why you have come and what Blood Lord wants. We are willing to pay to avoid trouble, just to give the Nirvana Team a way out.”

"Release Qin Mei, and everything can be discussed."

"Let's talk when Shirakawa Rin arrives. I'll use the Bagua Mirror to monitor the surroundings. If you dare to get close, I'll cut off one of Qin Mei's fingers for every ten meters I advance after I spot you. I mean what I say."

“Okay…” Zhou Chen gritted his teeth and said, “Then let’s negotiate first. Our location… we just arrived, and we only see a shrine torii gate, called Rakusho Shrine.”

"okay, I get it."

After hanging up the phone, he turned around and said, "Stay put and wait for further instructions."

Inside the workshop warehouse, Yu Tianlun said to Bai Chuanlin, "I'll trouble you to go there first."

Shirakawa Rin nodded: "It's a small matter. But remember to leave me two resentment crystal fragments."

"Commander Yu," Jiang Jin walked over and said, "Excuse my bluntness, but compromise cannot bring peace. You and I both know what kind of person Blood Lord is."

“I know, but we still need to talk first. If we can’t reach an agreement, then we’ll fight.” Yu Tianlun’s voice remained calm. “They just came in, and the balloons haven’t appeared yet. We can’t kill them now, so we need to buy time.”

Yu Tianlun was well aware that what cannot be obtained on the battlefield cannot be obtained at the negotiating table either.

To deter the Bloodthirsty Gang from opposing them, they must be terrified and made Blood Lord realize that a sufficiently high price must be paid to wipe them out!
Only by using war to force peace can we bring the enemy to the negotiating table.

Their enemies are devoid of any sense of morality or righteousness; the only language they can understand is blood and death!
Jiang Jin frowned: "We don't have enough bargaining chips. Although Qin Mei is a hostage, they can easily launch a full-scale attack. Although it's said that Zhou Chen and Qin Mei have a special relationship and he won't take risks, I still don't think it's safe enough."

“Delaying is just a stopgap measure,” Xu Yinqiu analyzed calmly. “Once the scarlet balloon appears, they will realize our intentions.”

Liu Yan's Gu worms crawled on her fingertips: "Therefore... Shirakawa Rin's 'negotiation' must succeed."

Tomie leaned against the side and chuckled, "Will that little shrine maiden really obey?"

Liu Yan glanced at her coldly: "I placed a Gu worm on her body, which can turn against her at any time."

"Now, we must take advantage of their presence at the shrine, while they are still unaware of the rules of this instance, to scheme against them. The Soul-Eating Bees will follow Shirakawa Rin. When the balloons appear, pop them all immediately. If all goes well, we might be able to wipe out the Crimson!"

That's what he said, but Yu Tianlun knew in his heart that there was almost no hope. Zhou Chen was an extremely difficult opponent. Although he was a level 3 Sorcerer Oathsworn like himself, Zhou Chen was far stronger than him.

On the other side, after Zhou Chen mentioned that Yu Tianlun wanted to negotiate, the atmosphere in the Scarlet Team instantly became tense.

"Negotiation?" A woman with dreadlocks sneered from the group. "Yu Tianlun is stalling for time."

She is Ruan Hong, a level 2 Yin Talisman Master, specializing in Southeast Asian sorcery, with a few strands of human hair wrapped around her fingertips as a curse.

"They captured Qin Mei, and now they want to negotiate?" another man wearing a bronze mask said in a low voice. He was Duan She, a Soul Collector and a Level 2 Ghost Raiser. Unlike Wu Qin, he was more skilled at extracting the souls of living people.

Zhou Chen didn't answer, but just looked at Han Wei:

Has Jiang Jin's position changed?

Han Wei closed his eyes to sense the movement and shook his head: "It didn't move."

"A trap?" A young man in a white robe frowned in the group. He was Zhu You Lin Qi, a Level 1 talisman healer, skilled in healing talismans, but the weakest in combat.

Zhou Chen sneered: "It's not important."

He will make Yu Tianlun regret it by using Qin Mei to threaten him.

Originally, killing Yu Tianlun was merely an order, and he had no personal grudge against him.

But now, he vowed that he would definitely tear Yu Tianlun to pieces!

The only saving grace is that Yu Tianlun is a fairly upright person, so the kind of disaster that is usually unavoidable for women who are captured in reincarnation will not happen to Qin Mei.

He raised his hand, and the members of the Scarlet Team immediately fell silent.

Everyone was terrified in the face of Zhou Chen; no one dared to act recklessly in his presence.

"Ruan Hong and Duan She, you two are the team's main attackers. Be ready to fight at any time, and prioritize protecting Han Wei. The rest of you, come and 'negotiate' with us."

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Yu Tianlun wants to stall for time? Fine, then I'll see... how long they can hold out."

"Yes!"

Ruan Hong had already cast her curse; she had nailed seven blood-stained wooden stakes around the shrine, each one entwined with the vengeful spirits of those who had died tragically.

Duan She's bronze mask gleamed coldly in the moonlight. He held a soul-capturing bell in his hand, and when he shook it gently, a faint, mournful wail could be heard in the air.

The Crimson Team spread out and maintained vigilance within the Rakusho Shrine, as they were unsure whether the Nirvana Team would attack immediately.

Zhou Chen stood beneath the torii gate, his fingers gently stroking the incantation on the peach wood sword, his eyes cold and stern.

negotiation?

He didn't believe it.

Who is Yu Tianlun? While his character is widely praised, he's not a rigid, saintly figure. How could the leader of the Nirvana team, someone who has survived to this point in the cycle of reincarnation, possibly expect to resolve issues through negotiation?

"Captain," Han Wei said in a low voice, his hunting dog, Demon Bone, lying on the ground, its ears perked up, scanning the surroundings warily. "The Nirvana team said they wanted to negotiate. Perhaps they're really afraid of us? So what do you plan to do?"

Zhou Chen nodded slightly: "Negotiation? They're stalling for time, waiting for us to make a mistake. They went to great lengths to lure us into this instance; they must have something in mind."

He recalled the clock tower in Rusty Town, where they looked up and saw something floating in the sky, but it was too far away to make out clearly. After that, he felt himself drifting into a half-dream, half-awake state, and that's how he ended up here.

Not far away, Duan She continued to gently shake the Soul-Capturing Bell in his hand. The bell's sound was deep and resonant, like the sigh of a departed soul.

Zhou Chen had actually realized to some extent that Duan She was a spy planted by Blood Lord in the Crimson Team.

Duan She was once a veteran of the Bloodstained Legion, but was demoted to a branch after a mission failed. Blood Lord gave him a chance to redeem himself by monitoring Zhou Chen.

"Duan She, Zhou Chen is a talented person, but I feel that he is not loyal to me enough."

Blood Lord's deep voice echoed in Duan She's mind.

“Even if I plant a soul imprint, if he advances to LV4 in the future, I’m worried he’ll find a way to get rid of the soul imprint… You must keep a close eye on him.”

Duan She paused for a moment, then asked, "Since you don't trust him enough, why did you send the young master to his school?"

Blood Lord sneered: "I'm just giving Wu Ge a test, not putting him in a greenhouse to be cultivated. He's destined to be a reincarnator for life, spending his entire life with killing."

Duan She snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at Zhou Chen.

—Will this young man really rebel?
Meanwhile, in a corner of the shrine, several members of the Crimson Team were talking in hushed tones. "Yu Tianlun captured Qin Mei, and the captain actually agreed to negotiate?" A thin man frowned. His name was Zhang Man, and he was a sorcerer skilled in curses.

"Otherwise what? Are we just going to charge straight in?" Another female team member sneered. Her name was Su Ying, and she was a shrine maiden. "Yu Tianlun is no pushover, and besides, they have the upper hand now."

"But what can negotiations achieve?" Zhang Man shook his head. "How could Yu Tianlun possibly release them?"

“I think…” Su Ying lowered her voice, “He’s stalling for time.”

"Delay time?" Zhang Man was taken aback. "Wait for what?"

Su Ying glanced outside the shrine and whispered, "It's probably related to the ghosts in this instance. This is clearly a terrifying instance that hasn't been contained."

Everyone was silent.

The town of Red Rust was already eerie and unpredictable. They had only been there a short time and hadn't encountered any ghosts yet, but Yu Tianlun and his group must have already figured out some of the patterns.

“Speaking of which…” Su Ying suddenly lowered her voice, “Have you heard about the ‘zoo’ incident?”

Zhang Man's pupils contracted: "You mean...that instance?"

“Yes.” Su Ying nodded. “Before we set off, I heard from the main group that countries around the world are forming elite teams of reincarnators to thoroughly conquer the [Zoo Tales] dungeon.”

"Isn't that just sending them to their deaths?" Zhang Man's face turned grim.

【Zoo Horror Tales】is the most terrifying instance known to date, attracting countless reincarnators from around the world, but almost none return alive. Even for LV5 reincarnators, it is a terrifying graveyard.
"It's said that the person who went in last time risked their life to bring back a note, which was found in a locker in the whale area of ​​the aquarium located in the contaminated layer. It contained some latest information about [goat meat] and [rabbit blood]..."

"Goat meat? Rabbit blood?" Zhang Man was shocked. "Isn't that... the mystery that has always been difficult to solve in the rules of [Zoo Tales]? What's the latest information?"

Su Ying shook her head: "I don't know, but I heard that the memetic contamination in that instance is nearing containment failure. If it gets out of control, the whole world may fall into cognitive distortion. Now we are all worried that the Bloody Team has been secretly working for the government all along. Will they use us as cannon fodder and forcibly conscript us to help them explore the instance?"

"Damn it..." Zhang Man gritted his teeth, "If we're drafted, aren't we doomed? We wouldn't have enough lives!"

"Would the Blood Lord..." Su Ying hesitated, unable to finish her sentence.

"You mean, he might use us as cannon fodder?" Zhang Man sneered. "Of course he will! What do you think we are? In his eyes, we are nothing more than expendable materials."

If this situation were to actually occur, Blood Lord would certainly not be willing to use the main force's troops, and then the members of the branch forces would be in trouble.

Unfortunately, each of them had their soul imprinted by the Blood Lord, making them unable to disobey him!

The only weakness of a Soul Imprint is that its effectiveness diminishes over long periods or with broad implications. For example, an order like "You must obey my orders for life" is ineffective. Similarly, an order to "clock in every day" will gradually lose its effect after three months. This is why, even with a Soul Imprint, the Blood Lord cannot fully trust his subordinates.

“But that instance…” Su Ying’s voice trembled, “It’s said that going in is more terrifying than death.”

The cognitive pollution from "Zoo Ghost Stories" even sent chills down the spines of a Level 5 reincarnator.

Goat meat, rabbit blood, aquarium, dried-up jellyfish, drowned elephant...

These terms have been circulating among reincarnators for a long time, but very few people who have actually experienced them come out alive.

“It’s said that the ‘rabbits’ in the zoo aren’t actually ‘rabbits’,” Zhang Man whispered, “and those ‘white lions’ on the materialist level are actually…”

“There’s also an ‘aquarium,’” Su Ying added. “Only people whose SAN values ​​drop after being polluted can see it.”

"Damn it..." Zhang Man clenched his fists. "If they really send us, I'd rather defect."

"Shh!" Su Ying glared at him sharply. "Do you want to die? You know how the Bloody Team treats traitors."

Zhang Man remained silent.

Yes, defection?
—The Blood Lord will make them wish they were dead.

Duan She walked slowly toward Zhou Chen, his gaze deep and unfathomable beneath the bronze mask.

"Captain," he said in a low voice, "what do you think of Yu Tianlun's negotiations?"

Zhou Chen didn't turn around, but simply said, "What do you think?"

“He’s stalling,” Duan She sneered. “The Nirvana team has the upper hand now, so there’s no reason for them to initiate negotiations.”

"so?"

“So…” Duan She’s voice carried a hint of probing, “why don’t we just charge straight in?”

Zhou Chen finally turned his head, his eyes sharp as knives: "Qin Mei is in their hands."

“Qin Mei is important, but…” Duan She paused, “If saving her puts the entire team in danger, what will Blood Lord think? As long as we can obtain the Resentment Crystal, Blood Lord probably won’t care about sacrificing Qin Mei.”

Zhou Chen's eyes suddenly turned icy cold.

He realized that Duan She was testing him.

Blood Lord doesn't trust me after all.

"Duan She." Zhou Chen's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable killing intent. "Are you teaching me how to do things?"

Duan She's lips curled slightly beneath his mask: "I wouldn't dare."

"Then shut up." Zhou Chen withdrew his gaze. "We'll talk when Shirakawa Rin arrives."

Duan She didn't say anything more, but he had already made up his mind.

Zhou Chen's attention to Qin Mei far exceeded expectations.

In the distance, a slender figure slowly approached the shrine.

On her wrist was a thin, almost imperceptible thread—Liu Yan's Gu worm.

"They're here," Han Wei said in a low voice.

Zhou Chen raised his hand, signaling everyone to be on alert.

Shirakawa Rin walked to the torii gate, stopped, and looked up at Zhou Chen.

“Yu Tianlun sent me to deliver a message.” Her voice was flat and even. “He wants to negotiate with you via video.”

Zhou Chen stared coldly at her: "Qin Mei is still alive?"

“Alive.” Shirakawa Rin nodded. “But Yu Tianlun said that if you dare to make any rash moves, she will lose a finger.”

Zhou Chen's eyes were as dark as ink.

Suddenly, he stepped forward and grabbed Shirakawa Rin by the neck!
"Have you already colluded with the people of Nirvana?!"

"I...how could I dare..." Shirakawa Rin was choked so badly that she could barely speak.

"Oh? Is that so?" Zhou Chen said coldly, "You think you can fool me?"

But Shirakawa Rin still insisted, "I... I was just... captured by them..."

It's reasonable that Shirakawa Rin, being only a Level 1 shrine maiden, couldn't defeat Yu Tianlun.

But Zhou Chen still wanted to test her.

“Okay.” He slowly released Shirakawa Rin and said, “Then I’ll make a call and negotiate with Yu Tianlun.”

Shirakawa Rin took out a cell phone from his pocket and made a video call.

The screen lit up, and Yu Tianlun's face appeared on the screen.

"Commander Zhou," Yu Tianlun said with a smile, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Zhou Chen stared at him, enunciating each word clearly: "How can you release them?"

Yu Tianlun shook his head: "No rush, let's talk about the terms first."

"What conditions?"

“It’s very simple,” Yu Tianlun said calmly. “We are willing to pay with resentment crystals in exchange for establishing a peace treaty.”

Zhou Chen sneered: "Do you think I'd believe that?"

"Believe it or not," Yu Tianlun shrugged, "but Qin Mei's life is in our hands."

Zhou Chen's fingers tightened slightly.

He is procrastinating.

What on earth is he waiting for?
(End of this chapter)