Chapter 230 Deception

The man in fancy clothes slowly stood up from the ground. The anger and panic on his face gradually subsided, replaced by a sinister smile.

He looked extremely aristocratic, wearing a robe embroidered with gold thread, his long black hair was tied into a neat bun, his face was slightly pale, but there was a cold and cunning light hidden deep in his eyes.

He raised his hand gently, and a storage ring emitting a faint light flashed. His fingers were slender, and his movements were elegant with a hint of coldness.

The ring glowed slightly, and a talisman emerged. The talisman was covered with complex runes, like some kind of ancient magic circle, and it was emitting a light blue light.

The surroundings were luxurious yet oppressive. Rare night-shining pearls were inlaid on the walls of the secret room, emitting a soft white light that illuminated the room. The floor was covered with a soft red carpet embroidered with luxurious patterns, and the entire secret room was filled with smoke with the scent of sandalwood.

There were several huge ancient paintings hanging on the walls, depicting cruel scenes on the battlefield, which seemed to form a strange contrast with this luxurious environment.

The man in fancy clothes held the talisman tightly, his mouth curled up slightly, and he whispered some ancient spell. Along with his low voice, the runes on the talisman began to flash rapidly, emitting a brighter blue light. The runes seemed to come alive and moved on the talisman, and finally condensed into a ball of light.

“Go ahead,” the man whispered, his voice thick with conspiracy.

As he finished speaking, the talisman vibrated, and then a slight buzzing sound was heard. The sound transmission spell had been activated, and some existence thousands of miles away had received his signal.

The man slowly put the talisman back into the storage ring, and the smile on his face gradually widened, revealing an expression of determination to win. He raised his head slightly, and his deep eyes revealed endless cunning and calculation.

"Do you really think you can take the jade pendant from me?" He whispered softly, his voice hoarse and cold, as if he was talking to the air, "It's just a game, the prey can't escape after all."

He walked slowly to the side of the room, stood in front of the French window with dragon patterns carved on it, and looked out into the night. The sky outside the window was dark, with few stars, as if the whole world was shrouded in a deep shadow.

In the distance, you can vaguely see undulating mountains, and under the night sky, those mountain shadows look like the backs of giant beasts, revealing a desolate and silent atmosphere.

"The jade pendant is just a key to open the door. You don't understand the real secret at all," the man said to himself, his voice low and full of confidence. His slender fingers tapped lightly on the window, as if he was thinking about his next move.

He had expected that Lina and the others would find the jade pendant, and even deliberately placed a secret tracking array on the jade pendant. This array was extremely sophisticated and could not be detected by ordinary people. As long as the jade pendant was in their hands, no matter where they ran to, he could easily find them.

"The prey will fall into the trap sooner or later, and I just need to wait quietly for the net to be drawn." The man raised a sarcastic smile at the corner of his mouth, with cold and ruthless eyes.

Just as he was immersed in his calculations, the door of the secret room was suddenly pushed open. A slight sound of footsteps was heard, and a subordinate in black tights hurried in. His movements were light and swift, and he carried a hidden murderous aura.

The man in black was tall and thin, with eyes as sharp as an eagle. He had a black scarf covering his face, revealing only a pair of cold eyes. He walked up to the man in fancy clothes and knelt on one knee, his expression showing respect and nervousness.

"Boss, our people have already started to act. Do we need to continue the pursuit?" The man in black's voice was low and cold, with a hint of urgency.

The man in fancy clothes turned around, raised his chin slightly, and stared at the man in black with cold eyes, with a hint of disdain and arrogance in his eyes. He waved his hand lightly, his voice calm and calm.

"Don't be impatient. Let them run for a while first," he said in a low and calculating voice. "Chasing them now will only alert them. When they get close to the secret realm, we can catch them all in one fell swoop."

After hearing this, the man in black's eyes flickered slightly and he nodded respectfully, "Understood, I'll arrange it right away."

The man in black quickly stood up, turned around and walked out, disappearing behind the heavy door of the secret room.

The man in fancy clothes smiled grimly again, walked slowly to the window, and looked up at the dark night sky.

The starlight is still scarce, with only a few lonely stars hanging in the sky, as if witnessing this conspiracy going on in secret.

He gently stroked the storage ring in his hand, and had already made a plan for the next step in his mind.

......

Ye Fan and Lina ran all the way, the wilderness beneath their feet slipped through their sight like lightning, and only the whistling of the wind could be heard in their ears. Both of them tried their best, as if they were afraid that if they slowed down, the people chasing behind them would immediately pounce on them and tear them to pieces.

The breathing of both of them became rapid and heavy. Fine beads of sweat oozed out of Ye Fan's forehead. Every muscle in his body became a little sore after the intense exercise, but he still maintained an alert posture.

Lina's breathing was also rapid, her long hair was wet with sweat and stuck to her cheeks and neck, her face was slightly red, and she was obviously exhausted. Her steps became increasingly disordered, and she had to hold Ye Fan's arm from time to time to keep her balance when running.

"In front... we can rest there for a while." Ye Fan said in a low voice, his eyes scanning the bushes in front of him. After confirming that there was nothing unusual, he took Lina over there.

The two finally stopped under a tall tree, panting. Ye Fan sat down against the tree trunk, and the rough bark behind him made him feel a little more stable. At this time, his chest was heaving violently, and although his breathing had recovered a little, it still seemed heavy.

Lina also sat down on the ground, stretched her legs, and rested her head on her knees. Sweat slid down her forehead and wet her collar.

Her whole body seemed to exude a sense of fatigue after being pushed to the limit. Her fingers unconsciously grabbed a few fallen leaves on the ground, feeling their rough texture, as if she wanted to find a little comfort in them.

The surroundings were quiet, with only the rustling of leaves and their heavy breathing echoing in the air. The moonlight shone through the leaves onto the two of them, casting mottled shadows. The surroundings were desolate, but there seemed to be no danger for the time being.

Ye Fan raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead and frowned slightly, but his expression remained calm.

His eyes were still sharp, always watching the surroundings to make sure there were no traces of enemies. Lina lowered her head, breathing heavily, her slender shoulders shrugged slightly, and she looked extremely tired.

After a short rest, Lina finally raised her head and looked at Ye Fan with a look of hesitation and uneasiness. She pursed her lips, as if she was mustering up her courage. Finally, she gently moved her body closer to Ye Fan, and after hesitating for a moment, she whispered, "Ye Fan, actually... I lied to you before..."

When Ye Fan heard this, his brows twitched slightly, but he did not turn to look at her. Instead, he continued to look straight ahead, still alert to the movements around him.

Lina seemed even more nervous, her eyes were erratic, and her fingers were restlessly stirring the corners of her clothes. She bit her lip lightly, as if she had made a great decision, and continued: "That treasure house... is not all, it is just the most inconspicuous of the several treasure houses left by my father... The real core treasure is in another place, I dare not tell you."

After saying this, Lina was filled with anxiety. She didn't dare to look up at Ye Fan's face, for fear that he would be angry or no longer trust her because she concealed the truth.

She lowered her head, her heartbeat seemed to speed up a bit, and she felt her breathing was a little quick because of nervousness. Ye Fan was the strongest ally she had ever met. His strength and calmness made her awed, especially after experiencing countless escapes and battles, she relied on him even more. But she also knew that in this world, trust was the most precious and the most easily broken thing.

Just when she almost didn't dare to continue speaking, Ye Fan sighed softly. The sound was not loud, but it seemed to have a reassuring power.

"I knew it a long time ago." Ye Fan said lightly, his tone calm, without any blame or anger.

Lina's heart skipped a beat, and she looked up at Ye Fan in surprise. Her face was filled with disbelief: "You know? Then... why didn't you..."

"Didn't I expose you?" Ye Fan turned his head and finally looked at her. There was no anger in his eyes, but a calm and composed look. "In this world, no one will reveal all their cards. I'm not surprised that you're hiding something. Besides, it's no big deal."

He stood up, dusted himself off, then crossed his arms over his chest and looked up at the night sky in the distance. There, a few stars twinkled in the faint light, as if there was still a glimmer of hope in this world in the endless darkness.

"The rules of this world are simple. Either you deceive others or you are deceived by others." Ye Fan said calmly, with a bit of calmness and insight in his tone. "I don't mind you having your own secrets. As long as you don't want to betray me, we are still allies."

Lina stared at him blankly, as if the huge rock in her heart had suddenly dissipated. She felt a sense of inexplicable peace of mind at the same time as she was in a complicated mood. Ye Fan's calmness and tolerance gradually calmed her inner anxiety. The original uneasiness and guilt seemed to be melted by these few words.

“Thank you…” Lina’s voice was filled with gratitude and shyness. She tugged at the corner of her clothes unconsciously with both hands and whispered, “I won’t hide it anymore in the future.”

Ye Fan chuckled, still looking into the distance: "No need to thank me. Let's focus on what's in front of us. The treasure is not important, life is the most important."

Lina nodded and took a deep breath, as if she had finally let go of the burden in her heart. She also stood up, patted the dust off her body, and her face regained some calmness.