Sword Among Us
chapter-1016

Chapter 1016: Sinister Plots One After Another

“Dream Clouds, what a woman! You are indeed full of tricks up your sleeves! Aside from Blood Alliance and Five Venoms, you have actually quietly gathered the major sects in Beijing by your side? Yuan Zhixiong’s act of coming up at me with a suicidal charge to set up a ruse to arouse pity should be your first move.

“Who else is involved in this? Don’t bother hiding anymore. Just reveal yourself. Don’t let me look down on you.”

Phantasmal Shadow could be said to have reacted quickly.

At this moment, Yuan Zhixiong had turned against her for unknown reasons. His words, which he had said to slander Wind Assault Tower and Phantasmal Shadow, had caused her to be wary. Then, when Yuan Zhixiong took the initiative to come out and die, she finally found the real reason behind why she had been uneasy all this while.

This was Dream Clouds’ killing move.

Since Dream Clouds had put on a tragic move and even used a pitiful ruse, which was a seriously cliched move, more people were definitely going to reveal themselves later to continue slandering her.

Phantasmal Shadow’s move of attacking first was indeed very wise.

Not only had she mentioned that Yuan Zhixiong’s act was really just a ruse to stir up pity, she also spoke to Class One Hall’s headquarters, which had been in a state of peace all this while, which also allowed her to appease the players who were watching the fight.

Just as she expected, another sect master spoke, “Tower Master Shadow, Sect Master Yuan is a good friend of mine. This time, he only agreed to join the alliance because of me persuading him. I didn’t expect that you would still slander him even after he died. Since that’s the case, you won’t need me around! From today onwards, Overlooking Wind Gardens will remove ourselves from the operation. If you want to attack us in the future, we will not back down. We will willingly fight against you!

“All members of Overlooking Wind Gardens, we will go!”

His furious shout rang through Beijing. Countless people jumped out of the market and the streets.

Immediately after, someone spoke, “Phantasmal Shadow, you killed the sect master of Heavenly Heroes Sect! From today onwards, we will be mortal enemies!”

The people from Heavenly Heroes Sect jumped into the air at the same time as Overlooking Wind Gardens, and the momentum they created was not to be underestimated.

Many Wind Assault Tower members, including Phantasmal Shadow, had their expressions turn incredibly unpleasant.

As Wen Sheng of Overlooking Wind Gardens spoke, the crowd began to doubt how believable Phantasmal Shadow was. They were no longer as steadfast in their beliefs as before.

They could trust that Class One Hall could have the power to control one major sect in Beijing, but Yuan Zhixiong’s death and Overlooking Wind Gardens’ departure cast a shadow in countless people’s hearts.

Did Phantasmal Shadow fight against Class One Hall for the Chinese server and without any selfish purpose? Was it all to fight against Wild Wolves? Or did she want to use this chance to destroy Class One Hall and reset the power setup in the Chinese server so that she could establish her empire once Wind Assault Tower unified the entire Chinese server?

Many people could not help but have this thought spring up in their heads.

“Very good.”

When a large number of people left Class One Hall’s headquarters, Phantasmal Shadow gritted her teeth and endured it. While her tone had not changed, the speed in her speech had become much faster. “Heavenly Heroes Sect, Overlooking Wind Gardens, time will prove everything. I hope that you can continue with your farce.

“But your methods aren’t enough to make me withdraw.”

Phantasmal Shadow’s gaze was cast on Class One Hall’s headquarters once more. However, right now, killing intent burned in her eyes.

Slander! Defamation!

Class One Hall created a lot of stains on Wind Assault Tower that could be used against them for public denunciations to divert the Chinese players’ attention.

This was Dream Clouds’ counterattack.

Indeed, it was fierce and powerful!

Just when everyone thought that it ended, suddenly, a few people stood out with resolute expressions from a restaurant in the street nearby.

Behind them, more than one hundred people stood sternly in the restaurant, and they stared at them in disbelief.

Four people stared at their sect masters, who had already arrived at the entrance.

“Are you going to…?”

Before they could finish speaking, six sect masters walked out of the restaurant one after another through the parted crowd and among cries of surprise.

“Phantasmal Shadow!”

One of them served as the representative, wrapped his fist in his hand, and spoke in the direction where Phantasmal Shadow stood.

“Those with different ambitions cannot work together! I am truly sorry! I, Ma Sanyuan, and the sect masters beside me, must reconsider whether the news of Class One Hall working with Wild Wolves is real or not!

“We do not want to be used like fools and still end up working for them happily! Infinite Dao will remove ourselves from the plan!”

“I, Lu Dawei, represent Profound Abyss School, and will remove ourselves from the plan!”

“I, Xiao Xiangzi, represent Qin Clan, and will remove ourselves from this plan!”

“Wind Fire Lightning Hall will remove ourselves from the plan!”

“I, Xiao Tianhong, will remove myself from the plan!”

“Merciless Iron Path will remove myself from the plan!”

“All members of the six sects, listen to my orders! Immediately leave the area! You are not to disobey our orders!”

As the sect masters of the six sects gave their orders, more than one hundred thousand people left the area near Class One Hall’s headquarters this time.

Now that the people from the eight sects had left, more than one-third of the packed crowd was gone!

Class One Hall’s headquarters released a loud cheer at the perfect timing.

Meanwhile, only Wind Assault Tower and six sects were left outside the headquarters. They had a devastated air about them, as if the trend of victory had left them.

In the beginning, they had a few hundred thousand people surrounding Class One Hall to attack it, and their advantage was incredibly clear.

But now, as the people from the eight sects left, more than one-third of their strength was gone, and right now, they only had about twice the number of Class One Hall members around.

With their strength right now, even if they attacked and destroyed Class One Hall’s headquarters, these sects and Wind Assault Tower might be in an incredibly dangerous situation.

As of current, many people had even begun suspecting the truth of the situation.

Were the leaders of the eight sects forced to be here by Phantasmal Shadow because she used a certain method on them, just like Yuan Zhixiong?

In fact, some people even began discussing this publicly. Is there truth in Wind Assault Tower’s words in fighting against Class One Hall en masse because she wanted to fight against the mastermind working together with Wild Wolves?

After all, no one had concrete proof that Dream Clouds was in contact with Wild Wolves!

Perhaps only three people could be certain of what had happened when those eight people left and betrayed them.

Phantasmal Shadow, One Emperor, and Wandering Know-it-all.

They were the ones who planned this operation this time. Hence, they knew very well that the fourteen sects had joined them without hesitation after they contacted them. They were not forced into the alliance at all, just like they said.

But even Phantasmal Shadow was stunned for a long time when she saw this.

In just an instant, she experienced heaven and hell.

It was also at this moment that she knew just how much she underestimated Dream Clouds. At the same time, she finally understood how deeply Dream Clouds had hidden her strength!

Aside from Wind Assault Tower and Class One Hall, half of the eighteen sects in Beijing belonged to Class One Hall!

It was already incredibly difficult for Wind Assault Tower to fight against this power alone! In fact, with this power, Class One Hall already possessed the power to fight against all the players in Beijing!

But Dream Clouds used this method to prove Class One Hall’s “innocence” and state that she had nothing to do with Wild Wolves!

Phantasmal Shadow said nothing. She found it hard to calm down.

She could sense the worried and skeptical gazes directed at her from everywhere.

Many people were already beginning to suspect and worry about this operation.

However, Dream Clouds’ sinister plot did not seem to have ended just yet.

At this moment, another voice rose.

“Tower Master Shadow, if those eight sect masters were my subordinates, I believe that with our current power, we can’t destroy Class One Hall’s headquarters at all.

“Hence, Profound Scale Sect will remove ourselves from this operation! Apologies!”

Another sect master announced his intention to leave.

Another group quickly left the no longer crowded street!

“I, Dream Clouds, am eternally grateful for you coming to my aid during such a critical moment. This matter is a grudge between Class One Hall and Wind Assault Tower. Since all of you have decided to retreat, I, Dream Clouds, promise you that we will still share a friendly relationship!”

Her dignified words stirred up countless discussions on the forum!

Many people could already see that there were two major factions divided in the area.

The netizens began discussing with each other.

One group was certain that Class One Hall and Five Venoms were superior and subordinate, and that Class One Hall worked together with Wild Wolves.

The other group kept increasing in numbers When the nine sects of Beijing chose to leave the battle, they felt that there was something fishy behind all this, and they believed that Phantasmal Shadow wanted to use the chance to destroy Class One Hall so that she could dominate the Chinese world of martial artists.

Some of the people who could not take a stance were doubtful of all they saw, and they had no opinion about the situation.

However, as the tenth sect master stood out and more than twenty thousand people left, public condemnation of Phantasmal Shadow forcing all the sect leaders in Beijing to fight against Class One Hall instantly gained the upper hand.

Ten of the fourteen sects left.

The ones remaining no longer had the momentum and morale they previously had.

The crowd was in chaos.

Phantasmal Shadow did not say anything for a long while.

Many people could tell that the situation Phantasmal Shadow created while working together with One Emperor and Wandering Know-it-all had been instantly destroyed.

Not only did the danger surrounding Class One Hall’s headquarters fade away completely, Phantasmal Shadow, who was the one who launched the plan, descended a very awkward and dangerous situation.

*****

“Phantasmal Shadow is in danger now.”

Happy, Young Yi, and Xu Yao watched everything from the start to the end. Their expressions gradually turned from their initial excitement to solemnness, and they even looked a little pale.

Young Yi spoke hesitantly. “Master, did you intentionally not log in because you knew something?”

“…Knew what?” Happy’s expression was a little dark. Even though he thought that Class One Hall might end up being forced to reveal their hidden strength because of Wind Assault Tower, ending up with Wind Assault Tower not being able to gain the upper hand at Class One Hall’s headquarters, he did not expect that Dream Clouds would do something so ruthless.

She used a ruse to stir up pity, made slanderous statements, drove a wedge among the enemies, made all sorts of psychological suggestions, and used various sinister plots one after another to forcibly turn the accusations that were practically set in stone at that point into nothing.

The trend of the public opening changed.

Dream Clouds had actually turned the tides in a desperate situation.

“I’m wondering whether you managed to guess that Phantasmal Shadow just wanted to fight against Class One Hall so that she can become the only leader in the Chinese server.”

Happy and Xu Yao looked at each other, but said nothing.

They did not expect that even Young Yi would believe in Yuan Zhixiong’s words after all of Dream Clouds’ manipulations.

Happy and Xu Yao were absolutely certain that Class One Hall was working with Wild Wolves, because Happy had been the one to personally uncover the fact that Five Venoms had been protecting Wild Wolves.

Besides, Happy had a source of information no one else knew.

Happy knew about Carlson.

Since Barren Murderer could locate him so accurately, there was no doubt that Wild Wolves was working together with Class One Hall.

However, Young Yi’s reaction had caused the duo to understand that not all of the accusations against Phantasmal Shadow on the forum were made by Class One Hall. Perhaps a lot of people had actually been deceived by Dream Clouds’ misdirection.

Happy could no longer be bothered explaining anything to Young Yi.

He knew that if he did not enter the game to do something, then while Wind Assault Tower had brought a group of people to surround Class One Hall’s headquarters one moment ago, in the next moment, perhaps Class One Hall would actually give Wind Assault Tower a taste of her own medicine!