Chapter 296: Come out, all of you—I promise I won

Wind howled past his ears.

Gray, hazy scenery rushed past on either side of his vision.

About twenty minutes later.

Da Bai slowed gradually, finally stopping at a swampy area.

Lin Mo jumped off Da Bai's back.

He lifted his head, scanning the surroundings.

This was an extremely dark place, surrounded by towering black cliffs piercing the clouds.

The ground was littered with foul-smelling swamp pits.

"The coordinates show it should be right around here."

Lin Mo checked the map on his panel, confirming it was correct.

Yet.

As far as he could see, not a single soul in sight.

"Xiao Tu, is anyone around?"

Without hesitation, Lin Mo directly asked Xiao Leida.

In the skill bar.

【"Tǔ Dùn Shù" responded immediately.】

【"Got it, Master!"】

Moments later.

【"Tǔ Dùn Shù"'s voice came through, puzzled.】

【"Master… there's no one."】

【"I didn't sense any dense footprints of human activity."】

【"But…"】

【"I can sense a few isolated, large living creatures—probably some demons."】

After hearing Xiao Tu's report.

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow.

"No one?"

"Run that fast?"

Immediately after.

Lin Mo checked the four nations' battle reports again.

All were silent—no new kill notifications at all.

"…"

Lin Mo was speechless.

"What the hell?"

"It's been almost half an hour—four nations, and not a single boss killed?"

"Are these guys really this weak?"

Sensing Lin Mo's disbelief.

In the skill bar.

【"Huǒ Qiú Shù" snorted, flames flickering around it.】

【"Hmph, do you even need to think?"】

【"They're scared!"】

【"After seeing those two nations wiped out, how could these ants not be terrified?"】

【"Probably hiding in some rat hole, trembling in fear."】

Hearing Xiao Huo's words.

【"Bīng Zhuī Shù"'s tone was equally contemptuous.】

【"Just a bunch of trash."】

【"Now they know your power—they won't even fight monsters, afraid their coordinates will be exposed and you'll come for them."】

Listening to the skills' complaints.

Lin Mo rubbed his chin.

"Scared?"

"Unlikely."

"They're the elite chosen by their nations."

"Whoever made it into the Ten Thousand Nations Arena isn't someone humble."

"Do elites lack spirit?"

"Just hide because they're scared to fight monsters?"

Lin Mo found it unbelievable.

【"Huǒ Qiú Shù" remained unconvinced.】

【"Hah, elites? Just slightly stronger ants."】

Lin Mo thought for a moment.

It did make some sense.

"Ah, whatever."

He sighed.

"Since I can't find them now."

"I'll just hunt bosses while looking."

"I have to say, the Ten Thousand Nations Arena is huge."

Lin Mo took a step and mounted Da Bai.

"Let's go, Xiao Lei—find some bosses to farm."

At that moment.

Lin Mo thought again.

"No."

"This is too passive."

"What if they just hide until time runs out? Then my eighty exclusive weapons are gone."

"At least…"

"I should send a message—take the initiative."

He acted immediately.

Lin Mo opened his panel and began composing a message.

【Hey hey hey, I'm Lin Mo from Long Nation.】

【What are you doing? It's been half a day, and not a single boss killed?】

【If you know, you're the elite chosen by your nations.】

【If you don't, you look like turtles crawling out of some hole.】

【Stop hiding—come out and show yourselves. Don't waste everyone's time.】

As he finished editing here.

Lin Mo paused.

He turned his head, glancing at Da Bai, majestic and imposing beside him.

Then.

He continued editing the message.

【Actually, I'm a pretty nice guy.】

【If you surrender willingly and hand over everything you're carrying.】

【I promise!】

【I will not lay a single finger on you myself.】

【My word is law—no exceptions.】

Copy.

Click.

Send.

Send again…

Four messages instantly appeared on every member of the four nations' panels.

Lin Mo nodded in satisfaction.

He patted Da Bai.

"I won't lift a finger—no problem."

"Whether my family members act or not? That's none of my business."

"After all, they all have their own minds."

"Let's go, hunt the boss!"

Lin Mo gently patted Da Bai.

The next moment.

Da Bai sprinted off in the direction Xiao Tu indicated.

……

Meanwhile.

In a hidden valley.

The eighty members of the four-nation alliance were scattered and concealed here.

Inside a massive cave.

The representatives of the four nations were hiding inside.

Dim, oppressive.

No one lit a fire.

No one spoke.

Even their breathing was deliberately suppressed to the barest whisper.

The entire cave was eerily silent, save for the occasional drip of water from the rocks.

Eighty people, eighty specialized weapons.

This should have been a terrifying force, utterly formidable on the Ten Thousand Nations Battlefield, yet now they trembled in the dark.

At that moment.

Su Xiluo, captain of the Qiandao team, noticed a message suddenly pop up on his panel.

He opened it.

"Uh... guys, Longguo just sent us a message."

"It says..."

"If we surrender, they won't lay a hand on us."

As soon as he spoke these words,

everyone turned to look at their own panels.

Su Xiluo glanced at the others and whispered:

"What if..."

"We surrender?"

As soon as he said that,

several people nearby turned to look at him.

Su Xiluo clenched his teeth and continued:

"I can't take this anymore—I'm so miserable, so bored!"

"The people of Longguo always pride themselves on being a land of propriety."

"Their word... should be reliable, right?"

Listening to Su Xiluo's words,

Wu Kelin, captain of the Mabian team, instantly grew cold.

"Su Xiluo, have you lost your mind?"

His eyes brimmed with mockery.

"Reliable word?"

"You actually believe a great nation's promise?"

"Who in a great nation keeps their word?!"

"To the weak, they always act superior—the rules are made by them, and they can tear them up anytime!"

Wu Kelin sneered repeatedly.

"Look at the Adams family! Haven't they broken their word enough times?"

"In this life-or-death Ten Thousand Nations Battlefield, would you stake your life on their 'guarantee'?"

Su Xiluo's face flushed red from the scolding, but he had no reply.

"Besides,"

Wu Kelin took a deep breath.

"Even if Longguo truly keeps its word and doesn't attack us,"

"so what?"

"When we hand over all our specialized weapons and walk out safely,"

"uninjured, not a single specialized weapon left on us,"

"while Longguo remains perfectly fine, lively and well,"

"what do you think your home country's high command will do to you?"

"You've handed over the specialized weapons your nation spent its entire resources to equip you with?"

Wu Kelin shrugged.

"Frankly, I think,"

"you're definitely going to be charged with treason."

"And it won't just be you."

"Your family, your clan—they'll all be executed with you!"

These words

silenced Su Xiluo.

Yes.

Even if surrendering let him survive, what then?

Treason was no trivial matter—it wouldn't just kill him, but drag his family down with him.

At that moment,

Ruan Wen, captain of Yueguo, impatiently scratched his head.

"Pfft!"

He spat on the ground.

"Damn it!"

"This is so fucking humiliating!"

Ruan Wen's eyes blazed with fury.

"I thought joining the Adams family's order meant an easy win."

"Seven nations uniting to crush Longguo—just a stroll in the park."

"Instead, we're now cowering like rats in this pitch-black hole!"

"What the hell is this?"

Ruan Wen grew more agitated as he spoke.

"To hell with hiding—let's just attack Longguo head-on!"

"We've got so many people—why fear one person?"

Watching the furious Ruan Wen,

Wu Kelin frowned.

"Enough!"

"Attack Longguo? With what? Who do you think you are?"

"Even Dahan, Ying, and Tianzhu couldn't beat them—what makes you think you can? Because you're stubborn?"

Ruan Wen was left speechless, his face flushed crimson.

Wu Kelin's gaze swept over the group.

"Listen to me!"

"Lin Mo sent this message because he can't find us—he's bluffing to lure us out!"

"As long as we don't leave, he can't touch us!"

"Stay hidden!"

"What does pride matter? Keeping our specialized weapons and surviving until the Ten Thousand Nations Battlefield ends is worth more than anything."

"Hiding is victory!"

"Understood?"

Under Wu Kelin's soothing and brainwashing,

Song Pa sighed and nodded.

"Follow Wu Kelin—stay hidden."

Su Xiluo also shrank back, no longer mentioning surrender.

Ruan Wen stood in place.

His hand gripped his dagger tightly, his eyes filled with frustration, humiliation, and resentment.

He, a Yueguo prodigy—when had he ever endured such disgrace?

But.

Seeing everyone around choose to retreat,

Ruan Wen took a deep breath, clenched his teeth, and reluctantly sat back in the corner.