Chapter 533: Change of Target

The “Pegasus” covered the hundred-meter distance in just a few steps and arrived right in front of the prison just as Qian Wu emerged.

“Ah, the ‘Twin Flowers’…” Pegasus halted, rubbing her lower back with a sigh. “Getting old… not as sharp as I used to be. Almost late…”

“You’re right on time,” Qian Wu replied calmly.

“Well then… the deal we discussed yesterday should take effect now.” Pegasus glanced at the two young men behind Qian Wu, a sly grin creeping onto her face. “Hand them over, or I activate the ‘Pegasus Moment.’ So… which of these two is the ‘Great Echo’?”

Qian Wu reached into his pocket and pulled out an old cigarette case. He took one out and placed it between his lips. Luo Shiyi stepped forward and lit it for him.

“Pegasus.” Qian Wu exhaled a plume of smoke before letting out a cold laugh. “I’m not handing anyone over. When’s the ‘Pegasus Moment’ coming?”

“What…?” Pegasus blinked, feeling as if she’d been played. “‘Twin Flowers’… are you joking? Do you realize how many people in the ‘Land of Finality’ will die if I unleash the ‘Pegasus Moment’?”

“I know.” Qian Wu kept the cigarette in his mouth, hands now in his pockets as he took slow, deliberate steps forward until he was standing right in front of Pegasus. “Tell me, Pegasus… is there a chance the ‘Great Echo’ hasn’t awakened yet? If you trigger it now, might you accidentally wipe them out too?”

“Isn’t that perfect?” The wrinkles on Pegasus’ face smoothed into an unsettling smile. “If they dare to ‘Echo’ during the ‘Pegasus Moment,’ I’ll be the first to find them and take them to ‘Tianlong.’ That’d be mission accomplished for this old woman.”

“I see…” Qian Wu nodded, taking another step forward.

In the distance, Qi Xia tensed. Qian Wu was close enough to grab Pegasus, yet he hesitated—clearly wary of something.

Of course. If he didn’t seize her instantly and she slipped away, killing her would become impossible.

“Qian Wu, our deal is off.” Pegasus sighed, shaking her head. Despite her frail, grandmotherly appearance, her words sent chills down the spine. “You wasted your chance. Now, I have no choice but to slaughter them all.”

“Fine.” Qian Wu nodded. “Go ahead. Slaughter them.”

The moment he spoke, Qian Wu sharply exhaled, sending the burning cigarette flying straight into Pegasus’ face. The searing heat forced her eyes shut for a split second.

Realizing danger, Pegasus instinctively reached for Tianhu, but before her gnarled fingers could grasp him, Qiu Ershi’s brow furrowed—and a violent gale erupted from nowhere.

Caught off guard, Pegasus hesitated just long enough for Qian Wu to lunge forward and seize her wrist.

At the same instant, a deafening bell tolled in the distance. The ‘Twin Flowers’ no longer suppressed their ‘Echoes’—they unleashed them in full force.

“Now!!” Qian Wu roared.

From behind him, Luo Shiyi and Qiu Ershi drew daggers from their belts. One aimed for Qian Wu’s heart from the back, the other for his left carotid artery—both striking without hesitation.

Their expressions were steeled with resolve, as if they were assassinating a hated enemy.

They knew that no matter whose blade pierced Qian Wu, Pegasus would die with him.

This would be the first declaration of war from the ‘Participants’ against the ‘Zodiacs.’

But just as the daggers were a hair’s breadth from Qian Wu’s body, a hurricane—far stronger than Qiu Ershi’s winds—swept through, throwing everyone off balance.

Even Pegasus and Tianhu struggled to stay on their feet.

From afar, Qi Xia’s frown deepened. The plan had failed.

The gap between ‘Celestial’ and ‘Human’ was insurmountable. The ‘Divine Beasts’ wouldn’t wait for a ‘Celestial’ to die before intervening—they acted the moment they sensed lethal intent.

When the winds finally subsided, Qian Wu and his allies stood to find a woman with hair trailing to the ground standing between them and Pegasus. She seemed to have been there all along.

“I am ‘Xuanwu,'” the woman intoned. “You are on the verge of breaking the rules. Drop your weapons and embrace your slaughter.”

Qi Xia, Qiao Jiajin, Chen Jun’nan, and Zhou Liu peered through the prison’s iron gates, horrified by the scene.

Both sides had three members, but the difference in presence was staggering.

Qian Wu stood with ‘Forgetful Sorrow’ Luo Shiyi and ‘Gale’ Qiu Ershi.

Opposite them were ‘Xuanwu,’ ‘Pegasus,’ and ‘Tianhu.’

What kind of ‘Participant’ could possibly kill under these conditions?

“Tch… no way we win…” Zhou Liu murmured, despair creeping into her voice. “The ‘Pegasus Moment’ is inevitable. We need to run…”

“No…” Qi Xia narrowed his eyes. “There’s one last option… if Qian Wu realizes it…”

Qian Wu stared at the icy woman before him, swallowing hard.

“Hah… ‘Xuanwu’…” He forced himself to steady his breathing. He had already angered her by breaking the rules—there was no escape now.

So… was there another way?

Behind him, Luo Shiyi and Qiu Ershi showed no fear. The moment they stepped out of the prison, they knew this was the likely outcome. Even if Qian Wu had killed Pegasus, they, as accomplices, would never escape Xuanwu’s judgment.

After a few seconds of silence, an idea struck Qian Wu—perhaps the only possible move left.

Unwavering, he took another step forward.

“Xuanwu, I want to kill you.”

The words hung in the air. Luo Shiyi and Qiu Ershi exchanged glances before fixing their gazes on Qian Wu’s back.

If killing Pegasus was impossible now… then what were the odds of killing Xuanwu?

“Kill… me?”

Xuanwu lifted a pale hand, parting her long hair just enough to reveal a single, chilling eye.

Though only one was visible, Qian Wu could see the barely contained excitement in that gaze.

“Good… wonderful… come kill me…”

Qi Xia’s grip on the gate tightened.

Would the ‘Land of Finality’ change after today?

This bizarre ‘assassination’ was about to begin—would it bring hope or despair?

Qian Wu exhaled slowly, then bowed slightly before extending a hand toward Xuanwu, like a gentleman inviting a lady to dance.

“Xuanwu… forgive my rudeness. Hand over your life.”

Without hesitation, Xuanwu reached out and clasped his hand.