Chapter 55: The City Consumed by Raging Flames

Human memory can be tampered with.

People even frequently tamper with their own memories, selectively magnifying the beautiful while choosing to forget the hardships and misfortunes of the process.

"The perfection of this illusion is, in fact, its greatest flaw and failure," he sighed, putting the notebook away. "In the end, Tao Bo wrote that he had already conceived a bold solution and intended to attempt it after burying this notebook. However, it is difficult to act alone, and failure would mean certain death. But there is actually another place in this city where reality is distorted, clashing with true history. However, his physical condition no longer allowed for deep thought; perhaps those who come later can find a breakthrough there."

Mao Tao hurriedly asked, "Then where is this place?"

"He didn't write it," Sun Fuping shook his head. "Ever since entering the illusion, the expedition team felt they were being watched. Someone even claimed to have seen a massive red shadow in a trance."

A massive red shadow! He Lingchuan's expression changed. "They saw it too?"

"Too?"

"You... didn't see it?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"After entering the pool, there seemed to be a huge shape in the bloody water, but I couldn't see it clearly at all," He Lingchuan said with a bitter smile. "So others saw it too? I thought it was just a momentary hallucination."

"A living thing or a dead thing?"

"It moves, but I'm not sure if it moves autonomously or just drifts with the current."

Clearly, this information did not provide the group with any useful clues. Sun Fuping turned his attention back to the immediate problem

"Tao Bo believed it might be the spirit of the Dafanghu, or perhaps a resentful soul buried deep within. Therefore, he could not write down his solution or the flaw in the illusion; otherwise, this world would change accordingly."

Nian Songyu frowned. "The so-called method of breaking it doesn't matter whether it's written or not. The fact that Tao Bo failed to return alive proves his method failed."

He Lingchuan, however, countered, "But his perception of this world is quite interesting. We can start from there."

"How?"

"This world is too perfect, so is there no Dafanghu?" He Lingchuan said nonchalantly. "Isn't that simple? If we destroy this world, the Dafanghu will appear, right?"

"You..." Nian Songyu wanted to call it nonsense, but on second thought, this simple and crude reverse logic seemed...

Seemed to make quite a bit of sense?

"Is there any better way to hide something? No wonder wave after wave of previous explorers returned empty-handed!" He Lingchuan grew more confident the more he thought about it. "Most importantly, Tao Bo searched this place inside and out many times. He likely found nothing useful, so he wouldn't mind if it were all destroyed."

Sun Fuping drifted into thought: "Regarding that inconsistency..." If they burned it, it would be gone.

"Panlong City is so large; where are we going to find one small flaw? Even if we spent another sixty days, we wouldn't find it. Besides, I don't think we can hold out for another sixty days."

Hearing this, Mao Tao felt a shiver run down his spine.

Aside from their own water and food, the only way Tao Bo survived sixty days was by consuming his companions. There were four of them here now; if they truly reached the point of starvation, no matter how one calculated it, he would be the first to be eaten!

At this thought, he felt that the gazes of the other three were filled with deep malice. He hurriedly chimed in, "The Young Master's idea is very reasonable!"

He Lingchuan shot him a sidelong glance, as if seeing through his fear. "I remember the State Preceptor said that, at worst, we could use the nation's providence to save us all?"

"Of course, but there is only one chance. We must be cautious."

"Then what's there to fear?" He Lingchuan chuckled. "Let's discuss how to destroy a world!"

"Set it on fire!" This time, Nian Songyu and Mao Tao actually spoke in unison.

The latter immediately shut up, while the former looked at Sun Fuping. "Just like after the fall of Panlong City back then!"

In the past, after the Xianba Allied Forces breached Panlong City, they looted and slaughtered extensively before setting the entire city ablaze.

There was no method more tragic or more primitive than this.

Sun Fuping thought for a moment and nodded. "We will start collecting combustible materials. We'll split up."

"It won't be easy to burn down such a large city, will it?" He Lingchuan said. "With just the four of us, won't it take a month or two?"

Mao Tao was startled, immediately imagining his own fate. Sun Fuping thought for a moment. "You're right. We are short-handed. It would be best to call the people from the outside in."

Call Dad down too? He Lingchuan was stunned. "Can you contact him?"

"It's hard to say. I'll try." Since this was two different worlds, it wasn't just a matter of distance; Sun Fuping had no absolute certainty.

Seeing Sun Fuping rolling up his sleeves to call for reinforcements, He Lingchuan hurriedly waved his hands. "If people can enter here but not leave, they'll be trapped and killed. Why don't we try ourselves first? Tao Bo did it alone back then."

"And he failed," Nian Songyu said with a mirthless smile. "No one can leave the Panlong Desert alive during the Sand Season—you said that yourself. If we don't get the Dafanghu, your father won't be able to leave Panlong Wasteland City either. Either way, we die here; it's just a matter of whether it's inside or outside the walls."

*This kid is so cold-hearted. Since he's not under my command, he doesn't care how many people die.* He Lingchuan was about to argue further when a sudden idea struck him. "We can burn the city even without help. We just need to turn the city's siege engines around. Look, the houses are mostly concentrated in the south. It's not a good time for Dad to come down, otherwise, who will help us block the Wind Army?"

Siege engines?

Nian Songyu pondered, offering a rare word of praise: "That actually makes some sense!"

There were defensive fortifications on the city walls. Siege engines were generally used for long-range combat—some launched boulders or firestones, others fired massive crossbows to repel attacking forces. But if they were turned around, they could fire into the city, and the range was quite long.

This efficiency would naturally be much faster than four people running around fanning flames.

Besides, they didn't necessarily need to burn the entirety of the massive Panlong City; burning the main urban area clean would likely suffice.

He Lingchuan struck while the iron was hot. "The siege engines have limited range, after all. I'll go to the outskirts where they can't reach and burn the scattered houses first."

Since he had considered things so thoroughly, Nian Songyu did not object further. Sun Fuping, however, spoke up to give instructions: "Split up. We will regroup on the city walls in two hours."

"Be on time! If anything unexpected happens, come to the South Gate immediately!" His expression was solemn. "The flaw we are exploiting was thought of by Tao Bo, but he still failed to return in the end. This shows that there is an irresistible force after the city is burned. If you don't want to die, you must stand with me when the time comes. Remember that, remember that!"

And so, the four of them split up.

Nian Songyu headed south to inspect the siege engines on the city gates and to search the armory for combat supplies. Having actually led troops in battle, he knew exactly where these things would be kept.

He Lingchuan headed east, Mao Tao headed north, and Sun Fuping headed west.