Chapter 487: Laying a Long Trap
The next morning, Xuanzi and his group, too excited to sleep after their "successful" heist, were already urging Mu En to leave White Cloud City at dawn and return to their continent.
Their unusual behavior immediately caught Mu En's attention, and his expression darkened. He eyed them suspiciously and said, "Something's not right with you… Don't tell me you did something foolish in this city, and now you're trying to run away?"
"No, of course not."
Xuanzi and the others quickly laughed it off, denying everything.
"This is a place where gods exist how could we possibly dare to cause trouble?"
"Besides, if we had done something reckless, wouldn't the gods have already captured us by now?"
They all spoke at once, feigning innocence with looks of pure sincerity.
Mu En studied their expressions, still feeling that something was off. However, their reasoning made sense if they had tried anything, would the powerful beings of White Cloud City really have just let them go? It was highly unlikely.
Perhaps he was just overthinking things.
Seeing that Mu En's suspicion was fading, Xuanzi and the others exchanged relieved glances.
The reason they hadn't told Mu En the truth was simple White Cloud City was too crowded, and the fewer people who knew, the better. They also knew Mu En would never approve of their actions and would definitely scold them. So, they decided to keep him in the dark until they were safely back on their own continent.
What they didn't realize was that this very act of secrecy this refusal to confess would lead their entire homeland to disaster.
Had they told Mu En about their theft, he, knowing the true power of White Cloud City, would have immediately realized something was wrong. A library filled with priceless knowledge, in a city where gods resided how could it have no high level guards? How could a few mere Title Douluo have infiltrated it so easily?
It was too easy. Too unnatural.
Had Mu En seen the trap for what it was, he might have made a desperate attempt to correct their mistake. He could have surrendered the stolen books, admitted fault, and accepted punishment.
And if he had done so, White Cloud City being the self proclaimed holy land of humanity might have let them off lightly. Perhaps they would have been forced to pay reparations or surrender some territory, but at least they would have had a chance at survival.
But no Xuanzi and his group, thinking themselves clever, chose to stay silent. And in doing so, they cut off their final chance of escape.
Due to their constant insistence, Mu En had no choice but to agree to leave White Cloud City, even though he had wanted to stay longer to observe the city of gods. If he could have found even the slightest clue about breaking into godhood, it would have been worth the trip.
But since the rest of the group was so adamant about leaving, he had no excuse to stay.
So, after settling their departure arrangements, they prepared to return home.
On their way out of the city, Xuanzi and his group remained on edge, fearful that White Cloud City had already discovered the theft and would send pursuers after them. They worried they might not even make it out of the city gates.
But to their surprise, everything was eerily calm.
From the moment they left their hotel to the moment they passed through the city gates, nothing happened. No one stopped them.
It was as if White Cloud City still had no idea that its sacred library had been looted.
This only deepened their arrogance.
As they crossed the threshold and looked back at the towering walls of White Cloud City, Xuanzi sneered inwardly. White Cloud City… so overrated. A place of empty reputation.
Meanwhile, inside White Cloud City, a meeting was taking place in a secure office. Several high ranking security personnel were discussing how to handle the theft.
Had Xuanzi and the others been ordinary thieves, they wouldn't have been worth setting up such an elaborate trap. After all, none of them had even reached godhood what value did they have in the eyes of White Cloud City?
But the problem was that Mu En and his group weren't just random outsiders. They were representatives of an entire continent's ruling class. That changed everything.
White Cloud City had no interest in conquest. Even after discovering the existence of Douluo Two, they had no plans to invade. Their own continent was already overflowing with resources they had no need for more.
If Mu En and his people had come here seeking to submit to White Cloud City, offering their continent in exchange for protection, the city would have gladly accepted. White Cloud City would have integrated them, preserved their original status, and merely required them to recognize its rule.
But instead, these fools failed to recognize reality.
They refused to acknowledge the sheer gap in power between the two continents.
They even dared to talk about partnership?
As if White Cloud City should help them for free out of generosity?
It was absurd.
There was no crisis, no existential threat that required global cooperation. The Abyssal Invasion was still manageable. So why should White Cloud City selflessly assist outsiders?
No equal exchange, no deal.
Had things ended there, Mu En and his people could have simply gone home safely. White Cloud City would have left them alone.
But instead, Xuanzi and his group chose to steal.
And that changed everything.
Some within White Cloud City had long been eyeing the resources of Douluo Two.
To the ruling class of White Cloud City, Douluo Two's people were sitting on a mountain of wealth, yet they had no idea how to use it properly. So much potential was being wasted.
But attacking them outright would have been unjustified.
However, now that Xuanzi and his group had committed a crime?
Now, White Cloud City had the perfect excuse.
They let the thieves take the books. They let them leave.
Because now, they had every reason to act.
Now, they had justification to march onto Douluo Two and take whatever they wanted.
All they needed was a reason. And these fools had handed it to them on a silver platter.
"You want to steal from White Cloud City?"
"Fine. We'll even help you steal."
"But are you prepared to pay the price?"
They had laid the bait and set the trap.
Now, it was only a matter of time before Douluo Two fell.
And not even Tang San would be able to save them.
(End of Chapter)
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