The Hero of a Cool Novel? I, the Villain, Will Kill You!

218: Instead of appeasement, there was only anxiety and lingering fear.However, just as Gu Cangyang’s smile was at its peak, a thread of doubt, like a shadow, surfaced in his heart, silently stirring that confidence.

This civil war, which swept across the entire god clan system, was unprecedented in scale and exceptionally brutal.

Yet, on the Nine Burials God Clan’s side, not a single figure from the Dao Exhaustion Realm had appeared to join the fight from beginning to end.

This extremely unusual silence made him feel an inexplicable sense of discord, as if behind the curtain of blood and fire, there was a variable hidden that he had yet to perceive.

Gu Cangyang’s brow furrowed imperceptibly, and an undercurrent churned in his heart:

Could the Nine Burials God Clan have another scheme? Or have they already seen through his plan?

This uncertainty was like a fine thorn, pricking his joy of victory.

It made him involuntarily clench the hands clasped behind his back, his gaze sweeping ever more profoundly over the distant ruins.

”Senior Gu, Mo Yuan has been missing for several years. Could he have been captured by a powerful expert from the Wuan Ancient Kingdom?”

Yi Bochang rushed out of a room on the ancient boat and hurried over to Gu Cangyang’s side.

The fawning expression and the joy of imminent victory that he previously wore were gone, replaced only by deep worry and lingering fear.

His steps were slightly unsteady, as if he were treading on thin ice, his heart pounding, seemingly tightly gripped by an invisible hand.

Once upon a time.

Yi Bochang always wore a flattering smile, every feature radiating absolute trust in Gu Cangyang.

It was as if, by simply following this Senior, glory and Breakthrough were within easy reach.

But now, that flattery had long been crushed by the cruelty of reality, replaced by a fear that penetrated to the bone.

Mo Yuan’s disappearance was like a shadow, quietly eroding his confidence.

He couldn’t help but recall the past: how he had obsequiously flattered Gu Cangyang, and how he had fantasized about the splendor following the civil war’s victory;

But now, the bloody scent of the battlefield and the eerie silence of the Nine Burials God Clan made his back feel cold, as if every step might lead him into a trap.

Gu Cangyang looked at Yi Bochang, who had come to his side, raised an eyebrow, and said displeasedly, ”That Mo Yuan fellow has already defected, so you don’t need to worry about him.”

The moment these words left his mouth.

Yi Bochang instantly froze, speechless for a long time, his pupils violently constricted, and his lips trembled slightly, as if he had been struck by lightning.

The image of Mo Yuan from days past flashed through his mind... Could that taciturn old friend actually have defected?

Yi Bochang’s heart sank, and a chill spread from the soles of his feet throughout his body.

He had originally held onto a sliver of hope that Mo Yuan was merely trapped or lying low.

But Gu Cangyang’s casual assertion completely shattered his illusion.

Yi Bochang unconsciously clenched the corner of his robe, his nails digging deep into his palm, drawing faint traces of blood.

He recalled how he had flattered Gu Cangyang and how he had placed all his hopes here.

But now, the news of the defection was like a blunt knife, slowly severing his sense of security.

He secretly glanced at Gu Cangyang; beneath that imposing face, countless unspoken secrets seemed to be hidden.

This made Yi Bochang feel even colder all over, instantly realizing that he might also be a disposable piece on the chessboard.

Seeing Yi Bochang’s frightened appearance, Gu Cangyang patted his shoulder and reassured him:

”You don’t need to be upset. Mo Yuan’s defection and Chu Moqian’s disappearance are due to their shortsightedness.”

His voice was deliberately softened, carrying the benevolence of an elder, but a faint, hard-to-detect trace of anxiety flashed in his eyes.

Gu Cangyang knew well that Yi Bochang’s current wavering could ruin the grand plan; he had to stabilize him with a more tempting promise.

Thus, Gu Cangyang straightened his back, gazed at the distant ruins, and his tone grew increasingly passionate, as if he were sketching a magnificent blueprint:

”This God Race civil war is nearing its end. Once this old man activates the destiny chessboard and uses it to achieve Fusion with the Land of the Other Shore to create a new Realm.”

He paused deliberately, letting every word carry heavy weight, then turned to Yi Bochang, a mesmerizing smile curving his lips:

”You will be the great contributor, and this old man will ensure you are the second person to step into the new Realm.”

These words were like honey, wrapped in fatal temptation... Gu Cangyang was painting a grand vision, using the ethereal ”new Realm” to numb Yi Bochang’s doubts.

Yet, his heart was rapidly calculating: Mo Yuan’s defection had disrupted the layout.

If even Yi Bochang retreated, the final plan to sacrifice ten Dao Exhaustion Realm experts to activate the destiny chessboard would fail.

Therefore... Gu Cangyang did not hesitate to raise the stakes, hailing Yi Bochang as a great contributor, his tone filled with unquestionable authority, as if victory was already in his grasp.

He even leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice to add:

”Think about it, Bochang, an existence surpassing the Dao Exhaustion Realm... that is a Domain even ancient Gods have never touched. You and I will jointly create history!”

Every word was meticulously woven, intended to ignite Yi Bochang’s greed and conceal the risks beneath.

Listening to these words, Yi Bochang barely managed to squeeze out a grateful smile, but the fear in his eyes did not dissipate.

He lowered his head, concealing the turmoil in his heart... Gu Cangyang’s promise was too beautiful, which only made him feel more uneasy.

Yi Bochang was not a fool; he smelled the scent of conspiracy in the air: the Nine Burials God Clan’s abnormality and Mo Yuan’s defection were like alarm bells roaring in his ears.

But now, he was past the point of no return, forced to bite the bullet and rely on Gu Cangyang.

This contradiction tore at him, causing his entire body to tremble slightly.

Just then, a tremendous roar of ”Boom! Boom! Boom!” came from the Other Shore Passage, instantly capturing Gu Cangyang’s attention.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, as if he knew who was causing the commotion emanating from inside the Other Shore Passage.

The sound was like thunder rolling across the sky, shaking the Void Realm slightly, causing even the ancient boat to sway.

A flash of pride crossed Gu Cangyang’s eyes. He turned to face the direction of the Passage, his hands clasped behind his back, his posture composed.

This commotion was the signal he had long awaited, meaning Chu Daoren and the others were about to arrive.

Yi Bochang was naturally drawn by the strange sound and subconsciously used his Divine Thought to scan the area.

He saw the black and white vortex near the Other Shore Passage spinning wildly, stirring the black and white Qi flow, resembling the scene of the world’s creation.

In the blink of an eye, four figures emerged from the center of the vortex, transforming from illusory to solid, gradually becoming clear.

Leading them was Chu Daoren, and the other three were Yi Tianguang, King Qin the Slaughterer, and Xie Shengtian.

The four of them stood at the exit of the Other Shore Passage, looking around blankly, seemingly curious about what the legendary Land of the Other Shore looked like.

Chu Daoren’s figure was tall and straight, his eyes carrying a hint of vacant trance;

Yi Tianguang frowned slightly, appearing to be struggling to adapt to the unfamiliar surroundings;

King Qin the Slaughterer was expressionless, his muscles taut;

Xie Shengtian wore a faint, almost imperceptible sneer at the corner of his mouth, but it vanished instantly.

These four seemed ordinary, but upon closer inspection, one could notice their movements were slightly stiff, like marionettes, every step revealing an unnatural coordination.

However, in Gu Cangyang’s eyes, this was merely the normal reaction of newcomers, nothing strange...