Free Web NovelChapter 164: Chapter 164: Broken Oath Settlement
The settlement of Broken Oath Battlefield unfolded beneath a sky finally free of smoke.
The ghost armies had vanished. Only the oath pillar remained, no longer snapped, but not fully restored either. Its surface carried two marks: a silver-blue banner and a black-red crack. ƒrēewebnovel.com
The Tower panel appeared.
[Floor 39: Broken Oath Battlefield]
[Main Mission: Restore or judge the broken oath before reenactment ends — Completed.]
[Sub-Mission: Identify original betrayal — Completed.]
[Sub-Mission: Prevent false betrayal from dividing the team — Completed.]
[Team division events resisted: 2]
[Sub-Mission: Defeat 50 oath ghosts — Completed.]
[Sub-Mission: Protect at least one loyal banner remnant — Completed.]
[Sub-Mission: Discover why the oath broke — Completed.]
[Oath Judgment: Loyal oath released, betrayal condemned, dead allowed to rest.]
[Floor Boss: Oath-Breaking Accuser defeated.]
[Calculating final evaluation...]
The result appeared.
[Final Evaluation: SSS]
Qin Mo released a long breath. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
"I am glad none of us betrayed anyone."
Qin Lian looked at him.
"The floor tried."
"That is what makes it worse."
The rewards appeared.
[SSS Evaluation Rewards]
EXP +18,000
Tower Coins x260,000
SS Grade Broken Oath Battlefield Chest x1
SS Grade Loyal Banner Remnant x1
SS Grade False Accusation Severing Spear Fragment x1
S Grade Oath Judgment Stone x1
S Grade Betrayal Echo Crystal x1
Special Mark: Loyal Oath Judge]
Additional reward:
[False Betrayal Resisted]
SS Grade Team Trust Anchor Crystal x1
Qin Yuheng’s eyes settled on the Team Trust Anchor Crystal.
Another protection.
Blood Sun had used rivalry, false burdens, contracts, vows, authority, and now possible betrayal structures. Every time, the Tower provided a countermeasure because Qin Yuheng cleared the trial deeply enough.
But he knew better than to feel invincible.
Enemies also adapted.
The return light took them back to Heavenly Gate Academy.
The result caused an immediate reaction because Floor 39 was known as a dangerous pre-Fourth-Gate test. Many teams cleared it with lower evaluations due to team division or wrong oath judgment.
Yu Qingmei read the report and nodded slowly.
"You are ready for Floor 40."
Qin Mo looked horrified.
"Can we not enjoy being ready from a distance?"
"No."
At the Qin Estate, the Broken Oath rewards were reviewed carefully.
The Team Trust Anchor Crystal evolved into:
[SSS Grade Unbroken Trust Resonance Crystal]
[Effect:
Strengthens team verification under false betrayal, command distortion, appearance alteration, loyalty inversion, and oath-based accusation traps.
Requires willing bond between members. Cannot create false trust.]
Qin Yuheng bound it to the core team alongside the Unbroken Team Path Anchor and Silent Soul Communication Jades.
Qin Mo said, "At this point, if the Tower separates us, lies to us, impersonates us, curses us, or accuses us, we have at least one artifact that gets offended."
Qin Yuchen smiled faintly.
"That is good."
The Loyal Banner Remnant evolved into the SSS Grade True Oath War Banner Remnant, which Gu Tianhe integrated into Silent Heaven Army doctrine—not as a soul-binding banner, but as a training standard.
It taught an important concept: loyalty did not mean blind obedience to a corrupted command.
Qin Wanshan approved strongly.
"A family that demands blind loyalty creates future traitors. A family that honors true loyalty survives betrayal."
The False Accusation Severing Spear Fragment drew Qin Zhengyuan’s attention.
Its evolved form became:
[SSS Grade Truth-Piercing Oath Spear Fragment]
[Effect:
Can pierce false accusation fields, expose oath distortion, and weaken betrayal-based curse formations.]
It resonated faintly with Qin family spear heritage, but Qin Yuheng did not absorb or use it personally yet. It was stored for future class or weapon forging.
Tie Zhenshan began discussing the possibility of forging a future command weapon from fragments gathered so far:
Broken Spear Class Token resonance.
Remnant Captain’s Spear Badge.
Wall-Breaking Spear Fragment.
Truth-Piercing Oath Spear Fragment.
Star Iron.
Hollow Iron.
Thunder command materials.
Qin Yuheng listened but delayed.
He still used sword publicly.
A spear might reveal deeper Qin inheritance too early.
The Fourth Gate file arrived that night.
[Floor 40: Fourth Gate — Banner of Many Roads]
Type:
Gate threshold / multi-team command / route selection / sacrifice temptation.
Known structure:
Unknown.
Warning:
A commander may be asked to lead those who do not trust him.]
Qin Mo stared at the warning.
"Lead those who do not trust him. That sounds like observers, rivals, strangers, and probably idiots."
Qin Yuheng said, "Likely."
Yu Qingmei’s briefing confirmed the danger.
"Floor 40 often places climbers into mixed-force scenarios. Since you are a commander-class climber with strong team achievements, the Tower may assign temporary allies or remnant forces that do not automatically accept you."
Han Shuren added, "Your command field requires willingness. This floor may test what you do without it."
That mattered.
Gate Thunder Command Field worked best with willing allies. If forced to lead those who distrusted him, he could not rely on class aura alone.
He would need judgment, credibility, and action.
At the Qin Estate, Qin Zhengyuan gave him advice.
"Trust cannot be demanded before battle. Sometimes you earn only obedience first. Trust comes later."
Qin Wanshan added, "Do not waste time trying to make everyone like you."
Gu Tianhe said, "In crisis, clear orders matter more than warm feelings. But if orders are wrong, no aura saves you."
Mu Qinglan looked at Qin Yuheng.
"And if the Tower offers you victory by abandoning those who distrust you?"
"I refuse false sacrifice," he said.
She nodded.
"Good. But remember, not every loss is false sacrifice. Sometimes command means choosing a smaller loss to prevent annihilation."
That was heavier.
The Fourth Gate would not be kind.
On entry day, the academy observation hall was sealed. Delegates remained in the academy, but Yu Qingmei allowed only limited official monitoring. Jiang Yuexuan watched silently from the upper gallery.
The Tower gate opened.
A banner-shaped light unfolded.
[Entering Floor 40: Fourth Gate — Banner of Many Roads.]
[Class: Tri-Gate Thunder War Commander detected.]
[Third Gate trait: Commander’s Chosen Burden detected.]
[Team trust anchors detected.]
[Trial adapting.]
[Warning:
Temporary command conflict likely.]
Qin Mo exhaled.
"At least it warns us."
The light swallowed them.
When Qin Yuheng opened his eyes, he stood on a vast plain split by five roads.
Around him were not only Qin Yuchen, Qin Lian, and Qin Mo.
There were thirty other climbers and remnants.
Some wore academy uniforms.
Some wore unknown armor.
Some were Tower soldiers.
Some were wounded.
Some were arguing already.
Above the plain floated five banners, each pointing toward a different road.
A mission panel appeared.
[Floor 40: Fourth Gate — Banner of Many Roads]
[Main Mission]
Lead the gathered force to the Fourth Gate before the war storm arrives.
[Sub-Missions]
1. Choose one of five roads.
2. Keep total casualties below 40%.
3. Prevent internal conflict from splitting the force.
4. Defeat road guardian.
5. Preserve the central banner.
[Warning]
Not all will accept your command.
[Temporary Force Status:]
Members: 34
Trust in Qin Yuheng: 22%
Discipline: 41%
Morale: 53%
War Storm Arrival: 10 hours
Qin Mo looked at the numbers.
"Twenty-two percent trust. Wonderful."
A tall armored remnant captain stepped forward.
"Who placed a boy in command?"
Several climbers murmured agreement.
Qin Yuheng looked at the five roads.
The Fourth Gate had begun.
And before fighting enemies, he had to stop allies from becoming the first battlefield.
