Free Web NovelChapter 45: Chapter 45: Reversing the Trap
Qin Mo became a different person when faced with a formation trap.
His usual laziness did not disappear completely, but it sharpened into careful disdain. He crouched beside the hidden crystal platform, eyes narrowed, fingers hovering over the faint red threads without touching them.
"This is crude," he said.
Qin Yuchen looked around. "Crude means easy?"
"Crude means dangerous because the maker did not care about elegance. It is like placing a bucket of poison above a door."
Qin Lian watched the reeds. "Can it be reversed?"
"Yes," Qin Mo said. "But I need time."
Qin Yuheng stood at the edge of the platform, listening to the water.
"Take it. We guard."
The red threads were almost invisible without careful perception. They connected the crystal cluster to small bone-red beads hidden beneath the platform. If disturbed, the beads would likely release scent, energy, or tracking marks into the water.
Qin Yuheng guessed Zhao Tianyu’s plan.
The west reeds contained real resources, but the Zhao family had prepared traps around some of them. If Qin Yuheng’s team triggered one, lake beasts would gather. Zhao Tianyu could then arrive, "coincidentally" challenge their claim, or wait until they were exhausted.
Not a lethal trap.
A contest trap.
Within rules, perhaps.
But if reversed, it could become useful.
Qin Mo took out three formation needles from his new Iron Pulse Formation Belt. The belt reduced his mana burden, and Qin Yuheng could see the difference immediately. His movements were smoother, less strained than before.
He inserted the needles around the bead pattern, then sprinkled a little Lake Beast Repellent Powder on the outer edge.
"Interesting," Qin Mo murmured.
"What?" Qin Yuheng asked.
"This trap attracts beasts, but it also excludes the trap setter’s scent. If Zhao team carries the matching repellent mark, the beasts will avoid them at first."
Qin Yuchen frowned. "So they planned to lure beasts to others while staying safe."
"Yes."
Qin Lian’s eyes turned cold.
Qin Yuheng was not surprised.
Zhao Lan’s guidance.
More subtle than Zhao Tianyu’s direct arrogance.
"Can you change the excluded scent?"
Qin Mo looked up.
"To ours?"
"Yes."
Qin Mo thought for a moment.
"With your repellent powder and my belt, yes. But it may not last long."
"Long enough."
Qin Mo smiled faintly.
"Then the beasts will avoid us and chase whoever carries the original mark."
Qin Yuchen’s expression shifted.
"Zhao team."
Qin Mo’s smile became more innocent.
"I did not say that."
Qin Yuheng said calmly, "Do it."
The reversal took ten minutes.
During that time, Qin Lian detected movement twice. Both times, small lake beasts approached but retreated after smelling the repellent powder. Qin Yuheng remained alert, but no team appeared.
Finally, Qin Mo tapped the last bead.
The red threads changed to faint blue-gray.
"Done."
Qin Yuheng collected the crystal cluster.
[Mirror Reed Crystal x12 acquired.]
[Hidden Resource Node captured.]
[Score +600]
The contest badge flashed, but the location was not publicly announced.
Then the reversed trap released a faint pulse into the water.
Far away in the reeds, something stirred.
Qin Mo stood.
"We should leave."
"How long before the beasts respond?" Qin Yuheng asked.
"Soon."
They retreated from the hidden platform and moved to a nearby high reed mound. From there, Qin Lian found a narrow line of sight toward the deeper west reeds.
After several minutes, Zhao Tianyu’s team entered the area.
Zhao Tianyu walked at the front, confident. His teammates followed in formation, each wearing small red-thread bracelets that likely carried the original exclusion mark.
One teammate frowned.
"Brother Tianyu, the trap should have activated."
Zhao Tianyu looked toward the hidden platform.
"Maybe Qin Yuheng did not find it yet."
Another student said, "Or they avoided the west reeds."
Zhao Tianyu’s expression darkened.
"They will come. He always chases resources."
From the reed mound, Qin Mo looked at Qin Yuheng.
"He is not entirely wrong."
Qin Yuheng ignored him.
Zhao Tianyu stepped onto the hidden platform.
The crystal cluster was gone.
His face changed.
"They were here!"
At that moment, the water around the platform began to ripple.
Dozens of ripples.
Zhao Tianyu looked down.
The first Mirror Scale Water Lizard burst out.
Then another.
Then a long serpent-like beast.
The lake beasts ignored the blue-gray scent left by Qin Mo’s reversal and locked onto the red-thread bracelets worn by the Zhao team.
Chaos erupted.
Zhao Tianyu roared and punched the first lizard back, but more beasts surged from the water. His team scrambled into formation, but they had clearly not expected to become the target of their own trap.
Qin Lian watched silently.
"Do we intervene?"
Qin Mo stared at her.
"Why would we?"
Qin Yuchen looked at Qin Yuheng.
Qin Yuheng observed the battle.
The beasts were dangerous but not beyond Zhao Tianyu’s team. They would suffer, lose time, and consume resources, but they were unlikely to die. Academy observers would interfere if things became lethal.
"No," Qin Yuheng said. "This is still within contest pressure."
Qin Mo looked relieved.
"Good."
Zhao Tianyu’s team fought for nearly fifteen minutes before breaking out of the ambush. Two of his teammates were injured, and one lost his weapon in the water. Zhao Tianyu himself killed several beasts, earning score, but the cost was much higher than planned.
Worse, the trap reversal meant they had lost control of the west reed resource route.
Zhao Tianyu looked around furiously.
"Qin Yuheng!"
His voice echoed across the reeds.
Qin Yuheng did not respond.
He had already led his team away.
Their score had risen significantly.
[Current Score: 1,430]
[Temporary Ranking: 2]
Rank 2.
Wei Chen’s team was currently first, likely from stable resource post defense. Zhao Tianyu had fallen to fourth after the ambush delay.
Qin Yuheng was not obsessed with first place early.
Contest rankings could change quickly.
The key was hidden resources and late wave events.
They moved toward the central lake.
Along the way, they collected more Mirror Reed Crystals and defeated several lake beasts. Qin Yuchen used his new Iron Blood Thread Sword carefully, its stamina-saving effect allowing him to fight longer on unstable muddy ground. Qin Lian’s new daggers proved excellent at piercing scale gaps. Qin Mo’s formation belt reduced setup time enough that even he looked somewhat satisfied.
Qin Yuheng noticed all of it.
The equipment upgrades were working.
The Qin younger generation’s foundation was changing.
At the central lake, they found three teams fighting over a large resource post.
Wei Chen’s team held the platform.
Lin Xian’er’s team occupied the left approach.
Another Elite team tried to break through from the right.
The platform contained a cluster of large Mirror Reed Crystals and a blue-white flower growing from the water.
Qin Yuheng’s panel identified it.
[Mirror Lake Spirit Lotus]
[Grade: C]
[Type: Rare contest resource]
[Effect: Water affinity, spirit clarity, mild cleansing effect.]
[Eligible for Evolution.] freewebnøvel.com
A lotus.
Cleansing effect.
Qin Yuheng immediately thought of his father’s wound. Even if weak, evolved versions of cleansing resources might eventually matter.
He looked at the battlefield.
Qin Mo followed his gaze and sighed.
"We are joining, aren’t we?"
Qin Yuheng smiled faintly.
"Not directly."
Qin Yuchen understood.
"We wait."
Lin Xian’er noticed Qin Yuheng from across the water and smiled.
Wei Chen also saw him and tightened his grip on his shield.
Everyone knew that whoever controlled the central resource post would become the focus.
Then the lake trembled.
A deep shadow moved beneath the platform.
All teams stopped at once.
The contest panel flashed.
[Warning]
[Central Lake Guardian awakening.]
Qin Mo stared at the water.
"Of course the flower has a guardian."
The water exploded upward.
A massive serpent covered in mirror-like scales rose from the lake, blue eyes reflecting every person on the platform.
[Mirror Scale Lake Serpent]
[Level: 16]
[Contest Zone Guardian]
[Danger: High]
The battle for the central resource had changed.
Now, the question was not which team could take the lotus.
It was which team could survive long enough to claim it.
