Chapter 55: Fiery Inferno Consumes the City

Human memory can be altered. People even frequently alter their own memories, selectively amplifying the good while choosing to forget the hardships and misfortunes of the process.

"The perfection of this illusion is actually its biggest flaw and failure." He sighed, putting away the notebook. "Tao Bo finally wrote that he already had a bold solution which he would attempt after burying this notebook. However, acting alone would be very difficult, and failure would be inescapable death. But there is actually one more place in this city that distorts reality, clashing with true history, though his physical condition prevented him from thinking it through further. Perhaps later explorers could find a breakthrough there."

Mao Tao hastily asked, "Where is this place?"

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

"A giant 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 large mass in the blood water, but I couldn't see it clearly at all," He Lingchuan said with a wry smile. "So others saw it too? I thought I was just imagining things."

"Was it alive or dead?"

"It moved, but I wasn't sure if it was moving independently or just drifting with the current."

Clearly, his information didn't provide any useful clues. Sun Fuping refocused on the immediate problem:

"Tao Bo believed it might be the spirit of the Great Square Cauldron, or a vengeful spirit hidden deep within. Therefore, he couldn't write down his solution or the illusion's flaws, otherwise, this world would change accordingly."

Nian Songyu frowned. "As for the so-called method of breaking out, it doesn't matter whether he wrote it down or not. The fact that Tao Bo didn't make it back alive indicates his approach failed."

He Lingchuan, however, said, "But his assessment of this world is quite interesting. We can start there."

"How?"

"This world is too perfect, so there's no Great Square Cauldron?" He Lingchuan said casually. "Isn't it simple then? Destroy this world, and the Great Square Cauldron should appear, right?"

"You..." Nian Songyu almost blurted out nonsense, but on second thought, such simple and crude reverse logic seemed...

...to make some sense.

"Is there a better way to hide it than this? No wonder previous explorers came in wave after wave and returned empty-handed!" He Lingchuan grew increasingly pleased with his idea. "The most important thing is that Tao Bo searched this place thoroughly many times. There's probably truly no useful clue, so it won't hurt to destroy everything."

Sun Fuping seemed lost in thought. "About that anomaly... if we burn it, it will be gone."

"Panlong City is so vast, where would we even begin to look for a small flaw? We wouldn't find it even if we spent another sixty days. Besides, I don't think we can last another sixty days."

Mao Tao flinched at these words.

Tao Bo survived for over sixty days by eating his companions' bodies in addition to his own provisions. Now there were only four of them. If their supplies truly ran out, no matter how he calculated, 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 quickly agreed, "Young Master's idea makes a lot of sense!"

He Lingchuan glanced at him, as if seeing through his fear. "I recall the Imperial Advisor saying that, at worst, we could use the nation's destiny to get us all out?"

"Of course, but there's only one chance, so we must be cautious."

"Then what's there to be afraid of?" He Lingchuan chuckled. "Let's discuss how we can destroy a world!"

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

The latter immediately fell silent, while the former looked at Sun Fuping. "Just like after Panlong City was breached back then!"

In the past, after the Immortal Alliance army breached Panlong City, they plundered and massacred before burning the entire city to the ground.

There was no more tragic or archaic method.

Sun Fuping thought for a moment, then nodded. "Let's start collecting flammable materials and split up."

"Burning down such a large city won't be easy, will it?" He Lingchuan asked. "With just four of us, wouldn't it take a month or two?"

Mao Tao was startled and immediately thought of his own fate. Sun Fuping considered this. "You're right, we're short-handed. It would be best to call everyone from outside in."

"Call my father down too?" He Lingchuan was taken aback. "Can you contact him?"

"It's hard to say, but we can try." This was about two separate worlds, not just distance, and Sun Fuping wasn't entirely confident.

Seeing Sun Fuping rolling up his sleeves, ready to summon people, He Lingchuan quickly waved his hand. "If this place is a trap where people can enter but not leave, they'd be doomed. Why don't we try first? Tao Bo was also alone back then."

"Which is why he failed," Nian Songyu said, smiling faintly. "No one can leave Panlong Desert alive during the Sandstorm Season; you said so yourself. If we don't get the Great Square Cauldron, your father won't be able to leave the desolate Panlong City either. Either way, we're all going to die here; it's just a difference of inside versus outside."

This guy was truly heartless; since they weren't his subordinates, he wouldn't feel bad no matter how many died. He Lingchuan was about to argue further when he suddenly had an idea. "We can burn the city ourselves. We just need to turn the city's siege weapons around. You see, most of the houses are concentrated to the south. It's not a good time for my father to come down; otherwise, who would help us fend off the Dafeng army?"

Siege weapons on the city wall?

Nian Songyu pondered, then, uncharacteristically, praised him: "That actually makes some sense!"

The city walls had defensive structures. Siege engines were typically used for long-range combat, some launching rolling stones or incendiary rocks, others firing giant crossbow bolts to defend against attacking forces. But if turned around, they could ignite fires within the city, and their range would still be considerable.

This method would naturally be much faster than four people trying to start fires everywhere.

Furthermore, such a vast Panlong City didn't necessarily need to be completely incinerated; burning down the main residential areas would likely be sufficient.

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

Given his thorough planning, Nian Songyu no longer objected. Sun Fuping, however, offered a reminder: "We'll split up, and meet back at the city wall in two hours."

"Be absolutely on time! If anything unexpected happens, come to the South Gate immediately!" he said with a solemn expression. "The flaw we're exploiting was Tao Bo's idea, but he ultimately didn't make it back, which suggests an irresistible force after burning the city. If you don't want to die, you must stand with me when the time comes, remember that!"

Thus, the four split up and proceeded.

Nian Songyu headed south to inspect the siege weapons on the city gate and to look for war provisions in the armory. He had genuinely commanded troops in battle and knew exactly where such items would be stored.

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