Three Traps

Lin Ran also saw the rut on the ground and was surprised.

Logically speaking, it was very difficult to leave ruts in such a place filled with gravel, but the carriage seemed to be abnormally heavy. Wherever the wheels passed, the gravel was crushed into powder.

As the carriage moved forward, it left a rut on the gravel.

historical

“Someone was really here.”

!!

Lin Ran muttered and squatted down to study the rut carefully. He realized that there were some small patterns printed on the inside of the rut. They must have been left behind by the patterns engraved on the wheels.

Lin Ran thought about it carefully and realized that he had no impression of this pattern. He stood up and wanted to ask Shen Rulin if he knew, but he realized that Shen Rulin’s expression had turned extremely ugly!

“What happened?”

Lin Ran frowned and asked in confusion, “Do you know this pattern?”

“Yeah.”

Shen Rulin nodded. “This is the carriage of the commander-in-chief of the Golden Guards—”

Lin Ran nodded and suddenly remembered the five carriages that were parked outside Mount Sword when he first saw Shen Rulin.

“He’s also my father.”

Lin Ran’s expression changed. “Your father is the commander of the Golden Guards?”

Shen Rulin did not say anything. He squatted on the ground and quickly built two stone platforms. Then, he took out a bamboo tube and added something to it. After setting it off, a gray smoke came out.

Then, Shen Rulin stood up and held the Thunderball Sword. He activated his internal energy and was about to set off when Lin Ran grabbed him.

“What are you doing!”

Shen Rulin suddenly turned around and glared at Lin Ran. “Didn’t you say that this place is dangerous? I have to tell my father quickly!”

“I can understand how you feel, but don’t get excited first.”

Lin Ran advised in a calm voice, “Take a closer look.”

At this moment, Shen Rulin was so anxious that he was in no mood to “take a closer look”. However, Lin Ran’s hand seemed to have been welded to his body. No matter how he struggled, it did not budge. He could only lower his head and look at it.

At first, Shen Rulin was irritated and did not notice anything. However, when he calmed down and looked carefully, he indeed found a few clues.

Under the illumination of the flames, other than the entrance above, there were also cave entrance on the stone walls on the south, southwest, and north sides.

The size of the three cave entrances was different. The one in the south was the largest. On the gravel near it, one could vaguely see some charred marks left behind by Shen Rulin when he activated the Thunderball Sword.

The rut in the ground led to the cave entrance to the north, but to the southwest—on the edge of the smallest cave entrance—there was a small white object that stood out against the dark rock.

Just as Shen Rulin was observing, Lin Ran had already flashed over and brought the white thing back.

Shen Rulin rubbed the white thing on his fingertips a few times and suddenly looked at Lin Ran as if he had realized something. “This is the lacquer on my father’s carriage!”

Lin Ran nodded and gestured at the cave entrance to the northwest. “This cave entrance is about the width of your father’s carriage. When he went in, the carriage must have accidentally scratched the edge.”

Shen Rulin narrowed his eyes slightly. He already understood what Lin Ran was trying to say, but he still looked puzzled. “But if my father chose that path, what’s with the rut on the ground?”

“Maybe it’s bait.”

Lin Ran guessed, “Don’t you think this rut is a little too deliberate? It’s as if they’re afraid that others won’t know which road your father chose.”

Shen Rulin looked at the rut on the ground and then at the white thing on his fingertips. Although he didn’t know what the mastermind’s motive was, just as Lin Ran had said, the appearance of this rut was indeed a little too deliberate, but…

“Still not right.”

Shen Rulin shook his head and looked at Lin Ran. “If someone really created the rut, then he must know that we’ll be back, so he left this behind to confuse us.”

“But in fact, our return was a last-minute decision. If we didn’t make the decision, we might still be on our way going forward.”

“You’re right.”

Lin Ran nodded. “Unless this rut isn’t for us to see.”

Shen Rulin was stunned for a moment, but he quickly understood what Lin Ran meant. “Is this a trap?”

Lin Ran nodded and then shook his head. “To be precise, these three entrances are all traps.”

Shen Rulin frowned, not understanding.

Lin Ran thought for a moment and pointed at the cave entrance where the two of them had just entered. He explained, “I chose that path because the sword energy that attacked us came from there. Without a doubt, at the end of that path is the trap the mastermind prepared for us.”

Then, Lin Ran pointed at the smallest cave entrance in the northwest. “Compared to the rut on the ground, I’m more willing to believe that your father was so eager to save you that he accidentally scratched the carriage when he entered the cave.”

“I don’t know what the basis of his choice was, but he must have found some kind of clue. That’s why he chose that path.”

Shen Rulin nodded. Lin Ran pointed at the cave entrance in the north. “And this is a trap prepared for the reinforcements.”

As he spoke, Lin Ran raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Most of the fire sword energy circling in the air was instantly extinguished, and the three cave entrances disappeared into the darkness again. Only the rut on the ground was still visible, extending north.

Shen Rulin’s expression gradually darkened. He understood what Lin Ran meant now!

A martial artist like Lin Ran who could use the fire sword energy that was very easy to lose control was rare in the Heavenly Saint Dynasty.

Therefore, no matter who the reinforcements were, illuminating this space would be a huge problem when they first arrived in this stone room.

If not for the rut, the reinforcements would have explored the surroundings under the limited light and discovered the two black bamboo tubes they had left behind.

However, with this rut, it was very likely that the reinforcements would follow the rut into the cave in the north and not even notice the existence of the other two caves.

These were indeed three traps, and they were carefully designed for different targets!

After figuring it out, Shen Rulin couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine. This arrangement was not complicated, but every step was just right. It was simply vicious!

Shen Rulin looked at Lin Ran and asked in a low voice, “What should we do? Our enemy is very scheming.”

“It’s just a trick. Once you see through it, there’s nothing strange about it.”

A faint smile appeared on Lin Ran’s face, and his eyes flickered. “Have you heard of Tian Ji’s horse racing strategy?”

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