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Chapter 1177: Chapter 1177: The Smoke is Poisonous
"You know about Granny Xihua and me?"
Devlin expressed some surprise, "I didn’t see it coming, you know quite a lot."
As a core member of Thunderpeak Hall, knowing this wasn’t strange.
After all, most people were aware that he and Granny Xihua were close.
But the child...
It must have been something Granny Xihua said.
"What else did she tell you?" Devlin flicked away his cigarette butt and shook his head, "Granny Xihua and I are irreconcilable. She’s domineering, and I don’t like being restrained. It was only a matter of time before we parted ways."
"Granny only mentioned it when you betrayed her," Brysen Beaumont, holding a cigarette in his mouth, let the ash fall onto his thigh, "She cursed you for being heartless, saying that it was a shame for a husband and wife to turn against each other so quickly. Moreover, you sent an old man to kill her."
He pointed to a wound on his shoulder, swearing with a laugh, "You old bastard, you almost got me killed. If Granny Xihua hadn’t fended off that old man, I might be dead now. Speaking of which, you’re really not a friend."
The road grew narrower.
This was a mountain path, hardly traveled by anyone.
For over a hundred kilometers around, there was no sign of life.
In essence, it was a wasteland.
The so-called road was just a bit more level than the rest.
Devlin sat in the car, jostled about, with cigarette ash falling all over him.
But he didn’t care and casually flicked it away, asking, "Did you quit smoking when I wasn’t around?"
"I didn’t quit."
Brysen Beaumont said with a bitter smile, "You’re killing me. I used to not touch cigarettes or alcohol, but you’ve got me smoking a pack a day. That’s with restraint, otherwise, I could smoke ten!"
"No worries, you’ll have plenty of cigarettes if you stick with me." Devlin pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and handed it to Brysen Beaumont, "Consider this a welcome gift, a token of your allegiance to me."
"This is just miserably shabby. Devlin, you’re not nearly as generous as Granny Xihua," Brysen Beaumont pointed at Devlin, shaking his head with a smile.
"That old man, he really went to see Granny Xihua?"
After a brief silence, Devlin spoke again.
He wasn’t sure if the old man would truly go to see Granny Xihua.
But now, it seemed likely.
The location of Thunderpeak Hall was revealed by Devlin and Leland Will.
They even detailed the positions of guard posts and surveillance spots.
After Leland Will left, Devlin quickly sketched everything out and had someone deliver it to him.
Of course, he couldn’t go in person.
Because once he went, he wouldn’t be able to return.
The Cyber Legion member who delivered the message never returned.
He definitely died at the hands of Leland Will.
"You admit it?" Brysen Beaumont raised an eyebrow and hummed lightly, "I guessed it was your doing! In this world, the only person who could sneak into the Hall undetected is you!"
The entire security operation of Thunderpeak Hall was completed by Devlin.
No one was more suited for the job than he was.
Brysen Beaumont had suspected as much, but now he had confirmed it.
"That’s right! It was me!" Devlin didn’t deny it; instead, he chuckled and said, "You actually guessed it a long time ago. But you wanted an answer in your heart."
"Yes."
Brysen Beaumont’s face grew increasingly somber, and he asked indifferently, "Why? Even if you left Thunderpeak Hall, would you really have to put Granny Xihua in mortal danger?"
They were still husband and wife!
They even had a child!
Yet now...
They faced each other with drawn blades.
As an outsider, Brysen Beaumont found it difficult to understand.
"Only one of us can live," Devlin said calmly, "Or rather, desire will drive us to kill each other. It was bound to happen; I just made the first move."
The purpose of the Bead Pulse was clear.
Only one person was needed.
After success, Granny Xihua as a Bead Pulse person and the leader of Thunderpeak Hall was bound to get a chance at immortality.
Devlin, however, could only follow behind and take what was offered.
How much longer he could live depended entirely on the intentions of the Bead Pulse.
Human desires are endless.
Living an extra three hundred years made people yearn for five hundred more.
Eternal life was the dream in many a heart.
Even Granny Xihua was considering sacrificing an ally once they were no longer useful!
It was just that she couldn’t do without Devlin before laying hands on the Divine Dragon Tripod.
"Alright, we’ve talked enough, take off your earpiece," Devlin said with a smile, looking at Brysen Beaumont.
"What did you say?"
Brysen Beaumont felt his heart sink, yet he replied calmly, "What earpiece?"
"Of course, the one in your ear, the earpiece given to you by Granny Xihua," Devlin chuckled. "I know you approached me under false pretenses, actually helping Granny Xihua to kill me."
"You know!"
Squeak!
The truck came to an abrupt halt!
And the convoy behind it stopped as well.
"When did you find out?" Brysen Beaumont’s eyes were fixed on Devlin, trying to pry the answer.
"Me? I’ve known all along." Devlin, not caring about Brysen Beaumont’s murderous gaze, casually took a cigarette from his pocket and silently lit it.
"You knew and you still dared to get in the car?"
Brysen Beaumont said coldly, "The members of the Cyber Corps are completely under my command now. And with you and me so close, no one can save you!"
The two of them were inside the vehicle!
Brysen Beaumont was a Mage of Thunderpeak Hall, a figure like a Grandmaster!
With a close-range strike, Devlin would undoubtedly die.
"If I dared to get on your vehicle, there must be a reason."
Devlin drew on his cigarette calmly, taunting, "This little trick, you think it can fool me? The reason I agreed to your request to defect was only to make you use Thunderpeak Hall’s power and get me a bunch of cars."
He pointed to the rugged road outside that seemed to stretch on endlessly, "All I have are those troops behind me, no real base, no additional help. If I didn’t trick you into coming, I’d have had to walk to Shadow Gate."
"But you, you’ll die!"
The knife Brysen Beaumont held was already at Devlin’s neck.
"Come back with me, whether you live or die depends on Granny. But rest assured, I’ll plead for you, to give you a chance to live!"
He had received instructions from Granny Xihua to execute Devlin.
But finding this elusive strategist of Thunderpeak Hall was no easy feat.
So, Brysen Beaumont contacted Devlin using an old phone number and feigned defection.
And the trucks were what Devlin had asked for.
"When have I, Devlin, ever done something without being certain of success?"
Facing Brysen Beaumont’s threat, Devlin glanced at the watch on his hand.
"If you had acted three minutes earlier, my head would definitely have fallen. But now, you’ve missed your chance." With that, he pushed away the cleaver from Brysen Beaumont’s hand.
Jumping off the truck, he walked to the driver’s seat, opened the door, and dragged Brysen Beaumont out.
"Remember, don’t just smoke any cigarettes I give you."
Devlin tossed a pack of cigarettes onto Brysen Beaumont’s body, saying lightly with a smile, "The first one had poison. This pack, though, doesn’t. Thanks for the trucks, I’m quite satisfied."
With those words, he leaped into the driver’s seat and threw out a satellite phone, "In an hour, you’ll be able to move again. Call for someone to pick you up then. Remember, I, Devlin, do not kill friends."
As his voice faded, the truck continued forward, leaving Brysen Beaumont unable to move.
Meanwhile!
On the beach that Devlin had just set foot on, the Town North King also descended from a small boat.
He bent down, picking up a cigarette butt, his eyes filled with a cold gleam.
