Chapter 3783 — Using You to Clear the Way
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 3
"So that's how it is." Meng Zhou shrugged his shoulders in a way that betrayed nothing.
"Isn't it just!" Zha Wu hastily chimed in. "Even if our strength falls short, we can't just let that brat Wei Zhao sit around all comfortable and idle, can we? I wouldn't dare claim I could beat him, but at the very least I had to wear down some of his true qi—if all forty of his spirit-medicine seeds end up withered and dead, then you could say I did my humble part for Senior Brother Meng and for you, Leader Meng Zhou, right?"
"Rare to see such loyalty from a weakling like you. I'd have thought a fellow like you volunteered to go hand points to that posturing show-off Wei Zhao and defect to the enemy!" Meng Zhou curled his lip with a look of pure mockery.
Even if Meng Zhou's brain wasn't the sharpest, how could he possibly fail to see the blatantly obvious motive behind Zha Wu jumping up to challenge Wei Zhao at that moment? And even if he himself couldn't see it, the wily, calculating Meng Jueming was standing right beside him!
True, that idiot Wei Zhao hadn't had the brains to turn with the wind and dodge the pit labeled Number One, choosing instead to fight Zha Wu—but in the end it was still a one-move knockout. He'd handed over four points for nothing, and in the end hadn't even consumed any meaningful amount of Wei Zhao's true qi.
Doing his humble part? What utter crap!
"Defect to the enemy?" Zha Wu's expression changed at once, and he hurriedly waved his hands with a fawning smile. "Leader Meng Zhou, you're joking! With my meager courage and meager strength, I can barely cling to Senior Brother Meng's and your legs as it is—how could I possibly defect? Besides, with Wei Zhao's wretched, posturing airs, how could he compare to the brilliant, martial, and formidable Senior Brother Meng and you, Leader? Going over to him would be courting disaster! My eyes work just fine—how could I be so foolish?"
"Hey, now that's more like it—what you just said actually makes sense. With that show-off's miserable character, how could he ever stand against the combination of me and Cousin Ninth? Anyone with eyes knows which way to choose. Seems I really did misjudge you before." Meng Zhou's spirits soared at this barrage of flattery, his mood turning magnificent, and he laughed heartily as he clapped Zha Wu on the shoulder.
Only then did Zha Wu secretly breathe a sigh of relief. Thank goodness this Meng Zhou fellow was simple-minded and easy to hoodwink—otherwise this hurdle today would have been truly hard to clear!
Striking while the iron was hot, Zha Wu followed up with another round of flattery that left Meng Zhou glowing all over. Seeing the moment was ripe, he finally steeled himself and cautiously edged toward the purpose of his visit.
"Leader Meng Zhou, I was just thinking—in your next round of the challenge tournament, you'll probably just steamroll that waste Qiao, won't you?" Zha Wu asked, seemingly casual, while in truth his heart hung suspended in midair.
"Next round?" Meng Zhou blinked, then looked Zha Wu up and down with a playful gleam. "Then you've got it wrong. Aren't you currently in Cave Dwelling Thirteen at the foot of the mountain? Next round I'm obviously going to use you to clear the way!"
Ga? Zha Wu's heart sank at once. He had anticipated this before coming, but hearing it now straight from Meng Zhou's mouth, he still couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.
"B-but, Leader Meng Zhou, didn't you previously, in front of all of us, publicly name Qiao the waste as your next-round challenge? It wouldn't be quite right to change your mind midway, would it?" Zha Wu hurriedly tried to persuade him.
"How so?" Meng Zhou furrowed his brow.