"It's started."

On the fifth floor of the Platinum Tower, Yan Yi squatted on a pillar in the stony disaster zone, listening carefully to the noise below, and said, "They stayed on the first floor for a long time before moving to the second, but I remember there shouldn't be any traps on the first floor, so it seems there's trouble among them."

"Can the second floor stop them?" A melodious female voice sounded from the ceiling.

"It can't stop them, but it will delay them for quite a while," Yan Yi shook her head, saying, "According to Le Yin's design, these bandits struggle into the Platinum Tower only to get a brief respite on the first floor, so they must be utterly focused as they ascend to the second floor."

"Thus, the 'Trap Hall' on the second floor is specifically designed to drain their energy. The second floor was originally the principal's private prison or rather a pet room. Every year during winter and summer vacations, he would hunt in Youyun Blue and bring some local specialties to the second floor to raise... After a bit of modification, the second floor turned into a trap hall littered with sharp pits, hidden slots, rolling stone traps, hidden arrow traps, and hanging traps."

"...What exactly does the principal keep on the second floor?"

"Just some endangered animals," Yan Yi paused briefly, "You also know, in some sense, the principal is much like Professor Lou, lacking ethical boundaries in academic research. Though he invests heavily in this hobby every year, it's not without benefits—you remember the 'virility Electric Blood Wine' that was all the rage in Yanjing four years ago?"

"That was actually the principal's research product..." The voice from the shadows expressed surprise but soon convinced herself, "Well, after all, the principal is a man..."

Yan Yi chuckled, "In fact, it's more of an incidental product than research. The principal caught an Electric Dragon from the blue icefield, but because the dragon is entirely snow white with a long neck and only a gaping mouth, looking too bizarre... Amidst rumors, word spread that Electric Dragon blood enhances virility. The principal rode the wave and sold the dragon's blood, all profits dedicated to academic research at the Imperial Academy—thanks to that unexpected fortune, our radio research group could purchase meteorite glitter mine fragments."

"It's said the principal also sold Electric Dragon secretions for his future travel expenses, though the truth is unknown... But since dangerous animals are kept there, the trap facilities on the second floor are naturally quite complete."

"So, can the second floor annihilate the bandits?"

"No!" Yan Yi shook her head again, "Actually, most traps on the second floor won't activate. After all, with only a few days for modifications, we could barely set up a show. Furthermore, as Le Yin said, 'The real trap is hidden behind a smile.' Since they know it's a trap, even if our camouflage is superb, it's meaningless."

"The essence of the second floor lies in 'true and false.' The bandits have undergone turbulent thunderstorms, and after resting, they're surely hyper-alert, unaware which traps are fake. Naturally, to avoid and disarm traps, they'll waste time."

"Moreover, when they reach halfway, they'll arrive at a dead end surrounded by traps, unable to proceed. As they're forced to risk themselves, they'll realize the traps are fake and have been wasting efforts... When Inspector Xianchan tried the second floor this afternoon, he nearly erupted with anger at Le Yin—those two have a remarkable friendship."

"If they know it's fake, isn't the second floor a straightforward path for them?"

"Haha, sis, you don't understand," Yan Yi laughed, "Even if they realize it's fake, they'll wonder, 'What if only the front is fake, and everything beyond is real?'"

"Just like when someone peeps at you... peeps at me bathing! If I deliberately glance in her direction, even if I don't walk over, would she dare expose her head and continue peeping?"

"The example you give is quite peculiar," another person said faintly, "Is it a personal experience of yours?"

"Ah, well, being a beauty myself, I surely think about protecting my safety while bathing..."

Hehe.

Hearing her sister chuckle lukewarmly, Yan Yi immediately returned to the subject, "Additionally, we deliberately designed a crooked 'safe path' on the second floor using traps. For the sake of safety, they will certainly follow this path that triggers no traps!"

"But it's ultimately just a time delay."

"It's not just a matter of delaying time," Yan Yi said, "The repeated deceit in the Trap Hall is enough to erode anyone's resolve, making them irritable and suspicious. Moreover, after surveying the obvious traps, they're less likely to detect the real ones."

"When they pass the second floor, they'll surely believe the third floor to be an ambush zone. However, the staircase from the second to the third floor is the real killer—Luminous Firepowder has already been planted within!"

Under normal circumstances, those bandits should be able to perceive the traps beneath them through the sound of footsteps. But the light from the third floor, coupled with the intangible mockery of those showy traps on the second floor, will surely urge them to sprint to the third floor... At least Inspector Xianchan got entangled in this series of plans, even blowing a hole in his trousers."

Yan Yi sighed, "That's why I said he has a good relationship with Le Yin, suffering such a huge loss yet not losing his temper. According to rumors outside, he's not the easygoing type."

Just as they were chatting idly, a series of explosions suddenly erupted below, shaking the entire Platinum Tower with immense force!

"If we're lucky, this strike is enough to take out a third of them," Yan Yi remarked, staring at the ground. "Below the broken staircase is where we've set our trap — spike pits, concealed arrows, and flammable oil! Those who failed to reach the third floor amidst the Luminous Firepowder will fall into our traps, and even if they don't die, they'll surely be incapacitated!"

"As for the ones who manage to escape the trap hall and reach the third floor, they'll face an ambush of endless light—the Hall of Mirrors."

"Mirror?"

"That's right, mirror." At this point, Yan Yi couldn't help but show a slight look of envy. "You wouldn't know this, but the entire third floor is actually the principal's dressing room."

"Huh?"

"Isn't it only natural for a principal to have an entire floor dedicated as a dressing room?"

Yan Yi said with her eyes sparkling, "The more astonishing part is what's next—so he could admire his attire from every angle, he brought in thirty Dustless Mirrors each three meters tall, and even had the floor and ceiling covered with mirrors. Because mirrors are so easily broken, he also had them solidified into the Platinum Tower... Just like the tower walls, unless the entire tower collapses, those Dustless Mirrors will never break!"

"Taking advantage of the third floor's unique terrain, Le Yin set up so that when the bandits reach the third floor, they're greeted with infinite brilliance — with thirty mirrors reflecting endlessly, the light is almost dense enough to blind one's sight, so bright that you can't even see your own fingers!"

"No matter where they look, it'll feel like staring directly into the sun! They'll effectively lose all their perspective!"

"Conversely, the Yanjing agents, who lie in wait with ease, guard the stairwell between the third and fourth floors. Being just behind the light source, they are completely unaffected by the Hall of Mirrors, ready to welcome these blinded bandits with gunfire!"

"Is that all?"

"Not just that," Yan Yi squinted her eyes, "Yanjing secretly brought in a big toy—a small Luminous Stone Convergence Cannon!"

"What!?" A surprised voice came from above. "Isn't that a military-grade city defense weapon?"

"I was surprised too, and I have no idea how Le Yin managed to get it, maybe he's actually related to Xian Chenchen," Yan Yi shrugged. "This is also why the Hall of Mirrors is flooded with brilliance, since under such strong light, Yanjing could not possibly win against those bandits."

"But in a narrow, strong light environment, using the Luminous Stone Convergence Cannon against the bandits... even a slight brush with the cannon light might directly melt them. Oh, if only we could bring the main Luminous Stone Convergence Cannon too."

Even without extensive knowledge of weaponry, they had heard of the national treasure that is the Luminous Stone Convergence Cannon.

No ammunition is required, it can be used even at night, but the cannoneer must be a martial artist of Integration and Mastery level or above, and ideally at Peak of Perfection level. It requires at least ten minutes to charge before firing, extendable to thirty minutes. If a standard Intermediate martial artist is operating the cannon, after a thirty-minute charge, the small Luminous Stone Convergence Cannon can emit a one-meter diameter beam, with an effective range of over six hundred meters, piercing through anything, even a martial pillar couldn't withstand a shot!

In addition, the Luminous Stone Convergence Cannon has multiple uses. In a super-strong light environment, the cannoneer can choose the 'Rapid Fire Mode', reducing the effective range to ten meters, but reducing the charging time to under five seconds!

As for the Luminous Stone Main Convergence Cannon Yan Yi mentioned, it also has an 'Area Burst Mode', reducing the range to a hundred meters with a charge time of at least an hour, but it can shoot a hundred-meter diameter super-large map cannon.

At the border fortresses, a single shot from the Luminous Stone Main Convergence Cannon can instantly annihilate hundreds of the Barbarian Race!

Alone, the Hall of Mirrors means little. But with the Luminous Stone Convergence Cannon as a lethal weapon, the Hall of Mirrors, capable of creating a strong light environment, becomes a meticulously prepared magnificent tomb by Yanjing for their visitors!

"Unless something goes awry, as soon as the convergence cannon takes out a few people, the bandits should crumble and flee," Yan Yi said. "Even if some bandits muster the courage to continue attacking, the fourth floor is guarded by fully armed Yanjing agents. Although I don't like them, when it comes to combat power, they're indeed formidable."

"This is Le Yin's entire plan."

"In his words, it's 'When a friend comes from afar, first toil their mind, strain their bones, starve their body, leave them empty, disrupt their actions'..."

"Or as Xian Chenchen puts it—they just want to toy with these short-sighted bandits to death."

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