Return of the Crowned Heiress novel Chapter 529

Screams, roars, and every imaginable act of desperation unfolded as one after another fell. The massive disk continued to light up, now half-covered in dark red patterns, with blood snaking across its surface like crimson vines. It resembled a brutal yet grandiose ritual.

Finally, the fighters noticed this horrifying detail. They realized that as the intricate patterns filled with blood, the mechanism holding the key began to make grinding sounds, revealing a faint crack in its structure.

"So, that's how it works… Hahahah! I get it now!" A burly man laughed maniacally, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at the others. "If you all die, the mechanism will be fully activated! The key is mine!"

However, before he could finish, a blade plunged into his back, skewering him.

The arrogant grin he had froze on his face as he collapsed unwillingly to the ground.

Blood continued to flow, covering two-thirds of the disk's intricate carvings. If the remaining survivors also fell, the mechanism would be fully activated.

It was at this point that the fighters began to grasp the grim reality. Even if the others all died, they would still be trapped at the bottom of this crevice, unable to escape. They would only be paving the way for someone else to reap the rewards.

"Stop! Stop fighting right now!" The leader of one faction shouted, his voice echoing through the vast space. He yelled so desperately that his voice cracked, but it finally halted the chaotic carnage.

Pointing upward, his face twisted with rage as he bellowed, "What's the point of killing each other? Don't forget that Pete Carrell is still up there, waiting for us to wipe ourselves out so that he can take everything for himself!"

Before they fell into the crevice, Pete was their target. But this unforeseen trap made them realize his meticulous plan of luring them here. He had planned for them to fall into this crevice.

In the end, Pete would sit back and watch them slaughter one another to activate the mechanism. Then, he'd send someone down to claim the key effortlessly.

Above them, Pete could hear their conversation clearly. He leaned forward slightly, watching the people below as they scrambled about, searching for sections of the walls to climb.

One by one, like geckos, they clung to the walls. They used their knives as anchors where footholds were scarce, slowly ascending. If they worked together, they might indeed succeed in getting out. But alas, that was also within Pete's expectations.

He smirked and raised his hand to signal his subordinates.

His subordinates, standing behind him, stepped forward without a word. Like emotionless machines, they pulled out their guns and took aim.

A series of repeated gunshots filled the air.