Chapter 7 · The Gatekeeper's Gambit - Chapter 7: The Keeper's Audit

The challenge seal hit the ground between them and flared white.

Mo Han's stomach dropped. Not because Wei Tiegu had the guts to call an audit. Because the seal was already active. The runes were crawling up the archway, locking the trial ground, freezing every record in place.

Wei smiled. "Let the tower judge."

The air went cold. Mo Han felt the weight of the Crucible Spire's attention settle over the checkpoint like a hand pressing down on his skull. The crowd of disciples went silent. Even the ones who'd been cheering for Yun Sheng a minute ago had the sense to shut up when the tower itself started watching.

Su Jin stepped closer to him. Her voice was low, tight. "What is he doing?"

"Forcing a system audit." Mo Han didn't look at her. His eyes were on the seal, on the way the light was spreading through the archway's framework, pulling data, pulling logs. "He's betting the tower will find me guilty of trial manipulation."

"Did you manipulate it?"

"No." He kept his voice flat. "He did."

Her breath hitched. She got it. Of course she got it.