When Watson saw a moment of hesitation on his friend’s face inside the courtyard, he immediately cried out in agony, "Zayne, we’ve been through life and death together. Have you forgotten how last time, during the squad’s retreat, it was me who saved you? Without me, you wouldn’t be alive today."

Zayne’s expression turned to struggle upon hearing Watson say this. After a brief moment of hesitation, he slowly made his way toward the courtyard gate, step by step.

Watching Zayne approach the courtyard, Watson, lying on the ground with a face previously twisted in pain, now revealed a faint smile.

The other team members did not stop Zayne’s actions. Even though they didn’t know if there was danger inside the courtyard, before every mission, everyone would sign a life-and-death document, taking responsibility for their actions during the mission, as long as it did not affect others.

Zayne’s actions could have been viewed generously as fulfilling a bond of brotherhood, or more critically, as stubbornly disregarding the advice of others.

When Zayne stopped outside the courtyard gate, just as everyone thought he might hesitate and then enter, to their surprise, he pulled a long rope from his backpack, tied a weight to one end, and threw it next to Watson inside the courtyard.

"Brother, grab the end of the rope now, and I’ll pull you out of the courtyard," Zayne called.

Hearing this, Watson’s smile disappeared instantly. With a voice full of pain, he said to Zayne, "Zayne, I think my ankle’s fractured. I can’t move at all, it hurts too much when I do. Maybe you should come in and help me up."

The more Watson inside insisted, the more the people outside suspected that the situation in the courtyard was not simple; their doubt toward Watson inside grew.

Hearing Watson’s words, Zayne didn’t say anything but just tightened his grip on the rope in his hand.

Seeing Zayne holding onto the other end of the rope, Watson suddenly grabbed the end of the rope on the ground and yanked hard, hoping to pull Zayne into the courtyard with the momentum.

Even though everyone’s eyes were fixed on Watson, his sudden action caught them all off guard. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Just as the others began to react and were about to warn Zayne, they realized that he hadn’t been holding tightly onto the rope at all.

Watson’s abrupt pull from inside the courtyard, hoping to drag Zayne inside using momentum, failed since Zayne hadn’t firmly grasped the other end. Zayne’s rope was yanked straight into the courtyard by Watson’s forceful tug.

Looking at the red marks left on his hand from the dragged rope, Zayne’s face revealed an expression of ’just as I thought’.

Seeing that he hadn’t been pulled into the courtyard, Watson inside showed a look of disbelief and muttered, "Zayne, why did you deceive me? I’ve saved your life. Why are you doing this to me?"

Listening to Watson’s muttering, Zayne’s face also showed a conflicted look. After a long hesitation, he slowly began to speak, "Are you really Watson?"

Hearing Zayne’s question, Watson immediately showed an enraged look, "How could I not be Watson? What right do you have not to believe me?"

Watson’s fury surged the moment Zayne questioned his identity. Seeing that he hadn’t deceived the others, Watson reluctantly glared deeply at Zayne before standing up from the ground.

The other team members had now gathered outside the courtyard gate. Seeing Watson stand up, he bypassed Zayne and said to the leading figure, "Captain, since you have already received the mission, although I don’t know the details, by asking me to clear the weeds, it’s not hard to deduce that this mission involves entering that house, right?"

"We’ve already reached the courtyard gate, just one step away from completing the mission. Why don’t you come in? Do you want to give up on this mission?" Watson pressed.

At Watson’s words, everyone immediately looked at the captain who had brought them here.

The captain, feeling the gaze of his teammates, did not speak immediately but silently pondered over certain matters.

After organizing his thoughts, the captain raised his head and addressed Watson, "Can’t you really come out? If you can, let’s just consider what happened earlier a foolish joke from your younger years. Don’t forget, once this mission is over, you’ll be eligible to become a full-fledged team member."

Hearing the captain still tempting him with promises, Watson grew furious again, "Even now, you’re still leading me on with these lies. What does it mean to become a full member? Stop feeding me these fantasies. The mission objective is within our grasp. Do you no longer wish to complete the mission and receive the reward?"

Hearing Watson’s provocative words, it became clear to everyone that Watson inside was no longer the eager newbie trying to please everyone to become a full member.

Dong Tianyu, floating high in the sky, watched the standoff between the people inside and outside the courtyard. Watson’s weeding inside the courtyard had been within Dong Tianyu’s full view.

But when Dong Tianyu used his Divine Sense to observe the situation below, whether it was the courtyard, the two-story building inside, or Watson standing in the courtyard...