"Run, why don't you!"

Seeing the completely dazed expression on Raven's face, Xuebei, who had long been fed up with this pig of a comrade, couldn't help but smugly retort with satisfaction:

"Why aren't you running?"

"..."

"He's coming soon, hurry up and run!"

"..."

"Rest assured, as long as you can slip under the eyes of over a million Nightmares and through the Nightmare River controlled by the New Nightmare King without being noticed, I definitely won't ignite the grain seeds on you to alert them. I'll make sure you enjoy your run!"

"..."

Not to mention enjoying the run, if you end up in the Food God's stomach, you'll be slowly worn down by his Authority, and it would be hard to even wish for a quick death...

"I suddenly think that completing the club's task is actually quite important..."

After piecing his head back together and reverting to the Raven Masked Man, Raven returned, slouching his shoulders and quietly said with a thick face:

"Xuebei, your brain works better than mine... um... Should I stay with you, to take a bit of a risk for this world? So... can you talk about the plan again?"

"Heh heh"

With a sneering, disdainful glance, realizing he still needed the Raven Masked Man's help, Xuebei didn't dwell on the matter further. Accelerating towards the earth's core, he answered emotionlessly:

"The Nightmare River Leon wrought imprisons near a billion souls from Rehe City. His power now, though not reaching a Pillar God, is at the level of an ordinary Yellow Road Director. We can't possibly be his match now.

The only way is to leverage your Authority to trigger a destructive disaster at the earth's core, destroying the Clean-up Bureau's Sea of Silent Stone, releasing the Three Dearth Trio Descendants from the Stone Marrow Realm to deal with that damn Leon."

The Three Dearth Trio Descendants?

After hearing Xuebei's plan, the Raven Masked Man hesitated, then uncertainly said:

"You mean... are we really going to do this? Shouldn't we think again?"

"Hm?"

"I mean, although the Three Dearth Trio Descendants hate the Clean-up Bureau, their relationship with us is clearly worse!"

The Raven Masked Man said with a trepidatious look:

"You know, if it hadn't been for our Slaughter King Association's predecessor stirring things up at the critical moment, the 'Great Court Ten Clans' might not have been completely destroyed by the Clean-up Bureau; the most important Ten Tribes Law Book was shattered by them too.

And back then, not only did we stab them in the back, we even scavenged a lot of benefits from their royal court during their collapse, even took away remnants of the Ten Tribes Law Book. If we release the Three Dearth Trio Descendants, won't they come for us first?"

"So what?"

Sending a disdainful sideways glance at the ambivalent Raven, Xuebei asked:

"Going down to face the Three Dearth Trio Descendants means death, and going up do you think you'll survive?"

"..."

"I'm telling you, it'll only be a worse death up there! Although I successfully ambushed Aquarius with information, their Yellow Road Director level strength isn't diminished at all; they just can't open their eyes or catch us now.

Including that perverted entity that swallowed a billion souls, regardless of our choice, we face two opponents close to the Pillar God level and the entanglement of over a million Elite Nightmares.

In the face of such disparity, what difference does it make if you run or not?"

"That's true..."

"So instead of waiting to be chased down and killed, why not just release the Three Dearth Trio Descendants!"

Turning back to gaze at the not-too-distant exit of the earth's core lava channel, Xuebei squinted and said:

"Although they both want us dead, they also want each other dead. Of the Dearth Trio's three descendants of Hank, Yuan, and Cliff, each has the power equivalent to a Yellow Road Director.

So it turns from just the two of us against the Clean-up Bureau's two Pseudo Pillar Gods, to the Dearth Trio against the Clean-up Bureau, then deadlock into a stalemate, freeing one of the Tri-Clan Leaders.

Even if the Dearth Trio holds deep grudges against our betrayal and doesn't immediately attack the Clean-up Bureau, but splits a Tri-Clan Leader to attack us, isn't that better than facing two Yellow Road Directors simultaneously?"

"Seems right..."

"It's not just 'seems right,' there are no other options! This is the only path to survival for us!"

Reasserting the current situation, warning the Raven not to contemplate escape or retreat again, Xuebei's eyes briefly glittered, and then he spoke softly:

"Moreover, though we are mortal enemies of the Great Court Ten Clans, ten years ago when the Three Dearth Trio Descendants planned to ignite over two hundred volcanoes to open a magma channel from the earth's core to the surface, I also helped slightly.

So we might not necessarily have to fight to the death; there might be room for maneuver... even if we end up clashing, buying some time is still possible."

My gosh, your networking skills are impressive!

Hearing Xuebei's words, the Raven Masked Man couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised.

The greatest danger for the two of them was the scenario where the Tri-Clan Leader from the Stone Marrow Realm emerged before the Clean-up Bureau arrived, preventing the three-legged situation and getting themselves killed by the Dearth Trio.

But if Xuebei had contacts or even goodwill with them, it shouldn't lead to a fight immediately; given the chance to speak, there's a way to delay time until the Aquarius Director and the Food God arrived, greatly enhancing their survival odds!

Filled with heartfelt admiration for Xuebei, the Raven Masked Man couldn't resist asking:

"That incident ten years ago was significant, but resolved quickly—the club only realized because of you... Can you tell me what you did back then?"

"It was no big deal."

Glancing at the curious Raven Masked Man, Xuebei wiped his mask, transforming into a cold-featured human female, and replied with a soft woman's voice:

"I found an Aquarius Branch Cleaner squad, saved a group from the Three Dearth Descendants responsible for igniting the Hexagonal Snow Mountain, killed the leading Level 1 Cleaner, preserving this as-yet incomplete earth's core lava channel, passable only with difficulty by the True God."

I see...

Nodding in enlightenment, the Raven Masked Man mused silently.

No wonder Xuebei discovered this earth's core lava channel before the Aquarius Branch; he had preserved it back then... by the way, who is the woman you're turned into?

"She was the Level 1 Cleaner from back then."

Gathering her jet-black hair, deftly braiding it to drape gracefully by her neck, Xuebei's face, closely resembling the female Cleaner except for hair color, showed a gentle and quiet smile.

"She was quite an interesting human, with terrifyingly resolute will.

After I consumed her, to keep this lava channel's location a secret, she resisted for nearly ten years before I fully digested her, or I wouldn't have brought you down now.

Also, if things go contrary to what I expect, and the Aquarius Director and Leon arrive before the Dearth Trio, this face might work wonders dealing with them."