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Chapter 852: Strategic Gamble

"Why?" Colorless probed.

"First, we must collect all twelve Rune Circuits to open the Gates. If they keep hiding, we\'ll be in a war of attrition until doomsday. We\'ll all perish together."

Surnamed Li\'s eyes darkened. "Moreover, the longer Gao Yang lives, the higher the risk he becomes the Malediction. We can\'t afford to wait."

"Right," Colorless raised an eyebrow, shrugging. "We have a time bomb under the poker table. Winner takes all, loser loses everything. Eventually, we\'ll have to go all-in to determine the winner before the bomb explodes."

"An apt analogy," Qilin smiled.

Surnamed Li nodded. "Still, we can\'t lower our guard. The challenge might be a distraction, like last time."

"What else could they be planning?" Qin You frowned, then started. "Oh, could it be Dr. Jia?"

Qilin seemed unfazed, having already reached this conclusion.

"Dr. Jia\'s well-hidden. They shouldn\'t be able to find him, right?" Colorless turned to Qilin.

"I thought so too, but not anymore," Qilin\'s eyes glinted. "Gao Yang\'s easy infiltration of our base suggests someone on his side has acquired Intangibility, or he has."

"Of course!" One Stone admired the insight. That\'s why he\'s the leader. Why didn\'t I think of that?

Surnamed Li nodded. "And if they\'ve acquired Sensory too, their chances of finding Dr. Jia increase, though it\'s still difficult."

"Then why not just grab Dr. Jia and leave?" Colorless questioned. "Why the open challenge?"

"It\'s not that simple," Qilin\'s gaze turned icy. "Yan Liang watches Dr. Jia constantly. If the Nine Scions attempt a kidnapping, they\'ll only find a lifeless body."

"Ah," Colorless looked pensive. "So they\'re challenging us openly to lure our main force away, allowing them to kidnap Dr. Jia."

"That\'s one possibility," Qilin said.

Surnamed Li shook her head slowly. "I don\'t think it\'s likely."

The others turned to her.

"If they just wanted a distraction, they could\'ve done it more safely. They only needed to make me predict danger. An open fight challenge ensures casualties. The price is too high."

Qilin nodded. "So the challenge is real."

"Can they win?" Qin You asked Qilin.

"No chance," Qilin said confidently. Then his green eyes turned cold. "Unless Dragon has awakened. Then the battle\'s outcome would be uncertain."

A moment of silence fell over the meeting room.

Dragon—the awakener with the top Talent, the man who had single-handedly killed a life monster in its second phase, the longest-standing figurehead in the Mist World. His name alone struck fear into enemies\' hearts.

After a few seconds of tense silence, Qilin spoke, "But I don\'t think Dragon\'s awake."

"Why?" Colorless asked, realizing she\'d been contrarian throughout the meeting.

"It\'s a hunch," Qilin adjusted his glasses. "If he were awake, I believe he\'d come after me alone rather than involve everyone in a war—though he wouldn\'t necessarily succeed."

The others remained silent, inwardly sighing with relief. Thank heavens Dragon\'s not awake.

"Guildmaster," Qin You ventured, "Why don\'t we take Dr. Jia with us?"

Qilin shook his head. "Forcing Dr. Jia might turn him against us. We still need his genius."

"So we leave him be?" Qin You asked.

"No." Qilin fixed him with a look. "Take some people to guard Dr. Jia alongside Yan Liang. You know what to do if there\'s no alternative."

"Yes, Guildmaster!" Qin You stood promptly.

"No rush," Qilin halted him.

Qin You paused, confused.

"Go there quietly before the final fight," Qilin gripped his cane. "The Nine Scions may have come to taunt us, expecting a reaction. If you go now, they might track you to Dr. Jia."

"Of course," Qin You exhaled. "I admire your wisdom, Guildmaster!"

After a moment\'s thought, Qilin added, "Qin You, have Liao Liao join us and accompany Madam Li and me to the Northbound Funeral Home."

Surnamed Li was puzzled. Everyone knew Qilin had acquired Puppeteer, but Azure Dragon was his only powerful puppet, already stored at the Union\'s base. The morgues held almost no dead awakeners now.

Why was Qilin going to the funeral home?

Surnamed Li didn\'t question him. Qilin must have his reasons.

"Understood," Qin You left.

Qilin continued, "Colorless, One Stone, reassure your subordinates now. Don\'t let them waver under the Nine Scions\' challenge and accusations. I\'ll discuss the detailed operation plan with you after I return."

"Yes, sir."

"Understood."

Qilin rose slowly, leaning on his cane. "You\'re dismissed."

...

Small meeting room, half an hour later.

Colorless gathered her team and, given their current situation, disclosed everything, including Qilin\'s explanations for the accusations.

Reactions varied. Amon was the most upset. "You knew the truth about Starcatching Pavilion and never told us? Why?"

Colorless admitted, "I believed some knowledge would only endanger you."

"Even so, we have a right to know!" Amon\'s anger flared as she slammed the table, standing up. "I\'ve always admired and trusted you, Team Leader, but this was a huge mistake!"

"Yes, and I\'m sorry," Colorless reflected. "I could\'ve given you a choice, like Zhong He. But in trying to protect you, I ended up depriving you of that chance."

"Don\'t say that, Sister Colorless. You had our best interests at heart," Rewind cautiously interjected, trying to ease the tension. "I\'d rather not have known all this."

"True. In my experience, the more you know, the sooner you die," Crimson Bee said with a bitter smile. He suddenly envied Xiao Xin, still unconscious and exempt from the frontline. Perhaps he\'d survive until the very end.

“Tsk! Speaking bullshit in hindsight now. What’s the point?” Stubborn Weasel’s tongue was as sharp as always. “The deciding fight’s tomorrow. Are you going to leave now or join the Nine Scions? You all have a death wish?”

"Stubborn Weasel\'s crude, but she makes sense," Lin Fu stroked his mustache. "At this point, who can judge right from wrong? We can\'t stay neutral now. Our priority should be preparing as best we can to end this civil war, so we\'re not fighting our own kind anymore."

"Is Gao Yang... really the Malediction?" Old Seven was downcast. Though rumors had circulated, he\'d always dismissed them as a smear campaign.

But if Elder Colorless said Surnamed Li had dreamed of Gao Yang becoming the Malediction, it must be true.

Old Seven struggled to accept it. He used to drink and boast with Zhang Wei and Three Strings, talking about Gao Yang, this dimension\'s protagonist.

Now, Three Strings was dead, and Zhang Wei was his enemy. It felt like a different reality.