Xing Tie: Wait a minute! How come Weng Xing has two saviors?

Bai Mo remained calm, as if he were merely tossing away a few miscellaneous items, before throwing several bloody human heads onto the rocky ground in front of her.

This, of course, includes the head of "Kainese" in this cycle.

The head rolled with a dull thud, finally coming to a stop before the exquisite royal boots.

“Lord Caesar, this is my ‘sincerity’.” Bai Mo’s voice was completely calm as he pointed to the head on the ground.

“These are the parasites lurking in the Senate, who have been secretly sowing discord and undermining the foundation of your rule. But now, I have helped you get rid of them.”

Chapter 155 Bai Mo: I have three strengths: I'm resourceful, I'm capable, and I treat people sincerely.

Bai Mo paused, calmly meeting Krydella's scrutinizing gaze, and continued:

"Now, I have fully demonstrated to you my strength, my methods, and—my 'sincerity' in standing on your side."

Now, may I... as the 'Savior of Onphalus,' engage in a truly equal dialogue with you?

He even tilted his head slightly, his tone carrying a hint of innocent self-righteousness:

"As for those necessary 'offenses' just now, I believe a great ruler like you would not take them to heart. Right?"

The moment the words fell, the clone that had been holding Krydera hostage with heavenly fire vanished like a phantom and merged back into Bai Mo's main body.

Krydella felt the burning and pressure on her neck suddenly disappear, and she regained complete freedom.

Almost simultaneously, the tough golden threads that bound the soldiers, formed from the power of "romance," rapidly faded and dissolved into the air, as if they possessed a life of their own.

And that time-stopping realm that enveloped Hathaway, Aglaia, and Tibo...

The golden glow of "Time" receded like the tide, allowing the three Golden Descendants to regain control of their bodies.

The sharp edge of the "conflict" gradually faded, no longer threatening everyone.

The moment Hazel broke free of her restraints, she moved with lightning speed, standing in front of Krystal without hesitation. The strange harp-sword in her hand was pointed directly at Bai Mo, her eyes filled with lingering fear and icy killing intent.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty Caesar… It is the serious dereliction of duty by the ‘Sword Banner Lord’ that has caused you to suffer such…” Heather’s voice was filled with suppressed anger and deep self-reproach as she was about to apologize to Crydella.

But then she heard the empress behind her gently interrupt her in an unusually calm, even strangely composed tone:

"No need for further explanation, 'Sword Banner Lord.' He has at least simultaneously demonstrated and utilized the powers of 'Path,' 'Years,' and 'Romance,' and he may even possess the authority of 'Conflict'... It's understandable that you are no match for such a being."

With a gentle tap of her ornate scepter, Cerudela unleashed an invisible force that instantly burned the unpleasant heads and the blood beneath them into the finest ashes, vanishing without a trace as if they had never existed.

She raised her eyes, her gaze returning to Bai Mo, and her voice regained its queenly authority:

“Savior, I truly don’t hold your earlier offense against you. However, next time you deal with this garbage, you don’t need to bring their filthy heads before me again.”

She turned slightly to the side, her posture still haughty, but she had already tacitly acknowledged Bai Mo's right to speak with her:

"Come with me, you two swordsmen who call yourselves saviors. I will have a... dialogue with you on equal terms."

She paused deliberately, a blue flame burning silently in her eyes.

"Or, it would be more appropriate to call it 'negotiation'."

In less than an hour, Bai Mo, through a series of means—from military intimidation to offering a "pledge of allegiance"—successfully reached a fragile consensus with this iron-fisted monarch, known for his wisdom and cunning.

What's needed between the two is a genuine conversation that sets aside their vastly different social statuses.

Bai Mo pried open the first door to cooperation in an extremely domineering and unconventional way.

Krydella sat upright on the soft cushion, deliberately adjusting her height so that she could look at Bai Mo and Bai Er at eye level.

At this moment, her slender fingers were unconsciously stroking the cold surface of the scepter in her hand, struggling to process the truth she had just heard.

After a long silence, Krystal finally spoke, her voice heavy with disbelief:

"You mean... that the 'recreation' we believe in and fight for is nothing more than a huge deception that lures the world toward destruction?"

The harder we try to save it, the more manpower and hope we pour into it, the more irreversibly it will slide towards utter destruction?

Her blue eyes were fixed on Bai Mo, trying to find a trace of a lie on his face.

“Indeed, Your Majesty Cerudela.” Bai Er took over, his gaze sweeping over the Empress, and then over Aglaia and Tibo behind her, their expressions grave and thoughtful. His tone was sincere and earnest:

"And Ms. Aglaia, Teacher Tibo: Please be aware that in this cycle of reincarnation, the 'White Calamity' and 'White Silence' that you are familiar with have not yet been born."

In the distant future, they may appear before you as the oracle foretold—but please do not actively seek them out…” He tried to gain the other party’s deeper trust with a sincere tone.

Bai Mo glanced at Bai E, a thought stirring within him. He felt that perhaps no other "variable" like himself would ever be born again, and Bai E might not yet realize this, which was why he spoke those words so naturally.

But should we tell him this cruel possibility now? No... we can't draw conclusions lightly until that moment arrives.

Moreover, how could he possibly say such a thing to Bai E?

Krydella remained silent for a moment, as if weighing all of this incomprehensible.

Finally, she let out a soft breath, with a hint of helplessness and resolve: "Alright, I believe you. Or rather, given this desperate situation, I have no choice but to believe you."

"To have you, with your power to overturn everything, choose to sit down and talk instead of taking action, is the best outcome I can achieve for my dynasty."

However, the next moment, her eyes suddenly became sharp and hard again: "But you must understand that Caesar's dynasty has always belonged to 'humans'! As you have seen, in this cycle of Onpharos, under the successive blows of the Black Tide, almost all that remains is despair."

Her voice rose, carrying an unquestionable bottom line: "People have placed all their hopes on the divine re-creation! If you want to overthrow it, then you must also produce something to rekindle the fire in their hearts, and you must gain the trust and approval of my people!"

Furthermore, I will never allow you to use those same methods you used to threaten me to harm or coerce any of my people again! Even if that means becoming your enemy again—that's my bottom line!

Bai Mo remained silent for a moment, sensing the determination and deep-seated sense of responsibility in Krydella's words.

He met her gaze and solemnly replied, "Okay. I promise you. I will try to ignite the true hope in people's hearts through actions, not force."

Chapter 156 Heather: The Little White Pomfret and the Squid...

“Very good.” Cerlydella nodded, her expression softening slightly. “Then it will proceed as we initially agreed. I, Cerlydella, will entrust all the sparks of fire collected in this world to you. But, before that…”

Her tone turned serious again, “You also need to prove to me, and to everyone who is concerned about this matter, that you do indeed possess the ability and qualifications to transcend so-called ‘fate’.”

Bai Mo stood up, his gaze as firm as a rock: "After conquering the 'Earth' Titans, we will prove to you, to all of Onpharos, that we possess the ability to illuminate this apocalypse and guide a truly new path!"

“Very well.” Krydira also stood up, tapping her scepter lightly on the ground, giving the final verdict on this negotiation: “I, and Ohma, will wait and see.”

When Baimer and Baier finished their conversation with Crydella and walked out of the somewhat oppressive palace side by side...

In the cool evening breeze, they saw the figure standing under the palace gate pillars—Haiseyin.

She waited there quietly, like a loyal guardian statue.

Upon seeing the two emerge, she stepped forward, her posture still upright like a pine tree, but with less of the tense hostility she had shown before.

She gently placed her hand on her chest, performing a perfect knightly salute, her voice clear and steady:

"Let me offer you both a belated, formal self-introduction. My name is Heather, I am the 'Sword Banner Knight' sworn to Her Majesty Cerridra, and also the Knight Commander of the Ohmar Allied Army."

She raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the two brothers, and continued, "Since His Majesty Caesar has already recognized you, then according to His Majesty's will, you are now allies of Ohmma."

I formally apologize for my previous rudeness and guarded behavior towards you. Her apology was crisp and straightforward, with the frankness of a soldier.

Bai Mo shook his head, his tone indifferent: "No need, Miss Hazel. You were simply doing your duty, fulfilling your responsibilities as His Majesty's guard and knight commander. There's no need to apologize for it."

Heather's brow furrowed slightly involuntarily, as if she still felt somewhat uncomfortable with this strange title.

But she quickly relaxed, revealing a helpless tolerance: "Fine, since you insist on using this special name... then so be it."

She changed the subject, asking with a hint of curiosity, "However, I noticed that you seemed to add a '1' after everyone's name along the way. Is there some special reason for that? If it's inconvenient, you don't have to answer."

Bai Mo remained silent for a moment, his gaze seemingly drifting into the distance before quickly returning to his own.

He replied simply, “Just to distinguish them, that’s all. I need a clear way to constantly remind myself… not to confuse any of them.”

“There are some words I don’t understand.” Heather nodded thoughtfully. “But since this is important to you… then so be it. Heather 1 it is.”

She seemed to want to ease the tension and try to build rapport in another way: "His Majesty Caesar once said that the best way to get closer to someone is to treat them as a true friend."

So, as allies, may I address you as I would my friends? Of course, you are welcome to decline if you feel uncomfortable.

"Whatever." Bai E and Bai Mo answered almost simultaneously. Bai E's tone carried a hint of curiosity, while Bai Mo remained indifferent.

Heather's calm, watery eyes swept over the two of them for a moment, as if sensing something. Then, with a slight smile, she gave them two unexpected nicknames: "Hmm... From now on, I will call you 'Little White Pomfret' and 'Cuttlefish'."

She looked at Bai Er and explained, “The white pomfret is a common fish in my hometown. They always fearlessly and persistently chase the shimmering light in the water, full of vitality and hope... although sometimes, that so-called light may just be a trap used by humans to lure them.”

Then, she turned to Bai Mo: "And squid... in my memory, they usually seem quiet and even somewhat inconspicuous, but once they are harmed or disturbed by the outside world, they will immediately release a thick ink, sealing themselves tightly and isolating themselves from everything. Only when they feel safe will the ink slowly dissipate, and then they will float back to you as if nothing happened..."

She paused, her voice softening, "Although sometimes, the wounds on its body may not have healed at all."

Bai Er clearly hadn't expected Heather's way of addressing him to be so... evocative.

He paused for a moment before finally asking, "Lord Heather, why...why did you give us such...well, rather unique nicknames?"

Heather tilted her head, seemingly finding it somewhat strange herself, and replied, "Intuition? Perhaps it's some kind of... resonance of aura? I just feel that the unique 'scent' emanating from the two of you is very similar to the two types of fish from my hometown in my memory."

"Oh, right." Heather seemed to suddenly remember something, and gently called out to the two brothers who were about to turn and leave.

A bright smile curved her lips, and her voice was clear and melodious: "His Majesty Caesar has specially prepared a banquet for you, both to welcome you and to show Ohmma's courtesy to its allies."

She paused, her expression becoming slightly more serious: "This is also an opportunity to gather the representatives and envoys from the various states still remaining in the Holy City to discuss the crucial matter of conquering the 'Earth' Titan. You two will undoubtedly be the protagonists of this banquet; your absence is absolutely essential."

Upon hearing this, Bai Mo frowned imperceptibly: "Summon representatives from all the states? And go to such lengths to host a banquet and invite them? So complicated? Just how depraved has the situation in Onfaros deteriorated?"

Heather hesitated for a moment before explaining, “The situation is indeed not optimistic. The main reason is that the ‘Earth’ Titan has been deeply corrupted by the Black Tide.”

Although the Kuroshio Current did not completely cover the entire surface of Onfaros, wherever the concept of 'earth' was applied—mountains, plains, and even the foundations of the city beneath our feet—Kuroshio creations would randomly and without any pattern.

This is why Ohma, located deep in the continent and seemingly far from the Black Tide front, still suffers constant attacks.

A look of sudden realization flashed across Bai E's eyes. He crossed his arms and calmly analyzed, "No wonder Lord Caesar made the conquest of the 'Earth' Titans the primary test of our abilities."

Chapter 157 Bai Mo: Kerudela, you're not fast enough, and you're not ruthless enough...

"As expected of the monarch who wields the chess pieces, this move is brilliant, killing two birds with one stone. It seems to cater to our demands—to appease us by granting us ownership of a spark."

This also facilitated her long-planned strategic goal—to cleanse the land of pollution and fundamentally alleviate the defensive pressure on the Holy City.

Bai Mo nodded, but then raised a more pointed question: "Even if discussion is needed, why hold a banquet first? Why not just issue an order to summon them for a meeting?"

"Just because someone has a particular fondness for banquets and parties doesn't mean we have to hold lavish parties all the time, does it?" His gaze swept over Heather almost imperceptibly.

Heather felt as if she had been subtly pointed at, but without concrete evidence. She could only maintain a composed expression and explain:

"This banquet is not out of personal preference. It is because the Black Tide Creatures are rampant and communication between different places is difficult. The various states that were originally unified by His Majesty Caesar's military force have recently been under pressure to survive and have developed many inappropriate thoughts."

The purpose of hosting the banquet was to create a relatively 'relaxed' environment to better observe the true reactions and private actions of the representatives from each state after they let their guard down, or even after they were drunk, in order to assess their loyalty and potential threats.

This is crucial for the smooth implementation of subsequent punitive expeditions and for internal stability. After all, knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory.

Bai Mo's brows furrowed even more deeply. He was calculating how to defeat the "Earth" Titans as quickly as possible and use this earth-shattering achievement to rapidly accumulate the reputation and influence of the "Savior".

With enough fame, he could more easily use this identity as cover to weave "schemes" and try to reignite the extinguished dawn machine.

He understood Kerudela's plan—first, gather intelligence through appeasement to understand the situation thoroughly, and then carry out a precise purge.

Those that should be submerged should be submerged, and those that should be burned to ashes should be burned to ashes. This is a very typical and efficient way of thinking for a chess player.

But Bai Mo thought that Krydella was not fast enough, nor ruthless enough!

We're having a tentative banquet today, so that we can hold a substantive congress tomorrow.

After the meeting, Keldera will need time to use intelligence to purge and suppress those disloyal representatives and the forces behind them...

When we are finally able to send troops to attack the "Earth" Titans, it will probably be the day after tomorrow, or even longer.

This is assuming everything goes smoothly and there are no unexpected incidents or mishaps.

If anything goes wrong, or if the representatives are more cunning and difficult to deal with than expected, it's hard to say whether they'll even see the "Earth" Titan the day after tomorrow.

Time waits for no one, so... Bai Mo made a decision in an instant.

Without further hesitation, he said directly to Heather, "Heather, there's no need for such trouble. Go and tell His Majesty Caesar that there's no need for a banquet; just convene a general assembly of all citizens. Those who are meant to come will come."

He paused, then added, "Just say it was my suggestion. What we need is efficiency; she's being a bit indecisive."

Upon hearing this, Heather glanced at Bai Mo with slight surprise, then quickly confirmed that he was serious and not joking.

Without any questioning or dissuasion, she immediately nodded decisively and replied, "Alright. I will go and report to His Majesty right away."

She knew her place well—a loyal subject whose primary duty was to execute orders efficiently, not to presume to speak out when the two decision-makers disagreed.

It is now clear that Bai Mo's plan has diverged from Kerudela's. If she were to question Bai Mo, it would not only be meaningless, but could also put His Majesty in an awkward position.

The most appropriate and wisest choice for her was to quietly and quickly convey the message and let His Majesty make the decision himself.

High in the sky, Bai Mo's figure hung alone among the clouds.