Although Jeremy and the Mechanical Empress did not immediately grasp the entire situation, their response strategies were completely aligned.
Almost instantaneously, both Jeremy and the Mechanical Empress sprinted towards the collapsing barrier at full speed. Behind them, the others were quick to follow suit.
Even though the rest of the group might not have sensed the strange spatial fluctuations around them, they could tell from Jeremy and the Mechanical Empress's behavior that something was amiss.
The group soon passed through the crumbling barrier, reaching the outermost edge of the Soul Prison. Once they passed through the gate ahead, they would return to the town near the terminal—the very bottom level of the Tower of Exile.
However, just as they were about to cross the gate, the Mechanical Empress suddenly heard a voice, distant and resounding from the infinite heights.
"Stop wasting time! You must prevent Jeremy and the others from advancing! No one must leave the Tower of Exile!"
The voice was all too familiar to the Mechanical Empress. She knew it was the voice of The White Tower.
Despite receiving the command, the Mechanical Empress did not make an immediate decision. She was well aware that remaining in the Tower of Exile would expose her to grave danger.
The Mechanical Empress no longer believed that the masterminds behind the Apocalypse Game could secure an absolute victory in this divine war. This realization made her prioritize her own safety above all else.
After a brief moment of consideration, the Mechanical Empress turned to Jeremy and spoke directly.
"The gate ahead seems to have been sealed by some kind of power. Since you possess the gift of the King of Time and Space, you should open a portal for us."
Her tone carried a hint of urgency as she spoke. The subtle shift in her voice did not escape Jeremy's notice. He remained composed, nodding slightly in acknowledgment.
"Very well, I'll open the portal right away. But once it's open, others must go through first. You and I should be the last ones to leave. Only then can we ensure our continued cooperation."
The Mechanical Empress did not object to Jeremy's condition. She knew that the two of them were the strongest in the group, and leaving together was their best chance for survival.
If the two of them crossed the portal first, the others would likely be left behind in the Soul Prison of the Tower of Exile.
After Jeremy opened the portal, one by one, the others passed through. Besides Jeremy and the Mechanical Empress, the last person to cross the portal was the disguised Goddess of Life.
The Goddess of Life glanced back at Jeremy, her eyes filled with a questioning look. She was, in fact, hoping to launch an attack on the Mechanical Empress right then and there. The Goddess of Life believed that if she and Jeremy worked together perfectly, the Mechanical Empress would stand no chance of surviving.
However, Jeremy met the Goddess of Life's gaze with a blank expression. He felt that it was not yet the right moment to act. Additionally, he thought their current situation was quite dire, and it would be unwise to start a fight with an ally under such circumstances.
After the Goddess of Life had passed through the portal, Jeremy spoke in a calm tone.
"Why didn't you attack me outright? I heard the voice of The White Tower. He must have clearly ordered you to attack me."
The Mechanical Empress didn't show any sign of surprise at Jeremy's words. She simply responded in a neutral tone.
After a relatively short journey, the dilapidated train finally arrived at the edge of the Tower of Exile, at the end of the Mist of History. Before them lay a graveyard, shrouded in silence and darkness, where the remnants of deity souls were buried.
The surroundings were identical to the last time Jeremy had been there. There was no difference at all.
Jeremy and the others quickly disembarked from the train. Almost immediately, they heard the sound of chains dragging along the ground from a distance.
"You don't need to worry. Those sounds are just coming from the cyclops enslaved by the master. They pose no real threat to us," the Mechanical Empress explained briefly.
Jeremy nodded in acknowledgment.
"So, how do we proceed? Are we supposed to enter the Mist of History?" Jeremy asked the Mechanical Empress, raising the most crucial question.
The reason Jeremy had chosen to cooperate with the Mechanical Empress was precisely because he didn't know how to pass through the Mist of History and escape.
Upon hearing Jeremy's question, the Mechanical Empress finally allowed a smile to appear on her face.
"Now I understand why you wanted to team up with me. You don't even know how to leave the Tower of Exile, do you?"
Jeremy nodded again.
"You're right. That's why we need your help. Are you planning to abandon our cooperation now?"
At that moment, Jeremy was ready for battle. If the Mechanical Empress showed any unwillingness to continue their alliance, he would not hesitate to attack her.
But the Mechanical Empress shook her head.
"Of course, I intend to continue working with you. The journey ahead is still fraught with danger. If we want to leave the Tower of Exile, we must head to the Dark River ahead. Every one of us will have to enter the river."
The Mechanical Empress's words caused both Jeremy and Ritchie to furrow their brows.
Jeremy and Ritchie had obtained some information about the Dark River when they first started this mission, and that knowledge didn't sit well with them.
According to the information they had obtained, anyone who entered the Dark River would be forever bound to it.
Jeremy calmly asked the Mechanical Empress, "Are you certain this will work? Why does my intelligence suggest that if we step into the Dark River, we'll be trapped there forever?"
A smug smile crept across the face of the Mechanical Empress.
"I'm not wrong, and neither is the information you received. Any living being that enters the Dark River will indeed be bound to it for eternity. But the key difference is," she said, her smile widening, "neither I nor my subordinates are living beings. We're simply mechanical monsters."
At last, the Mechanical Empress revealed the critical information she had been holding back.