Chapter 715: Diverging Paths

Chapter 715: Diverging Paths

“The Qilin Guild is forcing a merge with the Hundred Rivers Union. If we don’t give in, death will be our only ending.” Chen Ying exaggerated the situation, but she didn’t actually lie. It was only a matter of time.

“What?!” Chestnut jumped.

The others reacted similarly.

“So Madam Li said yes?” Wild Range couldn’t believe it.

Chen Ying nodded.

“Why? We can fight!” Chestnut raged. The humiliating memories of getting trampled over by the Qilin Guild surfaced in her mind.

“We can’t win, Chestnut.” Buzhou sighed with a smile. “The difference between us and the awakeners with the top twelve Talents is that between a bicycle and a motorcycle.”

“Madam Li believes that resistance would be akin to hitting a stone with an egg, so she decided to accept a merger to protect everyone.” Chen Ying scoffed. “I disagree. Coming together with the Qilin Guild will only speed up our doom.”

“Everyone!” Zhang Wei urged in a heated tone. “We all know how Qilin does things. Seven Shadow found him so many Rune Circuits and secured so many wins. Where did that get him? Expendables like us will only fare much worse.”

Miss stared at him coldly. “And you think we’ll survive by joining the Nine Scions?”

“Of course!” Zhang Wei said confidently. “The Nine Scions have clashed with the Qilin Guild several times without losing anyone. That means...”

“That means you’re being blind selectively,” Miss interrupted him. “Look at the members of the Nine Scions. Now look at us. Do we even compare?”

Zhang Wei fell silent.

“We’re going to be cannon fodder anyway by joining the NIne Scions. Actually, we may die sooner.” Miss scoffed. “You don’t think that there’s right and wrong between the organizations, do you, Zhang Wei?”

Miss had a firm stance. “No, there’s only differing stances and interests. Don’t talk to me about the pursuit of hope and truth. I don’t believe it. I manage to survive to this day because I don’t believe it.”

“Is survival all there is to it?” Zhang Wei shot back. “How many more days can we live in this Mist World? Rather than clutching on our lives, it’s better to...”

“Zhang Wei.” Chen Ying glanced at him. “We each have our path. There’s no need to force it.”

“Right, right.” Zhang Wei calmed down and stopped arguing.

Chen Ying said in a composed tone, “You may decide if you’re leaving or staying. We all have to make our choice.”

He took a deep, slow drag and asked in a low voice, “Team Leader, can we all walk out of this room alive?”

“I promise you that,” Chen Ying said. “Qilin’s the enemy of the Nine Scions. Even though I’m joining the Nine Scions, you’re never my enemies, especially not tonight.”

Donxote shook some ash off the cigarette, still not looking up. “Then I’ll stay. Take care.”

“Okay.” Chen Ying nodded. “But may I ask you why?”

Donxote had always been quiet and broody, his thoughts indiscernible.

He slowly looked up, his face pale and sunken and his blue eyes deep. “The human heart is complicated. I can’t see through it, but only look at the surface.”

“Gao Yang’s the Divine Scion. He’s both a man and a monster. Qilin, on the other hand, is human.”

Chen Ying said after a pause, “I understand.”

That left Wild Range. He noticed their gazes. With a long sigh, he took off his octagonal denim hat and threw it onto the table, stroking his thinning hair. “I’m going to the Nine Scions.”

On the third team, Wild Range had been a parental figure. To him, Zhang Wei, Herb Snail, Chestnut, Buzhou, and Shuang Shuang were all his little brothers and sisters. He wouldn’t rest easy if he left them on their own.

They had all made their decisions.

Jiang Hao, Miss, and Donxote stayed, and the others would leave with Chen Ying.

“Take care, the three of you.”

Chen Ying meant every word, but she was also saying that to distract them.

Ready in the right positions, Zhang Wei, Buzhou, and Herb Snail took out the Medicine D they had prepared and injected the three. Without the time to resist or struggle, Jiang Hao, Miss, and Donxote collapsed without a sound. They would be unconscious for two days at the least.

Zhang Wei and Buzhou laid the three unconscious men on the sofa.

Chen Ying made the orders. “Go pack up immediately, everyone. Leave nothing that can be traced to us. Wait for my signal.”

They all nodded.

Zhang Wei, Little Tian, Buzhou, Shuang Shuang, and Herb Snail had made the preparations already. Their mission was to split into three groups to accompany Empty Life, Wild Range, and Chestnut to pack up and clean up their tracks. They were also meant to keep an eye on the three, of course. While there was little chance that Empty Life, Wild Range, and Chestnut would betray them, it was a necessary precaution.