Chapter 174: A Suspicious Coincidence

Benjamin's words left everyone present in a dilemma.

After listening to what Benjamin had to say, Irving bluntly stated, "We are not the Night Blades, we don't easily send our allies to their deaths."

Although Benjamin was willing to take the risk himself, Irving didn't want such a thing to happen to his team.

If they continuously sacrificed friends to complete their missions, how would Irving be any different from the elders of the Night Blades? If he were no different, what was the point of seeking revenge against the Night Blades?

Irving's words served as a wake-up call for the rest of the group.

Initially, Vicky instinctively wanted to refuse.

But deep down, Vicky felt that if it came down to a choice between Irving and Benjamin, she would definitely sacrifice Benjamin.

Wendy's opinion of Irving changed significantly after hearing his statement.

Initially, Wendy had thought Irving was merely someone much stronger than herself, essentially no different from her assassin colleagues.

But after hearing what Irving had to say, Wendy realized that he was indeed unlike anyone she had met before.

James remained silent throughout, but internally, he too wished for Benjamin to die.

James had always felt that Benjamin harbored some hostility towards him.

Moreover, Benjamin was a crucial asset under Vicky's command.

If Benjamin were to die in the line of duty, the Ocean Group, which Vicky controlled, could face significant trouble.

At that point, the Green Vine Group, controlled by James, would have a chance to seize some of the Ocean Group's business.

Although James harbored these thoughts, he could never voice them aloud.

James was well aware of the relationship between Vicky and Irving.

Benjamin's face remained expressionless after hearing Irving's words.

"If you object, then do you have any other plan? No one will support you going to the Abyss of Death alone. If you make such a reckless move, how is it any different from the approach I suggested?"

Benjamin's retort left Irving at a loss for words.

Irving knew that his own plan would seem like a death mission to the others.

Everyone fell silent, and at that moment, Irving's phone suddenly rang.

He took out his phone and saw that the caller was Aron.

Irving answered the call and immediately put it on speaker. He wanted everyone to hear his conversation with Aron.

"Irving, brother, our Angel Guild has discovered some crucial information. We've found a safe passage to the Abyss of Death."

Aron's voice came through the phone loud and clear.

Everyone, including Irving, was visibly shocked upon hearing this news.

"What do you mean by telling me this? Are you hoping I'll join you in going to the Abyss of Death? Or have you found some valuable equipment in the Abyss of Death? Or perhaps clues related to the Night Blades?"

Irving asked Aron bluntly, ignoring everyone around him.

"You're absolutely right. I do hope to invite you to join our Angel Guild in heading to the Abyss of Death. However, our mission this time isn't to enter the Abyss of Death itself.

Everyone knows that the Abyss of Death is incredibly dangerous. We just need to scout around its perimeter. We've discovered that the Night Blades seem to have a secret base near the Abyss of Death.

The reason we found a safe passage to the Abyss of Death is because we captured a member of the Night Blades. He revealed everything he knew."

Aron quickly relayed all the information.

After listening to Aron, Irving hesitated slightly. Sёarch* The NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"I can't give you a definitive answer right now. I need to discuss this with the others. I'll get back to you once we've made a decision."

"No problem! I know you're a reliable person, so I trust you won't share this information with anyone else. Just get back to me before dawn tomorrow."

With that, Aron hung up the phone.

"What do you all think? Do you believe this is just a coincidence?"

After putting his phone away, Irving hesitantly asked the group.

Wendy was the first to speak. Although she hadn't been involved in previous missions with the others, it was clear that Irving had a certain level of trust in her.

Moreover, Wendy didn't have much baggage; her relationships with the others weren't complicated, so she could speak her mind freely.

"I think it's most likely a coincidence. If it's not, then the only explanation would be that the Angel Guild has been monitoring your every move," Wendy remarked.

Her words caused a shift in Irving's expression. He had harbored similar suspicions, but after thinking it over, he found it improbable.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence. The Angel Guild suffered significant setbacks in the past couple of days. They're still in the process of rebuilding; how could they have the resources to monitor me?

And even if they could monitor others, wouldn't their priority be to keep tabs on the Night Blades members?"

Irving's reasoning seemed to alleviate the group's concerns.

"In that case, our next topic of discussion is whether to join the Angel Guild in their mission to the Abyss of Death," James interjected promptly.

Although James didn't have the best relationship with the Angel Guild, he didn't want internal conflicts among his allies.

James was highly ambitious, but he was also aware that his strength alone wasn't sufficient. Without the support of allies, he couldn't guarantee his own safety.

Benjamin spoke up bluntly.

"I think we should team up with the Angel Guild. They've already planned missions to the Abyss of Death before. They should be well-acquainted with the area around it."

Irving nodded. "You're right, but I won't allow anyone to act alone with the Angel Guild. So, I hope that two people will accompany me in collaborating with them."

After saying this, Irving looked directly at Benjamin and nodded. "I believe Benjamin should be one of those two. As for the other, I'll leave it up to you all to decide."

Although Irving hoped to bring Wendy along, he felt it was important to consider the opinions of his other allies.

James spoke up without hesitation. "I would join you, but my company still has a lot of issues to deal with. After the crisis caused by the Night Blades, we haven't returned to normal operations."

After James finished speaking, Vicky also nodded and said, "I can't join you either. I need to handle matters within my company."

Since both James and Vicky wouldn't be going with Irving, that left Wendy as the obvious choice.

"Perhaps there's another person who could join you. She's currently in Starling City," Vicky suggested after a moment of thought.

The person Vicky mentioned was, of course, Sophia. Vicky didn't know that Sophia had already been entrusted to Irving by her father. At this moment, Vicky considered Wendy a greater threat because she was always by Irving's side, while Vicky needed to manage the affairs of Ocean Group.

Although Sophia had a somewhat complicated relationship with Irving, she was based in Starling City. Despite its proximity to the City of Warding, the two cities were distinct, making frequent meetings between Sophia and Irving impractical.

After Vicky suggested Sophia, Irving hesitated slightly. While Sophia wasn't as strong as Irving, she was certainly more powerful than Wendy. Sophia had survived several brutal battles in the Shelter Game and had successfully thwarted the Ouyang family's schemes.

The mission to the Abyss of Death was bound to be perilous. Participants needed to be highly skilled; otherwise, they risked not only their own lives but also endangering their teammates.

As Irving wavered, Wendy suddenly spoke up. "I may have just joined the Shelter Game, but I believe my coordination with Irving is exceptional. Additionally, in the real world, I'm an assassin. I assure you, I won't be a liability during the mission. On the contrary, I can help identify any hidden threats among the Angel Guild members."

Wendy's revelation left everyone visibly shocked.

Although James and Vicky had some suspicions about Wendy's true identity, they never imagined she was a professional assassin.

Benjamin's expression remained calm, but his eyes were fixed intently on Wendy and Irving. What troubled Benjamin was his failure to discern Wendy's true identity. If he couldn't identify an assassin, how could he call himself a competent security professional?

"If that's the case, I do think it's more appropriate for you to join Irving," Vicky said softly.

Irving finally made his decision. "I think Wendy should accompany me. Although Sophia has more combat experience, she also has responsibilities in Starling City and with the Green family. Starling City suffered more damage from the Night Blades' actions compared to the City of Warding. Sophia has a lot to handle, so let's not waste her time."

After finishing his remarks, Irving immediately took out his phone and called Aron. "I've made my decision. I'll be bringing two friends to join you. How many members does the Angel Guild have? It shouldn't be too many, right?"

Aron replied, "The Angel Guild has three members, including myself. The other two are Anna and Ling Xiao. You should be quite familiar with Anna. Ling Xiao has been transferred from another branch."