Chapter 1101: The Cost of the Choice, Sentient Steel

Chapter 1101: The Cost of the Choice, Sentient Steel



If the unknown woman had the power to unleash such a frightening attack, she wouldn't have waited until now.

Upon hearing Ilse's words, Orion frowned at their predicament. They could quickly force the door open, but doing so would likely destroy the Sleeping Fox Runaway City. If they didn't act, the woman could regain her strength, take control of the city, and possibly endanger the other Runaway Cities.

Obviously, capturing the unknown woman would be a challenging feat.

"Supreme Leader, I think the Sleeping Fox Runaway City is a lost cause," Seth said, offering input. "We can't risk one Runaway City endangering the others. With the unknown threat posed by this woman-who defeated two Vylkr spawns-we cannot afford to let her recover even a fraction of her strength."

A wave of fear surged in Lakul's heart upon hearing Seth's words. He immediately rushed forward, dropping to his knees before Orion again.

"Please, Supreme Leader, don't abandon the Sleeping Fox Runaway City! I beg you!" Lakul pleaded, his expression filled with panic as he pressed his forehead to the ground.

The other three leaders joined him, raising their voices in desperation.

"We can't free the Sleeping Fox Runaway City from the enemy without Paradise's aid!"

"Please, don't abandon us, Supreme Leader!"

"If the Sleeping Fox Runaway City is destroyed, where will its people live?"

They knew they couldn't afford to lose their city. Doing so would place them below the Wanderlust Travelling Tortoise, Trekking Flamingo Runaway City, or even far beneath the Four-Eared Elves. They doubted that Paradise could support about three million people without becoming overburdened, likely resulting in their abandonment.

It was better to plead now than to await the grim fate they feared if such a plan were carried out.

Witnessing the scene, Seth frowned. He felt genuine pity for the Sleeping Fox Runaway City inhabitants, knowing the grim fate that awaited them. Still, Seth also knew that this was the best course of action to secure the future of Paradise and the two remaining Runaway Cities under its command. He understood that they couldn't let their vision be clouded by sentiment.

Iris's expression, hidden beneath her helmet, morphed into pity, but she remained silent. It wasn't her place to interfere with what was unfolding.

Ilse wore an indifferent expression. The world was too dangerous, even for a goddess like her, to consider taking millions of lives under her protection. She was focused on regaining her strength, caring for her children, and safeguarding Paradise. She remained unmoved by their plight.

Orion's face showed a deep frown as he weighed the gravity of the decision. He closed his eyes for a moment in thought before opening them again. His gaze, now tranquil and steady, shifted to the prostrating Lakul and the others.

"I will send an order to Paradise's warriors to begin evacuating the inhabitants of the Sleeping Fox Runaway City into Trekking Flamingo Runaway City. You should also focus on preparing to move with your families," Orion said, his tone firm.

He had made this decision for the good of Paradise and its territory.

Upon hearing his words, Lakul and the others paled.

"Chief, we have securely protected the Sleeping Fox Runaway City and successfully built a wall around it to push back the Vylkr vines easily," Zogar reported, arriving beside them. Regardless of the three-star Vylkr vines or the variants that had emerged from the phenomenon, the warriors had all efficiently dealt with them.

Orion looked down at the circular walls, tens of meters away from the Sleeping Fox Runaway

City, surrounding it, and nodded.

"Our warriors will arrive at the Trekking Flamingo Runaway City in a few hours, so we have more time to wait before they return," Zogar said.

"Inform me when they return, and the evacuation is about to commence," Orion replied.

Zogar nodded in understanding.

Orion turned towards Ilse and asked, "Can you give the halo and the greatsword you captured from the unknown woman to the research centre so they can look into them?"

He hadn't mentioned it earlier during their discussion because he was too focused on devising a plan to handle the Sleeping Fox Runaway City's dilemma and monitoring Aurora's

condition.

Despite being a difficult task, he knew that if Seraphina could figure out their inner workings, they could significantly bolster their arsenal. Even if she couldn't fully decipher them, she would likely gain enough knowledge to enhance their existing equipment.

Ilse shook her head with a frown and replied, "Both weapons are sentient and capable of executing commands independently. I locked them in a chamber within my vault, but I could feel them trying to escape when we arrived at the Sleeping Fox Runaway City. If I hadn't experienced handling stubborn weapons like these, they would have escaped when I opened my vault to push back that attack. I'm aware the research centre isn't equipped to subdue such weapons, so releasing them would be risky."

Orion frowned, frustration growing on his face. He took a deep breath and exhaled, choosing

to remain calm.

Suddenly, Ilse's expression grew weary, her eyelids drooping as though she were becoming

drowsy.

"I think my time is up," Ilse said, smiling wryly. She had already exhausted her reserves and needed time to rest properly before recovering and functioning normally.

This is troublesome, Orion thought.

....

Author's Note: I'm sure you've all noticed that the daily chapter update is consistent. So, I've decided

to continue in this manner. 1.5K words a day.