Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 3028: Chapter 3029: The Key to Breaking the Deadlock

Shayina clearly remembered the whisper Elder Shu said to her before leaving.

—— When the situation becomes untenable, don’t hesitate to seek help from the Black Earl.

Although Elder Shu didn’t believe anything would happen on their side at the time, he still left them a fallback plan just in case. What was unexpected was that this fallback plan, which he didn’t think would be used, was now truly coming into play.

Seeing that Elder Shu’s side was likely to be completely ensnared by the man in the suit, Shayina knew she had to make a decision.

She spoke to the Black Earl for help, proposing the price their side would pay: as long as the Black Earl was willing to lend a hand, they would agree to the first proposal he made.

In any negotiation, the initial proposals are mutual trials, often proposing conditions far higher than usual.

This conversation was no exception.

Regarding the distribution of the Garden Labyrinth relic, the first proposal the Black Earl made was: all profits gained from the Garden Labyrinth must be reviewed by the Noah Family.

Although the Black Earl didn’t directly ask for the profits, this proposal already shook the Birlos Family’s control over the Garden Labyrinth. It could even be said to indirectly snatch away the years of effort the Birlos Family invested in managing the Garden Labyrinth.

This proposal was immediately vetoed by Elder Shu, who was representing the negotiation.

The Black Earl didn’t say much about it; the first proposal was originally used to make an impression, so being vetoed was normal.

The Black Earl didn’t have the intention to overthrow the Birlos Family, since the actions of the Birlos Family over the years have actually benefited the Underground Aqueduct. Without external interference, maintaining the status quo would at least make the Wise Sovereign and those ancient sleeping monsters abandon the idea of giving up Naraku City in the short term.

From a certain angle, not unleashing these ancient monsters is also a form of protection for the Wizards’ Realm.

So, the Birlos Family has merits, and what they’ve done is effective.

The Black Earl acknowledged their achievements and admitted that rashly replacing them might not necessarily do better than the Birlos Family. Hence, the Black Earl wouldn’t overthrow the Birlos Family.

Since there’s no intention to overthrow the Birlos Family, negotiations had to be made.

Negotiation means give-and-take, mutually probing each other’s limits.

After several exchanges, they had actually come up with a mutually satisfactory plan in their hearts... However, before the plan could be finalized, bad news came from the Bilun Tree Court.

Elder Shu had to interrupt the negotiations and lead a group of wizards back to the Bilun Tree Court, resulting in the current aftermath.

...

After Shayina made the request, she looked at the Black Earl with hopeful eyes.

In her mind, agreeing to the first condition was already the utmost bottom line of the Birlos Family. If the Black Earl was still unsatisfied, it would practically be asking for the annihilation of the Birlos Family.

However, as time ticked by, the Black Earl still hadn’t responded.

This made Shayina’s expression increasingly dim.

Could it be that the Black Earl was unsatisfied with the condition? Or was the Black Earl expecting the man in the suit to wipe out the Birlos Family and then take over?

Thinking of this, Shayina’s expression turned grim.

While Shayina’s thoughts were in turmoil, a major change unexpectedly occurred on the distant battlefield.

Chief Xingye was inexplicably sent flying backward, spewing blood and looking barely alive, seemingly entering a dying state.

Initially, Shayina thought it was just a minor injury since she hadn’t seen the Shallow Sea Strongman hit Chief Xingye. But as Elder Shu, with a face of iron, rescued Chief Xingye and had Gailuo fully obstruct the Shallow Sea Strongman, while he attempted to use a secret technique to save Xingye, Shayina then confirmed that Chief Xingye was truly injured.

Otherwise, Elder Shu wouldn’t have used a life-essence-consuming secret technique in such circumstances.

Seeing Chief Xingye wounded, Elder Shu forced to assist, and Gailuo recklessly blocking the Shallow Sea Strongman, Shayina was genuinely panicking.

She looked to the Black Earl for salvation with beseeching eyes.

After a moment of silence, the Black Earl spoke: ”Xingye made a strategic misstep. Upon realizing he couldn’t use external force to attack the Shallow Sea Strongman, he opted to dismantle from within.”

”During a close-range attack, he separated a portion of his spiritual power, concealed in starlight, and thrust into the Shallow Sea Strongman’s body.”

”If this Shallow Sea Strongman were merely an unattached magical creature, his method of internal dismantling could have been effective. However, unfortunately, the body and mind of this Shallow Sea Strongman are controlled by the man in the suit. The opponent merely used the sound of blood flow within the Shallow Sea Strongman’s body to transmute it into a Word Spirit aimed at spiritual power.”

”Directly dispelling Xingye’s spiritual power that had infiltrated the Shallow Sea Strongman’s body.”

Once the spiritual power was dispelled, it equated to directly crippling Xingye’s Spirit Sea. This explained why Xingye appeared unscathed by the Shallow Sea Strongman yet was injured.

The asymmetry of information and errors in strategic judgment led to the severe consequences seen now.

Originally, if they fled desperately, there might still be a chance to escape, but now, they might not even have the opportunity to escape.

After hearing the Black Earl’s account, Shayina’s thoughts became even more chaotic; she knew the tides of battle were against them but hadn’t realized things had worsened this much.

She wanted to calm down, assess the situation, and craft a counterstrategy, but at this moment, her heart was like ants on a hot pan, utterly unable to remain peaceful.

She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths, and after a long pause, she spoke: ”Black Earl, on agreeing to your first proposal, I can try to persuade Elder Shu to accept your second proposal... Forgive me, I can’t promise multiple proposals. I don’t have the authority to agree, but I swear, I will exhaust all efforts to persuade Elder Shu. I only ask for the Black Earl’s assistance to help the Birlos Family.”

Actually, the second proposal also belongs to the stage of elevating stakes and mutual probes. Compared to the first proposal, the second proposal is slightly more moderate.

The clause most unacceptable to the Birlos Family in the second proposal is: the Noah Family would establish a preserve in the Garden Labyrinth, completely controlled by the Noah Family.

This is similar to how Blissful Pure Land has its independent ”Paradise Land” within the Bilun Tree Court, which is a self-governed territory.

Yet, ”Paradise Land” is ultimately part of the Bilun Tree Court, constituting part of its structure. However, what the Noah Family wants is to establish a preserve in the Garden Labyrinth, directly infringing upon the core interests of the Birlos Family, occupying a part of their uninvadable cake in their core interests.

This point, naturally, Elder Shu would not accept.

However, at this time, Shayina had no other chips left; she could only use this one to exchange for the Black Earl’s intervention.

Nonetheless, Shayina also left herself some leeway: she is, after all, an outsider to the Birlos Family and can’t make decisions on their behalf. She agreed to the first proposal because Elder Shu granted her that authority. But combining the first and second proposals, Elder Shu hadn’t given her permission to agree. So, she can’t substitute Elder Shu in agreeing to the second proposal and can only promise to try to persuade.

Whether Elder Shu will agree ultimately depends on his ideas and the Black Earl’s willingness or not.

After saying this, Shayina again looked at the Black Earl.

Beside her, Lucia also looked toward the Black Earl. Although he didn’t know what Shayina’s first and second proposals were, it seemed to be some kind of exchange condition. And for a condition that made Shayina express it this way, the Birlos Family was probably going to bleed significantly.

It’s even possible that the Noah Family directly replaced the Birlos Family.

If that’s the case, Lucia will have to consider the possibility of dealing with the Noah Family in Starlit Block Thirteen.

Facing Shayina, who looked expectantly at him, the Black Earl sighed softly, ”It’s not that I don’t want to help, but it’s very difficult to do so.”

”Very difficult?” Vay murmured in a low voice, ”What do you mean?”

The Black Earl scoffed impatiently, ”It’s not because of you.”

Vay pointed to himself, utterly confused.

The Black Earl ignored him and instead spoke to Shayina, ”I’m currently just an avatar, my strength differs greatly from my true self, you should know that.”

Shayina nodded, the strength of the Black Earl’s avatar was not exactly a secret in the Southern Domain. The strongest avatars, the hand, foot, eye, and mouth, follow the most promising descendants of the Noah Family, and the strength of these avatars alone is enough to reach the level of True Knowledge Wizards of the bloodline side.

The nose avatar has never shown strength, but by ordinary reasoning, it should also be around the level of a Level 1 True Knowledge Wizard. Perhaps its pure strength doesn’t match a bloodline True Knowledge Wizard, but its experience and insight far surpass ordinary True Knowledge Wizards.

”My current avatar and I can’t rely solely on strength to break the Word Spirit contract of the man in the suit. In other words, if I am to save them, I must participate in this contract, otherwise the contract’s power will interfere with me, preventing me from using my full strength.”

Upon hearing this, Shayina seemed to understand somewhat, ”So, you mean that the man in the suit won’t invite you into the contract...”

The Black Earl nodded, ”Precisely, that is one aspect. If the other party recognizes my identity, they will not willingly invite me into the contract. While I can attack the man in the suit directly, in the process, he could kill Elder Shu and the others before I have a chance to save them.”

”And standing by and watching them die isn’t the sight you want to see either.”

Shayina nodded in silent agreement... how could she stand by and watch Gailuo die?

But the Black Earl wasn’t wrong. The man in the suit, as the contract creator, would definitely not allow the Black Earl into the contract if he recognized him.

Unable to enter the contract, the Black Earl would have to fight and rescue under the interference of the contract’s power.

The power of a contract is not something easily contended with, the Black Earl could very well falter here.

Therefore, the Black Earl’s previous silence makes sense.

Shayina’s expression dimmed, her eyes flashed, ”Is there really no way at all?”

”There is a way.”

”I thought... huh, there is a way?” Shayina suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with hope as she looked towards the Black Earl.

The Black Earl, ”Looking at me is useless. The method I’m talking about is him.”

The Black Earl manipulated a wisp of energy, forming an arrow shape pointing towards Vay.

Vay looked blank, ”Me? What do I have to do with it?”

Lucia and Shayina also looked at Vay in confusion. As Official Wizards, they could see through Vay at a glance. He was just an apprentice; with the Black Earl around, they were too polite to probe further.

But his identity as an apprentice was real, and the Black Earl’s avatar following him was because he was a Noah descendant. This was quite normal; nearly all Noah descendants carry around the Black Earl’s avatars.

This was the reason outsiders dared not target Noah descendants, carrying a Great Wizard’s avatar everywhere they went, who would dare provoke them?

”That’s right, it’s Vay.” The Black Earl, ”If you want me to help, it must be with his consent.”

Vay couldn’t believe it, ”I... have I become so important? Is it because of my idol?”

The Black Earl said impatiently, ”Does your idol have anything to do with you?”

Vay retorted softly, ”My good buddy mixes with my idol, in other words, I’m also involved.”

Shayina and Lucia: ”???” What are you talking about? Who is Vay’s idol? Who seems so powerful that even the Black Earl has to respect?

The Black Earl ignored Vay and turned to Shayina, ”I know you’re confused, but the reason is simple.”

”You should remember, it was Vay who first looked at the man in the suit.”

Shayina nodded, at the time it was Vay who first looked at the man in the suit, which led her and Gailuo to follow Vay’s gaze and find the man’s location.

The Black Earl continued, ”When Vay looked at him, he also saw Vay, and he said a sentence to Vay...”

Vay continuously nodded, ”That’s right, he did say something, but I didn’t hear what it was at the time.”

The Black Earl said calmly, ”What he said was...”

——Want to play a game?

...

After hearing the Black Earl’s explanation, Shayina finally understood.

Why the Black Earl said that they must have Vay’s consent.

Because initially, the man in the suit invited Vay to a game, and that game is the current brawl game.

Vay didn’t hear it at the time, so he neither accepted nor refused.

But as long as Vay is willing, he can choose to accept or reject the game at any time. Once Vay agrees to the game, he’ll automatically be included in the contract scope.

Now, the Black Earl has merged with Vay, the Black Earl directly occupying Vay’s nose, so if Vay agrees, the Black Earl can join the contract with him.

In essence, it’s a way of circumventing to save them.

And it all starts with Vay.

However, even if the Black Earl knows this method, he did not immediately nod in agreement because once Vay is drawn into this brawl, he becomes a participant, and he could also be attacked.

Elder Shu and the others are at least Official Wizards, taking one or two hits won’t be a problem, but Vay can’t handle it. If he’s attacked, and if the Black Earl doesn’t defend in time, he’s 100% going to die.

And the Black Earl isn’t sure if he can both rescue Elder Shu and others and protect Vay as well.

After all, the man in the suit has considerable strength, and there’s an unexposed Shallow Sea Strongman hidden. Should the Shallow Sea Strongman appear, it would be an even tougher fight.