Looking at the wide-open, seemingly unguarded city gates, vigilance was heightened in everyone's hearts.
Baiyu was no exception.
Although the Shell People Race wasn't as cunning as the Demon Race or the Ghost-faced Race, they were not merely a small tribe.
Every Shell People Race unit was definitely systematically trained.
Be it for combat or for strategic command and layout.
Baiyu couldn't help but suspect that everything before his eyes was a Shell People's conspiracy, but there was a crucial decision he had to make now.
Should he enter the city or not!
This was a dilemma; entering the city could mean falling into the Shell People Race's ambush, becoming trapped like a fish in a net, with no chance of escape.
Even with the Black Moon Giant as his trump card, Baiyu couldn't guarantee he would emerge unscathed.
If he didn't go in,
it was possible the enemy within the city was weak, their elite warriors had already left, and those inside were the Shell People's elderly, weak, and sick. They only needed to launch a strong assault to capture this underground fortress buried within the mountain.
The deliberate opening of the city gates could also be a feigned empty city tactic.
No one knew the situation inside the city.
No one dared to determine if entering would be dangerous or advantageous.
"Director, given the current situation, what should we do?"
Beside him,
a commander asked in a low voice.
Baiyu furrowed his brow, looking at the Shellman standing on the city wall, sincerely inviting him to enter the city for negotiations, unsure of what to decide.
The situation reached a stalemate.
After about two minutes, the Shellman commander on the wall spoke: "Human commander, have you still not decided?
My sincerity has already been shown.
I hope you will refrain from extreme actions to avoid triggering conflicts; there may be many misunderstandings between us.
These can all be resolved through negotiations.
I only hope you can sit down and talk with us properly; many conflicts can be resolved easily.
By then, you will understand us and realize we have no ill intentions."
With the Shellman speaking again, Baiyu had no choice but to respond: "Wait a moment, I need to discuss with my other commanders."
Both sides fell silent once more.
After waiting for another ten minutes or so.
The Shellman on the city wall said: "Human commander, if you don't hurry, I will have to close the city gates.
Our surveillance system has already reported information; outside the cave entrance, Shellmen have entered.
Our Spirit Array was destroyed by an irresistible force, and now the mountain is just an undefended ordinary mountain unable to withstand the rampaging Shellmen.
You will also be torn to pieces in the onslaught.
There's no time left.
With the protection of the Spirit Array broken at the cave entrance, we can no longer resist the Shell People's attack."
Baiyu frowned.
These words revealed a lot of information, suggesting that if he wasn't lying, the Shellman inside and outside seemed to be two different factions.
Of course.
Alien races cannot be trusted.
This is engraved on every Anomaly Bureau building in the city.
However.
Even Baiyu's intelligence system showed that the unit stationed at the cave entrance was frantically resisting the Shell people's assault.
The enormous power of the Black Moon Giant not only failed to intimidate the Shellmen outside, but instead drove them mad, charging towards the cave entrance.
This was quite abnormal.
The Shell People's temperament had long been understood thoroughly by the Imperial after years of wars.
Every Shellman Race member typically had a cautious nature in their bones, especially when faced with unknown forces. They would repeatedly probe the surroundings, patiently observe before making any move.
The force created by the Black Moon Giant would likely not prompt this group of Shell People to immediately come to the cave to inspect the situation.
But the reality was completely different.
Moreover, according to the reports from the cave entrance unit, they had begun retreating under the cover of mechanical armored vehicles and heavy firepower weapons.
Every Shellman charged fearlessly.
Their numbers had already gathered to over a thousand!
"Something's amiss with these Shellmen here.... If these Shellmen inside and outside are not of the same faction, and are even mortal enemies.
The Shellmen outside, their purpose at this place,
is to eliminate this deviant faction among the Shell People Race.
Then considering the situation in the square..."
Baiyu had a feeling he was grasping the key to the problem, but there were still certain parts he hadn't figured out.
The Spirit Array inside and outside the cave...
The sudden appearance of Shellmen...
The large sacrificial ceremony held in front of the cave...
The Flesh and Blood Altar mentioned by the old Shellman...
And now, the frenzied offensive of the Shell People Race outside...
In an instant,
a flash of lightning struck through Baiyu's mind.
If the Shellmen outside truly came to eradicate these Shellmen inside the mountain, and coincidentally encountered the forces brought by him.
Conflict ensued between them.
The Shellmen outside might assume that the Shellmen inside the mountain had reached an agreement with the Human Imperial or had submitted to it.
As for the live sacrifice held outside the cave,
perhaps,
it was a way to pray for strange power from special existences, trying to break the Spirit Array enveloping the mountain; this could explain the madness of the Shellmen outside.
They might believe that the great existence they prayed to responded to their call!
Using indescribable immense power, they inflicted a devastating strike on the Spirit Array of the mountain!
Thus.
In their eyes.
The scene of the Black Moon Giant breaking the mountain's Spirit Array was seen as their sacrificial ceremony taking effect, with the great existence they prayed to descending power to assist them in breaking the restraint.
This way.
Shell People from all directions would rush over, aiming to purge traitors within the cave.
When they encountered the human forces left by Baiyu at the cave entrance, it further strengthened their belief that the Shellmen inside the mountain had reached an agreement with humans.
This was the reason for their anger.
As for the Shell People Race who hosted the sacrifice in the square dying, it was evidently classified by this group of Shellmen as "sacrificial victims."
After all.
The danger of praying to evil and cryptic existences was exceptionally great.
Furthermore, the alien race's method of praying is so primitive and bloody, that the manner of descending Divine Power would also be filled with violence and massacre.
In many instances.
Usually, those presiding over such evil rituals would be killed as sacrifices by the Evil God.
Baiyu, having figured out this series of events in his mind, formed a complete logical chain; though many things were his guesses and conjectures, at present, this hypothesis's correctness was pretty high.
The remaining task.
Was to verify them.
"Enter the city."
After pondering for a while, Baiyu decided to enter the city.
After all, with the Black Moon Giant backing him, in any scenario, he had a fighting chance.
The authenticity of matters.
Can be revealed once inside the city.
