The cooks, butlers, and maids unloaded large platters onto the table one after another: fresh bread and chowder, sushi, grilled fish, unagi, and fried fish. It was an unthinkable meal for the Sky Plane cultivators, who felt like royalty for the first time.
With Immortal Skye offering the soldiers high-quality spirits to wash down free power gains, Roxy couldn't order them to do anything. Noting the situation, she turned to her host and spoke candidly: "Are you bribing our soldiers with power?"
"I'm not bribing anyone with power—power is all we have," Jake replied coolly. "We have eighty thousand pounds of soul meat. Serving anything else would be a hit to our resources."
A heavy blanket of silence fell on the table, muting even Gabriel.
"What you attribute to bribes and provocations are basic aspects of our lives here," Veronica explained. "Everyone has sky-grade techniques; however, the talented can earn hundreds more. Soul meat is plentiful, and opportunities for promotion come every month, not in decades or centuries. Our reception is proof of lacking corruption, not the other way around."
A harmonic hum of envy and yearning spread through the room, but it only lasted a moment before the cultivators started eating, triggering a tsunami of praise and gratitude. Tears streamed down the cultivators' cheeks, and some openly proclaimed they wished they lived in Immortal Skye.
"Our leader has offered you—a potential enemy, as you aptly put it—health and power. Are you going to accept it?" Sage asked bitingly, looking at the pensive brunette who hadn't eaten anything. "Or will you turn down two dozen elementals because it may be poisoned?"
"My apologies; I was just thinking. I'll graciously try it," Roxy replied smoothly, internally reeling in shock. She couldn't believe she was looking at two dozen unique fish, each with Soul Qi attributes that could be hers just by eating it.
After assessing her choices, the pixie stabbed a strange white wheel with a fork. She thought it looked disgusting, stuffed with fish meat and wrapped in green leaves like savages made it. However, a surge of flavor lit up her taste buds when she took a bite, and a violent wave of power bolted through her body like lightning. "This… is amazing…."
"That's the spirit, Major!" Gabriel yelled, still hammered because he drank cognac at a speed that exceeded his improved healing. "Those little shits… hic… are called sushi! Now about that cognac—"
"No." Roxy said coldly.
"Ah… well, I guess… THERE'S MORE FOR US!" He yelled victoriously.
His words triggered a triumphant chorus of cheers and excitement, spreading through the room, marking a true celebration.
"Hey, join us!" A cultivator yelled to the Immortal soldiers lining the walls. "Don't just stand there!"
Jake gave his soldiers a knowing nod, and dozens of Immortals, butlers, and maids joined the tables. The groups swapped stories, discussing the Sky Plane and Mortal Plane.
Roxy watched in amazement, feeling strangely content. Beyond calling off the attack, she also decided that she would leverage her authority to veto Ramble's attack until they researched Immortal Skye. Fifty percent of the total allied forces were in the room and would enthusiastically support her motion. So she had a solid chance if she avoided disaster in the next thirty minutes.
"I didn't expect much when my superior sent me here," She announced genuinely. "However, from your welcome alone, I feel there is room for favorable negotiations and trade. Since we've exceeded our allotted time here, I must inform my superiors that our extended stay is intentional. Do you mind if I step out in ten minutes?"
Sage gave her a chilling glare. "You're the leader here, right? Why would you leave your people instead of sending a messenger?"
Roxy calmed her pounding heart skillfully and looked around. "As you can see, my subordinates are not sober enough to speak to my superior. It will only take ten minutes, and then I will return."
"Does that mean that they're nearby?" Veronica asked with narrowed eyes.
"It's far by mortal standards." The brunette pixie said smoothly, "However, as a Heaven Realm cultivator, I can fly far faster than my soldiers. You can watch me take off and return."
"Can I trust that you will act in good faith?" Jake asked frankly, "We genuinely aim to prevent hostilities between our people. I want to know if you feel the same."
"I'm acting in good faith." Roxy said genuinely, expressing the earnestness in her gaze, "That's why I'm communicating with my superiors to ensure they don't have misperceptions."
"If that's how it is, you can leave after finishing your plate." He replied calmly, "However, if potential misperceptions require immediate attention, I'd appreciate it if you were forthright about it so we can plan accordingly. We will not feel slighted if you act in good faith."
Roxy took a sharp yet subtle breath as Sage and Veronica's gazes bore into her soul. She felt naked at a crossroads, making a decision that would determine the fate of her soldiers - and everyone else's. She had to choose carefully, knowing that saying the wrong thing could make everything turn south.
═─┈─═
—Thirty Minutes Before—
"Major Reed, we need to go!" A man with a clean-shaven face and slicked black hair demanded. "Our major's jade slip is dead, and we can't wait for battle signs. You sent her in there with Captain Taylor and your and Major Ramble's scrap soldiers—she's nearly defenseless! She didn't sign up and hand you her soldiers, thinking you'd hold them back from saving her!"
Nineteen Heaven Realm and twelve Sky Realm cultivators stood around a blonde with a rough, battle-worn appearance, sitting on a boulder. Most were from Roxy's team and were angry they were sitting around while their leader was unresponsive.
Major Reed stopped twirling her jade slip around her fingers. Their yelling broke her out of deep thought, jarring her mind abruptly. In response, she looked up with hellfire and wrath flashing in her eyes: "I get she's your major, but if you want to criticize someone, you must be smarter than they are, Captain Cambell!"
Captain Cambell felt his lungs seize when she blitzed to his position, grabbing him by the toga. "I-I was just—"
The blonde ignored his words and swung his body around so he was facing the direction she was. Then she connected her thumb and middle finger, wrapped the jade slip in [battle aura], and balanced it on her knuckle. "Watch."
WhoOOoooOSH—CRACK! BOOM!
Major Reed flicked the jade slip into dead space. However, it abruptly reversed course when it reached 20 feet and shot back at them. Expecting it, she dodged just before the jade slip hit a tree and exploded in the dirt, destroying it on impact.
Everyone was stunned except the Major, who studied the area she hit, an invisible ripple of golden light like electricity, exposing a hidden barrier. The soldiers were stunned, seeing the barrier for the first time.
"I've only stayed put because I don't know how this fucking thing works," She growled murderously, "If you think I'm so weak that I'd sit back for petty orders, you're out of your goddamn mind!"
Crack!
Major Reed threw him like a ragdoll, sending his body crashing into a tree beyond the barrier. "The barrier didn't throw you back, so at least we know physical attacks work okay."
She walked through the barrier and flicked her finger twice. To her surprise, a small slash attack and Wind Slash shot forward and cut a tree. Next, she flicked her finger again, and a bubble of oxygen formed. However, the barrier activated in golden light, snuffing it out.
Confused, she turned around and fired an arrow imbued with battle aura out of the barrier—no problems. "So it prevents aerial bombing and fire…. It's prioritizing mass damage; if that's the case…."
After extending her finger, wind accumulated around her finger in a cyclone. The tempest grew in size and speed, rustling the leaves around them. However, after it grew to a dangerous level, the barrier activated and snuffed it out.
"Tricky, tricky." Major Reed grinned. "This barrier has limitations, so it plays dead to lure enemies into a false sense of security. Then it stops their major attacks when they're needed."
After a few more experiments, the blonde turned and made eye contact with her nervous soldiers.
"We fucked up." She chuckled, "This crazy-ass barrier proves these people are way out of our league. Now that I know how it works, we're saying fuck the operation and leading a rescue mission ahead of schedule."
Major Grace's soldiers lit up when they heard the woman's words. They were excited that the other majors weren't leaving their leader for dead.
"Once again, these people are out of our league," Major Reed reiterated. "That means we're running a diversion to help them counterattack and escape—not fighting to win. So go in, sow confusion, spread havoc, and fuck shit up as fast as possible to give them an opening. That's all we can do—so make it count."
"What about the barrier stopping our attacks?" Captain Campbell asked coolly.
"Hah!" Major Reed grinned mockingly. "You're all weak as fuck. This thing is designed for real troops with real power. So as long as you don't use fire, you should be able to go buck-wild.
It's a simple operation. Go in, fuck shit up, and then get the hell out on my orders!"
"Yes, mam!" They replied in unison.
This chapt𝙚r is updated by fr(e)ew𝒆bnov(e)l.com