Chapter 1689: Deep Current

Believe me, Amiro!

That guy is at most Star-Destroying Level! If we all join forces, that stupid dragon and that old coot Hei Di are absolutely no match for us!!

Outside the fortress battlefield, chaotic light and aura flickered like various searchlights, shining on the pitch-black, slowly moving Black Lock iron curtain.

Under the sky, projections of over ten hulking Star-Destroying Level powerhouses looked on, like a gathering, as the flame giant demon in the center spoke eloquently.

I guarantee it! My information won't be wrong!

I'll go too! If the information were wrong, how could I possibly risk myself!!

Whether it's tribal custom or not, the flame giant demon roared as it opened its mouth; the flames in its mouth were like lava, scorching the earth into one pit after another.

Yet despite the flame giant demon's repeated promises, the remaining nine Star-Destroying Levels around it remained unmoved.

Or rather, everyone was waiting for another Fifth Stage to respond.

Attack together? Star-Destroying Level?

Gul Hong Mo, your promise is meaningless. Even if you personally join the battle, what would that prove? Prove that your information is correct?

With a cold chuckle, implicitly the strongest among the many Star-Destroying Levels, a figure clad head-to-toe in azure battle armor, wearing a masked iron helmet with a single horn—the War Star Emperor Amiro—now merely scoffed at the past without restraint.

He gazed at Gul Hong Mo, who glared with a pair of fiery giant eyes, merely standing calmly with arms crossed, as if he didn't care at all about provoking the opponent.

The fact has already proven that the one called Star-Shatter Level has problematic combat power.

The scouts you sent out all died; even that guy Hei Di immediately surrendered, choosing to become a dog.

Don't tell me it's some conspiracy or trick done on purpose. I only know that he is absolutely not that simple!

The restriction will end soon; we'll test again, and if we fail...

The War Star Emperor snorted contemptuously and glanced at the enraged Red Demon.

Gul Hong Mo, you want to kill yourself with stupidity, but I don't.

The words fell.

As a Star-Destroying Level War Star Emperor Amiro, he straightforwardly pointed out the problem.

Unlike what Lin An imagined, the remaining fifteen Star-Destroying Levels were all thinking of attacking him, preparing to launch the next round of probing or encirclement.

Actually, only three factions were truly eager to move; the remaining Star-Destroying Levels were mostly just watching, not even wanting to get involved.

The reason is simple.

The deterrent power of the Star-Shatter Level is simply too great.

Take the current situation as an example.

Of the ten Star-Destroying Levels present, only three were on the flame giant demon's side, ready to persuade the others.

And the remaining seven Star-Destroying Levels, led by the War Star Emperor, had no intention of taking action at all.

And the final five Star-Destroying Levels, the moment Lin An's title appeared, directly fled with their people, vanishing without a trace, and have not shown up since.

You...!

The temperature surged.

Frantically angry, irritable.

Faced with the War Star Emperor's mockery, the flame giant demon seemed so angry it wanted to summon hellfire to directly incinerate this tin can.

Just knowing that he and his companions had to rely on the other side, he could only force himself to swallow the three words 'coward'.

Exactly.

Right now, the people surrounding Lin An outside the fortress are precisely his own; to be exact, they are the three Star-Destroying Levels of the Destruction Alliance joining forces.

Three hundred seventy Fifth Stages, plus three Star-Destroying Levels, is all the strength they can muster.

Rather than being Hei Di's judgment, it is a vanguard assembled by multiple parties working together.

This force matches the strength beside Lin An, seeming capable of a battle, even having an advantage in the number of Fifth Stages, but for the flame giant demon it is far from enough.

Let's join forces together, Amiro—I can give you half of the reward!

I'm also willing to give up a third of those War Star Level heads!

A low growl.

Gul Hong Mo stared fixedly at the double pupils beneath that iron mask.

He wanted these Star-Destroying Levels to act together, not only to reduce losses but also to increase certainty.

More importantly, he simply dared not let this bunch just watch!

If Amiro and the others don't join in, he wouldn't dare, couldn't act!

Half?

Muffled inside the armor, a sound like a great bell shattered the surrounding rippling regulatory fluctuations.

The War Star Emperor looked somewhat surprised at the flame giant demon before him; the second pair of eyes beneath the armor seemed to be pondering something.

Willing to split half the reward... frankly, this condition still moves him.

Not only that, this promise also reveals another piece of information.

That is, this flame giant demon of the Fifth Stage truly has confidence.

For Amiro, what he truly worries about is Lin An's strength; but looking at Gul Hong Mo's performance, it seems he's sure nothing unexpected will happen.

Thinking of how that flame giant demon had previously sent people to probe the fortress, the War Star Emperor suddenly realized that this flame giant demon might have grasped some key information he hasn't revealed.

You're that confident? Or are you afraid we'll strike after you succeed?

You want to drag us down with you?

After a brief contemplation, the deep, muffled voice sounded again.

War Star Emperor Amiro bluntly pointed this out.

They're all Fifth Stages; some of the most basic calculations anyone could think of.

They all have it.

War Emperor, stop pretending! I don't believe you're not moved by the reward for killing that guy!

You might not care about points, but what about permissions!? At least an a-rank permission, even if dismantled, we each could get a b-rank!

You've been stuck at Star-Destroying Level for a long time, huh... Without permission, how long do you think you can survive?!

Appeal to interests.

Hearing the Red Demon talk about permissions, everyone present of the Fifth Stage felt a jolt in their hearts.

Especially the War Emperor who was named, he fell silent at this moment.

Permissions..

Yes, permissions are far too important for them.

Especially for the War Emperor, his strength is among the strongest at Star-Destroying Level, but that also means he's been stuck at this level for a long time.

Under the Apocalypse, not growing stronger means waiting to die—this is the cruelest truth.

If he can't get another permission to trade with the system for an advancement path, he really won't live much longer.

The continually upgrading tasks ahead cannot be lowered even with points; put another way, one would enter a death loop!

In the silence, seeing himself gradually regain the initiative, he persuaded these Star-Destroying ones.

The fire giant demon gave a cold snort in his heart and simply struck while the iron was hot.

After the battle starts, I'll entangle Hei Di; if you're willing, you bring people to go up against Lin An.

Amiluo, as long as you agree, I'll give you three b-rank permissions from the combat forces; if you can persuade the others, gathering an a-rank isn't impossible!

Hearing the fire giant demon's conditions again, the War Emperor, clad head to toe in War Armor, suddenly spoke:

No!

Go face that one!

You didn't say he's only Star-Destroying at most?

After we quickly kill the other Fifth Stages, we'll immediately come to support you! Gul Hong Mo, you're so confident—then you go face Lin An!

As if testing, the War Emperor, his expression icy cold, laid out the final condition.

Not being moved is fake; this fire giant demon is so confident that if even the greatest risk is willing to be borne, then he's also willing to stake everything!

You...!

Amiluo! Your rule-based survival ability is the strongest! I sought you out for cooperation, hoping you would go! If not, what right do I have to give you so much!

So you're unwilling? You aren't absolutely confident?

If you want me to take the risk, then let's not discuss this any further!

No.. damn it!

Alright..

I'll go then!

After a quick round of negotiations, the fire giant demon seemed helpless, grudgingly accepting the final condition.

Merely hidden behind the blazing fire giant's pupils, no one knows what he's thinking at this moment.

Let him go up against Lin An? Up against that 'Shatter Star'?

It looks like he's forced, bearing the greatest risk.

But only the Red Demon himself knows, this is what he truly wants.

Lin An...

In the final second as the projection slowly faded, the brutish-faced Gul Hong Mo suddenly regained composure, silently chuckling.

In his eyes, it seemed to appear the last scene the Flame Ghost saw before death.

He saw it—the true strength of that insect!