No signal down in the Scalegorge Waterscape.
Sylvia had noticed the moment they entered.
Just as Dan Shu said, someone really did need to leave the area below the seal and head outside to contact Jing Yuan.
To call for the Cloud Knights—or even for Jing Yuan himself—to come to the Scalegorge Waterscape.
And between Dan Shu and Sylvia, Sylvia was clearly the more suitable one to go.
Carried outward by the swirling currents, Sylvia naturally shifted into her draconic form to better adapt to the underwater environment of the Waterscape.
She surged up through the dim seawater and broke the surface.
Her body arced through the air before landing lightly on her feet.
Sylvia glanced around and spotted the still-unconscious Vidyadhara warrior.
"Well now… you haven't run off. Guess it's your fate to become a bargaining chip in Jing Yuan's hands."
She planted a foot firmly on the man's back and pulled out her phone to check.
The signal, completely blocked before, was finally back.
"This seal over the Scalegorge Waterscape really is something, huh? Even cuts off the signal. Tsk tsk."
Sylvia couldn't help but click her tongue in admiration.
The strength of wireless signals in this interstellar era was no joke compared to her past life.
With that thought, she briefly relayed her discoveries in the Waterscape to Jing Yuan.
Including the troublesome Vidyadhara currently under her foot.
Who knew how long the drug Dan Shu administered would last? If he woke up too early and quietly offed himself, that'd be a bit of a waste.
Sylvia didn't doubt the possibility of suicide.
Worst case, he might even try to flip the script and blame them.
After informing Jing Yuan, Sylvia settled down on a nearby reef.
She had no intention of leaving.
Just heading out of the Waterscape like Dan Shu suggested? Absolutely not possible.
Her longsword was back in her grip, and the battle armor of the Herrscher of Flamescion was fully manifested.
Gazing out at the calm sea, Sylvia gradually felt her own mood settle.
'Not sure if Dan Heng will make it in time…'
In the original course of events, he'd wandered around and only reunited with the others at the very end, even fighting Blade along the way.
With this emergency, could Dan Heng still get here in time?
Well, it wasn't a big problem.
She was here, after all.
As for Dan Shu wanting to confront Phantylia and seek death, Sylvia had no real reason to stop her.
Then again, considering the crimes Dan Shu bore, even if she lived, she'd just be sent to the Ten-Lords Commission for judgment—death would come sooner or later.
Sylvia simply felt it was a bit of a pity.
Even if one's life was pitiable, once you chose the wrong path at a certain moment, the world wouldn't show an ounce of mercy.
People would only think she deserved to die, turning a blind eye to the circumstances that pushed her to such extremes.
Huo Huo was just soft-natured by character. If she were truly more radical, and with that Heliobus Tail following her—who didn't know good from evil—it was hard to say.
Like a child wielding a gun, it was uncertain whether she'd become some tyrannical female demon.
The Luofu had many troubles: external threats and internal strife.
The Abundance Emanators watched with greedy eyes, the Destruction Legion schemed with ill intent.
Internally, the Vidyadhara were divided in loyalty, and the position of the Vidyadhara High Elder remained unresolved.
If Sylvia remembered correctly, even now, different factions within the Luofu's Vidyadhara were still arguing.
Should they elevate Bailu, or bring Dan Heng back to take the position?
Some even wanted to discard the High Elder entirely and let the Dragon Elders rule.
Add all those troublesome social issues on top…
Just thinking about it made Sylvia worry for Jing Yuan. 'Wonder if he'll work overtime until he gets mara-struck?'
Fortunately, Jing Yuan at least had the will to reform.
Hard to say about the rest, but at least that little girl Dan Shu once cared for would surely have a better future.
The advantage of long-life species showed here: those in power held their positions for a long time, allowing many policies to be implemented over decades.
No need to worry about a change in leadership halfway, leaving things neither properly started nor finished.
--+--
Meanwhile.
Far across the starry river, Acheron suddenly felt an inexplicable flash of insight.
"Hmm?"
She instinctively touched the ring on her left ring finger.
This familiar feeling…
'Is it time to fight?'
Frowning, Acheron took out her phone and opened Sylvia's chat window.
'Was this woman planning to go fight alone again?'
Without calling her over?
The thought made Acheron a little angry again.
Scalegorge Waterscape—
A phone notification chimed.
Sylvia tapped to look and immediately made a subtle expression.
"Uh…"
Acheron's profile picture appeared on the screen, along with her unmistakably displeased prompting.
[Acheron: About to start a fight, huh? Not calling me?]
[Sylvia: …]
[Acheron: Guilty conscience, right?]
[Sylvia: Who's guilty? You're the guilty one! I'm open and aboveboard, completely open and honest!]
'Does Acheron have some kind of fight radar in her head?'
'The battle hasn't even started yet, and she can still sense it?'
Sylvia scratched her head with her phone.
If she didn't call her back, she had a feeling there'd be serious consequences later.
She could almost picture Acheron drawing her blade, trying to teach her a lesson.
'Darn it, I'm supposed to be the tough one.'
'She just bullies me every day, relying on her strength as an Emanator!'
'Just wait till I devour Phantylia and move the Ambrosial Arbor. Then we'll see who's stronger!'
Sylvia scrunched up her face and gritted her teeth, but ultimately conceded to Acheron's demand.
No helping it. For now, Sylvia couldn't beat Acheron and was stuck being bullied.
She muttered quietly, "Help me, Big Sister Acheron."
A pixelated-style portal swirled open. Acheron, holding her sword, stepped lightly onto the sandy shore of the Waterscape.
Noticing Sylvia beside her as she landed, their eyes met.
Sylvia was just about to offer a cheerful greeting when Acheron reached out and pinched Sylvia's cheek.
And pulled hard—
"Don't start fighting—!!"
Acheron did, after all, consider that they were outdoors and not at home.
So she merely pinched Sylvia's cheek until it turned a little red before letting go.
"I told you last time, and you still wanted to take on Phantylia alone?"
Acheron held her long sword, eyeing Sylvia with a dangerous look.
"Go on, let me hear your excuses."
Sylvia covered her reddened cheek, her eyes darting away, all her previous sharpness gone in an instant.
"I…"
"You were going to say Jing Yuan could back you up, so you weren't really alone, right?"
Sylvia had barely started when Acheron pinpointed her intent, cutting her off mid-flow.
Sylvia blinked, then quickly changed tack:
"She…"
"Phantylia is heavily injured, so she's not that dangerous. That's what you wanted to say, right?"
"You…"
"I can't expose my identity as a Self-Annihilator? It's not like we're fighting in public. We can just ask people to keep quiet afterward, can't we?"
"…"
"Speak up. Why so quiet now?"
Sylvia choked, looking helplessly at Acheron.
'Not cool, man.'
'You said all my lines. What's left for me to say??'
'And aren't you supposed to be the strong, silent type? Since when did you become so chatty?'
"Because you annoy me!"
Acheron shot Sylvia an exasperated glare.
'This idiot's going to turn my hair white from frustration.'
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.