Sylvia's words were deliberately harsh.
But to be honest, in the eyes of a Lord Ravager, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus truly weren't worth much. After all, the armies of destruction under each Lord Ravager were no joke.
Dan Shu understood this well. She also knew that Sylvia wouldn't be saying such things at this moment purely to provoke her.
However, Dan Shu's purpose in approaching Sylvia today was precisely to gauge her attitude toward the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. So, suppressing her emotions, Dan Shu spoke up:
"If Miss Sylvia has any thoughts, please speak plainly. There's no need to beat around the bush."
Sylvia set down her cup and blinked slowly.
"You should be familiar with the methods of the Lord Ravager, Phantylia. If the Xianzhou truly falls, you can imagine the fate awaiting the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus."
"...Miss Sylvia's methods are truly inscrutable. That person's identity should be known only to me."
Even among the inner circle of the Disciples, only a handful knew their ally came from the Legion of Destruction. As for their actual title, no one had a clue—only she herself knew.
So there was simply no possibility of a leak.
Sylvia must have obtained the information through other channels.
Then… since she even knew the name Phantylia, her own identity likely couldn't be hidden from her either.
Dan Shu fell into deep thought.
Seeing that she had successfully intimidated Dan Shu, Sylvia smiled, rested one hand on the table, and began tapping the surface lightly with her fingers as she continued:
"For a long time, I couldn't understand why you would choose to make a deal with a Lord Ravager. But after meeting you, Leader, something suddenly occurred to me—"
As she spoke, Sylvia picked up her medicinal tea and took another sip.
"Leader, your hatred for the Hunt is profound, but you also secretly yearn for release, don't you? You know perfectly well that whether you succeed or fail, you will die once this is over."
Dan Shu was mad, but not stupid.
Who were the Lord Ravagers? Did Dan Shu not know?
A bunch of terrorists obsessed only with destroying worlds. Even if they did overthrow the Xianzhou, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus would never survive.
In the end, they'd likely be burned to ashes alongside the Xianzhou by the armies of destruction.
Sylvia had indeed been puzzled before. But after several encounters, combined with the background she knew, a thought struck her:
Perhaps Dan Shu chose to cooperate with a Lord Ravager precisely because she knew she would die regardless of the outcome.
Moreover, by allying with a Lord Ravager, her plan to overthrow the Luofu and take revenge on the Hunt stood a terrifyingly high chance of success.
For Dan Shu, the only thing keeping her alive, preventing her from descending completely into Mara, was the sheer intensity of her hatred for the Hunt.
Beyond that, there was nothing left.
No one is born wanting to die, but some live a life worse than death.
Sylvia watched Dan Shu quietly.
She wondered if, over the long years, Dan Shu had ever regretted not following her comrades to the front lines. At least that way, she wouldn't have had to live in such agony.
Perhaps Dan Shu simply wanted revenge, and her own death at the end would be the perfect final touch.
As for the other members of the Disciples, they likely had no idea of the truth, thinking only that their Leader had secured the backing of a mysterious Emanator.
If they learned that Emanator was a Lord Ravager, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus would probably disband on the spot.
"..."
Dan Shu remained silent for a long moment, then let her hands drop below the table, out of Sylvia's sight.
"Miss Sylvia, if you ever took up storytelling, you'd be quite popular."
"Then consider this a story I'm spinning."
Unfazed by the dismissal, Sylvia immediately pressed on:
"Leader, you must be aware of the recent upheaval on the Xianzhou caused by me."
"Naturally. Many of my brothers and sisters have been sacrificed because of it."
"I've always believed in rooting out problems completely. And in my view, a Lord Ravager and the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus are not equals. Your promises aren't enough to put me at ease."
Sylvia bluntly pointed out the Disciples' weakness—their lack of strength.
If they truly had the power, they would have risen up long ago. Did they remain in hiding because they enjoyed it? Of course not. It was because they weren't strong enough.
"So, I want to meet Phantylia. Tell me her location."
"Impossible."
This time, Dan Shu's refusal was immediate.
"Nothing is impossible. Leaving aside that a Lord Ravager is hardly a suitable partner, I'm not asking you to betray her. I only wish to make a deal—with Phantylia, and with you."
Dan Shu wondered if Sylvia had lost her mind.
Where did she get the confidence to think Dan Shu would hand over information about her patron?
Assuming the Xianzhou and Sylvia had already reached some sort of agreement, even sharing intelligence, the main reason the Xianzhou hadn't moved against the Disciples yet—besides being unable to find them—was likely caution toward Phantylia.
As long as Phantylia remained hidden, their plans could advance day by day.
"And what collateral does Miss Sylvia offer for this transaction? How can I trust you?"
"A Stellaron capable of reviving the Ambrosial Arbor."
Sylvia's bargaining chip was, naturally, a Stellaron.
Since acquiring Heliobi as an energy source, and with plans to use Phantylia as a backup battery, the Stellaron she'd obtained earlier had become rather useless.
Not only was there no place to use it, but it also took up space in one of her storage cards.
Might as well trade it for information on Phantylia.
Whether Dan Shu would even get the chance to use the Stellaron to revive the Arbor was one thing. When everything was over, Sylvia could always take it back.
After all, to others, a Stellaron was a hot potato.
Heck, the Xianzhou might even thank her for it.
In the original events, the details surrounding the Stellaron and its detonation had always been murky.
Whether the Stellaron was really brought in by Luocha was still debatable. Just because he claimed responsibility didn't make it true—he might have been taking the blame on purpose.
Dan Shu frowned.
"Words alone prove nothing."
"Leader, you must know that my arrival coincided with the disappearance of a Stellaron. Where do you think that missing Stellaron went? I don't mind showing it to you, but if it attracts General Jing Yuan… well, you'll bear the consequences."
"..."
Sylvia's argument had nearly convinced Dan Shu. Sylvia's origins weren't hard to trace.
When the two of them arrived at the port by ship, the flight path had automatically recorded a certain Star Rail that had been blocked for years.
Later, when someone went to investigate, they found the Stellaron there had vanished without a trace.
If the Xianzhou knew, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus could also find out.
Where the Stellaron was hidden was likely known only to those two.
Dan Shu had assumed the Stellaron had been handed over to the appropriate authorities for disposal. But it seemed… Sylvia had kept it for herself?
--+--
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.