The black spear that had pinned the Shadow Assassin to the pillar dissipated into black mist, allowing the Shadow Assassin to stand up and join the ranks of Lu Li, playing the role of Sloth, and the King of Darkness, Dark River.
"So you were never really cooperating with me," Fu Bin's expression changed as he quickly realized the truth. The mask was brought by the Shadow Assassin, and he had been deceived from the very beginning.
"Now that we're here, can you explain some things to us? You've planned this for so long, and it's almost over. Aren't you going to boast a little?" Old Hu stepped forward, discreetly clutching a crimson stone, remaining vigilant.
"Are you trying to extract information from us? But since you've asked so sincerely, we'll generously tell you." The Shadow Assassin's tone was smug, as if revealing the truth was a source of pride. "To prevent... ah, whatever."
"This all started with the last Mask Battle," the Shadow Assassin began to reminisce. "The last battle took place in an alternate dimension."
At this point, Lu Li, playing the role of Sloth, observed Old Hu carefully. Though surprised, Old Hu didn't seem confused, indicating he—or perhaps the state—was aware of this alternate dimension.
"The seven mask bearers back then were far stronger than you are now. Of course, that's partly because you've had your masks for less time. That battle was the closest to success. The bearers fought to the death, and as Sloth said, he was the final winner."
"But even with all seven sins gathered, they couldn't truly merge. Becoming a god who holds the power of the seven sins was out of reach. My body was destroyed in that battle, and I could only cling to the mask to survive. I carefully researched and found that the seven sins alone were not enough. There must be other forces to balance them," Sloth interjected. "In time, with the help of certain members of the Shadow Clan, I created three new masks from the seven sins: Fear, Hatred, and Destruction."
"With these three powers, along with the seven sins, we can forge a new Tree of Man and God, becoming new deities," Sloth said excitedly. "Unfortunately, creating these three masks drained the originally abundant power of the seven sins, necessitating a new Mask Battle."
"And the original alternate dimension became unusable due to unforeseen events. We needed a new venue," continued the Shadow Assassin. "In this real world, there's no better place than Le Ping City. Here, interference is minimal."
"Aren't you afraid of that entity interfering?" Old Hu's mind raced with information as he questioned the validity of their statements.
"That's why you're mere mortals. To become gods, you must give up certain things. We can't predict those entities' intentions; they might hinder us, but they could also assist us, possibly increasing our chances of success," Lu Li recited the script while pondering the true motives of the beings behind him.
"But it seems you've made a mistake. There are only three of you here. According to what you've said, there should be three more hidden in the shadows," Old Hu said coldly, calculating rapidly. If the information he had was correct, Li Yuanfeng was one, leaving two more hidden figures.
"Correct. Fear, Hatred, and Destruction broke free from our control, taking Greed with them," Lu Li said "helplessly." "Hatred's nature makes cooperation impossible, and Destruction's character ensures he can't work with us."
"They're likely watching us from some corner. So now, I have a proposal." Lu Li turned to the mask bearers and spoke sincerely. "The mask ritual doesn't necessarily require killing the other bearers. We can merge into one."
"A single human is too limited. By initiating the ritual, we'll fuse together, combining all our attributes to form a new being... no, a new god!"
"Abandoning our trivial human selves, we can become gods. Only then will you understand how insignificant we are and how great gods can be." Lu Li's words were tempting, but he knew these people would never agree. The original sins had deeply rooted selfishness in their hearts, making them incapable of agreeing to such a proposal.
As expected, the mask bearers all shook their heads. Lu Li, playing Sloth, wasn't disappointed and instead turned to Old Hu. "Now that you know everything, can you unfreeze Anger and leave? We promise not to expand the battlefield."
"Sorry, but Le Ping City is sovereign territory of Da Yue. Any illegal gatherings must be stopped, especially considering the destruction you've caused. Da Yue does not negotiate with enemies," Old Hu shook his head, his gaze sharp. When he spoke of Da Yue, he referred to it as a dynasty, not a nation.
Lu Li knew Old Hu was telling the truth. Since its founding, Da Yue had never compromised, even when it was the most logical and beneficial option. They believed they would one day stand above all nations, making all others bow. Thus, many in Da Yue referred to it as a dynasty, not a nation.
"When an ability user dies, their abilities usually dissipate," Lu Li said coldly. "Since you won't agree, we'll have to take extreme measures."
Old Hu sighed. He didn't fully trust what these people said, even though it sounded reasonable. One should never fully believe what others tell you, no matter how plausible it seems. In truth, he didn't want to fight. Negotiating and retreating might be the best option, but that wasn't the way of Da Yue.
Old Hu tossed a bottle to Fu Bin and crushed the crimson stone in his hand. A blood-red energy surged into his body, suppressing his old injuries and unleashing his full power.
"If there's no compromise, then we'll fight!"