Layn didn''t need to wait long for someone to rece the initial negotiator. From how quickly a new person appeared, it was obvious that this change was something that the other party anticipated and prepared for.


    "My Lord, I apologize for the ipetence of my precedesor," the new negotiator said as soon as he reached the talking distance away from Layn. "I hoped I could be the one to talk business with you, sir, from the very beginning, but as I believe you are aware off, internal politics can be a bitch," the man said, keeping a disgusting simile throughout his speech.


    "I think I know what you are talking about," Layn replied, ncing over his back towards where the rest of his group remained vignt.


    In theory, they were far enough for Layn to speakfortably. Yet, the reality of the situation was that even outside Markus, Al, and other powerhouses, even the weakest of the bunch, were high enough on the cultivationdder to easily monitor the entire discussion!


    But just as Layn was aware of that fact, Markus would make sure that everyone would be aware of how Layn was aware. Otherwise, what Layn was about to speak about with Kazan''s followers could easily uproot the trust between factions in the camp itself.


    "Well, it''s great we could establish something we can both understand so quickly," the man said. He then pulled his left leg to the back, ced his right-hand t over his heart, only to pull his fingers into a fist and m it in the very same ce a momentter. "I''m Ceres. I''m lieutenant of his majesty, general Kazan," he introduced himself, raising from the peculiar bow.


    "I''m Layn, the overlord of thends you guys wish to migrate to," the archmage replied, not pulling any punches.


    ''Now, let this doubt fester whether I learned it from Castor or if I figured it out myself,'' Layn thought, internally smiling when he saw the face of the man ahead of him sour slightly.


    "Sir Layn," Ceres spoke up. "Would you like to borate where do you see the field for cooperation?" the man asked, stealthy clenching his teeth.


    ''Oh, I shouldn''t push him like that,'' Layn thought, rejoicing at the moment.


    What he did earlier was just a small push. The fact that his negotiation partner reacted so heavily to the point of already getting annoyed only meant how ipetent he was.


    That, or he was a genius of negotiation capable of even fooling Layn in regards to his state of mind.


    "It''s simple," Layn smiled before stealing another nce behind his back. "I own thend that you guys are interested in. The problem is, thisnd has scarce resources and several groups already interested in holding it all for their dear life," Layn said, shrugging his arms only to roll his eyes a momentter. "Isn''t that annoying? Why hold on to something that you cannot really make use of if you can..." Layn took a little break, moving his eyes back on Ceres, "sell it off?"


    For a moment, Ceres simply stared at Layn as his eyes continued to widen in surprise.


    "Sir, is that really all?" Ceres asked, clearly unwilling to believe that the situation could be that simple. After all, his entire nation wanted to migrate to Layn''snds and was stopped by the fact that they could really deal with him on their own.


    Even for someone as rotten as a lieutenant from Kazan''s faction, such a dreamy solution had to seem not a bit but insanely off!


    "Obviously, nothing can be that easy," Layn said. Then, just like before, he looked around as if wary of some kind of spies before taking a few steps forward and gesturing at the man to do the same.


    ''I wonder what the boys are thinking,'' Layn thought, already repulsed by what he was about to do. Looking over the shoulder of Ceres, he could see that the mobile force behind him had already changed, proving that neither of the vian factions was willing to entrust their officers under the care of the soldiers of the other faction.


    ''Well, everything goes ording to the n,'' he thought, focusing as the distance between the two decreased to just a single step. ''Now, how should I lead with that?'' Layn asked himself as two options appeared before him.


    One was actually going on with the ruse and manipting the guy into sending a detachment to ''survey thend and iron out the details at their ce.'' This option allowed both Layn and his entire group to avoid spilling the blood themselves while achieving what they wanted. But because there would be no real pressure on the vians to keep going, it would be pretty hard to force them to sh with the monsters, even with all the tricks and illusions that Layn and others had up their sleeve.


    ''Do I really care about spilling some blood?'' Layn asked himself as he leaned over Ceres'' ear. His mouth opened up, yet before a single word coulde out from between his lips, Castor''s face appeared before Layn''s eyes.


    For a moment, he froze. Then, as the raging emotion filled his soul, Layn''s lips curved up.


    "Thanks for being a naive idiot," he whispered to Ceres'' ear before taking up a wrathful look on his face and shoving the man aside. Layn pushed the man strong enough to make him lose his bnce yet light enough to stop him from falling out of his range.


    "Where the hell do you think you are touching me?!" Layn shouted loud enough for every party in the area to realize that something was wrong.


    "What?" Ceres asked as he stumbled back. His eyes widened in shock, only for the man to squint them as realization started to reach his mind.


    But it was toote.


    With one swift motion, Layn pulled out a saber, one that hemandeered from the patrol his group defeated a few hours prior, only to sh Ceres right at the height... of his hips.


    The distance of the strike was perfectly calcted. Layn managed to avoid all the lethal points.


    He struck only one of them. A lethal point not to one''s health but one to one''s pride.


    "That''s what you get for trying to touch my pepe!" the archmage shouted madly, no longer bothered by making any sense. ''Was it a chuckle?'' he almost stumbled when a distant echo ofughter reached his ears. ''Well, whatever,'' he thought, raising his bloodied de to the people in the distance.


    "I could ept your sleaziness. I could ept your corruption!" he shouted, waving his de down while ncing at the weeping man just a few feet away. In the distance, the cavalry group of vians only now managed to ovee their shock, all kicking the sides of their horses to get revenge on Layn for viting the sanctity of negotiations and their emissary.


    "But I won''t ept your attempts to feel me up!" Layn shouted, cringing hard on the inside for how his words barely made any sense. "If you want to check if I''m a man, thene at me, you fucking perverts!" he shouted, iling his weapon madly in the direction of the vian fortifications.


    "We need to go," Markus said out loud, appearing right beside Layn and locking his arms around the archmage''s chest.. "We need to go now!" he shouted, dragging his friend away.