Even a fool could tell from You Lan's words that One Smile, One City had come to save face.
"So, based on what Miss You Lan is saying, are our two guilds going to war?" Shi Feng cut straight to the point.
As for the matter of killing Dongfang Yijian — if One Smile, One City hadn't struck first, Shi Feng wouldn't have bothered. In White River City, Zero Wing held a significant advantage. Even with One Smile, One City's powerful financial offensive, they couldn't sustain it for long. Left alone, they would eventually destroy themselves.
One Smile, One City knew this well enough. Their goal had only been to slow Zero Wing's growth and cause trouble. Their real objective was to solidify control over the five major cities surrounding White River City, bringing them entirely under Underworld's dominion. Once that was accomplished, dealing with Zero Wing would be simple.
"Guild Master Black Flame, how can you say that? I only came here to seek justice for our brothers. How could I dare provoke a full-scale war between our two guilds?" You Lan said with a smile.
"Seek justice?" Shi Feng couldn't help but laugh. "You really think highly of me — sending two thousand people to ambush just me? Am I really that terrifying?"
If it were only Shi Feng alone right now, You Lan could almost guarantee that he had a very high chance of escaping. He might even kill her first and then flee. After all, something similar had happened to Wei Wo Du Kuang before.
Now that so many days had passed, You Lan refused to believe that Shi Feng's strength hadn't improved. Zero Wing's elite gear was already abundant enough for guild members to exchange freely — as the guild master, how could he not have even better equipment?
"Then what exactly do you propose?" Shi Feng asked.
"As long as Guild Master Black Flame lets us kill you once, this matter will be considered settled. Isn't that reasonable?" You Lan said slowly. "If our two guilds truly go to war, neither side benefits. It would only be a boon for the other guilds. I hope Guild Master Black Flame will consider it carefully."
"Bullshit!"
"Don't even think about it! We'd rather die a hundred deaths than let the guild master suffer such humiliation!"
Hei Zi and the others stepped forward one after another. Facing their desperate situation, they had already steeled themselves for death.
Sacrificing the guild master in their place? If word ever got out, every guild in the Divine Realm would mock them, and Zero Wing would become a laughingstock. How could they ever show their faces again?
"In a moment, I'll carve out an escape route. Take it and run if you can." Shi Feng drew both the Abyssal and the Shadow of Purgatory in one fluid motion, a cold glint flickering in his eyes. He then turned to Lan Shuyun, his voice full of apology. "I'm truly sorry for dragging you into a guild conflict. But if you make it clear to One Smile, One City that you're uninvolved, they shouldn't attack you. This is a matter between guilds. Free players are innocent."
Though he was currently weakened — all his stats reduced by eighty percent — and he had no idea how today would end, this blood debt would be repaid tenfold.
"Guild Master Black Flame, say no more. Our squad was already dead to rights back when those red-named players attacked us. Now that you're surrounded, how could we stand by and do nothing?" With that, Lan Shuyun raised her mithril shield and stepped to the very front.
The rest of Lan Shuyun's squad nodded in agreement, drawing their weapons and bracing themselves to fight alongside Shi Feng against two thousand guild Elites.