The bark of these trees is draped with layers of deep green scales, as if countless eyes are watching everything around them. The branches intertwine to form a dense thicket, resembling a maze supported atop the canopy.

Giant trees extend across most of the sky like a dome, covering the Great Rift. When the lethal torrent surges from the rift, it is filtered by the tree network, significantly reducing the concentration of decay epidemic, along with its lethality.

At this moment, Lebius seems to understand the significance of Mamo’s arrival. The Decision Room anticipated the possible outbreak of the decay epidemic and sent this ancient Seeker of Glory to use his Secret Energy and his massive, tsunami-like Ether to layer upon layer offset the decay epidemic, greatly mitigating its impact on the city.

Mamo coughed several times, sweat covering his forehead. Already looking old beyond recognition, he seems to age even more at this moment, his whole person becoming more withered, along with the giant tree he created, also turning ancient.

In the collision with the decay epidemic, the giant tree exhibits a fierce reaction. The bark, corroded by toxic fog, becomes fragile, covered with dense cracks, then falls off like ashes.

The roots coil around the trunk like green snakes climbing down, complex and sometimes intersecting, firmly gripping the ground, refusing to topple.

With further erosion and consumption by the decay epidemic, the giant tree also wilts bit by bit until it disappears into oblivion.

Mamo breathed deeply as Balder hurried over, injecting the Mang Silver Soul into him and other supplements to stabilize Mamo’s physical condition.

As an initial member of the Order Bureau, Mamo is indeed too old, and his Alchemy Matrix is outdated. Now, he has exhausted the first wave of the decay epidemic; his work is done.

Leaning tiredly on the Iron Coffin, Mamo strives not to fall.

The crisis is not yet resolved; a large amount of decay epidemic still accumulates within the Great Rift. Once there is a second surge, these deadly gases will continue to spread throughout the city.

But that part of the work is no longer related to Mamo. To reduce the impact of this wave, the Seeker of Glory’s power is depleted, with all Ether used to offset the decay epidemic, leaving his body nearly Ether exhausted. At this moment, as a Seeker of Glory, Mamo is frail.

Yet Mamo successfully minimized the influence of the first wave of impact, besides the air waves destroying many shops outside the rift, the fog will not be very deadly to humans, and the citizens’ lives are preserved.

"At least... at least the Lost Crossroads should’ve become a dead zone by now?"

Mamo thought, even with the Devil’s protection there, those hidden in other corners of the Great Rift should have turned into pools of pus now.

As for the ordinary people in Qiushang Town and the Mine, the Order Bureau had already conducted a comprehensive evacuation before the operation began. This part needs not worry.

"Looks like the Shadow King has exhausted every means. His death should be inevitable." Red Dog spoke, his voice echoing in the darkness, carrying a strange reverberation.

"Our deal should continue, right?"

He said, scrutinizing the Iron Coffin hidden behind Aimou and Balder.

The Shadow King is dead; next comes recovering Xilin’s corpse. In the dim light, Red Dog instinctively placed his hand on his sword hilt, knowing it would be the final performance.

Lebius shook his head and said, "I’ve lost contact with the Cultivation Room, I need to wait for communication to restore."

"Isn’t this too rigid?" Red Dog said, "Must we bring the Shadow King’s head to you?"

"Not impossible."

Faced with such a rule-bound Lebius, Red Dog had no solution. The decay epidemic affected communication, and he wasn’t sure what was happening inside the Great Rift or how the King’s Secret Sword’s side fared.

But so far, the operation has been smooth. The First Seat tried hiding the power, from outside, only shadowy sensing the Ether reactions of the Shadow King and the Seeker of Glory.

"So we have to continue waiting in this ghostly place?" Red Dog said, "This is not a good place."

Lebius repeats, "I am waiting for orders."

Red Dog couldn’t help clenching his fists. With his sharp tongue, Red Dog is skilled at angering enemies, yet facing Lebius, he became impenetrable.

At that moment, a surge of Ethereal Fluctuation came from the dark ahead, followed by footsteps.

Everyone tensed up. After the outbreak of the Grey Tide Mist, nobody knew who would emerge from the fog.

Blurred silhouettes gradually became clear. In the next moment, resentment bit through the air, a menacing aura exploded from the darkness, chains rattled, and a bloodthirsty Hand Axe descended from above, determined to cleave Red Dog’s skull.

Red Dog calmly evaded the axe’s smash as Bologue’s figure appeared, shouting.

"Rule One!"

This short phrase, under different circumstances, held different meanings. Inside the Order Bureau, it was just one of many rules, but in this situation, it meant absolute and blind trust.

Almost simultaneously with Bologue’s shout, Lebius awakened the dormant Ether, and several Blade-Biting Wolves rose with the arcs of Ether burning fiercely.

The roaring came belatedly.

"First Seat is here!"

The dark world was silent for a few seconds, then seemed to boil and explode.

First Seat!

Leader of the King’s Secret Sword, their strongest, mysterious, and fearsome First Seat.

The intelligence received by the Order Bureau did not include information on the First Seat’s visit, meaning the First Seat secretly infiltrated.

A Seeker of Glory like him sneaking into OUBos, even if they had numerous reasons, to the Order Bureau, this akin to declaring war.

Behind Lebius, waves of Ether response rose, all Field Staff entered combat mode, and behind Red Dog, other King’s Secret Sword members drew their Secret Swords, blinding lights winding around the sword tips.

Hatred and fury suppressed with effort were unleashed at this moment, roars intertwined.

Following behind Lebius, Geoffrey swung his Bone-breaking Knife, apart from endless anger, Geoffrey, Lebius, and even all survivors of secret wars, felt a mysterious emotion.

As if time was reversing, they returned once more to the past darkness, but this time, they had a chance to change the past.

Two waves of Ether collided, roars intertwined, the final death match commenced, and they would determine the true winner.