“Can you smell the stench here?” Sha Yi pointed around and raised an eyebrow. “You probably don’t know, but the place we’re standing on—what you see as a black mud pit or swamp—is far from simple. If you set it on fire, it’s highly flammable. The flames wouldn’t be any weaker than resin. And under certain conditions, or if the space were more confined, it might even explode!”
“Explode?”
“You’ve seen the underground magma eruption that caused your wound—the loud blast and the debris shooting up from below. That’s an explosion.” Sha Yi glanced at the man and lowered her voice. “If this place explodes, we’ll all die. That’s why I don’t dare use fire recklessly.”
“But he doesn’t know that.” The man shook his head. “This threat isn’t strong enough, nor is it the key to balancing the situation. It’s only a temporary deterrent. There’s a good chance he’s already thinking about how to eliminate us. So we still need to figure out how to escape as soon as possible. Of course, it’d be better if he cooperated with us here, but the odds of that are slim. And if we let him walk out alive, we probably won’t survive for long.”
Sha Yi nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. “I get it. But I also need to remind you—this place isn’t completely sealed, but it’s still a confined space. We can’t stay here for long. The thick black sludge beneath this bird is toxic. If we spend the night here, we might not live to see tomorrow.”
“Can’t stay long, can’t use fire—this is a real mess. Any other terrifying problems?”
“That man remains a constant threat, we can’t swim out, and your wound can’t come into contact with this stuff.”
“You really don’t hold back, do you?” The man let out a bitter laugh. “So there’s no way out for us, is there?”
“If that man refuses to cooperate, I honestly can’t think of an escape plan. The only thing I’m sure of is that if we die, he dies too. The odds of mutual destruction are higher for him than for us. That’s the only advantage we have.”
“Seems like no matter how we spin it, death is the only outcome.” Sitting up, Saina showed a rare hint of melancholy. “Looks like the chances of us dying together are pretty high.”
“Then go ahead and die with that guy over there. I don’t have time to entertain the idea of dying here.”
Disgusted by the man’s sudden childishness, Sha Yi stood up—only to see the man who should have been on the other side of the bird now sitting atop its belly, his gloomy eyes clearly conveying, *I heard everything you said.*
Startled, she quickly regained her composure and kicked the man beside her without a word.
The kick was enough. Saina immediately reacted, slowly standing up, his earlier playful demeanor replaced with cold intensity.
Sha Yi stayed silent, letting the two men glare at each other.
By now, she had a clear grasp of the situation.
The three of them were in this together. Even with Saina badly injured, they still held the upper hand. The odds of survival were uncertain, but the chances of dragging the other man down or mutual destruction were high.
However, the effectiveness of this death threat depended entirely on the man’s attitude. If he didn’t care about dying, then they were in deep trouble. But if he was desperate to survive, they’d have the upper hand.
Recalling his reaction when she’d used the lighter earlier, she was sure this sinister man valued his life. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have hesitated.
But cooperation with him would be difficult. He’d undoubtedly scheme against them, or worse, betray them at the last moment.
She hadn’t forgotten—he’d initially come to kill her. If not for him, they wouldn’t have fallen into this underground oil pit or suffered this nightmare.
Now, she had to stay calm and force him to speak first, securing more favorable terms.
Because when it came to this underground oil pit, she was certain no one in this ancient era understood it better than she did. Even if she was only half-competent, their knowledge couldn’t match hers. That was her leverage.
Meanwhile, Saina, uncharacteristically in sync with her, stood silently, coldly sizing up the other man.
As a partner in this situation, Saina was ideal—far more rational than Xiyi, more composed than Jialuo, and with enough cunning and ruthlessness to match this strange, hostile man. Aside from his injuries, he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.
In just a moment, she’d analyzed everything. When she looked back at the man, she felt even more confident.
But she remained silent, waiting for him to speak first.
The man wasn’t stupid either. He’d likely figured out her and Saina’s strategy, so he wasn’t in a hurry, his narrow eyes flickering between them.
If this staring contest continued, Sha Yi had no doubt they’d all suffocate in the toxic fumes of the oil’s pyridine content. But whoever spoke first would reveal their desperation—and their disadvantage.
Since they were all in the same sinking ship, she could wait.
With that thought, she relaxed, leaning against the bird and idly playing with her lighter.
Saina caught on instantly, smirking slightly.
This was a battle of wits, courage, and patience. Whoever cracked first lost.
If survival necessitated cooperation, they still needed to figure out why a stranger had attacked her—and why he wanted her dead.
The three of them stood in the dim light, locked in a silent standoff, until finally, the gaunt, sinister man spoke in a rough, strained voice: “Just say it. What do you want me to do?”
The voice was shockingly coarse, completely at odds with his slender appearance. Sha Yi frowned.
“Eager to know what to do? Seems like you really don’t want to die. But whether we cooperate with you is still up in the air.” Saina scoffed. “Before negotiating terms, we need to see your offer. You expect us to work with you without giving anything?”
Sha Yi almost wanted to applaud. Saina’s words were sharp and direct, seizing control of the conversation.
The man’s face darkened. “Don’t push your luck. I could kill both of you right now!”
“If you could’ve killed us, you would’ve done it above ground. We wouldn’t even be in this stinking pit.” Sha Yi sneered. “Save the empty threats. Right now, the odds of us killing you are higher than the reverse. If you want to die, just say the word. I’ll make it happen right now.”
The man seemed taken aback by her boldness but quickly regained his icy composure. “Then do it. We’ll all die together. Two for one—still a fair trade.”
His response surprised her, but she didn’t let it show. “You think I won’t?”
“Prove it!” he shot back mockingly. “If you were so sure, you’d have done it already. You stopped because you don’t want to die either. Don’t pretend otherwise!”
His ruthlessness and cunning caught her off guard, but it only fueled her anger. Without hesitation, she flicked the lighter again, the flame dancing wildly in the air.
She was betting everything on this move.
If they couldn’t suppress this vicious man, they’d never escape. Since he doubted her resolve, she’d crush his arrogance completely. She’d rather die than let him win.
The situation was clear—if they couldn’t control him, any cooperation would be on his terms. And if they let him go, he’d become an even greater threat. She couldn’t take that risk.
No matter what, she wouldn’t endanger everyone else.
Even if it meant burning to death—or dying in an explosion.
Her mind made up, she lowered the flame toward the thick sludge near the bird’s wing.
In an instant, the fire erupted, spreading rapidly across the black, tar-like substance. Within seconds, the entire pit was engulfed in roaring flames, thick black smoke billowing up and surrounding the giant bird.
The sudden inferno was staggering. The man, who’d been sitting calmly on the bird’s belly, leapt up in shock, staring at her like she was insane. “You actually did it!”
“You asked for it.” Saina, still standing calmly, spoke for her. “Don’t assume others think like you, and don’t take them for fools. Push someone too far, and they’ll drag you down with them. Dying together is easy.”
The man’s eyes bulged with fury as he gestured at the blazing pit. “What’s the point of burning it all now? How do we get out? How do we survive?”
“We warned you before lighting the fire. What happens after isn’t our problem. If you want to live, stop wasting time. Otherwise, burning to death will be the least of your worries.” Sha Yi held up the lighter, her expression cold. “If I throw this in, it’ll be instant death. Want me to try?”
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