He was imprisoned in Nibelungen for a thousand years, only to find out upon his release that he was

Skadi opened her mouth, as if to say something. But the words caught in her throat.

Seeing her expression, Aozaki Touko assumed Skadi still didn't have a positive outlook on the situation, and said in a deliberately lighthearted tone:

"Don't worry, it's not that serious. Our situation was really bad before, mainly because we didn't have Lu Ming in our team, and it's hard to say what role that little girl Haruli could play, so our combat strength was insufficient."

Skadi: "......"

Is it possible that we've ended up in this situation because of Lu Ming?

Is it possible that, without Lu Ming, we could still be in the Snowfield City outside, enjoying the Holy Grail War game in a relaxed and fun way?

"Moreover, Lu Ming is strong enough to contend with Odin, and your rune skills are also quite good, with decent support capabilities."

Aozaki Touko continued talking nonstop, her mentality incredibly strong, "The two of you forming a team is a match made in heaven! With the rest of us on the team, it's definitely better than going it alone."

Skadi: "......"

Should I team up with Lu Ming?

You're really good at drawing hatred from fate.

—The master and slave failed to communicate at the same frequency twice.

Volume 1: Chapter 73 Win or Loss? She said she was numb (4k)

The base's conference room.

The group sat in a circle, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense.

The main reason was that... Lu Ming, sitting in the main seat, had a furrowed brow and a frightening expression, as if he was contemplating some enormous life-or-death crisis, which made everyone's atmosphere heavy.

Indeed, that was the case. Lu Ming had just returned from outside, and the massive city walls seemed to have transformed into an incredibly heavy burden, weighing heavily on his heart.

"how is the situation?"

Lu Ming looked up at Ai Lei.

As the chief engineer in charge of the base's construction, Ereshkigal knew the situation of the base best.

Ereshkigal sat up straight and reported earnestly, "The base itself is undamaged, and the fortifications are all intact. The ley lines are also functioning normally, and the energy supply is stable."

"but......"

Ai Lei paused, her tone somewhat low.

"The outside is surrounded by those city walls."

"All the entrances and exits are blocked. We can't get in or out normally now, unless we break through those city walls that are reinforced with runes."

Of course, it's not impossible to break through.

But you never know how many layers of walls are outside, or how much effort you'll have to put in to clear them, or how many traps you'll step into while trying to clear them.

The meeting room fell silent for a moment.

Lu Ming's fingers, which had been tapping the table, stopped in mid-air.

Yup!

He almost didn't realize that the road closure was a crucial point!

His strategy was to take a steady, methodical approach, gradually seizing territory and building up his strength. The aim was a protracted war, slowly eroding Nibelungen's territory and gradually increasing his power.

Slow, but steady.

But now, Odin has pulled this stunt.

The city walls that were blooming everywhere completely ruined his plans.

Lu Ming was increasingly frustrated. They'd actually changed the map! How were they supposed to play now? Had Odin's tactics become this dirty?

No, isn't it normal for a guy who's ruthless to his own brothers and sisters to use dirty tactics?

In comparison, Lu Ming realized that he was just an ordinary person with little social experience. Therefore, his mentality and cognitive thinking were always more simple and ordinary.

Therefore, it is often difficult to imagine the most sinister methods in the hearts of those veteran leaders who have been in high positions for countless years.

Alas! The world is a dangerous place, and people's hearts are unpredictable! It's dark and the roads are slippery; people's hearts are complex!

I still suffered because I wasn't ruthless enough.

The atmosphere in the meeting room grew increasingly somber.

Just then—

"I think we should hold on."

A cold, clear voice broke the silence.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

It was Skadi.

The purple-haired goddess sat in the corner, her expression indifferent, revealing little emotion.

She didn't actually want to talk. At this moment, if everyone steered the conversation toward taking the initiative, she might get dragged into it.

Then, along with everyone else, they cleverly landed in the top tier of the fate's hunting list.

Rather than being passively drawn in, it's better to take the initiative... no, to proactively propose a more conservative plan.

At least, it can stabilize the situation.

That's called wit! The wisdom of the Demon Realm!

Skadi sighed inwardly. To avoid being "purged" by the supreme executioner of her own mythology, she had no other choice.

“Before I came, I used runes to explore the surrounding area.”

Skadi spoke slowly, her tone calm, yet carrying a hint of undisguised pessimism.

"The entire Nibelungen world has been undergoing continuous changes recently. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what they are, but it's definitely becoming more and more solid and indestructible. It's like... someone outside is constantly filling in the rules, reinforcing this cage by layering them on top of each other."

"...In fact, those city walls were created in this way."

Skadi paused, then continued:

"Moreover, according to my perception, there are also inscribed runes hidden on those city walls."

"I'm very familiar with that system. Going into details would be lengthy, but in short, it's complex and dangerous—clearly a trap. Rushing in would likely lead to serious problems. Therefore, my advice is—"

Skadi raised her head, her gaze sweeping over everyone. "Hold the base firmly, and remain steadfast in the face of any eventuality. At least, the base is safe, and as the one who personally oversaw the construction of the building, I can guarantee that."

After she finished speaking, she secretly observed Lu Ming's expression.

He remained so somber and heavy-hearted. It seemed that his suggestion... must have aligned with Lu Ming's current state of mind.

Skadi breathed a slight sigh of relief.

However, at this moment, discordant remarks arose. After all, it was a meeting with many people, and it was unrealistic to expect to make a decision with just one sentence.

"no!"

A crisp sound suddenly rang out.

Haluri slammed her hand on the table and stood up.

The blonde girl's eyes burned with a fierce light.

"How can we just hold our ground? A villain like Odin has come to our doorstep to bully us. How can we not take the initiative to attack?! Do you think we're easy to bully, that we're made of clay?"

"At this time, we should rise to the challenge and rejoice in it! As recorded in the Abyss of Odin, God, come, it is time for us to settle our score!"

The girl's tone was incredibly passionate and indignant, and she quoted extensively from classical texts, making her a quintessential anti-Odin figure.

It's hard not to suspect that Halluri has already regarded the Abyss of Odin as a sacred text, reciting it every morning and evening until she can recite it backwards.

Oh right, this kid probably hasn't received the manuscript of "Odin's Abyss" yet.

The way she learned it must have been by forcibly dragging Ishtar along, telling her the story, and then writing it down.

I wonder what Ishtar thinks?

"Sister Goddess Ishtar, aren't you right?"

As luck would have it, Haruli looked at Ishtar beside her, her eyes sparkling, as if seeking approval.

—Ishtar: “…”

She picked up the teacup that had been placed on the table during the meeting, her face expressionless, and pretended to calmly drink her tea.

In my mind, however, I was rolling my eyes like crazy.

Don't ask me about this; I don't want to recall any more anecdotes!

This little girl is really annoying. I finally gave in and told her a bit about "The Abyss of Odin," but she just kept pestering me like glue.

Does he really think he's on her side?

Ishtar glanced at Skadi and shook her head inwardly.

Look, it's because of you bunch of geniuses surrounding Skadi that she's become so pessimistic.

If it were me... if I could get in touch with Skadi privately, I would have already teamed up with her and escaped this Odin conspiracy theory group as fast as I could!

As a result of various factors, things have dragged on until now, and now Odin has come up with this enhanced imprisonment plan, so there's no way to escape.

Damn it! She desperately needs a teammate!

Sigh, I'm in Nibelungen, isolated and helpless in my small group, and I miss my beloved cow every day.

"..."

Skadi was unaware that someone was planning to take her away.

Not to mention that there's zero possibility of it happening now, even if she went outside, Skadi knew that being shot dead would be the best outcome.

At that moment, she looked at Haruri, who was giving a passionate speech, and her lips twitched.

Child... your voice seems a little too shrill.

Skadi shook her head inwardly, it seemed she had been completely brainwashed by the mindset of the End Device.

But this girl is just a nobody, her words don't carry much weight. Just ignore her and that's it.

"Oh dear, your arguments are so boring. I have an interesting one though."

A cheerful voice rang out.

Francesca rested her chin on her hand, her eyes curving into crescents.

The girl in the gothic dress wore an excited yet dangerous smile, and she spread her hands:

"I think... this situation is a good thing!"

Skadi: "?"

She suddenly looked at Francesca. Good thing? What does that mean? Is being blocked by a bunch of city walls, unable to advance or retreat, really a good thing?

"What's so good about it, please tell me?"

Francesca chuckled, held up a finger, and wagged it. "Isn't that simple?"

"The more the enemy opposes me, the more it proves that I am doing the right thing!" The girl's tone was light and matter-of-fact.

"Think about it, why would Odin suddenly build so many walls to surround us? It's because—He's afraid!"

afraid?

Skadi frowned deeply; she could hardly imagine that the Fate Device could have such a state of mind.

Are you kidding me? Do you even know what the truth is?

Francesca's eyes lit up, and she continued speaking regardless of what others said:

"He fears that we will continue to grow stronger, that we will become more and more powerful, and that one day we will actually be able to conquer Nibelungen! That's why He was in a hurry to surround us with walls, trying to trap us!"

What does this mean?

"This proves our strategy is correct! We've made Odin feel like he has a thorn in his side!"

Francesca spoke with such fervor that she almost jumped out of her chair, "So! The more the enemy tries to encircle us, the more it proves that we should launch a radical breakout!"

"The more the enemy forbids us from doing something, the more we must do it!"

"Right, right?"

After Francesca finished speaking, she winked at Lu Ming.