Ash didn't seem to notice the surprise on everyone's faces, and said slowly: "Tamashi's intention is very clear. He didn't tell us and insisted on leaving secretly because he didn't want to involve us."

"The Mercury Horse is right below. This is the destination of his revenge. He is willing to sacrifice everything for it, even if it means dying in there. If he succeeds, he will be willing to die immediately. If he fails, he will die without a burial place and have no regrets."

"But we are different. We have a grudge against the Mercury Trojan, but we are not willing to sacrifice our lives to die with her. More importantly, we have a way to leave and a future that we can hold on to."

Ash said calmly, "We are only one step away from happiness."

"For your own revenge, you want to drag us, a group of travelers who are about to leave, into risking our lives? Just thinking about it, I feel that this idea is too selfish, not to mention that everything you do is for justice."

"If we really go to save him, not only will we lose our lives, but we will also be wasting his kindness." Ash said, "We are no longer children who act based on our preferences and do not have a favorite color."

"Don't be emotional, don't look back, everyone has their own path to take. Since our paths are different, we won't meet."

Aside from the orcs snoring as they ate macaroni, the only sound in the shadows of the desert seemed to be the echo of Ash's words. Harvey looked at him thoughtfully, shook his head, and held Alice's hand tightly.

"...Do you really think so?" the fraudster asked, "You won't regret it?"

"What else?" Ash asked, "In order to save a person we have only known for three months, we have to charge into the camp of tens of thousands of magicians of the Four Pillars? For the personal grudge of a person whose captain we don't even know, we have to face the threat of a legendary magician?"

"We only need to wait for a month to safely leave this wasteland filled with religious lunatics, monsters, and wars, and return to the safe Gospel to enjoy wealth and glory - at least we don't have to worry about being hunted down - but we just don't want to wait this little time, and insist on plunging into a spiral of silence where we are in danger of death?"

"More importantly, is Tamashi Crowslayer worth all our efforts? Although he is extremely powerful, he is just an ordinary person after all. He is illiterate and has no life skills except for his suspected cooking skills..."

"And his belief in killing all crows is too cold and rigid. I'm afraid it will cause us trouble in the Gospel Kingdom. Although he and we haven't had any major conflicts in the past few months, small conflicts have continued. Can we really accept a companion whose beliefs are completely different from ours?"

"If you think about it, we should be thankful that Mercury Trojan is here." Ash said coldly, "It might be a good thing that Tamashi left for revenge."

Bang!

The fraudster dropped the stainless steel plate to the ground, stood up and glared at the cult leader, his eyes wide open and his lower lip bitten. Everyone except him was stunned - they could hardly imagine that Igula would show such an emotional expression.

"Ahaha, what a surprise. I just realized that you, Ash, are also a psychic." He said sarcastically, "Reading minds? Imitation? You said it very well. It really sounds like what I would say. It's simply the narration in my mind. Go on, I have thirteen more reasons not to save Black Crow. I want to hear how many more you know!"

"Chikala, you better watch and learn! This is the highest level of speaking in a sarcastic way. Don't show off your little tricks!"

The orc said weakly: "I really mean it sincerely..."

Ash also shook his head: "I didn't say anything sarcastic."

"Who are you trying to convince with these high-sounding reasons for not saving Black Crow? Black Crow's closest brother Harvey, or Black Crow's alien relative Chikara, or me, who can talk to Black Crow about anything?" Igula kicked the plate away and said through gritted teeth, "Who here doesn't know that you have the best relationship with Black Crow? Who are you trying to disgust by saying these things?"

"I don't."

"Okay." Igula walked outside, spread his hands and said, "Since you said there is none, let's go. Let's go to the nearest town and stay there for ten days. Then we can go to the Spiral of Silence and see if we can find the body of the crow in the stomach of the green beast—"

"I'm just afraid that you won't want to say it." Ash said, "So I have to tell you in advance."

The trickster had his back to them, facing the wasteland outside. The fishy wind carrying the sand blew up his long golden hair that had not been cut for a long time.

After a long while, he asked, "What do you mean?"

"Even Chikara knew that I wanted to save Black Crow, how could you not know?" Ash said, "But I waited for so long, and you didn't say anything against it."

"It's different from Blood Moon. We were forced to take risks by the environment because we have common interests. It's different from Gospel. We were enslaved by An Nan and couldn't leave even if we wanted to. But this time, we are free."

"You don't have to like Tamashi, you don't have to save him, you can wait a month to escape from Senluo, you can do whatever you want, there is nothing to oppress you."

"What I fear most is that you will die for me."

Ash said, "Yes, I do want to save Tamashi, but if I risk your lives for him, that would be too selfish, even more selfish than if he wanted us to help him get revenge."

"I might as well deceive myself and wait until my magic is perfected, then come back to Senluo to avenge him."

Igula's voice was filled with a hint of mockery: "Can you still deceive yourself?"

"Don't worry, I won't agree to you and then go to save Tamashi alone - that's a ridiculously stupid tactic. I also know that it's impossible for me to save Tamashi alone. Even if we all go together, there's only a small chance. If you get involved in order to save me, Mercury Trojan will probably wake up laughing in his dreams."

"I'm not a god, nor a savior. There will always be times when I am powerless, and there will always be disasters that I cannot overcome." Ash said, "I would rather regret standing by and watching at this moment in the future than let myself become your predicament."

"Tamahi Yashai is my friend who shares life and death with me." He said seriously, "But you and Harvey, Igula, do you have a lower status in my heart than Tamashi?"

Harvey suddenly felt uncomfortable and wanted to get into the coffin and lie down with Alice. "Is this something a Blood Moon person would say?" Although Harvey complained in his heart, he sat up straight unconsciously. Alice seemed to sense his intention and held his hand tightly.

Igula also covered his face with his hands to hide his expression and asked, "So, you gave up Black Crow for us?"

Ash shook his head. "It's not for you. It makes it sound like I've made a big sacrifice for you... Actually, maybe I don't want to go either, and I'm just using you as an excuse."

"Although now is not the time for me to speak." Chikara suddenly said: "But Mr. Ash, what you said must be a lie."

"It's almost 10 o'clock." Gwen suddenly reminded.

Igula sighed: "Okay, you win, we-"

"That won't do." Ash said, "Now it's your turn to convince me. I need a word, a sincere word, especially from you, Igula. If I don't think it's sincere enough, I won't let you save Tamashi."

"How do I know what you want to hear?"

"You must know this because you are the fraudster Igula. Apart from God, only liars like you dare to say that you can fulfill any wish of people." He said, "But this time, I want to hear your true words, not a lie to fulfill my wish."

Igula stared at Ash, his eyes showing anger. However, Ash just stared at him with a very firm attitude.

After a moment, Igula reluctantly squeezed out a few words from the corner of his mouth: "Unlike you, Black Crow has a very low status in my heart. But you are not much higher either. You are just tools that I think I can use for a long time - the world calls you 'friends'."

"However, I don't have many 'friends' that I recognize." The Trickster said, "So, Black Crow cannot die."

"It's a very elegant way to die in a foreign country at the hands of a legendary magician," Harvey said slowly, "If my death can help Black Crow shatter the happy life of Mercury Trojan Horse and make this bloody revenge more intense, then it would be great."

That was what Ash wanted.

They can save Black Crow, but not just because Ash wants to save him. If that's the case, then Ash would rather give up this obsession, he doesn't want to become the engine of the group's annihilation.

Only if Igula and Harvey both want to save Black Crow and make this decision out of their own will can Ash approve of this action.

Although they look the same, they have completely different meanings to Ash - in the former, Ash tied them up with shackles and dragged them into the Colosseum, while in the latter, they walked in together with their heads held high.

This is the difference between shame and honor, the difference between shame and pride.

"I will follow Mr. Igula," Gwen said softly.

Chikala looked around and swallowed, "Should we take a long-term view?"

"Weren't you filled with righteous indignation and wanting to save Black Crow just now? We are very clear about your attitude." Igula patted the orc's shoulder, moved closer, and asked in a cold voice: "Or do you want to quit now?"

Chikara looked at Ash with a look of help, but Ash shrugged - I told you I won't speak well of you to Igula.

"Don't worry," Harvey said calmly, "Your master is Alice. Just protect Alice and the coffin. I won't send you to die."

Igula snorted, seeming a little dissatisfied, but still acquiesced to Harvey's arrangement, and Chikara was immediately grateful. Ash watched this scene and thought that Igula and Harvey were really skilled in the red and white cop skills.

Everyone walked out of the Gobi Desert and looked towards the huge vine city in the distance.

Ash suddenly laughed and said, "Come to think of it, we were locked up in a cell when we first came to Senluo, and it was Tamashi who broke the wall to rescue us."

"That happened three months ago." Igula said, "You were full of confidence that time, but you were killed instantly by Silver Lantern."

As soon as Igula finished speaking, he realized that he had said the wrong thing. Ash was stunned, his expression slightly dazed: "Silver Lantern... It seems that I haven't heard from her for a long time."

He paused, then quickly returned to the topic: "We were saved by Tamashi when we first came to Senluo. Now we have to save Tamashi before we leave Senluo, which just forms a closed loop."

"But you have to punch him when you see him."

Ash punched the air and cursed, "Although he had no choice, I couldn't help being angry. He said before that he was under my control... Humph!"

"Let's go. Before we go to hell, let's follow Black Crow to the next Spiral of Silence."

…

…

In the shadow of the wine barrel, Black Crow used all his strength to practice the mental method he learned from Blind Town, trying to erase his presence as much as possible. Although this mental method can achieve the effect of hiding miracles, it requires a very high level of character. Any violent emotional fluctuations may reveal one's own aura.

But for a warrior servant who had killed countless people, nothing in the world could make him lose his mind. However, in the half-hour of listening just now, Black Crow was unable to suppress his inner fear several times, and his mind method almost failed.

"...Mr. Vichy, the silver lamp has reached the bottom floor."

"Although it should take quite some time, I'll still go down and guard it first... By the way, without my order, you are not allowed to approach the bottom three floors, so as not to alert the Silver Lantern."

"yes."

"In fact, you could have left just now. Didn't you create a normal empty passage?"

"There's a deserted island and ocean across the way. We don't know how far away it is from human society, and we don't even know if there's any civilization there... Anyway, there's still so much time, so there's no need to rush to make a decision."

"There was a proverb in my time: After searching through thousands of options, you finally pick up a rotten lamp."

"Remember the teachings of His Excellency Vichy."

"Don't remember. Maybe you'll find a wonderful empty passage in the end. Or maybe you'll spend a long time picking, but end up with worse and worse ones. All the truths in the world are the experience left by successful people who figured out their fate, but success never requires experience, but luck."

Black Crow heard Vichy's footsteps getting closer, and the latter's voice became clearer and clearer: "As long as you can win in the end, you are right. Otherwise, no matter how right you are, you are wrong."

"so……"

The next second, Vichy's mysterious voice passed through Black Crow's cochlea and reached his brain: "You are lucky. She is of no use to me."

"Farewell, Mr. Vichy." The others seemed not to hear these words and said goodbye politely.

Black Crow didn't dare to move, and after waiting for an unknown amount of time, someone started to come and move the wine barrel. The barrel shook and a drop of Crow Blood Wine leaked out, dripping onto Black Crow's mask, leaving a bloody mark.

Then drip gently.

Drip onto his Gray Fox blade.