"The power of faith?!"
"You actually possess the power of faith?!"
"Could it be that you are the chosen one of some deity?"
An Ruo exclaimed in disbelief.
Dino scoffed dismissively upon hearing An Ruo's words.
"A deity's chosen one? Such puppets cast aside by the world are hardly worthy of being compared to me!"
"Those people are the ones I despise the most!"
"I am me, the great Dino, Heavenly God!"
"If you must define me, then call me my own chosen one!"
With that, Dino grinned, pushing his Blue Windcoat subordinates back. Then he continued,
"But I must admit, you truly possess considerable strength..."
"To continue to entangle with you here would only delay my important affairs."
"How about this: we conduct a simple exchange of information, and then we part ways..."
"I'll find my target, and you can continue your large-scale team battle. What do you say?"
An Ruo, who had been poised for battle, was completely taken aback by Dino's sudden halt. He was momentarily stunned.
However, truthfully speaking, although Dino was highly unlikeable and had caused him significant trouble just moments ago...
It actually made more sense to reach a temporary truce with him.
After all, his Solar Flare Shock had just blasted Dino's face, effectively balancing the scales.
Dino, leading a group of intimidating individuals, possessed unfathomable strength.
Most importantly, given Dino's enigmatic nature, he undoubtedly had access to very reliable intelligence channels.
Therefore, a trade with him would likely yield much of what they needed!
An Ruo's expression shifted, and he revealed an exceedingly amiable smile.
"Oh? And how do you propose this exchange to be?"
After exchanging glances with the other three alien heroes, An Ruo truly adopted this approach, beginning to probe Dino.
Thus, these two opposing forces, who moments ago were locked in a life-or-death struggle, seeking to tear each other limb from limb, were now in amicable discussion.
Furthermore, they quite consciously left Shrine Maiden Kanna aside.
Dino looked at the smiling An Ruo and waved his hand carelessly.
"Here's how it is. Since I brought this up, I'll state my plan directly..."
"I have a rather crucial question to ask you all. First, tell me if you know the answer."
"Then, you can formulate your question and ask me if I know..."
"If both parties know the answer, the exchange is complete."
"If one party is uncertain, we can move on to another question until a deal is reached..."
"How does that sound?"
"Of course, if in the end neither of us has a satisfactory question for the other, the deal is off."
Dino seemed very well-prepared, proposing a seemingly fair and mutually acceptable offer.
An Ruo agreed without a second thought.
"Just a single question? What's so difficult about that? Go ahead and ask."
"As long as it doesn't involve our core secrets, what can't be exchanged?"
Dino let out a hearty laugh.
"Straightforward! It's a pleasure dealing with straightforward people like you, Elf brother..."
"Then, shall I begin asking my question?"
To be addressed as "brother" by someone who appeared millennia younger than him was, frankly, quite displeasing to An Ruo.
However, at such a critical juncture, he certainly couldn't dwell on such trivialities.
An Ruo twitched his face and forced a smile.
"Ask away. We will do our best not to conceal anything from you, provided it doesn't involve our core interests."
Dino seemed quite pleased with An Ruo's response. He stretched languidly, feigning casualness.
"So, do you know where the current Cherry Blossom Emperor, Shrine Maiden Kanna, is hiding?"
In truth, Dino knew that Shrine Maiden Kanna was within the Nagasaki Fortress, or at the very least, in its vicinity.
He put on this act to gauge An Ruo's reaction.
As expected, An Ruo and the others faltered noticeably.
Especially Musaro, who was more simple-minded, even showing a hint of reluctance.
This was hardly An Ruo and the others' fault.
Shrine Maiden Kanna was, in their eyes, the most coveted prize, an entity they would never give up pursuing.
Not only did he represent the rewards from a certain esteemed figure, but he also came with a vast array of mysterious artifacts, soul bodies to enhance power, and control over an undead army, making him one of the world's greatest treasures.
Under such circumstances, how could they betray their primary objective for a piece of information from Dino?
Shrine Maiden Kanna, overhearing their conversation from nearby, couldn't help but grimace.
Good heavens, this Dino, who had inexplicably become so powerful, was also coveting him in secret...
And judging by his aggressive demeanor, his coveting of him was definitely not for benign reasons.
Coupling this with what he had just told An Ruo about the power of faith...
Could it be that he, too, secretly believed in some sort of evil cult that granted temporary divine blessings, similar to the priestly organizations like Chizuru Ginpe?
The thought of this possibility made Shrine Maiden Kanna's expression darken further.
It was fortunate that this fellow didn't recognize him...
Turning his attention back to An Ruo.
An Ruo, being an old fox who had cultivated for countless years, quickly adjusted despite the repeated unexpected turns of events. He looked at Dino with feigned delight.
"The Cherry Blossom Emperor? What do you want him for?"
Dino chuckled.
"What, are you going to question what I intend to do with this information?"
"Just tell me if you know or not, and whether you'll trade!"
An Ruo's eyes practically curved into slits.
"Know! Of course, I know! What's so difficult to know about that?"
"However, to obtain this information, which we've paid for with the lives of countless compatriots, you must offer more intel..."
"You need to pay more!"
Though Dino was displeased by the sudden reneging on their agreement, considering the importance of the information and An Ruo's seemingly genuine shift in expression, he finally nodded after a cold glare.
"Then it's your turn. Tell me, what do you want to ask..."
"But let's get this straight: I cannot guarantee that I will know every piece of information you seek."