Sahalin's expression turned somewhat stiff, and his round eyes squinted slightly.

He had considered all possible responses from Roland, except for Roland being proactively provocative.

It makes no sense; doesn't Roland understand the power balance between the two sides?

Sahalin was puzzled. From the intelligence gathered, Roland's persona was clear, portraying that of a cunning, treacherous schemer.

Such a person would not easily choose to confront a stronger enemy head-on.

Roland surely understands the power balance yet dares to provoke cynically; he must have something up his sleeve.

Despite appearing boisterous, Sahalin was the strategist of the Shadow Sanctuary.

According to Sofia's evaluation, the five members of the Shadow Sanctuary share one and a half brains, with Sahalin being the complete one.

He completed his logical thought process in a flash.

That sneaky Roland must be hiding contingencies!

Sahalin added a tactic to his plan—he must hold back when making a move later to counter hidden ambushes.

If Sussex Empire's strong members hide in the shadows and he strikes with full force, he'll be at his weakest and vulnerable to attacks.

Fortunately, Roland is quite weak; a little earnest effort will suffice against him.

Sahalin strode toward Roland.

His steps were large, but his pace was not particularly fast.

His peripheral vision was searching both sides of the long street, yet he couldn't find any hidden strong individuals, leaving him somewhat anxious.

A pack of wolves in the sunlight may not be scary, but a snake hidden in the shadows is deadlier.

Camille has already been thwarted by Roland, disgracing the Shadow Sanctuary; if anything else goes wrong, without the Empress's accountability, he ought to apologize.

Though unable to locate hidden foes, Sahalin had a vague idea of their outline in his mind.

Last night, he had spied on Roland and his companions at White Mountain.

With the cover of the vast snowfield, he hid very well and witnessed a scene that startled him.

He couldn't comprehend how a human of flesh and blood could survive through volcanic magma, but he knew that seemingly fragile girl had tremendous potential.

Even more worrisome was that the imposing elderly man akin to a giant bear.

Sahalin vaguely felt that the old man's strength was far beyond his understanding.

Initially, he thought the old fellow was a mage, but upon seeing the sturdy muscles of the elder, he couldn't be sure.

The Vladimir Empire has good relations with the Jidong Magic Association, and he had seen many mages.

Most mages he encountered were immersed in magic research and alchemy, their eyes empty, their bodies frail.

He had never heard of a mage like the white-haired old fellow.

Could he be a Demon Warrior?

If it's the old fellow hiding in the shadows, Roland has indeed the arrogance to boast.

Sahalin almost confidently concluded that it was the old man hiding in the shadows.

He decided to devote seventy percent of his effort to guard against the old man's sneak attack, using only thirty percent of his strength to deal with Roland.

After all, just a youngster who has barely broken through to Tier Eight; thirty percent strength is sufficient.

While Sahalin envisioned the hidden ambusher, Roland calmly walked forward.

Roland's pace wasn't fast.

After all, the cooldown for Divine Protection was still pending.

But he couldn't walk too slowly, or Sahalin might see through his lack of confidence.

The distance between them grew shorter, and Sahalin stopped, calmly saying:

"Camille had to return home early, he asked me to greet you, and he will repay your hospitality in the future."

"Haha, Mr. Camille is truly courteous."

Roland stopped a few meters before Sahalin and extended his hand with a smile.

"I will often visit Val City in the future; there will be many opportunities for us to meet."

"Visit frequently? I recall your country's chief representative stationed in Val City isn't you, Lord Roland." Sahalin remarked indifferently, also stretching his hand toward Roland.

He planned to take the chance during the handshake to crush Roland's hand bones, letting his screams echo down the long street.

Though his original plan was to shatter Roland's shoulder bones as he did Camille's, a handshake would suffice.

In any case, a scream is just a scream; no different.

Roland smiled, extending his hand to shake with Sahalin.

Shaking hands was his active choice.

The hand is the most sophisticated organ, but the power of fingers is far less than that of a clenched fist or a joined palm.

If this dim-witted bear were to slap solidly a few times, even activating Divine Protection might still result in injury.

A handshake doesn't allow much leverage, enabling Roland to mitigate Sahalin's strength advantage to the maximum extent.

Where power lacks, intelligence compensates.

Engaging in a hand duel was the best strategy Roland could conceive.

Neither losing face nor being crushed miserably, while being able to probe the opponent's strength.

Sahalin's hand felt slightly cold, and the giant bear-like hand looked somewhat furry.

Damn, it really felt like a bear's paw.

As soon as their hands clasped, wild strength transmitted through the palms.

Roland seemed to be gripped by a giant bear; immense power seeped through the fingers, compressing his nerves, nearly screaming at the spot.

The cooldown still had three seconds left.

He must withstand these three seconds with sheer ability.

"Mr. Sahalin, has Her Majesty Sofia returned to the country?"

"Lord Roland, that's not for you to ask. If I inquire about your Empress's whereabouts, would you tell me?"

Under the watchful eyes of the public, Roland's question obliged a response from Sahalin.

Speaking would divide his attention, slightly weakening his concentrated power.

Sahalin was somewhat baffled; what's the use of Roland spouting this gibberish? Does he think he can stall with these nonsense words?

What a joke, he could crush Roland's hand within seconds.

Since he was assured of victory, Sahalin didn't fret; he decided to intensify his effort slowly, toying with Roland.

In the presence of absolute strength, any scheme is just a farce.

Taking into consideration the powerful white-bearded Demon Warrior lying in wait, Sahalin instantly grasped Roland's intrigue.

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