The Arbitrator didn't seem to be joking at all. After dissipating that killing intent that felt like intimidation, he seemed to shed his disguise and began speaking from the heart.

It's just that perhaps no one expected that, up to this point, the one with the highest evaluation of Lu Ce was actually Him, this game referee.

All along the way, He had watched the "Sin" before Him win battle after battle.

Back then, those Divine Messengers looked down on him, and then those Divine Messengers all died.

Now, the gods look down on him, and even a god like [Knowledge] at full strength would suffer defeat because of it!

Although [Knowledge] was essentially tricked to death by Himself, the Arbitrator wouldn't claim credit for it arrogantly. He understood that He had essentially been used as a pawn by the person before Him.

Moreover, even He being able to break free from that kind of restraint belonging to The Game was all thanks to him! From this perspective, "Sin" even had a favor to repay Him!

As for Lu Ce, seeing the Arbitrator's attitude suddenly do a one-eighty, the eyelids on his purple face twitched slightly, but he also showed not the slightest surprise.

Regarding the Arbitrator's flattery towards him, he accepted it with complete peace of mind, even finding it quite agreeable, not feeling there was any problem at all.

"Ah~ It seems your brain is still relatively clear and understands my greatness."

"Hmm, sounds pretty good, you're sensible!"

"Continue."

As he spoke, Lu Ce lifted his chin towards the other, looking like he was telling him to go on.

Arbitrator: ......

He also hadn't expected the other party to give this kind of response, interrupting His serious mood once again.

He lowered his head, trying as much as possible not to look at that punchable expression on the other's face, lest He lose composure.

He had discovered that this "Sin" before Him seemed to be deliberately, forever refusing to fall into others' rhythms.

When others were serious, he would crack stupid jokes to break the atmosphere.

If others were joking around, then he would play dumb, or simply not engage.

......

Similar situations had already happened more than once. Regardless of which mask form he was in, this characteristic never changed.

It was like a unique talent; he always had to keep the atmosphere around him, the rhythm of the environment, firmly in his own grasp!

Was this his unique talent? Or was it his deliberate doing?

After placing "Sin" on a rather high pedestal, the Arbitrator suddenly grew more and more apprehensive the more He thought about it, feeling this guy was extraordinary.

"Alright, looks like your education level isn't high, can't come up with any good words to say."

Whether it was because he had devoured part of [Knowledge] or not, Lu Ce had now started mocking the Arbitrator's education level.

"Fine then, so, tell me your decision."

Lu Ce reined in some of his smile and said flatly.

Hearing his words, the Arbitrator slowly closed His eyes.

Actually, this moment was the most perilous. The more the Arbitrator acknowledged Lu Ce, the more likely He was to choose to kill him directly.

He had just said He didn't think "Sin" was more dangerous than the gods.

When He opened His eyes again, He looked at Lu Ce and said:

"I choose... to work with the tiger!"

"Heh heh, that's more like it. Actually, you already knew what you should do long ago, didn't you."

As he spoke, Lu Ce directly sat cross-legged on the ground in this space.

"Hmm, the floor of your space should be pretty clean, right?"

"Since we're already cooperating, how about we... have a chat?"

The Arbitrator also took a step forward, dissipating all the formidable aura from His entire body, looking just like an ordinary person as He sat cross-legged opposite Lu Ce.

The two sat cross-legged here in the void, as if about to hold a grand strategic discussion.

"Cooperation, huh. Let me say this first, the relationship between us is very fragile. Something like this method of directly dealing with [Knowledge] won't happen a second time."

"In most situations, you'll have to rely on yourself. If you face a certain-death situation during this process, I suggest you count on [Agony], not me."

Hearing the Arbitrator's blunt words, Lu Ce just shook his head with a smile.

"It doesn't matter. When I need your help, you will definitely help me."

"This game went so far off the rails, you'll have to hold a meeting when you go back, right? Hard to explain to the gods?"

The Arbitrator's brow furrowed slightly. His cooperation with "Sin" was precisely because He needed the other's intellect to face those gods who could essentially control His life and death.

"Oh, we're already brothers. Do me a small favor first. When I leave in a bit, help me properly suppress the power inside my body, okay?"

Arbitrator: #

A vein bulged on His forehead. They hadn't even finished a few sentences, and this guy was desperately exploiting Him, wasn't he?

Immediately saying with annoyance:

"... Don't worry!"

......

In that most secretive space in the entire universe, that pair of strange conspirators were discussing some unknown matters.

The gods all thought the game had just ended, and the Arbitrator was settling the game's results and stabilizing the update, so they didn't pay it any mind.

As for why Lu Ce hadn't returned...

"Miss Blank, aren't you planning to bring 'Sin' here?"

In the Dragon Group's basement, Perfect Life asked.

Right now, this place seemed quite lively. Among those twenty-two survivors who participated in the human-god battle, everyone who could appear here was here!

This included all Players within China's borders, as well as Perfect Life who came from afar on his own initiative, and Chiyo Eine.

The Dragon Group, the nation's most covert violent institution, had actually become a borderless gathering place for superhumans at this moment.

Grand Elder Nie Jiu Tian sat quietly on a chair like a little old man, not speaking.

At this moment, Xie Antong was operating several monitors, using the game's projection method to contact the remaining Players among those twenty-two.

Hearing Perfect Life's words, Xie Antong's heart stirred, but her expression showed no change.

She just spoke up:

"You're quite concerned about him."

"Wait a bit. Let me contact the others first."

So she continued operating the computer, operating the game.

She had always left an All-Seeing Eye in Lu Ce's room. The current situation was—Lu Ce still hadn't returned!

Logically, the game's healing time was consistent. Him not returning meant there must be some special circumstance.

But Xie Antong didn't want to expose this point, so she didn't explain anything.

Soon, the screens before her all lit up one by one!

Of the twenty-two, everyone who could come had already come. Those who couldn't come also participated in the online meeting as soon as they received Xie Antong's message.

At this moment, twenty people were already present!

The basement space was abnormally quiet, feeling somewhat oppressive. Xie Antong cleared her throat, seeing everyone around looking at her, and took the initiative to speak first:

"Everyone... congratulations on the victory."

At this moment, she seemed like a leader in the apocalypse!