Selena's words were quite blunt, directly stating her position: she was going to protect Soren. She also subtly mocked James for lacking the ability to achieve his goals on his own, resorting to underhanded schemes. Her words were filled with the smell of gunpowder.
James's face flushed red with anger, his chest heaving violently. He was not used to such treatment, especially when his carefully prepared plan was being ruined, filling him with pent-up anger.
However, he couldn't directly lash out at Selena. After all, they shared a senior-junior relationship, and Selena's strength and background were not to be underestimated. If they were to fall out, it wouldn't be beneficial to him.
Soren stood aside, listening to their conversation, lost in thought.
He hadn't expected Selena to stand up for him so directly. He felt both touched and puzzled, and he also realized that the entanglement behind this was probably far more complex than he had imagined.
He pondered to himself that he seemed to have been drawn into a power struggle between two major figures from the upper plane. How the situation would develop next, and how he should respond, were all unknowns. He could only wait and see.
Selena slightly raised her eyes, scanning James and Lebar, and then said calmly, "Let's just drop this matter. Everyone is injured. Let's each take a step back and go our own way."
Her voice was not loud, but it conveyed an unquestionable decisiveness, as if she had already determined the final outcome of the matter, hoping that both sides could stop here and not continue to entangle themselves.
Hearing Selena's words, Soren was secretly pleased, almost laughing out loud.
He knew very well that Lebar was now a turtle in a jar.
Not to mention that he had lost many helpers and was seriously injured in this underground palace labyrinth, just the fact that he had committed such a rebellious act in the imperial capital, betraying the royal family and plotting against the Empress Dowager and Empress, meant that there was absolutely no place for him to stand.
Once he left this underground labyrinth, what awaited him outside was definitely the encirclement and suppression by various forces, and he would definitely not escape death.
And what Selena meant was that even if the two of them didn't intervene in the subsequent matters, the lower plane would solve the rest themselves. After all, this was an internal conflict within this plane, and there was no need for the strong from the upper plane to keep meddling in it.
Lebar's face turned red with anxiety upon hearing this, and the veins on his forehead bulged.
He knew that if they really dropped the matter like this, then everything he had done before would be in vain. He would not only gain nothing, but also end up being betrayed and denounced by everyone.
More importantly, if he couldn't capture Empress Maria, it would be as difficult as ascending to heaven to have such an opportunity again.
Therefore, he hurriedly shouted anxiously at James, "My lord, you must not! If we just drop it like this, that person will be even harder to catch in the future."
His tone was full of anxiety and unwillingness, and also carried a hint of pleading to James, hoping that he could change his mind and continue to pursue the matter.
James's face was also gloomy at the moment, so dark that it seemed like water could drip from it. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind, gritted his teeth, and then looked at Selena, saying in a cold tone, "Hand over that person, and I will not interfere in the affairs of this labyrinth in the future."
He thought that as long as he could get that person, giving up his subsequent interference in this labyrinth was not impossible. After all, the key figure was what he cared about most, and the others could be put aside for the time being.
However, before Selena could answer, Soren shouted anxiously, "Impossible."
His eyes revealed a resolute look. Empress Maria was too important to him and to the entire royal family. How could he hand her over so easily?
Moreover, he knew that James's purpose was probably not that simple. Once handed over, he didn't know what terrible consequences would be triggered.
Therefore, even knowing that his direct refusal might annoy James, he did not hesitate to express his attitude.
Upon hearing Soren's firm refusal, James was furious, his face becoming contorted with rage. He roared, "You're asking for death!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a vast and powerful aura suddenly burst forth from his body, like a surging wave sweeping towards the surroundings. The entire palace seemed to be trembling slightly under the pressure of this aura, as if it would collapse under the impact of this powerful force in the next second.
However, this seemingly unstoppable aura was easily suppressed by Selena's casual gesture as soon as it was released.
Selena simply raised her hand slightly, and a gentle yet incomparably resilient aura emanated from her body, like an invisible net, instantly enveloping James's violent aura and then slowly dissipating into nothingness.
It was clear that the difference in strength between the two was not just a little bit. Selena's strength was obviously far above James's. Facing James's outburst, she was like facing an unreasonable child, easily able to restrain him.
"What, you want to fight?" Selena's expression was still indifferent, as if she had just done a trivial thing. Her eyes looked at James calmly, but there was a warning in her eyes, as if to say that if James dared to act rashly again, she would not be so polite.
"Talking to you nicely is just to avoid making things worse. Do I really have to beat you up before you understand?" Selena continued, her words carrying a bit of teasing, but also an undeniable toughness.
She was clearly putting pressure on James, making him recognize reality and stop making futile struggles.
As he spoke, he looked at Lebar, secretly calculating his own plans.
James's plan was actually very simple. Lebar was still of great use to him.
