Countdown Tungsten

Countdown.

Foreword:

Life was unpredictable like that. One moment, the sky was shrouded in clouds; the next, the brilliant sun appeared.

The sun slowly climbed over Blackbird Cliff in Ax Peak Mountain. Its golden radiance lasted only a brief moment before a thick chill descended like a bride's veil. Axue summoned her soul might, quickly shielding the Vita Imprint's natural enemy.

The negotiations between the two sides had yet to end. Judas had racked his brains, but still couldn't pry open Su Xingchen's lips. Yet he couldn't give up on continuing the talks, held captive by a beautiful illusion.

That was the very purpose of negotiations. Marshal Krozo, Advisor Luka, and a host of officers and strategists from the Transportation Bureau kept a close watch on the proceedings. Using forty-five minutes as their standard unit of time, they launched all kinds of coordinated attacks, tailored to Judas's changing tone, demands, emotions, and psychological weaknesses.

It looked as though Su Xingchen was negotiating with Judas, but in truth, the entire corps of the Transportation Bureau's commanders was sitting at the same table, taking turns dragging things out and haggling. It was like a group of fishermen going deep-sea fishing: as long as they kept at it long enough, even the strongest sea monster would grow weaker and more helpless.

Eight hours passed. Judas lost patience more than once. He would scream abuse hysterically, then hang up and shut himself away completely. But after a short wait, the "businessman" would cling to a sliver of hope and accept Agent Su Xingchen's apology again.

That tiny glimmer of hope was like a sharp fishhook, slowly tearing a terrifying wound through Judas's mind.

When they started discussing the details of trading space for time with Dagda's Cauldron, he was already under the sway of