Li Shuyi muttered in the Team Channel, "That Snake Mother sure knows which way the wind is blowing."
But Bai Xiaowen wasn't taken in by Snake Mother Jia Gelila's smile. He shook his head. "My growing strength was enough to make up your mind? Forgive me, but that's no reason to switch sides. Four of the Seven Sacred Artifacts had already appeared, and three had found compatible wielders. Those three grew far stronger too. Why didn't you change your mind then?"
"Prophet, if you insist on a reason, it's your unique identity."
Jia Gelila smiled. "At first, I didn't care that you were the prophet, because you hadn't inherited the Guardian Order's legacy. That's changed. Now that you have the legacy, the Grand Overlord's chances of winning have fallen considerably."
"On the surface, the Grand Overlord still has the advantage. The Deep-Sea Snakefolk can come and go as they please, while the allied forces can't possibly defend such a long coastline," Bai Xiaowen said calmly. "Even if the Guardian Faction and the Abyss Faction had equal odds of winning, you're one of the Abyss Faction's three great lords. Why would someone of your standing betray it?"
Betraying your own faction demanded a compelling reason. The usual motives were profit or status. It was like leaving for a rival company: they would have to offer better pay or a higher position.
Among the Snakefolk, Jia Gelila was probably second only to one. Joining the Guardian Faction could hardly raise her standing.
Jia Gelila sighed. "Very well. I'll tell you exactly why I changed sides, Prophet."
"The Deep-Sea Snakefolk you mentioned aren't quite what you think. My tribe and I don't belong to the Deep Sea. We're amphibious Snakefolk, and we don't like the dark ocean depths. To us, damp mudflats and