Early the next morning, after the Battle Mage Team officially went to the administrative building to inform Barnes of their withdrawal from the contest and swiftly announced their allegiance to Angel...
The situation entered a certain degree of stalemate.
Would the powerful Silent Spellcasting Group withdraw? Impossible.
Would Angel, who had already unified a large number of factions, withdraw? Equally impossible.
Would the Old Vascular Council, with their "dead pigs unafraid of boiling water" attitude, withdraw? Certainly not.
Would the High Sect, who valued face above all else, withdraw? Absolutely not.
This was a deadlock, an absolute deadlock.
At noon, Barnes summoned all four student leaders for a second meeting—a crucial, pivotal second meeting.
...
At 1:20 PM, Qili from the Silent Spellcasting Group arrived.
Her face was somewhat haggard, her eyes sunken. Strands of her hair stuck up slightly, making her appear rather disheveled.
