The expression of the elder of the Blood Skull sect eased a little when he heard her offer. He became interested again and asked, "How much and how will it be calculated?"
Before she could reply, he made another statement. "I want it to be clear that our help doesn't mean that you will win this war. We want to be able to withdraw and advance however we want. We don't want to die with your sect, so our reward should be based entirely on our work and effort, not on the victory or defeat of your sect."
She sighed again and said, "What choice do we have?"
He replied confidently, "Not much. There are not many crazy people who like fighting that will join the losing side.
The two of them began to negotiate on behalf of their sects. Of course, what they saw now is not binding.
