The two women suddenly realized what was happening, and they felt a mixture of urgency and frustration. By this time, Waldo had resumed his true form and appeared before them, still unable to stop his laughter.

Alanna and Helen widened their eyes, both surprised and overjoyed. Alanna exclaimed, "How did you come back? You didn’t even tell us!"

Helen’s eyes welled up with tears as she complained, "Do you know how worried we were? And you didn’t say a word, leaving us to worry about you for so long."

Seeing Waldo, their initial reaction was a mix of excitement and relief. The immense pressure they had carried for so many days was finally dissipating. Waldo’s return signaled the end of their ordeal.

However, after the initial rush of excitement, they couldn’t help but feel a bit upset. That night, Waldo didn’t discuss any other matters and consoled the two women in every way he could.

After the comforting, Waldo inquired about recent events, such as which factions were causing trouble and whether they had gathered any intelligence.

With a slightly furrowed brow, a dangerous glint in his eyes, Waldo asked, "Do you have any information on the factions causing trouble?"

Alanna responded, "Waldo, you don’t know this, but shortly after you entered the underwater world, somehow, news about you leaked. Subsequently, other factions found out as well."

Helen added, "Then, since you never reappeared, rumors became more and more absurd. Many speculated that you had met an accident because no one can stay underwater for so long."

"At first, these factions acted discreetly and didn’t dare to be too aggressive, just probing our reactions. But over time, they grew bolder. Just recently, some secretly formed alliances against us," Alanna explained.

Waldo grunted in response. "They’re looking for trouble."

He then asked for the names of the specific factions.

"In the West region, it’s mainly the city where Lees was from, Thunder City. Along with them, there are a few other factions that have taken Thunder City as their role model. All these rumors are being spread by them, and they’ve even issued challenges to us," Helen revealed.

Alanna added angrily, "They’re asking for death! Even after Lees died, they dare to be so arrogant! Besides them, various factions from the East and South regions, they’re everywhere, many of them!"

At this point, Helen glanced at Waldo, sounding somewhat hesitant, "Waldo, can you handle this? There are so many of them, it might be quite troublesome."

Waldo casually shook his head, "Troublesome? Right now, the giants from the underwater world are about to invade. If we don’t eliminate dissidents quickly and concentrate our strength, that’s where the real trouble lies."

He then informed the two women about the impending crisis. Alarmed, both of them widened their eyes.

"The underwater world is about to invade the surface world?" They had speculated about this before but didn’t dare to delve too deep into the thought. It was a subconscious fear. However, when Waldo said it out loud, they felt a chilling sense of danger.

They were well aware of how powerful the underwater world was, a world that nurtured three major gods and nearly ten demigods. If they invaded the surface world, could the survivors of the world withstand it?

With a heavy expression, the two women agreed, "Our only way to cope is to gather everyone’s strength and face them head-on. But before that, we must deal with the factions that oppose us or secretly conspire against us."

Waldo nodded, "Exactly. I had originally planned to reunite with you and immediately initiate action. Wait a moment; I think discussing the specifics of our plan is a necessity."

Helen suddenly spoke, and her eyes sparkled. Waldo was briefly taken aback and then smiled.

"I can just take direct action and eliminate them without the need for any schemes. I’m invincible now. I don’t need to consider too much. There’s no one left in this world who can threaten me. I don’t need to act as cautiously as before."

Helen explained, "The truth is, we don’t know exactly which factions are against us. Many of these groups operate covertly, and we can’t uncover their tracks. To completely eradicate these factions, it’s best to lure them out on their own. The ultimate solution is your ’death.’ Once they believe you’ve actually died, they’ll come out of hiding and actively oppose us, trying to deal with us without restraint."

Initially, Waldo didn’t take this seriously. However, after hearing Helen’s explanation, he thought it made sense. While he could suppress any budding rebellions with his overwhelming strength, it wouldn’t address the root cause. It would be better to eliminate those enemies completely.

"Good point. But how can we make them believe that I’m dead? That’s the challenging part."

Helen furrowed her brows. "How do we make others believe that news?"

Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she asked, "Waldo, can you find a way to remove your name from the global power rankings list? When someone dies, their name disappears from the global rankings."

"If Waldo’s name disappears from the rankings, others will naturally assume that he has died. Can you hide your ranking from the global power rankings list?" Waldo nodded.

He immediately inquired with the system:

[Beep! According to the system’s assessment, the world is about to face an unprecedented apocalyptic crisis, and the system can provide maximum assistance to the strongest survivor, Waldo!]

[Beep! Survivor Waldo, a level 100 survivor, enjoys privileges and does not require system assistance to hide his ranking from the power rankings list!]

"Wow? I have privileges?" Waldo was surprised and then realized he had the power to hide his ranking with just a thought. He could make his name disappear or reappear at will.

Alanna and Helen couldn’t help but smile. With the most critical problem solved, they quickly discussed the specific action plan.

First, they needed to ensure that Waldo’s return remained a well-guarded secret.

Second, Waldo would deal with the audacious Thunder City.

Third, they would release the news of Waldo’s death to mislead their enemies, encouraging those who were plotting against them to reveal themselves voluntarily.

In no time, Waldo put on his clothes and prepared to take action. The urgency of the situation was clear to all involved. He said his farewells to Alanna and Helen and headed straight for the skies over Dawn City.

When he looked down, he saw Dawn City shining brightly all over. Even in the darkest night, Dawn City remained lively and radiant in the endless snowy landscape.

"Now, Thunder City, you can wait for what’s coming!"