Chapter 292: Making a Move on Lan Qingyou?

Judgment: "This matter is a bit troublesome."

Tower: "Be specific."

Judgment: "Specifically, a political rival of mine colluded with several council members to orchestrate this. After all, you exposed the massive smuggling ring involving the Teleportation Array yesterday. Naturally, some people couldn't sit still anymore."

Although Shang Chuan said that Chu Yuan only received the news when he was called to a morning meeting today.

In reality, after returning yesterday and briefly studying some crucial blood-related techniques that were on the verge of a breakthrough, he tossed the remaining research to his subordinates and initiated a night meeting within the council.

The agenda of this meeting was naturally the illegal sale of materials meant for constructing the Teleportation Array.

During the meeting, Chu Yuan made it abundantly clear that the members of Tarot Manor who provided the materials demanded a thorough investigation. Furthermore, once the culprits were found, the Supreme Council wouldn't need to lift a finger—they would execute the thieves themselves.

Upon hearing this, the complexions of the attending council members changed drastically.

Rumors were already running rampant on the world channel that Orff, the Titan Race Clan Head codenamed "Chariot" in Tarot Manor, had wiped out a small organization. Additionally, intelligence suggested that the two meteor strike locations were the work of Lan Qingyou, the Witch Clan Head codenamed "Tower."

Lan Qingyou was an absolute bigwig whom everyone knew.

Previously, due to her potions, everyone had hoped to reap some benefits from Lan Qingyou, but Chu Yuan, that hotheaded youth, had beaten them to the punch.

Everything she displayed afterward, along with the broadcasts from the world's will, further proved her extraordinary nature.

This made those self-proclaimed superior council members rather uncomfortable.

Such a massive piece of fat meat being controlled by a young upstart like Chu Yuan, whom they usually looked down upon—who wouldn't feel uncomfortable?

But as Lan Qingyou's combat power grew increasingly terrifying, these people actually felt less regretful.

After all, someone with such formidable strength meant they were not easily manipulated.

If she only knew how to brew potions, she would have been the perfect target for exploitation. Throwing around concepts like humanity and the greater good would have been enough to keep her firmly under their thumb.

But possessing overwhelming military might was an entirely different story.

It could be said that Lan Qingyou and Orff were the quintessential representatives of Tarot Manor.

Therefore, when they heard that the people from Tarot Manor planned to take matters into their own hands, every single one of them panicked.

It wasn't that they were afraid of these people killing someone.

In this day and age, people died every single day, so that wasn't the core issue.

The real problem was that once they acted, it would be a local academic organization interfering with the affairs of the entire Supreme Council.

The nature of such an event couldn't simply be glossed over with words like "taking action" or "investigating."

An even more pressing issue was that the materials used to build the Teleportation Array were provided by Tarot Manor's researchers.

They could essentially be considered the Supreme Council's "investors" for this project.

So, when the investors wanted to audit the accounts and execute the culprits themselves, the council had no room to maneuver, let alone stop them.

Thus, they immediately began taking this matter incredibly seriously.

This time, there was none of the usual bickering, nor the procrastination of holding three meetings a day. They identified the smugglers in barely a single night.

Those who needed to be killed were killed directly; the rest met their rightful ends.

They struck with lightning speed and ruthless efficiency, all to ensure that the investors at Tarot Manor had absolutely no excuse to intervene.

However, this swift action also bred resentment among many.

After all, the Supreme Council was the legitimate ruler of Karim. Who did a bunch of scholars think they were, dictating terms like this?

Consequently, several hardliners banded together, wanting to show Tarot Manor who was truly in charge.

So, how could they put these researchers in their place?

Naturally, the bird that sticks its head out gets shot. They had to take down Lan Qingyou first.

While they might not find it convenient to act through martial force, they were absolute professionals when it came to tripping people up from the dark corners of the political stage.

Besides, rumor had it that the Tower Witch was only in her late teens or early twenties.

How hard could it be to manipulate a little girl?

And so, the proposal to build an Adventurer's Guild on the Abandoned Ruins was born.

Because several council members colluded on this, and others wanted to use the situation to test Lan Qingyou's attitude...

...by the time dawn broke, not only had the material smuggling issue been resolved, but the proposal for the Adventurer's Guild in the Abandoned Land had also been fully approved.

Although Chu Yuan vigorously opposed it, his efforts were futile. The others simply bypassed him to set things in motion.

After all, the Supreme Council was not Chu Yuan's absolute dictatorship.

However, now that Lan Qingyou was asking about it, he naturally spoke without any reservations.

Selling out a teammate? There was no such thing.

Selling out a teammate? There was no such thing.

Tower: "Is that so? Then can I view this as a provocation and test from the Supreme Council?"

After hearing Chu Yuan's explanation, Lan Qingyou asked with a cold sneer.

While she couldn't completely fathom what these people were thinking, it was undoubtedly nothing good.

Judgment: "You cannot, because they are merely a minority faction and cannot represent the entire Supreme Council."

Tower: "But the majority faction gave their tacit approval on this matter, didn't they?"

Knowing he couldn't hide it, Chu Yuan didn't reply next, but his very silence spoke volumes.

Tower: "Heh, interesting."

Judgment: "Do whatever you want."

Chu Yuan had completely given up on trying to salvage the situation, choosing to just smash a cracked pot. This reaction made Lan Qingyou notice a few underlying issues.

Tower: "You're plotting something too, aren't you?"

Judgment: "Indeed."

Tower: "Care to share?"

Judgment: "There's nothing to discuss. The few vials of blood from before were enough for me to increase my power on this side. Just act according to your own plans on your end. It won't affect me, but I will adjust my actions over here based on your moves."

Judgment: "When the time comes, I'll promptly share any intelligence in the group so we can all profit. After all, we are currently grasshoppers tied to the same string."

Staring at the messages he just sent, Chu Yuan, who was seated in his chair, let out a heavy sigh.

He was clearer than anyone about the current state of the Supreme Council.

Because of the Teleportation Array and the Adventurer's Guild, the Supreme Council had essentially solidified its rule.

So for a coalition-type organization, once the external problems were resolved, naturally, the only thing left was internal strife.

Just look at how the Adventurer's Guild had barely rolled out before someone was already preparing to make a move on a massive piece of fat meat like Lan Qingyou.

Tower: "Alright. Since you've put it that way, help me pass a message to the Supreme Council."

Judgment: "What message?"

Tower: "Tell them that if the president of the Adventurer's Guild in the Abandoned Land isn't appointed by me, then from now on, anyone from the Supreme Council will be barred from entering the Abandoned Land. Anyone who dares to enter will die. Also, because I have some matters to deal with over here..."

Judgment: "Are you trying to claim the territory?"

Tower: "Is there anything wrong with that..."