Chapter 3123: Chapter Forty-Seven: United

The coffin exploded in place, but this did not interrupt the continuation of the memorial service; it was originally an empty coffin, and Su Xiao immediately had it replaced.

The memorial service continued, Su Xiao stepped toward the side of the venue, and after entering the side conference hall, Su Xiao casually found a chair and sat down.

Not long after, Deputy Officer Belock hurried in and said in a low voice: "My lord, I have already notified those on the list."

"Hmm, you may withdraw."

"Yes."

Deputy Officer Belock withdrew, and a few minutes later, Kinsley's nephew, Haohuo, and others entered the conference hall; besides these people, there was also a lieutenant general and a major general from the Southern Alliance and the Eastern Alliance.

The four elderly men representing the two major conglomerates also arrived; these four could fully represent the Southern Alliance and the Eastern Alliance.

Everyone took their seats, Su Xiao sat in the primary seat, and surveyed the four directions.

"Regarding Kinsley's death, I feel deep regret; the departed have departed, but should the living be given a warning?"

Su Xiao placed a golden button on the round table; upon seeing this golden button, Kinsley's nephew and Haohuo and others all slightly changed their expressions.

"This is Kinsley, my lord's..."

"Correct, he had it sent back before his death and conveyed to me a sentence: Emperor Taiya Tu is still alive."

Su Xiao lit a cigarette and then threw three documents onto the table.

"Not long ago, I and Kinsley fought on an unknown continent, the purpose being to contend for the hazardous item S-006, the mermaid; I temporarily named that unknown continent the Western Continent; after returning to Jiaman City, I investigated records about the Western Continent and learned it was the territory of the Taiya Tu civilization; to this day, the Taiya Tu civilization continues to exist in a special way."

Saying this, Su Xiao opened a document bag and signaled Liechao to distribute these documents to everyone; Liechao let out a cold snort but did not refuse Su Xiao's face, and distributed the documents.

"The Taiya Tu civilization is older than the era of the myriad kingdoms; the origin of the Holy Knight Order, the earliest firearms technology, steam technology—all can be traced back there; a few days ago, I and Kinsley secretly allied: he was responsible for investigating the situation on the Western Continent, while I remained on the Eastern Continent to suppress the local supernatural forces; the result is obvious—Kinsley died—so I propose launching a full-scale war against the Western Continent."

Su Xiao extinguished the cigarette in his hand, and in the calmest tone, spoke words sufficient to alter the pattern of the three continents.

"Full-scale war? To what extent would it be full-scale?"

An old man wearing a monocle spoke up.

"Deploy all ironclad warships, over 70% of military soldiers, over 90% of mechanism and Eclipse Organization supernaturals, gather resources to urgently manufacture high-powered explosives..."

"Wait a moment."

An old man with a hooked nose interrupted Su Xiao's words, saying: "Besides war, is there no more gentle means? For example, diplomacy, trade annexation, economic exploitation."

The hooked-nose old man clearly opposed full-scale war; war is just burning money; Kinsley's death news certainly made everyone alert, but in the eyes of those in power, interests and authority come first.

"Initially, I and Kinsley also thought this way, so before Kinsley departed, he diverted three ironclad warships, fully loaded with living supplies, ornaments, handicrafts; as a result, you all saw."

Su Xiao's forefinger lightly tapped the document on the table; upon hearing his words, the four elderly men representing the two alliances fell silent.

"That was Kinsley's personal action; he could not do it, but that does not mean no one can; I greatly respect Mr. Kinsley, but he is not a god."

A young man wearing frameless glasses spoke up; as he spoke, he pushed up the glasses on his nose; this is a young high-ranking member of the Southern Alliance, whose father nearly monopolized maritime trade; obviously, this side does not support war.

Upon hearing this person's words, the four elderly men around the conference table all laughed; this young man's humor amused them, and each of them had been schemed against by Kinsley.

"From now on, I resign from the position of Commander of the Mechanism Legion."

Su Xiao took out a badge and placed it on the table; everyone beside the conference table looked doubtful, not understanding what Su Xiao intended to do.

"This is the intelligence I obtained in the Extreme South Cold Land; please review it, everyone."

Su Xiao opened the second document bag and signaled Liechao to distribute; Liechao poked Su Xiao's lower back with his thumb, meaning: "You really still think I'm your secretary?"

After Liechao distributed the documents, several people around the conference table carefully examined them; the records about the Moon Wolf were scarce, mainly concerning Emperor Taiya Tu and threadworms.

"In every living being on the Western Continent, threadworms are harbored, making them savage, violent, irritable, extremely aggressive and assaultive.

Emperor Taiya Tu no longer needs civilization; he desires rule and immortality; those primitive warriors parasitized by threadworms are the monster legion he cultivated; the Abyssal Hole grants him immortality, but to suppress the Abyssal Hole's resurgence requires unimaginable resources; thus the Western Continent has become barren and unsuitable for survival; once resources are completely exhausted, what will Emperor Taiya Tu do?"

Su Xiao surveyed the four directions; Bahagang, who was beside him, was about to speak when someone spoke first.

"Plunder."

Kinsley's nephew's tone was decisive.

"Come plunder with us."

Haohuo put down the document in his hand and said this with his mouth, but in his heart he secretly speculated on the document's authenticity.

"Correct, come plunder with us; whether my words are credible, you can verify through your own channels; I believe among you, some already have knowledge of the Western Continent and also know of the existence of such threadworms."

Su Xiao's finger pointed at the golden button on the table, and he continued:

"Rather than waiting for them to come plunder, I prefer to take the initiative; everyone, this is not a riddle, but a choice: to take the initiative and place the battlefield on the Western Continent, or to passively defend and let the battlefield spread to the Eastern and Southern Continents—this is for you to decide; Kinsley's death, I deeply regret, but interests are interests; ultimately, what we discuss today is not revenge, but gains and losses of interests; war is burning money, but suffering aggression is being plundered of money."

Su Xiao's words left everyone present silent, beginning to weigh gains and losses; if Su Xiao had loudly spoken of avenging Kinsley, those four old fellows would surely have voiced agreement, but in reality would not have exerted any effort.

Kinsley's death, they felt sorrowful, but it was merely sorrow; if today's meal were palatable, perhaps they would temporarily forget this matter; but now the situation has already touched their vital interests, which they cannot tolerate; this is already enough to make them lose sleep, even feel their hearts torn like by a knife.

"A scattered sand will let the war cause greater losses to our side; now is an opportunity; we several parties have a common enemy, so we should temporarily unite and give it a beating."

Su Xiao's said 'temporarily' two words, he deliberately raised his tone, so that if the several parties were to fully unite, it would have to be a burning eyebrow situation to be possible; but if they temporarily unite, that would be good, and afterward each returns to their own home.

"What does Commander Bai Ye mean?"

The hooked-nose old man was full of doubt; actually, this old fellow's mind was as clear as a mirror, but some things he found hard to say aloud.

"Form a temporary alliance, elect a temporary commander-in-chief, to direct the war situation."

"Agree."

"Review."

"Hmm, this proposal is not bad."

"Personnel? Who is the person for the temporary commander-in-chief?"

Kinsley's nephew came up with a divine assist; one can only say, no wonder he is Kinsley's blood relative.

"I recommend that Kinsley serve as the temporary commander-in-chief."

Su Xiao spoke; he does not worry about the living Kinsley seizing power or such—only a 'death-state' Kinsley can be the temporary commander-in-chief; if Kinsley feigns death and comes back to life, then the commander-in-chief position will immediately become vacant; given the current situation, no living person can become the commander-in-chief of this temporary alliance.

"This proposal is good, very good indeed."

"Hmm, mourning the departed Kinsley, Commander Bai Ye has good intentions."

"Review."

The four old men voted unanimously, and the representative of the Eclipse Organization, Hao Huo, naturally supported it as well; Dean Vik and Mrs. Xulin had no objections.

"The commander-in-chief has been decided, now for the deputy commander..."

Kinsley's nephew looked troubled, then delivered another divine assist; upon hearing this, Dean Vik tapped the conference table to draw everyone's attention and said, "Let's vote."

Dean Vik, building on the divine assist, delivered a double strike.

"There's no other way."

"Let's begin."

Everyone tore a piece from the documents in front of them and began voting.

The result was beyond doubt; just moments ago, Su Xiao resigned his position as Commander of the Agency Legion in front of everyone—he is now a free man, and additionally, the convener of this meeting and the provider of all kinds of intelligence.

"Everyone, this meeting is now concluded. I am no longer the Commander of the Agency Legion, so farewell—may we meet again if fate allows. I'm leaving first."

Su Xiao made a motion to rise and leave, but as he stood up, the old man with the hooked nose opposite him said:

"Deputy Commander, where are you going?"

The hooked-nosed old man smiled, pressed the slip of paper in his hand onto the table, which read: 'Kukulin Bai Ye.'

The other three old men, Kinsley's nephew, Dean Vik, Mrs. Xulin, and others all smiled; their thoughts were unanimous, and in modern fashionable terms: 'All thousand-year-old foxes—what are you pretending to be, acting out some Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio?'