Chapter 27: Like a Tiger with Added Wings?_2
Translator: 549690339 |
“Ask yourself, do you really value me, or is it just the high inheritance I bring?”
The expression on Monroe’s face grew terribly unnatural for a moment.
Even through layers of heavy paint, it was evident.
Truths, even without any explicit vulgarity, often hurt the most.
Elise might seem insane, but she sees everything crystal clear.
She understands who’s really playing the deeper game and who has ulterior motives.
Link Grande, indeed, was wary of her and wanted to use her.
But it was all out in the open, no hypocrisy, no equivocation.
What Elise hated most, was those who intended to use her, but disguised their intentions under the guise of goodwill.
Disgusting!
With a shudder, Elise abruptly got up and left Monroe Brisegio.
Monroe stood there, motionless for a long while.
After what seemed like an eternity, he heaved a long sigh, turned around and returned to his companions, to formulate a new action plan.
The intelligence he bought had to be put to use—it couldn’t go to waste.
As for taking on the opposition camp directly, though that was Elise’ s intention and she responded accordingly to Link, that didn’t mean Monroe and his companions felt the same.
If something can be accomplished using brains, no one should resort to using their fists.
Killing and violence would only harm the innocent, wouldn’t they?
Link never expected the mission to go so smoothly.
He originally thought that the people Elise had summoned, or the small team she had joined, would be filled with violent individuals like her.
He certainly did not expect that the one controlling the team and negotiating with him would be the scheming Monroe Brisegio.
With just a simple conversation, Link had been able to deduce Monroe’s character and thus modified his negotiation strategy.
From mutual cooperation, he shifted to business negotiation.
Though the process didn’t go as he had anticipated, the outcome was positive.
With the help of the three micro-research facilities in the large bag, the research and experimentation to reconstruct the ecosystem would run smoother.
Link made headway towards the Mid-river Sandbar without any hesitation.
All his other prior arrangements, like finding a more suitable location for large-scale ecosystem simulation, were deferred.
Using his familiarity with the terrain and real-time feedback from his reconnaissance puppets, Link had travelled for nearly an hour at top speed, bypassing several large and small conflicts along the way.
However, as he was getting closer to the Mid-river Sandbar, an unavoidable obstacle appeared.
Lanny Taylor, leading a team of ten, stood on the only path forward, waiting for Link’s arrival.
Apparently, over these two days, Lanny had not only increased the strength of her team
She had gathered all the members of the “New Blood Mutual Aid Association” besides Andriya Norman;
and somehow, she’d gotten her hands on a higher-grade Reconnaissance Magic Tool than the puppets, which allowed her to detect Link from afar.
“What’s up?”
Link halted his steps, coldly inquiring, his manner far from friendly.
Indeed, he had grown somewhat annoyed with the constant interference.
Just when he would finally get rid of her, she resurfaces again.
Lanny raised her right hand, silencing her somewhat agitated and indignant teammates.
She took a step forward, willingly entering Link’s attack range, then spread her hands and raised them to signal she harbored no ill intentions.
“There’s something I think you must know.”
She said seriously, her tone somber, “There are only 30 of us who participated in the competition from the South District. Nine have already been eliminated. Other than your group of ten, the remaining are all here.”
“And then?”
Link remained unmoved, quickly scanning the faces of Lanny’s team behind her.
Among them were two familiar faces, Lutz Bailey and Bahmir Balves, standing right there.
Of the other eight, five were members of the “New Blood Mutual Aid Association”.
“What I want to tell you is, of the nine who were eliminated, other than Andriya Norman, the other eight were eliminated by the local apprentices in the North District, who are in the same camp as us.”
Lanny’s expression grew even graver, and her tone even more serious.
The matter she revealed indeed demanded attention.
For the South District New Blood to be eliminated by their same-camp local North District apprentices, there could only be two scenarios.
Either there was infighting, and they lost;
Or, the local North District apprentices banded together, using their number advantage to deliberately eliminate South District New Blood.
Lanny’s words hinted heavily towards the second possibility.
She was using this inference to suggest something, to confirm something.
“So?”
Link raised an eyebrow, his heart still as calm as a millpond.
“So, give up on the idea of joining forces with the local North District apprentices. Besides us, you won’t find any other trustworthy team.”
Lanny voiced her thoughts, “We share information, work together to take on camp tasks. This is the only way we can win the competition between the districts, only then can we get a good result and ranking.”
Link smiled, however, instead of replying, he asked, “Those eight eliminated people, they were all in the opposition camp, right?”
Lanny was prepared for Link’s line of questioning, she wasn’t caught off guard and immediately retorted, “Indeed, they belonged to the opposition camp. So, what about it?”
“Nothing much.”
Link shook his head, “Just asking.”
“So what exactly are you thinking? Will you join our team or not? This is the last time I’m asking you.”
Lanny didn’t ask any further, she was decisive about it.
Her face was hidden behind a veil, her exact expression was unclear.
But her gaze was extremely resolute, she was by no means bluffing.
It seemed like, if Link refused her this time, she would truly take her team and leave, never to look back.
“Why do you want to form a team so badly? Considering what I know about you, shouldn’t you want me to be the target, attracting the attention of the North District apprentices while you quietly advance the mainline task?”