Chapter 432: 402: How Could One Not Be Tempted!

Chapter 432: Chapter 402: How Could One Not Be Tempted!

Pingliang Central Office Building.

Top floor.

Pingliang Director sat on a rocking chair, gazing through the floor-to-ceiling windows with a view that seemed to encompass much of the Sanctuary, everything seemingly within his grasp.

Yet he no longer exuded vigor.

His right hand was wrapped in bandages, and a scar on his face snaked from his forehead to his right cheek, not yet faded. He leaned back in the rocking chair, limp as an overgrown infant, barely able to stand.

Standing opposite him was the Intelligence Minister, there to report on work.

Pingliang Director coughed dryly, slightly shifted his posture, and went from slumping to semi-reclining on the desk.

During the operation to encircle the cult, Pingliang Director had been severely injured, attacked by a special energy, such that even Healing Series Ability Users couldn’t fully cure him; he could only replenish his nutrients and rely on his strong physique for a gradual recovery.

“The ‘adventurer guild’ hasn’t encountered any unforeseen events, just as expected. While a fair number of Awakeners registered as adventurers in the first few days, under our subtle influence, no forces approached the ‘adventurer guild’ to issue commissions.

Without a source of missions, they can’t form a complete chain. Those registered Awakeners are gradually becoming disappointed. The number of Awakeners going in and out of the guild has markedly decreased in the past two days.

‘Extreme Martial Arts Hall,’ while the business is decent, is merely a more popular Martial Arts Hall and far from reaching dominating competitive power.”

“Very good, continue to keep an eye on them.”

Pingliang Director nodded in approval.

Green Shadow was strong, but the losses they’d previously suffered had to be consumed reluctantly by themselves. At this time, he was finally feeling some satisfaction.

“Heh, the ruler of Green Shadow is still too naive. Having strength doesn’t mean having it all—connections, resources, management, rules… Although we’re under pressure and can’t prevent the ‘adventurer guild’ from settling in Pingliang, with just a bit of maneuvering, we can impede their development, causing their investments to completely fall through and incur heavy losses.”

The price of the land was entirely calculated at market value.

The swiftly constructed grand buildings of the ‘adventurer guild’ and the ‘Extreme Martial Arts Hall’ clearly also had significant costs.

Not to mention the cost of transporting large quantities of supplies…

Pingliang Director was very much looking forward to seeing the sour faces of Green Shadow’s rulers.

He had made quite a bit from selling the land.

“Still too young. Pingliang is our turf, what kind of tasks could Green Shadow possibly have here? Unless they post tasks unrelated to their own interests, tasks from which they can’t profit—the scope for that is indeed much greater. But doing so means that with every completed task, Green Shadow would lose a sum of rewards. Attracting Awakeners in such a fashion comes at too high a cost…

And it’s pointless. As long as we don’t post tasks at the ‘adventurer guild,’ they will never be able to form a positive ecological chain.”

They, Pingliang officials, certainly wouldn’t issue commissions through a rival, and the slightly larger forces within the Sanctuary, under the subtle hints and warnings of the Intelligence Department, also wouldn’t conduct business with the ‘adventurer guild.’

And Green Shadow, by extending their reach here, had already stretched themselves thin. It would be impossible for them to spare manpower to understand the surrounding regions, thus hard to generate tasks with real demand.

This wave was settled!

Pingliang Director thought so, and his mood lightened, even the pain from his injuries seemed to ease a bit.

However, it hadn’t been two seconds before Pingliang Director began to rejoice when hurried knocking interrupted.

The one who entered was the Deputy Minister of Intelligence.

“Director, Minister, something terrible has happened!”

“Our Sanctuary’s western Transfer Station was destroyed by the remnants of the cult, not a single survivor at the entire Transfer Station!”

Pingliang Sanctuary had limited strength, with only two Transfer Stations built in total.

The existence of these two transfer stations had a significant impact on the range of control Pingliang Director exercised over his territory and the transportation of resources to adjacent Sanctuaries, as well as the missions issued by the “Task Center.”

Suddenly, one had been destroyed, an event as grave as the fierce onslaught of a level-five Demon Tide.

“The top fighter stationed at the transfer station, I remember, was a member of the top combat power group, and even he couldn’t escape?”

The Deputy Minister shook his head, “When the site was inspected, there happened to be a retrospection ability user present who had already viewed the retrospective scene. The attackers were a group from the Ghost Hand Clan, and the leaders were significantly stronger than… significantly stronger than even our elite combat power.”

In other words, even if Pingliang Director took action, he might not win.

Moreover, Pingliang Director’s disability DEBUFF hadn’t expired yet.

The remnants of the Doomsday Cult, due to the severe losses they suffered earlier, were unanimously considered by the Sanctuary upper echelon to be licking their wounds and recovering; dealing with the remnants was left to whoever wished to tackle it.

Yet the cult remnants made the first move!

The transport group that had traded with Yang City Sanctuary was wiped out in the wilderness, which was suspected to be the work of the cult remnants. Now, they had even dared to strike at the transfer station.

With a bang, Pingliang Director’s bandaged fist smashed onto the tabletop. The solid and thick desk’s surface cracked apart with a snap, and spider-web-like fractures spread across the floor.

Pingliang Director: “…”

He cleared his throat, “We can’t allow the cult remnants to continue running rampant. We can ignore the other areas, but the remnants within the Pingliang territory must be eradicated swiftly; otherwise, heaven knows what else they might do!”

The Intelligence Minister nodded but frowned tightly, “According to the intelligence we have, there are at least five individuals among the remnants who surpass our top combat power… This is going to be difficult.”

Originally, Pingliang’s peak combat power could be counted on two hands, but now even one palm sufficed to count them. Dealing with such a powerful remnant force was proving overwhelming.

Pingliang Director was obviously aware of this and furrowed his brows in deep thought.

At that moment, the Deputy Minister of Intelligence, who had just left, returned.

Upon seeing the Minister’s and Director’s eyes focused intently on him, the Deputy Minister felt somewhat awkward.

After all, he was the bearer of bad news.

Immediately, the Deputy Minister reported on the appearance of the Green Shadow’s floating airship, which had ignored their anti-air cannons’ attacks and landed directly on the open ground behind the adventurer guild.

“Not only that, but there’s also a new option within the ‘adventurer guild’ that allows for named requests. It includes adventure fighters’ ratings. I sent someone to check, and I saw several… Awakeners who surpass the top combat power.”

“Eleventh Layer? Or is it the Tenth Layer?”

“No, only the Ninth Layer. Some are not even at Peak, but their adventurer identity information includes a combat power amplification, which is said… said to be capable of overpowering level-three Demonized Beasts.” The Deputy Minister swallowed, “There’s even video evidence. I’ve checked it, and it shows those adventurers fighting in action, it doesn’t seem to be faked.”

“Moreover, with the appearance of these adventurers, the ‘adventurer guild’ released quite a few new missions all at once. Just a while ago, the guild hall was bustling with Awakeners registering and inquiring about the situation.”

Pingliang Director wanted to say it was impossible, but he refrained from voicing it out.

His mood was a mess, yet his eyes suddenly lit up, “Wait, since these adventurers are so powerful, can’t we… use them to eradicate the cult remnants?”

“But wouldn’t this give the ‘adventurer guild’ a chance to expand their influence?” The Intelligence Minister frowned.

“No,” said Pingliang Director, “These people are just adventurers, not subordinates who obey Green Shadow’s commands. We can contact them privately and, with the financial power of our large Sanctuary, offer a thirty to fifty percent increase in the rewards for the missions. How could mere adventurers resist such temptation?”

“Green Shadow has made a poor move.”

Pingliang Director laughed heartily.

Upon his orders, the Intelligence Minister immediately set to work contacting those adventurers.

Finally, as the Minister was about to leave, Pingliang Director seemed to have remembered something, pointing to the cracked floor, “Remember to get someone to repair this.”