Chapter 399

Chapter 399: "The Feast at Hongmen"

Yes, the interviewer in front of him might be seeing those subordinates for the first time, but it was not the same for him.

Two months ago, he had just delivered the adoption documents along with a warning to the man’s dwelling in the sewers at Lin Qingliu’s order, not expecting to meet him again now.

Looking at the man’s features, which were even more defined than before, El could guess the challenges Luke had faced during this time.

While working a black job, training, and searching for a chance to uncover the truth, the pressure on him had indeed been immense.

Perhaps it was exactly because of this that he had keenly spotted this opportunity, finding a chance to make things a bit easier for himself.

El considered this for a few seconds and decided that he should mention this to Lin Qingliu.

Everything related to Luke had been a collaboration between him and Lin Qingliu—whether it was initially luring the man to cut off his arm or later providing kind reminders, they had done it together.

As for now, due to the lighting, the man across from him might not yet realize that two of the three people in front of him were the "Heart Snatcher" news that had stirred up much talk a few months ago.

With this in mind, El decided to minimize his meetings with Luke for the time being, at least until Lin Qingliu provided clear instructions for the next steps.

Fortunately, there was still one shiny-headed guy among the three responsible for the interview whom Luke had not met before; he could handle the transition for now.

Thinking of this, El nodded pretentiously and made a very satisfied sound:

“Very good, your features are born for this.”

Having said that, he turned to his assistant beside him:

“Xiao Deng, assign him a dormitory, and his salary will be counted as for a small team.”

“So high?”

Though he should choose to obey orders now, the man on the right instinctively questioned the amount he had just heard.

“He’s worth it.”

El replied firmly:

“He will lead the Ashen out of the quagmire of illiteracy.”

—

While everyone was busy with their tasks, Arthur, as the coordinator of everything, had not received a moment of free time either.

On this day, with light snow falling in Hope City, not only was a poor scout caught on the spot, but a group of five received an encrypted email over ten kilometers away.

The members of the first team were dutifully carrying out their responsibilities. Since last month’s victory, it had been a full month without a beast tide.

Although everyone understood that the next attack was just a matter of time, as members of Hope City, they all had strong pressure resistance and had developed a mindset of enjoying life’s successes to the fullest.

During this time, perhaps due to the knowledge that extraordinary beasts wouldn’t attack anytime soon, or the inspiring speech from the newly appointed Speaker indeed having an effect, in short… the atmosphere in both the inner and outer cities had become more lively recently, even superpowered individuals who had less interaction with the outside world sensed a similar change.

Thus, when the group saw the signature on the email, they were astonished; the Speaker actually invited the five members of the first team to dinner—it was truly…

The group exchanged surprised glances, and perhaps the one whose expression wavered the least was Infinite Scroll.

As a collaborator hiding in the shadows alongside Lin Qingliu, Infinite Scroll was generally aware of Lin Qingliu’s actions. She, as the last intelligence left by the human alliance on this planet, held high authority in legal matters and could not selectively ignore certain things.

Therefore, she could roughly guess Lin Qingliu’s purpose for this invitation. Although the first team lacked mobility compared to some superpowered individuals, in their respective fields, no one could surpass them.

Whether it was for persuasion or intimidation, anything Lin Qingliu did was something she could accept, as long as it did not involve lives.

An invitation from the Speaker was no small matter. After a brief discussion, everyone put on their best clothes and took the elevator to a small conference room.

The conference room, nestled in the middle of the spire, was usually a quiet place, seldom visited by many. Yet today, it played host to some of the most significant guests it had seen in decades.

The five individuals gently knocked on the door, and a magnetic voice responded from within.

Upon entering, they saw the robust Speaker Arthur already seated at the head of the table. At each of the five corresponding seats lay a complete set of tableware and…

a serving of nutritional paste.

This was the meal Speaker Arthur had invited them to partake in.

The members of the first team, having witnessed numerous grand events over the years, felt only a fleeting tension in the face of what seemed like a potentially treacherous gathering.

In all fairness, they had done nothing wrong; it was unlikely that the Speaker would insult them without cause. Perhaps the nutritional paste… held a deeper significance.

One by one, the five took their seats, and Speaker Arthur, after surveying the room, began to speak:

“Among you, who is taking anti-rejection medication?”

The first team was taken aback by the gravity of the first question posed, and for a moment, no one dared to respond.

Noticing their nervous expressions, Arthur reassured them:

“Speak freely. My authority ensures that whatever is within you won’t be triggered.”

Their expressions of tension quickly turned to astonishment, as if the golden giant before them had seen through their very defenses.

With everyone still silent, Arthur continued slowly:

“This is not a test. The council has erred greatly in my absence, and I intend to rectify those mistakes one by one.

“I am aware that some of you once sought my death…”

"Starfall" nearly choked on his own saliva, struggling to suppress a cough, his face turning a shade of red.

“But I bear no grudge. We are all allies now.”

Finally, Arthur dropped a bombshell:

“Do you know how Lucas truly died?”

As the group looked on in stunned silence, Arthur elaborated:

“He died due to my oversight. I had returned from outside the city, curious about the state of Hope City, just as the mycelium breached the walls. I sought out Lucas, hoping to solve the problem and gather some useful intelligence.

“Unfortunately…

“At that time, I lacked the necessary authority. My inquiries triggered the safeguards of his implanted device, and he died before my eyes.”

Here, a genuine look of sorrow crossed Arthur’s face.

In reflection, Lin Qingliu considered this the sole misstep he had made since arriving in this world. The large-scale beast tide and the mycelium infiltration were, in essence, inevitable.

But Lucas’s death was a direct result of his negligence, which also accounted for Lin Qingliu’s unusually high tolerance towards Luke.