Chapter 386

Chapter 386: Table-Flipping Deterrence

In the spire, the conference room.

Warm light bathed everyone, making their hoods feel slightly stifling.

Even though December was approaching, the exceptional temperature control of the Old Era technology kept the entire spire at a comfortably pleasant temperature.

Arthur’s arrival seemed to usher in a new trend; ever since he officially revealed his participation in the Council during the medal ceremony, it felt as though he was steadily making progress.

This approach was not limited to handling matters but extended to meetings as well—

After he brought a high-brightness standing lamp to the first meeting, he seemed to take a liking to decorating.

Now, the conference room had transformed from its previous seriousness; two pots of flowers—fake—sat at the entrance.

Mr. Speaker stated that even a serious conference room needed a bit of embellishment sometimes, yet using real plants seemed wasteful and posed a risk of decay from mycelium.

So, he ultimately paid out of his own pocket and bought two pots of second-hand fake flowers for sixty information coins from the outer city.

These cheap creations likely never expected to enter such an important place. Although they stood out against the surroundings, they seemed to grow more agreeable over time.

“I disagree.”

Two voices rose simultaneously.

These came from the longevity faction council member Yang Suyan and the inheritance faction council member Gao Xi.

Both held considerable control over the factories and their various affiliates, effectively acting as the behind-the-scenes rulers of this large organization.

Although other council members, like Nia, could voice their opinions through their own channels, when Speaker Arthur proposed a comprehensive review of all factories, the two clearly expressed their opposition.

It couldn’t be helped; Mr. Speaker’s gradual encroachment truly felt like it was closing in on their faces.

To be fair, as council members at the pinnacle of power, money was no longer a standard equivalent for them.

Yet, they still enjoyed and were intoxicated by the feeling of wielding power.

But now the Speaker was being so disrespectful?

In light of the current situation, the council members felt quite complex inside.

On one hand, this Speaker was not unapproachable.

He wanted to enter the center of power, so after wielding the big stick, he also offered them sweet dates.

The reason was simple: even though he held the same status as them as Permission Level holders, they could initiate a formal vote through the spaceship’s system to strip Arthur of his authority.

But the other issue was, if he were not a Permission Level holder, the rules governing them wouldn’t restrain him, and he might truly knock them into a vegetative state with a single punch…

Thus, the council members saw their situation with Arthur as a stalemate—

As long as they didn’t throw him out and were willing to let this born hard worker do his job, he shouldn’t cause them any trouble.

Otherwise, they might as well all perish together.

In this unspoken understanding between both sides, everyone finally felt able to sit down and have a proper discussion.

But… it seemed that the Speaker was pushing things a bit too far.

“Oh, you disagree. Why?”

Arthur maintained the utmost respect for the council members, seeming to anticipate their clear opposition as well as the faint objections from others. Still, he patiently started to inquire.

“Because the current structure has no issues, there is no need for an inspection; that’s just how it is.”

Yang Suyan’s words sounded firm, but they represented his bottom line.

He had expected the Speaker to start arguing with him, but… the other party seemed to accept this statement.

Arthur leaned back in his chair and spoke slowly,

“Alright, I won’t look into this matter. However, there’s another issue—

“Who among you had someone follow me recently? I always feel like I have a tail when I’m outside.”

This question was asked directly, as if Arthur no longer wished to maintain a facade of false peace.

He always operated this way, walking a fine line between defiance and compliance, dancing lightly on it while continually testing everyone’s limits.

As soon as the words left his mouth, some of those seated involuntarily trembled slightly.

They didn’t really want to engage in this sort of thing either.

But dealing with someone like Arthur, who they couldn’t out-argue or outfight, and who now had ambitions to build something, meant they had to keep an eye on his movements.

At the very least, they needed to report where he went daily. That seemed… not illegal.

Among those who stiffened slightly was Councilwoman Nia.

These past few days, she had replaced her aides with other superpowered individuals, sending Shi Jin to track Arthur.

Though she didn’t have high hopes, Nia felt that this superpowered individual, who could manipulate time to some extent, was well-suited for the job.

Moreover, she had analyzed video footage of Arthur’s battles several times; he didn’t seem to possess any powers in that regard…

However, it appeared that Shi Jin had been exposed. This couldn’t entirely be blamed on the Young Man; if only she were a bit more capable… perhaps some unwelcome thoughts would have emerged.

With this in mind, Nia prepared to apologize, wanting to maintain a position similar to Zhong Ding’s before, at least showing proper attitude without losing face.

Just as she intended to express herself, Arthur suddenly spoke again:

“I understand your concerns. Like the Old Era story of the Sword of Damocles, no one wants to see someone like me around.

“So, I can also choose not to pursue this matter~

“But this brings up a new question—”

Uh-oh!

The others silently thought to themselves that this was bad.

The Speaker was clearly setting a trap, and it was evident that what he truly wanted to say was yet to come.

This purpose was deeply hidden beneath two other questions; first presenting question A, facing opposition, then declaring that he wouldn’t press the issue while introducing question B, reiterating he wouldn’t pursue it, and finally raising question C.

To be fair, could they still refuse him at this point?

Theoretically yes, but in practice, it could be quite challenging.

If they refused everything he said, it would seem they weren’t giving the Speaker any respect.

If the Speaker wasn’t pleased, someone would inevitably face consequences.

Arthur couldn’t touch these Permission Level holders; surely he could handle their subordinates?

Eventually, everyone could end up as powerless as a bare commander, and the spaceship system wouldn’t find any faults.

However, the first two questions were also deadly traps; they truly couldn’t let Arthur run amok.

With this thought, the council members felt as though they were attending a funeral but grew somewhat relieved:

“Please, what is the question?”

Arthur pondered for a few seconds and then said:

“I noticed that some superpowered individuals have been recalled and their identity files erased.

“May I ask, is this legal?”