Chapter 24: Council and Verdict

Chapter 24: Council and Verdict

On the avenue one kilometer directly in front of the royal palace in the Rear District.
The clashing sounds of armor from shouts and running merged into one, as a large group of elven warriors surrounded an iron-black carriage, maintaining vigilance.
The carriage was slightly tilted. The three unicorns pulling it had been blasted into a bloody pulp. Broken hide and flesh stuck to the front half of the carriage, steaming in the cool late-summer morning air and emitting a bloody stench.
Above the carriage was a hole half a meter in diameter, piercing through the metal carriage wall over ten centimeters thick. Scattered on the ground were large curled metal shavings, along with deformed gears and spring coils.
Inside the tilted carriage, there had originally been three people. Now, one was dead, one was severely injured, and the only one unharmed was the elven female warrior, Fenwei.
"Mr. Bai Ye! Mr. Bai Ye! Can you still hear me?"
Inside the twisted and deformed carriage, the female warrior Fenwei shielded Su Xiao. After confirming no other attacks were coming, emerald-green energy gathered on her right forearm. She swung her fist sideways with a thunderous boom, smashing a hole in one side of the carriage. The defensive array on the carriage had already been broken earlier. Breaking through a ten-centimeter-thick metal layer with bare hands was easy for Fenwei.
"Mr. Bai Ye, you absolutely can't be in trouble. If something happens to you, I'm finished too."
Fenwei muttered under her breath, grinding her teeth in hatred for the assassin who had struck.
Before long, Fenwei carried the "unconscious" Su Xiao on her back, and under the escort of a large group of soldiers, ran toward the royal palace.

An hour later, in the rear side hall of the palace, inside the bedchamber.
Su Xiao sat shirtless on the low bed, about half a meter high, with bandages wrapped around his chest. Fenwei stood on his left, and Ghost Shadow Diyuke on his right. Half an hour ago, the Elf King had ordered Fenwei and Diyuke to ensure Su Xiao's personal safety.
Neither of these two was a minor figure. Ghost Shadow Diyuke was originally the head of the assassination unit. Due to his outstanding performance, he was later promoted to the palace, mainly responsible for counter-assassination and infiltration. As the saying goes, only by understanding something can you guard against it.
Ghost Shadow Diyuke was in his early thirties. He wore a dark red mask covering the lower half of his face. He appeared strong, but in reality, he was somewhat thin, only looking robust due to his large frame. His pupils were a ghastly white, and meeting his gaze sent chills down one's spine. Ghost Shadow, Flayer, Red Hand—these were all his nicknames.
Though silent and cruel, Ghost Shadow Diyuke had a hobby: collecting eyeballs.
As for the female warrior Fenwei, she was no small fry either. She had once won the title of the strongest female warrior in Bay City during a tournament among elven women. Later, due to her pleasing appearance and temperament, she was chosen as the queen's personal guard.
This time, the Elf King sent Fenwei as the security personnel to welcome Su Xiao, demonstrating his serious attitude. Unfortunately, Fenwei had failed at a critical moment, failing to block the black spear that struck Su Xiao.
In truth, it wasn't entirely Fenwei's fault. It was tough for her too. In the same carriage, she had unknowingly been set up by the person she was protecting, inhaling nerve-suppressing mist. Otherwise, Fenwei would never have been a beat too slow to lunge.
At this moment, standing by the bed, Fenwei wanted to slap herself. At such a crucial moment, how could she have yawned?
Su Xiao sat casually on the bed, sizing up Fenwei before categorizing her as low-threat. Though Fenwei's combat power was formidable, she was just a guard.
On the other hand, Ghost Shadow Diyuke was a problem for Su Xiao. While he could prevent assassinations, based on the intelligence gathered, this guy was likely a former head of an assassination or intelligence unit. Operating under this man's protection would be as difficult as reaching the heavens.
Su Xiao never underestimated anyone, especially someone like Ghost Shadow Diyuke. If the other party caught even a hint of suspicion, Su Xiao could lose everything. Presumably, one of the Elf King's purposes in sending Ghost Shadow Diyuke was to guard against this.
This was only natural. Even though Su Xiao was an invited guest, if the Elf King had no suspicion or vigilance toward him, Su Xiao would find that abnormal.
Though Ghost Shadow Diyuke was a potential threat, Su Xiao wasn't concerned. The man was now his guard, and Su Xiao had many ways to deal with him.
"What's your name…"
Su Xiao looked at Fenwei.
"My name is Fenwei."
"Go get me something to eat. I haven't had breakfast yet."
"But Mr. Bai Ye, your injuries…"
Fenwei stopped mid-sentence, noticing that Su Xiao was already unwinding the bandages around his chest and abdomen. The previously terrifying penetrating wound had faded to barely visible scars.
"Uh…"
Fenwei didn't know what to say. After a moment's thought, she said with concern, "Mr. Bai Ye, the physician specifically instructed before leaving that you can't eat normal food for the next few days."
"…"
Su Xiao said nothing. Ghost Shadow Diyuke turned his head aside, feeling that his current colleague was somewhat lacking in brains.
"Now the physician tells you to go get some food."
"This…"
Fenwei weighed the situation internally. Sincerely feeling that the physician before her had superior medical skills, she went to prepare the food.
"Mr. Bai Ye, do you have any guesses about the assassin's identity?"
Ghost Shadow Diyuke asked.
"That's an old opponent of mine. I didn't expect them to have come to this world too."
"So you're saying, Mr. Bai Ye really is from another world? Can you elaborate? That would help us identify the assassin."
"I've been to many worlds. Occasionally I buy souvenirs…"
As Su Xiao spoke, he took out many crafts and coins from his storage space. Though these items were useless, they were antiques or curios, in a naturally certified state.
Su Xiao had been to many worlds. Proving this was too easy. Before long, Ghost Shadow Diyuke was convinced that Su Xiao had indeed visited many worlds, especially after seeing some technologically advanced creations beyond their era.
The current situation was that Bubu Wang was near Su Xiao, in a state of environmental integration. Baha was outside the bedchamber. After Su Xiao gave instructions, the guards let Baha in. Once the guards confirmed the identities of Bubu and Baha, they stopped being wary of the two.
Aiduo'er was in a worse state. After the assassination attempt, Aiduo'er, as Su Xiao's traveling companion, was also protected. But after questioning, the elves found that Aiduo'er didn't know Su Xiao very well, so they detained her. She was now locked in the underground prison beneath the palace, which also held some particularly dangerous things, with a high level of defense.
Given such a safe place, Su Xiao wasn't in a hurry to retrieve Aiduo'er. Let her stay locked up for now. After all, along the way, he had already farmed six kills worth of reputation. That meant Su Xiao now had a total of seven kill merit cards, each worth 100 points.
In principle, kill merit could be farmed one last time. The reason was that the special overlord identity wasn't randomly generated indefinitely. The limit was eight times. This wasn't a temporary modification by the Void Tree but a long-standing rule of the kill arena.
In other words, Aiduo'er could transfer the overlord identity one last time. The reason they hadn't farmed the last time was that Su Xiao and Kaiser were studying whether they could think of other ways to continue the operation.
Su Xiao took out a cigarette. Baha, perched on his shoulder, quietly inhaled some of the smoke. This was the antidote.

A few minutes later, Ghost Shadow Diyuke, with a gloomy look and a dark red mask, gradually furrowed his brows. Though he still stood there, his stomach was churning, aching as if someone were using his intestines as a jump rope. This feeling of an impending explosive bowel movement made his face turn green. Could it be that he, the Flayer, Ghost Shadow Diyuke, had an upset stomach?
Ghost Shadow Diyuke didn't dare relax. If he made any suspicious sound at this moment, he would have to retire on the spot, unable to show his face in Bay City again.
His expression grew more and more strained. Before long, his face was covered in sweat.
Fenwei, having finished instructing the servants, returned to the bedchamber. As soon as she entered, she saw Ghost Shadow Diyuke, his forehead drenched in sweat and his brows tightly knit into a "川" shape.
"Diyuke, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm… fine."
As Ghost Shadow Diyuke spoke, his eyes were glazed over. Feeling he was reaching his limit, he forced himself to say, "Mr. Bai Ye, I'll go patrol the perimeter."
"Mm, go ahead."
Hearing this, Ghost Shadow Diyuke felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He walked out with his legs clamped together in small, hurried steps, leaving Fenwei utterly bewildered.
From the earlier conversation with Ghost Shadow Diyuke, which seemed only about the assassination, Su Xiao had analyzed a great deal of intelligence.
First, the Elf King, Cromwell, was much harder to deal with than Su Xiao had imagined. He was a very steady old schemer.
Contrary to expectations, the Elf King hadn't immediately sent people to surround and attack Shenfu and the others. Instead, he had temporarily suppressed the assassination incident and hadn't rushed to Su Xiao for medicine.
This ambiguous attitude made Su Xiao consider a possibility: Shenfu also had a method to suppress "Turbid Blood Disease," but the yield and effectiveness weren't as strong as the "Life Secret Medicine."
Because of this, the Elf King had chosen a relatively neutral stance. Both Su Xiao and Shenfu had only been in Bay City for a short time. Rather than blindly choosing to trust one side, it was better to stabilize both. For the elves at present, Su Xiao and Shenfu were both daddy-level figures. Su Xiao was a typical big daddy, while Shenfu leaned more toward a wild daddy.
The elves couldn't afford to offend either the big daddy or the wild daddy. Their ideal approach was to serve both. The problem was that these two daddies were irreconcilable, mortal enemies even before coming to this world.
This left the elves caught in a bind. They couldn't offend the wild daddy they had known a bit longer, nor could they neglect the newly arrived big daddy.
Thinking this over, Su Xiao knew his previous arrangements hadn't been in vain.
This assassination had caused the elves' attitude toward Shenfu to plummet from ambiguous to "I don't know this person well."
Without this assassination, Su Xiao estimated that Shenfu would have always held the advantage, even cooperating closely with the Elf King to be wary of Su Xiao's side. That would have been the worst-case scenario.
Now, the Elf King and many high-ranking elves had a sharply deteriorated attitude toward Shenfu and his group. If not for Shenfu's method of suppressing "Turbid Blood Disease," the elves would have already surrounded and attacked them.
In Su Xiao's plan, the assassination was just an appetizer. Through this assassination, Su Xiao's status in Bay City had officially caught up to Shenfu's, who had arrived much earlier, and even showed a trend of surpassing him.
From Su Xiao's perspective, the current situation didn't require further promotion of the "Life Secret Medicine's" effects.
What Su Xiao needed most now was a point of conflict, one big enough to make Shenfu and his group completely unable to escape. Regarding this point of conflict, Su Xiao immediately recalled something. A few months ago, the elven royal family had claimed the groundwater was contaminated. This was the perfect point of conflict.
At that time, he could say that a few months ago, Shenfu and his group had polluted Bay City's groundwater with abyssal force. This pot was big enough. If it were successfully pinned on Shenfu and his group, those people would be dead for sure.
"Fenwei."
Su Xiao gestured for Fenwei to come closer. He then spoke in a low voice. Fenwei leaned in to listen. Midway through, her expression changed drastically.
"Go quickly."
"Yes!"
Fenwei ran out of the bedchamber to meet the Elf King. As the personal guard assigned to Su Xiao by the Elf King, she naturally had the right to directly meet him.

Ten-plus minutes after Fenwei left, the sound of soldiers' footsteps came from outside the bedchamber. The door was pushed open by a burly old man. He wore silver-black half-body armor, exuding an imposing aura without anger. He was the Captain of the Imperial Guard, Pang Kailin.
Pang Kailin scanned the bedchamber. After seeing Su Xiao, he barked, "Arrest this evil doctor!"
As soon as Pang Kailin spoke, soldiers rushed into the bedchamber. From their gazes, this wasn't about capturing but about silencing. These were all death warriors.
"Anyone who dares take another step forward dies."
Ghost Shadow Diyuke's voice came as he emerged from the wall, his body half-transformed into dark green smoke.
As soon as Ghost Shadow Diyuke appeared, the soldier charging at the front immediately stopped. He let out a silent wail as his flesh withered and his bones turned to powder. In an instant, he dissolved into a wisp of dark green smoke, absorbed into Ghost Shadow Diyuke's arm.
The soldiers who had rushed into the bedchamber stopped, looking toward the Captain of the Imperial Guard, Pang Kailin.
Pang Kailin signaled for them to continue. He had no choice now. Having already chosen to side with Shenfu, he had to follow through.
Originally, Pang Kailin believed that Shenfu, who could treat "Turbid Blood Disease" to some extent, was a savior sent by the heavens. Naturally, he wanted to build a good relationship with him.
Pang Kailin's overtures, combined with Shenfu's arrangements, had unknowingly led the Captain of the Imperial Guard to fully side with Shenfu.
In truth, this wasn't a big deal. Pang Kailin believed that before long, his ally's performance as a savior in Bay City would elevate his status by another tier.
Unfortunately, Su Xiao's appearance had disrupted Pang Kailin's plans. In just one night, he had fallen from heaven to hell.
Though Pang Kailin's cooperation with Shenfu had been brief, Shenfu was who he was. Once on that pirate ship, Pang Kailin had no control.
This morning's assassination had put Shenfu's side in a passive position, forcing Shenfu to use a dirty trick. He didn't think Pang Kailin could eliminate Su Xiao. His real intention in sending Pang Kailin was to stir up trouble and then have him die in this bedchamber.
"Attack!"
Pang Kailin roared. The soldiers outside the bedchamber, having received the order, prepared to charge in.
"Lord Pang Kailin, you can arrest Physician Bai Ye, but you need a reason."
Ghost Shadow Diyuke spoke. Having done dirty work for years, he knew exactly how to protect himself in such situations.
"Reason? Kukulin Bai Ye came to Bay City months ago. He used abyssal force to pollute Bay City's groundwater, causing the residents to contract Turbid Blood Disease. Now he's pretending to be a physician, extorting my people under the guise of treating the disease. Is that reason enough!"
Pang Kailin's tone was forceful, his angry gaze as if it were true.
Shenfu wasn't easy to deal with. He had thrown out the same pot.
The reason both Su Xiao and Shenfu used this pot was twofold. First, it was big enough to crush the other. Second, it was the outcome the elven royal family most wanted. The groundwater issue had originally been fabricated by them.
Sometimes, truth doesn't win everything. When a lie is needed enough, it can become the truth.
If it were announced that "Turbid Blood Disease" was caused by their ancestors' stubbornness, the elven populace might become self-destructive. But if it were said to be caused by external enemies, they would definitely rally behind the royal family, demanding justice.
If Su Xiao had been in a severe disadvantage when he first arrived in Bay City, now he and Shenfu were basically tied. It all depended on who had more tricks up their sleeve.
The bedchamber was tense. Pang Kailin had made up his mind to force the issue. But just then, a masked man stopped beside him and whispered something in his ear.
Pang Kailin was momentarily stunned, then his expression changed. His confidant told him that Shenfu and his group had been detained on suspicion of poisoning Bay City's groundwater.
Without a moment's hesitation, Pang Kailin turned and left with his men. As for where he was going, that went without saying. He decided to take his two sons and flee.
This Captain of the Imperial Guard, who had spent most of his life in Bay City, keenly sensed that something was wrong today. Something terrible was about to happen. If he didn't escape Bay City now, he might die here.
As long as he survived this, even if he returned to Bay City to face consequences, Pang Kailin estimated he wouldn't be executed. With his connections within the power structure, he would at most be stripped of his position as Captain of the Imperial Guard and sent into retirement. That was far better than dying.
The situation was now clear. Both Su Xiao and Shenfu knew that to kill the other, they needed a point of conflict. Their vision was the same, both choosing to frame the other for poisoning Bay City's groundwater.
If killing and arson created enmity, poisoning a city's groundwater was a genocidal act, an absolute blood feud, even higher than the hatred of stealing one's wife or killing one's father.

Soon, through Bubu Wang's eavesdropping, Su Xiao obtained a piece of intelligence. Two days later, he and Shenfu would, under the Elf King's personal judgment, prove their intentions and present evidence of the other's crimes.
The judgment location was the Kingdom Hall, where many elven royals and high-ranking officials would be present.
The judgment in the Kingdom Hall wasn't the Elf King's one-man show. It was a showdown between Su Xiao and Shenfu.
However, even before the judgment began, it was already unfair. Bubu Wang had personally heard the Elf King say that if Su Xiao lost, he would be immediately taken into "custody."
If Shenfu and his group lost, hah, they would be dragged out and executed on the spot.
Why was this? Did the Elf King favor Su Xiao? No. It was because Su Xiao's treatment method was a cut above Shenfu's. Though the "Life Secret Medicine" couldn't achieve a complete cure, it took effect immediately. Shenfu's treatment was slower and required his personal intervention, unlike the "Life Secret Medicine," which even a novice physician could use to treat patients.
Given this disparity, such differential treatment was natural. Additionally, Shenfu's teammates occasionally pulled off mysterious maneuvers that left both Shenfu and the Elf King scratching their heads.
The Elf King's choice to hold the judgment two days later was a wise decision. In those two days, the elves could gradually purchase "Life Secret Medicine" from Su Xiao through trade. With a certain stockpile, the Elf King could stabilize the situation.
Shenfu was an old schemer, but the Elf King was one too.
Su Xiao guessed that the Elf King must have realized that he and Shenfu had ulterior motives for coming here.
But even knowing this, the Elf King had no choice. He needed Su Xiao or Shenfu's means to treat "Turbid Blood Disease."
From many signs, it was clear that the Elf King was also suffering from a headache in the current situation. He was trying his best to avoid facing both Su Xiao and Shenfu simultaneously. Even with his composure and experience, the Elf King couldn't withstand both Su Xiao and Shenfu.
Thus, the Elf King's attitude was that one of Su Xiao or Shenfu had to be eliminated first. Then he could engage in scheming with the remaining one. Otherwise, even the Elf King couldn't handle it.
Everything seemed complicated, but in reality, it was simple. At the judgment meeting two days later, one of Su Xiao or Shenfu would definitely be eliminated.

Meanwhile, Captain of the Imperial Guard Pang Kailin left the "Rear Side Hall" and headed straight for the "Front Courtyard."
The bright morning sun scattered down, but Pang Kailin had no mood to enjoy the scenery of the palace's front courtyard. Accompanied by two confidants, he hurried toward the main gate of the palace.
After passing through the heavily guarded main gate, Pang Kailin headed straight for his home in the Rear District. With matters weighing on his mind, his pace was fast. Since he needed to take his family and flee Bay City without drawing attention, bringing only his two most trusted confidants was the safest approach.
Due to this morning's assassination, the Rear District was under semi-martial law. As the Captain of the Imperial Guard in charge of the entire city's garrison, Pang Kailin naturally wouldn't be stopped.
Though he was said to be in charge of all city garrison troops, Pang Kailin's authority was actually quite limited. As the capital of the elven kingdom, Bay City's garrison not only protected the city but could also be used to overthrow the current regime if its control fell into the wrong hands.
Therefore, the true controllers of Bay City's garrison were the royal nobles. Pang Kailin was at most a representative of those big shots, responsible for daily operations. The real decision-makers were those few royals.
Because of this, Pang Kailin was eager to climb higher, to reach a higher position rather than remain as the Captain of the Imperial Guard, a seemingly glorious but actually hollow post.
On the sparsely populated street, only a few pedestrians occasionally passed by in a hurry. Pang Kailin, with his slightly graying beard, slowed his pace. He glanced casually and saw four country folk dressed in both formal and rustic clothes.
These four might not have washed their faces for days, their skin dark and oily. "Natural hair gel" kept their hairstyles neat. The leader had a slicked-back, oily hairstyle.
Seeing these four, Pang Kailin paid them no mind. There were many such country bumpkins in Bay City. He didn't despise them; he simply ignored them.
What puzzled Pang Kailin was that one of the four bumpkins approaching him, the leader with the slicked-back hair, was holding a portrait, looking back and forth between his face and the picture.
The Fishing Village Leader stopped beside Pang Kailin. Ignoring the confusion in the other's eyes and the curses from the guards behind him, he raised his right hand holding the picture, placed it beside the man's face for a close comparison, then grinned, revealing a few metal teeth.
Bang! Bang!
Two explosions. The two confidants beside Pang Kailin had their heads smashed in by Fishing Village Third and Fourth.
Under Pang Kailin's horrified gaze, the Fishing Village Leader's fish-cleaning knife pierced from under his chin and out through the top of his skull.
Pang Kailin's eyes bulged. Blood gushed from his mouth as he grabbed the Fishing Village Leader's collar. There was little fear in his eyes, more shock and disbelief. When the Fishing Village Leader had blocked him earlier, he thought this bumpkin was going to ask for directions.
In truth, it wasn't Pang Kailin's fault. Who would have thought that an assassin would hold a portrait of the target, place it beside the target's face for comparison? This brutal, calm act was too unbelievable.
The four Fishing Village men surrounded Pang Kailin, each with a fish-cleaning knife, stabbing him wildly. Before long, blood pooled at Pang Kailin's feet.
After slitting Pang Kailin's throat, the four men nonchalantly walked toward a nearby alley, leaving behind Pang Kailin, who lay face-down, one hand clutching his spurting throat.
Pang Kailin had never imagined that anyone would dare touch him in Bay City, let alone four obvious country bumpkins.
Pang Kailin had been careless. He never expected that these four bumpkins would be so ruthless and so strong.
A group of city garrison soldiers approached. This was a patrol squad of several dozen men, led by a man named Arler, formerly the patrol captain of the Central Business District, now the patrol captain of the Rear District.
The Central Business District and the Rear District were fundamentally different. The former was merely commercially prosperous, while the latter was the wealthy district and the location of the royal palace.
From a distance, Arler noticed three people lying on the street. He immediately became alert and ordered the scene to be cordoned off.
"You, you, and you, block off that side. The rest…"
Arler arranged things methodically. His superior, Pang Kailin, had been assassinated in the street and died on the spot. The assassin's arrogance was too much. This made Arler "extremely angry," and he decided to "avenge" his old boss.
That noon, after meticulous investigation and thorough analysis, Patrol Captain Arler successfully identified the criminals. At 1 PM, leading only ten subordinates, he apprehended the four Fishing Village men.
Due to the gravity of the matter, the four were transferred to a special department and locked in the dungeon beneath the palace, awaiting execution.
As for the specific execution time, given the recent turmoil in Bay City and the fact that the reason for the four Fishing Village men assassinating Captain of the Imperial Guard Pang Kailin hadn't been determined, and Patrol Captain Arler had repeatedly requested to personally execute the four to avenge his old boss, the execution department decided to hold the four first. They would be dealt with after the Kingdom Council's judgment results were out.

…

Rear District, Silver Flower Manor, Castle Study.
A slightly overweight middle-aged man sat behind a desk. His name was Eliton, a direct-line royal.
Though the position of Elf King wasn't hereditary by bloodline, the royal family was. The secret behind this was unknown.
It was said that all roads lead to Rome. Eliton was an elf born in "Rome." He held a rolled cigarette between his thumb and forefinger. On the wooden desk in front of his potbelly sat a glass of strong liquor.
Eliton was the first royal to contact Su Xiao. Last night, his daughter, who had contracted "Turbid Blood Disease," had been treated. Today, she could eat and walk, putting Eliton in a great mood.
"Mr. Kaiser, I've heard of your reputation. What brings you to see me?"
Eliton put down the cigarette, which was rolled entirely from tobacco leaves, somewhat like a thin cigar.
"Lord Eliton, I've come to introduce someone to you."
Kaiser flashed his signature sly smile. Seeing this, Eliton chuckled and asked, "Introduce who?"
"Patrol Captain of the Rear District, Arler. I think this man is very capable. When Captain of the Imperial Guard Pang Kailin was assassinated in the street, it was this patrol captain who stepped up first and caught the murderer the same day. What strong execution ability!"
Kaiser didn't hold back in praising Arler. The royal Eliton just smiled and said:
"Hmm~, I've heard of this man too. How does Mr. Kaiser plan to introduce him? And to what position?"
"Introduce him to… the position of Captain of the Imperial Guard of Bay City."
"!"
The smile on Royal Eliton's face suddenly vanished. He looked at Kaiser with cold eyes.
"You outsiders have quite the nerve. You've only been here two days, and you've already killed the Captain of the Imperial Guard we selected. Pang Kailin served as our dog for decades. Without merit, he had toil. You'd better prepare to pay with your lives."
Royal Eliton was no simple figure. He had seen through the gist of the matter. In fact, anyone with discerning eyes could see the clues.
"Hehehe."
Kaiser rubbed his hands together and smiled. He took out five long crystal boxes and placed them on the desk. Seeing these crystal boxes, Royal Eliton hesitated.
"Lord Eliton, did you know? The 'Life Secret Medicine' has different purities. In fact, you should have noticed that the 'Life Secret Medicine' your daughter used last night isn't the same quality as what you saw in the palace today."
Hearing this, Royal Eliton's expression shifted several times before he finally nodded. Indeed, the "Life Secret Medicine" his daughter used was more effective.
"Lord Eliton, these five vials of 'Life Secret Medicine' are the highest purity. Who can guarantee that your other family members won't contract 'Turbid Blood Disease' in the future?"
"Hah~, Kukulin Bai Ye is in the palace. As long as he's here, we can get as much Life Secret Medicine as we want."
"No, no, no. The judgment two days from now hasn't yielded results yet. What if, I say what if, something unexpected happens? Lord Eliton, think about your and your family's future."
Hearing Kaiser's words, Royal Eliton fell silent. After a moment, he said:
"Pushing Patrol Captain Arler directly into the position of Captain of the Imperial Guard isn't something I can decide alone. The situation in Bay City has been too chaotic lately. We plan to appoint a new Captain of the Imperial Guard tonight. His Majesty is busy and won't attend tonight's secret meeting. Excluding His Majesty, we need the agreement of four others for Patrol Captain Arler to take that seat."
"That's easy."
Kaiser took out a wooden box. Opening it revealed 20 crystal boxes, i.e., 20 vials of "Life Secret Medicine."
"Lord Eliton, we can use these to bring the others in, can't we?"
"Well…"
Royal Eliton smiled and raised his hand, his fat palm pressing down on the wooden box. He said, "We should give the young a chance. I think Arler is indeed good."
Royal Eliton moved the wooden box in front of him, his fat face full of smiles, but his eyes were thoughtful. His eyes were very bright, bright enough to be captivating.

At 10 PM that night, in the castle banquet hall of Silver Flower Manor.
The banquet was nearing its end. Guests were leaving one after another. These guests were mostly close relatives of the five royal big shots. In fact, calling it a family gathering wouldn't be wrong.
In a small room at the back of the banquet hall, a round table and six chairs were all there was. The chairs were almost touching the walls, creating a cramped yet secure feeling.
Among the five seated, Royal Eliton sat in the second seat. The first seat was empty, reserved for the Elf King.
As for the other four, due to dim lighting, only their general attire could be seen. One was dressed as a judge, his neighbor as a banker. The other two were too obscured to see clearly.
These five were all royals. They didn't spend their days just enjoying themselves. Each was responsible for a different field to ensure the stability of Bay City, the center of elven power.
"So, Eliton, you favor the current Patrol Captain Arler? What do you three think?"
"I'm easy. Lately, I've been busy with the Kingdom Council over there. That's what's giving me a headache."
"Bai Ye and Shenfu are both not to be trifled with. These outsiders might have any number of tricks."
"His Majesty is worried about that too. By the way, Eliton, have you investigated the person you're recommending?"
"I have. Arler was born in Bay City. His family has served us since his grandfather's generation. His father died in the Fishing Village Incident 15 years ago."
"Mm, this man is indeed good. Special times call for special promotions. Gentlemen, is it decided?"
"Don't bother me. The Kingdom Council matters are enough of a headache."
"Then it's decided. I'll have Arler come see us later."
Royal Eliton formally confirmed the decision to promote Arler to Captain of the Imperial Guard of Bay City.

…

Hundreds of meters underground in the rear area of the palace, inside a dark, damp dungeon.
In one cell, the four Fishing Village men sat around a dozen plates, eating meat and drinking wine, enjoying themselves.
In the cell diagonally opposite, Aiduo'er gripped the iron bars, watching the four men feast.
"Woof."
Bubu Wang's bark came from nearby. Hearing this, Aiduo'er turned her head. Seeing Bubu, she almost blurted out, "Have you forgotten about me?"
"Are you here to rescue me?"
"Woof~"
Bubu indicated no, which made Aiduo'er feel quite frustrated. Through communication, she learned that Bubu was here to coordinate their stories.

…

The early morning sun rose. Bay City, having slept for a night, awakened anew. Smoke from cooking fires curled up within the city.
On the main street of the Rear District, a figure wearing an oversized bamboo hat walked along the road. Its mushroom-man identity drew the attention of passersby and vendors until it entered the main gate of the palace, after which people looked away.
This was the Mushroom Prophet, who had come from the Sunny Wetlands. It wasn't that she wanted to come; she had no choice.
It could be said that with the Mushroom Prophet's arrival, Su Xiao's confrontation in the Kingdom Council would at least end in a draw.
Su Xiao still needed another card, one that could secure victory.

…

East of the city, Industrial District.
Sewage flowed like small streams along the street. The stone slabs were uneven from being stepped on. The stench of drains, sweat, and even dead rats permeated the air. These smells mixed with the aroma of breakfast, along with industrial smog, creating the unique odor of the slums.
Small tables were set up along the street. Diners in simple clothes sat at the tables enjoying their breakfast. Among them was a man in an old leather armor with an elven curved sword at his waist. His long face was particularly distinctive. He wasn't ugly, just… unconventionally featured.
This outfit shouldn't have appeared in the Industrial District. Such attire was usually for hunting. The reason this man was here was the low prices in the Industrial District.
This man was the wandering elf, Lago. Even Su Xiao couldn't make use of this "fierce character."
Lago held a steaming bowl of breakfast, watching the passing crowd, feeling utterly lost about the road ahead.
"Lago."
A city garrison soldier sat beside Lago, making him tense up. The porridge in his mouth suddenly lost its flavor. He was afraid of the garrison soldiers, for no other reason than instinctive nervousness and fear.
"There are some things we need to ask you."
"Wh… what things."
"Do you know a man named Kukulin Bai Ye?"
"No."
Hearing this, the bearded garrison soldier immediately dropped his smile.
This scared Lago into nodding repeatedly, changing his answer: "I know him, I know him."
"Good. Come with me."
The bearded garrison soldier stood up and made a gesture to a colleague on the rooftop. Soon, dozens of garrison soldiers appeared, escorting Lago toward the royal palace in the Rear District.
In a nearby bakery, Captain of the Imperial Guard Arler watched everything on the street through the glass door. He put down the paper bag in his hand and said to the salesgirl, "How much?"
"L… Lord, this is all free."
"How can that be?"
Arler placed down a silver coin, picked up a bag of bread with one hand, and left. Wearing the armor of the Captain of the Imperial Guard, he looked more handsome than before, with an added sense of authority.

A peaceful day slipped through the fingers. Before they knew it, the sky had darkened. Tonight felt particularly long for the elven big shots, because at 8 AM tomorrow, the Kingdom Council would convene, the moment when Su Xiao and Shenfu would settle their life-and-death struggle.

Cycle

My condition is average today. Taking a day off to rest and adjust. I'll be back with full energy tomorrow. Though there's no chapter update, I'll post a bonus chapter today. Flip to the back to see a chibi group photo of Su Xiao's team.
"Cycle Paradise" Cycle
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"<b>Cycle Paradise</b>" Dream Book Chinese Full Text Update, Remember the URL: www.mcxs.info