A Pawn's Passage

With the Patriarch and Cardinal Bishop absent, Qi Xuansu had even considered how he would escape if his identity were exposed. He held not only the Shebishi Venom but also a Buddha’s sarira, which allowed him to unleash the Immeasurable Buddha Palm at a level comparable to the Golden Patriarch.

That palm strike could flatten all the buildings on the floating island. The island itself would collapse under the strain and fall toward the Central District below.

The powerful figures of St. York would naturally focus first on preventing the floating island from crashing into the city, and that moment of chaos would give Qi Xuansu the time he needed to escape.

Some might say such an act would be cruel.

Beneath the Upper District was the Central District, the most prosperous of the five districts, with almost no true commoners. This would be the reason the Holy Court’s powerful figures would exert themselves fully to stop the island from falling, unwilling to allow the slightest harm to occur.

If it were a district of commoners, however, those powerful figures might not care as much. Instead, pursuing Qi Xuansu would become a more urgent matter.

The logic behind such priorities was both tragic and disgraceful.

Qi Xuansu felt no moral burden about destroying Western nobles. From the Western perspective, he might be a demon who brought endless suffering. Yet from the perspective of the natives, he would be a hero avenging them. The slaughter committed by Westerners in the New Continent deserved the suffering that followed.

Whether something was morally right depended on one’s stance. To condemn someone who destroyed one’s enemies suggested that one’s own position might be rather questionable.

However, this was merely the worst-case plan. Qi Xuansu did not wish things to reach that point.

What he truly wanted was to learn what secrets were hidden within that tomb.

Meanwhile, the doors to the lounge were tightly shut. Heavy curtains covered the windows without leaving the slightest gap, and the entire room was enveloped in special magic that completely isolated it from the outside world.

There were six men inside this lounge—five councilmen and one priest—including Leopold and Strauni. There were also six beautiful women, each accompanying one of the men.

However, the women were not sitting with their respective partners. Caitlin, who had come to the lounge with Strauni, was now straddling the priest’s lap, facing him closely, her arms wrapped around his neck. Sitting beside Strauni was Leopold’s companion, a female vampire who appeared gentle and reserved.

Only three words could be used to describe this scene: corrupt, decadent, and disgraceful.

These people would never imagine that outside, a terrifying “devil” was calculating how to flatten the floating island with a single palm strike, smashing this greatest masterpiece of steam engineering down into dust.

Leopold was an elderly gentleman with graying hair. His slightly sinister temperament suited his nature well. Since the Baron was his progeny, he naturally took the lead in this round of negotiations.

The senior councilman reclined against the back of a single sofa, with both hands resting on the armrests and one leg crossed over the other, radiating authority.

His temporary companion—a woman with slightly darker skin—had to perch on the armrest, her full hips squeezed against it while her hands rested on the old councilman’s shoulders.

Leopold swept his gaze around the room. “We must reach a decision. This matter is slipping out of our control.”

“Mr. Strouse, I don’t quite understand what you mean. What do you mean by matters slipping out of our control?” Another councilor asked. This councilor possessed an extremely massive build, nearly bursting the seams of his tailcoat. Beneath the white shirt were muscles like solid rock. In comparison, the girl sitting on his lap looked like a mere rag doll.

This man was Pier Williamson, also a senior councilor, though slightly inferior to Leopold, who was a contender for the position of Council Chairman. He was not someone to be underestimated.

Aside from the priest and Strauni, the remaining four senior councilors corresponded exactly to the four gang leaders of the Lower District.

Without question, Leopold corresponded with the Baron, while Pier corresponded with the Hound.

The other two senior councilors were Sean McGill and Charles Smith. The former corresponded with the Beggar King, while the latter corresponded with the Butcher.

How to handle Baron depended largely on the attitudes of these four senior councilors. However, there was one prerequisite. It had to be done with the approval and under the witness of the Holy Court. That was why a Cardinal Priest was present.

The only exception was Strauni.

He was not supposed to be present here, yet Leopold had deliberately invited him.

For that very reason, Qi Xuansu found the situation strange and became wary, so much so that he even began considering destroying the floating island.

Leopold said, “Now that matters have reached this stage, I see no point in hiding anything. I will speak frankly. Before attending the banquet, I asked Ramon to meet me. Not only did he refuse, but he also detained four of my progeny. I have lost contact with them. The only thing I can confirm is that they are still alive, merely imprisoned somewhere.”

Charles sneered. “Strouse, could this be some elaborate performance staged by you and Oxley?”

Sean said, “That’s unlikely. Enforcer Ross went to meet Oxley today regarding Miss Oxley’s affairs, and he has yet to return as well.”

The true authority present—the witness and representative of the Holy Court, Cardinal Priest Milton Burlington—also spoke. “A priest of the Holy Court has also gone missing. The last place he was seen was the Oxley residence.”

Leopold said, “This proves the truth of what I’ve said. I believe there are two possibilities. The first is that Ramon obtained the power of Kukulkan, and that sudden surge of strength caused him to lose his senses and make irrational decisions. The second is that someone else has intervened in this matter. Ramon and whatever he gained may already have fallen into another’s hands.”

Pier asked, “If it’s the second possibility, then who do you think this ‘someone else’ might be?”

Leopold shook his head. “I don’t know.”

At that moment, Strauni could not help but speak up. “Gentlemen, I fail to see what this has to do with me.”

“Mr. Strauni, of course, this concerns you,” Leopold said, making a calming gesture. “As I recall, you maintain rather good personal relations with the southern natives.”

Strauni defended himself. “Mr. Strouse, those are merely ordinary trade relations.”

Behind Strauni stood several multinational merchant guilds. These guilds had close dealings with Tawantin in the south, which was precisely why Beichen Hall had infiltrated them.

“Mr. Strauni—allow me to call you by name, dear Josiah—I believe you misunderstand me. I am not accusing you of anything,” Leopold said with a wave of his hand. “What I mean is that this tomb belongs to the ancestors of those natives. Perhaps this sudden outside force comes from the south. Therefore, I believe you have the right to know what is happening.”

Strauni put on an expression of disbelief. “That...seems unlikely. This is St. York, the jewel of the entire Northern Continent.”

Leopold replied, “I also find it hard to believe. But it has truly happened. My Ramon has betrayed me. No matter how unbelievable it sounds, it is the most reasonable explanation.”

Strauni asked, “What should I do?”

Leopold smiled faintly. “Oh, dear Josiah, it’s not about what you should do, but what we should do. This concerns our collective interests.”

Sean nodded in agreement. “In the face of an external enemy, we should temporarily set aside our disputes and differences. First, we secure what rightfully belongs to us, then only we will decide how to divide it later.”

Pier set the woman from his lap onto the nearby sofa and stood up. “Then what are we waiting for? We should head to the Lower District immediately. Before those heretics get there, we find Ramon and reclaim what was always meant to be ours.”

Leopold said nothing at first. Instead, he looked toward Milton and spoke in a gentler tone. “What do you think, Lord Burlington?”

Milton was still engaged in certain unspeakable amusements with the beautiful Caitlin. He replied casually, “I agree with that view. Just as when we came to the New Continent, the first thing we did was eliminate those native heretics who refused to believe in the glory of the Supreme Will, not divide the spoils.”

Charles said, “The power of the Enforcers alone may not be enough. Must we personally take action?”

“It seems we have no other choice,” Leopold said. “However, to ensure nothing goes wrong, I suggest we mobilize an elite Steam Unit in the name of the council, just in case.”

Sean added, “Though ordinary Enforcers won’t be of much help, we can’t leave them idle. Send them all to the Lower District to search for the entrance to that ruin. We can no longer wait to bargain with Ramon Oxley. We must take the initiative.”

“I agree.”

“I agree.”

“I agree.”

The other councilors voiced their support one after another.

Originally, they had gathered here to display the art of compromise and negotiation, dividing the spoils among themselves. But the sudden turn of events interrupted that process. Now they had to unite first to defeat the external enemy before discussing the division of the spoils.

Leopold then turned to Strauni and said, “Of course, there is another possibility. If the enemy proves too powerful, we hope you will step forward and, through your personal friendships, encourage both sides to reach a compromise.”

Strauni could not help but ask, “This is St. York. No matter how powerful the enemy, could they really contend with the Patriarch?”

Leopold chuckled. He did not even bother to avoid speaking this way in front of Milton, whose brother was a high-ranking priest under the Duke of Burlington. He said in a tone like an elder instructing a junior, “My dear Josiah, you should understand one thing—what belongs to the Goddess and the Caesar remains separate.”