When the plot-skips players into the game world

Only three days remained.

To find a kidnapped person on Glass Island, with the only clue being a name—

Tommy didn't dare to think about how difficult the task would be.

Not to mention, he still had to kill the Transcendent possessed by the Shadow Demon to retrieve Aiwass.

But honestly, that was somewhat simpler for Tommy. After all, with a clear target, there was a way to accomplish it. What Tommy feared most was the uncertainty of not knowing how to proceed.

At this moment, Tommy's emotions were exceptionally complex... A blend of regret mixed with fear, and resentment intertwined with uncontrollable rage.

He had always known that there would be no benefit to taking action against Aiwass. If Aiwass chose his side, Tommy would definitely protect him at all costs, even regarding him as his own direct lineage. But the problem was, Aiwass had sided with Boka.

Boka didn't even bother to hide his intentions.

Whenever he had the chance to surpass him, he would definitely make his move. By then, Tommy would be dead—viewed from this perspective, his command was issued for his own survival.

The only problem was that he was blinded by jealousy and anxiety... He could have chosen a more covert method, but he was too impatient.

The pursuit of Vice Chairman Boka made his head spin, so he planned to weaken Boka's strength—if killing Aiwass brought any consequences, then Boka would be the one to take the blame. He could also directly sever ties with the entire Lohar Society, and resign with apparent justification.

Even without a kill, he could instigate a rift between Aiwass and Boka, thereby indirectly reducing Boka's strength. There was even a chance to pull Aiwass to his own side.

After all, the attack on Aiwass was Boka's idea.

What he did was merely emphasize the stance of the Noble Red Society and demand that Boka up the ante, no holding back. From his own position, there was no issue.

To be honest, Tommy had replayed the plan over and over until now, and still didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

He was not wrong.

It was simply bad luck.

—How could he have possibly guessed that the Grand Arbitrator Meg would intervene for such a trivial matter?

Aiwass was merely the second son of the Moriarty Family, even an adopted son like himself. What did it matter if an adopted son had some abilities?

Besides, he had an older brother above and a younger sister below; there was no concern of the family dying out. Old Moriarty died without a stir, so how could Aiwass's trouble even alarm Meg? His strength was not remarkable, and he didn't possess any talents worthy of special attention...

Now eighteen and only at the first energy level, with no scholarly works to his name. His academic performance was said to be quite good, but with no research or inventions.

What was it about him that made him untouchable?

Tommy still couldn't understand what it was about Aiwass that could stir Meg to such an extent that she personally pressured him.

—This was a situation he could never have anticipated!

The elderly lady had never interfered in political matters before. Her assistance to any side could lead to speculation in the Round Table Hall, which in turn would throw Avalon's situation into chaos. Just like when a fish moves slightly, the water on the bank becomes muddied.

For at least five years... or perhaps nearly ten, Meg had not taken any action. Even when the royal family suffered consecutive deaths due to a curse, she remained inactive. Under such circumstances, it was a completely reasonable assumption that Meg no longer wished to make a move.

But now it was too late for regrets. He had already been cursed.

It was the "final arbitration" issued by the "Grand Arbitrator" herself, the highest version of the "Word Spirits" used by all Legal Mages on the Path of Authority. Even a Transcendent skilled in curses could not reach such a curse—it was a delayed Word Spirit damage, not quite a curse, and closer to a contract.

And he was the chairman of the Lohar Society, as well as the chairman of the Avalon Merchants' Alliance.

The Round Table Hall, in all its miscellaneous assembly, had about one hundred and twenty people, but only seventy or eighty regularly attended meetings. The number attending would increase only when the bills concerned their direct interest or when matters were significant.

Tommy had indirectly sponsored more than fifty of them, those who frequented the Round Table Hall meetings... In other words, he had essentially controlled two-thirds of the seats in the normal state of the Round Table Hall through methods like bribery. And because of the presence of the Supervisory Court, these individuals dared not conspire among themselves, so they were unaware that others were also under his control, meaning it would be difficult for them to collectively betray him.

Coercing these Knights to pass laws detrimental to them might be challenging. But for ambiguous bills, his word still held sway.

With Meg's loyalty to the queen, the royal family largely heeding the Round Table Hall's opinions, and the Round Table Hall basically conforming to his own, Tommy could indeed be considered an underground emperor—although each command cost a great deal of money, in the end, he could sway national policies at will for his desires.

The Knights might not know which of the Round Table Knights had been swayed by Tommy's money, but they were aware that the laws passed in recent years were mostly favorable to merchants. Therefore, even the Inspectors dared not act recklessly against the Lohar Society.

—So what if they knew the Lohar Society was involved in smuggling dangerous goods?

Many within the Inspectors had received his sponsorship, and there would always be someone who warned him by phone beforehand. Sometimes the Inspectors were overly enthusiastic, to the point where calls could jumble the line for half an hour.

Meg's words were true, others dared not touch him—and that she dared to touch him was also true. Which was why Tommy respected her so much... because such a formidable person could no longer be influenced by the Round Table Hall. If Tommy ordered those Knights against Meg, they would immediately turn against him.

But what baffled Tommy was, what had driven that old woman mad today?

Could it be that she was nearing death and was now settling her affairs?

"Hope she dies soon,"

Tommy cursed viciously, spewing several hateful remarks.

After pondering for a while, he began to make phone calls from his office.

His first call was to Vice Chairman Boka.

The phone was picked up instantly after only one ring, clearly Boka had been waiting by it.

"Mr. Boka," Tommy said in a grave voice, "there was an unexpected mishap last night, care to explain?"

Of course, he knew it wasn't Boka's doing. Boka had no motive to order "Aleister" to kidnap Aiwass.

But that didn't stop him from pushing Boka out as a scapegoat—he had to give the Round Table Hall an excuse to investigate Aleister on his behalf.

After all, it wouldn't do if the investigation led back to himself in the end.

On the other end of the line, Boka's expression darkened.

The spiritual intuition of a Transcendent allowed him to sense the malice and threat in Tommy's words with clarity.

"What is it, Mr. Lohar?" Boka asked.

But Boka was unyielding: "Are you calling to boast about your victory?"

Hearing the hostility in Boka's voice surprised Tommy Lohar.

Usually, Boka would choose to back down. He was that kind of person... Seeming serious and composed, but actually very cowardly. Even with insider information, his investment strategies were excessively cautious. Before the Noble Red Society began interfering with the Lohar Society, Boka was a well-known advocate for coexistence.

At that time, the Lohar Society was already plotting to usurp the throne. Indeed, ever since Prince Lohar's time, they had been scheming for it.

And now, just half a step away from success, Vice Chairman Boka actually took a step back.

He believed that a group of merchants was incapable of properly ruling a country, that the unity they currently had was due to the presence of the Round Table Hall and the royal family above them. If they were to succeed in seizing power, they'd start fighting each other over interests. From that perspective, maintaining the country's operations normally, while they enjoyed privileges without needing to work for them, was the best outcome.

Therefore, Boka was not in favor of the coup; he still wished the Du Lac Family to rule Avalon, maintaining maximum stability. And many Knights of the Round Table Hall felt the same—they were tired of the overly restrictive Avalon, but they didn't want too many changes either.

They wanted freedom, but only a little.

But to Lohar, this was treason.

Merchants seizing the royal power was unacceptable to the public's perception. Not to mention that he was a half-blood Giant, with a part of cannibalistic lineage in his blood. He needed enough pressure to force them into acceptance—Tommy Lohar's source of pressure was the kingdom of Star Antimony.

But Boka's stance was a form of Lifedrain on him.

Those who felt Lohar was too extreme would turn and see Boka's more conservative faction as an easier path to follow. The stronger the pressure from Lohar, the more likely they were to be pushed toward Boka.

That was why he was always at odds with Boka, why he sought to relentlessly purge his adversary.

The blood of rage within him was still boiling. Tommy had already sought to kill Vice Chairman Boka several times.

It was only because he wasn't certain he could completely crush his opponent then and there.

If Boka were to escape by chance, the situation would become complex and tense... It was for that reason alone that Boka was still alive. Otherwise, he would have physically eradicated his mortal enemy long ago. Continue your adventure with empire

Even though he had already revealed his intent to kill, Boka was still willing to follow his orders—Tommy had commanded Boka to send even stronger individuals to attack Aiwass, like his underlings, the Blade Demon and the Whiplash Demon.

And he had actually sent them.

—That was the Blade Demon!

Although its power level on the Path was only at Energy Level Three, it was capable of defeating a Level Four head-on. With the support of the Whiplash Demon and the hold of the Demon Dogs, it could even overcome multiple Level Fours.

Moreover, what the Blade Demon prided itself most on was its formidable pursuit ability—escaping was futile in the face of the Blade Demon, for its obsession to hunt down and slay its enemy, even at the cost of its own life, posed a significant threat in one-on-one combat.

When Boka dispatched the Blade Demon, Tommy felt he was truly giving up on Aiwass. Because after going to that extent, he still didn't dare turn against him... Tommy could only see it as weak to the point of ridicule.

But now, Boka had grown assertive.

—Why have you suddenly toughened up at this moment?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Tommy was full of question marks.

There were too many irrational elements in this situation.

Why had Meg suddenly taken action? Why had Boka suddenly become tough? Where exactly did that Demon possessed by the Shadow Demon spring from?