When the plot-skips players into the game world

Mr. Aiwass could hardly contain himself at the thought that Sherlock Hermes and James Moriarty, the original arch-nemeses of the novel, had both faked their deaths today.

However, Mr. Aiwass sharply caught sight of a blind spot in his vision.

The reason Lawyer York could directly confirm Sherlock's death was simple—because he was the one who had personally taken action. He had administered sleeping pills to Sherlock and had timed the explosion of the bomb he had prepared for when the drugs took effect. He also received the news of Sherlock's death at a reasonable time.

From this perspective, the fundamental reason he could confirm Sherlock's death… was actually because it was what York deeply hoped for in his heart.

Although Counselor York's position within the Lohar Society seemed relatively high, at this moment, his situation was quite awkward. He absolutely couldn't expose himself in this case, yet he had to personally kill Sherlock.

If the bomb didn't kill Sherlock this time, no matter whether he went to finish him off, it would easily expose him. Therefore, he didn't want to hear any news of Sherlock's survival—hence, he would subconsciously use the information he collected to confirm his own preconceived opinions. This was also his preparation for convincing the other seniors in advance.

From this angle, could the Lohar Society's confirmation of Professor Moriarty's death… suggest that they also had a part in this matter?

After all, divination could be disrupted and might not be entirely accurate. And a low energy level can't accurately divine beings of high status. Since the Lohar Society could afford to hire a Prophet for their divinations, they certainly knew of such limitations.

So, if they could confirm the death without verifying the body... they must have been involved in the matter. For example, they might have sent someone to assassinate the professor, and then that person brought back news of the opponent's death, perhaps even evidence corroborating their demise. That's why they would confirm this fact after one divination and be at ease.

And another possibility is that they didn't actually need Professor Moriarty to be truly dead.

The Lohar Society just needed to make Professor Moriarty temporarily deceased in social terms, to provide them with a time advantage for their plans by temporarily preventing Moriarty from returning to Glass Island.

Whichever possibility it was, the likelihood of the professor faking his death to escape was not small. And both possibilities had one thing in common—that the Lohar Society held no goodwill towards Mr. Aiwass.

It was precisely because they were eager to use Mr. Aiwass that they called him here in advance and reported Professor Moriarty's death to him beforehand. This was to give Mr. Aiwass no time to confirm or ponder, while also pressuring him.

Mr. Aiwass slightly narrowed his eyes, formulating a plan in his mind.

He decided to go on the offensive directly, to seize the initiative.

Thus, he no longer concealed himself, and suddenly spoke out, "Lawyer York, you seem to be in a hurry."

The moment those words came out of Mr. Aiwass's mouth, York's face color changed slightly.

He tilted his head slightly to the left, supporting his chin on the tips of his lifted left hand's fingers. Meanwhile, his right hand's three fingers rhythmically tapped on the armrest, as if playing an air piano.

Watching Lawyer York, Mr. Aiwass slowly spoke, pressing him, "It seems you are not saddened by my father's death."

"That's because..."

"Because his death better aligns with your interests. Whether he has truly met with misfortune and died, disappeared, or it's just a temporary lie I cannot verify that's meant to deceive me.

"But in any case, you telling me this information in advance, rather than after I've seen the newspapers or after I've run into trouble in reality, shows that you are in a hurry. Because obviously, the latter would make it easier for me to believe, and thus, easier to recruit me."

It's better to offer help in a crisis than to add to someone's abundance.

"The Lohar Society is a collective of merchants. To get a group of merchants to forsake the lowest-risk, highest-benefit option and choose to activate me in advance implies that your current situation might not be as stable as you present it to be?"

Mr. Aiwass half-closed his eyes, appearing somewhat weary.

He spoke slowly, in a low, clear voice, as if whispering a bedtime story, "From the funeral of Sherlock, not allowing me to go home but bringing me directly to the Lohar Society headquarters; making me take that shaky elevator; subtly showing your photos with so many influential people; using the Devouring Demon to intimidate me; needlessly pointing out that you can monitor 'Noble Red'; reporting my father's death...

"You keep pressuring me, what do you want me to agree to here? Go ahead and say it, I might easily agree."

Mr. Aiwass narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly: "Let me guess... have you recently made some mistake? So, you urgently need to pull me into your ranks, using this merit to offset your fault.

"Seeing the look in your eyes, it seems I've guessed correctly."

"...Aren't you afraid at all?"

Lawyer York scratched his head with some annoyance, but his face did not show an expression of coercion.

Mr. Aiwass also said with a smile, showcasing his value, "Actually, before coming here, I had already notified Mr. Mycroft. Before getting in the car, I also made a special point of informing Butler Oswald. You wouldn't want anything to happen to me here, would you, Lawyer York? That's the first point.

"Secondly, that you will go to such lengths and spend so much effort to persuade me, telling me the story of Prince Lohar and the backwardness of the Royal family, signifies that I have a special value. One that cannot be controlled by simple threats or bribes."

"Lastly... I guess there's someone at the door now, probably Vice Chairman Boka. He must have been there even before you started talking to me about my father's death."

"—How did you guess?"

A steady voice came from the doorway.

The man who entered through the door was middle-aged, with half-black and half-white hair, sporting a small mustache. He wore a dark blue suit, had a square face, and his hair was neatly arranged without the use of hair gel or wax.

The middle-aged businessman appeared to be a no-nonsense individual. After entering, he instinctively placed his hands behind his back and walked slowly behind Lawyer York.

As for Aiwass, he just smiled warmly, raised his left hand to grasp at the air, and greeted the man who came in after him.

He said languidly, "Let's just say hello for now, Mr. Boka.

"Since you have come in, does that mean Mr. York won't be getting his reward? That's a pity; I think he's a good man."

"His reward won't be lessened, because you are of much greater value than we anticipated."

Without even addressing Lawyer York, Mr. Boka directly took over the conversation with Aiwass.

Quite unlike the always cheerful, gentle, and soft-spoken Lawyer York.

Vice Chairman Boka's speech was more direct, more impactful, and possessed a captivating charm: "Do you want to become King, Mr. Aiwass? To surpass 'Crown Prince'... and not just 'Moriarty'."

Aiwass raised an eyebrow and retorted, "Who wouldn't want that?"

"But now you have such an opportunity. If you are lucky enough, you could be more than just a king—you could be an 'Emperor'."

Boka's voice was low and magnetic, filled with allure: "It is entirely possible. You must know, we are all businessmen, each with our own market and business. No one wants their stable markets to be smashed to smithereens, allowing those Noble Reds and Red Candles to be stolen by some bastard from nowhere.

"From this perspective, we are actually the maintainers of Avalon's order. Just as the Lohar Society is maintaining the order in the Lohar District."

"...So what you value is my relationship with Isabel?"

Aiwass did not shy away from calling the princess by her name directly.

He tilted his head slightly and countered, "Then why should I cooperate with you?"

Upon hearing this, both Boka and York's lips curved upwards slightly in unison.

"Young people are always spirited, which is perfectly normal."

York took over the conversation, jovially smoothing things over: "Who hasn't been young before? Especially someone as outstanding as Aiwass..."

"Mr. Aiwass, this is a business we've been running for many years. Ever since the foundation of the Lohar Society, it has had the mission of the Transcenders—from that perspective, you are the newcomer.

"The ancestors laid the groundwork for two hundred years, then the newcomer barged in by mistake, plucking the fruits. If the newcomer decides to keep all for himself, do you think he will only need to fight against the Royal family? Don't forget, Mr. Aiwass—compared to officialdom, we are the weaker party. The weak don't need to fight each other; we need to unite."

Boka said this to Aiwass more directly while persuading him.

Hearing this, Aiwass raised his eyebrows: "Did you concoct the Royal Curse?"

"Not all of us."

Boka answered: "Many people wanted to do it. Star Antimony, Iris Flower, Round Table Hall...

"It's been over four hundred years. Ever since Lancelot I led the Knights of the Round Table to occupy Avalon Island, renaming it Glass Island, it's been four centuries.

"I remember your mentor Professor Moriarty teaches history—do you understand what it means for a country to have lasted four hundred years without a single break in succession, without any civil wars or rebellions, without a change of monarchs, without undergoing a change in customs and traditions?"

It implies decay, as well as the need for a revolution.