When the plot-skips players into the game world

Mr. Aiwass bluntly counter-asked, "So you're cooperating with the people of Star Antimony, deciding to switch masters?"

But faced with his words, neither of them felt the slightest offense.

Confronting two beings far more powerful than oneself, yet remaining unflustered, unafraid, and without hesitation, this was the very emblem of a pure Transcender.

"It seems your investigation is progressing quite rapidly."

Lawyer York sighed with relief, "I'm glad I recruited you directly."

But Vice Chairman Boka denied, "It's not like that. We are not the blades in the hands of Star Antimony people."

"But I've heard that the leader of Noble Red is a pureblood Giant. From the former dynasty of Avalon."

Mr. Aiwass spoke softly.

"Do I look like a Giant to you?"

Upon hearing this, the stern middle-aged man let out a scornful snicker, "Since when does an organization of Transcenders have an eternal 'leader'? Each person considers themselves the monarch of the boundless universe—don't you feel the same? When have you ever taken the two of us seriously?"

"Lohar Society and Noble Red Society are not the same organization?"

Mr. Aiwass countered.

Lawyer York beside him explained, "It's just that some of the top echelons overlap. Of course, not everyone in the Lohar Society can be Transcenders... otherwise, the Supervisory Court would have discovered us a long time ago."

Vice Chairman Boka continued, with a deep and resonant voice, "The fact is that Transcenders are always the minority, everywhere. Because most people do not possess that kind of willpower and awareness.

"The nine Paths are not meant for the common folk. The very essence of a Transcender's life is the will that transcends the mundane—foolish charges are laughable, and the resentment of the lazy is meaningless. Only when holding the determination to fight greater battles and the confidence to win them, can one step onto the Path of Transcendence."

The moment Mr. Aiwass heard this, he deduced—among the three high-ranking members of the Lohar Society that Lawyer York had asked about downstairs, "Mr. Boka," "Mr. Forbes," and "Miss Grey Green," it should only be Boka who belonged to Noble Red. And possibly Crown Prince Lohar as well.

That is to say, Lohar Society was divided internally. And so was Noble Red Society.

They were not united as one!

Upon realizing this, Mr. Aiwass suddenly perked up.

The evidence of an alliance between York Hermes and Noble Red Society would have to wait until he was alone to obtain. But it seemed that it might no longer be necessary.

If Mr. Aiwass could infiltrate the Lohar Society or even the Noble Red Society directly, then he himself could bring out firsthand intelligence!

That life of York's could then be left for Sherlock to take his own revenge. It also had a certain ceremonial aspect that Mr. Aiwass appreciated.

"I have a question, Lawyer York, Mr. Boka," Mr. Aiwass began, "based on that, is President Lohar also a member of Noble Red? He isn't a Giant either, right?"

York hesitated before looking towards Vice Chairman Boka, who after a pause spoke directly, "Not exactly, he is a Half-blood Giant. That's why he is a senior member of Noble Red Society."

"Are you saying a Half-blood Giant came from the Lohar Family?"

"You might have misunderstood, Mr. Aiwass," Lawyer York explained, "President Lohar is in the same situation as you, he is also an adopted son.

"The Lohar Family has a special rule where they don't rely on bloodline transmission. The children they bear must be given away to others and take on different surnames; only the most outstanding one among the adopted children who grows up can inherit the Lohar surname and the Lohar Society.

"This is to foster children's desire to strive unscrupulously for advancement. The Lohar Society's total wealth amounts to nearly a tenth of Avalon's, and if there's a chance to inherit such incredible wealth, even just a tiny fraction of it, there will always be those who grow lazy and complacent with each passing generation.

"That is why each generation's President Lohar comes from a civilian or even impoverished background. It's because they've been poor, gone hungry, that in the face of such great wealth and power, they can truly awaken... constantly shedding their skin like a serpent, growing and evolving."

"It's a ritual in itself."

Vice Chairman Boka answered succinctly, "It's the 'Serpent's Offspring' ritual, a way to extract the Transcendent potential from others to concentrate it into one person. The current President Lohar is a Half-blood Giant. It was from this generation that we began to have dealings with Noble Red Society—that neither lawyer York nor I were Transcenders cultivated by Noble Red."

Like raising gu, huh? Certainly seems like something bloodless and tearless merchants would do.

Mr. Aiwass thought scornfully.

"So," he sighed, leaning back and asking softly, "what do you want me to do?"

Vice Chairman Boka and Lawyer York exchanged a glance, then spoke, "Rest assured, Mr. Aiwass. It's not dangerous, nor is it cruel. In fact, it's something you were already doing."

"Dating Isabel?" Mr. Aiwass said with irritation.

"No, please forget about Her Highness. That was more of a joke than anything else."

Vice Chairman Boka said gravely, "You can continue your investigation into Noble Red Society. If you need help, we can also provide you with some limited information."

"About next week, or at latest the week after—you will be attacked by a mass of Demon Scholars at your dormitory at Royal Law University. Before you are attacked, I will specifically notify you."

"Just like the people who attacked you with the Aberrant Limb Demon and those who used you to summon a demon, they are not from our Lohar Society. Among those you killed, only the Half-Elf bartender was one of ours, and only the Pelican Bar was our venue."

"You have now become a hero of Avalon and have incidentally incited the enmity of The Association. We can take advantage of the situation to cultivate your reputation so that you have the chance to rise even higher. People believe that the Lohar Society has some relationship with the Noble Red Society, so no one will know that the hero famous for combating Demon Scholars is actually a member of Lohar Society. This way, even if your adaptability on The Path of Transcendence is exposed, the royal family will protect you."

"So, this must be something you agree to do yourself. We will cultivate your reputation, and once we have defeated another part of Noble Red and turned the society into our own strength, you will then come out and support the Lohar Society in turn, declaring after investigation that we have no connection with Noble Red. Before that, you just need to speak for us—as if you were Prince Lohar."

"—What you need to do is very simple, that is, don't be too harsh, just let those attacking you be defeated and escape directly. The ones who attacked you at the award ceremony were Demon Scholars who were close to the Star Antimony Kingdom. The next group will be our turn, the people from the Lohar Society. However, to be on the safe side, I won't inform them to pull their punches, to prevent them from being accidentally captured and exposing you."

"But I will tell you their configuration and plan in advance, you should be able to counter them, right? Next time, you can hit them hard."

Upon hearing this, Aiwass's fingers tapping on his wheelchair armrest suddenly stopped for a moment.

He widened his eyes slightly. Suddenly, he realized.

Isabel was merely a smokescreen. An excuse they used to probe Aiwass's motivations and stance...

The real reason they were interested in Aiwass was because he had recently become a "hero" through battling demons!

The Demon Scholar master and apprentice who tricked Aiwass out for a sacrifice, the Pelican Bar that was destroyed in a sudden attack by Aiwass, the Sweater Brothers Association discovered by Sherlock, the Minister of Commerce who smuggled a batch of Alchemical Bombs, the Aberrant Limb Demon who attacked Aiwass openly...

Aiwass had thought these were all one group. He never expected that they were actually two, or even three different groups of people!

Those Lohar Society members who knew nothing and just controlled the Strangler Party and took part in the smuggling; the local merchant Transcenders inside the Lohar Society who secretly conspired with the Noble Red Society but did not obey the pure-blood Giant; the civil members of Noble Red who were beguiled and controlled by the Star Antimony and came over from outside Glass Island.

So that's how it was, no wonder Lawyer York was in such a hurry, and no wonder they had to recruit me immediately... and they couldn't use force.

—In plain terms, they wanted to play a game of wolf stepping on wolf.

Those who joined both the Lohar Society and the Noble Red Society must be few in number, hence they are enemies on both sides. For this reason, their actions were monitored by both parties.

Therefore, they needed their own spokesperson who could speak for Lohar Society. In reality, though, this spokesperson didn't stand on the side of the Lohar Society but on the side of their small group alone.

For this purpose, they could even afford to offer up heads to support Aiwass.

An extremely tempting offer. If Aiwass was willing to cooperate, he really would become a superstar—even becoming a Crown Prince wouldn't be difficult.

He also suddenly understood how Prince Lohar had managed to achieve his position...

—It's all about acting, isn't it?

But conversely, Aiwass could also swallow the benefits at any time and immediately turn against them decisively. They couldn't forcibly control Aiwass because the initiative was in his hands. Hence, Lawyer York's approach was to tempt and woo him through Professor Moriarty's disappearance and the inheritance issues of the Moriarty Family wealth.

Indeed, it was a plan that fit with his personality.

However, a darker thought had formed in Aiwass's mind.

...His position was too critical.

If played well, he seemed to be able to win on all fronts: take the heads sent by the other side; let them fight each other internally; help Sherlock with his revenge; and at the same time, eliminate both organizations to detonate the bomb early, so Avalon wouldn't collapse in the disaster a year from now.

His eyes narrowed as he sat in the wheelchair.

"I agree," he said.

Aiwass spoke leisurely, without concealment, "To join the Lohar Society openly and join the Noble Red Society in secret without any ceremonies, is that right?

"Then let me think carefully about what actions to take next..."

Seeing this, Lawyer York was greatly relieved and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked at Aiwass as if he were seeing the Professor Moriarty of yesteryear.

"We've lost a Moriarty and gained an even younger, smarter Moriarty!" Lawyer York leaned in, fervently flattering, "Now that Aiwass has joined the Lohar Society, I might as well speak plainly—previously, our Lohar Society also relied on your father's wisdom, delicate and invisible like spider threads, to guide us in the judicious use of intelligence.

"Although you have just joined, I believe with the endorsement of Vice Chairman Boka and myself, you will easily make contact with the upper echelons.

"The future development of Lohar Society will have to rely on you young people!"

"Yes."

Aiwass smiled and replied with a hint, "I will have to work hard to live up to expectations."