Chapter 46: The Gathering Council

Seeing the Wolf King’s fury, the werewolves below were as silent as cicadas in winter, no one daring to utter another word. The Wolf King’s eyes flickered with a bloody hue, clearly on the brink of a rampage. He forcibly suppressed his anger and turned to the High Priest, “Summon the Ancestral Will tonight!”

The High Priest’s face changed slightly, but he dared not defy the Wolf King at this moment, and could only say, “I will do my best.”

The Wolf King snorted and turned, leaving the hall.

The werewolves dispersed, their gazes toward the High Priest filled with sympathy. Communicating with the Ancestral Will was never an easy task, even with the help of totems, the cost was immense. And to harness the power of the ancestors was even more challenging.

The previous High Priest was assassinated by Qian Ye, which had a significant impact on the entire tribe. The new High Priest was far less capable, only appointed out of necessity, as there were no better candidates.

Among the werewolf tribes, there was a special succession ritual between the High Priests. The outgoing High Priest would pass on a portion of his power and enlightenment to the next through the succession ritual before his death. However, this High Priest did not have the chance to perform the succession ritual and died at the hands of Qian Ye. Not only was the new High Priest weakened, but the power of the previous few High Priests was also diminished.

After completing their missions, mercenaries usually sought odd jobs in Guanlan City, looking for any merchant caravans heading back to Nanqing City. As two of the most prosperous cities of the human race, merchant caravans were always in high demand.

Ice Wolf was particularly skilled in such matters. Right after Qian Ye had dealt with the three allied armies, Ice Wolf had already organized a new cargo convoy, ready to depart at a moment’s notice, waiting only for Qian Ye’s return.

Upon returning, Qian Ye conducted a routine inspection of the goods being shipped by the mercenary group. The commissioned merchant, surprisingly, was not some small firm, but one of the largest weapon dealers in Guanlan City. The manager was plump, partially bald, with a greasy sheen on his head.

As soon as he saw Qian Ye, he broke into a smile, running up to Qian Ye and flattering him, “With you, our journey will be safe. My name is Bao Zhuan. If you have any questions about the cargo, feel free to ask me.”

The manager’s name was indeed auspicious, and he was smooth-talking; it was no wonder that any merchant boss would favor him.

Qian Ye walked to a freight truck, leaped onto the trailer, and signaled the workers to open the cargo box for inspection.

The truck was loaded with various unfinished components of force guns and bulk raw materials, mainly alloy ingots. A quick scan by Qian Ye revealed no issues. He then leaped to another truck.

This truck carried the least amount of cargo, with only two boxes containing goods, while the rest were empty, serving as camouflage to match the other trucks. Bao Zhuan specifically requested Qian Ye to stay on this truck.

Bao Zhuan’s honesty earned Qian Ye a bit of goodwill. He immediately instructed the workers to open the boxes, wanting to see what was inside.

The cargo boxes were equipped with arrays that could block force fluctuations, and opening them was quite complex. When the lid was opened, neatly arranged force guns were revealed.

These were all finished products, emitting a strong force fluctuation, at least level four guns. Together, the two boxes contained at least thirty guns, explaining Bao Zhuan’s nervousness.

These force guns were of the most common rifle model, but their barrels were noticeably thicker than ordinary rifles. As Qian Ye examined the force guns, they seemed familiar, and he picked one up for a closer look.

The force arrays on the reinforced barrel and body were simple but exceptionally durable. Their sole function was to increase firepower. Due to the simplicity of materials and additional reinforcement, these guns’ lifespan far exceeded that of ordinary force guns in the neutral zone, matching the standards of Imperial-level guns.

Though they were level four guns, their firepower reached level five, though they fell short in range and special effects compared to level five guns.

In the neutral zone, battles often occurred suddenly and at close range, making range less important than firepower. Sacrificing a little range and accuracy for enhanced firepower was a significant improvement overall.

The value of these guns rivaled that of level five guns, possibly even surpassing them, due to their lower consumption remaining at level four.

The force gun in Qian Ye’s hand, from its craftsmanship to its force arrays, felt familiar. He disassembled the grip and found a hand-carved bullet mark inside the interface.

Qian Ye’s breath quickened, then slowly steadied, and he asked, “Manager Bao.”

Bao Zhuan immediately approached, saying, “Just call me Xiao Bao.”

Qian Ye paused, unable to call the middle-aged, bald, plump man “Xiao Bao.” He handed the force gun to Bao Zhuan and asked, “Manager Bao, where did you get these guns?”

“Are you interested in these guns? No problem, I can sell them to you at a discount. Our company will just make a small profit.”

Qian Ye shook his head, “No, I want to know where the guns came from and when they were manufactured.”

“Sir, are you interested in the arms business?” Bao Zhuan asked cautiously.

“I’m not interested in business, just in these guns.”

Bao Zhuan finally understood, quickly explaining, “These guns are new, bought from Tidal City. We’ve never seen anything like them before. Our representative in Tidal City discovered them and bought the entire stock. They were reportedly produced by the city lord’s own weapons workshop.”

“Good,” Qian Ye said, tossing the force gun back into the box. “Let’s go. No stops along the way.”

“Got it!” Bao Zhuan perked up, preparing to set off. The less time spent on the road, the less danger. A bit of hardship was nothing compared to the opportunity to have a strong protector like Qian Ye.

The only risk was the Wolf King’s retaliation, but the result of the battle in the city had already spread, and Qian Ye’s victory had intimidated all the families. If the Wolf King wanted to retaliate, he would need to send new people.

Therefore, moving quickly could avoid this wave of retaliation. Bao Zhuan cared only about delivering the goods, not about anything else. The Wolf King’s revenge would be directed at Qian Ye.

Under Bao Zhuan’s shouts, the convoy drove out of Guanlan City, heading south toward Nanqing. During the departure, many eyes watched the convoy, with various intentions, including hostility. But no one dared to act.

The convoy left Guanlan City, gradually disappearing over the horizon. Only then did those watching eyes, filled with frustration and resentment, retreat.

In Guanlan City, in an elegant room on the top floor of a 200-year-old teahouse, a group of elders gathered. The room was decorated simply and naturally, with furniture made from natural stone and wood, crafted to highlight their natural patterns, a true work of art.

On the table, there were only a few pots of tea, no fruits or snacks. Each elder had a single cup, filled with clear, green-tinged tea. Outside, two graceful maids prepared a fresh batch of tea, carefully following a set procedure to open the tea boxes.

Both tea boxes were equipped with force arrays, impossible to open without cultivation. Surprisingly, both maids possessed level five force.

The force arrays on the tea boxes maintained a specific environment, necessary for the preservation of the tea in the harsh neutral zone. Even the finest tea would deteriorate if exposed for too long.

If the tea boxes were so valuable, the tea inside was even more so.

Despite the lack of snacks, the lingering fragrance of the tea alone was enough to uplift one’s spirits.

Those who could sit here for tea were certainly no ordinary people. The leading elder, Xue Fuling, was the current patriarch of the Xue family, his face stern, with deep lines etched between his brows, commanding respect without speaking. The other elders were equally prominent, either the heads of their families or great elders.

A few words from these dozen elders could determine the future of Guanlan City.

Opposite Xue Fuling, a gaunt elder spoke with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “What a pity, Third Master Xue!”

Xue Fuling’s face darkened, and he huffed, “He was outmatched, what could be done?”

The gaunt elder continued, “I heard that Third Master Xue fought valiantly, but when the battle turned against him, not only did he not receive support, but he was also betrayed by his own, leading to his defeat and death. Is this true?”

Xue Fuling’s expression remained unchanged, and he replied coldly, “Rumors, not to be believed.”

“Is that so? Then I must have misunderstood, ha ha!” The gaunt elder laughed heartily, but his words carried a deeper meaning. A faint green aura flashed across Xue Fuling’s face.

This gaunt elder was the grand elder of the Wang family, a half-generation senior to Xue Fuling. The Wang family ranked second in Guanlan City, right after the Xue family. Over the years, the Wolf King had continuously oppressed the human families, and the Xue family bore the brunt of the pressure. The Wang family, while also suffering, fared much better.

In Guanlan City, the Xue and Wang families maintained a facade of peace, but their private rivalry was constant.

Now, with Third Master Xue’s death and the annihilation of his direct lineage, along with the rumored betrayal of Xue Ding, the Xue family suffered a series of blows, narrowing the gap with the Wang family. This was why the grand elder saw an opportunity to challenge the Xue family.

This display was also for the benefit of the smaller families, to show that the balance of power in Guanlan City might be changing.

Moving on from this topic, a head of a smaller family asked, “Should we just let Qian Ye go like that?”

“What can we do by not letting him go?”

The elder responded, “If we unite, we can definitely keep him in Guanlan City. Letting such a person return is like releasing a tiger back into the wild!”