Published at 23rd of September 2024 7:02 pm

Chapter 2235 Complicit

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Later that day, the atmosphere at the Croft estate was tense. Barry Croft, his son Vinser Croft, Victoria Qin, and a few of their trusted elders gathered in the opulent meeting room, the air thick with unspoken tensions and the weight of the day's events.

Barry Croft paced the room, his face a mask of barely concealed irritation. He turned to Victoria, his voice edged with frustration. "You did amazing today, too amazing."

Victoria instantly grasped the underlying message. Barry was annoyed that she had stolen too much of the spotlight at the Capitol building, overshadowing his own efforts. Her expression remained calm and respectful as she responded, "My apologies, Senior. It was not my intention to overstep. I recognize my mistake."

Despite the authority granted to her by the Qin family, Victoria was still considered a junior in the complex hierarchy of Golden City's elite. She bowed slightly, a gesture of deference to the Croft Patriarch, hoping to ease the tension.

However, the Qin elder accompanying her was less accommodating. His eyes narrowed as he spoke up, his voice sharp with impatience. "This is not important right now. Do we have any news from the troops we sent?"

Barry Croft ceased pacing and faced the elder, his annoyance shifting to a grim resolve. "Unfortunately, no. We have been unable to receive any updates... but seeing that fat Hassa's face today, I can tell that our efforts have not been in vain. They are done for."

Moments later, the tension in the room escalated as another significant figure arrived. Dean Hauten, Patriarch of the Hauten family, entered the estate, bringing with him a somber yet pivotal update. His presence commanded attention, and the room fell silent as he began to speak.

"The pirates have won," Dean announced, his voice carrying the weight of the news.

Barry Croft's reaction was immediate and jubilant. "Finally, the Karat is gone!" he exclaimed, his face lighting up with unrestrained glee. Victoria Qin, however, was more cautious. She stepped forward, her expression serious as she inquired further. "Senior Hauten, can you please provide more details?"

The Hauten patriarch revealed the message he had received about how they successfully launched a sneak attack and executed a pincer attack on the Karat forces. "It was a crushing defeat for the Karat," he said, adding with a note of concern, "However, there are survivors who managed to escape."

Victoria's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "We knew it would be nearly impossible to eliminate them all," she said, her voice measured and strategic. "Our priority now is to ensure that none of this can be traced back to us."

Barry Croft's earlier joy turned into irritation. He turned to Victoria, his tone sharp and defensive. "What are you implying, Victoria? My men inspected every warship involved. As long as none of your people speak of it, no one will be able to trace this back to us.

The three Golden City main families—Qin, Croft, and Hauten—had not only been plotting the downfall of the Karat family for a long time, but they were also deeply entangled in deals with the pirates. These clandestine agreements, if exposed, would have devastating consequences for their reputations and power. To safeguard their interests, they had each funded and prepared secret forces, making them all complicit in the acts.

Despite the apparent success of their plan, Victoria Qin remained cautious. She once again voiced her concerns about adhering strictly to the agreed strategy. After sharing her thoughts, she excused herself from the meeting, followed closely by the Hauten group, leaving Barry Croft simmering with discontent.

Barry Croft was far from satisfied. He had invested an enormous amount of spirit stones into this plan, significantly more than the other two factions. His goal was not just the destruction of the Karat influence but to emerge as the dominant leader of the Golden City alliance. Although he had managed to garner favor from the council members, the Qin family had outshone him by winning the hearts of the people.

Thinking about the young Victoria Qin, Barry's irritation flared up once more. He turned to his son, Vinser, and said with a sharp tone, "That girl is hard to deal with. After you marry her, you need to properly put a leash on her."

"Yes, Father," Vinser replied dutifully.

At that moment, their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of an unexpected guest. A Nephilim emissary, who had been staying with the Croft family for some time, entered the room. His face was etched with anxiety as he approached Barry.

"Lord Barry," the emissary began, his voice strained. "I mean no disrespect, but what of my Lady Ishtar? Are you not going to do anything about it?"

The emissary had been in a state of restless agitation for the past few days. Lady Ishtar had been captured under his watch. The fear of the consequences loomed over him like a dark cloud; losing Lady Ishtar meant that his own life would be at grave risk when the Nephilim forces arrived. Desperate, he was hoping to leverage the Croft family's influence to settle the situation in his favor.

Barry Croft's eyes narrowed as he considered the emissary's plight. The Nephilim were powerful allies, and their favor was not something to be taken lightly. Yet, the current chaos and political maneuvering left little room for additional complications.

The Croft patriarch planned to avoid entangling himself in Nephilim's internal affairs. However, the emissary's escalating threat forced his hand.

"If you are not doing anything at all, I will make sure my master hears about your involvement in this!!" the emissary exclaimed, his desperation turning to defiance.

Vinser stepped in, his voice calm but insistent. "Father, is it wise to do nothing? That Terra brat is too much. Besides, our intel has confirmed that most of their forces are gone, and we know where Lady Ishtar is being kept."

The patriarch gives the matter a thought, realizing that having the Nephilim on his side would make his ascension to the position of Golden City lord much easier. He would no longer need to rely heavily on the cunning Qin or the foolish Hauten.

"Let's do this," he decided, the resolve clear in his voice.

If he wanted to do it right, he should done it before the Nephilim forces arrived, Without wasting any time, Barry Croft gathered his available forces, preparing for a decisive confrontation with the Terra faction. As soon as the order was given, one of the Croft magus discreetly sent a secret message to a woman, who had been hiding outside the estate.

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