"Banquet?"
Caroline suddenly remembered that the current Rolle Resource Development Head, Ji Bonong, held a banquet at A16 Manor every year.
Then she felt it was both absurd and unbelievable.
Could Boss Lin be heading out for the banquet that Ji Bonong was hosting?
This... How is it possible?
Caroline was instinctively skeptical, for even though Rolle Resource Development was known as a gigantic monopoly by ordinary folk, in the eyes of the transcendent community, especially the Truth Union and Secret Rite Tower, that conglomerate was merely a convenient means of garnering money.
In terms of status, it was inferior to the Druid-controlled Ash Chamber of Commerce which at least had the opportunity to negotiate, engage, and cooperate with the aforementioned transcendent organizations.
For example, additional funding for Secret Rite Tower's Intelligence Division was provided by the Ash Chamber of Commerce and Joseph still had to give them some face.
Rolle Resource Development, on the other hand, was purely a mining tool. Even if they made a lot of money, that money was from the transcendent folk. Wouldn't it be ridiculous using this wealth as a means to negotiate?
Bluntly put, Ji Bonong was a figurehead, and the ones manipulating behind the scenes were actually the authorities of the Central District; transcendent beings in the upper echelons of the Truth Union as well as Secret Rite Tower's Council of Elders.
Ji Bonong was just an ordinary mortal, and that was his greatest sin.
Just this fact doomed him and Rolle Resource Development to never have a place on the stage of transcendent beings.
And it was those at the top who had so evidently arranged this meticulously. The things that Rolle Resource Development controlled were too important. If these were allowed to be in the hands of transcendent beings, it would inevitably lead to seeds of ambition giving rise to rebellion.
But when it was an ordinary person with no talent, it didn't matter whatever ideas he had, for it would never translate to action.
However, this time around, those bigwigs seemed to have miscalculated.
Just as a massive war that had been brewing for a long time erupted, Rolle Resource Development seemed to stealthily attempt a home run and had inconceivably succeeded...
Having assumed thus far, Caroline couldn't help but be shocked, her originally firm opinions wavering.
From a normal perspective of analysis, it's impossible for Ji Bonong to move Boss Lin, but the premise is... from a normal perspective.
But does Boss Lin belong to a normal range? Evidently not.
Moreover, he's the greatest variable in the equation.
He isn't evil but is in pursuit of his own pleasure. And now, if he wants to see a show—a show where the ordinary overthrow the transcendent—then, without a doubt, Ji Bonong seems to be the best choice!
Caroline's eyes widened as if she had instantly understood what was on Boss Lin's mind.
Given all that was happening at this time, this absurd possibility had instantly multiplied!
Her body trembled slightly as she eyed the reporting subordinate and urged, "Go on! What about other information and data from the Intelligence Division that supports this theory?"
Nodding his head, the subordinate continued, "Firstly, Ji Bonong's daughter Ji Zhixiu visited the bookstore with a leather suitcase some time back. At that time, the Intelligence Division's observed that aetheric fluctuations were in a normal range but later captured slightly abnormal modulations. However, nothing was out of the ordinary, so they took no notice and only made a record."
"Was there a problem with the suitcase?" asked Caroline.
"There's a high likelihood of that. Our speculation was that Ji Zhixiu likely made a request to the bookstore owner.
"Secondly, at that time, Ji Zhixiu didn't walk to the bookstore as per the name but went by car. During that visit, the driver followed her into the bookstore as well. We have just checked the registry database, but didn't find the existence of such a driver under the Ji Family or Rolle Resource Development's employment.
"So, there's a possibility that the driver at that time was Ji Bonong himself."
Upon hearing this and taking the written report over to read it herself, Caroline felt as if her brain had been struck by a bolt of lightning.
So this is it! It's actually like this!
This way, everything makes sense.
Caroline thoroughly figured it all out.
Ji Zhixiu's visit to Boss Lin came first, and Wilde's intent to restore the stone gargoyle he had given Boss Lin resulting in a confrontation with Joseph once more came later.
Was this evidence that Boss Lin had acceded to the request and accelerated the conflict?
And in the days before and after that, Vice-Chairman Andrew of the Truth Union had also visited the bookstore a few times.
Was this the reason why the Truth Union wasn't willing to provide aid to Secret Rite Tower at this crucial juncture?
If this was all true, the current outbreak of fighting was probably all within Boss Lin's plans.
Then, all of this had been made to divert the attention of the Truth Union, Secret Rite Tower, and other transcendent beings to the approaching showdown between Wilde and Joseph to distract them from another matter happening on the side...
The banquet at Manor A16, vacating a stage belonging to mortals... to the fullest extent for his own enjoyment.
"Uh... Where's the Logistics Division personnel responsible for keeping track of the bookstore's activities? Has there not been any reply?" Caroline rubbed her temples, then suddenly sighed. What could she even do now?
Someone reported to her at once, "He just replied, but..."
Caroline tensed up, feeling as if her heart was up in her throat. "What's wrong?"
The reporting subordinate hesitated, then said, "Thomas, the duty personnel today, might have an issue with his mind. He first said that the bookstore owner disappeared, then started to spout nonsense, laughing, saying that the wall was a door, shadows an abyss, then something about the ancient and the cosmos..."
Caroline sighed and made a gesture with her hand. "It's normal. Just bring him back and subject him to the mental correction that is usually done for hunters."
She then got her subordinates to check with the station in the vicinity of Manor A16. Indeed, there was a report that Boss Lin had been spotted which confirmed her own guess.
If this was really set up by Boss Lin, who were they to try and stop him?
Even if they were to stop it, how would they face Boss Lin? Who could stand against his power?
Since it couldn't be stopped, they could only just lay back and pray that the peculiar bookstore owner just wanted to watch a show in peace...
In any case, they simply didn't have the resources to place their attention there... The Corpse Devouring Sect was on the move, and a battle between two Destructive-ranks was about to engulf Norzin.
And under these circumstances, the chief culprit had the luxury of attending a party of ordinary folk.
It had to be said, this was very like Boss Lin.
——
At this very moment, the Truth Union.
Andrew turned away the scholar that had come to inform him about Secret Rite Tower's appeal for aid. With a chuckle, he thought to himself, You are getting way ahead of yourself if you wish to disrupt the Lord's banquet. Joseph, you have to pay the price for impurity.