Chapter 66: Opportunities and Risks Coexist
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Typically, for a warlord like General Anthony, the colonizers or backers behind him would send a demigod and five or six Sequence 5 Beyonders to protect their colonial interests. The demigod serves more as a deterrent, while Sequence 5 and Sequence 6 Beyonders handle the actual affairs of the colony. However, the ambush on the Feysac Empire caused the loss of two Sequence 5 Beyonders and several Sequence 6, which led to a disruption in the colonial administration system.
In every nation, Sequence 5 Beyonders usually hold positions of real power. As a result, the Feysac Empire and the Church of the God of Combat could only dispatch one Sequence 5 to the Southern Continent for the time being.
The Balk family, being the local power, was already aware of this information.
This presented an opportunity—if the Balk family could send a Sequence 5 Beyonder to help the Feysac Empire maintain control, they could gain some colonial benefits in return.
It was a favorable trade, with both sides getting what they needed. After all, no one wanted to permanently rely on the profits from the assassination business.
But the risks were also substantial. While the Feysac Empire might welcome the Balk family's help now, once they had sufficient manpower, they might try to reclaim the lost benefits.
During the meeting in the council hall, five of the elders opposed joining the Feysac Empire in sharing the benefits. They believed the family's Beyonder characteristics were too precious to risk any loss. Leaving their current stronghold in the Nonexistent Town would mean facing immense danger, and risking the loss of their Beyonder characteristics.
They believed the current mode of operation, which the family had been following, was much safer.
Before calling for a final vote, Elder Calvin spoke up, "Before we make a final decision, I have something to share. There's a young man named Elliott in our family…"
He briefly recounted Elliott's recent experiences. Elder Bowen, who was in his thirties, responded, "Such abnormal luck surely indicates something is wrong. We should immediately detain Elliott and interrogate him thoroughly."
However, Chester, an elder in his forties and a demigod, disagreed, "That may result in us discovering nothing at all."
"I agree," Calvin added. "We should quietly observe Elliott for now, and, if an opportunity arises, test him. But we must not interrogate him rashly without being certain."
Calvin shifted the conversation: "The reason I mentioned Elliott is to remind everyone that the Balk family might be facing a new test. Just like how Elliott unexpectedly brought back a 'Barbarian' Beyonder characteristic, could this be a test for us?
"We can't use old methods of thinking to solve today's problems. Moreover, by utilizing Rex's methods to combat the curse, our strength has significantly increased over the past two decades.
"We've grown from five Sequence 5 Beyonders to now having three Saints, including the family head, who is Sequence 3, along with seventeen Sequence 5s. With such strength, we could easily control two warlords in the Southern Continent.
"It's time to show the world our strength. Once the Feysac royal family realizes we are a demigod family, they wouldn't dare turn against us lightly.
"Let me quote Roselle: 'Opportunities always come with risks.' It's time we abandoned some of our conservative strategies."
After these words, the elders fell into deep contemplation.
…
In the rented apartment in Backlund, Xio and Fors.
Early in the morning, Fors was lounging in an armchair. "Are you sure? Hobert really mentioned his 'elder'?"
Xio, eating breakfast, replied, "I'm sure! Fors, this is the third time you've asked!"
"This is important," Fors said seriously. "Didn't your investigation show he's the general's son? It's not surprising if his father is a Beyonder.
"But he didn't say 'father'; he said 'elder.' This means his family has more than one Beyonder! We guessed right—he's from a Beyonder family!"
Xio nodded. "Otherwise, he wouldn't know so much about the Beyonder fworld."
"Xio, you're missing the point," Fors's eyes suddenly gleamed with wisdom as she lit a cigarette. "He drove away a spirit from the spirit world! Such an act requires strong intuition and corresponding Beyonder abilities.
"If I'm not mistaken, he must possess another magical item he hasn't told us about!"
She sighed, "Being born into a Beyonder family really has its perks. For us, getting hold of one magical item is nearly impossible, but he has two!"
Finishing her breakfast, Xio suddenly added, "Maybe he acquired those items himself."
"Why would you think that?"
"I just feel… he doesn't seem like the type who likes to rely on others."
"Think whatever you like." Through her interactions with Hobert, Fors had noticed that Xio and Hobert had a friendship more like that of comrades-in-arms. She trusted Hobert now and no longer worried about him "playing with girls' feelings" or anything like that.
She concluded, "In any case, having a friend like him will certainly bring us many opportunities."
For example, she had searched for years without finding the formula for the Trickmaster's potion. Yet on her first outing with Hobert, they found clues to a potion formula.
…
Later that morning, Hobert took a hired carriage and headed back to the western suburbs. He intended to visit the Henry family again.
He knew this visit carried some risk, but after thinking it over, he concluded the risk was manageable.
The Henry family had lived in the town for years, and they wouldn't expose themselves unless it was absolutely necessary.
So Hobert believed that as long as he wasn't reckless enough to try to seize their Sealed Artifact, he wouldn't be in any danger.
More importantly, Hobert had decided the night before that, since the Henry family had been drawn to him by the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence, there must be a reason for it.
Actively approaching them and turning the risk into an opportunity was a way to use the law to his advantage and a part of his role-playing.
If he ignored the potential risk, it might eventually escalate into a greater danger because of the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence.
Since he couldn't avoid it, he might as well face it head-on. Opportunities and risks often come hand in hand.
At this thought, Hobert grew curious, wondering if Emperor Roselle had ever said something similar.
Hobert first visited Mr. Polly's house. After a brief conversation, he left through the back yard and went to visit Mr. Henry.
Polly and Ailey watched from their backyard as this bold young man entered the Henry family's yard.
Hobert's entry immediately triggered barking dogs. Even Polly began to wonder if he had been mistaken about the intruder—it seemed more likely that the barking was coming from the Henry family's dog.
But then he shook his head. Many had seen the massive dog emerge from Ailey's basement.
Hobert was about to knock on the door when he suddenly felt a strong sense of death and decay. Using his spiritual vision, he saw that there were no living beings inside the house.
Had the Henry family died of a plague?
Call the authorities?
Or explore first?
Hobert quickly made up his mind, kicked the door open, and found two heavily decomposed corpses in the living room.
The sight made Hobert's scalp tingle. Judging by the state of the bodies, they had been dead for over a week.
So the question remained—who had spoken to him through the door two days ago?