"Okay... Okay!"
The old city lord gazed at Bai Yi, his excitement barely contained. It was rare for him to lose his composure like this. In the entire federation, with a population of over 800 million, only a handful of individuals possessed this level of talent.
And now, one stood right in front of him—how could he not be excited?
Eric suddenly spoke up. "Old man, did you see that? The Dark Night Rose will be announced tomorrow!"
Bai Yi was taken aback. Old man? He looked around. There was no one in sight, no one who could possibly be watching. Where had this "old man" come from?
Just then, an old voice crackled from the city lord's phone, excitement tinging its tone. "I know, but the one called Bai Yi should come to the capital to develop. This is his stage. There, he will find others of his caliber, and with the protection of legends, there will be no issues."
"Get lost!" Eric snapped, his irritation growing when speaking with his peers. "Didn't you hear me? He looks down on that shitty capital. If they want more talents to gather there, they should first deal with the people who reach out with greedy hands. I can't stand them!"
"Eric, you're still so hot-headed," the old voice teased. "But I've looked into Bai Yi. It seems he has a close relationship with the young lady of the Difeng family. Given his talent, the Difeng family would gladly take him as a son-in-law." There was a hint of temptation in the voice. "The Difeng family's wealth could buy Dongwu City outright."
"Go away, don't even think about it!" Eric growled. "I've told you, nothing will happen to him before I die. If you want to try anything, go ahead. Let's see whether my sword is sharper or their greed is stronger!"
The old city lord muttered a bit more, then said directly, "Enough talking. Go find Coman immediately. I need this news to spread throughout the federation tomorrow!"
"Tsk, your temper hasn't changed at all," the old voice grumbled before the phone's screen went black.
Bai Yi shook his head. So that's why the old city lord was mumbling earlier... He was acting as a narrator.
Eric calmed himself, though joy still lit up his expression. He extended a hand toward Bai Yi and asked kindly, "How is it, still have any concerns?"
Bai Yi paused, then smiled helplessly. "I was judging others by my own standards."
It seemed he had gained a new understanding of the federation, or at least of the older generation. Everyone had risen from humble beginnings, deeply aware of the benefits provided by the federal laws. Now, at the end of their lives, it seemed they had no qualms about helping to restore the law's reputation.
Eric's emotions calmed, but he gently shook his head. "No, what you think is actually correct. Where there are people, there are ambitions. Where there are ambitions, there are compromises. It's best to be cautious."
He suddenly asked with a warm smile, "Want to try it out in advance?"
Bai Yi froze. He knew exactly what Eric meant and shook his head. "It's too soon. I think I can wait a little longer. They may come to us soon."
The old city lord felt a twinge of regret but said, "Then adapt in advance, young man! Dongwu City doesn't tolerate so many compromises!"
As he spoke, he patted Bai Yi's shoulder. A terrifying aura emanated from him, gradually spreading out and enveloping the entire inner city area.
An ancient, resounding voice boomed. "From today on, Silver-level alchemist Bai Yi will become the acting city lord. All matters concerning Dongwu City will be decided by him."
As soon as the words left his mouth, chaos erupted across the city.
At the City Lord's Mansion gates, Mossen—who had been trying to enter—paused at the sight of the dragon's arrival. His gaze remained calm, and he stopped, silently standing in front of the gates.
Behind him, Eddie, commander of the Storm Legion, patted Mossen on the shoulder. His tone was as if trying to comfort him or merely express his feelings. "This federation always relies on talent."
The Apocalypse Army guards the inner city, the Wucheng Army defends the outer city, and the Storm Army sweeps the city. The three commanders of the legions are, in fact, potential reserve city lords. They are the most talented people in the city—young men, all of them silver-level or higher, the lowest being level 48.
Mossen, almost thirty years old, felt the gap between himself and Bai Yi, who had already reached silver level at eighteen. Despite his disappointment, he held no resentment.
Mossen only said coldly, "Enough talk."
In an underground base in the western part of Dongwu City, an angelic figure, masked, froze mid-motion. The figure's gaze behind the mask darkened.
He was clearly struggling to accept what was unfolding. A shattered mirror before him showed the red dot that had once been positioned on the City Lord's Mansion almost entirely vanished.
"I told you, something's wrong with Bai Yi. I should've killed him when I had the chance!" The Joker's voice was bitter, seething with impatience. He hadn't forgotten the grudge Bai Yi had caused when he struck him with the golden scroll.
"Four hours ago, we received intelligence that Wonder was targeting us. Their actions are unpredictable. While we can't confirm it was the White Plague, it's likely the mysterious organization from the Scarlet Incident," the Angel replied, trying to maintain composure.
The Joker growled, frustrated. "Does that crummy organization even exist? We can't find a trace of them. How is that possible?"
"Let's wait for the Supreme's response. Bai Yi's potential has been assessed at SSS level. The Federation will protect him at all costs. This is beyond what we, a single division, can control." The Angel sighed deeply, a headache forming.
The Joker slammed his fist onto the table. "If he breaks through to gold within half a year, it'll be impossible to kill him. But now, the old-timers in the Federation will only protect living geniuses, not the dead!"
"Then you can try it," the Angel said quietly, caution in his tone. "But don't go too far. The Supreme hasn't given a response yet."
"This should have been decided long ago!" The Joker's tone was dismissive. With that, his figure melded into the shadows, disappearing from the underground base.
The Angel gazed off into the distance, worry etched in every line of his face. He had no idea how the Night Rose had been exposed, but something told him that the beginning of this new era would be fraught with difficulties.
He clasped his hands together, closing his eyes devoutly. A low prayer escaped his lips.