Chapter 571 - 365: Exclusive Dishes_2
But you have to understand, these 12,000 soldiers are pure elite forces, excluding the ordinary soldiers.
Each individual is a powerful Extraordinary Being.
The weakest among these 12,000 could easily crush dozens or even hundreds of ordinary warriors on their own.
Not to mention the 144 elites who have reached the Fourth Stage of the Extraordinary System. At that level, one person is akin to an entire army.
Let’s put it this way, remember when Fenrir breached the Rust Wall last year, wasn’t it spectacular?
Spectacular, indeed.
And each of these 144 elites can achieve the same feat.
As for those experts whose supernatural power has reached the Fifth Stage...
Honestly, it’s beyond comprehension, this already exceeds Troy’s understanding.
Zhao Yiming looked at the strategic map with an appreciative gaze and said slowly, "The Intelligence Department has analyzed Fenrir’s battles in recent years and concluded that her current strength should be ’Overlimit High Tier,’ possibly even ’Blazing Blood Low Tier.’"
"You know, there are a total of seven major grade stages in the Extraordinary System. Stages one and two differentiate ordinary people from the strong, stages two and three differentiate the strong from geniuses, and stages three and four differentiate geniuses from legends."
"People at the third stage and below, there are plenty of them, we wouldn’t give a second glance to these ants."
"Reaching the Fourth Stage is quite rare, it requires extremely top-notch talent, which means earning the qualification to garner our attention."
"And if someone can reach the Fifth Stage, it’s a blessing from fate, and to some extent, they’ve gained the power to substantially threaten us. We’ll employ all sorts of methods to bring them over."
"However, if a person possessing such power doesn’t submit to us, or is even revered by the masses on a spiritual level..."
The smile in Zhao Yiming’s eyes vanished, leaving only a chilling intent to kill.
"Then her existence must be completely obliterated."
Examining the military deployment displayed before him, Troy’s first reaction was that, having witnessed such a huge secret, there was no way he’d be walking out of the Heaven-Reaching Tower alive tonight.
But then he suddenly noticed something amiss.
If the Heaven-Reaching Tower intended to deal with Fenrir, wouldn’t it just act directly? Why summon him and specifically disclose the plan to him?
He clenched his fist, forcing his mind to calm down, and asked in a deep voice, "Why are you assembling so many people and choosing the anniversary celebration day to act?"
Zhao Yiming revealed a teasing smile, pointing a finger at Troy: "Exposed, young man hasn’t been in love, doesn’t understand what’s meant by a sense of ceremony."
"Sure, the simplest methods would be poisoning, ambush attacks, or simply throwing a thermobaric bomb into your site’s location; if it doesn’t kill her, surround and kill her again. Anyway, it’s a certain death... But that would lack a ceremonial touch."
"It’s easy for us to kill Fenrir, but using those aforementioned methods to kill her won’t work. Physically, she may die, but she’ll continue to live in people’s hearts."
"People would think we’re afraid of her, using those underhanded means. More and more would mourn her, more would emulate her."
"That’s why we’ve gathered so many people, specifically choosing the anniversary celebration to act because we will stage the grandest execution."
"Note, it’s not a battle, not a duel, but an execution."
"There won’t be any grand or thrilling clashes, nor any extreme struggles, only the most straightforward execution. Like squashing an ant, with a slight move, her life will vanish."
"Only in this way will people know that mortals are ultimately just mortals. Going against the divine leads only to annihilation."
"The death of the Wolf King will also serve as the first anniversary gift we present to headquarters."
Troy suppressed his inner turmoil, asking in a low voice, "There’s a major flaw in your plan. Why would Fenrir, perfectly fine, go to Crown Plaza? Your so-called conditions for execution don’t stand."
Zhao Yiming’s face bore a meaningful smile: "That’s exactly why we called you here."
"We’ve arranged for the City Council to host a grand ceremony, in the name of Fenrir’s heroic feats during the beast crisis, to award her at Crown Plaza."
"Upon hearing the news, Fenrir will certainly suspect whether there’s a trap behind the celebration. As her most trusted intelligence officer, you will inevitably be sent to investigate the situation."
"When the time comes, all you have to do is tell her there are no traps and everything is safe, reassure her to go. That’s it, just as simple."
Once finished, Zhao Yiming pushed the dish containing the Wolf Head Badge in front of Troy, smiling: "We’ve thought about it; after Fenrir’s death, you’ll be the next leader of the Wolfsiege."
"If you fear the position isn’t stable, no worries, whatever supernatural power you desire, we will fully assist you."
"Concerned about having trouble gaining respect? It doesn’t matter either. Isn’t your Wolfsiege proud of opposing major corporations? We can offer you a few mid-level managers from our side as sacrifices, enough for you to establish authority."
"If you truly don’t want to assume the leader’s position, feeling tired after all these years and wanting to retire, that’s fine too. We’ll ensure you enjoy riches and honor for the rest of your life, and we’ll handle the mess at Wolfsiege ourselves."
His fingers tapped the edge of the plate with intent, smiling deeply: "How is the taste of this dish?"
The implication here is blatant; they want him to betray Fenrir, betray the entire Wolfsiege, and side with the major corporation.
Although the surrounding Wildfire Internal Guard team didn’t react much, Troy suspected that if he so much as shook his head, blood would splatter on the spot.
The immense pressure inevitably caused his heart rate to increase, and sweat to unconsciously bead on his forehead.
He didn’t know how much time passed before he finally relaxed his tightly clenched jaw, his voice low yet resolved: "I won’t betray Fenrir."
"What do you take me for? Leadership, status, riches and honor... these mean nothing to me!"
"I followed Fenrir to repay a life-saving debt from years back; at the moment of life and death, I don’t mind giving my life back to her."
"I won’t pretend with you; in front of you big shots, pretending is useless anyway. I’ll put it bluntly—either don’t let me out of this gate today, or I’ll tell Fenrir your entire plan if I can return."
Troy could distinctly feel the atmosphere solidifying after his words, with members of the Wildfire Internal Guard Department casting sidelong glances, eyes sharp as knives.
Zhao Yiming stood behind Troy at that moment, his expression unreadable.
But the hand resting on his shoulder didn’t tighten.
After a brief silence, the hand patted Troy’s shoulder, Zhao Yiming’s tone still light-hearted: "Haha, it seems I was an inadequate host today, preparing two dishes that the esteemed guest didn’t like."
"No worry, rest assured, you’re a guest. We respect etiquette and certainly wouldn’t silence anyone at the dining table. Not only that, but we’ll also politely escort you back."
Troy couldn’t help but frown: "You’re not going to kill me?"
"Of course not." Zhao Yiming gestured towards the banquet hall’s exit, "You can leave at any time; I guarantee no one will stop you."
Troy hesitated for a moment, pushed his chair back, and stood up to leave.
Yet, at that moment, Zhao Yiming’s smiling voice rang again: "However, if you’re willing to show some face, why not take a look at the third special dish I prepared for you? I crafted it with care."
Before Troy could respond, Zhao Yiming snapped his fingers, and a third serving cart was pushed in.
Servers uncovered the dishes, presenting exquisite food on the table.
This round of dishes exuded a wild flair, each plate filled with sterilized raw meat, looking bloody, with visible juices oozing out when served.
This eating style is popular in high society, requiring extremely high standards for ingredients, merely seasoned with basic marinade, processed to be both clean and hygienic, while retaining the tender and elastic texture of the raw meat.
For Troy, who grew up on the Edge, this isn’t the kind of cuisine he would enjoy.
Various elegantly plated raw meats were put on the table, and a meticulous plate was placed closest to Troy.
The moment the cover was lifted, Troy felt like he was struck by something, standing there in a daze.
The ’main course’ on the plate was none other than a milky white liquid sealed in a metal tube.
Genomic Compilation Protein...