Chapter 451 - 325: Warlord (Part 2)
"...Just sitting here talking isn’t going to get us anywhere! You think becoming the City Lord is just a matter of flapping your gums? If you ask me, anyone who wants the title needs to show some results first! I say we set a one-month deadline. Whoever can catch that monster, retrieve City Lord Joyce’s body, and find out how he died gets to be the next City Lord!"
The moment he finished, the meeting room fell silent.
Everyone knew this was easier said than done.
If that monster were so easy to catch, would they even be having this conversation?
Despite all the guards at the Citadel and the heavy security at the factory district, it still escaped, didn’t it?
They still hadn’t even gotten a clear look at it!
After a long moment, Keegan Woods spoke slowly, "So, you’re saying you’re confident you can do it, Division Commander Cheney?"
Henry Chase glanced at him and said bluntly, "Haven’t had a chance to try, so I don’t know!"
The statement was wonderfully subtle.
Hearing this, Marcus Monroe couldn’t help but crack a smile.
As far as he knew, although these families had pushed Henry Chase into the position of Division Commander, they didn’t actually have much respect for him.
They saw him as a mere brute, a tool to be used against Miles Preston.
Take this time, for instance. Although men from the Second Division were used to guard the Citadel, they were all kept on the periphery, completely unable to enter the core area. ’Henry Chase must be furious about that, and now he’s using this opportunity to vent!’
Naturally, the members of the four great families were displeased with Henry Chase’s behavior.
After some thought, Ronan Forrest of the Forrest Family voiced his objection. "This is inappropriate. If everyone acts independently, it will only lead to chaos."
The five ministers all nodded in agreement.
If Henry Chase’s idea was approved, the Government would be at the biggest disadvantage, as they had the fewest people.
"Clan Leader Forrest is right. Besides, the whole reason we’re choosing a City Lord is to better investigate this matter, not to end up disorganized and directionless like a sheet of loose sand. Only by uniting everyone’s strength under a City Lord can we ensure everyone fulfills their duties."
"Exactly! You have to get your own house in order before dealing with outside threats. That’s the principle here."
"So, while being City Lord isn’t just about talking, it’s about using your head. You can’t just act on assumptions."
"..."
One after another, they spoke, their words laced with veiled sarcasm.
Henry Chase’s expression visibly darkened.
After a moment, he suddenly sneered, "So this is no good, and that’s no good. Then what do you suggest we do? We’ve been sitting here for half the day and haven’t decided on a damn thing! We could’ve used this time to do something useful! If you’re afraid of that monster and don’t dare to go after it, just say so. I won’t look down on you. After all, for people who stay cooped up in the city all day and have barely killed a few Mutant Beasts, having a superpower is just for show. When a real fight breaks out, you’re less useful than a regular person with some combat training!"
"What? You got a problem with that? Fine! Let’s have a contest!"
"Don’t worry! I won’t fight you directly! How boring would that be? Instead, we’ll each take a squad out of the city to kill Zombies. We’ll decide the winner based on the number of Zombie heads!"
He wasn’t wrong.
Marcus Monroe thought to himself, ’Whether this man wants to be City Lord or is even fit for the role, at least he has some spine. He’s better than those windbags who only know how to spout nonsense.’
’The Zombie threat is far from over, yet all these people care about is fighting for power. It’s infuriating to watch!’
The others, however, were left in an awkward position.
Not only did the five ministers fall silent, but even Keegan Woods, Ronan Forrest, and the others looked displeased.
As Clan Leaders, they couldn’t just leave the city and rush into danger. Just as Henry Chase had said, they were also "cooped up in the city." They couldn’t help but feel that his words were a veiled criticism aimed at them, and they cursed him internally. ’We really backed an ungrateful bastard!’
At this point, Miles Preston, who had been quiet for most of the meeting, stepped in to mediate. "Everyone, let’s calm down. Choosing a new City Lord is a major decision, so it’s right to consider it carefully."
That last part was directed at Henry Chase.
Henry Chase pursed his lips but didn’t press the matter further.
Seeing that no one else was speaking, Miles Preston had no choice but to continue. "Actually, I think Division Commander Cheney has a point. The next City Lord does need to show results. We’ve been investigating City Lord Joyce’s murder for so long with no leads, and now even his body has been stolen. I feel deeply ashamed about this. How were those people able to get in and out of the Citadel so easily? What is the origin of that monster? These are all still mysteries. Most importantly, it’s highly likely they are still lurking within the city. If we don’t root them out and eliminate them completely, they will be a huge threat to whoever becomes the next City Lord. Furthermore, if they could succeed once, there’s no guarantee they won’t try a second time. So, when you think about it, the candidate for City Lord must possess considerable strength. Otherwise, won’t we just be reliving today’s events again very soon?"