Beating Instances through Words Left by the Dead

Xavier began to hesitate, pondering whether he should give up certain things for the sake of research progress, when two people followed the traces left by the Steam Council and discovered them.

One of them was Raventon.

On the day Raventon acted, the Steam Council was making breakthroughs in the Extraordinary Steam Engine research and was about to host an internal academic meeting.

Xavier was supposed to attend, but he had to handle the second person, so he was a bit late.

The second person to discover the Steam Council was Prime Minister Ron.

He learned about the Steam Council’s existence through Raventon’s investigation, then somehow directly approached them.

Prime Minister Ron presented Xavier’s warning information at the time, claiming that it was due to his lack of preparation and underestimating the Steam Council’s actions.

This time he came not to hold Xavier accountable, but because he encountered a problem and wanted Xavier’s help to solve it, just like when they collaborated years ago, and he promised that whenever Xavier needed help, he could go to their old rendezvous.

After Xavier brought Mace to help Prime Minister Ron solve the problem and was about to head to the Steam Council’s base, he discovered it had already been rounded up by Raventon with his Secret Police.

All Steam Councilors were executed, and furthermore, Raventon would use the list collected inside the base to hunt down all survivors.

Xavier and Mace hid in their secret base for half a month, waiting for the situation to calm down before attempting to escape Grimgland.

The day before their escape, Xavier chose to trust Prime Minister Ron and went to their agreed location.

There, Prime Minister Ron revealed his purpose for seeking Xavier.

He wanted to create a world where everyone had their role, everyone could survive, under absolute order.

To accomplish this world, he needed to research machines surpassing the Extraordinary Steam Engine.

He needed Xavier’s help; as long as Xavier agreed, he would provide various support through his abilities to assure their research.

If Xavier disagreed, he could pretend to have never met him and even offer a way out of Grimland.

Creating machines that far surpass the Extraordinary Steam Engine awakened Xavier’s past ambitions, reminding him of what he considered his mission.

He barely hesitated and agreed to Prime Minister Ron’s proposal.

Subsequently, with Prime Minister Ron’s assistance, they rebuilt the organization upon the ruins of the Steam Council.

But one aspect differed from Xavier’s imagination; as Stilan’s prime minister, Ron was not opposed to the Steam Council using human lives for experiments, even encouraging Xavier to increase efforts along this path.

Xavier felt repulsed by this and asked Prime Minister Ron for the reason, to which Ron openly admitted, astonishingly.

His envisioned ultimate steam engine used the life of Transcendents as power, converting it into abilities beyond the extraordinary.

The Steam Council used ordinary human lives as fuel, which could convert into the Power of Root and even affect the Rules.

Further research along this path using the life of Transcendent Gods as fuel might surpass the Rules and crystallize the power only a God holds.

Ron expressed understanding of Xavier’s repulsion and supported Xavier internally.

"One day, if you can research an Extraordinary Steam Engine that does not consume lives to condense divinity, we could abandon this path."

"But until then, I hope you complete my requirements as planned."

Ron tossed the problem back to Xavier, leaving him unsure of how to refute.

In the subsequent time, he followed Ron’s plan, secretly cooperating with Liberal Party members, such as Baron Philip’s Pine Tree Coal Mine.

He also covertly collaborated with the Peace Church, utilizing the Church’s power to acquire a broader scope of experimental data, exchanging for more related Mysticism knowledge.

According to Prime Minister Ron, many Mysticism knowledge involved in the Extraordinary Steam Engine was taken from the Divine Gift Library during the Secret Magic Knight Order’s breach of the Peace Church headquarters.

Though Xavier opposed the method of using human lives for experiments, the fact was that the "Flesh Extraordinary Steam Engine" path significantly advanced his research in Extraordinary Industry.

He not only researched the Steam Root Power but also discovered methods the Power of Root influences Plane Rules.

Moreover, each time he raised the issue of canceling the flesh experiments, Prime Minister Ron would show support, but constrained by the lack of viable alternatives, Ron couldn’t accept a halt in plans, leading to temporary shelving.

Xavier lacked the energy, but Wu Chang, observing, clearly saw.

Prime Minister Ron continuously engaged in moral coercion, binding the necessity of human-life experiments for the Extraordinary Steam Engine with Xavier’s failure to research a new solution.

Making Xavier believe using human lives for experiments was due to his inadequate effort, his problem.

Subtly influenced over time, Xavier gradually accepted this notion, even believing in the concept of short-term pain for long-term gain, deceiving himself, and intensifying research on "Flesh Extraordinary Steam Engine."

With Prime Minister Ron’s coordination and Xavier’s cooperation, their progress was rapid.

Not only did it greatly expand the Steam Council’s influence, to some degree, it could indeed impact Stilan similarly to the council.

They devised an alternative plan for the Divine Extraordinary Steam Engine, known as the "Steam World" plan.

By publicly exposing the existence of the Extraordinary Steam Engine, utilizing the First Law of Mysticism, they led people to accept the presence of steam rules and the Extraordinary Steam Engine.

In turn, using people’s belief power, they constructed a world centered around the Extraordinary Steam Engine, under absolute order.

The "Steam World" was taking shape, but who could expect, at the critical juncture, Xavier suddenly received a letter from Prime Minister Ron.

In the letter was a ticket to the New World and a brief message.

"The plan is out of control, preserve the Fire Seed, return in two months!"

The next day, Xavier saw in the newspaper the news of Prime Minister Ron’s assassination.