Chapter 458 - 294: Highest Level Security Meeting
’A Highest Level security meeting?’
This was supposed to be the weekly Rational Mercenary Corps meeting, but this month, the meetings had never been on time.
The next meeting was originally scheduled for April 1st, but a series of unexpected incidents had forced it to be held early.
Lin Qi was on the verge of losing count of how many meetings there had been this month.
After seeing the email, Lin Qi couldn’t very well press for more intelligence. He could only wait for the evening meeting to find out what was going on.
Sitting alone in his workshop, Lin Qi continued to turn over every word Baili Xueyuan had told him.
’What exactly is the Eastern Alliance’s stance? And what’s driving it?’
’What role is Baili Xueyuan’s personal agenda playing in all of this?’
’And, given my own capabilities, how should I choose to act?’
’Should I stay silent and watch coldly from the sidelines?’
’Or should I follow the path Baili Xueyuan deliberately laid out and take on the risk?’
’If I go along with Baili Xueyuan’s plan, what’s in it for me?’
Lin Qi’s metal hand rested on the desk, tapping lightly as he ran through the scenarios in his head.
...
At midnight on March 30, 2089, Lin Qi had already been sitting bolt upright in his workshop for a long time.
Lin Qi had spent nearly the entire day weighing the pros and cons of his different options.
As he weighed the risks and rewards, the scales in Lin Qi’s mind had already begun to tip.
’Without a clear benefit or a way to share the risk, there’s no reason for me to expose myself just to appease the Eastern Alliance.’
’So what if it’s the Eastern Alliance? So what if their intelligence has deduced my Wizard Profession?’
’If they want me to do their dirty work, they need to give me a reason—be it profit or a threat. At least give me a reason to act!’
’Otherwise, even if the Eastern Alliance is a massive power, the brutality of the Cyber World is still contained within a framework of rules.’
’I haven’t broken any laws of the Big Business Alliance or my own Cyber City. Even if I choose to sit on the sidelines, the Eastern Alliance has no justification for coming after me.’
’It’s not like I caused this crisis. I’m just making the same choice that over ninety-nine percent of people in the Cyber World would.’
Lin Qi broke free from his mental trap.
Until now, the Eastern Alliance had always been a neutral third party to Lin Qi, with no conflicts of interest.
The Eastern Alliance hadn’t harmed Lin Qi, and he hadn’t harmed them.
The only reason Lin Qi had gotten involved with Baili Xueyuan at all was because of Lin Xin.
The Eastern Alliance wouldn’t target Lin Qi just because he was a Wizard Professional.
And they certainly wouldn’t attack him just for sitting on the sidelines during a major event.
Baili Xueyuan’s personal leanings were her own problem. Lin Qi just had to stick to his story that his Abilities were insufficient.
Besides, Lin Qi had already contributed a potential treatment for the so-called "Abnormals."
If they couldn’t be cured, that wasn’t Lin Qi’s fault.
’It was because Baili Xueyuan’s own Abilities were lacking!’
’I’m just a weak Tier One, Fourth Stage Wizard, after all.’
Lin Qi never forgot the image he had carefully cultivated for Baili Xueyuan.
His mind was finally clear.
Lin Qi stood up and stretched his Prosthetic Body.
Holding the same position for so long had made the signal exchange between his Prosthetic Body and his nervous system a bit sluggish.
The sensation registered in his brain as his "arms" and "legs" feeling a bit numb.
Prosthetic Bodies could fall asleep too—or at least, that’s what it felt like.
[Received "Highest Level Security Meeting" invitation. Connect?]
Lin Qi didn’t realize how much time had passed until the meeting invitation popped up.
’That Baili Xueyuan is nothing but trouble!’
She had caused him so much mental anguish.
"Connect!"
At Lin Qi’s command, the image projected onto his retinas by his Intelligent Brain shifted.
The virtual meeting room of the Highest-Level Mercenary Corps hadn’t changed in the slightest.
The scene was still dim, the attendees’ faces concealed in impenetrable shadow.
Only the numbered placards on the conference table glowed with a faint light.
Every member of the Mercenary Corps entered the meeting room instantly. Within seconds, everyone was ready.
Master Ma, Capitalist, King Arthur, Jingang, and Lin Qi—all eyes converged on Guang Ling.
"Guang Ling, you said in the email today that the details of this Mercenary Corps mission have changed?"
The speaker was Capitalist. She was taking this mission’s details very seriously.
The higher her position, the more clearly Qiao Xi could see how complicated the mission’s entanglements were.
According to her intelligence, the Eastern Alliance had started making major moves as of yesterday, though their ultimate goal remained unclear.
Before Guang Ling could speak, King Arthur jumped in. "Guang Ling, I paid a steep price for this mission. The Eastern Alliance locked onto my identity, and I was nearly chased into the sewers by two Tier Fours."
King Arthur’s tone was sharp, laced with immense dissatisfaction.
This was the first time King Arthur had shown such direct emotion in a Mercenary Corps meeting.
As if to corroborate King Arthur’s statement, Master Ma chimed in from the side, "The Eastern Alliance may have already begun to fully intervene in this matter. A Tier Four Powerhouse from the Eastern Alliance has also been spotted in New Reid City."
Master Ma’s tone wasn’t as heated as King Arthur’s. Clearly, he hadn’t been the one scrambling through the sewers.