148 Chapter 148: Schemes in the Shadows (1/2)
”Mr. Franklin, I'm afraid it'll be difficult for us to assassinate Richard Huang.”
The hooded assassin lowered her head, her features concealed. Her arm had finally been fully restored, but she walked with a limp, having yet to fully recover from her dreadful injuries. Her movements were stiff. She still needed further rehabilitation before she could finally get used to her newly restored arm.
”I ask that you wait another week. Once he leaves the underground Holy Spring of Jing Tian, then it will be easier for us to strike. The security in the Holy Spring complex is not to be underestimated. It is near impossible to breach the vault and get to him right now.”
”Oh, that's fine. You can drop the mission on Richard Huang.” Fred Franklin waved his hand dismissively. ”My goal was to get him out of the picture, but now that he has conveniently disappeared from public for the time being, it'll work just as well.”
Shortly after our meeting in the Szechuan restaurant, Fred Franklin had received information that I was the one who nuked the three thousand monsters before they reach the Northern Fortress. Amused and delighted, he had ordered a hit on me, hiring assassins from the guild to do so. That was how I was attacked the moment I left school the following night.
The assassin hesitated. ”Is that really fine?”
”Yeah.”
This time, it was not Fred but his father who replied. Frank Franklin lumbered into the room, a wine glass in his hand as he slowly sipped from it. He smiled.
”In fact, it's best to leave him. With him out of the picture, we should take the chance to speed up our plans.”
”Launching another invasion, Father?” Fred asked. Frank nodded.
”Yes, but not in the same way as before. We've learned from our mistakes. A full, frontal assault is not going to work. Even if this Richard Huang is cooped up underground, isolated from the outside world, Jing Tian City might still have other mages with Strategic-level spells. I should have foreseen that. Of course they aren't going to wait for the horde to reach their gates. They'll be on their guard this time and prepare accordingly.”
”How do you intend to destroy Jing Tian City then?”
”That's where we come in.”
Both father and son tensed up when a new, unfamiliar voice broke in. A hooded figure, not unlike the assassin, strolled into the room, flanked by an entourage of followers. Unlike the assassin, who was dressed in a tight, black bodysuit with no features other than the emphasis of her feminine curves, these newcomers were dressed in sweeping cloaks that were embroidered with runes, and glowed a dark purple rather than pure black.
”Apostle,” Frank greeted with a bow of his head. The lead hooded figure raised a hand and bade for him to rise.
”Your Research Foundation Group has proven to be extremely useful to our plans, Sir Franklin. Thanks to that, we were able to advance our campaign much sooner than anticipated.”
”I am glad our research was of great use to you, my lord.” Frank smiled. ”I am particularly proud of the serum we developed. It should enhance the power of those monsters.”
”Yes. We have been feeding a batch of monsters the drinks you concocted. Or…serum, as you put it.” The apostle sniggered. ”Those in Jing Tian City would never realize that the drinks they confiscated from your warehouse have such an amazing effect on monsters, or they will destroy them right away and hunt you down.”
”They're already hunting us down,” Fred muttered under his breath, which earned him a dark glare from his father.
”Yes, indeed.” The Apostle chuckled. ”Your son is correct. But their persecution will be much fiercer and more desperate if they realize the full extent of your research and what it can do to monsters.”
”I am honored, my lord.”
”You've earned it.” the apostle turned away. ”I'll leave the assault on Jing Tian City to you, Sir Franklin. Don't let the Dark Church down.”
He disappeared along with his entourage, the entire group seeming to melt away in the shadows. Fred gave them a glare and shuddered.
”I don't like them. Those crazy cultists…there's something wrong with their heads.”
”You don't have to like them,” Frank replied icily. ”You only have to obey them. With their assistance, we will be able to rule over the Franklin family…and you'll be able to receive the title of Sword Saint.”
Fred's eyes gleamed greedily, and he fell silent. But then, he couldn't suppress a caustic remark.
”But Father…what kind of nut-jobs worship monsters?”
Frank turned toward his son, his expression grim.
”Despite their name, the Dark Church is in no way religious. They don't exactly worship monsters, nor do they follow any religious dogma. They…like us, have only one goal. One overarching desire.” He smiled. ”They are humans like us. They only want power…power to rule over the world. The monsters and their attempts to control and artificially trigger Emergence events are just a means to their path of domination.”
Fred looked aghast. ”Artificially trigger Emergence events? Are you serious?”
”What, haven't you heard?” Frank snorted. ”They have already succeeded.” He then lowered his voice. ”They are not someone we want to make enemies of. If we play this right, we can use them, borrow their strength and harness their power…and then once we take over, our Franklin family will be able to reign over the entire Global Federation.”
”Right.” Fred raised an eyebrow, but he didn't protest. His ambition was overruling his wariness and apprehension against the Dark Church. ”So…they said something about leaving the invasion of Jing Tian City to us. How do you plan on doing it this time?”
”Good question.”
Frank turned toward the assassin, who had kept her head lowered this entire time.