Chapter 104: Negotiations

Gepard's way of doing things was indeed decisive. Not long after parting ways, she immediately sent Stelle a message: "Meet at the upper district cable car."

True to the principle that even a workhorse wouldn't dare rest this little, Stelle naturally arrived as promised.

After the scene transition, Stelle stood before the siblings—though only the two of them were present.

"Uh, I thought you'd bring a whole squad with you?"

Gepard smiled faintly. "The main force is behind us. If negotiations go smoothly, Dunn will lead the team into the underworld. Dunn is a highly capable officer—upright and incorruptible, a model Silvermane Guard!"

Gepard nodded to himself as he spoke, clearly holding Dunn in high regard at the moment.

"You haven't forgotten him, have you? He was the one you and Serval beat up—ahem, subdued—back in the Restricted Zone. He was unconscious for a long time before waking up."

Stelle's expression remained indifferent. "Oh, the guy who's had a crush on Serval for years, right?"

"Huh?!" Gepard's gaze slowly shifted to Serval. "There's something like that?"

"Uh, little bro, it's…"

"Ah, whatever, no need to bring up the past. It's not like I meant to hurt him." Stelle crossed her arms mid-sentence, cutting off the topic with her usual nonsensical flair.

"I'm not praising you. Thankfully, you held back enough that he didn't suffer any lasting injuries. Later, I'll be negotiating with the leader of Wildfire—today's top priority. Though Serval's side caused a slight delay, it won't affect the schedule. Let's go."

"Serval? I knew it." Stelle clicked her tongue while sizing Serval up.

[Hahaha, Stelle is truly shameless—she hasn't stopped the whole way.]

[For real! Thanks to Stelle for giving me so much joy.]

[Seriously, she always manages to make me smile when I'm bored. And somehow, no matter what she does or says, it never feels out of character? Magic!]

[Maybe that's why miHoYo made a Stelle version! I'm obsessed.]

After exchanging a few more casual words with Gepard, Serval joined the other two on the cable car to Boulder Town.

At that moment,

Gepard and Serval became the "most eye-catching" duo on the street,

drawing sharp glances from many passersby.

It was clear that Gepard's decision to invite Stelle as a guide had been well-considered.

Before long,

the trio arrived at Natasha's clinic,

where, unsurprisingly, Oleg came out to greet them.

After a brief exchange at the door, Oleg led the three inside to meet the true leader of Wildfire.

Then began a rather intense dialogue.

Though Gepard had come across as somewhat blindly loyal and rigid in Season 2,

this time, the audience could see his growth—every word he spoke was measured yet sincere.

However, even so, Natasha suddenly turned up the pressure.

"If Wildfire refuses to cooperate with the army that abandoned the underworld for decades, how will you respond? Will you resort to force to make us submit?"

Serval broke into a cold sweat. "Why's the tension suddenly so thick?"

Meanwhile, Stelle's eyes sparkled. "Fight! Fight!"

Serval shot her a deadpan look. "What are you even here for? A front-row seat?"

Gepard remained composed. He took a deep breath.

"Lady Cocolia's arbitrary policies created a rift between the upper and underworld,

turning the people of Belobog, who should be united, against each other in suspicion and resentment.

Lady Bronya is committed to bridging this divide and restoring the Silvermane Guards' authority.

But that doesn't mean we'll reclaim the underworld through brute force.

In my eyes, Wildfire, as a civilian organization,

has done remarkably well to maintain order in the underworld for over a decade.

The resolve you've poured into stabilizing the underworld is beyond what most can imagine.

I assure you both—the Silvermane Guards are not here to seize power or claim credit.

If we can't earn the trust of the underworld's residents immediately,

we're willing to start small, standing by Wildfire's side to help maintain peace below.

Everything we do is to rebuild trust—to restore a united, stable Belobog."

[Wow, he's got a whole speech prepared! Is this really the Gepard we know?]

[Did Pela write this for him or something?]

[What's up with Natasha? You'd think the resource-starved underworld would be more eager to negotiate.]

[You think negotiations are that simple? This is a test—both sides are masters.]

[Back in Season 2, Gepard got his ass handed to him by Serval, but even then, he had a whole spiel ready. I'm not surprised he can talk like this.]

[It's no wonder Gepard made it to Captain of the Guards!]

[Gepard, I've got a debate competition in class tomorrow—can you join my team? I need your help! o(╥﹏╥)o]

[A flawless answer, covering all bases. Even if Natasha wanted to pick a fight, she'd have no grounds left.]

[Gepard could probably pass any civil service exam with ease.]

[What if he already has?]

—

"Little Geppie, you've grown up!" Stelle quietly gave Gepard a thumbs-up.

Serval crossed her arms, watching her brother with pride.

"Since when did he have this side to him? Guess I still don't know him well enough."

Even Natasha smiled, declaring the test over—Wildfire would do everything in its power to cooperate with the Silvermane Guards.

Just as the meeting was progressing smoothly, sudden commotion outside the clinic shattered the harmony inside.

At that moment, everyone except Natasha rushed out the door.

Outside, they saw panicked underworld residents fleeing in chaos.

"Everyone—please! Save my friends!" A bloodied refugee clutched at Gepard's armor.

Gepard nodded solemnly. "Don't worry. Tell me exactly what happened."

The terrified refugee took a moment to steady their breathing.

"Monsters… invaded the mines. Please… save my friends!"

Tears streamed down the refugee's face—whether from fear or grief, it was hard to tell.

"They'll… they'll be torn apart by those twisted creatures!"

Gepard looked the refugee squarely in the eye. "Stay calm. The Silvermane Guards and Wildfire will ensure the underworld's safety. Go tend to your wounds."

He then laid out the next steps and issued orders.

Oleg, hearing this, was even more impressed with Gepard.

"Mr. Oleg, I swear in the name of Preservation that we'll do everything to save every life." Gepard turned to Serval and Stelle.

"I'll lead the team to the Great Mine first. Catch up as soon as you can."

...

Before long,

the scene focused solely on Serval and Stelle as they hurried toward the mines, their mouths never idle.

"I couldn't get a word in edgewise back there!

Suddenly, everything I've done feels kinda petty!"

"Mental health matters deserve attention!" Stelle nodded sagely.

"It's not that serious! It's just… seeing my little brother leading the Guards and Wildfire's members fighting tooth and nail for survival while I was thinking of running away…

Wait—no way. He's not trying to guilt-trip me into staying, is he?!"