Chapter 133. William

William, exuding the refined air of an English gentleman, approached Rush with a composed smile. "Enough. Let us sit down and discuss matters calmly. If we fail to reach an accord, then we may resort to violence—there's no rush. After all, we each have the full weight of our companies behind us; there's nothing to fear."

William's words startled Xiao Feng and the others. Though he was urging Rush to restrain himself, the underlying message was clear: William regarded Kill with scant concern, dismissing them almost entirely.

K, clad in his pristine white suit, responded with a nonchalant smile. "Young Master William, are you trying to intimidate us?"

"Hardly," William replied smoothly. "Why would I bother? Besides, you have Hilton backing you, do you not? Without Hilton, Kill would have been finished long ago." A hint of derision colored his tone.

From his company's vantage point, William was unwavering—he would yield no ground to Hilton. He was well aware of the intricate power play unfolding.

Xiao Feng felt a headache brewing at the tangled web of alliances. With Kill tied to Hilton, the situation had grown perilously complex. Several powerful factions now intermingled, far beyond the influence of a mere outsider like himself.

He glanced at Kelly and sighed. "Ah, I can no longer meddle or intervene. Thank you all for coming. Since you're here, I'll make sure you're well taken care of…"

Rice and Old White exchanged looks of surprise at the arrival of the three major forces, brought together by Xiao Feng's presence. Rice laughed heartily, "Yes, everyone here is a guest of our X Mercenary Corps. Let me arrange for the brothers to treat you well—tonight, we drink and celebrate!"

Yet, the sourest expressions belonged to Alice and Ivy. They had clearly discerned the unusual closeness between Kelly and Xiao Feng. At this moment, they seemed to form a united front, glaring at Kelly with hostility. Alice huffed, "Hmph, why is she cozying up to my brother Xiao Feng?"

Ivy frowned, "How should I know? But there's no doubt she's seduced him. Hmph, we absolutely cannot allow Xiao Feng to be with her!"

"Yes, we must drive her away. Xiao Feng must not be with her!"

The two whispered conspiratorially, their previous enmity forgotten, now united as if sworn sisters.

Beside them, Little White mirrored their animosity with a hostile glare toward Kelly. Having gained considerable intelligence, Little White harbored a deep distrust toward Kelly.

Fortunately, the confrontation did not escalate. Under collective persuasion, everyone moved to the X Mercenary Corps' conference hall. A banquet was being prepared to accommodate the large gathering; only this vast chamber could hold them all.

As they settled and rested, others busied themselves clearing the slain magical beasts outside. Among the carcasses was even a D-rank beast. When mercenaries extracted a D-rank magic crystal from its remains, all were stunned—despite its rank, it had been instantly slain by Rush. The overwhelming power of an eighth-level psychic manifested unmistakably.

Just as the group prepared to dine, a convoy of military vehicles rolled into the base—Alliance army transports. Pierre, Rice's cousin, alighted from the lead vehicle, cigar clenched between his teeth. His gaze swept over the bloodied basketball court, the massive slain beasts near the warehouses, and the five armed helicopters stationed nearby. A strange, unsettled expression crossed his face. He seized a passing mercenary roughly. "Where's Rice?"

The mercenary, unbothered, replied, "In the conference hall."

Pierre released Rice and, accompanied by his men, strode toward the conference room.

Upon entering and noting the assembled company, Pierre's face tightened. Judging by their equipment, none were ordinary individuals. He called out sharply for Rice.

Rice, mid-conversation with Xiao Feng and others, glanced at Pierre and immediately wiped the smile off his face. Lifting a beer, he strode slowly to the door to meet his cousin.

Xiao Feng and Old White, sensing Pierre's hostile intent, moved quietly behind Rice. Especially the unruly Xiao Feng, who gripped his alloy combat knife.

Rice sneered, "Cousin, what brings you here?"

Pierre frowned deeply. "You've stirred up such chaos in my jurisdiction—so many dead. You owe me an explanation."

Kelly, William, Rush, K, and the others ceased drinking, watching the tense exchange. Lin rubbed his temple and sighed, "Ah, what rotten luck. What a mess this is."

Kelly whispered to Lin, "Who's this man? That's a high rank."

"Hmm, commander of the Alliance forces in Godo City, and Rice's cousin…"

Kelly and Lin discussed cautiously as Rice faced Pierre unflinchingly. "When those cultist scum of the Evil Dragon Sect attacked, where were you? This is your territory, yet my men were nearly wiped out. Damn it, it's only a fifteen-minute drive from here. Where were you? And now you come demanding an explanation?"

Pierre's anger flared. "The Alliance military has its protocols. I need time to authorize deployments."

"Bullshit! You're a coward. You knew the Evil Dragon Sect was coming. Don't think I'm blind to it. Today, I finally see what you really are. Fine, you want an explanation? Men died, my men died. What do you propose we do?"

"Bastard Rice, don't think having all these men behind you means you can defy me. I don't believe these thugs will stay forever. When they leave, I'll deal with you properly."

Turning to leave, Pierre was abruptly seized by the shoulder. Furious, he spun around to meet Xiao Feng's defiant glare.

Xiao Feng's voice was cold and sharp. "Who do you think you're intimidating? Do you still want to live?"

Xiao Feng's words were deliberate. A reckless plan had formed in his mind. The tension within the Alliance was destined to spark a war; it was better not to care about their posturing anymore.

Enraged, Pierre swung a punch at Xiao Feng. But Xiao Feng's speed was beyond his match—he ducked under the blow and countered with a lightning-fast punch to Pierre's jaw, sending the burly man crashing down.

Seeing Xiao Feng strike first, the crowd surged forward with a shout.