Chapter 83: This Young Man is the True Master

Upon seeing Duan Wenxuan, Nader and Daniel immediately recognized who he was. Although during their previous meeting, Duan Wenxuan had concealed himself with a mask and hood, their group had deduced his identity based on his height, hand details, and other subtle cues.

Recalling that Vena had referred to him as ‘Big Bro Wang’, could it be that his code name within the Hermit Union is the Small Joker?

The Hermit Union used playing card ranks for hierarchy, even aligning their total number of members with the fifty-four cards in a deck. They had thoroughly studied this system long ago.

Having obtained the small joker card, Nader and his group dared not underestimate this young man. Unlike Yue Fei, who was merely a fool believing himself to be clever, this newcomer appeared youthful yet stood backed by the Hermit Union.

Nader began contemplating whether there were any suitable girls of marriageable age within his family. For a young boy suddenly ascending to power, the next logical step would be seeking a beautiful and pure love. With over a hundred members in both the direct and extended branches of the Bezos family, finding an appropriate match should be feasible. Of course, a male counterpart would also suffice. To fully gain the favor of the Hermit Union, Nader was even willing to offer his own son.

“Hello,” Duan Wenxuan said, displaying a slight hint of uncertainty before quickly regaining composure.

Croft, observing the young man roughly the same age as his grandson, furrowed his brow. “Can you represent the Hermit Union? I’ve come here with sincerity and hope we won’t need to repeat discussions due to misunderstandings.”

“Duan-ge leads here; if you’re unwilling to speak openly, please leave.” Vena sat on her chair, clutching a doll, her heavy makeup looking somewhat eerie. She held no fondness for Croft, as he had just damaged one of her dolls earlier.

Winter gently placed his hand on Vena’s shoulder, signaling her to moderate her tone.

Croft observed their interaction and realized that despite appearances, this young man Duan Wenxuan, seemingly in his twenties, was indeed the one in charge here.

Noticing that the primary negotiator was a young individual, likely from Hanming Country based on his name, Croft understood that his prepared speech and plans needed adjustment.

“Croft, Four-star General of the Jindar Empire,” he introduced himself formally to Duan Wenxuan. “I represent the Jindar Empire for negotiations, friendly exchanges, and potential cooperation with the Hermit Union.”

Duan Wenxuan displayed a hint of acknowledgment.

Croft glanced approvingly at Nader and Daniel, who remained silent and cooperative.

“Are you from Hanming Country, Mr. Duan?”

Duan Wenxuan sat upright, but his composed demeanor belied any internal nervousness. Before the resurgence of the spiritual tide, encountering such influential figures would have been unimaginable for him. Even meeting law enforcement officers like Li Dong used to intimidate him greatly.

However, things had changed. With absolute power now at his disposal, bolstered by the gate worlds as his backing, many aspects of his life had subtly transformed without him realizing it.

“Yes.”

Upon hearing Duan Wenxuan’s confirmation, Croft felt a momentary sense of discontent. The Hermit Union originally stemmed from the Western Alliance, and its resurgence fortuitously took place within the Jindar Empire. Yet why would they choose someone from the Southeast Alliance as their successor?

If they needed an ‘heir’, the Western Alliance had no shortage of exceptionally talented and determined youths. However, with the situation already unfolding, Croft could not alter this reality.

“Five years ago, I visited Hanming Country; it is a beautiful nation with a rich history.” Despite his internal dissatisfaction and disappointment, Croft maintained a warm demeanor, complimenting Duan Wenxuan’s homeland.

“The Jindar Empire shares similar qualities.”

After the pleasantries, Croft gradually steered the conversation towards serious matters. “Mr. Duan… may I inquire about your perspective on the relationship between the Hermit Union and the Jindar Empire?”

This was crucial, as the stance of the Hermit Union would determine their relationship. If the Hermit Union proved overly defiant, even the dominant Jindar Empire might assert its power to demonstrate the strength of a new-generation nation to this ancient organization. Of course, friendly cooperation would be preferable if possible.

“As you should know, the Hermit Union was established during the Angge Period. At that time, the greatest nation within the Western Alliance was the Golden Sun Empire. It spanned across the entire west, even developing extensive maritime trade and aiming to cross the Ring Ocean to reach Eastern Continent. Unfortunately, at its peak, the Golden Sun Empire suddenly collapsed.”

These historical facts had been recounted earlier when the Hermit Union gathered wealthy individuals. Naturally, Croft had thoroughly researched this information beforehand.

“The Hermit Union emerged early in the Golden Sun Empire’s reign but was initially dismissed as heretical and marginalized. Back then, sorcery and berserk warriors were the true mainstream. However, with the significant decline of ‘secret power,’ both sorcerers and berserk warriors became ordinary people, allowing the Hermit Union to rise instead.”

“Secret power?” Like Li Dong before him, Croft eagerly sought clarification on these mysterious concepts. For modern individuals, the sudden resurgence of such mystical forces was bewilderingly swift, leaving them largely uninformed.

“It’s a term; the Southeast Alliance refers to it as ‘profound spirit’, while the Western Alliance prefers ‘secret power’. These are substances or perhaps principles permeating the air, elusive and difficult to comprehend. Once diminished, they have since rebounded after a period of dormancy.”

“So that’s how it is.”

Duan Wenxuan smiled, “I wanted to clarify for you that based on our current trajectory, the Hermit Union inherently aligns with no specific nation. Our goal is to ensure all ordinary individuals have an opportunity to transcend their limits, rather than entering an era of individual omnipotence.

Therefore, you need not worry about the Hermit Union disrupting the peace in the Jindar Empire. In fact, at times, we also require a stable environment for conducting research, as the reborn ‘secret power’ has undergone some changes.”

“What truly noble endeavors and aspirations! Humanity will forever remember the contributions of the Hermit Union,” Croft praised, though his true thoughts remained undisclosed.

Having confirmed that the Hermit Union leaned towards chaotic neutral, Croft felt considerably reassured. During these turbulent times, the Jindar Empire feared attracting a crazed, disorderly organization, which could lead to chaos. They had already witnessed the devastation caused by deploying a ‘flashing silver,’ nearly destroying the entire Mara Islands. Even Lyndon was unwilling to risk using such a weapon within his own territories again.

The real negotiation for mutual benefits turned less friendly. After over an hour of discussions, Duan Wenxuan and Croft agreed upon three key points.

Firstly, Margate Castle was designated as an autonomous zone for the Hermit Union. This did not mean that the entire castle would be solely managed by the Hermit Union; they lacked sufficient manpower for such control. Instead, it granted the Hermit Union maximum freedom within Margate Castle, allowing them to expand their laboratories and maintain a certain level of armed forces without interference from the Jindar Empire.

Secondly, in the event of mysterious incidents occurring within the Jindar Empire, if assistance is sought from the Hermit Union, they must provide aid whenever feasible.

Lastly, both parties agreed to share research findings to some extent. A portion of the results would be supplied to the Jindar Empire’s military, while the empire would reciprocate by providing any necessary research materials required by the Hermit Union, to the best of its ability.

Duan Wenxuan understood well that since the resurgence of mysticism, Hanming Country and other nations worldwide had undoubtedly acquired unique artifacts or resources. However, many remained unused due to lack of knowledge or expertise on how to harness them. Duan Wenxuan didn’t desire possession of these items; he simply wanted to absorb their energy, much like the Liyu stones from the Li Kingdom.

There were numerous details yet to be discussed, which could not be resolved within just an hour. But Croft noticed the young man’s restlessness, sensing his belief that debating over minor specifics was futile.

Croft reluctantly conceded, leaving the finer points for others to handle later.

After concluding their discussion, Croft noticed that Nader and Daniel had no intention of engaging further with him. His expression turned sour, but he mustered his spirits to exchange pleasantries briefly with Duan Wenxuan before departing.

He was incredibly busy, as indeed, the entire globe was preoccupied.

Following the first retreat of the spiritual tide, most countries on Xuanlan Star suffered significant damage to their cities. Whether it be repairing post-tide devastation or calming enraged citizens, both tasks presented overwhelming challenges.

Especially dealing with the enraged citizens… During moments of peril, priority for selection into the Ark or underground bases was given to individuals with special skills, key personnel, and their families. This meant that the majority of ordinary civilians were left behind, resulting in massive casualties and leaving survivors filled with resentment and fury.

With some relief, Croft departed, and immediately afterward, Nader and Daniel hurriedly introduced themselves. Unlike Daniel, Nader had someone carry a large box alongside him throughout the journey.

“Mr. Duan, I have brought you a gift. I believe it will serve as excellent research material.”

The corner of Daniel’s mouth twitched slightly. Although space in the helicopter was limited, seeing how meticulously Nader ensured the transport of that large box indicated there was something unusual inside. Upon landing, Daniel took a deliberate look at the box, surprised to find out it was intended as a gift for the Hermit Union.

You sure know how to butter someone up.

Winter stepped forward, with Vena eagerly looking ready for chaos, as if hoping for all hell to break loose.

Nader wasted no time, giving a subtle nod. Gerran promptly opened the nearby box. Inside was a man—a young adult in his twenties, dressed entirely in white. His hands and feet were restrained by electronic handcuffs, and he appeared to be unconscious from injected sedatives.

Duan Wenxuan instantly stood up… He recognized this person.

Yue Fei!

How did they manage to capture Yue Fei?

Back at the Gate of Sin and Virtue, Duan Wenxuan had met Yue Fei and made a strong impression on him, given that both possessed door symbols.

Noticing Duan Wenxuan’s reaction, Nader swiftly explained how they apprehended Yue Fei.

The corner of Duan Wenxuan’s mouth twitched slightly… So, Yue Fei had fled to the Jindar Empire. No wonder Li Dong and the others couldn’t find any trace of him; Duan Wenxuan had assumed Yue Fei used the power of his door symbol to completely alter his appearance. Instead, Yue Fei chose the cowardly route and simply ran away, playing it ultra-safe. Unfortunately, his caution didn’t save him in the end. The cunning manipulations of Nader and his team, using sweet temptations, corrupted Yue Fei into a stereotypical edgy teenager, leading to his downfall.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Duan Wenxuan swiftly grabbed Yue Fei’s wrist, only to immediately sense something amiss. The door symbol on this ‘Yue Fei’ was rudimentary, and crucially, Duan Wenxuan detected no aura of life from him.

“Something’s not right.” Duan Wenxuan requested a dagger from Vena and made a cut on ‘Yue Fei’s’ hand, confirming that indeed, no blood flowed.

Nader promptly responded, “Sir Duan, this is precisely what we found strange as well. After capturing Yue Fei, his mental state seemed somewhat peculiar. We examined his internal organs and bones, which appeared mostly normal, but cutting the skin revealed no bleeding, nor could any blood be drawn. We suspected he may have altered himself somehow, given his ability to modify bodies.”

“No, this is a substitute puppet,” Duan Wenxuan recognized, having encountered Yue Fei’s eerie substitute puppets before. Clearly, while Nader had deceived Yue Fei, the latter managed to outwit him at the last moment.

However, this particular substitute puppet was not entirely destroyed yet, still carrying traces of the door symbol’s information. Duan Wenxuan promptly absorbed it. Previously, the puppet from the Gate of Sin and Virtue had been too extensively damaged, leaving him with nothing to salvage. Without the sustaining power of the door symbol, this substitute puppet likely would not maintain its form for long, probably disintegrating within a few days.