Chapter 87: Chapter 87 – Hidden Agenda
Leo arrived at Chengdu early in the morning. They drove all night and didn't stop at all.
Because almost everyone in Chengdu was used to seeing them, the Humvee wasn't stopped by the guard around the gate and let them pass.
"We are finally home."
Leo smiled widely as he got out of the car and stretched his back.
The base was located near the red district. There was nothing different from when they left, except that there were more stalls around here now.
The air was slightly cold and chilly, a sign that winter would arrive soon. Jack and Shui immediately entered the base while Chiaki put the Humvee in the compressed capsule.
"Leader, you're not going to enter?"
Chiaki asked, but Leo shook his head.
"You go ahead. I need to take care of something first."
"Hmm... Okay."
After seeing her subordinate disappear into the building, Leo looked around and found an alleyway. He walked there and met Jessica, who was waiting for him. They had scheduled this meeting beforehand.
"Leader, are you ready?"
"Yes. Let's go."
Leo nodded at Chiaki and followed her. While he was away, he left the preparation and decision making to Jessica and trusted her fully.
As they walked slowly side by side, he asked about the progress and she explained.
"I have collected all the necessary material to upgrade everything to Level 2. And from the rest of the Golds we have, I secure some land for our plan. We just need the final pieces, which requires your presence, Leader."
"Great. Then, let's begin."
Their destination was an abandoned building at the edge of the city. The place was a mess, but Leo didn't care. It was only a temporary meeting place, anyway.
As this plan could mess with the balance Murim currently have, it was necessary to do it far from the center and prying eyes.
They entered the building and climbed the stairs to the roof.
As they walked, Leo could see two robed people inside. Anya was standing guard near the entrance, waving her hand upon seeing him entering.
"Leader! Welcome back!"
"I am back, Anya. Can you make sure there is no one approaching this building?"
"Leave it to me! I will check the surroundings and notify you."
With that, Anya jumped off the roof and disappeared.
After seeing her off, Leo turned his attention to his two guests and approached the table. He wore a friendly smile as he sat down.
Jessica assumed her position behind him as if it was natural.
And as everything was set to place, Leo calmly said, "Sorry for waiting. There is a little bit of a problem at my end that requires my attention. But, it's done now."
"Don't worry, we have plenty of time with everything that happened." One of the robed figures answered, his voice was heavy and tinted with experience.
"Fufufu, the chaos caused by Venom Sect's epigraph was a big event that shook the foundation of Murim. I wonder if we have a little part in it." The other robed figure said with a mischievous grin. Her voice carried confidence and charm.
"I can't deny it." Leo laughed and nodded, "I hope my little act won't create any problem between us."
"Of course not. We don't care about the small stuff, anyway." She replied, "What we care about is the business you will bring us. Your ability and power have caught our interest, Mr. Leo."
"Indeed. To be honest, when I heard about your proposal, I thought you were a bit crazy. However, that news did reach us. Wudang Sect... You have begun to establish yourself as a powerhouse. And that's good for business."
"Fufufu, this incident allowed us to drive out our competitors from this city. I bet they are the ones who spread the news about your presence and what you did to that Sect."
These robed figures weren't someone to be underestimated.
Leo grinned and put his hands together on the table. Everything was just as calculated, although the events didn't happen exactly as he had planned.
"So, we have heard about the proposal." The man leaned forward slightly, a curiosity flashed in his eyes. "Tell me, will this really work?"
"With both of your cooperation, I believe this will work." Leo replied, his eyes were shining brightly. "And the benefits you will receive will be tremendous. This is not a one-time deal. It's a long-term investment. If you help me with this, everyone won't dare to mess with you. That's for sure."
"This is truly an appealing proposal." The woman raised her hand and opened a blue fan in front of her face, "According to our informant, it seems that Murim will be engulfed in chaos soon. With the appearance of Venom Sect's epigraph, there will be a great conflict between Clans and Sects."
"When one showed themselves, the others would follow. That prophecy that existed in the past will come true, huh?" The robed man added.
When Supreme Evil disappeared, a war began, and the world was plunged into chaos. History was lost in the first era of chaos. Many Sects and Clans got destroyed and new ones, usurping the authority and knowledge of the last, rose in power.
Amidst the chaos, someone claiming to be the Supreme Evil's successor appeared and brought even more chaos and destruction. His strength was real and his ambition was endless.
Facing a new threat, the new rising Sects and Clans gathered and signed a peace treaty for the first time, working together to vanquish evil. They managed to destroy the said successor and his followers, ending the era of chaos.
Murim Alliance was created right after. And to this day, those Sects and Clans were known as 10 Great Sects and Clans of Central Plains.
"The relationship between the 5 Great Clans is still strong. However, lately, almost all Sects recruited disciples at an alarming rate, and there were rumors about the Peng Clan attempting to form a secret alliance with the Demonic faction. There was a possibility that they would break the treaty and fight against the rest."