https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-445-Artificial-Constructs-Faith-Form/12851265/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-447-Projecting-the-War-God-into-the-Main-Material-Plane/12851267/
Chapter 446: Pretending to Be Ignorant, Who Can't Do That?
Chapter 446: Pretending to Be Ignorant, Who Can't Do That?
"Either there's no stock or it was intercepted along the way. It seems that one of the lords has taken action." Chen Mei's expression turned grim. He hadn't expected such a series of setbacks.
If it happened once or twice, it could be an accident, but as the incidents piled up, it became clear that someone was deliberately targeting him.
All his other affairs were fine, but only the task materials were problematic. So, it was obvious who was behind it.
"From the current situation, it looks very serious. The other party clearly knows the task process and all the required materials. Even if I complete the first stage of the task, the subsequent stages will likely be targeted by them."
Chen Mei had figured out that the other party truly wanted his divine artifact.
The reason they hadn't killed him and occupied his territory was probably because they couldn't obtain all the resources through plundering or other means. The divine artifact might be reclaimed.
Without the corresponding event, they couldn't fully plunder everything.
That's why they were using threats and inducements.
The three events during the beginner phase were common to every server, and Chen Mei had naturally experienced them.
"Lord Count, the materials haven't arrived yet?" Duke Bai Shuang walked in, completely disregarding his own higher rank and directly inquired of Chen Mei.
"Not yet. You can probably guess that I'm being targeted. The materials can't even reach my territory." Chen Mei shook his head. Although this Priest Black's loyalty was only 1 point, he hadn't shown any signs of rebellion so far, so Chen Mei told him the truth.
Duke Bai Shuang's brows furrowed. Being targeted?
Honestly, this was a bit unexpected. What force would expend such effort to intercept these materials? They only needed a fist-sized piece, which, when placed in a mine, was practically weightless and often ignored.
Moreover, the materials weren't particularly valuable, just limited in origin.
"Who is the force behind this?" Duke Bai Shuang asked calmly, wanting to know what force was so brazen as to target a relatively unknown small count.
A count might be considered high-ranking within a kingdom, but in the entire main material plane, he was just a minor figure, with duchies, kingdoms, and other higher ranks above him.
"Another lord, with grand ambitions." Chen Mei didn't elaborate much because it involved the divine artifact.
If Priest Black's loyalty were 100 points, he would have been completely forthcoming. But with only 1 point loyalty, revealing the divine artifact could lead to other thoughts.
After all, if the other party equipped it and left, Chen Mei would be at a great loss. Both were at the 5th rank, and Chen Mei had no confidence in finding such a person in a vast crowd.
"Another lord like you? That's a significant threat. We need to find a way to eliminate the other party." Duke Bai Shuang was quite surprised inside. He kept trying to match the description to the major nobles he knew.
But on second thought, none of the major nobles seemed likely to target a small count over such a trivial matter.
And there was no noble who fit the criteria.
Of course, while he said he wanted to eliminate the other party, he was actually thinking of something else. This Purple Thorn Count was truly hopeless. If possible, the awakening and revival quota could be given to the other major noble. After all, in terms of strength, this Purple Thorn Count was really weak and had been largely marginalized by the church.
The only hero unit under his command was himself, and the rest were of no use.
Since they would all become his people anyway, choosing a more influential lord was better than picking this useless one.
Just with this thought, the originally 1 point loyalty dropped to 0, making the already awkward atmosphere even colder.
Fortunately, Chen Mei pretended to be ignorant. Although the 0 point loyalty made him want to kill the other party immediately, he had to rely on him for the task chain, an S-grade lineage. So, he had to endure it.
From the time he became a magistrate, he had mastered various political arts. As long as they were useful, he could tolerate low loyalty.
"That might not be possible. I don't know where the other party's territory is. He's very strong, probably at the Divine Servant level."
"More importantly, he is determined to get it. No one can stop him."
Chen Mei guessed that the other party didn't come to threaten him directly because of the long distance. Therefore, the best way was through the auction house, which would be the most convenient and safe.
However, it wasn't quite that simple. The other party might already know the location of his territory and was constantly on guard. As long as his people dared to leave the territory to purchase the required materials for the task, they would be intercepted by the other party.
This meant that the other party likely had a 5th-rank hero unit, and he wasn't a match for them.
More importantly, Chen Mei suspected that someone within his territory had been bought off by the other party. This person held a significant position; otherwise, it would be impossible to intercept his people so precisely.
The thought of a traitor made his heart sink. What if this Black Priest was the traitor?
The other party's profession was a Three-Eyed Mage, a clearly distinct profession from the world's extraordinary beings.
This realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.
"The other party is that powerful? But why have I never heard of them?" Duke Bai Shuang remained calm. He sensed the malice Chen Mei directed at him but pretended to be ignorant, knowing it was his fault.
If his Duchy of White Frost still existed, he wouldn't need Chen Mei's help; he could procure the materials himself.
"I don't know either," Chen Mei looked at the other party, his eyes scrutinizing as if trying to uncover everything about the person, but he saw nothing.
Chen Mei wouldn't say it outright because he suspected that this Black Priest was sent by the other lord to sabotage his divine artifact.
Otherwise, how could the other party know the entire task chain and target his critical points so precisely?
The reward was likely genuine, but completing the task would probably require all his divine artifacts.
However, he felt a sense of relief: 'That lord is just a drunkard. If it were me, I wouldn't be so blatant. He's too greedy, and that has exposed his hidden agent.'
He was worried that the other party might be a brilliant strategist, but now it seemed that the other party had only become a 6th-rank due to good luck. If he had that luck, he would also be a 6th-rank by now.
This thought filled him with jealousy.
'Times are without heroes, and such a scoundrel has made a name for himself. I, a former governor of a state, have been outmaneuvered by such a brainless person, truly infuriating.'
He thought that if he had the other party's opportunities, he would have achieved success long ago and wouldn't have ended up in such a dire situation.
"Then, when will the Count be able to procure the materials I need?" Duke Bai Shuang asked.
"This isn't urgent. If Black Priest is willing to make the trip, it can be done easily." Chen Mei's eyes flashed with a hint of cunning, implying that he wanted the other party to go and fetch the materials himself. He could facilitate the contact but wouldn't go himself.
This filled Duke Bai Shuang with disgust, but thinking of Sam's need for the material to create the gene decrypter, he had to agree, or it would drag on even longer.
"Fine, where is it?" Duke Bai Shuang asked directly.
This surprised Chen Mei. Had he guessed wrong? Otherwise, why would the other party go in person?
'Hmph, let me test you again. I'll have the task issuer do the task, but this abnormal behavior only confirms that you have something to hide. I need to be cautious.'
"Of course, of course, Black Priest, the address is—" Chen Mei didn't hesitate to give the address to the other party.
'Since that's the case, I'll make that lord work for me. I need the Three-Eyed Clan lineage, and I'll use this as a moral high ground to demand an apology from him. If not, I'll use the nobility code to show him the consequences.'
Chen Mei felt a surge of joy. He was adept at using moral high ground. As long as he used public opinion to show who the true senior was, his rank might be lower, but his influence wasn't just about strength; it was about relationships and public sentiment.
Once the other party was isolated by the nobility, he might be able to obtain some divine artifacts from him, which lifted the gloom from his heart.
'If I get these assets, reaching 6th rank is within sight. Then I'll show that scoundrel the difference between respect and contempt. Just because he came to another world doesn't mean he's anything but a peasant!'
In that moment, Chen Mei felt his heart broaden, and the hope of advancement was within reach.
(End of Chapter)
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