Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

"Sure," Bai E responded instantly.

He got into Aglaya's private car, and the two sped along, crossing the city's endless corridors, finally arriving within the city's true inner circle.

Above the ground, at the city's core... this was the real inner city.

The supreme seat of power—the City Lord's Mansion—was located here.

Golden pillars of brilliance soared into the sky, and atop the towering summits floated several copper metal spheres of varying sizes, unattached to anything substantive.

An endless stream of energy radiated from them, bringing waves of terrifying pressure to the senses attuned to Spiritual Energy.

Sitting in the car, Aglaya spoke softly, explaining to Bai E at her side, "After this incident, the city will definitely have to reconsider its stance on the castle. However, the castle involves the interests of many people, and those nobles who haven't personally experienced the difficulty of this incident might still be blinded by their own desires despite the clear explanation of the stakes. It's unknown how many are like that, and it may still come down to a vote. Now, with Weslin unconscious, as the highest-ranking officer in the military, your stance represents the entire military's attitude."

This was news she had just learned.

Normally, the military's say in such matters wasn't significant, being a simple force responsible for external enemies and not meddling in the city's affairs, big or small.

Moreover, if Weslin were in charge and the incident happened while he was outside the city, they probably wouldn't even be called.

But now, Bai E had a voice, and from his recent attitude, she knew he was a firm opponent; furthermore, Bai E had been at the scene, fully participating.

To not call him would be somewhat unreasonable.

The only thing that aroused curiosity was how Bai E's ascension to the rank of general, akin to being parachuted in, hadn't caused the slightest controversy within the military.

The news that Bai E could represent the military with full authority was something she had just learned after making contact.

"Hmm," Bai E nodded nonchalantly, remaining silent.

Aglaya, who was driving, occasionally swept her gaze over the soldier's profile beside her, her eyes filled with a strange light.

From an artificial soldier initially dismissed for his lack of Spiritual Energy talent, he had now become the absolute controller of the military's strategic forces, an All-around soldier fully endowed with Spiritual Energy. This artificial being had performed an incredible reversal that many could scarcely imagine.

The reason for summoning Bai E was not only to gain his support on the matter of the castle but also to showcase his current strength at the upcoming meeting attended by many important figures of the city and to propose the strengthening of Bai E's Spiritual Energy.

She couldn't stand idly by and let Bai E, with such powerful Spiritual Energy, waste his talents—even if his insight was unparalleled, even if he could learn the Exorcism Magic Circle by briefly observing Kiro Lan's demonstrations, he couldn't be expected to break through every situation by learning on the spot.

The decision to open all the city's precious archives to an artificial soldier was extraordinary, and even if this individual had demonstrated absolute combat dominance, utmost caution was still needed.

Moreover, if the proposal opposing the continued existence of the castle passed and Bai E made his stance clear, as a retaliation, the nobles and the forces they could influence would likely not sit idly by and allow the proposal to succeed.

Aglaya knew that the upcoming meeting might witness bloodshed of another kind.

The city's true council hall was resplendent with gold, and by the time Bai E and Aglaya arrived, the irregularly arranged seating was already filled with people.

The buzzing noise of the pre-meeting chatter filled the hall, yet when Aglaya, with Bai E in tow, made her entrance, all those sounds instantly hushed.

Since the internet had been reactivated, the world might not yet be reconnected to each other, but news within the city had become incredibly swift.

Almost immediately as the incident occurred, all the city's significant figures learned of the anomaly at the castle, and the roles of those who stood out during the chaos.

"Bai E," this name had appeared before everyone's eyes a bit too often of late.

Even those figures unconcerned with mere fighting had to take an interest in this artificial soldier who had risen like a comet.

Bai E could clearly feel the inquisitive gazes upon him, some curious, some intense, some like a breath of spring, others as fervent as flames.

Those seated here were the true powers controlling the city.

Bai E's gaze swept lightly across the audience, suddenly feeling a certain revulsion towards the task at hand.

To gain the support of at least 51% of the people here?

Did that mean he would have to stoop to consorting with them?

The end result of such collusion was to allow places like the castle to exist within the city.

Today the castle might be gone, but tomorrow another den of iniquity could arise in its stead.

The castle wasn't the essence, it was merely a phenomenon that revealed human nature.

Bai E spotted two small figures; they too had been brought here, sitting on a long bench.

"They're not here to make a stand, but to face judgment," Aglaya whispered by way of explanation.

Of course, to call it judgment wasn't that serious.

But since the two hadn't acted according to plan, they had to face some questioning.

The more prodigious their talent, the more attention must be paid to their loyalty to the city.

As Bai E calmly made his way past many seats alongside Aglaya, he looked around curiously and asked, "Where is the City Lord?"

When mentioning the city's absolute ruler, Aglaya's tone became a bit strange, "The City Lord... hasn't come. Usually, he only shows up when there are matters that threaten the city's very survival. At ordinary meetings... he comes if he wishes or absents himself if he doesn't. Even if he does come, he usually remains silent or even unseen."

"Hmm," Bai E nodded, finally taking a seat next to Aglaya in the inner circle of the front row.

"The military's seats should be over there, but since it's your first time, just sit beside me," she said.

"Yes," he replied.

An elderly man, distinguished and with silvery hair, who seemed to have been given a signal, stood up to preside over the meeting, "Alright, since everyone is here, let's discuss the changes at the castle that happened tonight—at 8:58 p.m., a disturbance occurred in the underground castle, causing it to briefly lose contact with the rest of the city."

"First, we would like to ask... Morphie, Kiro Lan, what exactly were the initial instructions you received? And thereafter, under whose directive did you undertake such risky actions?"