Chapter 326: A Flick of the Wrist
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 326: A Flick of the Wrist
The shadow of a bird fell from the sky, passing through layers of alerts and restrictions before finally landing upon a precious long table of ancient wood.
Robin looked up, her gaze shifting to the other end of the table where Bai Hu sat, meticulously savoring a glass of red wine.
Bai Hu was impeccably dressed. He swirled his glass, a look of intoxication on his face. Judging by the label on the bottle, it was Oak Red Wine from the Royal Winery—an incredibly rare vintage with an annual production of fewer than a hundred barrels.
It earned its name from the requirement that it be aged in barrels made of ancient oak over a century old, which supposedly imparted a unique, signature aroma.
"You’re in high spirits, Lord Speaker."
Robin casually poured herself a glass, using her wing to lift it and taking a careless gulp.
"I heard His Majesty just issued a new tax decree," she said. "It’s another heavy blow, slitting our jugular and bleeding us dry. Seeing you so relaxed at a time like this certainly puts the rest of us at ease."
"Naturally. What use is there in being as anxious and restless as those other fools? It would only make us a laughingstock," Bai Hu replied, opening his eyes and offering a cold smile. "Besides, as long as our objective is achieved, whatever we lose will be recovered. We might even gain… much more."
"…Fair point."
"How is the task progressing?"
"Even though your condescending tone is quite irritating, all I can say for now is…" Robin set down the wine glass, which was nearly as large as her own avian body. "Everything is proceeding smoothly. The prey is in the cage, the hunters have taken the stage, and all that remains is the final result."
"I expect it will be a favorable one."
"You certainly have confidence, Lord Speaker. However…" Robin’s eyes flickered. "I have a bit of a bad premonition."
"Oh?" Bai Hu arched an eyebrow. "Why is that?"
"Because Plan A failed," Robin stated.
Before executing that part of the operation, Robin had believed the plan to be flawless—an inescapable death trap for Muen Campbell.
A veteran Crown Bearer launching a surprise attack should have been definitive. Even with the Pink Bear there, the Duke wasn't a true Crown Bearer; there was no way he should have been able to stop it.
And yet, it failed.
It failed because Muen Campbell acted as if he had foreseen the event, hiding a second Crown Bearer within the convoy!
Damn it, Robin thought. What exactly has he been through to make him this paranoid? According to their recent investigation, Muen had even sold several of his father’s manors just to hire that Stargazer on short notice.
Robin felt that if she had such a spendthrift son, her first act upon his return would be to slap him to death.
But it was precisely because of Muen Campbell’s abnormal vigilance that Plan A had collapsed entirely. And the failure of one "flawless" plan made Robin wonder: was it possible that their other "flawless" plan might also fail?
"I see. It’s only natural for you to think that way," Bai Hu said, his expression remaining calm. "But I believe such concerns are entirely unnecessary."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"Because you are all focusing too much on Muen Campbell himself."
"Himself?"
"Exactly. The previous assassination attempt and the intelligence from the Academy both suggest that Muen Campbell has undergone a world-shaking transformation recently. It’s even possible that his previous foolishness was merely a facade. Now that his engagement ceremony with Princess Celicia is approaching and no one can threaten him anymore, he is finally revealing the fangs of a young lion. We were all deceived by him; he is far more exceptional than we imagined. However…"
Bai Hu’s tone shifted abruptly, his lips curling into a sneer of disdain. "Was his survival in Plan A truly due to his own excellence?"
"Is it not?" Robin frowned. "If not for his vigilance, we would have already—"
"Of course not!" Bai Hu interrupted. "So what if he’s exceptional? So what if he’s vigilant? Are those the real reasons he escaped? No! He is alive today because he is the son of a high-ranking Duke, because he could afford to hire a Crown Bearer to escort him, and because of the halo he wears! Heh. Excellence? Talent? Forbearance? Without a place to stand, those things are utterly useless. Otherwise, do you think…"
Bai Hu stared into Robin’s eyes and let out a cold laugh. "How many self-righteous geniuses do you think I’ve snuffed out over the years?"
"..."
Robin felt a sudden shiver of dread. In that moment, she caught a glimpse of the darkness lurking deep within the man before her—the man whose true identity remained a mystery, yet who had single-handedly built the juggernaut known as the Inner Council.
"Do you understand now? That is the purpose of Plan B. When the halo is stripped away, when he is trapped in a desperate situation with no hope of reinforcement… even if our dear son of a Duke is ten times more exceptional and talented than we think, what can he possibly do?"
Bai Hu slammed a hand onto the table, as if effortlessly crushing an insect.
A bug stripped of its halo, no matter how resilient, is still just a bug.
"Of course, if you are still uneasy, Master Robin, you can simply put yourself in Muen Campbell’s shoes. Hmm… based on our intel, let’s assume his strength is that of a Third-Tier Martial Artist… no, let’s be generous and assume he’s at the peak of the Third-Tier. Use that clever brain of yours and think: is there any way for Muen Campbell to survive?" Bai Hu asked mockingly.
"A way to survive…"
Robin fell into deep thought.
Although Bai Hu had devised the plan, Robin had been the one to oversee its implementation. Consequently, she possessed incredibly detailed intelligence on every individual involved.
And the ones currently hunting Muen Campbell…
There was Butcher Barton, a man who had murdered his own father and had at least several hundred lives on his hands; his bizarre techniques were enough to make even Fifth-Tier experts wary.
There was Hyena, a subject from a secret laboratory known as a "monster among monsters"; his physical toughness and regenerative abilities were enough to let him survive a charge from an entire regiment of heavy cavalry.
There were the Fullar sisters, traitors from the Tower of Origins… the mere fact that they had been admitted to the Tower in the first place proved their brilliance.
And then… there was Father Sion, a man who had been hunted by the Life Church for years yet remained alive and well.
These individuals were terrifying existences that made even Robin’s skin crawl—the worst of the worst, criminals among criminals, devoid of any bottom line, morality, or ethics. Their names alone were enough to make children in certain regions stop crying in terror.
If she were Muen Campbell, and if she had the strength of a peak Third-Tier Martial Artist… no, let’s be bold and say she was a Fourth-Tier Martial Artist, even with whatever tools and items he might be carrying…
It would still be impossible!
Even if he brought a magic cannon, it would be impossible!
This was a gap in fundamental power levels, something that could not be bridged by simple "excellence" or external items.
Unless Muen Campbell converted to an Evil God on the spot and obtained power directly from them, there wasn't a single chance! But the price for that level of power… would likely be more horrific than death itself. And would Muen Campbell really be crazy enough to throw away a bright future to worship an Evil God?
As for the little girl teleported with him, the reports said she was just a Goddess follower who specialized in Holy Light and lacked any direct combat capability. What could she possibly do?
"Do you understand now?"
Bai Hu raised his glass and chuckled. "There may be no such thing as an absolutely perfect plan in this world, but for Muen Campbell, the moment he was teleported into the Forest of Death, his life entered its final countdown."
"I see. I was overthinking things."
Robin raised her glass as well, offering a smile. "Then let us wait for the good news."
"To the good news."
The glasses clinked with a crisp, pleasant sound, like a victory fanfare.