The Glorious Evolution

ʼI thought the same,ʼ Levi replied solemnly. ʼVaʼren has had over a century to act against Bishop Naʼthir, yet he chose this moment. That means he finally found the missing piece he needed for his revenge. And that piece is me.ʼ

Levi hadnʼt requested a personal meeting with Vaʼren without reason. He wanted to hear his role in the plan directly, without deception.

Vaʼren would be made to sign a contract that enforced honesty alongside strict confidentiality. What the Bishop didnʼt know was that Levi could void the contract and nullify its penalties if needed.

Only after hearing everything could Levi decide whether stepping into such a dangerous mess was worth it.

ʼLevi… youʼve been awfully quiet. Are you okay?ʼ

Suddenly, Jasmineʼs voice echoed in his mind.

Levi glanced her way and noticed the concern in her eyes. He gave her a faint, calm smile and nodded. ʼIʼm fine. Just thinking about a few things.ʼ

ʼAh… oki.ʼ

Jasmine returned the smile and went back to observing her friendsʼ discussion, occasionally sending messages or making small gestures. It was still far better than how sheʼd been when they first met her.

Before long, Levi joined his teammates as they discussed the chosen Death Game. They pulled up videos of similar game designs to get a general idea of what awaited them.

While they focused on preparations, Dominic had already returned to his office alone. Feng Ling stayed behind Yanhuanʼs bedside, waiting for him to wake so he could deliver the news.

”Wei-Lan… what do you want from Levi?” Dominic murmured coldly.

A recording showed Wei-Lan and Levi entering a private restaurant room one after the other. One of Dominicʼs subordinates had provided it. Within the World Tree, almost nothing of importance escaped his notice.

Though he lacked audio from the meeting due to privacy restrictions, Dominic knew Wei-Lan would never approach Levi without personal gain. That was simply the kind of man he was.

”Why not call the boy in for questioning?” His contracted nightcrawler asked lazily.

”If Levi hasnʼt come to me himself, it means he signed an NDA contract,” Dominic replied calmly. ”Still, choosing the World Tree for the meeting was clever. He knew Iʼd find out... and he wanted me to.”

”Interesting. That means he already suspected Wei-Lanʼs intentions.”

”Yes. He may not reveal everything, but knowing this much is enough. Heʼll lead us to the truth, whatever it is.” Dominicʼs gaze turned icy as he studied Wei-Lanʼs image. ”He believes heʼs flawless at covering his tracks, but he doesnʼt realize he has a disgruntled son who wants him gone.”

Dominic knew Feng Ling had been secretly monitoring his father. His exceptional camouflage skills were the result of countless hours spent avoiding detection.

Fortunately, Wei-Lan was still only at Blazewarden rank and lacked Psych specialization. With the right tools and skills, spying on him was possible by kinds of Feng Ling.

Though Feng Ling hadnʼt uncovered everything yet, what he had found was more than enough to destroy Wei-Lanʼs reputation.

He hadnʼt gone for the kill yet. Feng Ling wanted irrefutable proof, ensuring Wei-Lan would have no way to escape the hole heʼd dug for himself.

Now, Wei-Lan might have handed them exactly what theyʼd been waiting for.

”Are you saying something big is coming?”

”If it involves Bishop Vaʼren,” Dominic said firmly, ”Most definitely.”

***

The Next Morning…

News of Yanhuanʼs squad withdrawing from the Faction War spread rapidly throughout the World Tree. With Dominic personally announcing it, no one dared to question the decision.

He explained that Yanhuan required extended rest to recover from his battle against Levi, especially after undergoing an unnatural evolution. His teammates refused to participate in the Factionʼs Death Game without their captain. As a result, the Ashen Tribunal Squad, currently ranked among the top four raiding teams, would take their place.

By then, Wei-Lan had already returned to his home region. When he learned that his son and his entire squad had vanished, he flew into a rage.

Attempting to contact Dominic led only to voicemail. Worse still, he was denied entry back into the World Tree due to having left it just the day before.

The World Treeʼs dimensional mirrors consumed immense spatial energy with every use. Even Wei-Lanʼs privileges meant nothing against the rigid rules enforced by the Tree itself, rules that not even Dominic could override.

”Bastard! I have to wait three whole days to return!”