CHAPTER 170: THE TYRANT EMPEROR
For the first time in quite some time, Emperor Victor had a headache.
The recent situation was more difficult than many of the achievements he had made, and he had unified half a continent.
In the end, he had to take charge, as the international tournament was an event that was created by him, and thus he had to take responsibility.
“Xu Long has recovered. From punctured organs, broken ribs, and broken bones. His injuries were very serious, and it is only thanks to our archmages that we have managed to heal him,” Ersin reported and, without changing her expression, she added. “We have used high-grade healing elixirs and I have personally taken care of healing his entire body without leaving any remaining problems.”
Hearing the first words, Emperor Victor stroked his temple with a tough expression.
“Elixirs don’t matter, as long as he’s well,” Victor said with a sigh.
He was rich... Very rich, so an immediate healing elixir would not be any problem.
Even with those elixirs, sometimes the healing was not complete and required time.
However, everything changed when someone like Ersin, who was from Terra nova and knew several magics, acted and it was likely that for her to pull someone out of the clutches of death was child’s play.
“In a few hours, he would be in his best state, but the problem would be his mental state. Alice Campbell came close to murdering Xu Long and didn’t hold back to get it,” Ersin detailed casually and watching as he sighed, she continued. “Fear, in some people, can turn into rancor and anger when the young man’s father spoke to him... That happened.”
That was the troubling event on her hands.
He did not attach too much importance to Ersin knowing everything, as it was necessary to know not only all the details of what happened but how the father and son would respond.
To Victor, it did not sound strange that after almost being killed, the person would be enraged and such a feeling would be stronger for someone like Xu Long, who would inherit his family’s power.
The more arrogant a person was, the harder it was to be afraid of death and the more rejection one would have of defeat, being enough to turn the fear of death into anger and rancor.
And since at this moment Xu Long did not have time to rationalize the fact that Alice wanted to murder in broad daylight, he was going to act recklessly.
Perhaps if given time the recklessness would fade and the fear would be risked, though one never knew with those arrogant individuals.
He could end up wanting to do better so that a one-sided beating would not happen again or he would simply deny what happened, and the answer was up to Xu Long.
However, Victor was organizing in his mind the plan to get out of this mess unscathed.
After all... A student tried to murder another student in broad daylight!
“Just as we predicted, Xu Bai came to request an audience with you, Your Majesty,” Ersin reported in her classic respectful tone after seeing the holographic clock.
Xu Long’s father, without wasting time, came for an audience and Victor hesitated a few seconds and nodded.
“We will go with the Tyrant Emperor,” Victor said calmly.
At his reply, the surroundings changed, and went from a private office to a gigantic throne room.
Tall white pillars stretched tens of meters high and the throne rose at the top of a flight of stairs while at the back of the throne stood a statue of a mighty dragon looking down on everything.
High and magnificent was the throne worthy of an emperor.
Victor, with a smile, climbed the stairs and sat on the throne with a relaxed position as if the world was his.
Getting into his character as he adjusted himself to the chair, looking nonchalant, he smiled calmly.
“Let him pass,” he ordered.
“As you wish, Your Majesty,” Ersin replied, and waving her hand the huge entrance opened, revealing a middle-aged man who was surprised by what he found.
The enormous throne room was majestic and splendorous, but it also carried a sense of oppression in those who watched, and Victor, looking indifferent from his throne, reinforced that sense of oppression.
Xu Bai walked towards the throne and as this room was large enough to receive thousands of people, a single person stood out.
A slow walk, the sound of the man’s footsteps was the only thing that could be heard in this silence and such slowness generated a heavy and suffocating pressure.
A pressure that would crush a novice or an expert with authority and power and Xu Bai was the latter kind.
Victor did not need to read minds to understand the thoughts of Xu Bai, whose expression was changing, wanting to control himself at all times.
He himself had been in Xu Bai’s position, watching from below, and he had to admit, being at the top was preferable.
Xu Bai reached the steps of the throne and stopped without daring to climb up.
“Greetings, Your Majesty,” Xu Bai said, bowing slightly without being able to help himself, realizing what he did, he looked up and announced. “I come to seek justice for my son.”
The Xu Family in China was important and Xu Bai was in an unshakable position of power there.
However, at this moment, he was not in China, but in South America, and the top ruler of South America was watching him.
“Speak,” Victor commanded.
The arrogant, powerful, and heavy tone was enough to make his voice booming in the palace.
This was a part of the performance he was putting on.
Even though he was a man who had been through quite a bit, Xu Bai swallowed imperceptibly and continued.
“My innocent son has been seriously injured and while His Majesty has helped him recover, the assassination attempt cannot go unpunished,” Xu Bai declared, and looking at Victor directly, announced. “I wish His Majesty to imprison that assassin.”
Was he right or was he wrong?
Victor didn’t care and all he knew was that he was trying to take revenge on an S-Rank by using him.
In this world where those S-Rank individuals could be terrifying and troublesome, the only way to stop them was to assassinate them and secondarily, using the authorities and the law.
Earthlings abided by their laws and that was the biggest reason why the more lunatic players fled the powerful countries.
Why did someone who had so much power have to be bound by laws?
That question made the most lunatic players, and those who liked freedom let loose completely.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Morals and laws were insignificant to some people, but to those who stayed in legal nations, they were shackles that bound them.
Emperor Victor looked at Xu Bai and snapped his fingers.
A screen flashed across the palace.
“I understand you are strong and think you are invincible, but you are not. For example, what would happen if something happened to your friend?”
That question came from Xu Long and, as he smiled viciously, he continued.
“Aurora is a very beautiful young lady, but she’s only a Rank-A. It would be very bad if someday something bad happens to her. You know, such things happen.”
‘Things happen’, maybe in a moment a tragedy will happen and that tragedy would be no coincidence.
“Young and delicate. I wonder what would happen if several men had her alone in a room.”
Aurora was young and beautiful, her delicate features were would undoubtedly attract both men and women.
If that young woman was in the same room as several men and those men had no limits... One didn’t have to be so smart to understand what would happen.
In this world, everyone could become strong and, in that sense, a woman or a man was equal.
That equality before the possibility of becoming strong was very high... The worst scumbags in the world could become strong, as well as the holiest people.
So if those scum caught a delicate young woman who was a beauty and took her to solitary confinement... The answer was simply to find out.
“It always struck me as curious. Evildoers always gather in alleys, but no one puts cameras in those places. That’s why when I designed my city, I wanted to see everything that went on and even though Xu Long investigated if anything was found to give him away, he didn’t find it,” Emperor Victor said, changing the projection to reveal a young man looking down the alley trying to find cameras.
Xu Bai’s expression turned ugly for a moment, and then he let out a fake laugh.
“I didn’t know that had happened. I thought my son was innocent,” Xu Bai said without his expression trembling and looking at Victor seriously, he added. “You should know that young people do crazy things, but there must be a limit. That young lady overdid it and must be punished.”
Serious and honest, Xu Bai was someone excellent at changing situations with his words.
If his son threatened, he was ‘young’, but if someone overdid it, they should be punished.
Victor didn’t like that sophistry and, in response, smiled in amusement.
“You said it. They are young. How can I punish them both?” Victor questioned and, without letting Xu Bai respond, stated. “We will do this; we will let the young people solve their problems by themselves. Since they are young.”
Xu Bai’s expression changed as he realized in which direction he was directing everything and before he spoke, Victor raised his hand to stop him from speaking and looked at Ersin.
“Was there a response?” Victor asked calmly.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Xu Long has accepted the duel and we are making preparations for it to be performed on the last day of the challenges,” Ersin replied like a professional secretary.
Xu Bai’s expression immediately distorted upon hearing the reply.
Arrogant people had difficulty accepting defeat and accepting that they were afraid of death.
They usually turned it into anger and if those people were intelligent, they would understand their shortcomings and that anger would turn into an intention to improve.
However, in the first stage of anger, those people were reckless... As reckless as accepting a duel, when the invitation came.
Emperor Victor used Xu Long and since his father was not at his side and asked for an immediate response, that young man had to decide for himself while his emotions were unstable.
“That’s excellent, someone capable and trustworthy!” Victor exclaimed, smiling cheerfully and the next moment the smile diminished and he looked at Xu Bai with a cold expression. “If you don’t like it, then you and your family can leave my empire.”
His aura caused Xu Bai to fall to his knees as his expression turned terrifyingly pale.
Most players would walk away from the rules to feel free, but someone wise would control them.
That was a tyrant!
Emperor Victor was a tyrant!
He was the one who decided what was right or wrong!
If anyone wished to stop him, then Emperor Victor would confront him..... With the power of an SSS-Rank!
The Xu family was important and had business in South America, but Victor didn’t care about any of their business.
There were more important people to please, and the losses were insignificant to someone of his power.
“Now go away and don’t bother me again with meaningless conversations,” Victor ordered, waving his hand indifferently.
At all times, he maintained his aura and Xu Bai, with an expression of anger and fear, slowly walked away until the doors closed.
If Victor wished to assassinate anyone in his empire, no one would stop him and those who wished to cause him trouble would attack his reputation.
But his current reputation was already a mess, so it didn’t matter too much.
“So how about it?” Victor asked Ersin, whose lips tilted upward.
“Eight points out of ten. That you praised the young man broke the serious atmosphere slightly, but I liked the final change of atmosphere,” Ersin replied with a subtle smile.
Emperor Victor laughed in amusement.
Actually, he wasn’t upset, and it was all about his ‘Tyrant Emperor’ character.
“That’s a good score. Let’s see, now there’s one more left, right?” Emperor Victor asked curiously.
“Yes, the CEO of Apicius Enterprise awaits your call,” Ersin replied calmly.
Victor took a deep breath upon hearing those words.
Unlike Xu Bai, who came seeking justice for his son, believing that the person who attacked him was an unimportant student, he knew the background better.
If Xu Bai had sought more information from the person he was confronted with, then he would not have done all that performance and would have tried to settle everything peacefully.
And he would have even stopped his son before he provoked someone who wasn’t playing around.
Concentrating, Victor relaxed back into his throne, getting back into his ‘Tyrant’ persona, and started the video call.
“Oh, Victor, I’m glad to hear from you.” A gray-haired old man greeted and with a smile, commented. “As you know, something insignificant happened with someone very important to us. I’m calling you to settle that minor matter.”
The old man kept the friendly smile from start to finish and the acting along with the words caused Victor’s expression to change subtly.
“Alice Campbell almost ended up murdering a young man. No, she would murder him if it weren’t for our intervention,” Victor interrupted, without letting the older man take control of the conversation.
He had called an assassination attempt as ‘something insignificant’ and everything that was happening now was classified as a ‘minor matter’.
What was more relevant was how he used the ‘we’, referring that the old man was not speaking for himself, but for the entire company behind him.
Even though it was a minor matter, Victor had to keep up the act.
“Yes, but she didn’t,” refuted the old man and without losing his friendly smile, he changed the subject and commented. “The latest developments in the field of agriculture have paid off. The Cosmos Company and the Apicius Company now need a place to test everything. You know, on a large scale.”
The advances in agriculture he was talking about were not only about the reduction of consequences caused by large-scale farming, but also to the yield of those plantations.
The research would reduce the environmental impact, allowing him to use less farmland for a higher yield and with fewer consequences.
These important projects showed that the Apicius Company was not only focused on restaurants and food.
They had a more extensive influence.
“After we settle this little matter, if you want, we can talk about finding a place in South America. Your lands are vast and I like the climate,” said the old man, and keeping his smile, he added. “Sure, if we can’t settle this little matter, my time will be restricted on outside solutions and I will have trouble keeping up with current business... And old business.”
A direct threat.
He didn’t even flinch as he said it, always maintaining the friendly smile it revealed.
He was combining profit with a threat, looking to get people to respond the way he wanted them to.
“I don’t like threats,” Victor said immediately.
He gave a cold and threatening expression that could weaken anyone even when they were on a video call and in response, the older man kept smiling.
Their gazes collided, and this was the proof that the old man was not going to back down and it was Victor, who smiled as if nothing was happening.
“Then we’ll have to talk about that issue later. I have already gotten Xu Long to agree to a final duel. You know, to settle conflicts. All that’s missing is Alice Campbell’s response,” Victor replied, giving the impression that the clash from earlier had not happened.
“I’ll see if that’s possible,” replied the old man and took his leave.
He didn’t even accept it, but gave the impression that he would ask before giving him an answer.
The throne room fell silent and Victor laughed out loud, noting Xu Bai’s difference from James Wiley, the CEO of a company.
“A scary old man. He has other shareholders on his back, but he does what he wants with the company,” he muttered helplessly.
That old man was proof that companies, even though they didn’t have powerful individuals, still had a unique kind of power.
The power of money and profit.
“He doesn’t care about losses and his threat sounded too serious. I would understand him having great power and freedom in the Cosmos Enterprise when he was the one who made Zerzura City what it is today, but... It’s too extreme,” Ersin said and, frowning, she added. “All because of a young woman.”
“That ‘young woman’ noticed you when you saved Xu Long and then gave herself away with a smile,” Victor, evinced and nodding, murmured. “Now I understand where her confidence came from.”
If it wasn’t for Ersin intervening, the assassination attempt would have been consummated and even though it sounded strange, Victor had a feeling that the old man would have called offering better things to hide a murder.
Perhaps calling it the same as now as a minor matter.
“Would you like me to investigate them and keep an eye on them? If we keep an eye, we can intervene when they need help and you can improve the relationship with your acquaintance,” Ersin said without changing her expression.
And Victor would have accepted anything he was offered.
Unlike the Xu Family who had authority in China, the Apicius Company was international and it was obvious which side was better to lean on.
Of course, there were other reasons why he would have overlooked it, but in the end...
“No, let things flow naturally,” Victor replied and when Ersin looked at him curiously, he explained. “If I help them too much, it will be noticed as strange and that’s not good for them.”
“As you command, Your Majesty,” Ersin replied, bowing respectfully.
Emperor Victor gave a smile at that performance and then relaxed on his throne as his lips bowed.
Some matters were better-left secret... Like many things in this world.