As King John pursued the identity of his betrayer, the matter that caused him the most dread demanded his immediate attention. The descendant of the one who secured his throne—regardless of the veracity of the intelligence received—now presented a situation shrouded in profound ambiguity.
First came the 'Six Carat' incident, followed by entanglements with the Black God Gang and the Mafia, and now, the continuous gathering of foreign ambassadors outside the palace gates, some of whom were relatives or friends of victims of the 'Six Carat' virus, waving banners in protest. Clearly, these developments signaled to King John that his reign was on precarious ground.
“Young Master, it has been handled exactly as you commanded. King John Osley must be feeling quite troubled right now!” Feng Shi observed the outwardly placid Yang Yi, whose face betrayed no hint of a smile.
“En, I know,” Yang Yi responded coolly.
Though Feng Shi could not discern Yang Yi’s exact thoughts, his expression suggested that his current preoccupations were deeply tied to the events of the evening. Just as she was about to speak, Yang Yi turned to her.
“Yanran, what do you think John Osley will do now?”
“This…” Feng Shi was momentarily stunned by the abrupt question. “Young Master, do you truly believe John Osley retains the capacity to reverse the current situation?”
“In this kind of bind, most people would choose a desperate struggle, while others would opt for a different path. But John Osley seems to be making no move at all.” Yang Yi’s slightly world-weary expression lent significant weight to his words.
“Young Master, while I don’t know what you are concerned about…”
“No! I see it now. I nearly made a grave mistake.” Yang Yi seemed to have a sudden realization, his expression growing serious. “Yanran, have the people in Chinatown made their move?”
“They were positioned in ambush near the Roman Palace long ago, just as you instructed.”
“Quickly, notify them immediately to stand down at…” Yang Yi’s words were cut short by the familiar ringtone of his mobile phone. He paused upon seeing the unfamiliar number before answering.
“Hello…”
Feng Shi noticed Yang Yi’s expression ease as he took the call, leading her to suspect the call was highly significant. Once he hung up, she immediately inquired, “Young Master, what happened?”
“Hahahaha! I never expected those people to be so formidable!” Yang Yi erupted into laughter for an unknown reason, then swiftly instructed Feng Shi, “Yanran, call them right now and order the Chinatown contingent to withdraw. Also, tell Xu Ling and Si Mark to halt any further action—tell them the matter has reached its conclusion.”
“Yes, Young Master!” Although Feng Shi found the sudden reversal baffling, she obeyed his orders.
If anyone felt bewildered at that moment, it was not just Feng Shi; even Yang Yi was slightly perplexed. The call he had just taken was from Lilith, and the single sentence she delivered forced Yang Yi to entirely reassess the strength of the old monsters hidden within Chinatown.
“Young Master, arrangements have been made,” Feng Shi stated after ending her call. She then asked Yang Yi, “Young Master, why such a sudden withdrawal of those forces?”
“Heh, don’t ask too many questions yet; there’s a good show tonight.” Yang Yi chuckled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. “Why? Why hasn't that fellow made a move? Does he truly intend to wait until I mobilize against the northern underworld before clashing? It seems everything can be hidden from others, but not from you.”
“Young Master?” Feng Shi felt Yang Yi’s abrupt change in demeanor was unsettling.
“Mmm, I’m hungry. How about we go eat first?” Yang Yi ignored her look of astonishment and smiled. “Let me fill up first, and then I’ll tell you everything, alright? Hm?”
“Oh!” Feng Shi shot him a slightly disgruntled glance before complying.
Though unaware of the precise cause, based on all of Yang Yi’s decisions, the charade with the Mafia seemed unnecessary to continue. Likewise, the operatives positioned outside the Roman Palace, poised to assassinate John Osley that evening, were recalled. Everything Yang Yi had set in motion had been abruptly halted by him.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty, bad news!” a middle-aged man rushed into the Roman Palace shouting.
“What is it?” His inherent majesty, even when overlaid with the grim aura now consuming John Osley, still conveyed an undeniable regal presence.
“The Marquis of the Thirty-Six Noble Families, the Duke of the Twenty-Four Noble Families, and the Earls of the Sixty-Four Noble Families. Plus the Eighty-Five Knights of the Military Order, the Wild Wolf Battle Knights, and others have issued a declaration demanding Your Majesty…”
“Demanding what? Speak plainly!” Hearing the long list of noble ranks and knightly orders, John Osley felt as if the apocalypse were dawning, and he barked furiously.
“They demand Your Majesty step down and abdicate, stating that…”
“What?” John Osley suddenly slumped onto his throne like a deflated wineskin. Every word the middle-aged man spoke was like a heavy explosive, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.
After a long silence, John Osley finally managed to ask, “What else did they say?”
“They said they have fully secured the evidence of Your Majesty’s usurpation of the throne and demand you yield the kingship to the descendant of the former King, Princess Merian Lilith!” The middle-aged man’s face was ashen.
Any shrewd observer would instantly realize that John Osley had never commanded popular loyalty. Even the slower-witted could grasp the messenger’s implicit goal: to sever ties with the man who seized the throne through unscrupulous means.
“Why? Why are they suddenly doing this?” John Osley’s eyes were wide with disbelief as he roared.
“This subordinate… this subordinate does not know.”
“Get out! Get out of my sight!” John Osley could already foresee the worst outcome, his face twisting into a ferocious mask. He muttered, “Those wretches who have benefited so much from my grace are colluding against me today? Very well, I will show you what the hell on earth truly means!”
To be fearless would be an understatement; having maintained a usurped reign for over a decade, to possess no strength or influence would be underestimating him severely. At that moment, a figure entered through the grand doors—it was Loss, who had supposedly been in London.
“My King, this time the situation is dire,” Loss stated with a grave expression.
“Loss, you’ve returned at the perfect time. Tell me, what should we do about this?” John Osley’s eyes flashed with a sudden sharp light as he looked at Loss.
Loss pondered for a moment. “This turn of events was extremely sudden; I rushed back immediately upon receiving the news. My King, there is no turning back now. The only option is to defeat them and shift all blame onto their shoulders…”
“Hmph, this entire mess stems from that wretched little girl, Merian Lilith, who should have died long ago. That moment of misplaced mercy has led to this crisis!” John Osley bitterly regretted not eliminating Merian Lilith instead of casting her off to Chinatown.
“My King, you know that Princess Merian Lilith is the one leading this rebellion?” Loss asked, slightly surprised.
“Then tell me, who else could it be?”
“No, My King. If she did not have powerful backing, if she didn’t have someone supporting her, those noble families wouldn’t so readily rally to her side, nor would they believe her so easily.”
“Are you suggesting?” John Osley frowned, sensing Loss might have stumbled upon a critical insight.
“I do not know, but My King, we are running out of time. Shouldn’t we…?”
“Do we really have to resort to that? If we unleash that group, neither you nor I can control them—what then…?” John Osley seemed to contemplate a drastic measure, yet he hesitated, knowing he lacked dominion over that particular faction.
“My King, you must understand, if they force you off the throne, do you truly believe they will let us off lightly?” Loss seemed to grasp the severity of the situation, recognizing it as a matter of life and death.
However, the facts were clear: everything was presently aimed at John Osley. If he didn't decide, others would force a decision upon him. While the sudden revolt of the noble families and knightly orders remained unexplained, the trajectory of events strongly suggested their allegiance lay with the deposed Princess Merian Lilith.
“Fine, Loss, arrange the helicopter immediately. We are heading to the Vatican.”
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
“To think that group possesses such influence! To command the subservience of the noble families and the knightly orders to Princess Merian?” Feng Shi’s face was etched with disbelief. This was the most incredible thing she had ever heard. She wondered who those people hidden in the bar truly were, and why, possessing such power, they had let Yang Yi meet them beforehand.
Undoubtedly, it was all preparation for what was about to unfold…