Chapter 170: Lack of Martial Virtue

As the Goddess of Wisdom asked, all the gods looked over.

Although they didn’t expect Detwi to answer, they still held a sliver of hope.

The long years taught them one thing – action is better than inaction.

If they didn’t ask, Detwi definitely wouldn’t answer voluntarily;

By asking, there was always a slight chance.

Detwi pondered briefly and said, “Convince them with reason!”

What? Convince them with reason?

The Karman gods looked at each other. Who would buy the ‘convince with reason’ line?

What reasoning could make the Four Main Gods time their intervention perfectly to resolve the siege of the Kewell Empire?

Even stepping back, if the Four Main Gods intended to divide the Underworld God, wouldn’t it be better to attack while the Underworld God and the Internet God were in the heat of battle?

Amidst the Karman gods’ swirling thoughts, Detwi nodded slightly, placed a hand on his chest, and left the meeting room.

The Karman gods ultimately felt too embarrassed to press further.

As they exchanged glances, they thought in the dark that Detwi was making things mysterious, and that the Internet God surely spent a hefty price to engage the Four Main Gods.

Hmm? While thinking this, the Karman gods subconsciously looked toward the center of the meeting room, where a magical image slowly unfolded.

In the image, beyond the city of Anguillo, a major fortress on the border of the Harriman territory, a figure burst out from a camp several miles away, suspended halfway in the air.

He wore fur, a felt hat, and a scimitar at his waist, clearly dressed like a prairie person!

Yet, the Karman gods recognized in an instant that he was the dictator of the Northern Ae Grasslands – the Prairie God.

“God of Night, why did you allow the Internet God to interfere in our conflict? Fine, since you’re unjust, don’t blame me for being ruthless! My prairie has nothing much, but my centuries-old hoard of wealth can flood Harriman! You’re not facing just brave prairie warriors, but also the immortal Fourth Catastrophe!”

The Prairie God shouted furiously, leaving the Karman gods inside the Gregg Cathedral stunned.

The God of Night slammed the table with a bang, cursing, “You’re despicable, Internet God, no martial virtue at all!”

The Karman gods also realized, their faces turning grim.

They had been deceived by the Internet God!

What made them most furious and humiliated was that even knowing they’d been deceived, they had to swallow their pride and accept the result.

Because if they turned hostile, it meant unbalancing the war scales and thoroughly offending the Internet God! At this moment, the Karman gods utterly hated the Internet God! However, most Internet users adored the Internet God.

Especially Justin.

Ever since he grabbed a pile of mithril in Khazad-dûm and made eleven million gold coins, Justin became a sensation in [Conquest Sub-Dimension].

With the huge sum, Justin quickly registered a Player Guild, bought a Floating Airship, and rallied a large group of civilian players, flocking madly into Khazad-dûm.

As the first to seize the opportunity, Justin reaped the exploitation profits, now becoming a top-ranked Player Guild in Khazad-dûm.

Even Player Guilds formed by many senior magicians couldn’t compete with Justin.

The reason isn’t hard to analyze. The Khazad-dûm instance isn’t just about strength.

Luck, strategy, tactics, morale, and profit distribution, among many other factors, influence a guild’s operation.

In these aspects, Justin displayed outstanding talent.

Born noble, with poor aptitude, he ran away from home and experienced the ups and downs of life…

These life experiences gave him both noble insight and an understanding of the lower ranks’ psychology, which allowed his Player Guild to find a balance in profit distribution, leading to its inevitable rise! As he rose, his family came looking for him.

In front of the Felix Magic Academy is a tavern called the Mage’s Hat.

It’s said that when Lord Ajef first appeared in Willis City, it was at the Mage’s Hat.

Apparently, there was even a farce at that time.

What farce exactly? Online rumors differ, and the truth is hard to find.

But one thing is certain; Lord Ajef indeed visited the Mage’s Hat.

Thus, it became an internet-famous check-in spot after the offal noodle soup! Or, the offal noodle soup followed after the Mage’s Hat.

At this moment, Justin sat at a long table in the tavern’s corner, wearing a white magic apprentice’s robe, emitting subtle magical power from his body.

This power wasn’t his; it was from powerful magical tools bought with wealth.

Across from him sat his clan leader, elders, and parents in order.

At the side of the long table, those same-age family members who had bullied him stood shamefaced and, instructed by elders, were bowing and apologizing publicly: “Justin, my brother (or uncle), we’ve offended you in the past, please don’t hold it against us, forgive us!”

Justin smiled at his family peers, with extraordinary grace, and said, “Brothers, you’ve exaggerated. What brothers don’t have conflicts? If someone outside doesn’t know, they might think I’m bullying you!”

Upon hearing this, the Justin family’s elders couldn’t help but glance at each other, seeing a hint of awe in each other’s eyes.

Initially, many thought Justin simply struck it lucky.

Now it seems that under great fame, there are indeed no vacuous figures!

“Justin, I must admit that I neglected you before, and that was my mistake. I apologize. I promise, as long as you return to the family, an elder position is open for you. What do you think?”

At over fifty, the Justin clan leader didn’t want to engage in these small tricks.

After apologizing, he went straight to the point.

Hearing this, Justin smiled slightly, “After becoming an elder, do I have to hand over the Burgeoning Riches Guild to the family?”

Burgeoning Riches Guild is the Player Guild Justin created.

Justin’s father sternly said, “What are you talking about? Since you’re a family member, you naturally serve the family! Burgeoning Riches Guild is yours, but also the family’s.”

The clan leader laughed, “That’s too severe. Burgeoning Riches Guild is your creation, and it’s always yours. We just hope you open the guild to train family youngsters. Of course, the family won’t treat you unfairly. Whatever funds or resources you need, just ask, I’ll ensure you’re satisfied.”

As the clan leader finished speaking, Justin’s mother gently persuaded.

“Yes, little Justin. Recently, [Conquest Sub-Dimension] pre-announced a faction system update. I’m just a woman and don’t understand much, but I know strength lies in numbers. Letting the family join won’t harm, only benefit you. Come home, child.”

Justin saw his mother genuinely caring, with no pretense.

Knowing his mother truly meant well for him, but she was blinded by the family! This made him laugh in anger: “Ha ha…”

Training family youngsters? Isn’t this just grabbing his Burgeoning Riches Guild? Truly, when you’re poor, no one asks; when you’re rich, relatives appear from the mountains!

“Why are you laughing?” Justin’s father frowned.

“Doesn’t the family have money? Starting a guild and buying a few Floating Airships costs at most eighty or ninety thousand gold coins. Why eye my property?” mocked Justin.

“Insolent!” Justin’s father was shocked and angry.

The Justin clan leader frowned even more.

The Justin family isn’t short of money. Forming a Player Guild isn’t hard.

But to grow a Player Guild into power takes more than money.

They might not understand ‘top effects’, but reality already showed them.

Their family spent substantial money on a Player Guild, yet it’s still dwarfed by Justin’s Burgeoning Riches Guild.

Simply put, they missed the first windfall.

The best spots around the four magical towers in the Dofi Sub-Dimension were occupied by well-established guilds.

They recruited players, amassed wealth, built factories, produced weapons, and engaged in battles, forming a positive cycle.

When many new players came in, they wouldn’t care about your family’s background? They only cared about one thing – can you help us make money? Can you elevate us?

The story of Justin making eleven million gold coins was more straightforward and irresistible than those old aristocrats’ demure and restrained promotion.

In short, if they missed the initial opportunity, their rise would now require immense effort! What? Scheming underhandedly? Do you think the Internet’s complaint system is for show?

The Fourth Catastrophe is one part of the Internet God’s power; would he allow internal strife?

Player Guild mergers occur often, and nobles buying with piles of gold isn’t news.

But all of this depends on mutual consent.

That’s why the Justin family, sacrificing face, wanted to invite Justin back as a fundamental reason.

Unexpectedly, Justin, now, was no longer the naïve runaway teenager.

He retracted his smile, stood up, hands on the table, and bent down to look at his family elders.

“Mother, I am grateful to you for giving me life and to the family for raising me, but these are no excuse to bind me.”

Justin sneered.