This is really not mechanical ascension
Chapter 825 - 427 Professional Promotion: [Ultimate Warrior] Gene Defect?_2

Chapter 825: Chapter 427 Professional Promotion: [Ultimate Warrior] Gene Defect?_2

"To be considered an enemy?" Li Ming slightly frowned, "The Pioneers have always used a voting system, right."

"Correct, but there are many who are dissatisfied with you." Blackbeard sighed.

"I understand, thank you for the warning." Li Ming nodded, and Blackbeard responded with a "hmm," then both sides fell silent for several seconds until Blackbeard took the initiative to hang up.

"Navigator..." Li Ming thought to himself. The Pioneers organization is quite formidable, and he had relied on their resources and strength several times.

Even at this point, their size is not to be underestimated.

"The power of speech, it seems, can indeed now be challenged." Li Ming rubbed his chin, his eyes flickering.

...

In the Iron Throne Hall, black mist rolled over all the thrones, and the organization members were all present.

A low, chaotic noise began, as if there were exchanges, but listening closely, nothing could be heard.

The atmosphere was heavy, everyone knew that something out of the ordinary was likely to happen today.

At a certain moment, black mist rose from the only empty throne in the hall, crystal pillars ascended on both sides, and the noise quieted down.

Azure Dragon had descended.

"Good day, colleagues." Li Ming greeted in a very calm manner.

Almost no one responded, not even Blackbeard.

The Navigator sitting opposite immediately spoke up, "Lord Azure Dragon, everyone’s time is very precious."

"Regarding the matter of Ryan slaughtering the planet, we have spent over half a year, investing significant resources in the Northern Crown Star Ring and the Sea of Stars."

"But without a word, you reached a cooperation agreement with the Empire, rendering all our efforts in vain, and allowing the Empire to escape unscathed."

"Don’t you think that’s a bit excessive?"

The Navigator was the first to question, eliciting a low murmur of responses, some agreeing, "Yes, Lord Azure Dragon, since you are a member of the organization, why didn’t you discuss such a major matter with us beforehand?"

Li Ming spoke calmly: "I tried to inform you, in the Northern Crown Star Ring, yet some seemed to think I was merely competing."

The Navigator was momentarily stumped, it was an undeniable error, but he had long prepared an excuse, "Lord Azure Dragon clearly knew more, why didn’t you divulge it to us."

"Who told you I knew more?" Li Ming retorted.

"Just based on a few words from Costat?" He said in a deep voice, "What if I said I knew nothing of this matter."

"Hmm?" The Navigator paused, feeling both amused and exasperated, was Li Ming planning to fully deny it?

The Navigator pressed, "Are you saying you neither contacted the Empire nor do you know what Prince Costat was doing there?"

"That’s right." Li Ming responded frankly.

"Then why did you send out Mecha? Were you planning to take on both parties?" The Navigator asked in a deep voice.

"You guessed correctly, I had already considered Prince Costat a hypothetical enemy." Li Ming’s voice was firm: "I had long prepared to handle them both."

This sureness of tone caused everyone present to recoil slightly in shock, glancing at each other in the mist.

"I also didn’t anticipate Prince Costat would act like this." He continued: "But as for you, do you truly believe everything Costat says?"

So you say it’s true, and I say it’s not, what can you do about it?

The Navigator paused, suddenly angered: "Do you take us for fools? Last time he spared your student in public, and now you appear to be in cahoots."

"Don’t tell me it’s a mere coincidence."

"So it’s a ploy to sow discord, see... it worked, didn’t it?" Li Ming sighed, "Navigator, you need to see the bigger picture and assess the situation from a higher perspective."

"If I were with the Empire, they would hide me carefully, precisely because I’m not, they are driving a wedge, bringing me into the open."

Could it be that Azure Dragon is making sense?

The others had odd expressions, without evidence, both sides could argue justly.

The Navigator felt a surge of irritation, being lectured by Azure Dragon?

Yet he did not lose his composure, merely stating coldly: "No matter what you say, the Fallen Blood can prove this point."

Prove it? Prove my dealings with Adam?

Li Ming looked towards the seat beside him; besides Adam, only Costat knew of this. If the Fallen Blood truly knew, he was either lying, or this guy was one of the two.

"I cannot prove it." The voice of the Fallen Blood remained calm, "I am unaware of any dealings between Azure Dragon and the Empire, perhaps there are, but I have not been privy to them, or perhaps there are none."

The Navigator was shaken to the core, unbelievable... did the Fallen Blood backstab him?

The Fallen Blood had previously said the same to him, but they had agreed, for the sake of the greater good, the Fallen Blood would identify Azure Dragon.

Hence, he felt confident in convening the meeting.

Hmm? Li Ming was somewhat surprised, weren’t these two in cahoots? How did they split?

The Pioneers were astonished, was there a problem between a few core members?

They weren’t fools, interpreted evidence was besides the point, it boiled down to an issue of who held the power of speech.

Previously the Fallen Blood and the Navigator had moved forward in synchrony, but this time the Fallen Blood stood with Azure Dragon.

Or had Azure Dragon turned the Fallen Blood to his side?

Impressive!

Blackbeard let out a long breath, impressed with Azure Dragon’s advance preparations.

"You!" The Navigator was speechless, his anger finding no outlet.

Li Ming remained quiet, not pursuing a victory, puzzled by the peculiar defection of the Fallen Blood.

"Actually, this matter can also be seen as a benefit." The Fallen Blood spoke, "The High-level Life Form Union was entirely beyond our expectations."

"If we had followed the original plan, using Ryan as leverage to attack the Empire, it would have yielded no significant results, possibly becoming a stepping stone for the High-level Life United Organization."

He even added with a hint of flattery, "Having Azure Dragon as the beneficiary who exposed Ryan is better than anyone else."

Li Ming was silent, watching the Fallen Blood, unsure of his intentions, was he offering false praise?

The Navigator was silent; with the Fallen Blood turning, expelling Azure Dragon was impossible, and he became a laughingstock.

The standing of Azure Dragon rose quickly, when had these two gotten so intertwined?

After the initial shock and anger, he began to consider this question.

"Rather than dwelling on past events, why not discuss the upcoming plans. This High-level Life Form Alliance is not to be underestimated, set up directly by the Empire, it is a foregone conclusion." The Fallen Blood explained,

"Currently, all information is secret, even I do not know, only that there are ten members, all formidable and powerful individuals who have embarked on the Ultimate Path."

"Both personally, and their underlings, are interstellar behemoths."

Mentioning this organization quieted the atmosphere, the other members were all S-Class Life Forms, naturally not invited, but were shocked upon learning the news.

Just the name alone marked it as a massive entity.

The interstellar world was in an uproar, and this was an invitation from the Empire, bluntly stating these were individuals seen by the Empire as unrelated to other life forms, and the ten strongest in the cosmos.

Strongest... this term had its implications, those not invited were naturally upset.

The list of members was yet to be published, but there was already chaos, not to mention stabilizing the interstellar order, preventing further turmoil would be the best outcome.

The Fallen Blood said: "I know some of you are well-acquainted with certain notable figures, if insider information could be obtained, it would greatly ease our future actions."

The members began discussing, and after a long while, one person suddenly asked: "Have none of you been invited?"

The Navigator and others were the original core members, their exact strength and identities unknown, but it was tacitly assumed they were higher than the rest.

"Not yet; those invited are undoubtedly interstellar giants." The Fallen Blood sighed, then paused suddenly, "Although this excludes Lord Azure Dragon... we are not certain whether he was invited."

With that, beneath the black mist, eyes turned towards the throne where Azure Dragon sat.