Chapter 296 Interlocking Links, Luring the Opponent!
The answer was already obvious! It had to be the Cult of the Divine Sheep, with its ties to remnants of divine spirits!
What wasn't clear was who was pulling the strings at Sunset Peak.
It probably wasn't the Hand of Malevolence. That group was too powerful, too shadowy, and only cared about cash and intel. They wouldn't bother with something this wild.
When the person in charge at Sunset Peak first learned about Alan's identity as the Ice King, she wasn't exactly shocked—Alan had already pieced it together in his mind.
Three Saints Society!
As for why she dared to step into the spotlight after figuring out who Alan was, the reason was simple.
She wanted to see the Mountain and Sea Empire thrown into chaos. She was itching for a full-blown war to erupt, one that would tear Dragon Capital apart.
But there was a catch.
In this war, the winner couldn't be the Ice King, and it definitely couldn't be the Hall of Glory.
So, her plan was to upset the balance and turn everyone against Alan.
Now, the pieces were falling into place. Sunset Peak was tied to the Three Saints Society, and according to Blade Warrior's intel, Golden Gate was linked to the Cult of the Divine Sheep.
So, who's tied to the Hand of Malevolence?
Alan's eyes landed on the head honcho at Mist Rain Tower.
Out of the four major sect leaders, the other three were all nine-time transferred Starlight Tier, but the one running Mist Rain Tower, Leon, was just a nine-time transferred Grandmaster.
"Ice King, our three families aren't backing down. If you want a fight today, we'll see what you're made of," the head of the Harrison family stepped up, his energy flaring.
Alan glanced at the three family heads and smirked, "Hold up."
"Hold up for what?"
"For the big shot from Golden Gate and the Cult of the Divine Sheep crew."
As soon as Alan said that, at the far end of East Street, the Golden Gate leader trailed behind a middle-aged guy in a silver-trimmed robe, hustling over.
"They're here," Alan said with a grin.
The three families' folks frowned. As descendants of the gods, they naturally looked down on teaming up with a shady crew like the Cult of the Divine Sheep.
Especially since the Cult worships that twisted Black Goat of the Woods. Their pride wouldn't let them sell out for some quick gain.
"I told you to hold down Border City. What the hell are you doing here?" Alan shouted.
The Golden Gate leader smirked, "Master, the second you took over, you started pushing all these big reforms. Did you even think about how we'd feel? Now you're coming for the three families? Who knows, maybe next you'll wipe out all four factions at once."
His words were pure poison—trying to mess with the heads of Mist Rain Tower and Heavenly Sword Sect, planting doubt in their heads.
The person in power at Sunset Peak jumped in, seizing the moment. "Look, if he takes down the three families, we're next. If we don't handle him today, we're all screwed."
Leon hesitated for a split second, his eyes flickering.
But in the end, he stuck to his guns. "I said it before—I'm a man of my word. I'm not backing out now."
"And you? You really want to drag your Heavenly Sword Sect down with you?" the Sunset Peak boss said, turning her gaze to the Heavenly Sword Sect leader.
The Heavenly Sword Sect leader just smiled, "Don't look at me. I've got it figured out—you're with the Three Saints Society. And he's with the Cult of the Divine Sheep. I'm not getting mixed up in your mess!"
Even though they hadn't shown their hands yet, the Heavenly Sword Sect leader wasn't an idiot. A little thinking, and he'd pieced it all together.
"Leon, looks like we're in deep crap today," the Heavenly Sword Sect boss said with a wry smile.
Alan gave a quick nod to the three family heads, "Care to team up and take them down?"
The Harrison family patriarch smirked, "Why should we bother helping you?"
Alan shot back, "Really? With the Hall of Glory here, this is still Mountain and Sea Empire turf. If the Hall's gone, whether it's the Three Saints Society or the Cult of the Divine Sheep coming out on top, the Empire's done for."
The head of the Harrison family smiled, "Looks like the Ice King's got more going for him than just talent—sharp mind too. Attacking our three families was just a front, huh? You used us to smoke out the bad guys in the Mountain and Sea Empire, right? And you knew damn well we'd step in. Clever move."
Alan nodded, "Pretty much. Your ancestors had ties to the gods of the Jinse Empire, so you'd never let the Mountain and Sea Empire fall into outsider hands. You'd step up—within reason, of course."
The Golden Gate boss's face turned sharp, "You played me. Sending me to the border city was a setup. You already knew I was with the Cult of the Divine Sheep."
"It's all your fault for acting like such a dumbass in front of me." Alan smirked.
The Golden Gate boss clenched his teeth, "How could you be so sure I'd bring the Cult of the Divine Sheep with me?"
"Such a golden opportunity—you'd be crazy not to bring them," Alan said, dead sure. Emperor Glenn had already tipped him off that the Cult of the Divine Sheep had been itching to take over the Hall of Glory.
This time, he stirred the pot with the three families, aiming for chaos. No way they'd just sit back and watch.
The person in power at Sunset Peak looked serious, "Ice King, I really underestimated you. Thought you were just some kid. Didn't see you outplaying me coming."
"Enough," the man in the silver-edged robe beside the Golden Gate boss cut in, his tone cool. "Ice King, you're sharp. I've been meaning to meet you in the Chaos Territory, but fate hasn't been on my side."
Alan's eyes narrowed slightly, "Octopus, I've been looking for you for a long time too."
The robed man's face soured, "I go by Silver-Eyed."
"Silver-Eyed Nicholas?!" The Heavenly Sword Sect boss paled, "That so-called god's remnant?"
"Eh, Octopus still fits better. Or how about Tentacle Monster?" Alan shrugged, unfazed. The moment the robed man showed up, the Sea God had already clocked Silver-Eyed Nicholas' presence.
The heads of the three families also looked a bit serious.
Alan glanced at the Sunset Peak boss. "Call in your backup."
She smirked coldly, "Ice King, you might've played your cards right today, but even with the three families backing you, don't count on walking away with the upper hand."
As she spoke, figures started popping up on the rooftops along East Street.
Meanwhile, many figures emerged on Golden Gate's side, many of them sporting the silver-eye insignia—Silver-Eyed Nicholas' crew.
"Golden Gate, Sunset Peak, Cult of the Divine Sheep, Three Saints Society, not bad, not bad at all." Alan hadn't expected today's setup to be this intense. With a sly grin, he added, "I've got the three families, Mist Rain Tower, and Heavenly Sword Sect on my side. Seems like I've got you outnumbered."
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