Chapter 242 William is very good at negotiating.
At the entrance of the Taylor family's old mansion.
After pondering for a long time, Wes felt that given the current situation, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and proceed.
This time, he didn't rely on Zoey and Nelson. Instead, he called Steven and briefed him about the situation in Maplewood Town.
Upon hearing that there were hundreds of "demigods" in Maplewood Town, Steven remained silent for a while. Finally, he said, "Wes, whatever you do, avoid any confrontation with them. Staying alive is the top priority."
"I know James Taylor. If he hasn't been possessed by a demon, talk to him and do your best to ensure the safety of the town's ordinary residents."
Hundreds of "demigods" was Wes's estimate, and it was alarming. Even Steven couldn't stay calm. He couldn't think of a better solution and decided to report the situation higher up.
Soulmancers inherently have abilities far surpassing ordinary people, but in this world, it is ordinary people who play the dominant role.
If the town were filled with ordinary Soulmancers, it wouldn't be a significant concern. As long as ordinary people didn't offend them, these Soulmancers typically wouldn't be interested in mundane affairs.
However, having hundreds of wielders of dark powers was an entirely different matter. If they wreaked havoc in the world of ordinary people, it would undeniably be a societal disaster.
Yet, Steven didn't feel the same fear as Wes. Instead, he began contacting powerful individuals within the Soulmancer community, preparing for unexpected situations.
Standing at the entrance of the Taylor residence, Wes once again said to Zoey, "Sis, you must restrain yourself. Whatever happens, don't start a fight!"
Zoey was considered a trump card for the 13th Bureau. But in this scenario, playing that card might not be advantageous. A confrontation would only exacerbate the situation.
Zoey asked, "So, even if it's a matter of life and death, I shouldn't retaliate?"
Wes thought for a moment, replying, "If they make a move, you and Nelson should take William and flee. I'll cover your retreat."
William chuckled, "Are you planning to be a sacrificial lamb?"
The term 'sacrificial lamb' was something he picked up while playing games with Wyatt and others in the dormitory not long ago.
While Wes's words carried a noble, fearless tone, given his capabilities, covering the retreat would certainly mean sacrificing himself.
Wes paused and said, "Or perhaps, you should all leave the town now. It seems the 'demigods' in town don't intend to act rashly. I'll handle this."
It was the best solution he could think of.
Discussion was certainly necessary, but there was no need for so many to attend. If the talks broke down and an escape was required, the more people present, the harder it would be.
"I'll go with you." After uttering these words, Zoey turned to Nelson and said, "Nelson, you escort them out."
Zoey often seemed a bit clueless in daily life, but she wasn't actually naive. It's just that she had a unique focus on matters, which led to occasional oversights on other trivial things.
Perhaps this is the way most geniuses are.
This time, she felt an unprecedented sense of danger. In her view, this matter was the responsibility of the 13th Bureau, and there was no need for Nelson to be involved.
Although she initially believed William to be powerful, based on their recent interactions, she realized that William was, in her words, "weak." Naturally, she didn't want him to face danger with them.
As for Alice, during their time in Ravenwood, she was just a temp, earning two hundred dollars a day. She hadn't formally joined the 13th Bureau, so there was no reason for her to take such risks.
Upon hearing Zoey's words, Nelson hesitated and glanced at William. He was curious about what William thought.
In Nelson's eyes, with William around, even if the negotiations with the "demigods" failed, they could still safely leave the town.
After all, William was a man whom even the legendary magician Merlin addressed as "Master." Moreover, what impressed Nelson the most was that a mere Aura Field drawn casually by William could trigger a global energy revival.
That alone was testament to William's strength.
William said, "Let's go together. There shouldn't be any danger. I'll handle the negotiations; I have some expertise in that area."
Wes's mouth twitched sharply, fixing his gaze on William and asking, "Are you sure?!"
He remembered that William had said before that he was particularly good at chatting.
However, in reality, William's way of chatting was overwhelming, causing those who talked with him to feel utterly exasperated.
And now, he claims to be a master negotiator?!
"Trust me," William assured, giving Wes a determined look.
Wes couldn't pinpoint what came over him. After hesitating for a moment, he actually said, "Alright, I'll trust you this time. You lead the negotiations."
William gave a slight smile. After all, negotiations were his forte.
Once they had decided on their course of action, William and the group knocked on the grand entrance of the Taylor family mansion.
Someone promptly opened the door.
The Taylor family's mansion bore a resemblance to the Greek Revival Style of architecture.
The yard was vast and uniquely designed, with numerous people inside apparently studying something.
After William and the others went in, Wes whispered to Nelson, "Nelson, are the people inside all of demigod strength too?"
Without turning his gaze, Nelson subtly nodded.
Wes felt utterly exasperated. What was this situation? From the entrance of the town all the way to here, everyone they encountered had the strength of a demigod. It was starting to feel incredibly eerie.
All along the way, he had been mentally counting the number of "demigods." With the addition of those he saw inside the mansion, the count had reached 317.
The number was already staggering, and there might be more.
Upon their entrance, one of the "demigods" inquired, "What do you want?"
Before Wes could answer, William retorted, "Call your leader. We need to talk."
His tone was so audacious that an outsider might think he was here to cause trouble.
Wes broke out in a cold sweat.
Was this his idea of negotiation?
What kind of negotiation was this?!
The "demigod" chuckled sinisterly and remarked, "Are you here to court death?"
As he said this, the ambient energy began to coalesce, indicating that they were ready for a confrontation at any moment.
William, without batting an eyelid, said to Alice, "Alice, draw your sword!"
Alice, not fully grasping the situation but trusting William's instruction, waved her hand. The Sword of Soulbreaker manifested in her grip, taking the form of a wooden sword.
But just moments ago, William had unsealed the Sword of Soulbreaker.
As she raised the sword, it resonated with a sound akin to the roar of an ancient dragon. Its sword aura was overwhelmingly powerful, unmatched in its ferocity.
"Bow before me! You lowly mortals!"
It was the Sword Spirit of the Sword of Soulbreaker speaking. It hadn't felt this exhilarated in years. The idea that William had used it to intimidate these "demigods" almost made it laugh to death.
What even were these "demigods"?
Tens of thousands of years ago, those gods and demons obliterated by a single strike from William could only continue to exist in a spiritual form. They created another dimension, the so-called Divine Realm.
Many of these gods and demons had encountered William's Sword Spirit and quivered at its sight. And now, these humans possessed by lesser demons dared to call themselves "demigods"?
With a chilling command from the Sword Spirit, a terrifying sword technique enveloped the entire town with its aura.
All the "demigods" in the town felt their legs go weak, a shiver running down their spines.
Their time possessing humans wasn't long. They hadn't engaged in real combat. Some weren't even battle-oriented demons. In terms of actual combat power, some were even weaker than advanced Soulmancers.
The Sword Spirit of the Sword of Soulbreaker had once been powerful enough to clash directly with ancient demons. In terms of rank, it surpassed even the artifacts like Zeus's 'Thunder Sword', Apollo's 'Sun Sword', Athena's 'Wisdom Sword', and Ares's 'War Sword'. With William unsealing its full potential, which "demigod" wouldn't tremble in fear?
The Sword Spirit didn't want to overstep. After all, William only asked it to intimidate the "demigods", not kill them. Its sword technique wasn't used to its fullest earlier, which meant some "demigods" hadn't knelt and were still struggling against the pressure exerted by the Sword Spirit.
But having said all that, and even after putting on such a display, these "demigods" still hadn't bowed.
Did they think the Sword Spirit was a joke?
"Kneel!" The Sword Spirit commanded again, and those "demigods" who had been resisting finally knelt.
Only then was the Sword Spirit satisfied.
Whenever it encountered other Sword Spirits in the past, didn't they all kneel uniformly before it?
Did they think it was bluffing?
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