Chapter 231: The War that Decides the Fate of 'The Bridge' Part 34
Kayn's group and Old Mayor George continued with their talk until eventually they reached the part of the Executives of the Green Horn City.
"Who do you believe is trustworthy and who is suspicious?" Old Mayor George asked.
"I am glad you asked that," Kayn smiles.
Unbeknownst to everyone here, when he was out there touring around the base, he had actually sent Natas to investigate the five Chiefs.
They were old comrades of Old Mayor George, so it is a given why they are trustworthy and a lot of people believe that they are fighting for the same cause. But not for him.
Hypocrites are people that he dislikes the most.
In his first meeting with them, they aggressively demanded he gives the Kingmaker to Old Mayor George without even bothering to ask him if it was possible or not. They just demanded it as if they own him and that it is a given for him to do that.
He naturally understood it since that's indeed the must thing to do, to give the most powerful item to the leader. The problem is, this leader already said to give it to him.
But as soon as they found out about his status, their opinions of him instantly took a huge turn from being the worst to almost treating him like their old buddy they haven't met for ages. They even gave up on the Kingmaker almost instantly.
It was disgusting.
If they can change their opinions in a matter of seconds, then it is very much possible they would defect to the side of the Assembly of Freedom once they see they are close to defeat.
Honestly, he had taken the action the Assembly of Freedom made in their last operation as a reference for this thought.
"I don't trust any of them,"
"Can I ask why?"
Unlike Kayn, Old Mayor George has personal experience with the five Chiefs. They'd gone through countless life-and-death situations in the past so he knows that he can count on them. In the first place, he shouldn't be asking this question since he claims that he trusts them. But ever since hearing about the triplet's betrayal of Jericho, he started doubting everyone, which includes his five comrades.
"You see, the length of your bond, the strength of your bond, and even if you both have gone through countless life and death together during your bond, it still doesn't eliminate the possibility of these people betraying you," Kayn had personally experienced how he was betrayed by people who had been treating him very well in the past. "We are not simply talking about the benefit or profit that they can gain by betraying you,"
"The moment their precious life is endangered and they are presented with the only opportunity of saving it by betraying you, that's the time you can see if they are loyal to you or not,"
"If they sacrifice themselves, then they are loyal, but if they don't, they're suspicious,"
"Isn't that unfair?" Old Mayor George raised his eyebrow.
Gilbert and the others also have the same thought as Old Mayor George.
"Depending on their action after choosing to continue living, that will decide whether they are loyal or not. Until then, they remain suspicious,"
"Does that mean they still have a chance to prove their loyalty?" Jericho wonders.
"Yes," Kayn nodded. "Because they can also pretend that they choose the option of killing you but then betray the other party to save you, right? Moreover, it doesn't mean that just because they choose the option to sacrifice themselves they will immediately die. You also have the option to save them. If you do, then you are similarly loyal to them. But if you don't and just watch them die, then it will depend on your action later on if their death was worth it or not,"
"In other words, loyalty is choosing the other person compared to yourself. You could say that loyalty and love are the same, they are both selfless actions,"
"Were you perhaps betrayed by someone you truly trust in your life?" Old Mayor George can't help wanting to know where Kayn got that enlightenment at such a young age.
"Yes," Kayn didn't choose to hide.
"I guess you don't have to worry this time, because we definitely won't betray you," Gilbert patted Kayn's shoulder in comfort.
Jude, Charles, and Jericho also smiled as they decided to forever be loyal to Kayn.
"We'll see about that in the future," Kayn didn't take their words to heart.
"Then it seems the decision I came up with earlier is the right choice," Old Mayor George sighs. He truly doesn't want to implement this plan, but he is left with no choice after hearing Kayn's words.
"What decision?"
Everyone came closer in order to hear it clearly.
"After we destroy the Dream Village, I want you to deal with the people who you believe don't fit their position,"
"Kill them or just demote them?" Kayn wanted to clarify first.
"Demote them first,"
Just like what Kayn said, they'll have to see first what these people's reactions would be before deciding if they are loyal or not. There's a good chance they'll reveal their true colors once they are put in a situation that they don't like or don't feel is fair. It will entirely depend on their reaction later on whether they should kill them or not.
"Is your real intention provoking the five Chiefs?"
"Yes,"
"Wouldn't that be a bad idea?" Gilbert was doubtful about it. After all, that might cause an internal conflict inside Green Horn City.
"We clean the inside threats before we start dealing with the outside threats," Jericho understood.
"That's the goal,"
"Are you sure about this? Once we start doing it, they'll know that you don't trust them and are suspicious of their allegiance to the Green Horn City and you," Kayn wanted to know if Old Mayor George had taken into consideration the consequences of this choice.
"That means they'll just have to prove it again that I am wrong,"
"Consider it done,"
With that, the meeting finally ended.
Kayn and his group left using the underground passage as they return back to his hut.
In order not to raise suspicion, Gilbert, Jude, Charles, and Jericho left Kayn's hut all drunk and wasted. This way, those that see them will think that they were celebrating their victory.
Because the Drowsy Village is considerably far from the base of the Green Horn City and the only way to reach the village fast is through the center of the Slumbering Forest, Jericho had no other choice but to stay inside Gilbert's hut.
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