Tommy Lloyd

Lloyd District, Lloyd's Building, top floor office.

8:30 a. m.

Tommy Lloyd had barely sat down when he received an internal call.

"Yes, I am Lloyd."

The burly man, who was over two and a half meters tall and taller than many male elves, said in a deep voice.

He was waiting for good news.

Elves are usually slender, but Lloyd President was entirely muscular. He was so enormous, his fingers were just as thick, that he couldn't possibly use a human rotary telephone.

The phone he used was a custom-made model from the telephone company. Just like his black suit and the furniture and chairs he used every day... food that ordinary people can hold with their hands, he could only pinch with his fingers.

Lloyd President finds many products developed for humans uncomfortable to use. Only genuine elven products can somewhat satisfy his needs.

No matter how inconvenient his daily life may be, it is ultimately just a minor problem.

What really bothered him was the racial discrimination he received on a daily basis.

Or rather—it's displaced anger.

Avalon is ultimately a kingdom of humans and elves.

Here, not only would ignorant and uncivilized trolls and Lizardman living in deserts and swamps be driven out, but even goblins and dwarves would be banished. Not to mention a Mixed-Blood Giant like him.

After the Avalon' victory, almost all the giants in the Giant Kingdom were killed—an act that met with no resistance at the time. This was because all the giants were warriors, and every single one of them had eaten humans. It was a hatred passed down through countless generations, which simply erupted at that moment.

But what truly baffled and angered Tommy was that those who left behind the giant bloodline were all Mixed-Blood Giant who had supported Avalon... In other words, these Mixed-Blood Giant were not of giant blood, but of Mixed-Blood Giant blood, and they should not be discriminated against.

He even considered leaving Avalon and heading to the Far North.

It is said that some giants still exist today—a heretical group that existed even when the Giant Kingdom still existed.

They are giants on the Path of Wisdom.

Giants are different from the trolls of the Southern Plantation; giants are intelligent and capable, just like Tommy is today. Pure-Blood Giant are more intelligent than humans, but they are blinded by their insatiable rage and choose not to use it.

Those giant philosophers who embarked on the Path of Wisdom went to the Far North, relying on the cold of the outside world to suppress the rage within them.

They abandoned their cannibalistic practices, opting instead to eat fish, seabirds, and seals. They became smaller, their dark red, scorching skin sprouted thick white fur, and their temperament softened. Day and night they immersed themselves in profound philosophical contemplation, and even produced a great philosopher as an apostle.

Tommy also wanted to go there; at least it was quiet.

Moreover, the giants living in cold regions would accept half-giants who came to seek refuge. The only problem was that Tommy didn't know if he could calm down.

He sometimes thinks that he might move there to retire when he gets old.

But before that, he still wanted to take advantage of his youth and give it his all.

After the Path of Strength was transformed into the Path of Authority, the remaining Path Urge within the giants who did not turn to the Path of Wisdom naturally transformed into the Path of Authority.

A segment of the giants resisted this impulse with ambition, reversed it, and embarked on Path of Transcendence —these were the high-ranking members of the Noble Red Society. They completely deviated from the path of the giants who remained immersed in the surge of bloodlust.

Even though Tommy underwent the "Serpent's Many Sons" ritual and was given the ability to Path of Transcendence... he ultimately lacked the talent to Path of Transcendence. He always harbored an authoritarian heart, an instinct flowing in the blood of giants.

For him, transcendence is merely a tool; authoritarianism is the true goal.

Tommy couldn't control his ever-boiling lust for power... and that's why, despite being Mixed-Blood Giant himself, he didn't hold a high position in the Noble Red Society.

Even his own compatriots looked down on him.

They were able to completely resist the "false call" of the Path of Authority in their blood and choose another way. But Tommy couldn't.

He actually wanted to do it too.

That's why he gradually relinquished control of Lloyd's's. By distancing himself from the center of power, he gradually adapted to the purest desire for transcendence. It was like the ascetic practices of monks—cultivating Path of Wisdom to rid themselves of their desire for authority.

But he clearly failed.

As Tommy sat back down in his seat, he couldn't help but let out a sweet sigh. It was like drinking a strong liquor, its rich aroma filling his mind.

He was ultimately an outlier.

Whether among humans or among giants; whether in Lloyd's's or the Noble Red.

But so what? Those giants looked down on him, but how could he possibly respect them? He lacked culture and intelligence. The Giants' Restoration Plan—could you even restore your nation? The giants currently involved simply didn't have enough population to support such a restoration. And with the advancement of time, human technology had become able to partially ignore the talent gap between humans and giants... and most importantly, their god, the Supreme Heaven, was no longer in his position.

The plans of the Noble Red were nothing but castles in the air. They were merely pawns used by the Stibnite Person, a group of expendable resources used to disrupt the situation in Avalon.

That's why Avalon never worries about them... because no one would give up being a knight to become food for giants.

They possessed power, yet they were fundamentally unable to shake the foundations of Avalon.

Moreover, their strength is simply insufficient... At least any one of the few powerful figures in Avalon could make Noble Red extremely wary.

Tommy's task is much simpler.

All he needs to do is put himself on the throne.

Whether it's marrying Princess, usurping the throne, or becoming regent—it doesn't matter. Tommy doesn't care about his race or his descendants. All he cares about is himself.

Tommy's plans are progressing smoothly—using Lloyd's's of London to increase his voice and influence within the Noble Red Society, leveraging the power of the Noble Red to unite human merchants, and then using Lloyd's's to influence the Round Table Hall and ultimately become the underground emperor of Avalon.

Because his plans are highly effective, many smart people will side with him.

And one day, the emperor of the underworld will also rise to the surface.

When that time comes, all those who look down on him will pay the price.

Now, all he needs to do is be patient and wait.

"...What?"

Tommy was slightly taken aback after hearing the news over the phone.

That was not the message he was expecting.

But he didn't panic. After pondering for a moment, he simply replied, "Please invite her up."

He straightened his clothes and poured two cups of tea. One was for himself, a large cup; the other was for the human. Precision was crucial for him, something he had practiced extensively for a long time.

Not long after, a sprightly old lady walked up with great strides.

Her hair was silver-white, her cheekbones were high, and her face was lined with clear wrinkles. But her back was straight, her arms were muscular, and her eyes shone brightly.

"Tommy!"

She roared as soon as she entered the room, startling the half-giant so much that his hand trembled slightly.

But Tommy didn't dare to be presumptuous in front of her, and could only smile obsequiously, "Ms. Meg, what brings you here..."

"—Stop pretending!"

Meg rudely interrupted him.

She didn't use Path Power, but her piercing gaze was like the muzzle of a gun.

"Where did you take that Moriarty? Release him!"

Meg commanded.

Tommy's first thought was that his attack the previous night had been exposed. But he quickly realized:... Arrested? Didn't he order them to attack the other side?

"I think you must have misunderstood. This matter has nothing to do with Lloyd's... at least I know nothing about it..."

"Tell the truth," Meg commanded directly.

"I did not send anyone to capture him. The Noble Red Society was unhappy with Aiwass joining Lloyd's, so I sent a group of people to try to kill him directly."

Tommy blurted it out.

As soon as he spoke, his face turned ugly.

"Snort."

Meg snorted coldly.

The old woman, who was less than half his height, filled Tommy with fear simply by looking at her.

"What about the personnel? [Tell us everything]."

"Four Demon Scholar, two at the Second Level and two at the Third Level. They were accompanied by a Lash Demon, a blade demon, and two Demon Dog..."

"... Blade Demon?"

Meg chuckled coldly, "You really want him dead, don't you?"

"Then, if he dies, you'll die with him."

As she finished speaking, her voice boomed like thunder. Silver-white runes, like an illusion, seeped deep into Tommy's mind.

Tommy immediately fell silent, a surge of intense fear causing cold sweat to pour down his back.

"Listen, kid. You can't touch this guy, understand? You have three days to release him."

"I really didn't catch it..."

Tommy's voice almost pleaded, "You should be able to tell whether I'm telling the truth or not..."

"Ha, I know it wasn't you. But this matter is somehow related to you sending someone to attack him, isn't it? Just because you didn't kill him doesn't mean you're innocent. If you didn't do it, it's either some other faction within Lloyd's that's at odds with you, or some other association. I don't care; you know the situation better than I do. You handle it."

"Here's some information for you—the one who captured him is probably a demon with a Shadow Fiend, possibly named Aleister. Anyway, go find him, take some men, and kill him. Then bring Iver back."

"[If you can't do it, you die], understand? They don't dare to touch you, but I do."

Meg's Word of Power fell once more, imprinting themselves on Tommy's soul.

She held up three fingers and emphasized one last time. "Three days, remember that. Don't even think about running away, you can't escape."

"Yes, I know..."

The giant bowed his head humbly and said, "I will do everything in my power for you..."

"Don't try to pledge your loyalty to me. Fight for your own life, kid."

After saying that, Meg turned and left without any hesitation.

It's a little late, but the update is complete!