Some people are still alive, but in truth, they are already dead.
A Fort Master in name only was nothing!
Lin Yan was distracted. "I think I was wrong."
When he first began cooperating with Zhang Guangmu, Lin Yan had been quite confident, believing that he held an absolute advantage in the struggle for power.
Even relying on experience alone, he could make up for the gap in strength between them.
As long as he could let Zhang Guangmu taste the sweetness of power, he would gradually become unable to leave Lin Yan.
But as time passed, Lin Yan suddenly realized...
Zhang Guangmu had never wanted to play with him by the existing rules!
"What does he really want?"
Lin Yan couldn't figure it out.
What had Zhang Guangmu done after taking power?
He had opened the supply warehouses, distributing money and food free of charge to all the residents of Wolf Fortress every day.
He had assigned all the Flame Wolves in Wolf Den to suitable candidates to form bonds with them, catalyzing a large batch of new Wolf Riders.
He had used the authority of the Vice Fortress Lord to forcibly raise craftsmen's status and treatment to a level no lower than that of Wolf Riders. He even seemed intent on teaching them the Flame Artifact crafting method...
"This kind of behavior..."
"He never intended to secure the position of Vice Fortress Lord!"
Lin Yan was unable to understand it and grew frantic. "That bastard Tian Guang is practically no different from a madman!"
Apart from that, there were all sorts of miscellaneous trivial matters. Lin Yan felt a headache just thinking about them and couldn't be bothered to interfere.
On the surface, everything Zhang Guangmu had done seemed to have its own rationale.
A newcomer taking power and wanting to foster a force of his own was perfectly normal. Lin Yan could understand that.
But these three major actions alone were enough to overturn the situation that had existed in Wolf Fortress for hundreds of years!
If all those lowly peasants were allowed to eat their fill and stay warm, receiving enough food and money every day without doing anything...
That might be fine in the short term, but after a while, who would still be willing to work?
With no one farming and no one hunting, what would the noble Wolf Riders eat? What would they drink?
Could it be that the Wolf Riders were supposed to dig for food in the fields themselves?
Fostering a team of personal Wolf Riders also made perfect sense.
But dragging out every Flame Wolf in Wolf Den was simply fishing the pond dry—short-sighted and utterly unreasonable!
He was digging up the roots of Wolf Fortress!
As for raising the status of craftsmen, Lin Yan didn't take it very seriously. He only felt that Zhang Guangmu was acting on youthful whims, doing whatever he pleased. Sooner or later, this would provoke a backlash from the Wolf Riders. Even the personal Wolf Riders he had personally nurtured might not stand on his side.
Lin Yan didn't understand combat, but he understood people and human nature!
On this day, Lin Yan finally couldn't suppress his anger any longer and questioned Zhang Guangmu. "What exactly are you trying to do?"
"In my eyes, if you continue like this, you're simply digging your own grave!"
"If you don't set things right in time, then if this continues, all of Wolf Fortress will be ruined by your hands!"
Lin Yan even began to suspect that this young man wanted the position of Vice Fortress Lord purely so that it would be more convenient for him to flip over the table.
He would smash the entire Wolf Fortress to pieces!
As he said this, the Fort Master inwardly cursed himself for being careless and grew increasingly wary of Zhang Guangmu. On the surface, however, he acted as though he was anxiously worried for Zhang Guangmu.
After hearing Lin Yan's speech, Zhang Guangmu looked the other man up and down.
Too green.
Although he was an experienced old hand, Subconscious Actors rarely specially trained their acting skills.
After all, as long as their subconscious and abilities were powerful enough, they could force their way through and carve out a path for themselves.
As a veteran specialist in villain roles, Lin Yan's acting was fairly decent compared with that of most other Subconscious Actors.
From Zhang Guangmu's perspective, within the Book of Acting's evaluation system, the other man probably only possessed Acting Skill 1.
But...
In front of Zhang Guangmu, who possessed Acting Skill 2, Lin Yan's false sincerity couldn't conceal anything at all.
Zhang Guangmu didn't like exchanging courtesies with people either. He immediately spread the corners of his mouth into a grin and said, "Don't overthink it."
"You think I'm destroying Wolf Fortress, but I don't see it that way."
As he spoke, Zhang Guangmu raised his right hand high and slowly curled his five fingers together. "I want to lift it to an even higher place, to reach a position symbolizing peace."
"To accomplish that, we must shatter the existing order and remake the world!"
"Only by absorbing enough nourishment from the rotting corpses can a new Wolf Fortress grow strong and become a true behemoth!"
"As long as you and I join forces and work together, we will certainly sweep away the corruption under heaven, restore peace, and completely pacify this Chaotic World!"
Lin Yan was already quite old, yet after hearing Zhang Guangmu's speech, some ripples still stirred in his heart.
But he quickly realized what was wrong.
Lin Yan grew furious. "All that you've said is empty talk and stock rhetoric! It sounds beautiful, but it contains nothing at all!"
"Stop treating me like a fool!"
"I'm not some mediocrity who can be fooled with a couple of casual words into becoming someone's lackey!"
"Remember, I'm the nominal Fort Master of Wolf Fortress!"
At this, Zhang Guangmu's eyes widened. He looked the man up and down in surprise. "Oh~ I underestimated you."
"I originally thought that someone capable of sending assassins after his own outstanding son would be a short-sighted fool..."
Seeing Lin Yan's face gradually flush red, Zhang Guangmu waved his hand. "I wasn't mocking you. Everything I said just now was sincere."
As he spoke, Zhang Guangmu spread his left hand before Lin Yan. "If I told you that something like the 'Flame Artifact' could be mass-produced, giving one to every person in Wolf Fortress, do you think those problems would still be problems?"
Lin Yan's pupils contracted slightly, and his breathing stalled for a moment.
When he had first pushed Zhang Guangmu into the position of Vice Fortress Lord, many veteran Wolf Riders and Flame Wolf Guards in Wolf Fortress had voiced their objections and disliked Zhang Guangmu intensely.
But Zhang Guangmu's method of dealing with opponents had been exceptionally simple and crude—anyone who could be won over received a Flame Artifact on the spot.
Wealth could move the heart. In Wolf Fortress, apart from unclaimed Wolf Kings, what other benefit could be greater than a Flame Artifact?
Probably nothing.
Even the most foolish person could see that Zhang Guangmu had succeeded in rising to power and taking the position of Vice Fortress Lord not because Fort Master Lin Yan had wanted to set up a target to divert tensions and had no choice.
Ultimately, it was because Zhang Guangmu possessed the great equipment known as the "Flame Artifact"!
An ordinary commoner, once given a Flame Artifact, could immediately gain power matching that of a Flame Wolf...
It was simply revolutionary!
No matter what the Wolf Riders truly thought deep down, those who had accepted benefits from Zhang Guangmu could not openly oppose him.
In fact, whenever Zhang Guangmu occasionally issued an order that wasn't too excessive, everyone would scramble to carry it out, currying favor with this rising star in hopes of becoming a favorite at Vice Fortress Lord "Tian Guang's" side.
After all, Wolf Fortress Lord Lin Yan was already old. He was also so jealous of the talented that he had even assassinated his own son, making it obvious that he wouldn't remain in that position for much longer.
Some particularly perceptive people had gradually realized that Fort Master Lin Yan had, in fact, become Vice Fortress Lord Zhang Guangmu's puppet!
After news of the Golden-Necked Flame Wolf King's death "accidentally spread," Lin Yan lost all prestige. He no longer had the capital to compete with Zhang Guangmu on equal footing, and the only thing left for him to rely on was the empty title of "Fort Master."
"You... How could you bear to do it?!"
Lin Yan looked at Zhang Guangmu as though he were a madman. "Everyone in Wolf Fortress knows that my other half has been killed in battle. I no longer have the qualifications to compete with you for power."
"Even if you do nothing, after a few years, the position of Fort Master will naturally fall into your hands."
"Why do something so superfluous?"
"If everyone possessed this kind of power, what would you rely on to secure the position of Fort Master?"
Zhang Guangmu replied calmly, "The news that the Golden-Necked Flame Wolf King was killed was spread by your son, Lin Xuan."
"The affectionate father-and-filial-son act between the two of you actually has nothing to do with me."
"I even arranged for people to help you refute the rumors, but unfortunately, facts speak louder than words. In the face of the truth, no amount of publicity has any meaning."
"As for whether I can secure the position of Wolf Fortress Lord..."
At this, Zhang Guangmu chuckled. "I never intended to secure this position at all..."
"I made myself perfectly clear from the very beginning."
"What I want is world peace."
"As long as I hold peace in my hands, no orphan like me will ever appear in this world again."
"To accomplish this ultimate goal, the first step I have to take is to make everyone in this world as powerful as wolves!"
Lin Yan was dumbfounded.
From the first time he had met Zhang Guangmu, he had felt that he and the boy were not on the same path.
Now it seemed that people's intuition was sometimes truly accurate.
Their pursuits were completely different. How could they possibly have a meaningful conversation?
If he possessed Zhang Guangmu's ability, he would never do something so thankless!
Although he never admitted it aloud, deep down, Lin Yan had already been convinced by Zhang Guangmu's abilities and methods.
"You can't achieve peace by doing this!"
Lin Yan didn't know what wire in his brain had gone wrong, but he actually began earnestly advising Zhang Guangmu. "That will only have the opposite effect, causing endless chaos and leaving disasters for generations to come!"
"Listen to my advice. If you truly want peace..."
"Then prohibit the 'Flame Artifact,' find a way to reduce the number of Wolf Riders, and concentrate all military force in your own hands. Use your own power to intimidate the world. Whoever dares to cause chaos, execute their entire clan! Given enough time, the world will naturally become peaceful!"
Zhang Guangmu was genuinely surprised this time.
He could sense that Lin Yan's speech was truly sincere, coming from the bottom of his heart, without the slightest trace of acting.
And besides...
What Lin Yan had said really did make a lot of sense!
Unfortunately, Zhang Guangmu had decided to learn from Chu Fan's advanced experience and draw strength from a role model.
He looked at Lin Yan coldly. With Chu Ba Zong's acting spirit possessing him, he assumed the proper air and snorted. "No one understands peace better than I do!"
"Besides..."
"The advice of the defeated naturally carries no weight!"
"In my struggle with you, I have always been the winner."
"Facts have proven that I am always walking the correct path."
"And I will always be right!"
"Everyone living in this world should possess the power to protect themselves."
As he spoke, a dazzling golden flame burst from Zhang Guangmu's fingertips. With one hand behind his back, he remained calm. "Dawn has come. The era of the Wolf Riders should pass as well."
Lin Yan was rendered speechless by this barrage of "I'm not listening." He wished he could stab the lunatic to death right then and there.
A flash of inspiration struck him, and he suddenly thought...
Apart from referring to "The Light of Natural Wisdom," the term "Tian Guang" could also be used as a metaphor for a monarch.
Although Zhang Guangmu was young, he was gradually developing the bearing of a monarch.
The path he had chosen was definitely not something other people could easily change!
As he looked at the somewhat withdrawn Lin Yan, Zhang Guangmu was just about to say something when his heart suddenly stirred.
That familiar feeling...
New Usable Ability Points had just come in!
These two chapters had six thousand nine hundred words!
(▽)!
See you tomorrow, everyone!
Before you continue