A New Era! Points Incoming!

Some people are still alive, but in fact, they are already dead.

A fortress lord in name only is nothing!

Lin Yan's mind was in a daze: "I seem to have made a mistake."

When he first cooperated with Zhang Guangmu, Lin Yan was very confident, believing that he had an absolute advantage in power struggles.

Even with 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 could gradually make him unable to leave his side.

But as time went by, Lin Yan suddenly realized...

Zhang Guangmu didn't want to play by the existing rules with him at all!

"What does he really want?"

Lin Yan couldn't understand.

What did Zhang Guangmu do after taking office?

He opened the material warehouse and distributed money and food for free to all residents of Wolf Fortress every day.

He assigned all the Flame Wolves in the Wolf Den to those of suitable age to form bonds, catalyzing a large number of new Wolf Riders.

He used his power as Vice Fortress Lord to forcibly elevate the status and treatment of artisans to a level no less than that of Wolf Riders, and even seemed intent on passing on the Flame Artifact crafting method...

"This kind of action..."

"He never intended to solidify his position as Vice Fortress Lord!"

Lin Yan couldn't understand, and was anxious: "That guy Tian Guang is no different from a madman!"

Besides these, there were miscellaneous trivial matters that made Lin Yan's scalp tingle just thinking about them, and he was too lazy to bother.

On the surface, everything Zhang Guangmu did seemed to have its own logic.

A newcomer taking office, wanting to support his own power, was normal, Lin Yan could understand.

But these three major events alone were enough to subvert the situation of the entire Wolf Fortress for hundreds of years!

Letting the common folk below eat their fill and be warm, getting enough food and money every day without doing anything...

It was fine for a short time, but after a long time, who would be willing to work?

No one would farm or hunt, so what would the noble Wolf Riders eat and drink?

Would the Wolf Riders have to go to the fields to grub for food themselves?

Cultivating his own direct subordinate Wolf Rider team was also very logical.

However, directly pulling out all the Flame Wolves from the Wolf Den was simply like draining the pond to catch fish, short-sighted, and made no sense at all!

This was digging at the roots of Wolf Fortress!

On the other hand, Lin Yan wasn't too concerned about raising the status of the craftsmen. He just felt that Zhang Guangmu was a Youth with a childish temperament, acting entirely on personal preference. He was sure to provoke a backlash from the Wolf Riders in the future, and even the direct subordinate Wolf Riders he personally trained might not stand by his side.

Lin Yan didn't understand combat, but he understood people's hearts and human nature!

One day, Lin Yan finally couldn't suppress his anger and questioned Zhang Guangmu, "What exactly are you trying to do?"

"In my opinion, if you continue like this, you're simply digging your own grave!"

"If you don't correct your course in time, and this continues, the entire Wolf Fortress will be ruined in your hands!"

Lin Yan even suspected that the reason this young man wanted the position of Vice Fortress Lord was purely to make it easier to Flip the Table.

He would smash the entire Wolf Fortress to pieces!

While saying this, the Fortress Lord inwardly cried "Careless!" and became even more wary of Zhang Guangmu, but outwardly he put on a show of being anxious and worried for Zhang Guangmu.

Zhang Guangmu looked Lin Yan up and down upon hearing his speech.

Too green.

Although an experienced senior, Subconscious Actors rarely specifically trained their [Acting Skill].

After all, as long as their subconscious and abilities were strong enough, they could forge a path through brute force.

As a veteran professional Villain, Lin Yan's acting skill was considered decent compared to most other Subconscious Actors.

From Zhang Guangmu's perspective, in the evaluation system of the "Book of Acting," he should only possess [Acting Skill 1].

But...

In front of Zhang Guangmu, who had [Acting Skill 2], Lin Yan's pretense was completely useless.

Zhang Guangmu also disliked being disingenuous with people, so he immediately grinned 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, slowly closing his five fingers: "I want to lift it to a higher place, to a position symbolizing peace."

"To achieve this, the existing order must be shattered and the universe remade!"

"Only by absorbing enough nourishment from the rotten corpses can the new Wolf Fortress grow strong and become a true behemoth!"

"As long as you and I join forces and work together, we will surely sweep across the land, reshape peace, and completely pacify this Chaotic World!"

Lin Yan, despite his age, felt a ripple of emotion upon hearing Zhang Guangmu's words.

But he quickly realized something was amiss.

Lin Yan became enraged, "Everything you've said is empty talk, platitudes! It sounds nice, but there's no substance to it!"

"Don't treat me like a fool anymore!"

"I'm not some mediocre person who can be easily fooled into becoming a lackey!"

"You need to remember, I am the nominal Wolf Fortress Lord of Flame Wolf Fortress!"

Hearing this, Zhang Guangmu's eyes widened, and he looked Lin Yan up and down with surprise, "Oh~ I underestimated you."

"Originally, I thought anyone who would send someone to assassinate their own excellent son must be a short-sighted fool..."

Seeing Lin Yan's face gradually turn red, Zhang Guangmu waved his hand, "I wasn't mocking you. What I said just now was sincere."

As he spoke, Zhang Guangmu opened his left hand in front of Lin Yan, "What if I told you that things like the 'Flame Artifact' can be mass-produced, and every person in Flame Wolf Fortress can have one? Do you think those problems would still be problems?"

Lin Yan's pupils contracted slightly, and his breathing hitched for a moment.

When he had first proposed Zhang Guangmu as Vice Fortress Lord, many veteran Wolf Riders and Flame Wolf Guards in Flame Wolf Fortress had voiced their objections and were very displeased with Zhang Guangmu.

But Zhang Guangmu's method of dealing with opponents was exceptionally simple and crude—for those he could win over, he would immediately bestow a "Flame Artifact."

Money moves people. In Flame Wolf Fortress, besides an unclaimed Wolf King, what other benefit could be greater than a Flame Artifact?

There likely was none.

No matter how foolish someone was, they could see that Zhang Guangmu's successful rise to the position of Vice Fortress Lord wasn't because Fortress Lord Lin Yan wanted a scapegoat to diffuse conflict, but was a necessity.

Ultimately, it was because Zhang Guangmu controlled the magnificent equipment called the "Flame Artifact"!

An ordinary commoner, once they obtained a Flame Artifact, could immediately possess strength comparable to a Flame Wolf...

This was simply revolutionary!

No matter what the Wolf Riders thought deep down, those who had accepted benefits from Zhang Guangmu could not openly oppose him.

In fact, when Zhang Guangmu occasionally issued orders that weren't too excessive, people would eagerly compete to carry them out, hoping to curry favor with this new noble and become a favored subordinate of the Vice Fortress Lord, Tian Guang.

After all, Fortress Lord Lin Yan was already old and so jealous of talent that he would even try to assassinate his own son. It was clear he wouldn't be able to hold onto his position for much longer.

Some people with keen senses gradually realized—Fortress Lord Lin Yan had actually become Vice Fortress Lord Zhang Guangmu's puppet!

As the news of the Golden-Necked Flame Wolf King's death "accidentally spread," Lin Yan lost all credibility and had no capital left to compete with Zhang Guangmu. The only thing he could rely on was the empty title of "Fortress Lord."

"You... How could you bear to?!"

Lin Yan looked at Zhang Guangmu as if he were crazy: "Everyone in Wolf Fortress knows now that my other half has died in battle, and I am no longer qualified to fight you for power."

"Even if you do nothing, in a few years, the position of Fortress Lord will naturally fall to you."

"Why do something as superfluous as this?"

"If everyone masters such power, how will you be able to hold onto the position of Fortress Lord?"

Zhang Guangmu responded calmly: "The news of the Golden-Necked Flame Wolf King's death in battle was spread by your son, Lin Xuan."

"Your father-son act has nothing to do with me."

"I even arranged for someone to refute the rumors for you, but unfortunately, facts speak louder than words. In the face of truth, no amount of propaganda can make a difference."

"As for whether I can hold onto the position of Wolf Fortress Lord?"

Speaking of which, Zhang Guangmu chuckled: "I never thought about holding onto this position..."

"I made it very clear from the beginning."

"What I want is world peace."

"As long as peace is held in hand, there will be no more orphans like me in this world."

"To achieve this ultimate goal, the first step I need to take is to make everyone in this world like wolves!"

Lin Yan was stunned.

From the first time he met Zhang Guangmu, he felt that he and this youth were not on the same path.

Now it seemed that human intuition was sometimes very accurate.

Their pursuits were completely different, so how could they talk to each other?

If he had Zhang Guangmu's abilities, he would never do such a thankless task!

Although he never admitted it verbally, Lin Yan had already been convinced of Zhang Guangmu's abilities and methods deep down.

"You can't achieve peace by doing this!"

Lin Yan didn't know which wire in his brain snapped, but he earnestly advised Zhang Guangmu: "That will only be counterproductive, causing endless chaos and infinite harm!"

"Listen to my advice. If you truly want peace..."

"Then ban the 'Flame Artifact', find a way to reduce the number of Wolf Riders, and then concentrate all military power in your own hands. With your own strength, suppress the world, and whoever dares to rebel, execute their entire clan! In time, the world will naturally be at peace!"

Zhang Guangmu was genuinely surprised this time.

He could feel that Lin Yan's speech was indeed sincere, from the bottom of his heart, with no trace of acting.

Moreover...

What Lin Yan said actually made a lot of sense!

Unfortunately, Zhang Guangmu decided to learn from Chu Fan's advanced experience and draw strength from his role model.

He looked at Lin Yan with cold eyes. Chu Ba Zong's acting spirit possessed him, and he grasped the demeanor, snorting coldly, "No one understands peace better than I do!"

"Besides..."

"The advice of the loser carries no weight!"

"In my struggles with you, I have always been the victor."

"The facts prove that I have always been on the right path."

"And I will always be right!"

"Everyone living in this world should have the power to protect themselves."

Speaking of which, Zhang Guangmu conjured a ball of brilliant golden flames at his fingertips, placing one hand behind his back with a calm expression. "The dawn has broken, and the era of the Wolf Rider is about to end."

Lin Yan was rendered speechless by this "I won't listen" speech, wishing he could just stab this idiot to death on the spot.

A flash of inspiration struck his mind, and he suddenly thought...

The word "Tian Guang" (天光), besides referring to "The Light of Natural Wisdom," could also be used metaphorically to refer to a "monarch."

Although Zhang Guangmu was young, he was gradually developing the bearing of a monarch.

The path he had chosen was not something others could easily change!

Seeing Lin Yan looking a bit withdrawn, Zhang Guangmu was about to say something when he suddenly felt a stir in his heart.

This familiar feeling...

It was the arrival of new Usable Ability Points!

These two chapters, 6,900 characters!

(▽)!

Little Friends, see you tomorrow!