Planet Oklo was vast, with an area at least a thousand times that of Blue Star. It had five continents and four seas, countless races, and a complex web of factions.
The Gendaya Royal Court was located in the Trident Archipelago, northeast of the Dawn Continent. It was a full 80,000 kilometers in a straight line from the Sunset Jungle on the continent's southern coast.
Fortunately, the Royal Court's delivery service was excellent. It delivered the goods in just two days.
On the landing platform atop the castle, Logo watched the shuttle-shaped aircraft slowly rise into the sky, then carried two metal cases back to the laboratory.
He carefully put away the case containing the mountain giant's heart.
He opened the other metal case right away.
Four rows of blood-red crystals were exposed to the air. The resonance of bloodlines from the same lineage set Logo's blood and qi surging.
The Gendaya People had no custom of burying their dead.
When their progenitor died, he left instructions for his seven children to divide and consume his body. They inherited his immense power and bloodline, laying the foundation for the glory of the seven great clans.
With the seven great clans at their core, the Gendaya Tribe multiplied into more than a thousand clans, forming the order that existed today.
This special tradition had also continued to the present.
Whether a Gendaya died of old age or in battle, as long as the body could be found, it would be sent back to the Royal Court and placed in the Eye of Source Blood.
The Eye of Source Blood, the tribe's treasured artifact, was a six-star demigod artifact of legendary quality.
It was not only the hall where the Slaughter Knights' legacy was passed down, but also the final resting place shared by all Gendaya People and the "mother" of the Gray-Eyed Blood Descendants.
After the Dawn Empire placed a bloodline curse on the tribe, the Eye of Source Blood also bore part of the curse's power in its stead. Otherwise, the Gendaya Tribe's plight would have been even more miserable.
Logo picked up a blood essence crystal and activated the Eye of Insight to examine it carefully.
After a long while, he rubbed the space between his brows and put it down.
Even with the Eye of Insight's help, his poor spiritual power was a serious limitation, and his bloodline studies level was not high enough. He was still a long way from fully deciphering the Gendaya Tribe's bloodline.
Moreover, Logo keenly noticed that the Gendaya Tribe's bloodline was not simple.
Though its bloodline power was weak, its essence seemed to be of an extremely high order, as if it had once been an immensely powerful bloodline that had gradually declined through natural evolution.
Could the progenitor have come from one of the divine races? No, that's not right either. None of the nine great divine races has a similar bloodline. Perhaps it was some mysterious demigod race...
Logo speculated inwardly, but ultimately reached no conclusion.
The Astral Realm was too vast, concealing countless races. Even the Aslant Civilization operated in only one star region and was far from being its hegemon, much less understanding the entire Astral Realm.
Logo put the blood essence crystal back in the case and summoned Lunbate. "Go tell Wellington and Lavier to come see me!"
Lunbate was startled and hesitated. "Young master, isn't that a little rude? They are your elders, after all..."
Logo smiled faintly. He knew perfectly well what Lunbate was worried about.
He took a golden badge from his pocket and casually tossed it to Lunbate. "See what this is?"
"A count's gold badge?" Lunbate fumbled to catch it, his expression filled with astonishment. Then his face fell. "Young master, even if you're anxious to take control of the family, you can't resort to stealing. It's beneath your station..."
Lunbate felt that he had failed to raise the young master properly, for him to dare steal the count's badge.
He had truly failed the old master's trust and felt deeply guilty.
Logo covered his face with one hand, utterly speechless.
But on reflection, Lunbate's assumption seemed reasonable enough.
Logo's enfeoffment as a count had not been made public. He had specifically requested that, so he could keep a low profile and avoid drawing fire.
But he had forgotten to tell Lunbate, leaving him in the dark.
"Don't worry. I didn't steal the badge, and I didn't rob anyone for it..."
Logo gave him a brief explanation. Only then did Lunbate understand, and he left with the count's gold badge.
The study.
Melier stood beside the door with a great axe in hand. His massive body resembled a towering mountain peak, radiating an oppressive presence.
Several old picture frames sat on the mahogany desk, their photographs showing Logo's immediate family.
Logo picked up one of the frames and gently wiped it clean.
Knock, knock!!
A knock sounded at the door. After Logo answered, two Gendaya entered.
Wellington Campbell was a seventh-rank spellcaster, obsessed with the mysteries of magic and an absolute research fanatic who almost never left his laboratory. His duty was oversight, and clearly, he had been neglecting it.
Ravel Campbell was a seventh-rank Slaughter Knight and commander of the Campbell Family's army. He was stern and traditional, conducting himself strictly according to the rules and never overstepping them.
Both came from collateral branches of the Campbell Family and belonged to Augustus's generation.
Logo leaned back in his chair, his chin resting on his right hand as he studied them. His gaze was intensely oppressive, and his powerful presence made the two high-ranking transcendent beings straighten unconsciously, suppressing the resentment they had felt.
"What do you think of Suke?" Logo folded his hands in front of his chest and put both feet on the desk, striking a highly disrespectful pose.
From the moment the two had failed to pledge their loyalty to him at the first opportunity, they could never become Logo's trusted confidants, and there was no need to be polite to them.
Logo knew a thing or two about using both favor and intimidation.
Wellington and Ravel exchanged glances, unsure what Logo meant by the question.
Was he going to hold Suke accountable?
That would be no surprise. Suke had indeed gone too far over the years.
"Suke is guilty of embezzlement, taking bribes, neglecting his duties, and sloth. He should be punished!" Ravel said gravely.
Wellington said nothing. He had accepted quite a few Ta Pounds from Suke, and that left him beholden.
Besides, Logo's attitude today had greatly displeased him.
Had he not been reluctant to act rashly before learning what was going on with the count's gold badge, Wellington would have lost his temper already.
"I'm giving you two choices. Either step down, or take these resources and swear loyalty to me right now. Choose!" Logo tossed out two folders.
His casual manner enraged Wellington.
Ravel was also somewhat displeased. Was that any way to treat one's elders?
No matter how many resources were listed, how could he be so rude?
But when they opened the folders and saw the densely packed lists of resources, their anger began to drop: -1, -1, -1, -1, -1...
They couldn't help it. Logo had offered far too much, and he had tailored it precisely to each of them.
The resources prepared for Wellington would allow him to build a mage tower, something he had dreamed of. On top of that, there were numerous transcendent resources, making the offer irresistibly tempting.
The contents of Ravel's folder were much more straightforward and could be summed up in two words.
Expand the army!
Ravel was a military fanatic who spent all day with the troops.
In the document, Logo promised him permission to expand the army by ten thousand men, along with two thousand additional Blood Descendant slots. Weapons and equipment would also be upgraded, and Logo even planned to establish a mecha special operations force.
How could Ravel possibly refuse?
The two exchanged a glance, their throats bobbing unconsciously as they swallowed.
Sorry, Suke. It's not that we brothers are being disloyal. He really did offer too much!!