Deities: Starting From Goblins

Chapter 388: 203

The Lord extended his wine glass, toasting Logan. Although Logan was not pleased, he could only clink his glass with the Lord’s.

Then, with a hint of sarcasm, Logan said, “Lord, you are quite pleased with yourself, but have you considered the consequences? After all, you are the one who holds power in this territory, and you should be thinking about its future and peace.”

“For decades, I have been working diligently to be a qualified Lord, at least living up to my own standards, unlike other Lords who are complacent and unambitious.”

Not understanding the point, the Lord waved his hand dismissively. He had been worried about the territory all along, but after the Grand Elder’s death, he finally laughed wholeheartedly, no longer feeling anxious.

Logan shook his head and said bluntly, “I beg to differ. In fact, you’ve never really thought about the territory. Instead, you’ve been quite adept at playing power games and manipulating everyone, haven’t you?”

“In the past half-month, you have been playing the role of a good guy, winning over many of the Grand Elder’s subordinates. Your power has grown by thirty percent. On the other hand, the First Family of Gari Mo, who have been playing the bad guy role, have been denounced by everyone for killing too many people and becoming despised.”

The Lord was taken aback and realized that Logan was angry. However, he did not think he had done anything wrong. As the almighty Lord, was it too much to absorb the talents of some Grand Elder? Moreover, it was not his idea to play power games. It was only out of helplessness that he let Gari Mo play the bad guy. After all, how could he, the Lord himself, do that? It would certainly incite chaos.

“I’m not saying that this decision was wrong. On the contrary, it was quite a good one. But half a month has passed, and everything should stop. You have already achieved your goal. Why are you still allowing Gari Mo to continue the slaughter?”

Logan’s voice grew louder, recounting what he had seen and heard: “Gari Mo’s policy is to kill one thousand innocent people rather than let one guilty escape. Too many people have been involved already. Even the streets are empty, as everyone fears being falsely accused and unknowingly treated as an accomplice.”

“This is also for the sake of being cautious. If anyone were to escape, it would be hard to avoid future retaliation. Besides, it’s the First Family of Gari Mo who’s made enemies, so people’s anger won’t be directed at me. Once Gari Mo offends everyone, I can simply step in and take control.”

Feeling grateful to Logan for offering his assistance, Gari Mo did not want to get angry with him. Instead, he carefully explained his thoughts, hoping that Logan would understand. As the Lord, he had many dilemmas, all for the sake of the territory’s future.

Logan tried not to get angry and calmed himself, “You’re mistaken. No matter how excessive the First Family’s actions may be, people will only denounce them. There won’t be any other consequences. The real repercussions will fall on you, the Lord, but you certainly can’t understand why.”

“Really?” The Lord couldn’t see the connection. How was this related to him? Even if people’s anger grew stronger, it wouldn’t reach him. After all, he hadn’t sent anyone out himself.

“Now that the public is panicking, if Gari Mo doesn’t stop and you, as the Lord, don’t step in, people will think you are secretly directing or condoning Gari Mo’s actions. After all, you represent the fairness and justice of the territory, and that fairness has been broken.”

“The feelings of anger and injustice might not be worth mentioning now, but once they are gone, what will happen to you as the Lord of the territory? People will lose their sense of belonging, and there will be a massive loss of population. Even those who have reached the Throne Realm would be afraid of meeting an unexpected fate in the future.”

“If the day comes when other Lords attack, you will need to unite everyone. Tell me, who would be willing to fight for you? Let’s not even look far ahead; I think many nearby Lords are already itching to take advantage of the chaos and devour your territory in one fell swoop.”

Logan took a sip of wine and laid out all the pros and cons. If the Lord was truly intelligent, he would understand how foolish his previous decisions were and how he should make amends now.

The Lord broke into a cold sweat, finally realizing the crisis: “So, am I supposed to punish Gari Mo? What if Gari Mo and the others aren’t willing to accept it and choose to expose everything or leave the territory?”

“Punishment is just a symbolic penalty. Moreover, Gari Mo must be a smart person too, and he will naturally understand your intentions. They will certainly cooperate and play along to quell the anger.”

Logan confidently said that based on the lessons he had given to the dozens of people on the road, as long as they pass on the message to Gari Mo, he would make the corresponding decision. So there was no need for the Lord to worry at this moment.

“To be honest, after the Grand Elder’s death, there was no need to take action against his remaining forces. They’ve lost their biggest support and can’t harm you at all. Just let them slowly wither away and disperse as time goes by.”

“You were just too hasty, only thinking about a quick battle and victory, overlooking the most fundamental aspects. Actually, playing power games is just like cultivating. Rushing will not help you succeed. You must think twice before making a decision.”

The Lord finally understood and couldn’t help but shake his head. Despite having been on the Lord’s throne for a hundred years, he was still too naive when it came to schemes and was now being lectured by Logan.

Afterward, the Lord issued an order, announcing that the hunt for the Grand Elder’s disciples had ended. The First Family of Gari Mo was not allowed to continue, and anyone who dared to do so would be punished. Gari Mo was also ordered to hand over the assassins from the past few days to give an explanation to the people.

Unable to enjoy the rest of the wine, the Lord said, “Please excuse me, I need to handle this matter personally. Once everything is resolved, I will invite you to another banquet to make up for my negligence and apologize.”

“It’s no problem. I’ve been cultivating in the Secret Land for half a month, and it’s just what I need—a place to retreat and practice. Your palace seems quite suitable. At least, no one would dare to come and make trouble in the capital.”

Logan waved his hand, telling the Lord to go ahead. With the Pass Order, he didn’t need any special arrangements. The Lord gave a few instructions to his subordinates and then hurriedly left the side hall.

A subordinate stepped forward respectfully, “The Lord has instructed us to treat you as a distinguished guest among distinguished guests. Please feel free to make any requests during your stay. As long as it’s within our capability, we will do our best to fulfill them.”

Logan requested two rooms, ensuring they were quiet, secluded, and safe so that no outsiders would disturb him. He then took Ba Ke Yun to the retreat, wanting to see if Ba Ke Yun could break through to the Throne Realm.

As for Logan himself, he took out a few Law Dan Medicines, hoping to elevate his own strength. Being at the Middle Defender Overstep level was not enough; he needed to break through to the High-ranking Overstep for self-protecti