pjbooks Chapter 1021 Misjudging People
Chapter 1021 Misjudging People
Shangguan Lin stared into Lin Qiye's eyes.
The reception room fell silent for a few moments.
Lin Qiye did not avoid Shangguan Lin's gaze, but he also did not rush to defend himself. He sat quietly in the chair, his hands naturally placed on his knees, and said in an extremely calm tone, "I have indeed fused with the bloodline inheritance of Zhu. The last drop of blood he left in this world has been completely integrated into my body. My power level has undergone a qualitative change, and my source energy attribute has also undergone a certain degree of mutation."
He spoke so frankly that Shangguan Lin's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
Shangguan Lin had sat in the position of Chief Inspector of the Arena for countless years, and had seen all sorts of subordinates—some trembling before him, some feigning composure, some deliberately displaying loyalty, and some trying to conceal their guilt with silence. But Lin Qiye was none of them. He sat there, stating his status as if reporting the weather, neither deliberately highlighting his value nor trying to hide his danger.
This frankness actually made Shangguan Lin raise his evaluation of him by another level.
"How much has your combat power increased after fusing with the bloodline of the candle?" Shangguan Lin asked directly, without beating around the bush.
Lin Qiye remained silent for a moment, as if seriously considering the question, before giving an equally direct answer: "About ten times."
The air in the reception room seemed to freeze for a moment.
The female guard in black leather armor standing behind Shangguan Lin made no outward movement, but Lin Qiye could sense a subtle change in her breathing rhythm for a fleeting moment. Shangguan Lin herself remained composed, only her hand holding the teacup paused in mid-air for a second before lowering it, the bottom of the cup making a soft, crisp sound as it struck the table.
"Ten times." Shangguan Lin repeated the number, his tone tinged with contemplation. "Before you merged, you were already able to kill Lei Sha and fight off the mutated rock-armored rhinoceros in the Canggu Mountains, returning alive. Ten times your combat power back then?"
Lin Qiye glanced at Shangguan Lin: "Chief Shangguan, would you like to hear the truth or just pleasantries?"
"The truth."
"Seventy percent." Lin Qiye's voice was completely calm. "But my family is here, so I won't leave."
Shangguan Lin's eyes flickered slightly. Lin Qiye's last sentence was spoken naturally, without any deliberate display of loyalty or resentment at being threatened. It was as if he were stating a decision already made—my family is here, so I will not be an enemy of the arena. But the other side of this decision was equally clear: my family is here, and if anyone harms my family, I wouldn't mind turning the arena upside down.
Shangguan Lin understood. He was silent for a moment, then slowly leaned back in his chair, his tone carrying a hint of something he hadn't shown before—not relaxation, but a decisiveness born from the completion of an assessment: "The assessment of you within the Oversight Council is divided into several factions. Some advocate classifying you as the highest threat level and taking immediate restrictive measures; some advocate maintaining observation and waiting for your final stance to become clear; and others advocate winning you over and incorporating your power into the arena's system."
He paused, then looked directly at Lin Qiye: "I belong to the third faction."
Lin Qiye did not answer immediately; he was waiting for Shangguan Lin to continue.
"Your power is indeed beyond the scope of a regular arena steward, and also beyond the control capabilities of the Oversight Council. If you are an ambitious person, a madman, someone who is determined to overthrow the existing order—I will not be sitting here drinking tea today. I will set up a legion and an encirclement outside the city, and I will completely annihilate you once you step into the trap."
Shangguan Lin's tone remained calm, but his words lowered the temperature in the reception room by a few degrees: "But you're not that kind of person. You've lived in the arena for so long, and apart from the Lei Sha incident, you haven't actively made enemies with anyone. You saved Mo Yuan and A Jiu in the Canggu Mountains, shut down the core altar, and prevented a disaster that could have destroyed the entire arena. Your behavior pattern—is not that of a destroyer, but that of an orderly who is willing to be accepted by the rules."
Lin Qiye listened quietly, neither refuting nor admitting anything.
"So my proposal is—" Shangguan Lin took out a dark gold token from his pocket, gently placed it on the wooden table, and pushed it toward Lin Qiye, "From now on, you will no longer be a Class B Deacon. The Oversight Council will grant you the status of 'Special Class Deacon,' with a position equivalent to the Vice President of the Oversight Council. You will have the right to participate in the highest-level decision-making meetings of the arena, independently mobilize some of the Oversight Council's resources, and will not have a direct superior—you will only be responsible to me."
The dark gold token slowly came to a stop on the table. The token was engraved with a crossed horn emblem, which had a subtle resemblance in shape to the emblem in Lin Qiye's palm, but the lines were simpler and more rigid. It was the highest-ranking symbol of the Overwatch Council.
Shangguan Lin continued, "Your residence will also be moved from your current butler's area to your exclusive mansion in the core area of the arena. It will be several times larger than your current residence, with double the security level, and will be equipped with a private training room and resource storage. Your wife and children can move with you, and the mansion will be staffed with dedicated guards and service personnel."
He paused, his gaze landing on Lin Qiye's face: "Do you accept this arrangement?"
Lin Qiye did not answer immediately. His gaze fell on the dark gold token. He remained silent for a moment, then slowly raised his hand, his fingertips touching the edge of the token. He picked it up, turned it over in his palm, and put it into his pocket.
I accept.
A genuine smile finally appeared on Shangguan Lin's lips—very faint, fleeting, more like a slight expression of relief than joy or satisfaction. He stood up and straightened his robe: "The mansion is ready. I'll have someone take you to see it. If there's anything you're not satisfied with, you can speak directly to the steward and have them adjust it."
He turned and walked towards the door, pausing briefly at the doorway. Without turning back, he lowered his voice slightly: "Lin Qiye. The blood of the Candle flows in your veins, which makes me uneasy. But your choice to remain steadfast amidst the tide of power gives me a sense of reassurance. I hope I haven't misjudged you."
After saying that, he walked out of the reception room.
The female guard in black leather armor followed silently behind him, glancing back at Lin Qiye before leaving. The glance was brief, but Lin Qiye caught a fleeting, complex emotion in her eyes—not wariness, not curiosity, but a look of relief, as if she had confirmed something.