CHAPTER 261: CHAPTER 183: YOU WILL REGRET IT_2

In the "future," she saw Aelium bringing a flood, capturing Ophira along with those omnipresent dark crevices.

If we push the timeline a bit further, the Speaker is assassinated in a secret chamber, cutting off the council’s last hope of escaping through the Ark.

Several epochs later, the Master of Tides’ strategies failed, unable to preserve the ember of humanity from the Evil God’s hands.

"Perhaps this is why they awakened Aelium."

Ethan thought that for the conspirators, Lindong’s abilities really left them no room to survive, just like now, she had already foreseen what would happen five days later.

"But do they really think a sea monster that only exists in legends can drown the entire Western Continent?"

Lindong was skeptical about this.

In terms of power levels, the giant octopus is quite a distance from the Master of Tides and the Evil God; the flood that submerged the entire Western Continent in the past was brought about by the Evil God sealed in the abyss.

"I suspect that Aelium itself is a key to unlocking the seal of the abyss. Once Aelium dies, the seal will loosen."

In Ethan’s view, Flor or the Evil God he served was more of a conspirator, like a shadow preferring to hide in the dark, with a style quite different from Old Ba.

"I think the situation might not be as severe."

Ethan was an optimist, "Aelium has just been locked up with the Evil God for too long, endured too many negative emotions, leading to depression or bipolar disorder. It’s not a war; it just needs a psychological massage."

This is why he took on the responsibility of being Yue’s psychologist. After Yue, who had awakened clairvoyance from nightmares, he feared he would soon welcome another heavyweight guest.

What follows is an entirely unknown realm, where probably no one in this world can provide him with advice.

After all, no psychologist in this world has experience providing counseling to a giant octopus.

Thus, another matter became crucially important.

He had to figure out why Aelium betrayed its master in the first place to help the Master of Tides quell the flood before election day arrived.

"Psychological massage..."

With a "bang," a ragdoll cat transformed into a young girl with cat ears who sat demurely by his side, all eyes were drawn to Urd, and no one noticed the change here.

Lindong thoughtfully stared at where her heart was.

She had read some medical books, most people have hearts located on the left side.

But before the heart, there was some bothersome fat.

"You can practice more in the coming days," she said righteously, "It’s all for the ultimate victory!"

"Teacher, psychological massage and cardiac massage are not the same thing."

Ethan held his forehead, Lindong’s train of thought could be quite peculiar at times.

But Lindong had a different perspective, "I believe that both the mind and body need care."

...

The next five days were nothing but the last calm before the storm.

During this time, diplomat Richard met with Ave multiple times, and during their last private meeting, he proposed a well-considered idea—to impeach the current Speaker on election day, which was their legitimate right. However, typically, with a long term ahead for the Speaker, the members usually did not exercise this right unless a significant mistake was made.

But Richard believed the Speaker had erred, and fatally so.

All signs indicated that the threat was approaching, yet the Speaker continued to maintain an ostrich strategy, as if by not acknowledging it, the Evil God would not awaken. Meanwhile, he repeatedly suggested meeting with the Imperial Envoy and the Deep Sea Race to the Speaker, but he was met with staunch refusal each time, and the last time nearly resulted in a quarrel.

And after obtaining the book "Enlightenment," Richard gradually understood everything.

It was like the guidance of fate; when he returned home after another unpleasant meeting with the Speaker, the sheepskin book was already placed on his study desk.

Richard could not explain why this book, which should have been managed by successive Speakers, appeared in his home. Perhaps it was the guidance from the Master of Tides.

The great Master of Tides foresaw the impending disaster and personally entrusted the book to him.

Time for Ophira was running out; someone had to stand up and do something.

He was the chosen one.

Richard spent these days thoroughly reading "Enlightenment," marveling at the Master of Tides’ wisdom and strategies, leading to further indignation at the Speaker’s series of actions.

The book clearly explained the reason for concealing the Evil God’s existence and made the worst-case scenario plan, yet the Speaker ignored it.

If things developed to the worst possible outcome, and the remaining people had to rely on the Ark to continue the flame of civilization, how would they cope?

Without prior arrangements or rehearsals, and no one knowing the exact operational steps of the Ark, nor a detailed escape route, how could they possibly escape the world-ending flood?

Richard could easily foresee everyone becoming headless chickens, wasting the back path paved by the Master of Tides for them; he had to correct all this.

Rather than continuing to indulge in the power games of prosperity, Ophira needed drills and to prepare everyone for battle.

By then, every resident of Ophira and even the Western Continent would be swept into this war!

On the morning of election day, Richard put on his most solemn attire and appeared at the council hall; he brought the sheepskin book; Ophira was currently in a very unusual time, and they could no longer hide and conceal like they did during the peaceful development era.

The Speaker sensed something amiss, incredulously came to Richard.

"How did you get it?"

He looked in poor spirits.

In the past few days, he had been searching for the stolen sheepskin book, but the clues he obtained could only be described as unbelievable—a strange white cat had been found by the council’s security personnel, which bizarrely disappeared after approaching them. Normally, if he heard this story, he would think it was just a hallucination from those two drinking too much, but inexplicable marks also appeared in the stolen chamber.

Cat footprints appeared on his desk, yet no one in the council saw a cat sneaking into the room that day, and his secretary, who was stationed at the door the whole time, was absolutely certain of it.

The anti-magic system in the council hall had not been triggered, and apart from him, no one could open the secret chamber; indeed, besides him and the old Speaker, no one even knew of the secret chamber’s existence!

The old Speaker was already over ninety, now suffering from dementia and recuperating at home.

He never dreamed that the stolen book would end up in Richard’s hands—this was the last thing the Speaker wanted to see.

They had opposing political views, with increasing great disagreements recently.

Richard retorted, "The Master of Tides guides me."

"You read the contents above."

The Speaker’s face darkened. This was a secret only known to successive Speakers, "Whom else have you mentioned this to?"

"No one so far."

Richard said, "Because I intend to reveal this secret to all the members during today’s meeting; this has never been a country of dictatorship, especially in major decision-making issues, everyone has the right to express their views; this was a principle set at the founding of the Deep Sea Council."

The Speaker was taken aback.

The council system was agreed upon by the Master of Tides and the first members of the Deep Sea Council; the voting system was set to prevent any future Speaker from becoming autocratic, maintaining an unshakable sanctity.

"Let the vote decide our differences."

Richard looked at the Speaker unyieldingly, "Twenty years ago, you convinced everyone through your speech; can you still achieve the same thing today?"

With that, he walked past the Speaker.

The Speaker clenched his fists.

After a long time, he gritted his teeth, "Richard, you will regret this."