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墨書 Inktalez
The hall gradually fell into a dead silence, with only the sound of the referee's increasingly suppressed breaths echoing.
"This is impossible!" Anthony nearly roared as he regained his composure. How could he accept that someone he considered so insignificant could possibly hold a higher position than him?
"There is nothing impossible about this; the results of the review committee are never wrong!" A steady male voice emerged from a side door in the hall.
"Graham, this can't be true. Even if he could defeat me, he would only be a second-rate Butler. How could he possibly become a First-Class Steward?" Anthony spoke rapidly, struggling to suppress his emotions; roaring would be unbecoming of a gentleman.
Graham smiled with an oddly dark expression. "You know we have a complete review system in place. According to the information we have gathered, Lin Steward commands a mercenary group of over seven hundred men, and it is an elite Mercenary group. With such strength, combined with Lin Steward's own abilities that are nearly on par with yours, the review committee granted him the rights of a first-class Butler!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd gasped in realization of what had transpired. Lin Yi couldn't help but feel fortunate; when Will had wanted him to lead the Lone Wolf Mercenary Group, he had been quite reluctant. Now that he had become the First-Class Steward of the Mercenary Alliance, it was clear that he would enjoy significant privileges and benefits.
After Graham finished his brief explanation, Anthony left without saying a word. As he turned away, an air of desolation and unwillingness spread around him.
Lin Yi was not one to kick someone when they were down, so he refrained from taunting Anthony. However, Graham seemed eager to approach him, patting Lin Yi on the shoulder and saying, "Congratulations, Lin Steward! The position of First-Class Steward is not something just anyone can attain. Currently, there are only twenty-three First-Class Stewards in the alliance!"
"But for now, you have only been designated as a First-Class Steward; there are still some procedures to complete. Mainly, we need to send your information to all members of the alliance. This way, wherever you go, your identity as a First-Class Steward will bring you immense benefits!"
Hearing this from Graham, Lin Yi struggled to contain his smile and asked, "How many members does the alliance have?"
"Take a guess," Graham teased.
"Um, let me think... maybe five or six hundred thousand?" Lin Yi ventured a guess based on what he thought was the maximum number.
"Far from it! We have one hundred million members!" Graham said without concern for Qi Wei and Li Yao being present. The membership of the alliance had long been reported to the United Nations; only by doing so could they survive in the light of day, so the number of alliance members was never a secret among government officials.
"One hundred million! How can there be so many?" Not only was Lin Yi incredulous; even Li Yao gasped in surprise, her eyes wide with astonishment.
"In fact, before the Zombie Crisis struck, the Mercenary Alliance already had nearly ten million actual members. Later on, to combat the threat of Zombies, countries relaxed restrictions on Mercenaries, leading to an explosive increase in their numbers. Many super-rich individuals also spared no effort in forming powerful Mercenary groups to protect their wealth and lives! However, the number of truly experienced fighters does not exceed thirty million; most are ordinary citizens forming armed groups that can only deal with scattered Zombies! Nowadays, forming a Mercenary group is as easy as starting a company—there are almost no restrictions."
As a fellow First-Class Steward, Graham felt obligated to clarify things for Lin Yi, regardless of the circumstances.
"What authority do I have now?" Lin Yi recalled his recent bet with Anthony. At this moment, he was indifferent to the Contribution Points equivalent to gold; he needed to retrieve his members.
"I heard about that bet earlier, but Lin Steward is now a senior member of our alliance and is no longer bound by its restrictions. If the Darknight Vampire has indeed captured your people, not only must they be released, but there should also be some compensation for them!" Graham's gaze turned sharp as he looked at the Crimson-Lipped Woman. Lin Yi had grown powerful both in strength and influence, which was precisely what his alliance needed. Only a strong organization could survive better, and for that reason, he was willing to sacrifice some individuals' interests.
"Ouyang Shasha, I hope you can provide Lin Steward with a satisfactory answer; otherwise, your Darknight Vampire will not be able to bear the consequences!" Graham spoke to the Crimson-Lipped Woman with deliberate emphasis, effectively delivering a naked threat.
The Crimson-Lipped Woman's expression remained unchanged as she nodded amiably. "Graham Butler, I will handle everything according to your wishes!"
Ouyang Shasha? Lin Yi quickly processed this name in his mind and then scrutinized Ouyang Shasha's face closely, noting a hint of Eastern femininity.
Ouyang Shasha stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Lin Steward, your group's personnel are indeed in our hands; however, their safety is guaranteed. They are currently not in London. We can find a place to discuss the specifics!" A Dark Night Vampire Organization could not compete with an armed alliance boasting one hundred million members. Given how far things had progressed, Ouyang Shasha had to acknowledge their actions. At this point, no single country dared to challenge them. Of course, if the Mercenary Alliance truly dared to provoke war, they would become the world's enemy; even if they were powerful, they would ultimately be eliminated.
Graham was aware that Ouyang Shasha's group had kidnapped Aoling Er; he merely needed her to admit it publicly so that the Mercenary Alliance could distance itself from the situation and prevent Lin Yi from developing a negative impression of the alliance upon joining.
Although Lin Yi had suspected the Darknight Vampire's involvement all along, hearing Ouyang Shasha confirm it still left him feeling displeased. However, considering her proactive admission—and primarily because she was an incredibly beautiful woman—he chose not to dwell on it too much.
"Bandits!" Li Yao couldn't contain his frustration upon hearing Ouyang Shasha's words.
Afterward, things became straightforward. Since Qi Wei was present, he would naturally take action. The specific issues would be negotiated between Qi Wei and Ouyang Shasha, including matters of compensation—areas where Lin Yi wasn't particularly skilled.
Once everything was arranged, Graham informed Lin Yi that he could rest for three days before preparing a banquet for Lin Yi's induction as Butler and introducing him to others.
When out in the world, connections were crucial; thus, Lin Yi would not refuse the opportunity to further understand the Mercenary Alliance. Moreover, he had one major task left: finding Li Qiweng as soon as possible. In truth, if Li Xianzong hadn't told him that Li Qiweng was still alive, he might not have been in this state at all. Li Xianzong had never directly informed Lin Yi about Li Qiweng's specific circumstances; Lin Yi vaguely guessed the reason behind it. After all, Li Qiweng had followed him all the way to Kenya without informing Li Xianzong. Later on, as Li Qiweng fled with Lin Yi and nearly died in a fish's belly, it was understandable that Li Xianzong wouldn't want to entrust his daughter to Lin Yi again.
Now, what Lin Yi needed to do was grow stronger and prove to Li Xianzong that he had the ability to protect the woman he loved!
After everything was settled, Qi Wei and Li Yao left first. Ouyang Shasha also departed to consult with the higher-ups of their organization regarding related matters, while Graham took the young man who had just welcomed Lin Yi and the others at the entrance to guide Lin Yi to their hotel accommodation.
The hotel where Lin Yi and his companions stayed was an asset of the Mercenary Alliance. Naturally, Lin Yi would be staying in the most luxurious suite. Jerry also enjoyed this experience alongside Lin Yi; as long as Jerry made a request, they would do their best to fulfill it.
...
Three hours later, Lin Yi received a notification from Graham that the Alliance Headquarters was hosting a banquet for him on the top floor of the hotel they were staying in.
Lin Yi waited idly until evening and then headed directly to the top level of the luxurious hotel. The banquet held in his honor was an outdoor feast; Graham organized it in such a place where one could gaze up at the endless starry sky and look down upon the world below. The feeling was exquisite. When Lin Yi heard this, he merely nodded and smiled, knowing that this was the sensation of power.
As Lin Yi and Jerry arrived at the stage under the guidance of a waiter, many people had already gathered there. Most of them surrounded a spirited elderly man, continuously raising their glasses in compliments, as if he were the main character of the evening.
The lively old man spotted Lin Yi as soon as he arrived and raised his highball glass in greeting. Consequently, most of the audience's attention shifted from him to Lin Yi.
"Welcome our main character tonight, Lin Yi Butler! Congratulations on becoming our alliance's twenty-third First-Class Steward!" The old man quickly approached, his demeanor not at all resembling that of an elderly person.
His words sparked applause from everyone present, and they followed his lead toward Lin Yi, showering him with praises like a tide of zombies rushing toward him.
Lin Yi felt as if this were all a dream; he had suddenly gained so much. He had defeated Anthony, found Aoling Er and her companions, and now he had become a First-Class Steward of a massive alliance, wielding considerable power—things he could hardly have imagined just months ago. He felt like a child from the slums facing an extravagant feast before him, unsure of how to proceed.
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