The continuous curfew spanning several days meant that the personnel changes at the Donglai Cardian Master Association hadn't caused much of a stir throughout the city.
"Let's execute the plan today," Azrael announced, frowning slightly as he sat in the president's office after taking a sip of hot tea that Frieren had magically conjured.
While this convenient spell allowed him to enjoy tea anytime, anywhere in the wilderness, the flavor left much to be desired compared to traditionally brewed varieties.
Without changing his expression, Azrael set down his teacup and gestured for his Shadowkhan soldier to manually brew a fresh pot. He then retrieved his phone from the polished oak desk.
[Azrael: Let me know when you arrive.]
[Oliver: Understood.]
Several days earlier, upon learning that Oliver would be coming to Donglai to assume the position of Director of the Secret Realm Office, Azrael had already contacted his former Battle Club teammate and arranged a meeting location and time.
Today marked the day Donglai would lift its citywide curfew.
After all, there was little more to gain from continuing the restrictive measures.
Ever since that night's catastrophic incident, the Onefold Doctrine had retreated into hiding like cornered vermin. While the Association had successfully dismantled several of their operational strongholds, most contained only their augmented minions with few actual Lore Cardians, let alone the key leadership figures who had appeared during that pivotal confrontation.
As for the Crimson Oath Society, Azrael had strategically allowed Godfrey to hand over some of the more rebellious and antisocial elements while retaining the more compliant operatives.
He felt no compunction about this calculated decision, perhaps embracing the old saying, "A son selling his father's land feels no loss."
Furthermore, before Azrael's arrival in Donglai, Jin had explicitly stated he could sacrifice the local Crimson Oath Society branch to help conceal Azrael's true allegiances if circumstances demanded it.
While martial law had been lifted, patrol frequency throughout the city had increased significantly compared to Kavach's previous administration.
Just as Azrael became lost in strategic contemplation, his phone's vibration brought him back to the present moment.
[Oliver: I've arrived at the station.]
[Azrael: Wait for me there.]
Pocketing his phone, Azrael commanded his spectral servants to transport him to the railway station.
His Silver-grade [Oni Mask] remained his primary means of transportation and portable storage, serving multiple essential functions in his daily operations.
The main advantage was that, if you weren't concerned about combat effectiveness, it proved incredibly versatile for civilian applications.
Azrael figured this particular artifact wouldn't require replacement for quite some time.
"Finally here," the young man with the slicked-back hair muttered, raising his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring afternoon sunlight.
Glancing around at the sparse crowds surrounding him, he breathed a sigh of relief at the manageable foot traffic.
Having grown accustomed to the overwhelming masses at Pixar's central station, arriving in the smaller coastal city of Donglai felt almost refreshingly peaceful by comparison.
The visitor was naturally Oliver, Azrael's former teammate from their university Battle Club days.
He had broken through to the Gold level just before the start of the semester at Pixar University, which meant he didn't begin his mandatory job training assignment at the beginning of his junior year like most students.
Typically, if a student achieved their breakthrough after accepting their assigned position, they would receive a promotion within their original deployment city.
But Oliver's circumstances were different.
After informing the university administration of his advancement, Pixar University chose not to let him select from the standard available positions immediately. Instead, they waited until Oliver had successfully crafted his first Gold-level card before allowing him to choose from a curated selection of premium appointments.
Unlike Azrael, who had created his inaugural Gold-level card on the same day he obtained the necessary materials, Oliver first liquidated his personal belongings and even ventured into dangerous Gold-level secret realms to gather the required components. He had also spent considerable time contemplating the intricate card creation process, only recently completing his first masterwork.
As Azrael's teammate during their Battle Club competitions, Oliver naturally knew about his friend's current role as President of the Donglai Association.
When presented with his options, he immediately chose Donglai without hesitation.
His original prospect had been Vice President of the Laiyang County branch, a position more suited to someone who had just reached Gold rank, offering a lighter administrative workload and gradual familiarization with association protocols.
However, after a period of bureaucratic processing, he received not the expected appointment letter for branch Vice President, but instead the authorization for Director of the Secret Realm Office.
While this position was actually half a level higher in the organizational hierarchy, Oliver possessed the necessary qualifications as a gifted graduate from Pixar University. His previous appearance as merely talented rather than exceptional was simply due to Azrael's overwhelming example overshadowing his peers. After all, not everyone could match such extraordinary capabilities, genius was merely the minimum threshold for recognition.
Therefore, the slicked-back-haired young man was thoroughly qualified for this elevated assignment.
"Long time no see, Oliver," a familiar male voice called out, breaking through his contemplative reverie.
Turning toward the sound, Oliver spotted Azrael approaching with his characteristic confident stride.
"Not even a few months since our last meeting, Captain," Oliver replied with a wry smile.
"Use proper job titles during official business," Azrael joked with mock severity. "Come on, I'll escort you back to headquarters. This public area isn't appropriate for serious discussions."
Oliver shrugged and teased back, "Understood, Vice President."
Hearing this, Azrael raised his finger in correction with a slight smirk, "President, actually."
"What?" Oliver blinked in genuine surprise.
In the president's office, Oliver sat motionless, holding his cup of steaming tea while slowly processing the shocking information Azrael had just revealed.
Only now did he fully comprehend that his appointment as Director of the Secret Realm Office had resulted from the previous president Kavach's untimely death, creating a cascade of vacant positions throughout the Donglai Cardian Master Association headquarters.
"Really?" Oliver finally composed himself enough to take a thoughtful sip of his tea. "You're operating under tremendous pressure."
He harbored no doubts about his friend's qualifications to assume the presidency, but he recognized that Donglai's current situation was far from optimistically stable.
Azrael remained somewhat noncommittal in his response, "Having second thoughts?"
But Oliver's expression grew serious as he heard these words, "How could I possibly back down now? I originally came here specifically to support you."
"I simply didn't anticipate the situation had deteriorated to such a degree."
Azrael felt genuinely moved, and a warm smile spread across his face at his friend's unwavering loyalty.
"Actually, the circumstances aren't as dire as you might imagine," he reassured Oliver.
Family members understand their own challenges best. Azrael knew that the primary pressure currently facing the Donglai Cardian Master Association stemmed from the persistent threat of the Onefold Doctrine.
The Crimson Oath Society could now be considered aligned with the Association's interests, at least within the Donglai region's operational boundaries.
However, resolving the Onefold Doctrine crisis couldn't be achieved through localized solutions alone. The key factor remained the military situation developing along the northern frontier.
If the war in the north continued poorly, Azrael feared the regional security situation would only continue deteriorating in the coming months.
Upon hearing this strategic assessment, Oliver nodded thoughtfully, "You're the president, your judgment takes precedence."
As a newcomer to the region, he certainly couldn't claim greater familiarity with the specific tactical realities than Azrael, who had been actively managing Donglai's challenges for an extended period.
After exchanging pleasantries and catching up on personal matters, Azrael sent several messages on his phone, "I'll have Diesel and the other department heads come over immediately so you can become properly acquainted with your new colleagues."
Within minutes, Diesel and two other senior administrators arrived at the president's office for the introductory meeting.
"Diesel, Vice President. Godfrey, Director of the Public Security Office. Godrick, Director of the Human Resources Department," Azrael announced, providing concise introductions for each official.
"Oliver," he continued, "President Diesel previously served as Director of the Secret Realm Office. If you encounter any unfamiliar procedures or protocols, don't hesitate to contact him for guidance."
While observing the four administrators conversing professionally before him, Azrael leaned back in his executive chair and began contemplating the creation of his next strategic card.
Last month's presidential salary of 10,000 points had already been deposited into his account, and combined with the 20,000-point bonus awarded for resolving the previous coastal incident, his accumulated resources had grown substantially.
Meanwhile, somewhere within a mysterious dimensional space, Li Gang, the man the Donglai Cardian Master Association had been relentlessly pursuing, stood arguing intensely with two powerful demons.
"We've already established our agreement, haven't we?" the red-robed middle-aged man declared with barely controlled fury. "You provide assistance disrupting operations in Donglai, and upon successful completion, I guarantee you territorial control over designated areas in Korea."
"Are you seriously attempting to renege on our binding contract now?"
Standing before Li Gang were Dick and Menia, the same two demons who had appeared during the night of Kavach's assassination.
Upon hearing Li Gang's accusatory question, the two demons exchanged meaningful glances before responding, "You failed to inform us that this particular city harbored such chaotic supernatural forces."
"Furthermore, even Vangeance has been eliminated, which means Azrael possesses the capability to easily destroy us as well."
Li Gang chuckled bitterly, his anger reaching dangerous levels. "Aren't you concerned about the wrath of your superior backing this operation?"
This pointed remark struck a particularly sensitive nerve with the two demons, causing them to freeze in obvious discomfort. Their expressions turned as bitter as if they had consumed poisonous herbs, yet they remained strategically silent.
Observing their reaction, Li Gang desperately wanted to point an accusatory finger at them and berate their pathetically short-sighted perspective.
But he couldn't afford such luxuries.
He still required their crucial assistance for his plans.
Due to Kavach's shocking assassination, Donglai City had been placed under strict martial law enforcement, forcing him to postpone his carefully orchestrated operations to prevent exposure.
But even after the lifting of martial law, his strategic plans continued facing unexpected obstacles and setbacks.
Those lackeys from the Association seemed to be systematically targeting the Onefold Doctrine as if they were responsible for Kavach's murder, when it had clearly been the Crimson Oath Society's operation from the beginning!
Just thinking about the Crimson Oath Society gave Li Gang severe headaches. Those delusional fanatics must have had their minds opened with surgical knives, constantly spouting nonsense about love, peace, and moral righteousness.
Did they honestly believe he remained ignorant of the Crimson Oath Society's true activities over recent years?
If Kavach could witness their current hypocrisy from beyond the grave, the dead president would probably resurrect himself purely from indignation!
"Madmen, every single one of them!" Li Gang cursed silently.
"If only those idiotic zealots had cooperated with us to eliminate the Association's operatives, there wouldn't be nearly this much complications!"
Suppressing his mounting rage through sheer willpower, Li Gang forced himself to regain tactical composure.
Since aggressive approaches weren't proving effective, he would have to resort to more diplomatic negotiations.
To persuade the two retreating demons before him to resume active participation, he would need to significantly increase his offered incentives.
"If you continue with our previously established operational plans, I can substantially expand the territorial compensation I initially promised," Li Gang proposed with calculated generosity.
"I can even request that the northern demon army allocate additional strategic territories for your exclusive control."
This latter promise was complete fabrication. The demon army occupied barren, frozen wasteland, and they would eagerly welcome any demons willing to defect from other allegiances.
Seeing the two demons still maintaining their uncomfortable silence, Li Gang offered his final, most valuable bargaining chip, "If you require future assistance with other operations, I can also provide personal support for your endeavors."
Hearing this unprecedented offer, Menia and Dick exchanged several calculating looks before finally reaching their decision.
Their agreement wasn't motivated by Li Gang's increasingly generous proposals, but rather by their vivid recollection of the explicit orders given by their Overlord before their deployment.
If they failed to complete their assigned mission...
"Very well, we can continue providing assistance under your revised terms," they conceded with obvious reluctance.
Seeing the two demons finally acquiesce to his demands, Li Gang felt profound relief wash over him as he forced a diplomatic smile, "Then I appreciate your continued cooperation."
"This remains purely a business transaction," they clarified coldly.
With the matter finally settled, Li Gang didn't linger unnecessarily in the dimensional space. He turned and departed immediately, materializing moments later on a windswept coastal beach.
"At last," he whispered to himself with dark satisfaction.
"Time for the final phase of operations."
With a supernatural flash, the red-robed middle-aged man vanished completely, leaving only the salty sea breeze stirring up fine particles of sand in his wake.
Back in the president's office, Azrael, who had been deep in strategic contemplation, was startled when he noticed another artifact card had been spontaneously generated by Aizen's ability
[Soul and Foreign Matter Extraction Medium]Rank: Gold
Quality: ???
Category: Item
Features:
[Non-Destructive Extraction]: The holder can use this device to extract foreign matter from the soul without causing harm.
After carefully reviewing the card's detailed information, Azrael found himself momentarily confused by its implications.
The previous time his system had generated the [Black Cloak] during the confrontation with Vangeance, it had provided crucial concealment capabilities that helped him evade the Emerald-level demon's detection.
But what about this new artifact?
"Strange indeed," he muttered under his breath.
After pondering the possibilities, Azrael could only speculate whether the Onefold Doctrine was preparing some significant supernatural operation, though Donglai City had remained relatively peaceful over the past several days with no major incidents reported.
"Troubling," Azrael frowned, feeling a subtle but persistent unease growing within him about the challenges that lay ahead.