"A blind spot, or rather, you've considered it thoroughly." Agamemnus subtly flattered the Old Butler.
"Mmm, handle it well, I won't treat you unfairly." The Old Butler narrowed his eyes, clearly pleased by Agamemnus's flattery.
"Handle it well. I'll await your good news." After speaking, the Old Butler prepared to return to the elevator that had been waiting behind him.
"I'll see you off." Agamemnus hurried forward to help the Old Butler into the elevator. As he released his grip, an unregistered gold bank card silently slipped into the Old Butler's pocket.
"Mmm..." A sound of satisfaction emanated from the Old Butler's nose.
As the elevator doors began to close and the numbers on the display started to slowly tick, it signified that the Old Butler was returning to the top floor of the High Tower.
"Damn old vampire!" Agamemnus looked at the receding elevator with an expression of immense heartache. That gold card contained a full million credit points. A million credit points had incredibly strong purchasing power on Kiavahr. How could Agamemnus not feel heartbroken watching those little angels with golden wings fly away like that?
"Budelin, go to Kiavahr and hire a detective agency. Have them search the mining area thoroughly." Agamemnus said to his subordinate beside him.
"Master, the Old Butler said for us to investigate. Isn't it inappropriate to entrust this matter to outsiders?" Budelin asked, somewhat puzzled.
If Swain knew, he would surely say, indeed, whether it's 2K or 30K, humanity cannot escape the fate of outsourcing.
"Idiot, do you think the item would truly be hidden in the mine shaft? That old geezer merely wants some benefits. Remember our mission: the output of the minerals beneath our feet is what secures our livelihood. A large-scale search will inevitably affect the miners' productivity. If the higher-ups blame us, we'll be the ones taking the fall. That old geezer won't be affected in the slightest." Agamemnus said, looking at the elevator that had disappeared into the distance.
Clearly, the Old Butler's subsequent "otherwise" was merely to scare Agamemnus. The Tower Lord was only angry that only one set of the expensive custom power armor he had acquired remained, but that didn't mean he couldn't figure out that the item couldn't be in the mine shaft. After all, there were quite a few stolen noble items on Kiavahr. As for whether it could have been stolen by the slaves below?
Akarin felt that even considering that angle was an insult to his intelligence. If those slaves had that capability, his head would have been cut off long ago, and the armed forces could all go eat lead.
No one would have thought that the Old Butler's accidental suggestion this time had precisely guessed that the mastermind behind this incident was in the mining area. Unfortunately, both the one giving the order and the one executing it had ulterior motives, leading them to perfunctorily dismiss it.
Meanwhile, in Lycaeus's mining area, Corax had already gathered all the camp leaders, big and small, at The Saviour Camp.
"The exchange rate given by the supply station is becoming increasingly outrageous. If it weren't for the occasional support from The Saviour Camp, many of us would have starved to death by now, and this is even after Corax swept away those parasites in the west!" Giovanni said with immense anger.
As a camp leader, he now also felt that life on Lycaeus was becoming increasingly difficult. Those mad vampires were further squeezing out the miners' limits while refusing to give even a tiny bit more supplies.
Since he took over the camp, it was the first time he felt such a deep sense of powerlessness. Although according to the records of ancient predecessors, the High Tower would repeat such things every so often, no one wanted to encounter such a situation in their lifetime, and what was more vexing was that he was also the camp's person in charge. One misstep, and the camp would be destroyed in his hands.
"Yes, if these days continue, many brothers and sisters will starve to death." Another tall, thin camp leader also said. This camp leader should have originally been a very burly and tall person, but now, clearly, under the High Tower's oppression, his body had become much thinner due to food scarcity. A skeleton nearly one-third wider than an average person betrayed his condition.
"Leader Swain, thank you for your support. Corax has gathered us together, and we understand in our hearts that we are now just waiting for your command. Even if it means fighting those overseers, it's better than starving to death!"
"Yes, people can die of old age, sickness, drowning, being killed, or being burned, but they absolutely cannot starve to death! This is the most painful way to die in the world, the greatest punishment in the human world. I would rather my people be buried by a collapsed mine shaft than see the tragic sight of those who starved to death!" Ab, the leader of a camp near The Saviour Camp, recounted all this tragedy. Without the support of The Saviour Camp, many of his brothers and sisters would experience the most painful way to die in this world.
"Yes, from the time the rich mineral deposits on Lycaeus were discovered until now, hunger has always plagued the miners as slaves."
"It has always been this way since ancient times, but does 'always this way since ancient times' make it right? Our ancestors launched countless uprisings, big and small, just to gain a little bit of insignificant food, nothing more."
"Was it wrong? No, it wasn't wrong. Survival is the first priority for everyone. Was it not wrong? It was wrong, incredibly wrong. Will there be no next obedience test after this uprising succeeds?" Swain's voice, like a great bell, resonated in the ears of all the camp leaders.
"I say these words not to blame the ancestors who sacrificed themselves in uprisings, but because our goal from the beginning was wrong, or even if it wasn't wrong, it was extinguished due to fighting alone. A single spark did not ignite a prairie fire. Now, everything is different. Corax's arrival has pointed everyone in the right direction and, moreover, has brought all the camp leaders together in an unprecedented way. The time that follows will be given to Corax; let him explain our next plan." After Swain finished speaking, he yielded his position to Corax.
Originally, Swain was unwilling to come out, but he couldn't resist Corax's repeated requests, as he was, after all, the leader of The Saviour Camp. If he didn't appear, Corax always felt he was usurping power. How would the old-timers in the camp view him then, even though Swain expressed indifference to it.
For Swain, after confirming his abilities, the identity of camp leader was no longer important. The faster Corax's influence expanded, the more benefits he gained. It was practically a 'lying down to win' situation, an absolute windfall.