Inside the magnificent palace, the lights remained brilliant, and the music hadn't ceased, but the atmosphere shifted abruptly in an instant.
As the first king, preparing to leave, tentatively walked towards the gate, the heavy door inlaid with gold silently closed.
The weighty 'boom' reverberated, shaking everyone's eardrums.
The smiles on the kings' faces instantly froze, replaced by an indescribable tension and unease.
"What happened?"
A king in luxurious robes subconsciously looked back at his attendant.
The attendant also looked bewildered, answering softly:
"Your Majesty, I... I don't know either."
Throughout the palace, whispers spread like ripples, the murmuring growing louder and louder, like countless insects buzzing in their ears.
A king wearing a crown stepped forward first. He was older and his words were the most direct:
"Esteemed Five Elders, what does this mean? We were invited to attend the ceremony, and now that it's over, why is the palace gate closed?"
His voice carried a hint of anger, but more of it was probing.
Before his words could fade, everyone's gaze immediately focused on the high platform, where the figures of the five new Five Elders still stood silently.
Their expressions were as still as mountains, as if everything was under their control.
"Shut up!"
Suddenly, a burly man among the Five Elders issued a low roar, his voice like thunder, directly drowning out all the noise.
His gaze swept coldly across the hall, as if examining a group of ignorant children.
"This is not the time for you to ask questions," another of the Five Elders said with a sneer, his voice not loud, but carrying a sense of oppression that made hearts clench.
He elegantly raised a hand, his fingers waving slightly in the air, and instantly, the music in the hall stopped abruptly.
The once extravagant banquet hall was now shrouded in an invisible pressure.
The glittering chandeliers were still bright, but even the light seemed to be tinged with a layer of coldness.
"We invited you here, not to let you leave after just having a meal," the leading Five Elder slowly said, his voice unhurried but like a sharp knife, piercing straight into everyone's heart.
"What do you mean?" a king couldn't help but blurt out.
His voice already carried a tremor, and he hurriedly sought help from his surrounding companions with his eyes, but was met with the same look of surprise and uncertainty.
"Yes, what do you mean?" another, slightly more composed king also spoke, his voice tinged with caution.
The cold-faced man among the Five Elders smiled disdainfully, his tone calm but with a chilling coldness:
"You member states need to re-examine your loyalty from today onwards."
As soon as the words fell, everyone's expression changed.
Some kings even dropped the wine glasses they were holding, which shattered with a crisp sound, but no one dared to pay attention.
"Re-examine loyalty?!" a king widened his eyes, almost unable to believe his ears.
He subconsciously took a step back, only to find that behind him was an impassable marble wall.
"That's right," another Five Elder slowly walked to the edge of the platform, looking down at the crowd below, his tone extremely calm:
"We have discovered that in recent years, some kings' hearts are no longer in the right place.
Shouldn't you reflect on that?"
His words, though understated, were like a mountain pressing down on everyone's heart.
The whispering in the hall immediately ceased, leaving only a deathly silence, even the sound of breathing became incredibly suppressed.
Morgans sat in a corner, raising his eyebrows slightly, a meaningful smile on his lips.
He tapped his fingers lightly on his wine glass, not saying a word.
Stussy also remained silent, but her gaze shifted between the Five Elders and the kings, as if pondering something.
"It seems there's a deeper meaning behind this 'ceremony'," Morgans muttered to himself, gently swirling the wine in his glass.
The red wine reflected an eerie light under the lights, as dazzling as blood.
The heavy door slowly opened again, the sound of thick metal grinding like a death knell announcing judgment, weighing heavily on people's hearts.
Those restless kings and representatives all turned their gazes to the door, where a team of dignified World Government guards filed in, standing solemnly on both sides, forming an invisible barrier.
And the new Five Elders slowly walked back to their respective seats on the high platform, each step as if treading on everyone's suspended heartstrings.
Their aura was completely different from before.
The banquet just now seemed to be a smokescreen, and at this moment, their every movement and every word exuded an irresistible pressure.
After settling down, the leading Five Elder spoke first:
"Everyone, today's gathering shouldn't have been such a somber occasion, but some things must be dealt with in a timely manner."
His voice was low and clear, echoing in the silent palace.
His gaze swept over everyone, carrying some unfathomable chill:
"Presumably you have all heard the name 'Jin An'."
The hall fell silent instantly.
This name was like a sharp knife, piercing directly into everyone's ears and hearts.
For the World Government's member states, this name was both familiar and foreign.
He was the center of the recent storm, an enemy of the World Government, but at the same time, he was rumored to be a "liberator" and a "beacon of hope."
Hearing this, several older kings exchanged glances, a few traces of hesitation and vigilance flashing in their eyes.
Some couldn't help but cough twice, trying to hide the unease on their faces.
The younger royal representatives were clearly nervous, their palms sweating slightly as they gripped their scepters, but they didn't dare to make a sound.
A slightly bolder king tentatively asked:
"Jin An... is indeed a dangerous person.
But haven't we member states... already sufficiently supported the World Government?
He is now far away in Elbaf, to us..."
"Enough!" another Five Elder directly interrupted him, saying coldly, "Support? Just lip service? Don't you know that Jin An's rise threatens the very foundation of each and every one of you!"
Another Five Elder slowly stood up, his voice not loud, but suffocating:
"Jin An is a tumor that must be eradicated. And this time, our World Government will personally take the lead to solve this problem."
He paused, seemingly intentionally giving everyone time to think.
He fixed his gaze on several kings who clearly had some goodwill towards Jin An, his gaze carrying an unquestionable warning.
"Therefore, from now on, we need each and every one of you to contribute your armies, resources, and intelligence."
As soon as the words fell, a low murmur erupted from below.
"Contribute armies? What does this mean?"
"Jin An is indeed a problem, but are we going to send troops? Can our country withstand such consumption?"
"If we refuse, what will happen..."
Some muttered to themselves with ugly expressions, while others frowned and fell into deep thought.
But more chose to remain silent, seemingly waiting for others to speak first.
Unlike the hesitation of the other kings, those kings who were closely related to Jin An became nervous almost instantly.
Some subconsciously raised their hands to touch their foreheads, wiping away nonexistent sweat;
Some gripped their scepters tightly, their knuckles slightly white;
Others pretended to be calm and took a sip of wine, but the slightly trembling glass betrayed their true feelings.
"How are we going to handle this?" a king asked his ally in a low voice, "Can we hide our connection with Jin An?"
"Don't speak!" the other party hissed in a low voice, "Any reaction now will expose ourselves, calm down."
Sitting in the corner, Morgans narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.
He tapped the table, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and murmured, "Finally, some interesting drama is starting..."
Stussy frowned slightly, her eyes looking at the Five Elders on the high platform with a complicated expression.
Her fingers tapped lightly on her wine glass unconsciously, as if calculating something.
The Five Elders on the high platform had obviously seen through everyone's thoughts.
They coldly looked down at the people below, their gazes sweeping across the venue like hungry wolves.
"Everyone," the leading Five Elder spoke again, his tone icy but with a faint threat, "This time, we don't need questions, and we don't accept refusals.
Because this is to maintain the balance of the world—and each of you is a part of this balance."
His voice echoed in the hall, like a sentence being pronounced, weighing heavily on people's hearts.
At this moment, everyone realized that this "ceremony" was just a trial to thoroughly screen loyalty.
And those who had any hesitation in their hearts might soon face a catastrophic disaster.
...
