Hidden Moth-Chapter 594 - 343: Breaking Barriers with a Skillful Fist

Hu Weidong's single statement defined the nature of the recent event.

Firstly, this was an assassination attempt on a Supreme Council elder, witnessed by all and irrefutable. In any case, Johnson is already dead and couldn't rise to explain anything.

In fact, just a short while ago in the conference hall, Hu Weidong had also acted against Johnson, but the nature was different. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Back then, Hu Weidong's methods were not harmful, aiming to stop Johnson's disrespectful behavior and maintain order in discussions, though it slightly hinted at establishing authority.

However, in the scene just now, Johnson genuinely aimed to injure and kill.

He conveniently labeled Johnson as a "traitor", openly assassinating a Supreme Council elder at the Xiao Alliance's headquarters. If this doesn't define a traitor, then what does?

What's more, everyone knew this was likely just a private vendetta, but because Johnson was dead, nothing more could be extracted through interrogation, and any investigation had to start by looking into those connected with him.

Johnson was originally recommended by Mei Lin to enter the Supreme Council, so to investigate, Mei Lin had to be looked into first.

The internal inspection head of the Xiao Alliance is Madala, the elder and a Tier Six Earth Master, so Hu Weidong specifically mentioned his name.

After finishing his words, Hu Weidong turned and left, his face stern and ignoring everyone, which is understandable. Anyone who just survived an assassination attempt would not be in a good mood.

Johnson's move was precisely what Hu Weidong was hoping for, and he was secretly delighted. He understood Johnson's character well; having made an enemy today, Johnson would undoubtedly seek revenge.

Even though Hu Weidong himself wasn't afraid, he had children and family to consider, so he decided to cut the threat at its root right then and there. He even managed to take a Quasi-Divine Artifact along the way, a stroke of luck indeed.

Arthur, trailing at the end, glanced at Mei Lin as if to say, "Why did you recruit someone so brainless into the Supreme Council in the first place?"

What could Mei Lin say? Arthur had also agreed to nominate Johnson for elder at the time, thinking of him as a simpleton, easy to control tool.

The day's events spiraled out of control mainly due to a misjudgment of Hu Weidong's temperament and conduct, assuming he was easygoing, which was a stereotype they held about many from the Eastern Country. Yet, he turned out to be quite the opposite!

It seems this person was adept at enduring patience and only revealed his true colors after becoming a Supreme Council elder.

Mei Lin conveyed with Divine Thought, "That Hu fellow took the Fusang Bow."

Arthur replied, "It's already in his hands; trying to stop him now is futile. We should think about damage control. You must abstain from nominating new elders this time."

Hu Weidong had shown clear signs of establishing authority and vying for power, so Arthur and others certainly didn't want him acquiring such a powerful and versatile Quasi-Divine Artifact, making him even harder to deal with.

The Fusang Bow is one of the most cherished heirlooms of the Xiao Alliance, and only Supreme Council elders are eligible to possess and safeguard it. Under normal circumstances, even if Hu Weidong wanted to apply, he couldn't have obtained it since Johnson had already claimed it.

But now, Johnson, the "assassin," was slain personally by Hu Weidong, and the vicious Fusang Bow was also taken by him. As a senior elder, Hu Weidong was already entitled to it, making any further prevention impossible.

The investigation into the assassination couldn't truly bring any demise upon Mei Lin, but it would certainly dent his credibility. Nominating such a figure as Johnson last time has already reduced his persuasive power for future nominations.

...

A few days later, the Supreme Council convened again. Mei Lin apologized to Hu Weidong for his "poor judgment of character," marking an end to his censure, yet he abstained from the new elder nomination process.

Ultimately, the candidate jointly nominated by Hu Weidong and the other five elders was successfully approved, becoming the new elder.

These elders' ability to jointly propose was undoubtedly the result of private negotiations and exchange of interests. These matters, kept behind the scenes, are the truly critical steps, while the voting session itself is often just a formality.

This once more raised Arthur's alertness. Hu Weidong's ability to rally nearly half the Supreme Council elders, even if just on the temporary matter of nominating a new elder, hinted at uneasy alliances forming.

Including Hu Weidong, the six elders who jointly nominated saw their figure ascend to the council, now controlling seven seats, a clear majority!

Nonetheless, the candidate they proposed was uncontroverted, clearly a result of balanced interests, leaving no apparent grounds for opposition.

The new elder's name is Wenges, a Heart Stealer from the Xingshen path, with a Tier Five Perfection cultivation, deemed most promising to break through to a Tier Six Illusion Master in the Xiao Alliance. The importance of a Tier Six Illusion Master to the organization is self-evident.

Even as a Tier Five Heart Stealer, his skills in perception and manipulation of hearts are indispensable for many tasks.

The Supreme Council comprises thirteen seats, originally with three occupied by cultivators from the Observing Body path, including two elders. With Johnson's removal, promoting another from the Observing Body path was out of the question, a consensus among many elders.

With Wenges elected as an elder, the six major paths of Observing Body, Microcosm, Heart Plate, Qi Observation, Alchemy Cauldron, and Xingshen each occupy two seats, achieving a fair and reasonable distribution.

Lingxi path only holding one seat is unavoidable, as this line of heritage has always been weaker within the Xiao Alliance; having even one seat is already fortunate.