Authority

Frinda sat directly opposite Du Chen. Although it was a round table meeting, signifying equality, Miss Frinda's posture and imposing aura made it seem as if she were presiding over the entire affair!

"One must assume the responsibilities that come with their position!" Frinda arched a brow. "Firstly, I hold no official post. Secondly, I am unaware of Durkes City's detailed resources. Thirdly, I know nothing of Thornwood Valley's enemy situation. With no clear responsibilities, and neither friend nor foe understood, how can this Lord speak?" Her implication was clear: if he wanted her to act, he must first grant her real power!

*Damn it, Liana didn't complain a whit even when I demoted her to Quartermaster back then, so what are you complaining about?!* Du Chen sighed inwardly. *Forget it, there's only one Liana. I can't expect everyone to conform to my every wish like her... Today is busy, and it truly is time to assign Frinda a position!*

Du Chen asked, "Cassian, you spearheaded the recruitment effort. What position do you believe Miss Frinda is suited for?"

Cassian's face suddenly flushed. "My Lord, Miss Frinda's talents far surpass mine. I truly dare not make a rash judgment, but... she should be able to fill the position left by Sister Liana!"

"Very well. Effective immediately, Frinda shall provisionally assume the role of Chief Administrator of Durkes City's Internal Affairs!" Du Chen emphasized the word "provisionally." *After all, Frinda's capabilities haven't been proven in practice. Hold the post for now; if it doesn't work out, I'll remove you immediately!*

"Chief Administrator?" Frinda's brows furrowed. "Cassian, immediately explain Durkes City's administrative structure!"

"Yes. Durkes City's administrative system comprises three Bureaus, two Armies, and one Staff Headquarters. The Chief Administrator oversees the internal affairs of the three Bureaus, while General Dud single-handedly commands the City Defense Army and the Beastkin Slave Army. The three Bureaus are..." Cassian spoke eloquently, though he omitted one detail. Du Chen also possessed a two-thousand-strong Fiendkind force – the household guards of the Brockman family. However, this was an absolute secret, of which Cassian was completely unaware, hence he did not mention it.

Frinda, having grasped Durkes City's administrative structure, let out a disdainful scoff. "Who devised this structure? The organization is bloated, overstaffed, and inefficient... My Lord, I demand a reform of the administrative system. The Internal Affairs Staff Headquarters of the Lord's Manor shall remain unchanged, but administration and military commands shall be unified under my authority. I will establish the Governor-General's Office of Durkes, overseeing all crucial military and governmental affairs!"

*Bang!* Du Chen slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. *You damn girl, you just walked in and immediately demanded all military and administrative power from me? Have you gone mad?!*

Du Chen knew well that Frinda didn't intend to usurp power; she merely sought to control everything to ensure Durkes City fully implemented her policies, unifying decrees. Only then could she fulfill her "Foremost City in Three Years" pact! Originally, Du Chen wouldn't have cared, but two things truly incensed him: Frinda demanding his lifeline – military authority – and her criticizing the administrative system Liana had personally established!

Frinda lifted her gaze, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Does the Lord not adhere to the principle of 'employing only those one trusts'? Why the hesitation? If you lack the courage to delegate this authority, then if our pact for the 'Foremost City in Three Years' cannot be fulfilled... do not blame me!"

Du Chen rubbed the tip of his nose and chuckled. "Regarding internal affairs, your establishment of an office and overall oversight pose no problem! But for military matters... once we return to the city, go and meet Dud. If you are confident you can do better than him, then handing you military authority is no issue!"

*Hmph, compete with Dud in military affairs? Even if you called your ancestor, Marshal Saint Dak, it might not work. You stubborn girl, just wait to be put in your place by Dud!*

Frinda nodded. "Agreed. Cassian, record this: Durkes City's three Bureaus are abolished. A Chief Minister's Office shall be established. Once Dud transfers military authority to me, it shall then be reformed into the Governor-General's Office!"

At that moment, Frinda was brimming with confidence, thinking she could surely best Dud and seize military control! However, to her chagrin, a few days later, upon arriving in Durkes City, Frinda witnessed Dud's military formations and, after conducting ten consecutive simulated military exercises against him, she was startled to discover that there truly existed a peak in this world so high that she couldn't even see its shadow...

Owing to Dud's presence, Frinda failed to gain control of Durkes City's military authority as she had wished, thus preventing her from becoming the military and administrative Governor-General of Durkes City! Therefore, as of today, Durkes City's administrative system, or rather, Du Chen's core foundational structure, was the one solidified during tonight's round table meeting: Frinda's Chief Minister's Office would oversee State Affairs, Dud would command military power, Martin would manage the Staff Headquarters, and beyond these, Du Chen's absolutely loyal subordinates – Du Chen's Divine Cult, led by Deboning, and the Fiendkind covert branch, centered around the Brockman family!

Something seems to be missing, doesn't it? Heh-heh, the taverns and casinos controlled by York Town, spread across the Three Continents, would continuously funnel intelligence to the Lord's Manor. The one managing this intelligence, or rather, Du Chen's spymaster, was none other than our Shieb, Mr. Harry!

...

Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. With distinct responsibilities and a complete administrative system, the vast network of forces under Du Chen's control truly began to mobilize.

After thoroughly understanding Durkes City's situation, Frinda symbolically received the Chief Minister's Seal from Du Chen, affixed it to her person, and stood up to declare loudly, "Let's return to the main topic. The Pontiff has commanded us to attack Thornwood Valley. Although the enemy situation in Thornwood Valley remains unclear, we possess the righteous cause of humanity and the full support of the Papal Curia in this battle. Victory is entirely predictable! Therefore, whether to fight or not hinges on the ratio of gains to losses!"

Du Chen nodded. On the scales of "to fight or not to fight," he first added a chip he couldn't openly voice: eliminating Thornwood Valley would undeniably be a Great Benevolence, a tremendous act of Merit. After dispelling the toxic smoke, only half of his Lotus of the Fifth Trigram remained. Although the newly manifested Arcane Artifact habitually went missing, once he eradicated Thornwood Valley, the Fifth Trigram would surely fully open, and then the fifth component of his composite Arcane Artifact would undoubtedly appear. His strength... would reach at least Twelfth-rank!

Thus, Du Chen was actually inclined towards war in his heart. However, now was different from the past; his family and enterprise had grown vast, and Durkes City had become an indispensable stronghold. Without the military might supported by Durkes City, what would happen if Margaret recovered from her injuries and dispatched hundreds of thousands of Water's Embrace Puppet Legions to hunt him and Xue Ji across the entire continent!? So, what Du Chen was thinking was that he could serve as the Pontiff's Blade, but if he incurred too many losses, it wouldn't be worth it...

Frinda's words had truly resonated with Du Chen's innermost thoughts!

Frinda continued, "Even without the Pontiff's orders to leave no living captives, we should not delude ourselves into thinking Thornwood Valley will surrender to Durkes City, nor should we attempt to subjugate those villains. That would force everyone in the world to hate us, and our prestige would be utterly lost! Therefore, after we win, what we gain will be Thornwood Valley's millennium-old accumulated resources, the reverence of the world, and leverage during the Kuran Alliance Assembly six months later, when we contend for humanity's social standing!"

Frinda's gaze once again turned to Du Chen. "As for what we might lose... I must first ask the Lord to describe the situation in Thornwood Valley!"

Du Chen frowned. "According to Adams and the intelligence I possess, Thornwood Valley has eight bosses and one highly-skilled disciple. Discounting the missing Constantine and the First Boss who is on the verge of death, there are still seven principal figures remaining. Among them, at least two are Tenth-rank Battle Gods – Thomas and Sha. The other five bosses are also experts above Ninth-rank! Furthermore, Thornwood Valley has thrived for a millennium; though named a valley, it is in fact a grand city with a population of no less than two hundred thousand! And within the valley, there are many rebel generals and treacherous officials from various powerful nations. Thus, they are by no means a disorganized rabble, but formidable opponents whose military and strategic capabilities cannot be underestimated!"

"Two hundred thousand people?" Frinda's brow furrowed. "Thornwood Valley's unique background dictates a very high ratio of combatants to civilians! This implies that we are to use Durkes City's thirty thousand Beastkin Slave Army on a long expedition to confront at least a hundred thousand strong army, which also holds a geographical advantage..."

*Thump, thump.* Du Chen tapped his fingertips on the tabletop and chuckled, "The situation has largely been made clear. I don't need extensive analysis. Give me one word: fight, or not fight!?"

Frinda slammed her hand fiercely on the table. "Fight! Durkes City must never bear the stigma of cowardice in battle!"

Du Chen suddenly sighed inwardly. *Indeed, the leader determines the character of the organization. In Liana's era, Durkes City always prioritized maximizing benefits, even if it meant sacrificing pride for quiet gains – that could be considered the 'King's Way'! But now, in the era of Frinda's governance, the primary reason for thirty thousand to confront a hundred thousand is simply not to be seen as cowardly in battle!?*

*Overbearing! Absolutely overbearing!*

Frinda rubbed her reddened palm and chuckled. "My Lord, you need not worry that thirty thousand cannot triumph over a hundred thousand. This is my first battle, and as a Descendant of the Sun God, I will absolutely not permit its failure!" Her implication was clear: *Rest assured, even if you can afford to lose this battle, I, Frinda, cannot. If necessary, the Saint Dak family will intervene to ensure victory!*

It was a reassuring statement, but Du Chen merely curled his lips. "Esteemed Frinda, there's no need to be overly concerned. Cassian, inform the Chief Minister of the Durkesians' attitude towards war!"

Cassian shook his head helplessly. "My Lord, General Dud has been 'bottled up' for too long. A hundred thousand... will that be enough for him to vent his frustrations?"

...

In truth, there was another cruel, yet extremely swift and decisive method to deal with Thornwood Valley – to use the Raging Fire Scorcher Cannon and directly wipe the city off the horizon!

The Thunder Cannon possessed such capability. After a large-scale area-of-effect attack, while a few High-level Battle Gods might certainly escape from the dispersed artillery fire, Du Chen and Xue Ji could then seal off the perimeter, with Andy slaughtering those within. Theoretically, Thornwood Valley could be destroyed in mere minutes. However, Du Chen dared not use this method!

Firstly, Du Chen did not wish to unveil the Thunder Cannon merely for Thornwood Valley. *A prominent tree will be felled by the wind;* any power possessing such an ultimate weapon would inevitably attract dread and enmity. Secondly, Adams's Thunder Cannon was a Mystic Artifact with its own sentience! What if, after leaving Little Duding's protected basement, it somehow summoned the Scarlet Army!? Thus, Du Chen would not deploy the Thunder Cannon unless absolutely necessary!

With the meeting concluded, Du Chen stretched, then chuckled, "Alright, I'll give Bairu my reply tomorrow. But first, let me make one thing clear: I also need to rescue over fifteen thousand civilians afflicted by Ice Toxin. When that time comes, no one is to touch Thomas, the chief culprit; he's reserved for Andy, the strongest among us! As for Sha, who wields Wind-Snow Thorns... I will personally kill him!"