Master of the End Times

Chapter 915: Hapless Fire Phoenix

"Okay, I will reject them all." Xue Xingfu abided. He had already thought of a hundred excuses to deny their applications in his mind. The words used would be implicit yet irreproachable.

"You have never disappointed me. As for the B-tiers, you can absorb those you deem capable. Our business is expanding rapidly now. We can use some help," Qin Feng said.

"Alright, leave it to me."

Once the matters were all sorted out, Qin Feng headed south through East Sea City. Before he crossed the bridge leading into the Dark Citadel, Qin Feng disguised himself.

The Dark Citadel did not look very different from a month ago. It was only February, which was still long before the auction would commence. Nonetheless, there were still a lot of newcomers entering the city to seek refuge under the Dark Coalition.

Though the Dark Citadel belonged to the Dark Coalition, it did not mean that this was a lawless place. In contrast, such an organized city that had lasted for decades must have its own unique rule of operation. Most importantly, the stability of this place was owed hugely to the powerful man reigning this city, who could quash any retaliation even before it began.

Fire Phoenix was sitting in her office and she leashed out a long sigh.

Such helplessness had occurred more often than not after He Tianxing was killed. He Tianxing was often away from the citadel even when he was alive, so this type of trouble was not new to her.

However, at least she felt insured then. Now, the wait seemed to have no end. The anxiousness almost drove Fire Phoenix crazy.

Thinking about the restless A-tier aptitude users only worsened her headache.

They had not heard from the Black Alp Overlord for more than a month now. Many began to believe that the elect did not care about the wealth in the Dark Citadel after all. He had absentmindedly claimed them under his wing and did not actually mean it. A few bold ones had even planned to run away from the Dark Citadel with their share.

Fire Phoenix did not have this luxury. She was specifically named by the S-tier to stay and manage the Dark Citadel while he was away.

"Manager, the meeting will commence soon. Master Ming Hu is pressing for it. I…" Fire Phoenix's secretary was only a B-tier aptitude user. There was a clear handprint on his face. Apparently, he had just been slapped.

Fire Phoenix was infuriated when she saw the red mark.

It was too much disrespect from Ming Hu to treat her man like this.

"Let's go!" Fire Phoenix slammed the table and walked to the meeting room with the secretary. She barely missed the distortion at the dark corner of her office, where a figure in a dark robe appeared out of thin air.

"It seems Fire Phoenix is having a hard time." Qin Feng had expected it. However, he would not have come to relieve her if not because of the Aether Realm.

He did not have the slight interest to help a member of the Dark Coalition. Not only that, Fire Phoenix had exposed him to He Tianxing before and wanted him dead.

If not because Fire Phoenix still had some use to him, Qin Feng would not hesitate to end her life.

Qin Feng trailed behind Fire Phoenix into the meeting room. Strangely, no one around them noticed him. His dark ability had been enhanced dramatically through training, while also being amplified by the Hellstone. Even an S-tier could not see through his silhouette clearly now.

The meeting room was fuming with cigarette smoke. Members of the Dark Coalition were unable to access herbs like Dreamer and could only light lower-grade cigars. The cigarette smell muddled the air inside the meeting room, which suffocated the tiny place with an unpleasant stink.

Fire Phoenix frowned disgustedly. But this was how users from the Dark Coalition usually behaved—ruthless and unrestrained.

Of course, when He Tianxing was still around, these people still displayed minimal respect even when He Tianxing was not present.

They were simply unscrupulous now.

Not only that but Ming Hu had taken the president's seat. Again, no one dared to sit on it when He Tianxing was still their head, not even Fire Phoenix. They usually sat on either side and left the main seat vacant during the meeting.

"Ming Hu, don't push it."

"What do you mean? I can push even further. Do you want to try? Hehe!" Ming Hu measured Fire Phoenix's curvy body with a lewd grin.

Fire Phoenix was enraged. "You must be tired of living!"

Fire runes sparked around Fire Phoenix. The extreme heat promptly vortexed around Ming Hu.

An internal force shield appeared around Ming Hu to resist Fire Phoenix's raging aura.

"Come on, let's talk this through peacefully. Why fight against your own people? Stop it now, you two." Another A-tier persuaded.

"Hey, I wish to talk in peace too. But that lady over there refuses to cooperate. What can I do, Fateless?" Ming Hu said.

Fateless was a well-known elect in the Dark Citadel. He gave himself the name not out of sentiment or a whim. It was simply because he viewed himself as a heartless businessman that only recognizes coins. There was no friend or kin in his world. Everyone and everything were just products with price tags. As such, he called himself Fateless, someone who had no fate with another human being in this world.

He was a wolf in sheep's clothing. One could easily be tricked if not careful.

"If your peace proposal means embezzling the auction items, then there's no peace between us."

"Fire Phoenix, stop being so stubborn. The Dark Citadel is in a power void now. If elects from Dragon Capital learn that our duke has died, they would immediately send an army here. These items would eventually be plundered then one way or another. Why don't we claim them first?"

"You are already thinking about fleeing before the war even starts? You should probably leave now, coward!"

Ming Hu retracted his lustful grin and put on a grim face. He glared at Fire Phoenix and said viciously, "Fire Phoenix, let me warn you. I am still talking to you like this because I am giving you face. If you don't appreciate it, my brothers and I don't mind getting into a war with you to claim back what we deserve."

"That's right. We have been working painstakingly for the S-tier all these years. In the end, what do we get? I don't want to leave here empty-handed. I am not asking for a lot. Give me 5% of the total asset and you would not see me in the Dark Citadel ever again." Another A-tier chipped in.

"Keep everything else. I have been taking charge of the mine near the mainland all this while. Give that to me. That's all I am asking."

"I want…"

"Split some for me…"

It seemed that the thirteen A-tiers inside the meeting room had come to a consensus. They were determined to split the Dark Citadel's fortune.

Fire Phoenix breathed heavily and angrily. Yet, what could she do?

The worst scenario had arrived, inevitably.

Phoenix could no longer control them, not with the name of the Dark Alp Overlord whom nobody knew of his origin.

They were doing this even though some among them had witnessed how the Overlord killed He Tianxing. Apparently, they believed they would never see the Overlord in this Citadel ever again. Even if he did reappear, that would be long after they had disappeared with all the good stuff.