vncnus Chapter 153 Block Alliance
Chapter 153 Block Alliance
Chapter 153 Block Alliance
Kendrick, still carrying his long elm trunk, bowed deeply to Aaron from a distance.
He was still so reserved.
Aaron smiled back at Kendrick and gestured for him to come in.
Upon reaching Aaron's side, Kendrick began to speak:
"Mr. Mosley, Draco and I agreed to meet in two hours, but I would like to visit earlier."
"The library is now open, and we welcome any visitors," Aaron said with a polite smile. "However, I guess you're not here to read, are you?"
“Yes,” Kendrick nodded, “although I quite enjoy reading—sir, I’ve come to investigate the library’s structure so that I can better destroy it.”
"You really are eager to kill me, aren't you?" Aaron raised an eyebrow, flipped his right palm, and stepped aside half a body.
"Please go ahead."
"Thanks--"
After Kendrick finished speaking, he immediately began to study the structure of the library.
Aaron didn't disturb them. After returning to the registration counter, he quickly flipped through the book "Crimson Cravings" to review it.
More than an hour later, Kendrick stood in front of the registration counter.
Aaron looked up and smiled: "Is it ready?"
"Um-"
"Did you find anything?"
"I suppose so," Kendrick nodded, "but this library looks weathered, yet it's more sturdy than I imagined. Destroying it completely will be quite difficult—"
"Really? Then let's give it our best."
"Thank you, Mr. Mosley, you're a very kind person."
"Don't worry about it, it was agreed upon after all."
Aaron lowered his head slightly, then continued, "However, Mr. Bates, as you said yesterday, I can indeed understand you, but I am also a little worried about you. Your actions will ultimately not be accepted by the world, and one day, it may drag you into the abyss."
"Sir, I'm already at the bottom of the abyss."
Kendrick lowered his head, looking dejected, and said...
"Since developing this bad habit, I've lived in constant fear of being discovered, to the point that I can't sleep at night. I haven't had a good night's sleep in many years. Sir, you can imagine the torment, can't you?"
"Since you are suffering from this, why not consider trying to change it?"
"I've tried, sir, but all have failed. Once the desire surges into my mind, my body begins to act uncontrollably. I've also tried using other stimuli to alleviate my desire, but no matter how expensive the prostitutes are, I still can't overcome that urge."
"I understand," Aaron said, staring into Kendrick's eyes. "It seems you've had a very difficult time these past few years." "My God, sir, you really—" Kendrick looked at Aaron with tears in his eyes. "This is the first time someone has been able to empathize with me. Thank you, sir, thank you so much. Talking to you has made me feel much better."
"However, Mr. Bates, although your past attempts have all failed, it does not mean that you are beyond help."
"Sir, what do you mean?"
Kendrick wiped away his tears and gazed intently at Aaron.
Aaron smiled and said, "In the past, you suppressed your nature in order to eliminate that excitement, so your body and mind naturally resist it."
But have you ever considered that if you were restraining yourself for a greater thrill, could you have lasted longer?
Kendrick clearly didn't understand Aaron's meaning; he blinked in confusion.
"Sir, please explain."
"The longer you endure, will your inner desires become stronger?"
"Yes."
"Then wait until your desires have reached their peak, and then choose to release them. Wouldn't that allow you to reap the ultimate pleasure? This way, you can at least reduce the frequency of your wrongdoings."
"That's right! How come I didn't think of that!" Kendrick clapped his hands loudly. "Sir, you truly possess wisdom beyond your years! However, even so, I estimate it won't last long."
"Why?" Aaron asked.
"You don't have the same problem as me. You probably don't understand, but once I experience something exciting, I'm eager to replicate it. At that point, I might completely forget the advice you give me."
"I understand. Does that mean you've lost most of your self-control in this area?"
"Yes-"
"If that's the case, what if there's external assistance?"
"External assistance?" Kendrick looked puzzled.
Aaron chuckled softly: "How about this? You stay near the library, and I'll help you control your desires. You absolutely cannot kill anyone without my permission. This can be considered a form of self-cultivation, and perhaps it can even completely cure this problem of yours."
"That works! This way, even if I get carried away with my emotions for a while, it's okay!"
Kendrick suddenly felt delighted, but when he glanced at Aaron's face, his expression became hesitant.
"But Mr. Mosley, isn't this going to a bit too much trouble for you?"
Aaron shook his head: "No, I will also receive some payment."
"What kind of compensation?"
"It might involve doing some things for me," Aaron said, "but rest assured, it will be something you can accept."
After Aaron finished speaking, Kendrick fell into deep thought.
After a long pause, he finally nodded vigorously:
"Anyway, I'm just a homeless ghostwriter; I can make a living anywhere. I understand, Mr. Mosley. Thank you for your help!"
"Hmm—oh! Right,"
Aaron nodded and smiled, then suddenly handed Kendrick a copy of "Crimson Lust" from the counter.
"You can take this book and have a look."
"This is"
Kendrick took the book with both hands and then stared at the cover.
"This book is very compatible with your personality. Studying and practicing its contents will amplify the stimulation you experience when you release your desires," Aaron explained. "I think this will give you greater motivation in your spiritual practice."
Kendrick nodded: "Yes, sir, I will study this book carefully!"
Aaron agreed to respond, and I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Having achieved their two objectives—keeping Kendrick near the library and delivering the banned books to him—the library doors were finally opened once more.
Those who entered this time were Draco and three others.
It seems the time they agreed upon has arrived.
Aaron had Harriet take Cassie back to her room and invited the warriors to sit down at the teakwood table.
At this moment, everyone except Aaron was solemn.
Seeing this, Aaron's smile remained gentle as he calmly said:
"So, you've all thought this through carefully?"
"Yes," Draco nodded. "Mr. Mosley, to be honest, I was quite disappointed when I saw how young you were yesterday. But I never expected you to be so insightful, seeing through our shameful nature on our very first meeting."
"It's difficult to help others than to help yourself. Your husband has already clearly seen his own character. In terms of moral character, you are above me," Aaron replied calmly.
"You are too modest," Draco said. "Anyway, I will no longer look down on you because of your age."
"No need to be so formal, Sir. But everyone's time is precious, so let's not waste it. Tell me, what is your purpose in getting involved in this?"
Draco answered first: "Although my reason is shameful, if I insist on hiding it now, I will hardly make any progress in the future—Mr. Mosley, I am actually just doing this for fame."
"When I heard people discussing Little Lola's story, I felt a stronger emotion than admiration: envy."
"So I investigated the murder case in Nam Kwong and imitated it. When I heard people starting to talk about my deeds, I was overjoyed."
"After receiving the word 'righteousness' from Little Lola, I became even more enthusiastic about killing for others, so that my symbol would be known to more people, and my deeds would be known to more and more people."
Aaron asked, "Wouldn't it be better to maintain the status quo? Why did you have to come see me?"
"I've thought about this problem carefully for a long time, and the answer I can think of is that I'm not satisfied."
Draco said,
"My area of activity is limited, and my fame is ultimately confined to parts of the west and among the lower classes."
I am also aware of my own limitations. Although I have some skills, I am by no means top-tier, and I cannot achieve greater fame on my own.
"So you want to band together and claim the team's reputation as your own?"
"Yes," Draco nodded.
Aaron nodded to him, then turned his self-light on the others.
Mercenary captain Ajax chimed in, "I just want to prove myself. I didn't study at a knight school, so it's hard for me to get a chance to be a squire, let alone become a knight."
"But my talent isn't bad at all; in fact, I'm far stronger than many academic knights. But no matter how dissatisfied I am, I can't change the fact that I'm just a lowly mercenary. Mercenary? Ha, nothing more than a thug!"
"But among mercenaries, there exists the Unswearing Knights, who are role models for all mercenaries. Their strength is such that even many renowned knights dare not underestimate them. If I were a member of the Unswearing Knights, I could proudly proclaim myself a mercenary!"
"In that case," Aaron asked, "why don't you join them?"
"The Unsworn Knights don't accept patrons; they only recruit on their own initiative," Ajax shook his head helplessly. "So when I heard about Draco's actions, I immediately asked to join him, hoping to gain the world's attention through this."
"Hmm—" Instructor Wenn suddenly murmured, "I'm just confused. As you all know, I'm a knight instructor. I've trained many knights, and I've also mentored Draco."
"But despite their glorious and holy titles, they all became the lords' black gloves. They no longer pursued morality and character, abandoned justice and honor, fawned on the powerful for wealth, and extinguished their conscience for status."
"It wasn't until Draco told me what he was doing that I immediately realized that not all of those I had trained were scoundrels—but judging from his own account, he wasn't much better than my other disciples—"
"Teacher—" Draco frowned helplessly.
"But I don't regret joining the operation; at least it allowed me to uphold my sense of justice."
Instructor Wen continued,
"Since this is a group, I still hope to have a unified philosophy. I don't want this group to bring shame upon me in the end."
Aaron nodded, then turned to the remaining two.
Sir Barton said, "I have no other intentions than to sleep with the princess."
Aunt? Aaron was puzzled. Was there any necessary connection between these two things?
Moreover, if the news brought by the phoenix-feathered parrot is accurate, judging from the current age of the king, the youngest princess should be in her forties or fifties by now... Well, whatever makes him happy.
Draco, who was standing nearby, explained, "He meant that he wanted to do something different."
Patton added, "It's fresh! I'm fed up with everything being the same!"
At this point, Kendrick also gave his answer: "I just wanted an excuse to kill."
What a motley crew! "I can tell, you're all highly skilled."
Aaron spoke, scanning the crowd around him.
"Fame, respect, belief, experience, desire—the five of you are pursuing completely different things, and any one of them is something that others would spend their entire lives to find."
"Now you should understand how difficult it is to integrate all five of these things together."
The five remained silent until Draco spoke on their behalf:
"So, Mr. Mosley, what's your opinion?"
"My opinion is not important," Aaron replied. "These are your inner desires, not mine. You should discuss and decide how to proceed from here on out."
"But we are all participants," Draco said. "The proposals we put forward will inevitably be more inclined to satisfy our own inner desires, so someone needs to be able to fairly grasp the overall situation."
"Fairness is a virtue of chivalry, and in that respect, you still retain some of the chivalrous spirit," Aaron smiled. "Well, I can offer my opinion, but it will inevitably contain my subjective thoughts."
"It's alright," Draco said. "We're all gathered here because of you."
Only Aaron knew how ridiculous their reason for coming here was.
But it doesn't matter, Aaron intends to make this joke no longer funny.
After a moment of hesitation, Aaron looked up:
"Then how about you form an assassin organization?"
Wen Enmei: "An assassin?"
"Don't worry, Instructor, I've considered your request."
Aaron looked at Winn, his eyes gleaming. "As per Sir Carson's request, the first thing that needs to be determined is that a clear organization must be established."
"Of the five of you, only Mr. Bates has specific requirements for the actions taken, so the organization's tone must be the dark theme of 'murder'."
"Captain Schmidt wants to gain recognition through his team, so every member of the team must be an elite. To prove this to outsiders, he needs to have enough achievements, and assassination is undoubtedly a high-difficulty operation. Therefore, 'assassin' is the best option I can think of."
"But what the instructor pursues is a belief in justice, which prevents the organization from accepting just any commission. In other words..."
Organizations cannot act solely for profit; assassination missions must be rigorously screened.
"Finally, there's Sir Richmond's request. You're looking for new experiences, and I think assassination is already novel enough for most people. If you're still not satisfied, I suggest you share commissions so you can find the newest one for you."
After Aaron finished explaining his thoughts, the five people in front of him all frowned and began to consider.
The first to raise a question was Winn: "Mr. Mosley, what are the criteria for this selection process you mentioned?"
"You can discuss this yourselves, or you can decide for yourselves," Aaron said, spreading his left hand. "After all, apart from you, the others aren't too concerned about the justice of the actions."
Ajax said, "I think it's meaningless. Humans are inherently lazy and always good at forgiving themselves, which leads to a continuous lowering of the bar until they are completely lost in killing. Like mercenaries, they always become more and more apathetic and often cannot escape the fate of wasting their lives in nothingness."
"Furthermore, sharing delegation is far too difficult to achieve."
Sir Barton said,
"How do I know if the other party has received the information I share, and what if multiple people are willing to take on the commission?"
This undoubtedly requires multiple rounds of correspondence, increasing the risk of intelligence leaks and making it far too inefficient.
Faced with these flaws, Aaron pondered deeply and finally came to the following conclusion:
"You're right, Captain Schmidt. In that case, we need an outsider to supervise and hold the line for you."
"Sir Richmond's words also make sense. Efficiency is a very important element for an organization. And the best way to share delegations without affecting efficiency is undoubtedly to first aggregate them and then distribute them."
"Lord Richmond, this way, you won't know what kind of commission you'll be carrying out. That should be quite a novelty for you, right?"
"More or less—" Barton nodded.
Aaron nodded, then looked at the crowd:
"Does anyone have any further comments on this proposed improvement?"
After a long while, the five people in front of him looked at each other and gradually expressed their agreement.
Seeing this, Aaron felt relieved; the matter of these people was thus resolved.
"Then all you need to do is find an outsider who can be impartial and have a comprehensive view of the situation."
As soon as he finished speaking, the five men burst into laughter.
Seeing this, Aaron couldn't help but feel a little worried.
Draco said, "Sir, we already have someone in mind."
Instructor Win stood up and bowed to Aaron: "Mr. Mosley, I think you are the most suitable candidate."
The other three immediately nodded in agreement.
Faced with the expectant looks from the group, Aaron hesitated.
Without a doubt, Aaron is the most suitable candidate among these people.
In their hearts, Aaron was the cause of everything.
Moreover, the entire discussion and establishment of this matter was completed under Aaron's leadership.
Aaron was able to remain neutral among them, and he had a fixed place of residence, so it was indeed more convenient for them to send their requests to him if they wanted to consolidate their commissions.
Most importantly, probably no one understands better than Yarren where their organization is headed.
But for Aaron, he had to be even more cautious.
He did indeed want to use these people to gain some control over his power outside the library.
But Aaron didn't want to get too involved.
Providing advice and strategies for the establishment of the organization is equivalent to his investment.
If there is anything that needs their help in the future, this relationship can be brought up, and they should be able to provide assistance, which would already satisfy Aaron's request.
Becoming their leader would undoubtedly allow him to gain more complete control over this force, but it would also bring him endless risks.
Although Aaron now possesses some strength, and given that he can make good use of the library's miracles, he is virtually invincible.
However, no risk should be taken lightly.
This kind of assassin organization is bound to offend many people, and as the saying goes, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. If anyone wants to deal with this organization, they must first consider dealing with its leader.
Therefore, Aaron could not agree to be the leader of this organization under any circumstances.
But upon closer reflection, the person who has an overall view of the situation doesn't necessarily have to be a leader.
If that's the case, the response would be: "I can help with that, but I don't want to become a member of the organization."
Upon hearing this, Draco couldn't help but frown:
"But Mr. Mosley, if the organization is to be established, there is no more suitable leader than you!"
"But this is not my organization. The framework of the organization was established based on the demands of the five of you, not mine. I am not like-minded with you, so how can I lead you?"
"but-"
"...No need to say anything more!"
Draco seemed to still intend to try, but Aaron decisively interrupted him.
"Although I look young, I don't have many desires. If I had to say, I just want to live a quiet life in a secluded corner."
In my little library, I quietly observe the changing world.
"My agreement to help you is already the biggest concession I've made. It's not my obligation to do this, so please don't make any more demands."
After he finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence.
After an unknown amount of time, Instructor Wen asked:
"But if you're not a member of our organization, what role would you play in helping us?"
“Temporary advisors,” Aaron replied. “There are many instances where lords hire specialized scholars as temporary advisors in certain specialized fields.”
"Ladies and gentlemen, I hope that our relationship is one of employment. If you feel that I am not qualified, or if you have other suitable candidates, you can dismiss me at any time."
Aaron's answer was very firm, and the five people in front of him must have received Aaron's message, so no one tried to persuade them anymore.
After another moment of silence, Draco finally spoke:
"Mr. Mosley, since you are unwilling to take on this responsibility, I will not force you for now, but if you change your mind someday..."
I welcome you anytime.
"Although that day will never come, well, gentlemen, thank you for your trust," Aaron bowed slightly to the crowd.
"In that case, who should we make the leader of the organization?" Draco asked.
"Then you'll have to discuss it yourselves," Aaron shrugged.
The five then began to discuss who should be the leader.
They discussed it for a long time, even taking Lola into consideration.
Fortunately, all five people unanimously rejected the idea; otherwise, an organization led by a tiny little girl would have seemed rather childish.
Moreover, Aaron would inevitably interfere with this decision; he didn't want Lola to sit in such a dangerous position.
Ultimately, they decided to elect Draco as their leader, and it seemed that the other four were only sitting there because of Draco.
Aaron thought the decision was pretty good, and he also felt that Draco's personality was suitable for a leadership position.
Draco immediately said to Aaron, "Mr. Mosley, in my capacity as the leader of the organization, I formally appoint you as our advisor."
"Thank you for your trust, Lord," Aaron nodded with a smile, "I will do my utmost to help you."
"Sir, what kind of payment would you like?"
Aaron thought for a moment: "For any commission, I will take 10% of the profits."
Draco frowned: "You mean, we have to be paid for our actions?"
"Of course," Aaron nodded in response. "This matter cannot be ignored. Since it is an organization, it needs to be managed. Management involves expenses. Only when income and expenditure are balanced can the organization continue to exist. Therefore, it is necessary to plan a way to generate profits."
After Aaron finished speaking, only Kendrick, who had been an apprentice herald, nodded in agreement.
Sure enough, these guys who practice martial arts all year round have no understanding of management.
It is clear that without Aaron, this organization would not have lasted long.
Draco paused, seemingly understanding, then asked:
"So, Mr. Consultant, how should we proceed with the activity?"
"Just like before, listen to their requests. If you feel that this matter meets the organization's principles, then let them come to the library. This is the initial screening. I will then conduct a second screening for you."
Draco questioned, "Do we really have to make them come to the library in person?"
"The letter must have passed through someone else's hands. As Sir Richmond just said, that's far too risky for an assassin organization. Besides, what do you value your life, Sir Carson?"
Aaron said in an icy tone,
"They asked you to kill them. Isn't the value of life enough for them to make this trip? If they don't even have that much resolve, they're not worthy of your service."
"Hmm—" Draco nodded. "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't think it through."
Winn immediately said, "However, Mr. Mosley, there's a problem with that too. No secret stays hidden forever."
One day, our organizational processes will be taken over by outsiders.
"If someone learns this process and skips the initial screening, directly making a request to you, or even skipping your secondary screening,..."
If they directly assign us tasks, wouldn't we be vulnerable to being manipulated?
Aaron instantly understood what Winn meant; he wanted to add a layer of insurance to the process to prevent it from being easily exploited or taken advantage of.
He stroked his chin and pondered, and soon he came up with a plan:
"Now that you've all received the cubes from Lola, do you know what those characters are made of?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Aaron wasn't surprised; he guessed even Laura didn't know about this.
It's "strokes".
"Stroke count?"
"Yes," Aaron nodded, "each character is written in a fixed order. Before you send your client to me, have him bring two credentials: one is the symbol you possess, and the other is the stroke count."
"The first person who passes the initial screening will be given the first stroke, the second person will be given the second stroke, and so on, until the cycle repeats. If I give you instructions, I will also provide you with the strokes in order."
"As for what the strokes are made of and where they are in the process, only you and I know that, so that we can avoid this situation as much as possible."
There seemed to be no better way, and the five of them quickly agreed to Aaron's suggestion.
Ajax asked, "Which two characters should we choose?"
Since they all refer to Chinese characters as square symbols, then—
Aaron beckoned to Harriet and asked her to bring him paper and pen.
Soon, Aaron wrote down two characters and read them aloud:
"Square, and block."
Then, Aaron taught the five people in front of him the strokes and order of the two characters.
They each copied down the word "square" and carefully put it away before sitting down again.
After exchanging glances, Draco, the leader of the organization, spoke to Aaron:
"Sir, now that the organization's operating method has been determined, what about its name? Sir, do you have any ideas about the organization's name?"
Aaron didn't say anything, but simply stretched out his right hand and tapped the paper in front of him twice.
Everyone turned to look, and Barton spoke first:
"A 'square'?"
Ajax said, "A 'square' organization?"
"How about calling it the 'Cube' Alliance?" Winn looked at the other members. "At least it sounds better."
"The 'Cube' Alliance, huh?" Draco frowned. "But that sounds awful, and just from the name, I have no idea what it means."
"The 'Cube' Alliance, when pronounced in the Kingdom language, is called—" Aaron prompted everyone, "The Cube Alliance."
"The Block Alliance—" Draco's brow gradually relaxed. "Not bad! Gentlemen, does anyone have any objections?"
The remaining four unanimously agreed, and Draco grinned as he announced:
"Alright! In that case, the Block Alliance is officially established!"
Aaron observed the five people in front of him; their expressions all revealed joy, presumably filled with anticipation for the future after the formation of the Block Alliance.
Upon closer inspection, Aaron discovered that the library had played a role in the organization's development and establishment.
Lola's actions were undoubtedly the beginning of everything, Anne was the mastermind behind the subsequent events, and now Aaron has become the absolute driving force behind the organization's formation.
In that case, Aaron hopes that the existence of the Block Alliance can at least be a help to the library.
Although he wasn't sure what this organization could actually bring.
After discussing some details, the five of them bid farewell to Aaron.
According to them, apart from Kendrick, who would follow Aaron's earlier advice and stay near the library, the others planned to set off immediately to return to their original settlements.
Aaron called out to Winn separately: "Instructor."
Win stood outside the library doorway, her hands gripping the edge of the door:
"Mr. Mosley, is there anything else?"
"You said before that you were an instructor at the Mountain Knight Academy?"
"Yes," Winn nodded.
"If I remember correctly, you mentioned the school is located in the northern part of the Stone Mountains?"
"That's right," Win nodded again, "What's wrong?"
"The Stone Mountains are bordered to the north by the southern part of the Lorraine Plain. I'm wondering, do you know anything about the Lorraine Plain?"
"I have some idea of the situation."
Aaron narrowed his eyes: "Then do you know who the current lord is there?"
"Of course, that's common sense; it must be the Duke of Lorraine."
Aaron pressed on urgently:
"What's the full name?"
Winn replied:
"Duchess Brianna Lorraine".