Hidden Moth

Fabre slightly steadied himself, furrowing his brows, pondering how to explain to Arthur and the Supreme Council. At this moment, his phone received a message: "Elder, why has there been no news for so long? Has Si Fuyu been settled?"

The term "Si Fuyu" carried an unspeakable implication.

Yu Sifu, whose surname is Yu and given name Sifu, follows the Eastern Country’s naming tradition, placing the surname before the given name to signify ancestral bloodline and clan origins. Westerners place the given name before the surname, following another custom.

When Eastern Country people address Westerners, whether in speech or writing, they do not reverse the order of names according to Eastern Country customs. The original name is used unless the person prefers a name in the Eastern Country’s language.

Yu Sifu might have a Yin Language name, but even within Yin Language contexts, he should be called Yu Sifu, as reversing it is inappropriate.

Oddly, some Eastern Country people do this themselves; for instance, someone named Zhang San might go overseas and call themselves San Zhang without waiting for others to ask, thinking they are adapting to local customs. But some customs are not suitable.

Yu Sifu himself does not have this habit, at least he has not called himself Si Fuyu. However, the sender deliberately addressed him this way.

The sender is Joseph, a Tier Four Government Official from the Qi Observation Lineage, and a close aide and messenger of Arthur. Although Fabre usually disapproved of Joseph, he never expressed it openly.

At this moment, he felt unbidden anger, a hint of frustration and even resentment, coldly responding with a voice message: "Settled? Saved a life is good enough!

There was an unforeseeable incident, don’t ask the specifics, I will report to Arthur personally and propose to convene an emergency Supreme Council meeting..."

The Supreme Council had just convened an emergency meeting a week ago, even Hu Weidong participated remotely from the Eastern Country, discussing how to deal with members whose cultivations were sealed.

These people contributed to the organization and sacrificed due to loyalty, certainly cannot be neglected, otherwise, the organization itself loses its purpose.

Hu Weidong had compiled and submitted the personnel statistics, totaling 274 people, with two special forms: one arranged by Magic Lineage, except the Lingxi Lineage, the other major lineages are included.

The second form is particularly unique; based on their recollections and statements, it records who imposed the sealing on them.

The perpetrators were uniformly Tier Six Sorcerers, the limits were well-defined: the Xiao Alliance could resolve the issue, but theoretically, only Mei Lin and Fabre could address it.

The meeting’s specific process was confidential, suffice it to say there was intense debate, and the final resolution was intriguing.

First, personnel from the Qi Observation and Xingshen Lineage were deployed to establish a specialized review team, scrutinizing whether these people betrayed or sold out the organization during their time infiltrating the Magic Sect, to prevent them from being double agents sent back by the sect.

Hu Weidong had already preliminarily reviewed them and concluded they did not betray the organization, but the Xiao Alliance headquarters still needed to conduct a fresh review.

Since it’s an audit, there are protocols on whom to review first or later, according to what standards, who can pass immediately, and who needs further scrutiny before commenting...

Next, it was decided that Fabre would be responsible for gradually unblocking those who pass the review.

Mei Lin played no part; only Fabre was working, yes, that’s the way of exploitation! And this resolution was proposed directly by Mei Lin, that’s straightforwardness for you!

According to Mei Lin, Fabre’s profound cultivation will surely fulfill this arduous task, not failing the organization’s expectations, while enhancing its cohesion, and at the same time establishing his own authority.

Some points are correct; undertaking such tasks is indeed an opportunity to win people’s hearts. Whoever Fabre personally unblocks, they should remember his goodwill, right?

Additionally, there’s a benefit related to who he chooses to unblock first or last, Fabre himself presumably has a say in it.

Furthermore, Fabre, as Elder, is working hard to personally unblock everyone, shouldn’t everyone show respect? Those who don’t understand gratitude will not be respected, so let them wait.

Regarding the other Elders, especially Earth Master Madala, Artifact Master Wade, and Pill Master Hu Weidong, they supported the resolution with a spectator’s mindset, leaving Fabre powerless to oppose.

Mei Lin also thoughtfully proposed that Fabre, having been laborious and meritorious, should not be troubled with other mundane affairs and might temporarily manage the organizational matters Fabre originally handled during this period.

Fabre firmly disagreed this time, stating that with his cultivation level, as long as he controls the spellcasting rhythm and attends to maintaining Divine Qi status, he can manage both.

The Xiao Alliance certainly has its industries, among which one of the most profitable and influential is the pharmaceutical enterprise.

The Xiao Alliance controls the pharmaceutical enterprise which comprises five segments: healthcare, pharmaceuticals, R&D, wellness, and finance.

The healthcare segment has always been managed by Mei Lin, while wellness and finance are directly overseen by Arthur. Fabre was responsible for R&D, which he fought hard to secure after earning the promotion to Great Elder.

The pharmaceutical segment was initially led by the disappeared Great Elder Master Dan Qiu, after his death it should pass to Hu Weidong, yet Arthur inserted a personnel to take over, while many of Dan Ding Lineage’s disciples are involved, Arthur essentially controls it.

The pharmaceutical segment is profitable and provides abundant resources, Hu Weidong forcibly taking over seems unrealistic, his foundation in the Xiao Alliance still isn’t strong enough.

In fact, the most lucrative segment, firmly held by Arthur, is the finance segment, which is truly the business core of the entire pharmaceutical enterprise. Many healthcare institutions in the United States operate similarly, where they are essentially subsidiaries of financial insurance groups.

Healthcare operations primarily serve financial functions; treating people is merely a method of charging fees.

Ordinary individuals need to purchase medical insurance, needless to say, but medical institutions and practitioners are also compelled to buy various enormous insurance policies... Beyond the obvious malpractice insurance, there are many others you wouldn’t think of.

In certain aspects, the United States has very high medical standards, but the threshold to study medicine is even higher. It’s said that doctors’ incomes are also high. However, a significant part of the doctors’ nominal income has to be paid to the lawyers of the financial insurance groups.

Is the core staff of a financial insurance group actually a bunch of lawyers? Yes, that’s exactly the case! The importance of legal functions, or lawyers, surpasses even that of actuaries, economists, and financial scholars.

As for the R&D department headed by Fabre, it sounds like a money-squandering institution, but spending money also has its benefits, and its funding has always been ample.

The R&D department can actually generate revenue, having completed several large new projects recently and mastering a batch of valuable patents that have entered the application stage. Just when substantial returns are about to be seen, Fabre will absolutely not let go.

Seeing Fabre’s firm stance, naturally, no one else spoke up, so Mei Lin withdrew her suggestion.

Fabre took the opportunity to propose that this task was too arduous; one or two people wouldn’t matter much, but with over two hundred people requiring an extended spellcasting process, mistakes are hard to avoid.

To prevent errors, he applied to use the Magic Mirror. He didn’t intend to claim long-term usage rights, merely borrowing it from Mei Lin as needed and returning it to her after the spellcasting was complete.

Others remained silent, as this was between Fabre and Mei Lin.

Mei Lin was reluctant, emphasizing the significant importance of the Magic Mirror and its usual critical uses, and so on. Fabre insisted, questioning what would happen if mistakes occurred.

Ultimately, it was Arthur who made the decision, allowing Fabre to proceed with confidence, stating that any success would be to Fabre’s credit, and if errors arose, it wouldn’t be his responsibility. They’d discuss further if any new situation arose.

As for the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror, the discussion was left vague, with no explicit mention of its availability or restrictions... Ultimately, between Mei Lin and Fabre, Arthur chose to side with Mei Lin.

The following week, Fabre had to oversee the pharmaceutical R&D department, manage internal affairs of the Xiao Alliance, and cultivate and recuperate on his own time, resorting to lifting seals whenever he could make time.

The first two spellcastings were both successful. However, the third attempt, involving Arthur’s acquaintance Yu Sifu, went wrong, rendering Yu Sifu ineffective, leaving Fabre slightly displeased.

He planned to personally communicate with Arthur, with the aim of obtaining the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror. On one hand, having the opportunity to control a Divine Artifact was enticing, and on the other hand, he truly found it difficult to complete the task smoothly.

It should be noted that since news of him handling this task had spread, several high-ranking members of the Xiao Alliance had approached to establish connections, and he had even accepted benefits from many individuals.

It’s certain that the decision of those over two hundred Xiao Alliance disciples to return to the Alliance was, to some extent, backed by influential connections, valuable even to certain high-ranking individuals. After all, cultivating so many sorcerers wasn’t easy.

...

The news of Fabre’s unintentional mistake quickly reached He Kao’s ears; it was not unexpected, and he didn’t feel too surprised.

The specific details of the Supreme Council of the Xiao Alliance’s debates and struggles were not disclosed to He Kao by Hu Weidong, but the final decision inevitably couldn’t be concealed.

Besides, there were other sources of intelligence within the Magic Sect beyond just Hu Weidong, providing He Kao with ample information.

The Xiao Alliance would definitely employ the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror next. Mei Lin, who already controls this Divine Artifact, would logically be more suitable for lifting seals, but He Kao was aware that she wouldn’t do it, at least not entirely on her own.

The Magic Sect has professionals as well, especially those high-tier sorcerers of the Xingshen Sect, who are experts in their respective fields and have long conducted psychological profiling of Mei Lin based on intelligence.

Lifting seals is, in reality, a very private act requiring the individual to completely relax the form and spirit, allowing the sorcerer’s Divine Sense to thoroughly explore the internal organs and meridians and perform timely spellcasting arrangements, at least requiring an hour.

The Divine Sense acts as an extension of both the senses and the physical body, which can feel overly intimate when occurring between individuals of different genders.

However, with the disposition of cultivators, when viewed purely from a healer’s perspective, it doesn’t mean much... but Mei Lin’s temperament is different.

No comments shall be made on whether her private life is conservative or liberal, but her unique arrogance and conceit, alongside her discrimination against certain people, are deeply ingrained in her bones, although not always obvious in day-to-day behavior.

The undercover agents sent to the Magic Sect are almost all from the Eastern Country, a group Mei Lin openly despises.

Having her dispel seals for hundreds of people like this, especially unfamiliar males of diverse appearances, seems unacceptable. Although the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror can assist, its role only lies in saving effort and ensuring steadiness, not altering the essence of spellcasting.

Given this situation, it’s better to solely trouble Fabre, as eventually, they will need to utilize the Bone-Penetrating Treasure Mirror.

In He Kao’s eyes, Fabre was already a future casualty.

**