You promised to wreak havoc on the dungeon, but instead you've got Dragon Slime!

"You must remain under our constant escort until you meet the High Lord. Do not move around unnecessarily."

Ron felt a chill run down his spine.

Was he placed under house arrest?

In the end what happened? !

Chapter 64 Lagos's Decision

Ron realized all too well that he was in deep trouble!

Lilith struggled to look away from Ron, who was being "escorted" into the mansion.

On her way here, she had already learned the devastating news from her father—the "anti-testing mechanism"!

The terrifying procedure, and the devastating consequences it implied, left her feeling cold.

Things... seem to be just as Father suspected.

The seemingly indestructible "0%" in the Black Language Cave might actually be problematic...

If verified...

I'm afraid I won't be able to escape unscathed, and Ron...

His fate will only be worse.

A sense of helplessness and panic gripped her heart.

She instinctively looked at her father, her only support.

At this moment, Duke Cedric completely disregarded his usual dignity and composure.

He was like the humblest merchant, moving among a group of nobles, each with their own agenda.

He forced a smile and bowed to each nobleman with voting rights, adopting an unprecedentedly humble posture.

"Your Excellency Count Felipe."

He whispered almost pleadingly to a haughty bat-man count.

"I implore you... how about you vote against this time? If you agree, I'm willing to pay you a compensation of one hundred million gold coins! Or..."

He eagerly added more chips, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly.

"Or... I could also give you the complete blueprints for my S-rank dungeon 'Shadow Corridor' for reference..."

For his daughter, Cedric risked everything, betting his family's century-old legacy and reputation on the gambling table!

The promised compensation quickly accumulated to an astonishing sum of billions of gold coins!

It even included the secrets of his core territory, which he was very proud of and never showed to anyone!

He rushed to Count Martel with bloodshot eyes.

"Martel! Old friend!"

He gripped his old friend's arm tightly, as if grasping at a last straw.

"For the sake of Lilith and Carolina's sisterly bond... you'll definitely vote against it, right?"

Count Martel wore a look of relief, as if he had survived a disaster.

Thank goodness! Thank goodness that Ron, that jinx, didn't come to harm Carolina!

But remembering that Ron had also designed a map for Carolina, and looking at Lilith's pale and helpless face... even this cold and hard vampire count was struggling internally.

Finally, he nodded heavily.

"I will."

A glimmer of hope instantly lit up Cedric's eyes!

However, this hope was immediately dashed by Martel's subsequent cold water.

Martel pulled Cedric to a relatively quiet corner at the edge of the square, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd.

“Cedric, look.”

He gestured in a direction with his eyes.

"See Count Bacchus? Listen to what he's saying!"

Cedric followed the gaze and was instantly enraged!

Count Bacchus, the man who harbored resentment over his son's humiliation, was now like a hyena that had smelled blood!

He was moving among the nobles, his face flushed and spittle flying, his voice not loud but clearly audible:

"...Gentlemen, this is a golden opportunity to eradicate the scourge of the underworld!"

"That outcast named Ron is arrogant and cunning, daring to openly violate the Foundation Rules! To hell with Black Language Cavern! Vote in favor of cleaning house!"

He's stirring up trouble!

He spared no effort to get the vote going!

"This bastard!"

Cedric gritted his teeth and growled, about to charge forward.

"calm!"

Martel held him tightly, his voice filled with helplessness and the coldness of reality.

"Haven't you seen it yet? Ron's Black Language Cave has skyrocketed from obscurity to the top of the E-rank list in just over ten days, blocking the way for countless people! Get them to vote against him and protect him? Don't even dream about it!"

"They'd love for the Black Language Caves to disappear immediately! Your gold coins and encyclopedia can't buy their willingness to sacrifice their own children's interests!"

At this moment, Duke Stanislavsky, who had been helping Duke Cedric with his "bankruptcy" operation, also came over. The shrewd abyssal demon whispered a reminder:

“Cedric, accept reality. Right now, you're the only one who wants to help him. Your efforts... are useless.”

Like the last straw breaking the camel's back.

The light in Cedric's eyes went out completely, and all the color drained from his face.

He walked heavily back to his daughter Lilith and looked at her with a deep, desperate gaze.

Those eyes held a final plea and a final request.

He gripped his daughter's arm tightly, his voice so low it was almost a whisper:

"Remember what your father said! Do you understand? The problems at Black Language Cave are entirely Ron's fault! You are innocent! Don't be foolish! Don't say the wrong thing! Don't say the wrong thing!"

Inside the luxurious conference hall.

Nearly sixty nobles of earl rank or above took their seats. The air was thick with tension, and their thoughts, like venomous snakes, darted silently beneath the luxurious carpet.

Only the Duke of Cedric made no attempt to conceal his anxieties.

His knuckles turned white, and his gaze, as if drawn by invisible threads, repeatedly drifted towards the tightly closed door next to the conference hall—

Lilith is inside.

"Everyone!"

The voice of the Balrog Lagos resounded in a deep, rumbling tone, like muffled thunder from the depths of the earth.

His massive body wasn't as large as some of the colossal nobles, but the dark red flames and sulfurous aura emanating from him caused the temperature in the entire space to rise sharply. The moment he spoke, the noisy whispers froze, and all eyes turned to him.

“I think you already understand the purpose of today’s gathering.”

The Great Lord's crimson eyes slowly swept over the crowd, carrying an oppressive aura as if rocks were crumbling.

The light from the giant crystal chandelier flowed down, casting fiery, distorted, and pulsating shadows on the smooth tabletop.

"Resolution on Activating the Anti-Testing Mechanism at Black Language Cave".

Lagos the Fire Demon continued:

"The decision will be made by your vote."

At the center of the conference table, Count Bacchus's lips curled into an uncontrollable upward grin, forming a smug and calculating arc.

The others remained silent, their eyes darting around.

The weights of self-interest are being silently placed on both sides of the scale.

The Balrog Lagos's gaze scrutinized the silence.

"As a great lord—"

His voice was steady:

"It is gratifying that such outstanding underground designers and lords have emerged in the underground world."

The conversation took a sudden turn:

"However, the Adventurers' Guild must have had some basis for requesting the anti-testing mechanism."

Cedric's heart sank into an ice cave.

The implication couldn't be clearer—Lagos the Firelord had already drawn his line of defiance right from the start!

This is a truly ominous sign, akin to cutting off one's lifeline.

"The Great Lord is truly wise and outstanding!"

Bacchus shouted eagerly, his voice almost grating with flattery.

The Balrog Lagos raised his hand, a simple movement that silenced the flattery.

Then, he announced a decision that surprised everyone:

"However, I choose to abstain."

Chapter 65 Resolution Results

He glanced at the astonished crowd and explained in a calm voice:

"Whether I agree or disagree, it may lead to blind obedience, so I should choose neutrality, which is the only impartial decision."

A faint glimmer of hope pierced Cedric's taut heartstrings.