When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 860: Chapter 237: I Haven’t Made a Move Yet?

Chapter 860: Chapter 237: I Haven’t Made a Move Yet?

At this time, special journalists from various countries had almost all arrived at the Twenty-First Circle.

Although the selection process was extremely strict, over a hundred journalists still made it into the venue.

Even if all journalists tried to keep quiet, the silence of the temple still seemed slightly disturbed by their presence.

Alice was also among them.

This year’s Pope election ceremony exceptionally allowed journalists to enter—it was an opportunity for the entire media industry, but also a tough challenge.

With more than one invited newspaper, and in the imposing presence of the Holy Nation that kept journalists from speaking recklessly, it was quite difficult to produce a piece of news that was simultaneously eye-catching, interesting, fair, and had unique perspectives—in fact, these qualities were mostly mutually exclusive, and it was often only possible to achieve two of the four.

Especially for the Iris Kingdom.

As the country with the most private newspapers, their news media industry developed extremely rapidly.

But good development often means internal competition—when buying newspapers became a major entertainment for the common people, how to erode market share from peers became a primary consideration.@@novelbin@@

And the Irisflower people were never foolish.

They quickly realized the most cost-effective strategy: rather than improving themselves, it was easier to attack the rivals.

It was difficult to produce good news, but much simpler to criticize the news from other newspapers.

That was also why Alice, as a not-so-experienced young journalist who had only worked for a year and a half, was exceptionally promoted three grades and temporarily became a chief journalist.

As one of the very few official newspapers of the Iris Kingdom, the “Irisflower Gazette” was often attacked by numerous private newspapers.

And this news was too significant… because the power of the Holy Nation and the Pope was so immense that even the chief editor of the “Gazette” dared not take responsibility.

Although it might not necessarily lead to problems, what if it did?

—And as the news written by Alice, the most beloved youngest daughter of Duke Hacourt, Minister of Military Affairs of the Hacourt Family, no matter what it turned out to be, it was likely that few would dare to criticize.

Therefore, Hawkeye assigned this task to Alice, who had just moved beyond the rookie category.

Because indeed, she was the most suitable for this task—Alice, who had only undergone simple training and had not yet officially started assassinating, was clean enough to pass the scrutiny of the Holy Nation.

As for her being accompanied by an assassin filled with the power of Darkness, that was also quite normal.

After all, being a noble young lady of the Hacourt Family traveling to such a distant place, it was only normal to have high energy level protection—undoubtedly, a Transcendent from the Path of Adaptation was almost the most suitable for acting as a guard, only slightly less suitable than a Transcendent from the Path of Authority.

Rather, if she really came alone without bringing anyone, that would actually be more suspicious.

Not to mention, their movements were also covered up by the internal forces of the Holy Nation…

Everything made sense.

Now Alice was nervously writing something in her notebook.

She kept writing a few sentences, then crossed out a large portion.

Writing a few words, then doodling some cartoon characters by their side.

When she really didn’t know what to do, she let her pen tap repeatedly on the paper, covering up the anxiety and tension in her heart—although it didn’t cover anything, but it was just right.

It was particularly suited for her.

This was the state a newbie suddenly asked to take the blame by the leadership should be in.

The journalists around her, none of them doubted this.

Some of them looked at her with sympathy, and a few others harbored scorn and ridicule in their eyes.

“…I wonder how it’s going on the mentor’s side.”
Alice murmured in her heart.

No one could understand her excitement and unease at this moment.

It was said that among this generation’s Pope candidates was the Eternal Saintess.

Rounding up, that was almost equivalent to attempting an assassination on the Eternal Pope!

Honey Badger was the assassin mentor who taught her the techniques of disguise and poisoning, also one of the four Fifth Energy Level members of the Hawkeye Organization.

With the death of Lars Graham, the high-end combat power of Hawkeye had already reduced by one-fifth… If something also happened to Honey Badger, the Hawkeye Organization, left with three members, would be totallyunable to form an effective stranglehold against the Son of the Moon.

The Iris Kingdom officially has six Fifth Energy Level Transcendents, among which five are the Son of the Moon.

Previously, the Hawkeye Organization could still hold their ground against them, but after the unconscionable “war reparations” imposed on Avalon by the Iris Kingdom, the support of the Hawkeye Organization among the public violently declined.

This year, just two months in, already three of their bases had been removed.

It was said that all were betrayed by previous collaborators.

Now the Hawkeye Organization was urgently reviewing all their collaborators, thereby reducing operations.

And keeping an organization running required money.

In a situation where funds were severely limited, the high-difficulty task from a Cardinal Principal Bishop of the Holy Nation forced them to accept it.

If the mission succeeded, they would be able to thoroughly penetrate the Holy Nation market.

At least they could establish a base on one of the levels… If all bases in the Iris Kingdom were removed, at least they would still have an overseas base to rebuild their forces and continue combatting the erosion on human authority by the Son of the Moon.

And furthermore…
The money for this mission was really exceptionally vast.

Vast enough that, once they got the money, the organization could continue its contraction for over a year.

This duration was enough for Hawkeye to flush out all betrayers and renew a round of safehouses.

—— In other words, this mission must succeed.

Alice is merely a “ticket”, just like those “collaborators” they used in the past, not needing to participate in the assassination or knowing about Honey Badger’s plans and methods.

Her difference from those collaborators lies probably in that she must likewise risk her own safety.

Though she dresses maturely, she was actually only twenty-three years old, having graduated from university just a year ago.

For a young lady from a noble family, this dangerous and thrilling espionage task, charged with a lofty sense of mission, able to prove her abilities, and potentially change the entirety of world politics, was evidently irresistible for her.

Yet up to this moment…

Her complexion was as flushed as if she were drunk, with her fingers, clutching the pen, trembling incessantly.

Even though other people would empathize with or mock her as a scapegoat newbie…

Alice was smart.

She knew that as soon as Honey Badger’s assassination was executed, she would almost immediately be suspected.

Yet, no matter how she told herself to stay calm, she found it difficult to control her inner turmoil.

—— She had probably guessed her own outcome.

If she could survive, it was probably because her employer held tremendous power.

If nothing unexpected occurred, she would likely die here, die today.

Just like how the press used her as a shield…

Hawkeye Organization was using her as a sacrifice.

Time ticked by, and nine o’clock was getting closer and closer.

With only ten minutes left until nine, Alice suddenly saw…

the Eternal Saintess picked up the wine cup in front of her and took a sip.

—— Almost immediately.

The Eternal Saintess suddenly covered her eyes and let out a faint cry.

“Grey!”
Yanis’s anxious shout could be heard.

In that instant, a buzzing sound in Alice’s ears suddenly emerged— a prolonged and distant metallic noise.

Due to excessive tension, she experienced tinnitus.

She watched the cardinal archbishops stand up anxiously, crowding around.

The crowd of journalists practically exploded instantly, whispering and discussing something fervently.

She watched everyone’s expressions turn incredibly animated, yet everything was like a silent play, utterly devoid of sound, and so absurdly comical.

Yanis suddenly pulled out the Pure White Saintess’s pure white ribbon.

Her left eye was still the beautiful sky blue…

But her right eye, it was as resplendently dark as the starry universe.

The amber of her eyeball spread to her orbital bone, making her look like a delicate sculpture with one corner smashed.

—— That was indeed the fatal disease for Elves!

A buzz went through Alice’s mind.

Undoubtedly, that was the effect of the special poison they got, “Tears of Time”!

Mrs.

Honey Badger had truly succeeded!

Their plan…

it actually worked!

At this moment, in the eighteenth ring, Honey Badger watched the live broadcast on the crystal screen in disbelief.

She looked down at her black glove soaked in a special liquid— an assassination tool she had customized for this operation.

—— It wasn’t even ready yet.

“…

Could there be another player?”
Honey Badger half puzzled, half bewildered, and ninety-nine parts shocked, looked at the screen, “Or did the boss hire more than one?”
That was indeed the “post-poisoning behavior” described by her employer.

But I haven’t made my move yet?

How did you collapse already?

…

In this situation, do they still pay?