The atmosphere in the office instantly turned cold. The principal and the White Dog Guild Master were locked in a fierce confrontation, neither showing any intention of backing down.
The City Lord, seeing this, hurriedly tried to smooth things over.
He couldn't afford to offend either of them. One was the principal, wielding immense power and bearing the heavy responsibility of educating martial artists; his status was even subtly above his own.
As the saying goes, "City Lords come and go, but the principal remains," and this wasn't a joke.
The other was a financial tycoon; Crane City was counting on him for investment and construction, so he couldn't afford to offend him either.
The White Dog Guild Master didn't actually want to fight the principal to the death. After all, he had money, but the principal had connections.
So many teachers! Just a few of them would be enough to cause him trouble.
Not to mention countless students, his influence spread far and wide. If he truly offended him, he might not even know how he died.
Turning to look at Yuna, the White Dog Guild Master's expression trembled slightly, but he finally rose and bowed.
"Greetings, Centurion Yuna."
"I'm no longer a knight. Speak plainly."
"Alright, I'll be blunt!"
The White Dog Guild Leader looked up at Yuna.
"My son will apologize to your daughter. You can ask for anything you need—money! Equipment! Pills! I can provide it all! But please, give me that little bastard…"
"He can't be given to you. I still have a use for him."
"But!"
"No, absolutely not."
Yuna's resolute tone made the White Dog Guild Leader's expression change drastically.
Looking up at everyone in the room, the White Dog Guild Leader's expression gradually darkened.
The Principal didn't back down, Yuna ignored him, and the other three deputy legion commanders were even less likely to look at him—their attitudes were incredibly arrogant.
Only the City Lord was trying to reason with him, but what good was his persuasion? Wasn't the City Lord a disposable figure, replaced every three years?
He didn't even have as much power as the garrison officer next to him! At least that officer had real authority! His chest heaved violently as the White Dog Guild Master gritted his teeth and spoke.
"Is there really no room for negotiation?"
Yuna didn't answer, only shaking her head with a smile.
"Just for a demon! You're going to turn against me?"
The headmaster didn't answer, only toying with the iron guillotine in his hand.
The White Dog Guild Master slammed his fist on the table.
"Fine! Very well! Since you're so unreasonable! Then don't blame me, White Dog!"
Glaring fiercely at everyone, the White Dog Guild Master turned to leave.
"I'm making this clear today! I'm going to kill that demon! Even if I have to hire someone, I'll kill him! Not even the Heavenly King himself can save him! I said it!"
The room fell silent.
The city guard leader, who hadn't uttered a word from beginning to end, suddenly stood up, supporting himself on the table, before the White Dog Guild Master could even turn and leave.
"Lord White Dog, speaking to my face like this, aren't you showing a blatant disrespect to me, the commander of the city guard?"
"You!"
"Don't say he has someone protecting him! Even if he had no one protecting him, he wouldn't be allowed to run wild here! Hiring thugs to kill? I'd like to see if the people you've hired can save your life!"
Upon hearing this, the White Dog guild leader's face stiffened.
Just then, the Black Bear Knight vice-commander sitting beside him suddenly spoke.
This exceptionally burly man, like an iron tower, gave the White Dog guild leader a cold look.
"Guild leader White Dog, can I interpret your words as you intending to use force to threaten the immediate family members of the Knights?"
The White Dog guild leader's face turned pale upon hearing this.
Threatening the immediate family members of the Knights! If this accusation were to be leveled against him, even ten of him couldn't deny it.
"No, no! I didn't…"
The Knights were a civilian organization spontaneously formed by various regional tribes, responsible for defending against external enemies, yet recognized by the Empire.
The Knights wielded considerable power, enjoying military benefits as one aspect.
Their greatest privilege was the absolute safety of their families.
In times of danger, family members of a Knight could even escape the city before officials. Anyone who dared threaten the families of Knights members, especially those of fallen soldiers, was like stirring up a hornet's nest.
Nearby Knights would rise to their aid. If you were powerful enough to disregard these Knights, you would find that word would spread, until all two thousand-plus Knights of the empire came to attack you.
130 years ago, an imperial prince, wanting to retreat first in a dangerous situation, accidentally killed a Knight's widow who refused to back down. He was ultimately forced to hang himself on the city gate tower by the Knights.
Knights would never allow anyone to harm these widows; honor was one factor, but self-preservation was another.
From the moment they became knights, their lives were on their shoulders, always at risk of death at the hands of the enemy.
If they don't stand up now to protect the widows of the fallen, who will stand up to protect their wives and children when they die?
The Black Bear Vice-Commander's words terrified the White Dog Guild Leader, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.
If this were true, he could be beaten to death on the spot by these people, and no one would dare utter a sound.
"That's not what I meant! I really didn't mean that! He was just a demon! Just a demon! An enemy! He was an enemy!"
As the White Dog Guild Leader sweated profusely and desperately tried to defend himself, the Wolf Hunter Vice-Commander, sitting beside him, also spoke up.
This wolf-man with a hideous scar on his face, while trimming his nails with a dagger, muttered expressionlessly.
"Who he is isn't for you to decide, and you have no right to judge him. Mind your own business, understand?"
"Yes! Yes!"
"If you're this brainless next time, I think your White Dog Merchant Guild will be worthless. I'll unite all the nearby knightly orders to refuse all escort missions related to your guild. Then you'll have to pay someone to protect your caravan!"
Upon hearing this, the White Dog Guild Master's face contorted.
This world is actually very bizarre. Because of the numerous portals throughout, all sorts of things exist here.
A group of zombies emerges here, a swarm of tanks appears there, and the bandits on the road might be armed with AK-47s.
Besides these powerful knightly orders, although there are some scattered adventurer organizations, adventurer teams can only exchange solo missions; they have no ability to protect caravans.
Don't let the White Dog Guild Master's wealth fool you; he's a well-known tycoon in Crane City, and even a famous money-maker in the surrounding dozen or so cities.
But if he truly offended the Knights, causing them to refuse his escort missions, he'd go bankrupt within a month!
After all, the Knights are ruthless. If they order you to stop accepting missions, they'll refuse all missions related to you!
This includes transactions with other merchant guilds; you'd lose a large portion of your customers instantly.
The city oppresses the Knights because their families need to live there, forcing them to bow to the city for their sake.
The Knights coerce the merchant guilds because they need their help escorting goods for business.
The merchant guilds, in turn, control the city, because money talks.
This bizarre food chain is the norm in this world.
The previously arrogant Guild Master Bai Xuan was now as white as snow, his dog ears trembling wildly, constantly wiping away cold sweat with a handkerchief, completely lacking the courage to bare his teeth at anyone.