Chapter 862

Now, because of James, they had gotten themselves involved in the turmoil.

“Because of you, the Cadens have now been dragged into the fray. It's not unlikely that you might have
been manipulated from the very beginning. Disposing of the Emperor under the Cadens’ name is
certainly a surefire way to get the Johnstons and Cadens involved and cause a rift between the two
families.”

James simply sat there with his mouth agape.He knew that the Capital had been governed by complex
dynamics that hung in an intricate balance, but he had not expected things to be this convoluted.

The God-King Palace had really made a royal mess of things.

“What exactly is the God-King Palace?”

Maxine shrugged. “Who knows? We wouldn't be sitting here doing nothing if we knew who was actually
behind this. Tomorrow morning, we'll likely be receiving a number of guests who are planning to see
where my grandfather stands.”

“Actually...”

Maxine’s mouth snapped shut for a moment before opening once again. “Prior to this. Grandpa had
never concerned himself with the affairs of the outside world. We only got involved because he couldn't
bear leaving you to your fate. At the end of the day, you're still part of the family.”

The more he heard, the more confused he felt.

He tried to recall all the events that had led up to this from the time he was framed by the Emperor, the
public trial, up to the time where Gloom came looking for him.



Perhaps it was then that someone planned to manipulate him into removing the Emperor.

It was the Emperor’s death that kicked everything into motion.

However, the appearance of the God-King Palace only worsened an already chaotic situation.

James had a hard time trying to figure out who was his real enemy.

“Can the King be trusted?”

He posed his question doubtfully.

Maxine shrugged once more. “There's no such thing as trust. Everyone merely sees things from their
own perspectives. As such, every action from the opposing side can only be viewed as a threat.”

After feeding James the medicine, Maxine picked up the bowl and stood up. “Get some rest. I'll be
leaving now.”

Then, she exited the room.

In the courtyard outside...

Tobias sat at the gazebo smoking a cigar. He stared pensively at his surroundings.

“Mmm.youAfter puffing out a cloud of smoke, Tobias turned to Maxine and asked, “Maxine, what do
think the God-King Palace is? I’m almost certain the King manipulated James into killing the Emperor
In the process, the God — King Palace somehow managed to get the Cadens involved. What are they
up to?”

Maxine sat down and shook her head. “It wouldn't be appropriate of me to make any assumptions”



“You've always been such a bright and astute child. You tend to notice things others would overlook.
Tell me honestly, what do you make of the current situation? What can the Cades do to protect
ourselves from this approaching storm?”

Closing her eyes in deep contemplation, Maxine began to speak carefully, “We'll start with Mr Gabriel.
He's managed to recruit many descendants of the Gu Sect to his cause. He was also the one who
propped up the Emperor. I suspect that this is only just the beginning of his elaborate schemes. His real
objective should be to get the Johnstons involved.

“As for Mr. Lee. He has devoted his whole life to the betterment of the nation. Thirty years. ago, he
sacrificed the previous Black Dragon and put up a new King. He believes that the

Ancient Four, as well as the various forces of Sol. will always be a looming threat to the nation. Despite
being fully aware of Mr. Gabriel's machinations, he simply turned a blind eye to them. and waited for an
opportune moment to present itself.

“Mr. Gabriel seems determined to push forward with the failed plan from a century ago. As the Ancient
Four’s existence directly threatens his plan’s success, he’s going to great lengths to get rid of them. I
believe Mr. Lee is of the same opinion. That's why he simply went along with Mr. Gabriel's plans.

“As for the God-King Palace... I'm still unclear on its origins and purpose.”

Maxine’s face darkened at the mention of the God-King Palace. Carefully choosing her words once
more, she continued, “The God-King Palace first appeared and helped James out when he was about
to kill Theodore. Then, they impersonated the Cadens and went to the Jonnstons to rescue James.
After that, they dumped James at our front door. If I'm right, their objective is simple-turn the Cadens
and the Johnstons against one another.”



Tobias nodded satisfactorily as he took another long drag of his cigar. “An impeccable analysis, my
dear. Have you heard anything from the other two of the Ancient Four?”

Maxine shook her head. “They have yet to express their opinions on the matter. However, since the
situation has gotten to this point, it's only a matter of time before they join in.’

Tobias asked, “What would be a wise course of action then?”

“We should simply wait and see.” Maxine offered a suggestion of her own.

Tobias stood up and said. “It's getting late. You should go get some sleep.”


62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda