Barbara and Leia said so much, basically meaning: on the president's side, there's no one who can step forward now.

Before the president comes out of seclusion, Warm Fire City is practically just a dictatorship under Barbara's mother!

Holding onto the last shred of hope, Andrew asked, "Then... does your Warm Fire Commerce Association still have other higher-ups? Like the City Defense Captain of Warm Fire City? Oh, Leia, you mentioned there must be a lab head where your Magic Energy Laboratory is, right?"

At this, Andrew suddenly remembered: "By the way, Captain Linda said she would recommend me to her teacher, who is the chief of the medical team! Where is the chief?"

But Barbara still shook her head: "The higher-ups... are indeed currently in Warm Fire City. But most of them count as 'Neutral Faction'."

Leia added from the side, "The so-called Neutral Faction is: when the president is here, they listen to the president. When the madam is here, they listen to the madam. When both are present, they remain neutral, refusing to take sides between the two, essentially agreeing with whoever speaks!"

Andrew heard this and finally couldn't hold back; he almost wanted to burst out swearing: "This is the Neutral Faction? This is the fence-sitter faction!"

Struggling against the urge to pull his hair, Andrew thought to himself, I went through hell to get to this Warm Fire City, even faced death threats, and when I finally arrived, there's actually no one to meet with me?

If the higher-ups truly have urgent matters, so be it.

But now it's clear there are people who can see me, but because of Barbara's mother's presence, they dare not meet me!

This is too much!

It's simply outrageous!!

Then came a "bang" sound, as Andrew crushed the drink cup in his hand!

Thinking: Intentionally not meeting me, shouldn't be just because of Barbara's ties to me, right? Barbara's mother, no matter how much discord there is with her father, no matter how much she dislikes Barbara, ultimately supports the 'Fire Creation Plan'. Since that's the case, it's impossible to truly reject me!

So in the end, it's not about wanting to cooperate with me, but rather wanting to subdue and incorporate Wildfire Territory.

So now, by not meeting, they're deliberately sending a message!

Thinking of this, even considering Barbara's feelings, Andrew couldn't help but show a sour look.

Just recently, he was thinking: The Magic Guild knew about the assassination attempt on me; the Warm Fire Commerce Association surely wouldn't intentionally avoid seeing me, would they? No way, no way, right?

Now he knew: they really aren't seeing me!

Intentionally not seeing!

Leia saw Andrew, a "physically weak" mage, actually crush a cup with his bare hands, her eyes went wide.

Barbara showed an apologetic look, saying, "Please wait a few more days, until my father's recovery..."

She initially wanted to apologize to Andrew, as the third miss of Warm Fire City, she didn't want to be so rude to Andrew.

But halfway through her words, her eyes suddenly turned red.

As her mother's daughter, finally returning home, yet her mother refused to see her — these past three days, Barbara was the one with the most inner torment and suffering!

Before Andrew woke up, in the quiet of night, Barbara would keep vigil by Andrew's bedside, just sitting there in a daze, and then... tears would suddenly flow silently and uncontrollably, yet she seemed unaware.

No matter how insidious and evil the Magic Guild is, Barbara is not afraid.

However, the most hurtful knives in the world seem never to come from enemies but from those around you.

At this moment, seeing Barbara's eyes redden, Andrew felt deeply pained on one hand and on the other, took a deep breath and made a decision.

Under the stunned gaze of the pedestrians on the street and the hidden observers from afar, Andrew hugged Barbara in front of everyone, gently patted the shoulder of this aggrieved girl, and after a wave of head pats—

He spoke, "Sorry, I can't wait. Your father might not come out of seclusion soon. I can't wait passively until your father is out to take action."

Thinking that he left Wildfire Territory and came to Warm Fire City with Barbara, not to just wait!

The Magic Guild won't let him wait idly.

To put it bluntly, Barbara's mother won't let him easily wait for Barbara's father to leave seclusion.

The key is he truly doesn't want to wait!

"So there's no choice. Since those higher-ups from your father's faction can't meet me, and the neutral higher-ups dare not meet me now.

Then I have only one choice."

Andrew looked seriously at Barbara and said, "Let me directly... talk to your mother!"

"What?" This was Barbara's first time being patted by Andrew, her heart jumped wildly, her mind a bit muddled, failing to catch his words clearly.

So, Andrew seriously repeated, "I want to see your mom."

Thinking, aren't you making everyone avoid talking to me?

Fine, I won't meet those 'fence-sitters'.

I'll meet you!

And talk to you!!

"This... impossible!"

Barbara heard it clearly, froze for a moment, then decisively shook her head repeatedly.

Leia's face became extremely awkward, showing an expression of "You actually want to actively go see Barbara's mother? Are you courting death!"

Even the waiter who came to help Andrew change the cups couldn't help but gasp upon hearing Andrew's words. It seemed that Andrew wanted to meet not Barbara's mother, not the wife of the Commerce Association president, but some terrifying old witch!

However, the more everyone reacted this way, the more Andrew decided: he must meet Barbara's mother!

"After all, even if I first meet Barbara's father and smoothly negotiate the business cooperation, I can't avoid future conflicts and friction with Barbara's mother!" Andrew thought, "So I might as well tackle the toughest issue head-on right from the start!"

Thinking this way, Andrew's whole demeanor changed completely.

Really... it's not that big of a deal!

In essence, isn't it just the first time meeting the parents, where the future mother-in-law dislikes me? Such scenes play out every day in the world before I crossed over!

Andrew believed that in this Flame Realm, similar situations absolutely would not be few.

And precisely because of this, isn't it even more important to communicate and interact well?

"Most importantly, I still don't believe a mother can be so heartless to her own daughter!"

Andrew thought to himself, "And as long as Barbara's mother also supports the 'Fire Creation Plan', she can't possibly reject my products!! All I need is a chance to meet her and explain clearly my value to the Warm Fire Commerce Association!"

Perhaps it was Andrew's attitude, which was so resolutely confident.

Barbara, after instinctively shaking her head, suddenly felt: this might... be a solution? Her mother always blamed her since the elder sister's death years ago, and consequently also disliked Andrew whom she introduced; but if there's a chance for a face-to-face meeting, where her mother talks with Andrew one-on-one, perhaps her mother might at least change her perspective on Andrew?

Just as Barbara thought that this might indeed be one of the possible solutions for the current situation.

An oddly sarcastic voice suddenly came through:

"What? Want to meet Grandma alone? Hmph, ridiculous!

Grandma is busy with her affairs, can you, a lord from some obscure corner, meet her just because you want to?

Don't you ever consider whether you're worthy?!"

Hearing this voice, both Barbara and Leia frowned.

Andrew, however, reacted a bit and then realized: in this world, the only person who would call the wife of the Commerce Association's president "Grandma" is none other than Barbara's nephew, Havier, who never showed any friendly attitude to Andrew on the way to Warm Fire City.

Sure enough, upon returning to Warm Fire City, Havier—now dressed in a robe even more flamboyant than his previous over-the-top knight armor—walked over with his chin raised from around the corner of a road.

"Havier, why are you here?" Leia stood up, somewhat displeased.

Previously, this naive scholar had a good temperament, tolerating Havier's various provocations and often apologizing to Andrew on his behalf.

However, during the battle between "Shield of Flowing Fire" and the female assassin, Havier only did one thing: wet his pants.

Leia could accept someone wetting their pants out of instinctive fear, but she couldn't accept Havier's avoidance and inaction at critical moments.

Thus, her attitude towards Havier now was evidently less courteous than before.

Havier seemed also surprised that Leia would talk to him this way, his face changed, and anger arose in his eyes.

But he quickly resumed a cold, prideful expression, ignoring Leia, and still looked towards Andrew: "Hey, I'm talking to you! What, do you still only hide behind women?!"

He was referring to the incident between the "Shield of Flowing Fire" and the female assassin when Barbara stood between Andrew and the female assassin after Andrew took a hit.

Andrew smiled slightly, didn't respond, but asked instead: "Is your pants dry?"

Naturally, the residents of Warm Fire City around didn't understand what this meant. Leia, whose face had originally tightened, couldn't help but snicker.

Barbara, feeling rather down, couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this.

Havier himself was stunned for a moment, his handsome face suddenly turned bright red, raising his finger at Andrew: "You... You bastard—"

Andrew couldn't be bothered to waste more words on this useless person, his gaze swept past Havier, looking behind him.

At this point, more than just Havier was coming up.

There were nearly ten teenagers about the same age as Havier!

Although they followed behind Havier, their demeanor showed they weren't Havier's followers. On the contrary, almost each of them had the presence of abundant strength, either fierce or sharp, which Havier lacked!

These were young talents from the Warm Fire Commerce Association!

At this moment, they showed various expressions, walking over together with Havier, but unlike Havier, they kept their composure.

They all looked at Andrew, their eyes filled with curiosity, scrutiny, reserve, and arrogance.

Andrew faced this array of expressions—all boldly scrutinizing him—but sat calmly, his back straight.

He secretly communicated with Ivan not to hurry, while thoughts rapidly spun in his mind, his eyes instinctively narrowed slightly: "Are these guys here solely to pick a fight with me like Havier, or..."

Suddenly, there was a loud screech!

The leading burly youth in a sleeveless shirt and plain combat pants, roughly dragged an empty chair next to the table where Andrew and the others were sitting; the chair legs made a loud friction noise against the stone floor.

Then he confidently sat down, his large hand naturally placed on the tabletop, exuding a sense of dominance.

"Pleasure to meet you!"

This burly youth did not pay attention to Havier whose face was bright red, nor did he glance much at Barbara and Leia, instead, he looked casually at Andrew, asking nonchalantly, "Are you Andrew?"

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