"Magnar, please, I beg of you, speak favorably of my race to the president!" Hardiman nearly pleaded.

"My undead race comes with the utmost sincerity!"

Magnar merely nodded noncommittally and gestured for him to leave.

Seeing this, Hardiman could only sigh heavily and leave the mansion in frustration.

Just as he stepped out the door, a voice he least wanted to hear rang out mockingly.

"Well, well, look who it is!"

"Isn't this the esteemed Hardiman, the leader of the undead race? What, are you back to beg again?"

It was Felix, the leader of the divine race, with several of his kin, who happened to be passing by. They wore expressions of undisguised mockery. Seeing Hardiman's failure brought them great satisfaction.

Heh...

Back then, Hardiman refused to pledge allegiance to Dalton because of his pride. Now, seeing others prosper, he had come crawling back to join them?

Too late!

Dalton Town now paid him no attention, and this was entirely his own doing!

Seeing Felix's smug demeanor, Hardiman clenched his fists, his face darkening with such intensity it seemed as if water could drip from it.

"Felix, don't get too proud!"

"Who will have the last laugh is still uncertain!" Hardiman spat through gritted teeth.

Felix burst into exaggerated laughter at these words.

"Hahaha... what power do you undead race even have in Sakend now?"

"As long as Dalton refuses to accept you, you will be left on the fringes of this era, waiting to be eliminated!"

Though his words were harsh, they were a raw, naked truth.

When Dalton first arrived in the Sakend plane, despite its decent power, it had not yet fully established its dominance. Now, however, the situation had changed completely. Dalton had firmly entrenched itself, and its sphere of influence was constantly expanding.

Countless races and factions had been forced, or willingly chosen, to submit to Dalton's overwhelming power, becoming its subordinates.

Of course, these factions had to pay an exorbitant price to join Dalton, and their treatment was nowhere near as generous as the divine race's early submission.

Dalton had abundant resources, but it wasn't about to nurture too many freeloaders.

Hearing Felix's taunts, Hardiman's face turned ashen, and he was too powerless to retort.

He knew full well Felix spoke the truth. He had seen the reality, which was why he had humbled himself to request an opportunity now.

It was just that his pride had caused him to miss the best chance earlier. One single moment of hesitation, and now the undead race and the divine race were worlds apart.

After a long silence, Hardiman turned and walked away.

Now, all he could do was wait patiently for President Leo's return to Dalton, hoping that Leo, remembering their past cooperation with the undead race, would allow them to join Dalton in a relatively dignified manner.

He hoped they wouldn't be forced to submit to Dalton's control, like the other subservient factions.

If it came to that, his days as a clan leader would be over.

Watching Hardiman leave in defeat, Felix sneered, but his triumphant expression soon faded into a shadow of unease.

Though the divine race had successfully joined Dalton Town, and their internal power structure had largely been preserved, they were still receiving some of Dalton's benefits. But one shouldn't underestimate those benefits—Dalton's resources were so vast and overwhelming they could drive any faction mad with desire.

Now, many races and factions were desperately trying to join Dalton or its affiliated forces. For example, to become a Dalton guard, one had to go through an extremely rigorous selection process, followed by a long probationary period.

Any failure to meet the criteria meant immediate elimination.

Out of millions, only a handful would succeed in wearing the elite armor that symbolized honor and strength.

Fortunately for the divine race, Dalton didn't have racial restrictions. Whether human, divine, or any other intelligent race, as long as they had enough strength and loyalty, they could join.

Currently, many talented young members of the divine race were eager to join the core departments of Dalton Town, and a few lucky ones had even made it in.

This showed just how great Dalton's inclusivity and appeal were!

Over time, the elite members of the divine race would likely be absorbed by Dalton, and their independence as a race would face enormous challenges.

But Felix had no power to stop this trend.

If he were to block his people from seeking a better future and development, it would certainly provoke the wrath of his people and could even result in the loss of his position.

"Sigh..." Felix sighed, temporarily casting these worries aside.

He turned toward the outer city, heading for the famous Starborn Song Tavern.

Perhaps it was time to relax and listen to the songs of the forest singer, whose voice was said to be the most enchanting.

Dalton, after all, was truly comfortable to live in—its food, living conditions, and daily necessities were all of the highest standard. Ever since moving in, Felix had hardly wanted to leave!

With this thought, a smile returned to Felix's face, and his steps lightened as he forgot about his earlier worries.

Dalton, Skyward Spire, a heavily guarded mansion.

This was the office of Dalton's highest-ranking guard commander, Reize.

A guard officer dressed in a neat uniform, his waist adorned with an amethyst badge, walked briskly down the heavily guarded hallway. At intervals, sharp-eyed guards stood watch.

The amethyst badge, a symbol of a high-level position within the Dalton guards, was the mark of an officer with considerable authority. Above it were even higher ranks, such as the red gold badge and the sunstone badge.

From what he knew, only a handful of individuals in the entire guard force possessed the red gold badge. As for the sunstone badge... that was beyond his reach, wielded only by core high-level members like Reize, who could directly command secret forces.

Inside the mansion, the officer, Sorin, stood quietly in front of a closed door, holding his breath. This was his second time visiting Commander Reize, yet his nervousness hadn't diminished in the slightest.

After a brief moment, the door opened from within.

"Come in," a calm voice called out.

Sorin's heart skipped a beat.

"Thank you, my lord!"

He took a deep breath and walked quickly into the room.

"Officer Sorin, reporting to Commander Reize!" he said respectfully as soon as he entered.

The room was simple, with only a large desk and a weapon rack. A long sword, which seemed capable of cutting through space itself, lay quietly on the rack, occasionally flashing a sharp, ominous gleam.

Reize sat behind the desk, reviewing some documents. Hearing Sorin's voice, he did not immediately look up but remained focused on his work.

Sorin dared not complain, understanding that the commander's tasks took precedence.

Moreover, time inside the Skyward Spire passed differently from the outside world, so even if he lingered here for a while, he could still catch up with the progress of his own duties once he returned.

Time passed, and after what felt like an eternity, Reize finally signed off on the last document, put down his pen, and looked up at the waiting Sorin.

"What is it?"

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