Elves: Angler's Rainy Day Team

Chapter 950: Reducing the vassal states

The 301st day since leaving the Orange Islands was cloudy.

The clouds in the sky are floating slowly, and the coolness of the early morning has not yet dissipated. Today is the day when the King of Kings Tournament officially begins.

Although it is said to have officially started, in fact a notice was issued yesterday requiring all contestants to rush to Citrus Island last night and wait quietly for the organizer's follow-up arrangements.

Last night, Yu Hai and Atsumi's family were resting in the hotel when the competition notice arrived quietly. The notice clearly stated that they must rush to the sea one hundred kilometers west of Citrus Island at 8 o'clock this morning at the latest.

So, as soon as the sky got light and the inky night still covered the earth, they set off in a hurry. If they waited until daybreak, it would probably be too late.

There are only four people on board this time. As a contestant, Yu Hai must go, and the boat manager, Atsumi's father and Atsumi's grandfather will also go together.

Dunmei's siblings and Dunmei's mother were not on board this time. It was not that we didn't want to take them with us, but the rules of this competition were extremely strict and they were not even qualified to watch the game.

When the ship slowly sailed and finally arrived a hundred miles off the western coast, everyone could not help but be amazed by the scene before them. They saw an ice field stretching for dozens of kilometers stretching before them, emitting a cold light in the faint light of dawn.

The ice blocks on the ice field are of various shapes, some are like sharp swords piercing the sky, some are like giant beasts lying down, and their surface is as smooth as a mirror, reflecting a faint light.

I don’t know who spent so much effort to build such a unique competition venue in the hot climate of the Orange Islands.

As the ship docked, they stepped onto the ice field. The sea breeze whistled past, bringing with it a biting cold that made their cheeks hurt.

Following the instructions of Dunmei's father, the housekeeper slowly sailed back to Tangerine Island to protect Dunmei and her siblings.

Dunmei's father deliberately left his own Slow King behind and placed him with his wife. This quasi-champion-level Slow King is quite powerful, and he can feel a little relieved with Slow King around.

After all, the siblings had been assassinated before, and he was really afraid that those evil-minded people would be desperate and attack the children again. King Slowpoke was the last line of defense to protect the children, and he also had the protection of the butler.

"Xiao Hai, don't feel pressured, just do your best." Grandpa Dunmei saw Yu Hai staring at the vast ice field in front of him in a daze, with worry and tension in his eyes, so he raised his hand and gently patted Yu Hai's shoulder.

His palms were broad and warm, conveying a soothing power. He smiled and said, "It doesn't matter if we lose. We will definitely be included in the Alliance's reserve team."

"I understand." Yu Hai nodded slightly and thought to himself that Xia Gan Gym didn't care about this matter. It seemed that the identity of the Four Heavenly Kings was not as important to Xia Gan Gym as imagined. Perhaps it was dispensable to Xia Gan Gym.

It seems that Grandpa Dunmei is not as simple as he seems. He is just an old man who likes to fish leisurely. There may be a deep background behind him that is unknown to the public.

He took a deep breath of cold air, and the icy breath went straight into his lungs along his respiratory tract, making him instantly much more awake. He followed closely in the footsteps of Dunmei's father and the other man, striding towards the center of the ice field.

When they arrived at the center of the ice field, someone was already waiting there. The white mist rising and falling in the cold air made the ice field feel more lively.

There are quite a few people gathered here. The first thing that catches the eye is the young generation from the four major dojo. They are all in high spirits. Although they deliberately suppress their inner tension and excitement, their eyes still cannot hide the eagerness to try.

There are also middle-aged people like Dunmei’s father. They are wearing thick winter clothes and are obviously prepared.

There are also the older generation like Grandpa Dunmei. The years have left deep marks on their faces, but also given them a calm temperament that has experienced vicissitudes of life.

"Hahaha, old man Dai is finally here. It's been decades since the four of us have gathered together!" The father of the owner of Liuli Pavilion, who is also Koji's grandfather, shouted with laughter.

He was wearing a black leather windbreaker and a cotton hat, which made him look particularly out of place in the crowd. At this moment, his face was full of smiles, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were stretched out, and his eyes showed the joy of reuniting with old friends.

"Hey, Old Dragon Head, I haven't seen you for so long. You've lost a lot of teeth!" Grandpa Dunmei responded cheerfully, also with a smile on his face.

He was wearing a cotton-padded vest and looked energetic. He looked at the other two old men with a look of cordiality as if they were old friends meeting again.

"Haha, old man, we are all old!" The old man from the Napuru Gym walked forward with a smile and put his arm around Grandpa Dunmei's shoulders affectionately, his movements natural and familiar.

The four old men walked side by side towards an ice platform not far away. The ice platform was shining with a cold light under the sunlight, but it was an important viewing venue for this King of Kings Tournament.

On the ice platform, there was a little old man and an old woman with a cane waiting for the four people. The little old man was thin, with deep and wise eyes. He was the president of the alliance, Dama Lanqi; the old woman had a stern face, and exuded a majestic temperament. She was Champion Kikuko.

After the four old men left, Yu Hai turned his gaze to the ice platform on the other side. Most of the people standing on it were champions or the Four Heavenly Kings, such as Du with his cloak fluttering behind him, Kona with a stern face wearing a red winter suit, and Shiba with a burly figure who only wore a simple black vest, revealing his strong muscles.

There is also Kazuki in a tuxedo and Aju in Japanese ninja costume. They stand there, emitting an invisible aura that makes people feel awe. After all, they are all famous top trainers.

In addition, there is Nancy's father and the middle-aged generation of several gyms in the Orange Islands. The only child in this group is Ai.

Xiao Ai, wearing a red cotton-padded jacket and a furry hat, looked particularly adorable. She must have been brought here by Juzi, and was looking around curiously.

The only ones left were the eight contestants. Everyone kept a certain distance and waited quietly. Even if they knew each other, they would just nod slightly, exchange greetings with each other's eyes, and silently wait for the competition to begin.

At the same time, the middle-aged generation and the Four Heavenly Kings gathered on the ice platform also started chatting. The whistling wind on the ice field covered up the sound of their conversation.

"What format will you choose for this King of Kings Tournament?"

"Who knows? After all the choices, it's still the same old three..."

"Let's wait for their decision." Du looked up at the high ice platform where six old guys were discussing.

He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression calm, a hint of thought flashing in his eyes. The format of the King's Tournament was decided by those old guys.

……

At the same time, on the high ice platform, the biting cold wind whistled past, but it did not affect the careful layout here at all. A heavy solid wooden table was placed on the ice platform.

There was a pot of steaming tea on the table. The curling hot steam rose up, carrying a faint tea fragrance, spreading in the cold air, adding a bit of warmth to the people at the table.

As Grandpa Dunmei and the other three slowly sat down, the seats made a slight friction sound as they came into contact with the ice surface. As the clear tea was poured into the cups, the tea aroma became more and more intense.

After the tea was poured, the conversation began. President Dama Lanqi glanced at everyone one by one and slowly said, "We'll discuss the selection of the champion after the King of Kings Tournament is over. First, let's talk about the competition system for this King of Kings Tournament. If you four old men have any ideas, feel free to share them..."

"I have no idea. You decide." Grandpa Dunmei was the first to express his opinion. He leaned back slightly in his chair, his expression calm, his eyes showing a clear understanding of the world. He saw clearly that this matter was not something worth participating in, so it would be better to stay out of it.

"This..." When Grandpa Koji heard that Grandpa Atsumi had given up, his eyes rolled and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. After a pause, he also chose to give up, with a somewhat helpless tone: "I don't have any ideas either..."

He could see in his heart that this so-called tea party was more like a Hongmen Banquet. The previous chaotic situation in the Orange Islands had served as a warning after the alliance's "killing the chicken to scare the monkey".

He had a vague feeling that this time the higher-ups were going to take action against their four major dojos in an attempt to "reduce their power."

"I don't have any idea either." Seeing that the two old friends had expressed their attitudes, Grandpa Ayi's prepared excuses became useless in an instant, and the confessions they had just agreed upon also went down the drain.

Although he felt somewhat unwilling, in this situation, even if he wanted to struggle it would be meaningless, so he could only give up helplessly.

"I don't care." Xiao Dan's grandfather saw that everyone was scared, and it was even less likely that he would stand up and be the first to do so.

In his opinion, no matter what the alliance does, at least he can hold on to a gym, which can be regarded as a foundation for survival.

As for the affairs of their children and grandchildren, they, as the elders, are no longer able to take care of them. If their children and grandchildren do not live up to their expectations, how long can they, the old guys who are already in their twilight years and have become obsolete, take care of them?

Thinking of this, he shook his head slightly, his face showing the vicissitudes of life.

"Since everyone agrees, the format for this year's King's Tournament will be a three-on-three team battle." President Damalanchi looked at Kikuko beside him and shouted to her, "Kikuko, notify Xiaodu that the King's Tournament can begin..."

"Okay." Kikuko nodded slightly, took out a piece of paper from her sleeve and put it on the table, picked up a pen and wrote and drew on it, the tip of the pen rubbing against the paper, making a rustling sound.

After writing, she waved her hand lightly and threw the note at her feet. A dark shadow appeared quickly like a ghost, picked up the note and left quickly.

The black shadow moved extremely fast, bringing up a slight chill wind, and soon came to Du's side, conveying the contents of the note to Du, officially announcing the older generation's arrangements for the competition system.

Then, President Damalanqi showed a gentle smile on his face, and his eyes swept over Grandpa Dunmei and the other three one by one. Seeing that the conversation was going so smoothly, he did not stop the topic, but spoke in a calm tone.

"Don't be nervous, let's move on to the next topic. The Orange Islands have developed to this point. In order to better promote the training of regional trainers and the development of competitions, the alliance plans to add four new gyms. What are your thoughts on the locations of these new gyms?"

At this moment, the atmosphere on the ice platform was a little solemn, and the cold wind was still whistling in the ears, but everyone's attention was focused on the words of President Dama Lanqi.

"You guys decide on the arrangements, just don't do it near the Xia Gan Gym." Grandpa Dunmei looked calm and indifferent.

In his mind, since his son had little interest in the dojo, he would eventually leave the dojo to his grandson.

But with his grandson Ada's limited abilities, it was already quite an achievement that he could steadily maintain a dojo; there was no need to ask for more. Thinking of this, he gently picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of hot tea to dispel some of the chill. To have the leisure to drink tea while facing the alliance's attempts to weaken the dojos was truly remarkable.

"I'm fine with anything." Xiao Dan's grandfather also looked casual and waved his hand gently, as if he didn't take the matter to heart. He leaned back in his chair slightly, also picked up the teacup and took a sip, but he was thinking about other things in his mind.

"I have no objection." Grandpa Haoji looked at Grandpa Dunmei and Grandpa Xiaodan with suspicion in his eyes, secretly wondering in his heart whether these two people had been bribed by the alliance.

Otherwise, how could they agree to such an important matter without hesitation? When they were young, they were both high-spirited and strong-willed people. How could they become like this now? The more he thought about it, the more incredible it seemed to him, and he frowned slightly.

It's hard to say whether Grandpa Dan has been bribed, but Grandpa Dunmei has clearly sided with the alliance, which explains his nonchalant attitude. The other two sighed inwardly, feeling somewhat helpless about the situation.

"I have no objection either." Grandpa Yi felt extremely aggrieved. He originally had many ideas about the layout of the dojo, the future development of the Orange Islands, and so on. But seeing that these old friends were getting old, they seemed to have lost their former vigor and their bones had softened.

He lacked confidence to voice his thoughts on his own, so he could only keep them to himself, feeling frustrated and dejected.

"Since everyone agrees, let me explain the League's initial plans." Guild Master Damaranchi straightened up slightly, his expression serious. "One of the gyms the League plans to locate on Orange Island, which will remain the headquarters of the Orange League..."

"However, the original position of chief trainer will be abolished. In the future, new trainers who obtain the Orange Islands Badge can directly participate in the Orange Tournament..." Chairman Damaranchi said, pausing for a moment as he scanned the faces of the crowd, observing their reactions.

Seeing that everyone's expressions were calm, he continued speaking while taking out a map of the Orange Islands from his side and carefully laying it flat on the table.

"The remaining three gyms, the Alliance plans to place in the other three corners of the Orange Islands: the northeast corner, the northwest corner, the southeast corner, and the southwest corner. This layout will be offset from your existing gyms, which are located due east, due west, due south, and due north..."

He gently flattened the map with his hand, picked up a red marker, and drew a striking red circle in each of the four corners of the map. "These are roughly the locations; these are the new gym locations..."

As for the Gym arrangement on Citrus Island, the League already has a plan. The League has decided to hand it over to the Black Ships family, the first to surrender to the League and pledge their allegiance.

The reason for choosing Orange Isle was that it was easier to protect. In the days to come, the family would have a heavy responsibility. They would need to participate in the Alliance’s cleanup operations and even identify many people involved in the dark side of the Orange Islands.

This would inevitably offend many forces, and even many people. The reason why the alliance would keep this hardworking, obedient, and rabid dog to fight for the alliance is because of this.

It is also because those who betray others crave recognition and want to actively integrate into another group. This is the fanaticism of converts, who yearn for an identity.

Conversely, the original group of this group, knowing that the group from which this group was born is the one they hate the most, will often use the most ruthless methods to exterminate their former kin.

This family is also a key witness in the entire incident, and their importance is self-evident.

After all, compared to the enemy, the traitors are often the most hateful...

Looking back, the League had no choice but to entrust the management of the Orange Islands to the four major gyms out of trust, hoping they could govern the area well.

But who could have imagined that it would turn the Orange Islands into such a mess? Now, this sea area is rife with bandits and pirates, and they even dare to openly hijack merchant ships of the Alliance. They are simply audacious to the extreme.

The alliance could no longer stand idly by, so it had no choice but to take matters into its own hands and launch a crackdown on organized crime, reshuffling the Orange Islands in order to strengthen its control over the region.

Back when the Alliance relinquished power, these four dojos held a pivotal position in the Orange Islands, practically wielding absolute power. At that time, the four dojos were the masters of this land, their word was law.

If the alliance hadn't been constrained by various factors at the time and had been wary of these four old foxes, the Orange Islands wouldn't have lacked so many support policies.

Otherwise, the alliance would have intervened forcefully long ago, quelled the chaos with swift and decisive action, and personally swept through the Orange Islands.

The alliance originally thought that having these four old guys jointly manage the Orange Islands would allow them to check and balance each other, thus maintaining stability and peace in the region.

However, reality was extremely disappointing. The entire Orange Islands were thrown into chaos by them. The local residents probably only knew that there were four gyms, but had no knowledge of the League above them, as if the League did not exist in this land at all.

These four dojos in the Orange Islands consider themselves above the League and above everyone else, treating the Orange Islands as their own private backyard, acting recklessly and tyrannically.

That is why the alliance has made a firm decision this time, even at the cost of force, to thoroughly clean up the disgusting filth in the Orange Islands.

"Since there are no objections, let's move on to the next topic." Chairman Dama Lanqi frowned as he looked at the four people in front of him, who still seemed distracted. He then cleared his throat, his eyes filled with reproach and dissatisfaction, and continued speaking.

"Ahem, look at what you've done in the Orange Islands all these years. If the Alliance doesn't come soon, will the Orange Islands be taken over by your four different families?"

"Ahem, no, I wouldn't dare, Chairman Damalanqi." Grandpa Dunmei responded immediately, showing great support.

In fact, they had discussed the matter privately before, and at this critical juncture, it's time for them to show their sincerity and express their stance to the alliance.

"Dare not? Hmph! What do you have to be afraid of!" Guild Master Damalanqi's face was gloomy as he snorted coldly. "In the hearts of the people of the Orange Islands, they've almost forgotten that there's an alliance above them!"

His gaze was sharp as he stared intently at the four people before him. His purpose in coming here was to reduce the power of the four major Taoist schools and make up for the mistakes of the past.

The alliance's plan is clear: weakening the power of the four gyms is the primary task, and adding four more gyms will dilute the influence of the four gyms in the Orange Islands, further fragmenting the power in the region.

This would allow the alliance to manage the Orange Islands more easily and effectively.

“President Dama Lanqi, you’re exaggerating.” Grandpa Ayi frowned slightly and couldn’t help but retort, his face full of helplessness and complaint. “The remnants of the old aristocracy are reviving. These forces are like venomous snakes hiding in the shadows, impossible to guard against.”

“We’ve been running around like crazy these days, and we can barely keep them under control…” Grandpa Yi shook his head slightly, his voice filled with deep weariness.

"That's perfect, more dojos will help ease the pressure on you." Chairman Dama Lanqi followed up, using Grandpa Ayi's words to continue applying pressure.

His gaze was fixed on Grandpa Ayi. This family was a key target of the alliance and were considered hardliners in the Orange Islands.

"I can understand problems elsewhere, but in Big City, right across from your house, so close, how could you allow Team Rocket to infiltrate? Is that because you don't have enough manpower?" Chairman Damaranqi raised his voice slightly, his questioning tone becoming increasingly obvious.

"This...this..." Grandpa Yi was speechless for a moment, his face turning red.

He knew very little about this matter. His second son was in charge of handling many family affairs. When he found out about it, he realized that his second son was actually planning to harbor a bandit to enhance his own power, which was extremely foolish.

He was furious. Even if he really wanted to raise bandits, he should have chosen a more distant place. Raising them right at his doorstep was ridiculous. Was he afraid the alliance wouldn't be able to find any fault with them?
How could he have such a stupid son? He was so angry that he trembled all over and almost fell ill. He wanted nothing more than to slap that brat across the face.

Recalling this incident, he thought of his eldest son. If his eldest son were still alive, this would never have happened. Every time he thought of his eldest son, all that remained in his eyes was loneliness and sorrow.

"The purpose of having you four establish dojos was to deter these remaining fugitives. Not only have you failed to complete the mission, but you have also emboldened them to retaliate. What exactly are you trying to do? Are you trying to create..." Chairman Dama Lanqi's words became increasingly sharp, his voice ringing out in the cold wind, carrying authority and accusation.

"Hey, Chairman Dama Lanqi, please calm down." Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Grandpa Xiaodan quickly interrupted Chairman Dama Lanqi. If they let this old man continue, they would all be unable to withstand the heavy accusation.

So, his face was plastered with a fawning smile, and his attitude was extremely submissive. He said with a smile, "President Dama Lanqi, how could we dare to have any disloyal intentions? Please just tell us what to do next, and we will definitely do as you say..."

"Yes, yes, just say it, we'll definitely cooperate fully. We're all old men, let's talk things over." Grandpa Koji nodded hurriedly, agreeing repeatedly, his face full of kind smiles.

At this moment, he was truly overwhelmed. Thinking back to their youth, they were all hot-tempered and decisive, but now time waits for no one, and they are all old and frail, no longer the vigorous young men they once were.

"Very well, since you are all reasonable, then you should rein in your overreaching hands." President Dama Lanqi said sternly, his gaze sweeping over the four people in turn. Seeing that they had all given in, he slowly reminded them.

"Don't blame me for not reminding you. You have guarded the Orange Islands for the Alliance for many years. The Alliance can let bygones be bygones regarding the past. If something similar happens again, you should know very well what the consequences will be..." President Damalanqi narrowed his eyes slightly. Anyway, he didn't have many years left to live, so he wasn't afraid of these old guys being outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant.

"Yes, yes, we will do as you say." Grandpa Yi quickly replied, and then secretly glanced at Grandpa Dunmei. He saw that the little old man was sitting there quietly, without saying a word, calm and composed.

Seeing this, Grandpa Yi suddenly understood many things. No wonder this dull old man stopped the earliest; he must have been summoned by the alliance long ago and knew what was going on.

Thinking of this, he sighed inwardly and became even more vigilant, reminding himself to be careful with his words and actions, and to restrain his good-for-nothing children and grandchildren, so as not to make mistakes at such a critical juncture.

"Whether the younger generation of your four families can secure a spot among the Four Heavenly Kings this time depends entirely on your individual abilities." After dealing with the matter of reducing the power of the domains, President Damalanqi turned his gaze to the ice field competition arena below.

At this moment, the participants were orderly drawing lots under Du's guidance, and the atmosphere on the ice field became increasingly tense.

President Dama Lanqi withdrew his gaze and turned to the four people in front of him, warning again: "What happened at the Orange Competition must not be repeated..."

As he spoke, he emphasized his words, his gaze lingering for a moment on Grandpa Ayi and Grandpa Koji. Grandpa Dunmei and Grandpa Xiaodan had been very honest in this matter, without resorting to any underhanded tactics. And how could the other two families' petty schemes possibly escape the Alliance's investigation?

The elders of the four families all understood that the alliance was truly determined to take this seriously. They exchanged glances and dared not say anything more.

After all, times have changed. The four families are no longer as powerful as they were forty years ago, when they worked together harmoniously, cooperated for mutual benefit, and strived for the prosperity of the Orange Islands.

But now, as time goes by and people's hearts change, the unity of the past is long gone. Now they are like scattered grains of sand, each going their own way, a disorganized mess.

(End of this chapter)