Chapter 123:

Miss Miriam elegantly declined the reward she deserved, deciding to take Murphy’s advice and use the present as collateral to go all-in for her future.

However, the redhead deeply knew that a bright future still required her to work hard now. As Murphy’s top “reserve politician,” she was indeed busy with official duties. After finishing her conversation with Murphy and eating a casual breakfast, she brought along a few carefully selected assistants and returned to the survivors’ camp.

A major construction effort was underway here.

Murphy had just rescued over 1,800 people from the Blood Vulture Halls, doubling the number of mouths to feed, which was an unsettling signal. Fortunately, the camp had previously established an effective, albeit crude and simple order, allowing Miriam to still basically maintain stability for now.

According to her schedule, this morning she needed to meet with the leaders of the survivors from the corridor regarding allocating manpower to clear and initially rebuild the ruins in the outer city district.

From a manager’s perspective, Miriam’s current situation could be summarized as follows:

The good news was that the other party was cooperating with the camp’s work and even proactively integrating their 1,800 survivors into the existing management system based on “labor points” and “communal meals.”

The bad news was that a few people in the other party’s leadership were somewhat unruly, showing signs of wanting to seize power.

This information was privately told to Miriam by Lady Adele, Murphy’s blood descendant and maid, who felt obliged to inform the current administrator of certain noteworthy phenomena in the territory.

Previously, Miriam had not paid much attention to this, thinking she would just finish the tasks quickly and leave.

But now, Miriam found herself like an eager “battle hen,” raring to face challenges from her peers.

It seemed many had noticed the “treasure” represented by the survivors’ camp, and as the person currently closest to monopolizing that treasure, the clever and formidable redhead clearly did not intend to relinquish it easily.

This shift in attitude brought her more subjective proactiveness, just as someone who has found a goal and someone drifting aimlessly are in two different life states.

“Bang”

The small “meeting room” door was pushed open, which was actually just a house in the outer city ruins that had been burned but was still barely usable.

The middle-aged man dressed like a scholar who was sitting inside looked up.

He should be the representative sent by the other party.

Wearing broken glasses held together with glue and cloth strips, his graying hair made him look haggard, with a worried brow. Although dressed plainly, he was very well-groomed and clean. His legs seemed inconvenient, with a wooden staff by his side.

In front of him were some papers filled with writing, clearly prepared for a war of words with Miriam to secure more benefits for the “faction” he represented.

This scene gave the redhead a strong sense of déjà vu.

It was as if she was playing the role of a faction leader, about to engage in a game called “politics” with the other party’s diplomat to fight for her interests. Something that once seemed so distant to her had now become the reality she had to face.

“Hello, I’m Miriam, the supervisor of the survivors’ camp.”

She proactively said to the middle-aged scholar with a calm expression:

“I don’t want to hide my intention, but the survivors’ camp has reached its limit by accepting so many people. Our two sides must cooperate to quickly open up a new living area in the old city district. Otherwise, this place will soon experience some chaos that no one wants to see.”

“I understand your meaning, Miss Miriam,” the middle-aged scholar smiled and said humbly, “In the past two days since leaving the halls, my companions and I have reached a consensus. We have no intention of challenging your position in the survivors’ camp, and we are willing to assist you in managing the relocation of survivors.

At the very least, I personally do not want to see everyone face unnecessary turmoil after struggling to survive. Therefore, I propose...”

Miriam listened carefully to the other party’s description.

From the other party’s seemingly submissive but actually prepared stance of presenting a complete proposal, she knew her current opponent would not be easy to deal with.

But just as the middle-aged scholar was about to reveal the specific proposal, the “meeting room” door was suddenly pushed open again. Lieutenant Frayzer from the Goldflower Kingdom, wearing a military uniform, walked in with a bent back and said to Miriam in an unsatisfied tone:

“I must enter the ruins of the Blood Vulture Halls to assess the situation and confirm that Salrokdar has truly been... huh? Professor Winston Malcolm? What are you doing here?”

This “enemy” lieutenant initially paid no attention to the other person in the room, but when he turned and saw the middle-aged scholar conversing with Miriam, he was stunned. His military instincts made him straighten his body and give a standard bow to the equally surprised middle-aged scholar, loudly saying:

“Greetings to you, mentor! I am Frayzer Robert Carpe, class president of History Department Class 7 of the 1100th batch at the Shaldor Engineering Academy.

I once audited your seven public lectures on the evolution of noble titles in the Silan Kingdom. I must say, those lectures left a lasting impression on me and allowed me to learn about certain interesting anecdotes about my family’s history that were not recorded in our family tree.”

“Ah, Mr. Frayzer, I remember you!”

The middle-aged scholar removed his broken glasses, rubbed his forehead, and indeed found some remaining memories. He said:

“You even specially invited me to the most luxurious cafe in Shaldor Port after class to consult me about some rather professional questions regarding the Carpe family history. I had asked you then, but you denied it.

It seems you are indeed a descendant of one of the oldest noble families in Silan?”

“That was my father’s request. He said if I hoped to prove my abilities, then at the very least during my studies, I could not receive too much interference and help from my family bloodline.”

Lieutenant Frayzer was also surprised and delighted to see his former professor. He simply pulled up a chair and sat beside this Professor Malcolm, saying with regret:

And as a student seeking her mentor’s help in times of trouble, how can I, as an educator, turn a blind eye?

Actually, my acquaintance with those few individuals was merely a chance encounter. Although I disagree with some of their actions, I am powerless to stop them. More importantly, Miriam, this matter is a bit more complicated than you imagine.”

The professor placed his broken glasses on the table. Lowering his voice, he rubbed his brow and said seriously:

“They have received support from external forces! That is the real reason they are determined to seize your managerial authority. Someone has made them empty promises, and I’ve tried to persuade them, but they are too deeply deceived to listen.”

“Ahem”

At this point, Lieutenant Frayzer beside him coughed unnaturally and said in a low voice:

“It was me, Professor. On behalf of the Pioneer Army, I made a few trivial insinuations to those rather ambitious individuals. Don’t look at me like I’m a madman, Junior Sister Miriam. Discovering and exploiting the enemy’s internal conflicts is just a basic ability for an intelligence operative.

I had no intention of creating more chaos here, only to cause some trouble for those vampires before I leave.

But since this matter has implicated a scholar I respect, I will withdraw from now on!

As for those few ambitious but incompetent fools, you can deal with them yourselves.

However, I must gain access to the Blood Vulture Halls. The report I submit to His Majesty the King must contain sufficient truth.”

“I will bring this up to Master Murphy, but that is the vampires’ sacred ground. Whether you can enter is not up to me.”

Miriam did not give this jerk a friendly response.

The latter also sensibly did not linger, setting a time to meet the Professor later before taking his leave on his own.

With only Miriam and her teacher remaining in the meeting room, Professor Malcolm put his glasses back on. He looked out the burned house’s window, and after a few seconds of silence, he asked an important question:

“Miriam, please tell me honestly, do you truly intend to serve Murphy long-term? I mean, do you view him as your sovereign lord?”

“I...”

Miriam glanced at the professor like a student being held accountable. She nervously clenched her fists but ultimately answered candidly:

“To be honest, Professor, I greatly detest vampires. Even now, I feel those so-called midnight nobles are all a bunch of vermin. However, I believe Master Murphy is different from other vampires. He once promised me that he would treat all life on this land equally.

I have also personally witnessed him resolutely ally with the Witch Hunters to kill his own kind in order to protect the civilians in the camp from being corrupted by crazed vampires!

Moreover, this is also an opportunity for me personally.

As you know, for someone like me without background or status, it is extremely difficult to truly create value from the knowledge I’ve learned.

I don’t want to give up!”

This answer made the middle-aged scholar nod. He then asked:

“You are an Administration student, so do you know what the core of politics is?”

“Compromise?”

Miriam gave an uncertain response that could be considered a “universal answer”, but the professor shook his head. He stood up, supporting his leg injured during exile, and walked to the window to look at the scavengers toiling amid the ruins under the dawn light.

He said softly:

“It is checks and balances!

Checks and balances on power are the core of politics. Getting the ruler to willingly enter the cage is the art of politics, this is history’s answer.

I will stay and help you.

Not only because the kind people here took care of me during my years residing in Kadman City, but also because, in truth, I had known Lord Murphy even before this disaster struck, earlier than you did.

But like you, Miriam,

I also feel that Lord Murphy seems different from the rest.”

This professor recalled the strange yet polite and kind-hearted vampire he had seen at a street relief station some time ago. He cracked a smile and said softly:

“I have a feeling that something destined to be recorded in history is about to happen on this land of Transia that has suffered so much. As a historian, it is my responsibility to personally document all the changes here, and I am honored to participate in it myself.

If you do not mind me being but a feeble old cripple, then Miss Miriam, I am willing to become your second-in-command and contribute what I can to this land I have resided in for years.

My baby daughter was born here, and I too hope to see it thrive.”