Lord of the Sky City-Chapter 830 - 812 The Dust Settles

Zuluo’s death shattered the confidence of Denise and Kashu. Previously, the two had unanimously believed that Rocky would not dare to kill them. Whether judging from his temperament or weighing the situation in terms of profit, they were both very confident.

But Zuluo’s death shook their belief. It became clear that Rocky was not incapable of killing them—he simply chose not to. Once he made up his mind, killing came without hesitation.

Under these circumstances, the two representatives requested to meet with Denise and Kashu again, hoping to persuade them. However, Athena refused their request.

This refusal was not unexpected. Athena would not give Denise and Kashu another chance to influence the negotiations. This denial also sent a clear signal: the time for deliberation was running out. They had to make a decision immediately—either comply with the previous demands or risk losing their heads!

Surprisingly, the first person to make a decision was neither Denise nor Kashu, but Simonuo, the Great Elder of the Magic Energy Research Institute, who had seemed like an unshakable bastion throughout.

On the second day after Zuluo’s execution, Simonuo summoned Athena, inquired who the Institute’s assigned Elder was, and asked about Athena’s exact demands. Upon receiving the answers, Simonuo made the decision on his own to agree to all of Athena’s requests.

Though Simonuo wasn’t technically a designated representative in the negotiations, he was the Great Elder of the Magic Energy Research Institute. His words carried even more weight than Ouli’s, despite being confined to a prison cell. Consequently, with Simonuo’s agreement, the Institute’s stance in the negotiations was finally resolved.

Some might wonder why Simonuo suddenly agreed to all of Athena’s terms on his own. Could it be that he was terrified by Zuluo’s death, fearing that Athena might execute him next?

Of course not. Elder Simonuo wasn’t frightened by Zuluo’s death. It was clear to everyone that Zuluo’s execution was a threat directed at Denise and Kashu, not Simonuo.

As the Great Elder of the Magic Energy Research Institute, Simonuo’s status was illustrious in its own right. Moreover, he carried another notable identity: he was a master in academia, held in equal esteem in the scholarly world as Aniye.

In this situation, even if Rocky had the audacity to kill Zuluo, he wouldn’t dare to kill Simonuo. In fact, even if Rocky entertained that thought, Orton, Aniye, and others wouldn’t allow it. It’s no exaggeration to say that of all the hostages, Simonuo was the safest of them all.

Yet, after Zuluo’s death, Simonuo was the first to agree to Athena’s terms. Why?

Because His Excellency the Great Elder had already recognized Rocky’s resolve.

Zuluo’s death was more than just a scare tactic; it was a declaration. It demonstrated that Rocky would not back down under any circumstances—he would not yield an inch. In other words, unless all demands were agreed to, there was absolutely no scenario in which Simonuo could leave Thunderhawk City alive. Prolonging resistance would only escalate the situation and waste even more time. Was there any point in persisting?

No.

Thus, Simonuo made a swift and resolute decision to agree to Athena’s terms. Since Simonuo had settled the matter, whether Ouli agreed or not became irrelevant. Accordingly, after the two met briefly, Simonuo was released from his cell the very next day and, like Elder Gandalf, was relocated to the City Lord’s Mansion. Once the Magic Energy Research Institute handed over all of its technology, Simonuo would finally be free to leave.

With Simonuo leaving the cell, only Denise and Kashu remained behind.

At this point, the two had no options left. Previously, they could rely—however tenuously—on the Magic Energy Research Institute as a bastion of resistance. As long as the Institute hadn’t conceded, they still had room to negotiate with Athena. But now that even the Institute had capitulated, what means remained for them to maintain their stance in the negotiations?

None.

It didn’t take long before the two representatives also agreed, one after the other, to all of Athena’s demands.

Thus, the negotiations officially concluded, culminating in Rocky’s absolute victory!

Of the six hostages, with the exception of Zuluo, who was executed, the remaining five had all agreed to Rocky’s terms and promised to fulfill them in short order.

The moment this news broke, it caused a sensation across the skies. The importance of this development did not lie solely in Rocky’s success at the negotiation table, nor in the significant gains he made through these talks. The true implication was that in this confrontation with the Three Great Alliances, Rocky had emerged with a decisive victory. That was the crux of the matter!

Such an outcome caught most people by surprise. While everyone understood that these negotiations symbolized the end of this stage of conflict, they expected Rocky to use the talks to de-escalate tensions with the Three Great Alliances.

After all, with the third Counteroffensive War about to erupt, the Three Great Alliances would soon lack the capacity to focus their efforts on Rocky. With the negotiations concluded, the confrontation between both sides should naturally have eased. The next clash between them seemed unlikely to occur until after the global war ended. Therefore, a chance existed for Rocky to lower their points of contention—an opportunity that, for him, would have been nothing but advantageous.

But Rocky chose otherwise. Not only did he show no intention of easing tensions, but he also used the negotiations to mercilessly extort his counterparts.

"That man... He’s utterly insane..."

"But still, he did manage to rake in quite the profit this time."

"The question now is, what will his fate be? After all, by doing this, he’s completely cemented the animosity between himself and the Three Great Alliances."

"Who knows? Maybe the Alliances will continue to end up humiliated."

"How could that be possible?"

"Nothing’s impossible."

The outcome sparked various opinions among the City Lords. Some believed Rocky had lost touch with reality, while others felt he’d been blinded by greed. Yet there were also those who regarded his actions as entirely justified, noting that even if the Three Great Alliances sought further trouble, Rocky might not fear them anymore.

As for the external commentary, Rocky couldn’t care less. What truly mattered to him was when the Three Great Alliances and the two major corporations would fulfill their promises. Seeing the agreed terms implemented was the top item on Rocky’s agenda.

That said, there was little cause for worry. Except for the Kafka Empire’s Chancellor, who had already been sent away, the others were moved out of their prison cells and into the City Lord’s Mansion in Thunderhawk City. None of them would truly be free until they completed their part of the agreement, leaving little room for tricks.

Meanwhile, during this interim period while awaiting the fulfillment of promises, Rocky engaged in detailed discussions with the Kafka Empire’s Vice Chancellor Martin, swiftly establishing a new collaborative arrangement between both parties.