Just as Thirteen expected, the Grand and Field Marshal of the Central Government soon arrived to have dinner with them.

When the dinner ended, the two men dragged Thirteen to their office in order to discuss important matters that no one must hear about.

"What do you think about this upcoming Dragon and Phoenix Tournament?" Lawrence asked.

"What else?" Thirteen shrugged. "It's a way for the Ashford Clan to show everyone how amazing they are."

Lawrence and Tristan looked at the boy, as if trying to understand his thoughts. Truth be told, they were worried that the Ashford Clan would take this opportunity to cripple or kill the other outstanding members of the Young Generation.

The moment they changed the rules of the Elimination Matches was cause for concern.

However, since they were hosting the event, they had every right to make the rules for the tournament.

"Aren't you worried that they will set up traps in the location where the elimination matches will be held?" Tristan asked.

"Not worried in the slightest," Thirteen answered.

"Then, are you confident that they will use some tricks to make things difficult for the candidates outside of the Monarch Clans and Prestigious Families?" Lawrence inquired.

"Oh, I'm sure they will employ several tricks to deliberately harm some Wanderers," Thirteen answered. "I'd be surprised if they don't do anything of the sort."

"So what are we going to do about it?" Lawrence looked at the teenage boy with a solemn expression on his face. "If something happens, they might put the blame on us since we are also in charge of the security of the venue.

"In fact, I think the reason why they approached us is because they want to drag us down and make people criticize the Central Government."

Thirteen leaned on his chair and smiled at the two adults in front of him. He was talking to the two of them as if they were his equals, not his superiors.

Of course, Lawrence and Tristan also didn't bother standing in ceremony with the Supreme Commander of the Alliance behind closed doors.

In private, they could talk as equals without holding back.

It was only in public that they acted as per their Ranks, ensuring that the hierarchy of the army would not be jeopardized.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure that they won't dare to do anything of the sort," Thirteen said. "I'll employ some tricks of my own and expose their secrets. Once that happens, they will stop sabotaging the participants."

"Just what kind of tricks are you planning?" Tristan frowned. "You're not allowed to drag the Central Government's reputation, okay?"

"Of course, I won't do that," Thirteen nodded. "Just trust me, Sir. I'll put a stop to whatever they are planning before they can even execute it."

"Can you give us some hints?" Lawrence asked. "I'm very curious about what you plan to do. Right now, even the Central Government is not allowed to go to the Testing Areas that would be used for the venue of the Elimination Match.

"If I didn't know better, I would've assumed that they were preparing to install some last-minute traps and other foul means to eliminate the candidates whom they deemed as threats to their Seeded Candidate.

"I'm sure you're aware, but aside from Roland, Derek, and the other Heirs of the Monarch Clans and Prestigious Families, the Ashford Clan will certainly not want anyone else—including your brother and sister, to reach the Semi-Finals."

"Right." Tristan nodded in agreement. "Mikhail and Shasha are the Rising Stars of this generation. I'm sure that they will be the first ones to be targeted by the Ashford Clan.

"Even if they don't resort to killing them, they would go as far as crippling them so that they will not be able to threaten their Seeded Candidates in the tournament.

"There's also a possibility that the Stallard, Remington, Griffin, and Elrod Clan are involved as well."

Thirteen didn't deny or affirm Tristan's statement. While he did have good relationships with the Griffin, Elrod, and the Remington Clan, they were, after all, Clans who stood at the Apex of the world.

Aside from the Elrod and Griffin Clans, the Remington, Stallard, and Ashford Clans might think of bringing him down a peg by targeting his family members.

But the teenage boy also had their weakness in his grasp.

For these families, their reputation was the most important thing of all.

If Thirteen could use blackmail against them, then instead of harming his people, they would do their best to protect them instead!

The teenage boy was willing to use foul and dirty methods to ensure that the people he cared about would not be hurt in the tournament.

In fact, he had already prepared his blackmail material beforehand with the help of Kamrusepa and Paimon.

Since Camazotz was still missing in action—probably either in closed-door cultivation or in hibernation to recover from his injuries, he had to rely on the two Majin Princesses who were part of his faction.

Paimon had the power of Creation, and Kamrusepa dabbled in Divination and Illusions.

Thirteen, on the other hand, had a cartload of dirty tricks in his arsenal.

With the three of them working together, the only thing he could say was, "Even if someone is squeaky clean, the moment I make a move, they will be covered in sewage water before they can even blink!"

His plan was simply so sinister that even the two Majin Princesses felt sorry for the Ashford Clan, who was about to get slapped in the face without knowing who hit them and why.

"By the way, I'll handle the matchups for the Semifinals as well," Thirteen stated. "That way, the brackets will be fair and not rigged."

"Oh?" Tristan arched an eyebrow. "Although you say it won't be rigged, why do I feel that you plan to rig it either way?"

"Sir, please don't slander me." Thirteen chuckled. "I'm innocent, you know?"

The Grand and Field Marshal of the Army both snorted at the same time.

They had seen many shameless people in their lives, but they had to admit that the teenage boy in front of them was a league of his own.

If not for the fact that they were on the same side, they would not let him anywhere near the matching system of the tournament.

It was precisely because they knew where Zion's loyalty lay that they were willing to turn a blind eye to whatever shenanigans he would try to pull. With the young man's skills, they could be assured that their enemies would be the ones who'd knock each other out during the final matches of the tournament.