**Chapter 226: Steven the Non-Stick Pan**
After a while, the situation in Emerald City was getting so tense that it felt like everyone was walking on eggshells.
It was a daily lockdown, and every two days they conducted searches.
Initially, the players didn’t think much of it, but gradually this situation began to seriously impact their daily activities.
If you can’t get back in after leaving, how am I supposed to replenish my consumables and repair my equipment?
And if you let me in but not out, where am I supposed to grind for experience points?
They had no choice but to start asking around about what was really going on.
Eventually, relying on their connections, they heard some juicy gossip from the servants of the nobles.
What? The Emperor of the Jade Emperor Kingdom can’t hold on any longer?
What? The prince and the princess are fighting for the throne?
Oh my goodness! Why didn’t you tell us sooner about such a monumental event?
For the outsiders living in the outer city districts, understanding matters happening in the imperial capital was indeed quite challenging.
The common folk might have some inkling, but since they were in the imperial capital, they didn’t dare to speak out; only the nobles in the inner city had the privilege to participate in such discussions.
The players, simply curious, were wondering what this gigantic plot twist meant for their activities and quests.
With the old emperor gone and a new one taking the throne, there must be a mountain of tasks needing attention.
You can’t keep it secret like this! We’re your most eager supporters, just give us a shout when you need something done, and we’ll handle it perfectly!
Of course, don’t forget the rewards!
News related to this situation quickly exploded across the forums.
Then, the history buffs came out of the woodwork, saying, “Actually, there have been whispers about this for a while; you just weren’t paying attention.”
Every game has its share of lore nerds who love researching game background, history, culture, and so on.
However, they usually just play in their small circles, and the findings they dig up lead to internal hype only.
When a post gets put up on the forums, it quickly gets drowned out by dozens, if not hundreds, of refreshes each second.
What kinds of posts get attention on the forums?
Firstly, clickbait titles. Secondly, hot topic tags. In fact, these two are essentially the same; using trending keywords like “Nuclear Bomb Little Sister” or “Wind God” can grab a lot of eyes.
Then there are provocative posts.
Nothing’s more enjoyable than a good old-fashioned argument. Passionate debates are the most exhilarating!
There are also strategy posts. However, those often devolve into argument threads too.
As for the rest, they pretty much sink like lead balloons.
Except for some places that remain eternally peaceful — the Chaos Corner.
But this wave of news was definitely hitting the lore nerds pretty hard.
Since the gates were currently locked down and no one could come or go, it was the perfect time to dig into the backstory.
Yuliya was different from the other players; she had a pretty clear understanding of the situation in Emerald City, and you could say she was right in the thick of it.
These past few days, Steven had been leaving often. The guy who used to appear just with a shout now seemed to be a rare sight.
In truth, Yuliya knew that Steven wasn’t just some average Joe; she had thought it didn’t matter to her, so she didn’t pay it much mind.
Firstly, Uncle Edward’s identity was anything but ordinary; just by looking at how he handed over the Life Stone, tainted with magical energy, you could tell!
He was most likely a big shot hiding in Beginner’s Village.
Then there was Grandpa Ryan, who owned an inn in the outer city. He also seemed to be a hidden powerhouse.
And now, Steven, summoned by Grandpa Ryan, seemed to be openly flaunting his status.
His demeanor and actions reeked of nobility, and he seemed quite familiar with Amelia and Sister Elia.
Yuliya decided to ignore it all, thinking, “You do your thing, I’ll do mine.”
You can handle the noble NPCs, while I deal with the player outsiders.
After all, I’m not from the Jade Emperor Kingdom, and I’m not even a traditional NPC.
But the NPCs and players aren’t strictly parallel lines; their paths will inevitably intertwine at some point.
Finally, Yuliya decided to proactively inquire about Elia’s situation.
One day, she waited late into the night and finally spotted Steven coming back.
Yuliya sat in the moonlit yard, brewing a pot of tea: “Steven, do you have time to chat with me?”
Steven paused for a moment. “Of course, Miss. I didn’t expect you to be awake so late tonight.”
To him, Yuliya usually went to bed early. Kids, you know, early to bed, early to rise!
In reality, Yuliya just went offline to have a blast.
She invited Steven to sit opposite her and handed him a cup of tea.
“Steven, you’ve been super busy lately; we hardly see you around. Is everything okay on your side?”
Steven paused for a moment before responding: “It’s neither good nor bad, really. It doesn’t affect me too much.”
“Not affecting you?”
“Right, because no matter the outcome, I’m still me.”
“Then what’s keeping Steven so busy?”
“I have my responsibilities; Emerald City needs to remain stable.”
“I see.”
Yuliya nodded, coming to understand what Steven was up to.
It was pretty much in line with her previous guesses.
Steven smiled, setting his cup down: “Miss, you really don’t need to beat around the bush with me. Feel free to ask whatever you want.”
“Alright, I’ll ask directly. What’s Elia’s current situation like?”
“Not that great. Or you might even say it’s terrible.”
“Is it really that bad? What are her odds?”
“If there’s no external interference, her odds are non-existent.”
Yuliya raised her eyebrows, staring at Steven: “Are you saying there *can* be external interference?”
Steven picked up his cup and flashed a warm smile: “Oh, Miss, I never said anything at all.”
This chapter isn’t done yet! Click to the next page to keep reading the exciting content!
“Uh… hahaha.” Yuliya quickly topped off Steven’s cup, chuckling, “What I mean is, is there any way I can help Elia? She’s my sister; helping her is only reasonable, right? It has nothing to do with you.”
Steven took a sip of tea and smiled back: “Of course, it’s only natural for a sister to help her sister. I believe even the Goddess of Life would recognize your intentions.”
Yuliya leaned in, lowering her voice: “So, what should I do?”
Steven also lowered his voice: “Among the three knight orders, the Royal Knight Order has made it clear that they won’t involve themselves in any disputes and are only guarding the peace of the imperial city. The Radiant Knight Order is the strongest supporter of Prince Isaac. As for the Dark Moon Knight Order, they have yet to make a statement. Maybe you could give it a shot.”
Hearing this, Yuliya understood.
You belong to the Dark Moon Knight Order!
“So, what’s Steven’s stance?”
Steven immediately switched to a stern expression, speaking with righteous fervor: “I have no stance. I strictly adhere to the rules and regulations of our order and never involve myself in any faction disputes. I will always obey my superior’s commands and follow orders from within the order. I devote myself completely to the growth and prosperity of the Jade Emperor Kingdom until my last breath.”
“…”
Now that sounded familiar!
“Well…”
Before Yuliya could ask anything further, Steven quickly added: “Despite Lord Ryan arranging for me to be by your side, I still tend to prefer following Lord Ryan’s directives. It’s best not to put me in a difficult position, Miss.”
“Uh… alright, I won’t make it tough for you.”
Well, well, Steven, you sly old fox, just threw your superior under the bus!
