The Almighty Dragon General

Chapter 862
Now, because of James, they had gotten themselves involved in the turmoil.
“Because of you, the Cadens have now been dragged into the fray. It's not unlikely that you might have been manipulated from
the very beginning. Disposing of the Emperor under the Cadens’ name is certainly a surefire way to get the Johnstons and
Cadens involved and cause a rift between the two families.”
James simply sat there with his mouth agape.He knew that the Capital had been governed by complex dynamics that hung in an
intricate balance, but he had not expected things to be this convoluted.
The God-King Palace had really made a royal mess of things.
“What exactly is the God-King Palace?”
Maxine shrugged. “Who knows? We wouldn't be sitting here doing nothing if we knew who was actually behind this. Tomorrow
morning, we'll likely be receiving a number of guests who are planning to see where my grandfather stands.”
“Actually...”
Maxine’s mouth snapped shut for a moment before opening once again. “Prior to this. Grandpa had never concerned himself
with the affairs of the outside world. We only got involved because he couldn't bear leaving you to your fate. At the end of the
day, you're still part of the family.”
The more he heard, the more confused he felt.
He tried to recall all the events that had led up to this from the time he was framed by the Emperor, the public trial, up to the time
where Gloom came looking for him.
Perhaps it was then that someone planned to manipulate him into removing the Emperor.
It was the Emperor’s death that kicked everything into motion.
However, the appearance of the God-King Palace only worsened an already chaotic situation.
James had a hard time trying to figure out who was his real enemy.

“Can the King be trusted?”
He posed his question doubtfully.
Maxine shrugged once more. “There's no such thing as trust. Everyone merely sees things from their own perspectives. As such,
every action from the opposing side can only be viewed as a threat.”
After feeding James the medicine, Maxine picked up the bowl and stood up. “Get some rest. I'll be leaving now.”
Then, she exited the room.
In the courtyard outside...
Tobias sat at the gazebo smoking a cigar. He stared pensively at his surroundings.
“Mmm.youAfter puffing out a cloud of smoke, Tobias turned to Maxine and asked, “Maxine, what do think the God-King Palace
is? I’m almost certain the King manipulated James into killing the Emperor In the process, the God — King Palace somehow
managed to get the Cadens involved. What are they up to?”
Maxine sat down and shook her head. “It wouldn't be appropriate of me to make any assumptions”
“You've always been such a bright and astute child. You tend to notice things others would overlook. Tell me honestly, what do
you make of the current situation? What can the Cades do to protect ourselves from this approaching storm?”
Closing her eyes in deep contemplation, Maxine began to speak carefully, “We'll start with Mr Gabriel. He's managed to recruit
many descendants of the Gu Sect to his cause. He was also the one who propped up the Emperor. I suspect that this is only just
the beginning of his elaborate schemes. His real objective should be to get the Johnstons involved.
“As for Mr. Lee. He has devoted his whole life to the betterment of the nation. Thirty years. ago, he sacrificed the previous Black
Dragon and put up a new King. He believes that the
Ancient Four, as well as the various forces of Sol. will always be a looming threat to the nation. Despite being fully aware of Mr.
Gabriel's machinations, he simply turned a blind eye to them. and waited for an opportune moment to present itself.
“Mr. Gabriel seems determined to push forward with the failed plan from a century ago. As the Ancient Four’s existence directly
threatens his plan’s success, he’s going to great lengths to get rid of them. I believe Mr. Lee is of the same opinion. That's why
he simply went along with Mr. Gabriel's plans.

“As for the God-King Palace... I'm still unclear on its origins and purpose.”
Maxine’s face darkened at the mention of the God-King Palace. Carefully choosing her words once more, she continued, “The
God-King Palace first appeared and helped James out when he was about to kill Theodore. Then, they impersonated the
Cadens and went to the Jonnstons to rescue James. After that, they dumped James at our front door. If I'm right, their objective
is simple-turn the Cadens and the Johnstons against one another.”
Tobias nodded satisfactorily as he took another long drag of his cigar. “An impeccable analysis, my dear. Have you heard
anything from the other two of the Ancient Four?”
Maxine shook her head. “They have yet to express their opinions on the matter. However, since the situation has gotten to this
point, it's only a matter of time before they join in.’
Tobias asked, “What would be a wise course of action then?”
“We should simply wait and see.” Maxine offered a suggestion of her own.
Tobias stood up and said. “It's getting late. You should go get some sleep.”