Love at the Wrong Table
Chapter 2263 A Game of Many Sides!
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“I understand that completely.” Gautier nodded before hesitating. “But I do have some concerns…”
“What concerns?” Mike asked sharply. “Are you afraid Catherine won’t use you once she becomes president?”
“No, of course not!” Gautier denied it outright, though that was precisely what worried him.
He had no relationship with Catherine–they had never even spoken. Once she won the presidency, there was no telling if she would still acknowledge him. But with Mike pressing him, he couldn’t admit to such a
fear.
“What is it you’re worried about then?” Mike narrowed his eyes, his tone growing more forceful.
“To be honest, Mr. Connaught, we’ve already made arrangements with Mayor Zelinsky.” Gautier lowered his voice. “In two days, we’re holding the Grand Hunt. Once Emmanuel Lowe is eliminated, Ethan Hunt will undoubtedly be the next assassination target.
“But we’re still unclear about Mason Morgan’s stance, as well as the Holy Trinity’s next move. If Ethan dies, they might retaliate against Ms. Zelinsky, and we can’t be certain she’ll successfully secure the presidency.”
“Hahaha…” Mike suddenly burst into laughter, his booming voice filling the courtyard.
Gautier was baffled but remained silent, watching him closely.
After a long moment, Mike finally lowered his head, saying, “That’s exactly why I came to see you today.”
“Really?” Gautier’s eyes brightened with anticipation. “Please, Mr. Connaught, tell me.”
He had no hesitation when it came to eliminating Emmanuel and his faction, but he had never been able to determine whether Mason and the Holy Trinity were allies or enemies. That uncertainty weighed heavily on him.
“The Holy Trinity has already started their operation,” Mike answered with a cold scoff. “I originally returned to inform Mr. Tanner of the external developments and discuss our next move. But who would’ve thought he’d end up falling into an ambush… Now, I can only discuss this with you.”
Gautier nodded, feigning a look of deep sorrow.
“The Holy Trinity has made a deal with Kasango,” Mike continued, “encouraging them to create tension and low–intensity conflicts at the border. At the same time, they’ve orchestrated incidents in the East Ocean under Chanaea’s name, provoking Shoiya into a dispute.
“With these pressures mounting, the people of Chanaea will naturally desire a strong leader who can sweep away these nuisances. If Hunt dies and they successfully frame Ms. Zelinsky for it, Morgan will have a clear path to winning the presidency.”
Gautier let out a cold chuckle. “A well–laid chain of schemes.”
“Exactly. The Holy Trinity never intended to win the election through conventional means. Their real strategy has always been deception and subterfuge.” Mike smirked darkly. “But they failed to realize that there’s always a bigger predator lurking in the shadows We still have a trump card that guarantees victory.”
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Chapter 2263 A Game of Many Sidest
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He had yet to fully grasp all of Teddy’s knowledge, and now more than ever, he felt that Teddy’s death had been a great loss.
“Hmph. Has Mr. Tanner and Mayor Zelinsky never mentioned it to you?” Mike suddenly asked, his gaze turning suspicious.
A chill ran down Gautier’s spine. He could tell–Mike sull didn’t fully trust him.
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But Gautier was no fool; in fact, his mind was sharper than most. Piecing together what Mike had just said, he quickly made an educated guess. Steeling himself, responded, “They have, but I wasn’t sure if I had the full picture. You must be referring to the grand plan that my master and Mayor Zelinsky have been preparing for years, right?”
Truthfully, he was bluffing. But he had to take the risk.
To his relief, Mike’s eyes flickered with surprise. “So, Mr. Tanner truly considered you his disciple. He even told you about the plan he spent thirty years preparing!
Suppressing his satisfaction, Gautier let out a regretful sigh. “My master died such an unjust death. There were still so many things I needed to learn from him.”
“Enough, let’s not dwell on sorrow for now,” Mike waved a hand dismissively, fully dropping his guard around Gautier. He spoke candidly, “Nearly thirty years ago when Mr. Tanner and Mayor Zelinsky were still young up–and–comers like yourself, they had already begun planning their control over Chanaea.
“Back then, they made a pact with the Summerton family–once Mayor Zelinsky gained dominance over political policies, Mr. Tanner would take charge of finances and logistics. In secret, the Summertons would build a private military force, one that, at the critical moment during the election, would storm into Zovince and seize control of Congress.”
Gautier felt a chill run down his spine at the revelation, though he held his tongue, allowing Mike to continue uninterrupted.
“As expected, there have been disagreements and even conflicts among the three factions,” Mike went on. “But in the end, everyone understands the bigger picture. When the decisive moment comes, they will all unite behind Catherine Zelinsky’s presidency, and only then will they divide the spoils of victory.”
Hearing this, Gautier could no longer suppress his curiosity. “Mr. Connaught, are you saying that if the public sentiment in the election doesn’t shift in our favor in the next two days, a secret military force will march into Zovince and seize Congress?”
“Exactly!” Mike clenched his fist. “The Holy Trinity has always relied on external pressure, but no matter how much influence they wield outside of Chanaea, they can never truly control it from within! On the other hand, Barton and Hunt’s faction seeks to win by normal democratie processes, securing the presidency through legitimate means.
“But we–we master both internal and external strategies, using every method at our disposal. That is the essence of true power! And it guarantees our victory! Once we take control of Congress, we can immediately issue orders to the Northern Region and Tocvale’s armies, commanding them to wage war against foreign enemies. If they refuse, the
will be labeled traitors. If they comply, they will suffer devastating losses. At that point, we will invite our foreign allies to fill the power vacuum, infiltrating and fully militarizing our control over the entire nation.”
Gautier raised his thumb in approval. “Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!”
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Mike smirked and continued, “The reason I sought you out today wasn’t just to confirm Mr. Tanner’s situation–I have a critical task for you to handle.”
“Please, Mr. Connaught, tell me what needs to be done Gautier gestured for him to continue.
“On New Year’s, Lowe and Hunt must die. Especially Lowe–he is the key obstacle to our plan’s success!” Mike’s expression turned sinister. “As long as he lives, he will not only protect Hunt but his Wolf Warrior Unit–Chanaea’s most elite force–could disrupt our takeover of Zovince and Congress!”
Gautier nodded without hesitation. “Understood. Leave it to me.”
“Good.” Mike patted him on the shoulder with a cold smile. “Let me tell you something–Mr. Tanner’s forces abroad are far more powerful than you can imagine. As long as you eliminate Lowe, we will unite our forces inside and out. Sooner or later, this entire country will be ours.”
From the greed in Mike’s eyes, Gautier could tell the man was trying to sell him a grand vision–speaking to him as if he were a fellow leader. But Gautier remained expressionless. “Understood.”
After some further discussion about Teddy and the downfall of the Tanner family, Mike finally left.
Given that he had always handled Teddy’s overseas operations, he rarely intervened in domestic affairs. And with Gautier now managing everything so smoothly, he saw no reason to interfere.
Once alone, Gautier finally had time to think.
He knew better than to trust Mike entirely. And as for the hidden Summerton family? They were even less reliable–after all, why else would they have given him a fake Dragon Tome?
But regardless of the full truth, one thing was certain–Emmanuel had to die. And Gautier would see to it personally.
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