Chapter 254: The Impatient Senate
Luke's Ultimate Bargaining Chip
Luke's words profoundly shocked Rozier and Sam Lane. They had learned about the demon Ghast's abilities, specifically the Aura of Ill-Omen, from Stavros, Maeve, and others, and they had prepared for it. But the Mask of Fate was something they were hearing about for the first time.
Not only them, but even Jack Harvey and Amanda were unaware. After deciphering the secret of the stone jar, Luke had tossed it to the FBI and told Jack Harvey that the jar was critical to the demon Ghast, who would surely try to reclaim it. They could use this to verify if Joel Nash was truly possessed. He hadn't mentioned anything else, keeping the truth of the Mask of Fate as his ultimate trump card.
Jack Harvey had been furious about the secrecy but had no choice but to begrudgingly accept it. This meant he died without ever knowing the truth about the Mask of Fate.
Sam Lane said grimly, "It's very difficult to believe what you're saying."
Luke replied casually, "Believe it or not, cooperate or not, that's entirely up to you and has nothing to do with me. If there's nothing else, please leave. Vanessa will be here soon, and I don't want her to see me embroiled in a conflict with two old men over sixty."
The two generals exchanged a look. Rozier said heavily,
"We will contact you again in two hours."
Luke nodded. "I hope you bring good news."
Deliberations in the Special Action Group
After watching the two men leave, Luke changed his clothes and enjoyed dinner with Vanessa, while Sam Lane and Rozier returned to their quarters to contact the temporarily formed Special Action Group of the Senate and Department of Defense.
After Rozier finished relaying the conversation, the group members frowned simultaneously. No one knew the veracity of Luke's claims. If it was false, that was fine, but what if it was true?
Joel Nash's presidential status was already complicated enough, and now he potentially had two souls. If one soul was killed, the other could resurrect him. That kind of ability was a headache just to consider.
If they couldn't deal with both souls at the same time, they would face endless trouble. No one could guarantee that the demon Ghast wouldn't use the same trick, possess another candidate, and stage the "demon President" drama all over again.
"Stavros, can you confirm that Luke Shaw killed the leader of the Serpent Society?"
"Director Harvey, Maeve, and I were all present. There was a huge battle that produced extremely powerful energy fluctuations, which included the aura of the Swamp Man. However, his aura quickly vanished, and then the Serpent Society leader's aura also disappeared, leaving only Luke Shaw."
Rozier interjected, "The Swamp Man is the monster you described—the one with the wooden body who can control plants."
Stavros frowned slightly, clearly taking offense at the word "monster." Maeve immediately refuted,
"He is not a monster; he is a person. Luke Shaw called him the Professor. I believe he is also a superhuman."
Rozier ignored the hostility in her tone and continued, "Luke Shaw knows him?"
"Yes."
"How did they meet?"
"I don't know."
"Can you establish contact with him?"
Maeve shook her head silently. "Before this, Director Harvey ordered us to go to the Swamp Forest to ask the Swamp Man about the battle, but that person drove us away. He seems hostile toward the FBI."
Hearing this, a flash of disappointment crossed Rozier's eyes. The Swamp Man was a key piece of evidence. If he cooperated, they could verify the truth of the situation and perhaps gain more clues.
Sam Lane added, "You two go back to the Swamp Forest. Inform him of what has happened. If possible, ask him to leave the forest and meet with us."
Stavros and Maeve nodded.
"Understood. We'll go now."
After the two left, the video conference was left with only "insiders." An old man wearing glasses said coldly,
"That large an amount of money, a tens-of-billions-of-dollars order—what else could he possibly want?"
Rozier said helplessly, "Luke Shaw is not the kind of person who is short on money."
The old man snorted angrily. "Not wanting money proves he wants even more."
"Shut up, Karl. If it weren't for your delays, the situation wouldn't have devolved to this point."
Sam Lane's face was stern, his eyes utterly cold. "Voting day is approaching, and Thomson is too sick to get out of bed. The result, I don't need to tell you. Once Joel Nash is successfully re-elected, he will definitely reorganize the cabinet. At that point, who can stop him? Who can stop a demon with the highest authority?"
That single statement hit everyone's weak spot, making the air in the room heavy with tension.
"This absolutely cannot happen. We must expose the demon inside Joel Nash before the election ends. Luke Shaw is the key to the entire situation. Regardless of your personal opinions toward him or the Hongmen Society, you must restrain yourselves. Whatever he asks for, give it to him."
"But..."
Someone tried to speak, but Sam Lane interrupted without mercy. "No buts! Everyone needs to remember how you got to your positions. He can choose not to care about the country's survival, but you cannot afford not to. The backside of a demon is not something you want to be licking."
Rozier coughed. "That last sentence was uncalled for."
Sam Lane let out a long sigh.
"Let's leave it at that for now. I will contact Luke Shaw. You all need to prepare. Time is truly running out."
A Dance in the Face of Crisis
After the video conference, Sam Lane and Rozier went to the hotel lobby, where a dance was taking place.
Luke was chatting with a few young people. Vanessa, by his side, was wearing a silver, form-fitting gown that accentuated her graceful figure. A pigeon-egg-sized emerald hung around her snowy white chest. The green and white intertwined, adding a unique charm to her beautiful and intelligent demeanor.
In that moment, she looked like a princess out of a fairy tale.
However, this princess seemed to have found her true love, clinging to her partner and repeatedly refusing the invitations of other gentlemen.
The two old men exchanged a look, both seeing a sense of admiration in the other's eyes. The young people of today were incredible—they managed to completely mesmerize the President's daughter in just a few days.
Even a seasoned lothario couldn't do better!
The two stood at the entrance and beckoned to Luke, but he completely ignored them, taking Vanessa for a spin and fully enjoying the fun of the dance. Fortunately, Vanessa recognized Rozier and, assuming he had an urgent matter, quickly pulled Luke out of the hall.
"Mr. Rozier, are you looking for me?"
Rozier coughed awkwardly. "I need to speak with your companion here."
"You need Luke?"
"Yes."
Vanessa looked suspiciously from one man's face to the other. She knew Rozier, someone from the Department of Defense, and she also recognized the shorter old man next to him, who looked like a Senator.
Why would they be looking for Luke?
Luke smiled. "Go sit over there for a while. I'll join you in a moment."
Vanessa nodded, glanced at the two men, and turned to leave.
Luke followed them to a meeting room on the second floor. He closed the door and said severely,
"If I'm not mistaken, we still have forty minutes until the agreed-upon time. Can't you even wait that long?"
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