Chapter 137 Merit
A gentle breeze blew through the Port of Miami harbor, sending a sense of freshness to the faces of the eager awakeners.
The news that the orange dungeon had been defeated spread quickly throughout the country. Thousands of people were standing by at the harbor, eagerly awaiting their return.
The harbor was filled with excitement and overflowing spirits. The festive atmosphere, raucous cheers, and the sparkle of ships at sea created an unforgettable picture. Everyone present in the port felt connected in this historic moment.
Thousands of citizens and fans had gathered along the harbor\'s edge, filling every available inch of space. They waved banners and posters with pictures of their idol awakeners, and chants of support and cheers of joy shook the air. Colorful balloons decorated the blue sky with stunning beauty.
A grand stage was set up in the middle of the harbor, becoming the center of everyone\'s attention. The stage\'s backdrop was decorated with colorful balloons floating in the blue sky. Next to the stage was a group of people with cameras and microphones. Journalists from various local and international media came to the harbor to capture this historic moment.
"Oi, look at that! Look at that!"
"They\'re coming! They\'re coming!"
"The awakeners are back!"
The excitement came to life when they saw the nine ships in the distance. People blew trumpets and released colorful balloons that added to the festive atmosphere. The bright morning sun reflected golden sparkles on the water\'s surface, creating a beautiful backdrop for this long-awaited moment.
"Look, The Battle Angel! Elizabeth! It\'s her! It\'s her!"
Elizabeth smiled on the ship\'s deck as she waved to the thousands of people who greeted her. Just by looking at her face, they became hysterical in excitement. Thanks to her beauty, she had a huge fanbase. Thousands of men of all ages awaited her arrival with excitement.
As the ships pulled into the harbor, the cheering echoes became louder and louder. The sound of ship horns rumbled around the port, calling everyone to prepare for their heroes\' return. The calm sea water welcomed every movement of the ship, creating small ripples that gave a magical touch to this moment.
Slowly, the ship\'s doors opened, and the awakeners disembarked, warmly greeted by the eagerly waiting crowd. They made their way to the stage through the sea of people. Some awakeners could still be seen walking with hesitant steps, the scars and bruises on their faces, but nothing could stop the smiles of satisfaction spreading across their faces.
Reporters and cameramen moved swiftly, trying to capture every precious moment. They swarmed around the Awakeners with cameras and microphones ready to record their voices. While many questions were being asked of the Awakener group members, Elizabeth Jung took the stage.
On stage was the Mayor of Florida, a portly man with a partially shaved head and thick mustache, waiting for Elizabeth Jung. The crowd erupted in thunderous applause when the two of them shook hands.
After the Mayor gave his welcome, he invited Elizabeth to the podium.
With a sly smile, she began to give a speech. Her voice echoed through the big sound system, embracing every corner of the harbor with heart-stopping words.
"Our journey into that dungeon was not merely a quest for wealth or fortune. It is our responsibility to protect this country. Especially the American people."
In the speech, she cleverly shared stories of their challenges, the dangers threatening their lives, and the moments when they almost gave up. She delivered them with epic words.
With herself in the story.
Elizabeth stood guard outside when the other awakeners entered the dungeon. There was no way she could know what was going on in there. She collected the survivors\' true stories and altered them to her liking.
What was her reason for giving such a bullshit story? Of course, to gain credit from the community. She needed to maintain the prestige of the guild and herself. If she told the truth, people would look down on her.
Oathkeeper was a guild based on trade. It still needed merit so people would still trust and buy its products.
But more importantly, the stock value of her companies would rise.
Vincent was unconscious, and Hugo hadn\'t come yet. This would be a great opportunity for her to get the merit for free. In order for her plan to work perfectly, she bribed the awakeners involved in the raid to keep their mouths shut.
Of course, she wouldn\'t take everything for herself. She would shine a spotlight on Vincent and Hugo so that they wouldn\'t protest.
"I still vividly remember our time in the castle full of enigmas and monsters. We were trapped in an endless dark labyrinth, with our hopes slim and our strength eroding. We were about to give up. But Vincent lifted our spirits!"
Elizabeth began to tell another lie. She said that Vincent was the one who killed the alpha.
"Vincent, with incredible courage and perseverance, faced countless challenges in the dungeon. One of the moments we will never forget was when he came face to face with a colossal wyrm, the creature that ruled the dungeon."
A hush fell over the harbor, drowned out by the clicks of cameras echoing through the air. Everyone was glued to Elizabeth. Images of epic scenes began to form in the listener\'s mind.
"The magic attacks, the gusts of fiery breath, and the circular movements of the wyrm\'s tail were all repelled with great skill and courage by Vincent. He never gave up, even when things looked bleak. Of course, he didn\'t fight alone against the monster. Hugo Musgrove and I stood our ground, risking our lives for this mission."
In front of the camera, Elizabeth told a lie after lie in the sweetest of words. Even some people trembled in amazement when they heard her.
"And finally, in a crucial moment, Vincent managed to kill the wyrm by decapitating it, ending the grueling battle. However, he had to suffer severe injuries."
Elizabeth ended the speech by talking about Vincent\'s heroic actions to win over the alpha. Of course, she dramatized the story to make people feel empathy. She put on a sad expression while bowing her head to make her story more convincing.
The atmosphere was filled with a deep silence. Until a little boy clapped his hands, reviving the sense of honor for Vincent. Then, people followed suit.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Hearing the applause echoing in the air, Elizabeth grinned slyly.
Cameras captured the key moments, journalists wrote down every word that escaped her mouth, and the live television broadcast reached millions worldwide viewers. She had just managed to fool the whole world.
She was sure that her name would become a trending topic.
"Hehe. What fools."
After the inspiring speech, cheers and applause still echoed throughout the harbor. The crowd felt inspired by Elizabeth\'s courage.
However, suddenly people\'s attention was distracted by the sound of a horn echoing from the direction of the dock. Surprisingly, another ship was pulling into the harbor.
"Ah, here they come," Elizabeth muttered. She turned towards the crowd of her men, beckoning a handsome man to draw closer. "David, come here."
"Yes, boss?"
"You told Hugo, right?"
David nodded. "Yes, I did. I gave him the outline, and he said he understood. Besides, they\'re broadcasting it live. I\'m sure he watched your speech."
Elizabeth smirked. "Good."
The guild masters of the Five Pillars, they were used to working together. Of course, that didn\'t mean they were friends. They did it to keep their guilds at the top. Thus, no single guild could crawl up and bring them down.
The atmosphere around the harbor was filled with excitement and enthusiasm, but when the other awakeners got off the ship, the crowd was torn between excitement and confusion. If Elizabeth and her entourage arrived with smiles, they were quite the opposite. There was no friendliness at all. They squinted, and their gazes were serious. People were unsure of what was going on.
Hugo Musgrove and the crew arrived with the tension surrounding them.
Elizabeth frowned. She noticed something was different about Hugo. In her mind, she wondered, what is he planning?
They steadily stepped forward, breaking through the thousands of people blocking their way to the stage. One of the ushers, a dark-haired man with emerald green eyes, climbed onto the stage and took the microphone. His voice echoed throughout the harbor, creating a tense silence.
"I am Klaus Lee. We want to share the real truth with you. The story you just heard is a lie."
Naturally, Elizabeth was shocked. Seeing Klaus standing on the podium, anger and fear flashed in her eyes. Time seemed to stop at this moment.