A Bumpy Road to Power

No time to lose.

No one delayed.

They opened the door on the other side of the auditorium.

Under the cover of Ezekiel Sawyer and others, a group of seven or eight leaders and other people left in single file, entering a two-story building behind the auditorium.

The building wasn't large.

The first floor was a dining hall, kitchen office, and warehouse.

The second floor had seven or eight private rooms.

Some were large, some small.

Once chaos erupted in the auditorium, all the staff in the dining hall fled, now leaving it utterly empty.

The first-floor position was defended by Dawson Sinclair leading ten-plus people.

There were two staircases leading to the second floor.

These staircases were the first line of defense.

At the entrance to the second-floor staircases, Ezekiel Sawyer personally led ten-plus people to defend.

This was the second line of defense.

Next, Dirk Carter chose a larger private room.

Bohdan Sherwood and Gregory Bates, among other leaders, were sheltered in this room.

Caleb Ford and Cosimo Griffin's people formed the third line of defense.

While not impenetrable, it could hold off for a while at least.

At this point.

The periphery of the Municipal Committee Compound had been filled with dozens of cars.

The license plates of these cars were deliberately obscured.

A young man leaned against the hood of a car, craning his neck to peer inside.

This was Jay Ford, a trusted aide always by Jethro Houseman's side.

At this moment, he appeared somewhat anxious.

For logically, the "battle" within the auditorium should have concluded by now.

"You, come out."

Jay Ford beckoned to the car behind.

A young man in a black suit stepped out.

Jay Ford pointed to the location of the auditorium and said, "Go in and see, find out the current state."

The young man quickly ran inside.

Approximately five or six minutes later, the young man returned, gasping for breath, saying, "Brother Jay, the auditorium is empty."

"What did you say?"

Jay Ford flinched, thinking the young man had mistaken, grabbed him by the collar, and questioned.

The man nodded again, saying, "I saw it clearly, it's empty, not a single person inside, even our people have vanished."

Only then did Jay Ford start to panic.

He hesitated, discarded his cigarette butt, and swiftly ran across the street to a nondescript car. After the window rolled down, Jay Ford stuck his head inside, muttered a few words to the person inside.

Following this.

Jay Ford quickly ran back.

He gestured to all the vehicles, shouting, "Everyone go in!"

With a clatter, the car doors of all vehicles opened.

Out came uniformly dressed young men in black suits.

Led by Jay Ford, these people entered the Municipal Committee Compound.

They then dispersed.

Standing under the flagpole, Jay Ford lit a cigarette. Just as he finished smoking it, an aide came over, murmuring something in his ear.

"What's wrong?"

Suddenly, a dignified voice came from behind.

Jay Ford was startled.

Turned and asked, "Leader, why did you get out of the car?"

Behind him stood an elderly man with a cane, none other than the mastermind, Jethro Houseman.

"I asked, what's wrong?"

Jethro Houseman did not answer his question, but asked again.

Jay Ford swallowed hard, saying, "Ezekiel Sawyer betrayed us, protecting everyone as they moved to the back dining hall; our people have already surrounded the dining hall now."

"Ezekiel Sawyer betrayed us?"

Jethro Houseman murmured in surprise.

This news truly shocked him.

Ezekiel Sawyer was chosen by Jethro Houseman personally, the person he talked into agreeing.

He grasped all of Ezekiel Sawyer's weak points, ultimately persuading him.

In his plan.

Ezekiel Sawyer indeed was a pawn.

As long as Ezekiel Sawyer eliminated Bohdan Sherwood, he planned to enter with his people, and execute Ezekiel Sawyer on charges of treason; by then, not only would Bohdan Sherwood be eliminated, but he too would be seen as quelling the chaos.

In his view, Ezekiel Sawyer should be resolute.

This was why he expended so much effort to transfer him to Veridia City.

Unexpectedly, in the end, the change occurred with Ezekiel Sawyer.

"Must be Dirk Carter's doing, damn, should have eliminated him sooner."

Jethro Houseman murmured again.

Then waved his cane.

Said, "Let's go to the dining hall."

"Leader, you…"

Jay Ford worried about Jethro Houseman's safety, initially attempting to stop him. Jethro Houseman sneered, "An archer never turns back; things have reached this stage, hiding behind makes no sense. Tell the people in the back to be prepared, if they remain obstinate, directly take action."

"Yes!"

Jay Ford answered confidently.

Amidst a cluster of seven or eight in black suits.

Jethro Houseman appeared at the dining hall entrance.

At this moment.

Dozens had already surrounded the dining hall building downstairs.

The entrance to the stairway leading to the second floor had tables used as cover, completely blocking the stairway.

On the second-floor balcony.

Ezekiel Sawyer saw Jethro Houseman.

Momentarily panicked, he hurriedly pushed the door to the large private room.

Startling those hiding inside.

"Trouble?"

Dirk Carter approached to ask.

"Jethro Houseman showed up."

Ezekiel Sawyer replied.

Upon hearing this name.

Bohdan Sherwood, who had been seated, sat upright, saying, "I'll go meet him."

Dirk Carter immediately blocked him, saying, "Commissioner Bohdan, Jethro Houseman has appeared clearly to make you show up. If you don't appear, he will surely taunt you, but if you do appear, they will employ despicable means to kill you."

"I'm not afraid to die!"

Bohdan Sherwood gritted his teeth and said.

"I know you're not afraid, but, we're all tied to you now. If you die, the outcome for us is predictable, so not for yourself, but for us, can you temporarily hold back?"

Dirk Carter implored sincerely.

This argument had merit.

Bohdan Sherwood finally sat down discontentedly.

Dirk Carter said, "Let me go meet him instead."

Saying that.

Turned and left.

At the space outside the dining hall's entrance.

Jethro Houseman was already seated on a chair.

Seeing Dirk Carter appear on the second-floor balcony.

Jethro Houseman said scornfully, "Tsk tsk, Bohdan Sherwood isn't quite the tough guy, is he? What's this now? Becoming a turtle, sending a young man to deal with this? Not afraid of becoming a joke?"

"An outlaw, plotting rebellion, what qualifications does such a scumbag have to ridicule others?"

Dirk Carter spoke from the second floor.

Jay Ford immediately reached for his waist.

Clearly, he intended to draw a weapon.

But Jethro Houseman restrained him.

"Dirk Carter, I've really underestimated you. What was an easy task wasted so much time because of you. Now I must think carefully how to deal with you once this is over."

Jethro Houseman leisurely remarked.

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