Chapter 704

Chapter 704

Colt stared at Lily and said, "Out of all the granddaughters-in-law, I have the highest hopes for you. I'm sure you'll give James a whole bunch of kids in the future!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

"You..." Lily was annoyed and glared at me, "James, how can your grandpa be so improper!"

Since Colt is an elder, I couldn't say much about him, so I joked, "Well, isn't my grandpa your grandpa too?"

Lily looked helpless and made a funny face at me.

"You're all so improper!"

Colt laughed, "Of course! Otherwise, James wouldn't be worthy of being my grandson!"

Ever since I found Colt on that deserted island, his face was either full of anger and hatred toward everything or filled with sarcasm, constantly throwing verbal jabs at me. Today was the first time I saw him with such a happy smile. Seeing him so cheerful, I felt a bit dazed, like it wasn't real.

Suddenly, Tony's voice came from outside the hall.

"Barbarians, this isn't a place for you to just barge in. Get out now! Or don't blame me for being rude! I'm a Level 3 Awakener—I can wipe you out in an instant!"

I heard Uri sneer with disdain, "I've seen Level 5 Awakeners. Do you think I'm scared of a Level 3 like you?"

I shouted, "Oh no!"

Then I rushed outside the hall.

"Don't fight! Uri and Dane are my friends!"

When I got outside, I saw Tony with an energy ball already forming in his palm, Uri pointing his blade straight at Tony, and Dane gripping his knife tightly.

I stepped between them.

"Tony, stand down!"

"They're friends of Mr. Smith?" Tony was taken aback, quickly extinguishing the energy ball in his hand and giving Uri and Dane an apologetic smile, "Sorry about that, I didn't know you were on our side!"

Dane sheathed his knife, still visibly angry.

"If it weren't for James, you'd be paying for your rude words!"

"Yes, yes!" Tony nodded repeatedly, looking submissive.

I turned to Uri and Dane, "Let's talk inside the hall!"

I led them into the hall to meet everyone.

Even though I've activated the Control Spirit Crystal to delay the effects of the Mind Control Elixir, it's only a temporary fix. The Elite Alliance warriors marked by the Mind Control Elixir are still fighting among themselves. So, my next step is to remove the Mind Control Elixir from the warriors at Elite Alliance headquarters and help them return to normal.

After that, I'll think about uniting the Elite Alliance to fight back against the New World Alliance!

At that moment, Gilbert, Jack, Chief Councilor Cecil, and Awakening Legion Leader Ronnie entered the hall.

I quickly asked, "Chief Leader Harvey, what's the situation at Elite Alliance headquarters right now?"

Gilbert replied, "You're the Grand Leader of the Elite Alliance now. I've retired!"

He looked at Jack, "Jack has put together a reliable team of Elite Alliance warriors. They can resist the effects of the Mind Control Elixir and fight against mental corruption."

Jack added, "Right now, this team is cleaning up headquarters. The injured are being treated, the fallen are being properly buried, and the warriors still under the mental corruption of the Mind Control Elixir have been detained. If they can't recover within two days, we'll have no choice but to..."

I quickly raised a hand to stop him.

"No need to kill them! I have a way to remove the Mind Control Elixir from their bodies! Take me to see them now!"

As soon as I spoke with determination, the hall fell silent. Everyone's eyes were on me—some shocked, some in disbelief, but most filled with a spark of hope.

Gilbert was the first to react. His cloudy old eyes lit up with excitement, "Grand Leader, can you really do it?"

His voice trembled with emotion as he called me Grand Leader. I felt flattered but also embarrassed and uneasy.

To Gilbert, those detained warriors were the backbone of the Elite Alliance and the pillars of countless families. Saving them would mean everything.

Jack couldn't hide his excitement either, "Mr. Smith—no, Grand Leader! If you can save them, it would be a huge blessing! Let's not waste time. I'll take you to the isolation zone right away!"

"Let's go!" I said without hesitation.

"Wait!" Colt's voice rang out. He still had a smile on his face from earlier, but his eyes were sharp now, "James, take me with you. I want to see if this 'detox' skill of yours is real or not."

Lily also stepped to my side. Though she was upset earlier, her gaze was firm now, "I'm coming too, James. I might be able to help."

Sophia, Mia, Ava, Isabella, Uri, and Dane naturally followed close behind.

Gilbert, Jack, Cecil, Ronnie, and several other high-ranking members in the hall stood up as well, surrounding me as we headed out. The air was thick with tension and anticipation.

The isolation zone was deep underground at headquarters, built with thick special alloy, incredibly sturdy, and covered with powerful mental shielding fields.

Even before getting close, I could feel a chaotic, violent, and murderous mental energy faintly seeping out, making my heart race.

The heavy alloy door slowly opened under Jack's authorization.

Inside was a massive circular space with a central area enclosed by a high-intensity energy field.

Within the field, hundreds of Elite Alliance warriors were like caged beasts. Their eyes were bloodshot, they let out meaningless roars, shoving, wrestling, and even biting each other. They had completely lost their minds.

Some still bore wounds and bloodstains from earlier fights among themselves. The scene was heartbreaking.

Look at what the New World has done! I felt an indescribable mix of sadness and anger.

Outside the field, Jack's trusted team stood on high alert, wearing special mental protection gear. Their faces were full of seriousness and sorrow.

These were their former comrades, their brothers-in-arms!

"Grand Leader, this is them," Jack said in a low voice, "The field can restrict their movements for now, but it also blocks most energy. What's your plan?"

"I need direct contact," I said firmly, scanning the struggling figures in pain, "I have to enter the field and get close to them."

"What?" Ronnie exclaimed, "That's too dangerous! They've lost all reason. Anything that gets near them will be seen as a target! Plus, the mental corruption inside the field is extremely strong. Even our protective gear can only hold up for a short time!"

"James!" Sabrina and Sophia grabbed my arms at the same time, their faces full of worry.

"Mr. Smith, you have to be careful!" Tony said anxiously.

Colt snorted, crossing his arms, "What's there to be afraid of? If James dares to say it, let him go!"

Though his words were harsh, there was a hint of hidden concern in his eyes.

Gilbert took a deep breath, "James, are you sure? This isn't a game."

I could feel the steady, powerful energy flowing from the Control Spirit Crystal. It was like a tiny star, endlessly providing strength to counter the erosion of the Mind Control Elixir.

I nodded, "Don't worry. The root of the Mind Control Elixir is that it corrupts the energy core and mental connection. The power of the Control Spirit Crystal can purify this corruption, just like I've done before. It's just on a larger scale now and needs more precise control. I have to enter the core of the field."

"I'll go in with you!" Uri stepped forward, his gaze resolute, "My blade can help block any attacks."

"Me too!" Dane gripped his knife handle tightly.