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In the center was a massive circular table, its sleek black surface reflecting the faint golden light of the fancy chandelier above. Around the table were nine imposing seats, each uniquely crafted to suit its occupant, showcasing their unparalleled authority over the current world.

In front of each councilor was a digital panel displaying classified information, holographic charts, and live surveillance feeds. From these feeds, one could see that most of the information was about Boundless, its details, the changes in the world economy surrounding it, and projections of its rising influence.

Armed guards in pristine uniforms stood at the room\'s periphery, their presence a silent warning to any who dared to disrupt the proceedings. Their eyes were strange, filled with a certain level of sentience but without possessing the kind of free will most people had, while their bodies were releasing a wave of subtle energy that could make any Lineage member feel a threat.

The world outside had no clue that while they farted about doing what they thought was \'living\', there were certain decisions made in this room that shaped their lives without question and could decide their life or death with ease, regardless of those so-called \'human rights\'.

James Rockefeller, the First Councilor, leaned forward, his voice steady and commanding. "Let us address the elephant in the room. The rise of this Boundless World game threatens the balance we have so carefully maintained. If we do not act decisively, it could undermine everything we\'ve built."

He was a man of imposing stature, broad-shouldered and solidly built despite his advanced age. His square jaw was clean-shaven, and his deep-set blue eyes carried the weight of generations of power.

His short, steel-gray hair was combed neatly, and he wore a dark navy Armani suit with a gold tie, the Rockefeller family crest subtly embroidered on his cufflinks.

His every movement exuded control and authority, a testament to his lineage.

"Hmph, big talk. Decisive actions are easy to suggest, but can you outline one that won\'t backfire on us spectacularly?" Rosa Astor - the Sixth Councilor - sneered, her tone seemingly light but laced with razor-sharp sarcasm.

The Sixth Councilor was a striking woman in her late thirties, with sharp cheekbones and pale green eyes that glimmered with intelligence and cruelty.

Her wavy auburn hair was styled into a flawless bun, and she wore a crimson silk blouse under a tailored black blazer. Her posture was relaxed, yet her gaze was unyielding, always calculating the next move like a chess grandmaster anticipating every possibility.

"I suggest we consider the long-term repercussions before we act. Glorygore Studios\' capabilities aren\'t fully understood, and rash actions could escalate the situation." The soft, accented voice belonged to Li Jian, the Third Councilor.

Li Jian still maintained an air of timelessness, his aged face offset by an inner vitality that made him seem like some young master immortal cultivator. His light yellow skin bore only faint wrinkles, and his bright black eyes gleamed with wisdom.

He wore traditional green Chinese robes, the embroidery of golden dragons subtle yet exquisite. His black hair, tied back with a jade hairpin, lent him an aura of mysticism that complemented his composed demeanor.

However, he still bore the fatigue from the futility of fighting Umbra previously. Even though he wasn\'t personally attacked, seeing all of Nathan\'s troops being brutalized while Sengo Muramasa was beaten like a dog in front of him, he was naturally not feeling so good, hence his words of caution.

"Those bunch are a threat, plain and simple. We\'ve faced worse and prevailed. Why should this be any different?" Franklin DuPont, the Fourth Councilor, said coldly, his eyes not even glancing at the table in complete arrogance.

This fellow was a handsome young man with a creamy complexion, his once-dark hair now completely white due to some gene enhancement he had undergone.

He wore a tailored brown suit that seemed more suited for a billionaire shareholder than a politician overlord, and his slew of custom-made brand clothing buttressed this. Franklin possessed a pair of piercing gray eyes that gave him a perpetual look of superiority, as if daring anyone to challenge him.

"Spoken like someone who underestimates their enemies. Again," came the smooth, sardonic voice of Yuuto Nakamoto, the Second Councilor, his tone dripping with disdain.

Yuuto was slim and suave, possessing almond-shaped eyes that were pitch black, full of sharpness and malice. His jet-black hair was streaked with silver lines from his own secret practice linked to his own forces, and the style was that of a neat slickback.

The fellow wore a sleek charcoal-gray three-piece suit with a silver pocket watch dangling from his right trouser pocket. There was an annoyingly smug smirk on his face, as though he were perpetually amused by the stupidity of others, like a typical redditor.

The remaining councilors, though, had yet to speak, their silence indicative of the weight of the discussion.

The Fifth Councilor Nathan Rothschild - surprised he\'s still alive, eh? - sat with his signature gentlemanly poise, pale yellow eyes calmly analyzing the unfolding dynamics. Ever since losing Maria to Draco and Umbra, he had become very reclusive and cold, no longer as generous as he had been before.

The Seventh Councilor Metro Van Duyn was a tall fellow with a wiry frame, his green eyes gleaming with curiosity as he tapped his long fingers rhythmically on the table while leaning slightly forward to see the details presented on the display before him.

The Eighth Councilor Leero Onassis gazed at the holographic screen before him with an expression of quiet intensity and focus, his Mediterranean features giving him an aura of quiet cunning. His eyes were like those of a hunter, perpetually scanning around for weaknesses.

The Ninth Councilor David Collins was currently the youngest of the group at age 17, and one could find the young lad boredly toying with a pen in his hand dexterously, showing skill that would even make Riveting Night and Cobra - two pinnacle-tier assassins - raise their eyebrows. He had spiky purple hair and his bronze-colored eyes had white rings within them, showing that he was not entirely human at this time.

The room fell silent again as Nathan Rothschild finally spoke, his refined voice cutting through the air like a scalpel. "Glorygore\'s rise is not merely a challenge. It is a test. One we cannot afford to fail. The question is... how far are we willing to go to ensure the status quo?"

The various councilors looked around to assess how their \'colleagues\' were processing this matter.

"The issue is that after that botched hearing, we didn\'t gain any advantages but rather conceded a lot of ground. Now, we are being subtly suppressed by Glorygore as punishment for daring to go against them," Leero Onassis pointed out the cold truth with a neutral expression.

Metro Van Duyn stopped tapping the table. "Frankly speaking, we cannot take any action against Glorygore, both legally and otherwise. The cards we have to play are not great enough to deal with the mysterious backer behind that group, and I\'m sure many of us have tested this ourselves."

There was the sound of snorts, chuckles, and thin smiles as a response from the others, which made Metro laugh slightly. After all, while their group may not always mesh together and agree on things, the important thing was their compatibility because they each took actions that the other would make as well.

"But, I was looking over the data that was compiled and found that we seem to have a breakthrough point." Metro gestured to a certain screen and shared it with the others.

What came before them was a slew of information on a certain force that was well known to everyone.

Umbra.

"This is the so-called number 1 guild of Boundless World\'s player base. They have pretty much conquered 80% of the known world and even seem to have ties to the Divine Realm of that other land. Are they the ones you are talking about?" Rosa Astor asked with a hint of surprise.

Metro Van Duyn nodded. "That\'s right. When trying to usurp a king, you should always go first for his prime minister. Glorygore is a tough nut to crack legally, but this Umbra is just a group of gamers. Handling them would be akin to dealing with children."

James Rockefeller seemed moved. "Display all information about Umbra\'s personnel. Show me their backgrounds, their histories, and which powers they might be tied to."

The AI managing the display before them acknowledged the order and did so. Soon, information about the Purgatory group was brought up, including their finances, their various achievements, their bank accounts, and even their certificates.

"Well, well, this gamer company has even more money than all of us put together! And it\'s all liquid cash, they actually have almost no assets!" Yuuto Nakamoto was initially speaking snarkily, but his eyes bulged as he looked further.

Even the others were greatly shocked. What most broke people thought about rich people was them buying Lamborghinis, houses, and expensive clothes, as well as jewelry, so they had infinite cash, right?

Wrong.

What made rich people rich was the possession of valuable assets that did not easily depreciate over time, like shares in top companies, debt owed to them, or most importantly, fixed assets like land. With these things, they could keep the money flowing without having to work 9-5 like you behind the screen.

So when they say XX is a billionaire worth 40 billion, the majority of that—if not all—refers to the value of assets owned. You might find that a 40 billion dollar strongman only has around 20 million dollars in cash that he can spend freely for a whole year.

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The same went for these councilors. There were rich men out there in the world, like Maria\'s father who owned The Cartel, but they were nothing compared to them, who had shored up all valuable assets under their names after World War 3.

If people in 2024 thought that there was a small group of people and companies that owned everything, then that thought had become reality under the World Council of today!

So to see a company that was richer than them with liquid funds compared to what they had in assets, their hearts trembled and their eyes became red.

"It seems this Purgatory Group has been playing a very dirty game. Bring up their tax records," James Rockefeller said coldly.

The next moment, a screen overlaid those that came before, showing the Purgatory Group\'s tax payments to the Government and to the World Council. The nine councilors read through and smiled at the same time, looking utterly relieved.

For despite the great wealth Umbra possessed, they had not given a single dime in taxes!

Tax evasion!

One of the most serious crimes in the world today! You can get away with rape, murder, or theft, but you would never be forgiven for tax evasion!

Franklin DuPont smashed the table with a grin of excitement. "Got them! Using this, we can even latch onto Glorygore and force them to concede benefits. How many of its players actually pay taxes on whatever they earned through the game? Does the company itself pay taxes on transactions made in the game?"

David Collins, who had yet to speak, raised his head with a smile. "Hey, let\'s transfer out their money first. I\'ve been eyeing that new jet from VoidX Company, but my liquid funds weren\'t enough. However, don\'t we have a free money tree before us?"