Violet Thunder didn’t understand what Desmond Mansfield meant, but Nathan Yates did, and Lance Li more or less grasped Desmond’s reasoning too.
Why send the relatively weaker Counter‑Rebel Legion to besiege the Frostbane Dynasty’s base star‑region? Whether it’s the Wan‑Xiong Legion, the Flowing‑Light Legion, or even the Dragon‑Chen Legion, all of them are much stronger!
But none of those powerful legions are suitable—because they aren’t Frostbane people!
But Violet Thunder is! He and Evan Chu both emerged from the Frostbane Trial World as the Third Person and the Destiny Guardian. They’re the most appropriate ones to take the lead.
Frostbane’s own people besieging Frostbane, purging traitors, and then ascending the throne—that’s perfectly natural. Even if it’s not traitors, Frostbane fighting itself is internal chaos, and outsiders have no right to interfere.
But if you send the Wan‑Xiong Legion or any other outside force, it’s different—that’s a foreign war. Plenty of dynasties could use it as an excuse to intervene, stir up trouble, or even the Five Sacred Lands, who’ve always hated Frostbane, would have every reason to swoop in and wipe out this hidden threat.
So Wan‑Xiong Legion, Flowing‑Light Legion, and the rest can only fight Frostbane’s legions outside the base star‑region. However fierce the battle, they absolutely cannot set foot on Frostbane’s base star‑region—not even a single step!
Because, if they did, the nature of the conflict would change—that would be called invasion, and any faction in the Star‑River Dominion would have a legitimate excuse to send troops against them.
This is one of the main reasons the Three Thousand Dynasties have lasted so long. All sides can fight for profit and territory, but nobody can land on a base and invade; otherwise, the whole world would turn against them.
Lance Li himself is a Frostbane native, so after a quick explanation to Violet Thunder, Violet understood.
"If that’s the case, then why are we just surrounding them and not attacking?"
"We can’t attack! If you strike first, it’s rebellion. So all we can do is encircle them."
"Then what’s the point? Aren’t we just watching you fight while we sit on the sidelines?" Violet Thunder still couldn’t make sense of Desmond Mansfield’s explanation.
"Of course you won’t just be sitting around. Honestly, what you’ll face might be even more brutal than us, and your mission will be tougher. You can hold back, but that doesn’t mean the other side will. If they strike first, and you respond, then you’re the heroes who suppressed internal chaos—not traitors who started a rebellion.
This isn’t some trivial skirmish. You can’t afford to overlook any angle.
Desmond Mansfield felt a headache coming on. These people just don’t get it! He couldn’t help but start cursing Evan Chu, that hands-off boss.
But is it really because they’re dumb? Of course not—anyone who’s cultivated to this level isn’t an idiot. The truth is, Desmond is just too much of a monster, always thinking about things hundreds of others would never imagine.
He can instantly coordinate everything, cover all angles, and plan for every contingency—even for the day Dragon‑Chen wins and Evan Chu ascends as Frostbane Holy Emperor, he’s already thought it all through. With a freak like that, why compare him to ordinary people?
"So what exactly are we supposed to do?"
"First, send people who know Frostbane’s base well—ideally, they can slip inside. Even though things are a mess in Frostbane right now, I’m sure there are still some of your people on the inside."
At the very least, there must still be a few trusted followers around the Seven Thrones and Four Temple Masters, right? Otherwise, I’d have to reconsider whether these losers are even worth saving."
"Vice Hall Master, don’t say that. How about you just get to the next point."
Desmond Mansfield’s words were harsh, making Violet Thunder a bit embarrassed, but he couldn’t deny it—Desmond was exactly right.
There really are loyal followers with the Seven Thrones and Four Temple Masters, and among the seven legions forming the Counter‑Rebel Army, plenty of people know how to get into the Frostbane Dynasty.
After all, their Thrones and Temple Masters are still inside. If they can’t guarantee their safety, nobody would dare go wild outside. In fact, some of them are acting on orders—following instructions from the Seven Thrones and Four Temple Masters, passing word to Evan Chu’s side, then looking for a chance to report back.
They’re good at these little maneuvers—never slipping up, never tipping off Holden Hong’s people, and not even Dragon‑Chen’s side has noticed. Everything they do seems so natural, like it’s got nothing to do with them.
From start to finish, it’s like these 1.3 million Counter‑Rebel troops are just puppet soccer balls being kicked around, with the infiltrators blending in so well nobody pays attention.
But there’s one person who can definitely spot them—Desmond Mansfield, the one who notices everything!
Actually, all of this was within his expectations. From the moment the Seven Thrones and Four Temple Masters had their powers stripped, every move they made—Desmond could see it coming.
So, just cooperate with them a little, and everything will fall into place.
"Fine. Once those people make contact inside, just wait for the signal. They’ll stir up chaos, and when the time comes, you’ll know what to do, right?
Of course, this is a tough job. You’ll have limited manpower, and it won’t be easy. Can you handle it?
Desmond Mansfield looked at Violet Thunder, who could only sigh. "Vice Hall Master, how can you be sure there’ll be civil war in Frostbane’s base star‑region? The Seven Thrones and Four Temple Masters must keep a tight watch—if they could escape, they would’ve done it by now, right?"
Desmond gave Violet Thunder a surprised look, which quickly turned to pity. Then, with deep meaning, he said:
"You and your senior brother share the same background, the same upbringing, maybe even the same talent and opportunities. So why is Evan Chu where he is today, and you’re not?
"Because your senior brother is the Third Person!"
"Exactly! Haven’t you ever wondered why he was chosen and not you? What’s the difference? Even after dying once, they still didn’t pick you—they kept investing in him!
"I don’t know."
"Right, and you really couldn’t know. If you did, they would’ve chosen you as the Third Person. Sometimes, the difference between people isn’t just on the surface—it’s in the mind!"
Desmond turned and walked away, sighing with regret.
The meaning was clear: Violet Thunder just didn’t have what it takes. Not that he was stupid—his insight far surpassed ordinary people. But compared to Evan Chu or Desmond Mansfield, he just couldn’t measure up.
In this Star‑River Dominion, teeming with monstrous talents, someone like Violet Thunder was never destined to be the protagonist.
Desmond Mansfield possessed monstrous intelligence, but his talent and opportunities were limited, so Evan Chu always outshone him. Desmond had to settle for being the deputy—a bitter fate.
Violet Thunder, with a background, talent, and opportunities no weaker than Evan Chu’s, still ended up as Evan’s supporting role—all because he just didn’t have the right mindset.
Yes, in every way, Evan Chu was the ultimate genius—there was no one else like him. Desmond’s regret was that he and Violet Thunder couldn’t be merged into one person. That was Desmond’s sorrow, Violet’s sorrow, and the greatest irony: both had their strengths, but in the end, they still had to serve Evan Chu, the hands‑off boss.
Both had their own worries and talents, working together to help Evan Chu stand on his own. Evan never had to worry about betrayal, and could relax—a trait Holden Hong could never match.
That’s fate!