Chapter 254: The Power of the Crystal Balance
More and more people emerged from the portal. After Leon Merlin and Sylas West, there was William Merlin, Hubert, Salomon, then Lance, Bardrack, Soth, and so on... In just over ten minutes, all twenty members of the United Exploration Team had entered the vault.
Then, their expressions were all cut from the same mold—faces stiff, eyes vacant, staring at the rows of hundreds of chests as if they'd encountered some man-eating monster. Everyone involuntarily sucked in a breath...
This was terrifying...
"Merlin, this... this could buy all of Seaview City, couldn't it?" Salomon, hailing from Cloudspire Tower and considered well-traveled, still stammered as he entered the vault.
"At least ten times over..."
"Hiss..."
"No wonder it's Vaughn. No wonder it's Vaughn..." Lance rubbed his hands in excitement, his expression a mix of joy and relief.
To be honest, organizing the United Exploration Team this time had put Lance under tremendous pressure.
All nine great factions of Seaview City had mobilized, an unprecedented event. As the organizer, Lance bore a burden no one else could imagine. Fortunately, this colossal vault of magical materials was enough for him to answer to everyone...
But even in his excitement, Lance didn't forget what he'd promised Leon earlier. After rubbing his hands, he didn't discuss splitting the loot with everyone—instead, he stepped aside on his own: "Merlin, as we agreed before, you have first pick of the magical materials. Now..."
On this journey, although Leon hadn't solved many alchemical arrays, his crucial guidance had repeatedly saved the United Exploration Team. Not to mention, that initial maze array—if Leon hadn't pointed it out, who would've guessed they were wandering inside a Void Python's belly, teetering on the edge of death?
Honestly, the role Leon played in the team was so significant that no one would object even if he took a double share of the spoils—let alone just first pick.
As soon as Lance said this, the leaders of the major factions chimed in.
"Yes, yes, Merlin, you go first... you go first..."
However, just as everyone was speaking in unison, a discordant voice rang out.
"Wait!" The speaker, of course, was Fran.
At this point, even Sylas West, a Title Archmage, had no objections to Leon's right of first choice. The only one who would step forward now was Fran...
"Magister Fran, what do you mean by this?" Lance's tone was already quite cold. Before organizing the United Exploration Team, Lance and Fran had gotten along well. Otherwise, when the initial meeting was called, Lance wouldn't have introduced Leon to Fran right away.
And that introduction turned out to be a disaster...