Chapter - 5892

At this moment, thousands of kilometers away in Nigeria, Victor Steel, the Governor of the Right Army Commander's Office, was expressing his frustrations to Lieutenant General Leo Grant.

In the deserted tower, he said with irritation, "If we keep waiting like this, I have no idea when it will end. What if that person has already figured out this trap? Then we might never see him."

Leo Grant replied quietly, "Governor, you came to Nigeria primarily because the Three Elders visited our Right Army Commander's Office. We cannot neglect them, but now they can focus on their secluded practice and do not need our direct assistance. Staying here is causing significant delays in our other responsibilities. A major shift is set to begin in two days, and this station is part of that change. Besides, there isn’t much we can accomplish by being here. It would be better to request permission from the Lord to return to Naples."

Victor Steel paused and sighed, "I also want to go back, but I cannot tell the Lord that. She will surely think I simply want to leave Nigeria. After all, other garrisons affected by the fallen soldiers also require major changes, and the Governor's Office is no exception. Staying here or returning to the Governor's Office is essentially the same since both involve remote management."

Upon hearing this, Leo Grant immediately bowed deeply, looking ashamed. "I haven't been thoughtful enough; please allow me to be punished, Governor!"

Victor Steel waved his hands in frustration, saying, "I have no idea when this situation will conclude."

He then sighed again, "But I see this as a good opportunity for the Right Army Governor's Office. Currently, the mysterious figure or organization has become the Lord's greatest concern. If we can resolve this here, it will be a significant achievement. Even if our Right Army Governor's Office only plays a supporting role, it will still earn us some merit."

Leo Grant nodded vigorously. "What you say is absolutely true. As long as the Lord's biggest concern lies with our Right Army Governor’s Office, once the issue is resolved, we will all share in the credit."

At this point, Leo Grant excitedly added, "Governor, let’s not forget about Tara Decker, the genius from our Right Army Commander's Office! Even the British Lord has praised her incredible progress! You have nurtured Tara and the Decker family, so the credit truly belongs to you. Isn’t the British Lord scheduled to visit for an inspection next year? When she meets Ms. Decker, she will definitely be pleased and will certainly reward you for it!"

Victor Steel nodded slightly, feeling much more at ease.

In his view, Tara was a divine blessing. She achieved enlightenment in her twenties—a rare prodigy. Even the four fallen marshals could not compare to her.

And comparing her to the Three Elders, none of them realized the truth in their twenties. In terms of raw talent, Tara undoubtedly exceeded all three.

What Victor Steel looked forward to most was Morgana taking Tara under her wing. If that were to happen, Tara would surely become Morgana's trusted general. Perhaps one day, the ranks of the four marshals would be led by her.

One could say that Tara's future was exceptionally bright—brilliant enough to dazzle anyone.

Once she soars to prominence, as the head of the Decker family, he would undoubtedly reap many benefits from her success.

After all, Tara's relatives remained under his control. If Tara desired a better future for them, she would need to show him respect.

Though Victor Steel was truly a member of the Mirren core family and held a high-ranking position, he still felt somewhat insecure in Morgana's presence. If Tara excelled under Morgana, he would gain prestige within the court and could secure a prominent role.

It was precisely for this reason that Victor Steel had taken special care of Tara over the past two years, appointing her as a deputy official and providing her numerous opportunities for growth, in addition to looking after her family.

He had even decided to marry Tara's half-sister, who was three years younger than Tara, to his unmarried youngest son. This would strengthen ties to the Decker family, further intertwining their fates. Additionally, he made it clear to his own Mirren family that any man who married a daughter of the Decker family must treat her with respect and not take concubines.

Traditionally, the men of the Mirren family were allowed to take concubines. If one was not satisfied with his wife, he could marry another from the collateral families three years after the initial marriage, allowing for a maximum of one wife and one concubine.

Holding an important position within the Right Army Commandery enabled him to marry one more wife, allowing for one wife and two concubines.

As the Governor, he had the privilege to marry three additional wives, for a total of one wife and three concubines.

The restrictions on the number of concubines were primarily due to the Mirren family's vast number of descendants. Even with all the collateral families, it was still insufficient for them to marry without limitations.

Collateral families held little status, and the wives taken from them had even less. Their husbands would rarely dare to seek more marriages.

Now, with the rise of the Decker family and Tara, Victor Steel no longer looked down on her but sincerely sought to bind his family's fate to that of the Decker family, granting them greater status, more resources, and more respect for their wives. In this way, the two families would evolve from a master-servant dynamic into an authentic in-law relationship, which would naturally be advantageous for nurturing a strong bond.

Feeling in a much better mood, Victor Steel exclaimed, "The Right Army Command must be proud to have a talent like Tara! Once someone attains enlightenment, their lifespan extends over hundreds of years. If Tara’s future accomplishments can match or even surpass the Three Elders, it will be a tremendous boon for our legacy. While the British Lord is the ancestor of my Mirren family, there are simply too many descendants, and she won’t provide us with any extra favor. But Tara is different; if she becomes a major figure in the future, we will receive direct benefits."

Previously, the four marshals were able to regularly receive pills from Morgana that improved their cultivation and reiki. For those who hadn’t realized their truth, these pills extended their lifespans, akin to Charlie's rejuvenation pills. In the future, Tara would undoubtedly receive similar, if not better, treatment.

Morgana offered some assistance to the heirs of the Mirren family who held significant positions, but this support was given equitably. If the other four Governors were granted elixirs ensuring a 120-year lifespan, Victor Steel would not reach 130 years.

However, if Tara was willing, she could privately provide Victor Steel with elixirs, giving him the chance to live to 150 years or even longer.

Leo Grant, who was standing by, recognized what Victor Steel was contemplating and quickly added, "Ms. Decker respects the Governor highly, and I believe she is wise enough to appreciate the importance of kindness. Given your regard for her family, it’s a substantial favor in her eyes. If Ms. Decker successfully achieves her destiny, she will surely remember the kindness bestowed by the Governor!"

Victor Steel chuckled, saying, "Hahaha, that sounds wonderful!"

He then added, "I need to check on Tara and ensure this promising captain knows how to take care of herself. After she accomplishes the major blood replacement task, I’ll grant her a month off, naming it a reward for her contributions, allowing her to return to the Decker family to reunite with them."

...

At that moment, at Duke Mining in Morocco.

Heavy mining machines from Liebherr were running at full throttle. Monstrous trucks, boasting loads exceeding 300 tons, whizzed back and forth across various phosphate mining sites within Duke Mining, kicking up waves of white dust on the bright land.

Charlie gazed at the towering trucks and felt a pang of envy. If he could transport such machinery to Syria to aid the Dragon Temple in establishing a base and permanent fortifications, it would undoubtedly yield results far beyond expectations. If Hamid were to obtain a few of these, he could easily level several hills within the base.

He was acutely aware, though, that these mining trucks would be burned in two days, making it impossible for him to take them. He could only order a new batch and ship it to the Middle East.

Tara, standing beside him, looked utterly despondent. Although she dared not flee from Charlie, she was deeply reluctant to be forced into his will. Regardless of whether the Warriors Den labeled her as a defector after being taken, if they assumed she was abducted or dead, her people would lose their principal backing, leaving them with little chance of changing their fates.

Just as despair settled over her, her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket.

She glanced quickly at Charlie, just about to speak, but Charlie beat her to it: "Is that a call?"

Tara nodded respectfully, replying, "It should be."

Charlie instructed her, "Take it out and see who’s calling. You can answer it when you’re ready."

"Yes…" Tara replied, taking out the special mobile phone. Upon seeing "Governor" displayed on the screen, she said to Charlie, "Mr. Wade, it's the Governor, Victor Steel, calling."

Charlie replied, "Put it on speaker. If he inquires, just assure him that everything is fine. I want to caution you: if you defy me, it could lead to the deaths of over 10,000 soldiers, cavalry guards, and their families. If that happens, I will make you and all your relatives pay the price."

Tara's expression was serious as she quickly affirmed, "Don’t worry, Mr. Wade. I will answer appropriately."

"Alright," Charlie nodded. "Go ahead and answer."

Tara pressed the answer button, activating the speakerphone. She spoke into the phone, "Governor, what would you like to tell me?"

Victor Steel responded with a smile, "Ms. Decker, I’m calling to inquire about the preparations for the big change."

Tara replied, "Everything is ready. The first phase of the big change will commence as scheduled in two days. You can be assured, Governor!"

Victor Steel smiled back and said, "I have full confidence in Ms. Decker's ability to execute things flawlessly. I called to inform you that once the big change is successfully completed, you will return to the Governor's Office to submit a report to the British Lord. After that, you’ll receive a month’s vacation to visit your family. It’s been two years since you’ve been back, has it not?"