"I think it''s time we had someone else take the lead."

    After glancing at the empty seat at the head of the table, a slightly stout middle-aged man looked around at the people seated and then, with a smile, said,

    "Although this organization was initially created by His Excellency Nathan, he did gather us all together, everything changes over time.

    In my personal opinion, His Excellency Nathan is no longer suited to lead us. What do you all think?"

    "What do I think? I think nothing!"

    After the stout middle-aged man finished speaking, a bald woman who was playing with a slingshot snorted, her eyes showing discontent as she said,

    "The leader is always the leader. He saved my life and helped me gain my ability. I don''t care what others think. I only acknowledge him!"

    "That''s normal, very normal."

    Not surprised by the bald woman''s attitude, the stout middle-aged man nodded at her, then explained with a smile,

    "Don''t misunderstand, I''m not here to deny His Excellency Nathan''s contributions. Many of us have benefited from his actions, even I, who hope for a new leader.

    But whether or not you want to admit it, His Excellency Nathan has grown old. These past two years, he hasn''t been the infallible, ever-correct leader he once was; instead, he''s been making blunders."

    At this point, the smile on the stout middle-aged man''s face faded slightly, replaced by a sorrowful expression, and he said in a low tone,

    "A few years ago, we were all doing well, but since the failed assassination of the Prince at the beginning of the year, first Samantha was captured, and the bandage anomalous object was taken by the Purification Bureau.

    Then Barton, who was undercover in the Secret Investigation Bureau to cover for Samantha''s group''s evacuation, was trapped there by the cleaner named Leon Laine and never returned.

    Later, His Excellency Nathan led a team for revenge, sending David to infiltrate the ennobling ceremony to use the Heartbeat Moment to ambush that Leon Layne, but he also got caught in the Purification Bureau''s hands, and likely won''t be coming back either.

    Compared to the past few years, after losing three companions consecutively, one corner of this once-crowded long table is now empty."

    "..."

    Unlike before, when the stout middle-aged man finished speaking, he looked at the three vacant chairs around the table, and the rebels fell silent. Even the bald woman, known as part of the ''leader''s faction,'' did not speak out in opposition at this moment.

    "Everyone, I admit, His Excellency Nathan has undoubtedly contributed a lot in the past but have we not also made sacrifices?"

    After waiting a while, feeling that everyone''s attitudes seemed to be softening, the stout middle-aged man''s expression changed again, pointing angrily at the elderly woman and the little girl opposite, slamming the table, Sёarch* The n?vel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    "Not to mention others, but how much have the sisters Lucy and Phoebe sacrificed for us over these years?

    When they first joined us, they were both youthful and beautiful, but because of the frequent use of their abilities, one''s age regressed to the point where her intelligence is that of a five or six-year-old, unable even to speak coherently.

    Even though Lucy fared a bit better, she''s now an old woman, not even thirty, yet her physical condition resembles that of someone in their seventies or eighties. In terms of sacrifice, have they given less than Nathan?"

    "Enough, stop beating around the bush!"

    As the people around the long table remained silent, a man covered in burn scars snorted, impatiently saying,

    "Oliver, why don''t you just be straightforward and say you want to replace Nathan and become the leader yourself!"

    "I do have that thought."

    Hearing the burned man''s words, the anger on the stout middle-aged man''s face vanished, revealing an unconcealed glee, and he said excitedly,

    "Do you remember? When we first joined, our aim was revenge against everything that forced us down a dead end! To destroy this kingdom riddled with sores! To prevent our tragedies from ever repeating!

    It wasn''t to engage in inexplicable chaos, clashing repeatedly with the military department, the parliament, the nobility, or commerce guilds, nor was it to provoke that extremely troublesome Purification Bureau!

    So everyone, the time has come when change is necessary,"

    After finishing his speech, the stout middle-aged man went through a rotation of emotions "joy-sorrow-anger-delight," and returned to his initial cheerful demeanor, standing up and suggesting with a smile,

    "I think His Excellency Nathan over the past two years is no longer the person he once was, and is even less fit to be our leader.

    We must change immediately while there is still time! If we let His Excellency Nathan continue to act recklessly, it will be too late for everything!"

    "I agree!"

    As soon as the stout middle-aged man fell silent, the burned man who had just confronted him impatiently, surprisingly raised his hand without hesitation, being the first to express support.

    "I don''t support Oliver as a leader, but I do support replacing this position."

    Facing the surprised gazes from the rebels, the burned man licked his lips and squinted his eyes, saying,

    "I don''t care about change or timing. I just think Nathan is not suitable for leadership now because, compared to when I first met him, he no longer has that scent."

    "What nonsense are you talking about now?"

    Rolling her eyes at the burned man, who seemed even more clueless, the bald woman stood up, scolding impatiently,

    "What scent on the leader? What nonsense are you spouting?"

    "Of course there is!"

    Casting a disdainful glance at the bald woman, the burned man snorted,

    "It''s normal for you not to smell it. It''s a fragrance only strong individuals possess! Naturally, only those as strong as us can detect it!

    This scent belongs to the strong, the kind who believe that as long as they''re alive, even if all their bones are broken, they can still stand up again and bite their opponents to death with their teeth!

    I joined back then because I was drawn to the scent on Nathan, thinking he could achieve what he spoke of, so I was willing to listen to him!"

    "But these past two years, every time we conducted a major operation, he would spend some time alone, and when he returned, that scent would be slightly weaker, growing increasingly hesitant and depressed.

    After the ennobling ceremony, the scent changed again. Now, he smells like a helpless fawn abandoned before being weaned! Weak! Foul!"

    "..."

    After listening to the burned man''s somewhat chaotic speech and barely understanding his meaning, the rebels couldn''t help glancing at each other. Even the bald woman put away her anger, sitting back in her chair, biting her lip.

    What the burned man described as the "scent of the strong," translated into a less "beast-like" description, would likely be referred to as confidence.

    Compared to the leader who previously brimmed with confidence, His Excellency Nathan now seemed to exude a strange air of decay.

    Like the mythical figure who pushes a boulder towards the mountaintop only to watch it roll back into the valley again and again, today''s leader, compared to before, seems to have truly lost the confidence to change everything...

    *Could it really be time to choose a new leader?*

    ...

    "Inhale..."

    Just as the rebels fell into silence, a loud inhaling sound suddenly echoed inside the room.

    Taking a deep whiff of the unchanged air through nostrils resembling black cavities, the burned man suddenly kicked back his chair, stood up, and squinted as he looked outside.

    "Tiger! There''s a hunting tiger that''s come in! The scent is so intense!"