BXBX NOVEL Chapter 181: The Turmoil Sparked by the Platinum-Level Treasure Chest
The reasons Ritchie provided were merely superficial justifications.
In truth, Ritchie did not hold a particularly favorable impression of Howard. Ritchie always felt that when he and Emma, along with Claire, were targeted by Kean, Howard had not exerted his utmost efforts to assist them.
Consequently, Ritchie believed that Howard was merely exploiting him, Jeremy, and the others.
Once they no longer held any value, Howard would promptly discard them without a second thought.
"In that case, you should continue defending the watchtower here." Ritchie advised, his voice tinged with resolve. "I have immense confidence in you, and with the Ravager's Gloves, you will no longer fear those lower-level monsters."
With a smile on his face, Jeremy patted Ritchie on the shoulder.
Ritchie nodded and said, "There's no need for further discussion. Hurry up and set off with Bonnie. If you delay any longer, Howard might already have moved on to another location."
Subsequently, the three parted ways.
Ritchie remained at the watchtower, continuing to ensure the safety of the construction personnel working on the perimeter walls.
In reality, Ritchie did not encounter any monsters in the following period. No monsters dared to approach the watchtower anymore.
The Soul Ravager, a level 50 boss, had been easily defeated, instilling a state of extreme panic among the lower-level monsters.
Although there were still other monsters above level 50 in the industrial district.
Those monsters were located far from the watchtower where Ritchie was stationed. They had not detected any human activity.
Ritchie's intention to test the practical effectiveness of the Ravager's Gloves in battle ultimately fell through.
However, this might have been a blessing in disguise for Ritchie.
After all, whenever Ritchie acted alone, he often found himself in inexplicable crises.
Bonnie and Jeremy boarded a helicopter and departed from the industrial district.
On the way to Howard's military base, Bonnie asked in a slightly worried tone, "Are you sure it's okay for him to guard the place alone? I always feel like he's not the most reliable person."
Upon hearing this remark, Jeremy allowed a smile to spread across his face.
"You are absolutely right, Ritchie isn't the most reliable person. However, he is someone we can trust. At the very least, I am confident that he will successfully protect the watchtower and those around it."
Since Jeremy had put it that way, Bonnie decided not to pursue the matter further.
Half an hour later, the helicopter arrived at the military base where Howard was stationed. However, this base was not located on the outskirts of Moonlight City but rather between the city center and the industrial district.
Howard was somewhat puzzled by Bonnie and Jeremy's arrival.
Initially, Howard thought that their arrival signaled a failure in their plan. But he quickly realized that his subordinates had not provided any such indication.
This meant that the plan was still proceeding smoothly overall.
As Bonnie and Jeremy disembarked from the helicopter, Howard walked up to Jeremy with a smile and inquired directly.
"There haven't been any issues with the plan, have there?"
"Of course not! We have successfully secured the safety of the first watchtower, and the first perimeter wall is nearly complete." Jeremy replied, his expression remarkably calm.
He spoke as if it were a task of trivial simplicity.
Upon hearing this, Howard's smile grew even broader.
"I knew you could do it! So, since the mission is accomplished, is there anything else you need from me? Are you suggesting we expedite our next phase of the plan?"
Howard assumed that Jeremy was there to urge him to expedite the deployment of additional watchtowers.
In Howard's plan, over the next two weeks, he intended to set up one watchtower each day. Jeremy and his team would only need to ensure the safety of each watchtower daily.
Once all 14 watchtowers were set up, the partitioning plan for the industrial district would be largely successful.
Jeremy shook his head.
"I am not here to urge you to accelerate your plan. I am here to seek your assistance."
After saying this, Jeremy stepped closer to Howard and lowered his voice.
"You should be aware that after defeating monsters, we obtain chests corresponding to their levels. However, to open these chests, we require sufficient gemstones."
"We killed a monster while guarding the watchtower and obtained a platinum-level chest as a result. I lack the gemstones required to open a platinum-level chest, which is why I have come here seeking your assistance."
Howard's expression had been one of calm and composed smile.
However, the mention of a platinum-level chest caused a dramatic shift in his demeanor.
He gazed at Jeremy with an incredulous look, and after a moment, he slowly asked.
"Are you certain the chest you obtained is a platinum-level chest? Since the advent of the apocalypse game, I have never even heard of a platinum-level chest!"
It goes without saying that Howard would not easily place his trust in the words spoken by Jeremy.
After all, even in the capital, there had been no news of a platinum-level chest. Jeremy, though a remarkably talented awakener, couldn't possibly acquire such a chest merely by defeating a single monster.
Jeremy nodded affirmatively.
"The monster we defeated was a level 50 lord boss. After defeating it, we not only obtained the platinum-level chest but also a skill book and two pieces of equipment."
As he spoke, Jeremy produced the platinum-level chest.
The moment Howard laid eyes on the platinum-level chest, his expression swiftly transformed from one of doubt to one of sheer elation.
"You truly are a young hero! I never imagined you would be the first to obtain a platinum-level chest!" After expressing his amazement, Howard immediately spoke with unwavering determination.
"You don't need to fret about the gemstones! Even if Moonlight City can't provide enough gemstones, I'm certain the capital would be more than willing to supply them to open a platinum-level chest."
"After all, there are no records of a platinum-level chest in the military's database. More importantly, no one knows what kind of rewards await inside a platinum-level chest!"
With these words, Howard grabbed Jeremy and dashed toward his office at breakneck speed.
Bonnie, trailing behind, struggled to keep up with their hastened pace.
Both Jeremy and Bonnie had somewhat underestimated the true value of a platinum-level chest.
The appearance of the platinum-level chest left everyone at Howard's military base utterly astonished. Upon learning of this discovery, Howard immediately reported the news to the military headquarters in the capital.
The military headquarters was equally stunned by the news of the platinum-level chest.
Without delay, the military headquarters dispatched a special envoy, and concurrently, the federal government sent an emissary to Moonlight City.
Howard had completely shelved his previous plan.
To Howard, the most crucial task now was to open the platinum-level chest as swiftly as possible.
The news of Jeremy acquiring the platinum-level chest swiftly reached Benjamin's ears.
Benjamin was exceedingly astonished by the revelation, but upon learning that his daughter was also involved with Jeremy, he felt an overwhelming sense of pride.
"It seems my daughter is indeed a remarkably gifted Awakener.
After her initial setbacks, she quickly adapted her approach. The fact that she was acting alongside Jeremy means she also shares in the credit for acquiring the platinum-level chest."
Although Benjamin outwardly appeared indifferent towards his daughter, deep down, as a father, he harbored a profound love for her.
Apart from the people in Moonlight City, the factions in the capital also reacted with remarkable speed.
Soon, the major families in the capital learned about the discovery of a platinum-level chest in Moonlight City.
The reactions of these prominent families varied significantly in response to this news.
Several families planned to win over Jeremy, as they had never had any conflicts with him and held him in high regard.
If they could successfully align Jeremy with their family factions, their power would be significantly augmented.
However, for the Lannisters, the situation was exceedingly dire.
Kean had not yet been released from the confinement room when he heard the news from his butler, Farmer.
With incredulity etched on his face, Kean loudly questioned Farmer, "Are you messing with me right now?! You should be well aware that toying with me will cost you dearly!"
Farmer wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and, trembling, said, "How could I possibly mess with you on this matter? I only just learned of this news myself. The upper echelons of the Lannisters are currently holding an emergency meeting. They are deliberating on the appropriate course of action moving forward."
"However, regardless of the outcome, Jeremy's strength has increased significantly compared to before. You should also prepare yourself as soon as possible."