Boris, finding himself cornered, immediately contacted high-ranking officials within the Demon Hunter Guild through his connections. He intended to use the guild to identify who was responsible for his predicament and seek revenge.
However, after learning of Boris's plight, the Demon Hunter Guild discussed the matter and ultimately refused to take on the task.
The members of the Demon Hunter Guild were not fools. Upon hearing about these incidents, they realized that whoever was behind them was undoubtedly not simple.
Setting aside whether the Demon Hunter Guild possessed the necessary strength, even if they did, confronting someone with Ling Tian's capabilities might result in significant losses, making it an unfavorable exchange.
Boris Gustav was furious at the Demon Hunter Guild's hesitant behavior but was powerless to do anything about it.
Unwilling to give up, Boris Gustav then contacted the Dark Altar, proposing a collaboration and preparing to meet with their leader, Queen of Vengeance, Bice.
Frankly speaking, the former Boris Gustav had never thought highly of organizations like the Dark Altar, nor did he wish to associate with them.
The reason was simple: the people of the Dark Altar were lunatics, perverted lunatics, yet they possessed considerable power that he could not control.
Collaborating with such individuals could lead to betrayal and backlash at any moment, and these politicians disliked any power they couldn't master.
On the other hand, the Dark Altar had extended olive branches to the Gustav family several times in the past, but without success.
Bice, a shrewd woman, understood that the Dark Altar was currently infamous and that some of their actions even bordered on taboo. Therefore, the Dark Altar needed a prominent figure to act as their protector.
After a rigorous selection process, Bice finally identified her target: Boris Gustav.
Once Boris Gustav ascended to the presidency, the Dark Altar's status would undoubtedly rise. Unfortunately, this was a one-sided affair; Boris had no intention of getting too deeply involved with them, maintaining an ambiguous stance.
However, the situation had now reversed. The Gustav family had suffered a severe blow. While their legal battle with Lawyer Hughes appeared evenly matched on the surface, the Gustav family's decline was evident.
Furthermore, to win the lawsuit, Lawyer Hughes had resorted to any means necessary, exposing all the misdeeds committed by the Gustav family over the years.
The Gustav family had to pay a hefty price to extinguish these fires and mitigate the impact of these revelations.
The result was that Gustav Pharmaceuticals encountered further trouble, resulting in a deficit of tens of billions. In a country like the United States, money could buy anything, but without it, one was truly stuck.
Although the consequences had not yet fully manifested, it was only a matter of time. The troubles at Gustav Pharmaceuticals would lead to a complete collapse of the capital chain for the Gustav family's other industries.
Specifically, their inability to provide new drugs to wealthy individuals would alienate a large group of people, whose anger alone would be enough for the Gustav family to handle.
It was at this juncture that the Gustav family proactively reached out to Queen of Vengeance Bice. Bice sensed an opportunity and personally came to meet Boris Gustav.
Bice had already learned of the Gustav family's predicament through the media and relevant channels. She was well aware that the Gustav family was now pleading with her, and she could certainly sharpen her knives and fleece them thoroughly.
Bice was contemplating how to assert her dominance over the Gustav family and make them understand her might when she saw Boris, looking listless and on the verge of death.
Bice then directly gave Boris two Life Essences, which were obtained by sacrificing the life force of hundreds of people.
The effect of Life Essence was indeed miraculous. After consuming it, Boris Gustav's internal injuries were repaired, and he even appeared to have aged more than a decade. This immediately stunned Boris.
To be honest, Boris, having been a politician his entire life, had experienced all sorts of things, and various blows and setbacks were not a problem for him. The only thing that troubled him was his health.
As the saying goes, age diminishes one's physical prowess. As people age, not only does their stamina decline, but their energy and cognitive abilities are also limited.
The primary reason Boris Gustav had considered abandoning his presidential bid in recent days was that he had suffered a series of blows, and his health had deteriorated.
He was also acutely aware that with his current physical condition, he could not cope with the high-intensity campaign activities.
However, he never expected that this notorious Queen of Vengeance would bring him such a pleasant surprise, which immediately changed his attitude towards the Dark Altar. He realized he had underestimated them.
Boris was now full of vigor. He knew that the Dark Altar was a double-edged sword; while dangerous, if wielded effectively, it could significantly aid his campaign.
In his study, Boris Gustav met Bice. He proactively stood up and extended his hand to shake hers.
However, Bice seemed to pretend not to see it, showing no intention of shaking hands. Gustav, with a smile plastered on his face, kept his hand suspended in mid-air, unsure of what to do.
The handshake originated in primitive societies. In ancient times, people lived by hunting. If they encountered strangers, to show friendliness, they would quickly discard their hunting tools and open their palms to show they were not hiding anything.
Later, this gesture was adopted by warriors. To show friendship and cease fighting, they would touch each other's palms, indicating they had no weapons. As times changed, this gesture gradually evolved into the handshake.
However, facing an outstretched hand without any response is a highly impolite act. It places the person who extended their hand in a very awkward position, just like Boris Gustav at that moment.
Especially when the person extending their hand is someone of high status, such a lack of response can even be seen as a provocation.
However, since Bice's "darkening," she had not shaken hands with anyone. In Bice's view, it was a hypocritical gesture.
Nevertheless, Boris, now in need of Bice's help, retracted his hand, wiped it on his clothes, and forced an awkward smile.
"Ms. Bice, thank you very much for coming..."