Chapter 444: Conflict of Interests
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
"It has been ten years. How are you, chief?"
Looking at the white-haired Xi Menjian holding a cup of tea before him, Fang Yuan asked him how he was doing. From the corner of his eye, he could see Zhao Daniu and Ye Yingzi furiously exchanging glances.
"I'm blessed enough to be still surviving from all these exhaustion!"
Xi Menjian blew gently at his cup of hot tea.
Fang Yuan admired him for his determination and patience.
At the arrival of the third occurrence, on such a doomsday like this, as the chief of the Religious Bureau, Xi Menjian had the control of all the mutants in Chinese Country and would, therefore, be extremely busy. The stress that he was facing was also more than anyone could imagine.
Under such circumstances, he either had an ulterior motive or was crazy to take the time to visit his old subordinate.
However, Xi Menjian didn't seem like a crazy fellow, which means only one possibility was left.
"Initially... why did you leave?"
Xi Menjian gazed at Fang Yuan for a long while before opening his mouth.
"Because of a discovery..."
Fang Yuan started to spout some nonsense. "I detected a trace of a supernormal civilisation thousands of years ago, and located it at the Golden Eagle Federation! If I want to conduct experiments there myself, surely all of you would not allow me to do so. Therefore, I could only leave without telling you."
It was a terrible excuse.
However, as Xi Menjian recalled the traces of Lei and all the happenings in the Golden Eagle Federation, he could not deny that everything fitted perfectly like puzzle pieces.
"... Regardless, welcome back to the organisation!"
Xi Menjian had a complicated look on his face as he passed a document to Fang Yuan. "From today onwards, you will be the special consultant of the country and you shall enjoy the highest privileges... Hopefully, you will do the country and our people proud."
"Oh?"
Fang Yuan smiled. "It's about this. I almost thought you would immediately assign me to another task or another research project."
"We are not rushing for any research to be done right now, and even more for taskings..."
Xi Menjian let out a bitter smile. "Everywhere in the country is in chaos! Everywhere will need all the help they can get! Even so, we cannot deal with everything!"
Unless Fang Yuan could split himself into a few billion clones, he would also be helpless against a catastrophe as huge as doomsday. Therefore, he could only protect a few important nodes and forgo the rest.
The two of them gazed at each other and remained silent for a long time.
"The two of you, leave the room!"
After a long while, Xi Menjian ordered for the two people behind him to take their leave.
After Zhao Daniu and Ye Yingzi left, Xi Menjian started to fiddle with a contraption.
'Is this a jammer?'
Seeing this, Fang Yuan twitched his eyebrows as Xi Menjian started to explain himself. "As a 4th Tier mutant... If you are unwilling to let others eavesdrop, they will not be able to hear our conversation, right?"
Xi Menjian was being extremely cautious.
"Don't worry, no one would dare to..."
Seeing this, Fang Yuan smiled. "Who are you guarding against? Xing Hezi? He has long left Huiming City... Even if he were to be still in the city, he would not try to eavesdrop us and make me unhappy."
"Sigh..."
Xi Menjian laughed. "That old demon who hibernated for a thousand years would only cause us distress. Comrade Fang Yuan, the organisation has a very important task for you!"
"Important task?"
Fang Yuan appeared confused. "I've been living in seclusion for the past 10 years and may no longer be loyal to the country. Why are you willing to task this to me?"
"We have no choice, for you are the only suitable person to be able to do this!"
Xi Menjian stood up and took a deep bow. "Please protect the humans!"
"Protect the humans? What a heavy responsibility..."
Fang Yuan turned solemn. "What have you guys discovered?"
"A huge shadow has been lurking in the darkness. Even the chaotic development years of Chinese Country couldn't destroy it. Instead, it started to recover at a quicker pace at has already infiltrated the government..."
Xi Menjian spoke in a deep tone. "Now, even I wouldn't trust my subordinates any more..."
Fang Yuan could understand where he was coming from.
The Black Hand was an organisation formed by the powerful sects in Middle Continent thousands of years ago. Most of the people in the organisation had the ability to cast spells or possessed certain special abilities. They would surely be the most powerful bunch of people as soon as the spiritual energy in the surroundings reaches a maximum. Since the Religious Bureau was recruiting members at that time, they would be foolish not to join the bureau to cause trouble from within.
"This is at most fighting for their own rights. What's there to say about protecting the humans?"
Fang Yuan sighed before probing further.
"What do you think? Those old demonic people have a totally different mindset from us, modern people! Who knows, that old fogey might just want to push us back into the dark ages and the developing years..."
Xi Menjian continued. "If not for this worry, our leaders would not have been so decisive. However, after investigation, we realise that those high-tiered cultivators, including Xing Hezi, have attempted communications with those evil beasts. This is especially so for Xing Hezi who had once secretly met with the Sea Dragon King.
Fang Yuan broke out in cold sweat.
Needless to say, a country could potentially become very powerful if it were to utilise all its resources.
Xing Hezi had looked down upon the mortals and was not careful in this aspect.
"Therefore... I've especially come to plead you to investigate this matter thoroughly! As soon as you realise Xing Hezi performing acts of betrayal to the country, deal with him immediately! Stop his plan! If you require, you may tap on all the resources of the country!"
Xi Menjian assured.
"But... why me?"
Fang Yuan remained silent for a while before posing his final question.
"Because you are 100% local Chinese and is one of us. Therefore, our thinking will be similar!"
Xi Menjian let out a bitter smile. "This is actually just the reason on the surface. What's important is that you do not have a record and have never contacted the other species before. Furthermore, I do not have anyone else I can look for..."
Looking at his back view as Xi Menjian took his leave, Fang Yuan was deep in his thoughts.
This was where the conflict of interests between the two species laid.
As a normal human, although they would benefit from the increasing spiritual energy, a doomsday scenario would have them prefer to return to the old days. Days where the streets were not as safe, but the humans would still be in control of the world due to scientific advancements. Now, it was the survival of the fittest, but a hell for all species.
However, other supernatural beings, especially cultivators, would prefer a world rich in spiritual energy, for it would be their heaven.
In the process, many normal humans would be sacrificed but that would merely be the natural way of how things would work.
Facing the conflicts of interests, cultivators would stand together for a common objective of taking over the world. Therefore, Xing Hezi was not afraid that Fang Yuan would go against the cultivators.
Therefore, from a certain angle, there were opportunities for peace talks with the Sea Dragon King and the 9 Headed Cerberus.
"It was never a fair fight, to begin with... the alliance of supernatural beings are like giants, and the resistance of normal humans are like ants!"
Fang Yuan sighed.
It was easy to understand the situation. In such a doomsday scenario, those with the ability would be the ones in power.
Even if one were to be the leader of the country, if one was not a mutant or a supernatural being, one would have limited ability to protect oneself. How would one be able to survive any disaster then?
Furthermore, even without going head-on with the higher-ups, those tycoons and head of financial groups would want to survive as much as possible.
If Xing Hezi was a little smarter, he could easily make these people get rid of the higher-ups.
Therefore, Xi Menjian could conclude that there were no other people he could look for. To be a little more extreme, anyone in power within the country could no longer be trusted.
"This is how pathetic normal humans are... They can only get sacrificed but cannot do anything about it. They don't even have the rights to know what's happening..."
Fang Yuan walked towards the window and gazed at a few buildings in the vicinity as well as the group of humans which resembled ants. With that, he fell into silence.
"Even ants will resist. Among the normal humans, there are still people like Xi Menjian and not all the leaders will succumb to the pressure. This is the final hope of humans..."
Fang Yuan looked at his own palms.
Just a few moments ago, Xi Menjian had placed this hope into Fang Yuan's hands but did not even make Fang Yuan promise anything. With this, it was obvious how much hope he had this time.
The circumstances were worse than most people could imagine.
Even Xi Menjian had to put his life on the line!
"Father!"
Not long after, two girls ran towards Fang Yuan. "What did that uncle talk to you about?"
"Nothing much, he just posed a difficult question to me!"
Fang Yuan shook his head. "Also... I have been preparing to leave the country for awhile. Take care of the house!"
"Leave the country? To where?"
"Dancing Country!"
...
Outside the huge city.
Xing Hezi waved his whisk and the force of the stars started to descend, forming a huge hand which effortlessly smashed a Winged Tiger into a pile of bloodied mess.
After accomplishing his feat, he did not stop. Amidst the cheers of him being the saviour of the world, he quickly took his leave and felt good.
"It's done!"
After travelling out a huge distance, Xing Hezi was shrouded in a layer of fog and stopped at a cliff.
"Kacha! Kacha!"
One of the cliffs in the surroundings crumbled and a pair of eyes were revealed. They were staring right at Xing Hezi.
"The array has been completed. Next would be the blood sacrifice activation. Occasionally, send a few people to attack the city. It doesn't matter which direction you attack from."
Xing Hezi started to give his instructions.
"That person..."
The eyes in the cliff gave of a tremor and a few images appeared in mid-air. They were of Xi Menjian and Fang Yuan.
"What have you detected? Hehe..."
He Xinzi laughed. "Is he trying to establish good ties with other highly-skilled people to deal with us? He would never understand that regarding this, all cultivators are united. Even Farquhar who would require the faith of others is also with us on this! What's more, this person is a cultivator with the strength of his own! Even if Zheng Qizi were to revive, I'm afraid he would also be together with us on this."
"He has gone to Dancing Country!"
The giant pair of eyes paused for a moment before continuing.
"That's great! There are 3 array eyes in Dancing Country. Who would've thought that Brother Fang Yuan would be so proactive in this!"
Xing Hezi laughed. "I know that Xi Menjian is secretly gathering people. However, this is not what he really wants. Now, secretly observe Fang Yuan in the dark to see if he is perfecting the array or destroying it. You can feel the Earth Meridian, right? Can't you tell?"