by <unknown>
Long Yangjun's voice got louder and louder until she completely stood straight in the end and leaned close to Li Yao, looking at him mockingly and provocatively.
Li Yao was caught in a long silence.
"Ha!"
Long Yangjun grinned. "You've got nothing to say anymore?"
"You're wrong."
Li Yao shook his head slowly and took a deep breath. Looking at Long Yangjun in the eyes, he said slowly, "While I am indeed a rarely-seen genius in the universe who is adept at fighting, sneaking, maintenance, analysis, planning, and acting and who is blessed by fate with countless trump cards, which makes me one of the few most special persons in the entire universe, I have never fought alone in any battle in the past hundred years, and there hasn't been a case where I settled the problem and saved the world solely on my own.
"Countless good brothers and friends fought side by side with me every single time. Countless seemingly insignificant persons whose names I was unaware of fought together with me for their own fate and the fate of everybody else every single time! I never feel that I saved a lot of people; we simply worked together in solidarity to save ourselves!
"When we were against Xiao Xuance in the Flying Star Sector, countless Cultivators fought side by side with me and sacrificed their precious lives so that we could eventually march to Xiao Xuance's face!
"When we were resisting Lu Zui in the Heaven's Origin Sector, it was the citizens of the federation who raised their hands, waved the Rising Dragon of the Nine Stars flag, and covered me all the way to the parliament building so that we could unveil Lu Zui's real appearance!
"During the second time I returned to the Heaven's Origin Sector, when I fought Extraterrestrial Devil in the realm of spirits, the national anthem of the New Federation sung by so many people together granted us infinite strength, allowing us to finally destroy the realm of spirits, disrupt the extraterrestrial devils, and rouse Professor Mo Xuan's real soul. You were there with me at that time, and you were saved by countless ordinary people who burnt their souls and lives. Have you forgotten about it?!
"In the fierce battle against the Black Wind Fleet, who was the greatest contributor for the dozen Colossi to arrive in time and sabotage the space gate? Not me, but a common officer of the federation named Helian Lie. It was he who sacrificed his life to stall the creation of the space gate! I will remember him forever. The Star Glory Federation will remember him forever!
"So, don't think that you can scare me by intentionally exaggerating the coldness of the universe and the darkness of humanity. Yes, individuals are insignificant when faced with the overwhelming sea of stars, but insignificance does not equal to humbleness. Human beings will never admit that they are humble, and I will never be fighting alone!
"It's the same this time. Behind my back is the Star Glory Federation. I believe that every Cultivator and every citizen of the Star Glory Federation will fight side by side with me. We will carry out the bright side of humanity with our best and illuminate the dark universe even if we are burned into ashes!
"I believe that even in the Imperium of True Human Beings, in the cruel, dog-eat-dog worlds of Immortal Cultivators, countless people are unwilling to sink in the sh*thole! They will be awakened and want to change a different road. If they are willing to abandon their feelings and embark on the so-called Path of Ultimate Benevolence, is it really so hard to let them try the path of the Cultivators?
"I also believe that for even the people living thirty thousand meters into the ground, even though their lives are full of exploitations and sorrow, it is impossible that there is absolutely no brightness. Do you know that the kids were singing when I left the 10,084th district? They were singing!
"If the children can sing, why can't the adults? Nobody can deprive them of their power to sing. Not the Immortal Cultivators and certainly not the Covenant Alliance! I will do my best to defend their songs!"
This time, it was Long Yangjun who bit her lips and fell silent.
"There's also you. Why do you have to be so snarky as if you have seen through humanity and the universe which disappoint you greatly?"
Li Yao extended his hand at Long Yangjun and said sincerely, "Come with me, and let's see if we can change the world together. It's going to be fun!"
Long Yangjun trembled, not sure if she should be shocked. She eyed Li Yao as if he were an idiot while she remarked, "Seriously? I just complimented your smartness, and you are turning into a silly person again? Knowing clearly that I am a malicious villain full of schemes who may trick you anytime, you are still persuading me? Why? Do you really think I'm your 'best friend'?"
"It has nothing to do with that."
Li Yao said, "In fact, I've tried to persuade each and every one of you. Xiao Xuance, Bai Xinghe, Jin Tuyi, Lu Zui, Zhou Zhengdao, Extraterrestrial Devil Mo Xuan… Every one of you is a hundred times more capable, ambitious, and wiser than me! If you are all willing to embark on the path of the Cultivators and help your own kind in the correct ways, the whole universe will certainly be brighter! Some of those people have indeed been convinced by me and become my friends. So, I'm certainly reluctant to fight you!"
"Stop flattering yourself. Do you really think Bai Xinghe and Jin Tuyi were convinced by you?"
Long Yangjun spat on the ground. "They were obviously taking advantage of you to achieve their own purposes, alright? Who do you think is as idiotic as you? Despite your high Cultivation, you are as simple and childish as a high school student. 'Illuminate the whole universe'? Come on, man, this is not a movie set. Do you have any idea that it was something even the Pangu Clan and the Nuwa Clan were incapable of? None of the prehistoric civilizations in the trillions of years before the Pangu Clan and Nuwa Clan were able to do that either, and you want the civilization of mankind to accomplish it? The odds are little to none!"
"Little to none is still not none, right?"
Li Yao said, "The odds to win the top prize of a lottery border on zero too, but doesn't a lucky dog win it every single time? Why can't the civilization of mankind be the lucky dog who hits the jackpot?
"Do you know what is the key to winning a lottery prize? The key is that you have to buy a lottery first! If you don't buy it at all, doesn't it mean that you've abandoned your chances?
"If you think about it in perspective, it's true that the Pangu civilizations, the Nuwa civilizations, and the thousands of prehistoric, advanced civilizations before them all failed to achieve it, but what does it mean? It means that nobody has ever won the lottery yet, and the money in the prize pool must be astronomical now. Then, if the civilization of mankind can win the lottery, it will certainly be a great windfall!"
Rendered speechless, Long Yangjun was stunned for a long time before she covered her forehead and said, "Idiot. It suddenly occurs to me that I'm talking to a wall. I'm so tired."
"Those who are ignorant, are fearless."
Li Yao said, "Of course, I am not as smart as you, Xiao Xuance, Lu Zui, Extraterrestrial Devil Mo Xuan, or Blackstar the Great. So, it always puzzles me what exactly you are scared of. Even if the universe is truly so cold and humanity is really so dark, why can't you just fight it valiantly, when you will die eventually either way? What's the big deal?"
"Forget it…"
Long Yangjun waved her hands and said in exhaustion, "I don't want to debate with you on the useless philosophies anymore because it occurs to me that you're about to drag me to your level and defeat me with your abundant experience in stupidity.
"It won't help anything no matter what fancy speeches you may give. Let's just see how you are going to fix the problem of Nepenthe. Three days. Nepenthe is going to attack the Great Iron Plants in three days. Will you stop them?"
"Great Iron Plants?"
Li Yao blinked. "What is that?"
Long Yangjun told Li Yao that "Great Iron Plants" was an area with different plants inside the rocks several thousand meters above the 10,084th district. Quite a few geothermal factories, heavy comp
onent manufacturers, and mines of rare metals had been deployed in the area.
The rare metals collected from the mines, after being refined with the infinite geothermal energy, were delivered to the assembly lines for fashioning before they were shipped to the surface of the planet. Such a practice was more cost-effective, and the heavy pollution would be kept tens of thousands of meters below the surface of the planet without affecting the fresh air and the clean water on the ground.
"Great Iron Plants" was the underground residents' nickname for the place. It was also the center of the hundreds of towns nearby. Almost all the locals worked for the Great Iron Plants or were engaged in the indirect service for the Great Iron Plants on the upstream or downstream chains of the factories in the place.
The official name of "Great Iron Plants" was "Black Iron Group", whose CEO was named "Li Minghui". He was a typical man who only cared about his own interests.
His surname was not "Li" in the beginning but "Hei". He used to be a destitute, bottom-level Immortal Cultivator who was not appreciated on the surface of the planet. It was also said that he once tricked certain major sects for their resources. In his desperation, he had to flee to the underground worlds to make a living.
But the man was best at flattery and bribery. He somehow made acquaintance with a big shot of the Dongfang family, whom he respected as a foster father. He even changed his family name from "Hei" to "Dongfang", thereby becoming "Dongfang Minghui".
With the Dongfang family, one of the four Kurfürst families, as his reliance, Dongfang Minghui naturally thrived in the underground worlds. It did not take long before he seized a mine of rare minerals. In the following decades, he acquired and expanded his corporation blatantly through all kinds of shameless approaches, building it into the Black Iron Group that was a minor celebrity in all the underground worlds today.
The most awesome skill about the man, on the other hand, was not his cruel, cunning methods or his shameless character, but his keen senses. When he smelled that the Dongfang family was about to fall apart, he joined the Li family in advance and respected a big shot of the Li family as his foster father exactly like last time, changing his family name from "Dongfang" to "Li". He also offered tremendous evidence about the dark history of the Dongfang family, which he had carefully collected during the past decades, to help the Li family strike the Dongfang family. Naturally, he did not forget to bribe his new "foster father" with a fortune so that he would not be badmouthed.
Therefore, regardless of the changes in politics on the surface of the planet, the man had been enjoying his life below the ground for decades. He was almost a local dominator of the thousand square kilometers around!
Chapter 2367: Super Brainwave Magnifier! |
"Li Minghui has been seeking 'fathers' everywhere. His 'fathers' were certainly not idiots. Why would they admit him as their foster son without a good reason?"
Long Yangjun explained, "The only reason is that the man offers them a fortune every year and helps the Immortal Cultivators on the surface of the planet to earn the interests from below the ground.
"Li Minghui claimed to be able to turn granites into oil. He is almost the most brutal and harsh one of all the Immortal Cultivators below the ground. The death rate in the mines and factories affiliated to the 'Black Iron Group' is thirty percent higher than other underground mines and factories. It must be noted that the hominoid workers and miners are already treated very harshly in other places, but his treatment is thirty percent even more brutal. You can totally imagine how atrocious it is!
"After he gradually extended the tentacles of the 'Black Iron Group' to hundreds of underground towns ten thousand meters above and below under the support of the Dongfang family, he completely controlled the dark lands. The workers have to be exploited in his factories during the day and buy synthetic food and compressed air provided by his corporation at a high price at night. The price is at least fifty percent higher than in other towns, but the quality is lower. However, he has monopolized the business, and the workers do not have a second option at all. Whoever dares to 'smuggle' the synthetic food and the compressed air from other providers will be beaten to death alive and thrown into the geothermal furnaces, to be burned into nothingness!
"Only in such a way of exploiting every rock and every hominoid below the ground can the guy accumulate a large sum of money and offer it to the big shots of the Dongfang family so that he can keep his surname of 'Dongfang'. It should come as no surprise that there was almost an outburst of devils in his territory."
Long Yangjun told Li Yao that the hominoids under the control of the Black Iron Group had already been living in misery decades previously.
In the recent half a year, quite a few tectonic levels in the area had earthquakes of very high intensities, collapsing dozens of mines and destroying quite a few energy factories. As a result, the Black Iron Group's progress in resource collection slowed down significantly. Li Minghui was infuriated and exploited his workers even more roughly.
The conflicts between the reformists and the four Kurfürst families dealt another heavy blow on Li Minghui.
It was true that his senses were keen enough for him to flee and change his side before the collapse of the Dongfang family. However, it took loads of money for him to change his name from "Dongfang" to "Li". Otherwise, why would his new fathers want to keep him like a dog?
It was said that he spent half of his belongings on the purchases of a myriad of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and rarely-seen primeval artifacts before he finally made his way through in the Li family and got accepted by a rather powerful new father. He promised his new father that if the Black Iron Group were to operate under his supervision just like before, there would be more resources and profits in the next couple of years.
Considering Li Minghui's greediness, the loss of half of his belongings was like cutting his heart, plucking his veins, and pumping all his blood.
Such a heavy loss could only be made up for by even more severe exploitation on the underground hominoids.
Therefore, in the last few months, Li Minghui had essentially turned into a rabid dog. In the towns and factories controlled by the Black Iron Group, the quota of productivity had been doubled. All the hominoids were overworking day and night. The odds of accidents and deaths had been increased by half. The hominoids were either killed in exhaustion or died without a full body in accidents.
On the other hand, Nepenthe had hit the bottleneck after it developed and expanded in the darkness, and it would certainly be discovered by the Black Iron Group if it were to further develop.
Instead of waiting to be killed, they might as well attack actively even if it meant death, which would significantly be better than being killed in a mine collapse or an explosion of the energy factory!
"This is about the background of the upcoming riot, which really has nothing to do with me."
Long Yangjun said with a bitter smile, "Except for teaching the hominoids 'Serenity Arts' and the methods of telepathy at the beginning, I never interfered with the specific operations of Nepenthe. After I became the president of the Association of Demon Hunters as 'Dongfang Mingyue', I had even fewer reasons to stay in touch with the Nepenthe believers who were destined to be annihilated. So, I volunteered to keep a distance from them.
"I really did not know that they were planning such a huge event in the underground world. Otherwise, I wouldn't choose to come back here even though I was fleeing.
"It's been more than ten days. Considering Blackstar the Great's methods and Li Linghai's position among the reformists, they must've controlled the surface of the capital planet or even the entire Empyreal Terminus Sector. After the Nepenthe believers' fuss below the ground, Blackstar the Great will certainly notice it, which means that we will have to run to somewhere else!"
Frowning, Li Yao asked, "Since you are the prestigious 'Serenity Seraph', can you not convince the Nepenthe believers not to do anything rashly?"
&
nbsp; Long Yangjun shook her head. "As I said, I never meddle in the specific affairs of Nepenthe. All the planning and operations are commanded by the 'Grand Guardian' of Nepenthe. The Grand Guardian has a high position and prestige among the believers. He is as respected as me!
"After all, I was away for years. Although I taught them certain techniques in the beginning, the Grand Guardian was the one who expanded Nepenthe by ten times through hard work.
"Besides, faced with the cruel oppression of the Black Iron Group, where countless hominoids would die in the factories and mines miserably on a daily basis, do I have any reason to stop the resistance of the Nepenthe believers?"
Li Yao said solemnly, "But they stand no chance at all. It will only be suicide."
Long Yangjun chuckled and sighed. "Li Yao, don't you understand? In the rebellion of the White Lotus Cult and the riot of the Heaven Battering Army in the Ancient Sages Sector, the resistance of Starlight in the Imperium of True Human Beings, or the upcoming uprising of Nepenthe, does anybody really care if they stand any chance? Even a dog will bark and bite before it is butchered. Humans must not be more docile than dogs, right?"
Li Yao clenched his fists. With fury beaming out of his eyes, he chewed on the names. "Black Iron Group… Li Minghui… Then, what exactly is the purpose of Nepenthe's uprising? Kill Li Minghui?"
"Killing Li Minghui is naturally part of the purpose, but more importantly, it's about occupying a central geothermal factory of the Black Iron Group."
Long Yangjun said, "Nepenthe has excavated an ancient treasure from a primeval relic, which can significantly enhance brainwaves, magnifying them countless times so that they can penetrate through the rocks and spread far away.
"If all the Nepenthe believers entered the state of telepathy, allowing their brainwaves to resonate with each other, and spread the brainwaves out via the 'super brainwave magnifier', it will be possible for them to influence the residents of the thousands of towns around. Everybody will forget their pain, anxiety, and worries and appreciate the eternal tranquility when their feelings are gone. Then, the scale of Nepenthe will be expanded by a hundred times immediately.
