Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 1017
"However, in the Uranian Ring Sector, the Forest Ocean Sector, the Water Crystal Sector, and the Nether World Sector, Su Chenzhou's endorsement achieved the opposite effect. Ding Lingdang's advantage here remains, especially in the Forest Ocean Sector. Her striking show today has conquered the hearts of the people of the Forest Ocean Sector, helping her secure a significant advantage! An interviewee of the Forest Ocean Sector claimed that Ding Lingdang would be the perfect Speaker of the Federation for the people of the Forest Ocean Sector and that she would be a symbol for the courage, resolution, and strength of all the citizens of the federation!
"It seems that everything is just as we predicted yesterday. The Heaven's Origin Sector, the Blood Demon Sector, and the Flying Star Sector—the three old worlds—are the home camp for Jin Xinyue, whereas the Uranian Ring Sector, the Water Crystal Sector, the Nether World Sector and the Forest Ocean Sector—the four new worlds—are the vote banks for Ding Lingdang. The competition of two has been formed now! It remains to be seen who will have the last laugh in three months' time!"
Li Yao blinked and pricked his ears hard.
He thought that either the commenter had misspoken or that his ears were not functioning normally.
The Heaven's Origin Sector, the Blood Demon Sector, and the Flying Star Sector—the three old worlds—were the base for Jin Xinyue, and the four worlds which joined the federation recently backed Ding Lingdang.
What had happened in the past hundred years exactly?
Chapter 1568: The New Worlds and the Old Worlds |
Everything on the light beam, especially the appearance of the two 'she-devils' of the Star Glory Federation, amazed the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators and the Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators from the Ancient Sages Sector. They started a soundless discussion through their private talk techniques.
"Supreme Speaker? It almost sounds like the leader of the Cultivators in the Ancient Sages Sector," Qi Zhongdao said. "A high and mighty leader is actually elected by the mob? That's unbelievable!"
Meng Chixin chuckled. "In my opinion, the 'Supreme Speaker' is different from the leader of all the Cultivators. It is something in the middle of the leader of the Cultivators, the emperor, and the prime minister. However, Fellow Cultivator Qi is right about one thing. Even if such a crucial person is to be elected, it should be the top experts of the federation who elect them, instead of the general public. How messy and ridiculous!"
Han Baling, a loyal believer of classical militarism, sneered and said, "The great army of the Imperium of True Human Beings is arriving in no time. The federation can only be united and focused on their purpose under the leadership of a resolute dictator in order to compete with the Imperium!
"The foe is about to knock on their door now, and they are still running… an election. Aren't they asking to be killed? Look at the supporters of Jin Xinyue and Ding Lingdang, it seems that they will fight each other before the Imperium destroys them both. They don't know what they are doing at all! I think that the federation is doomed!
"Also, Jin Xinyue might prove to be a suitable leader despite her young age because she has proved herself to be thoughtful and unbendable enough in times of war.
"Ding Lingdang, on the other hand, is nothing more than a pure warrior who doesn't know the first thing about national affairs. What makes her qualified to lead the seven Sectors?"
Long Yangjun glanced at Li Yao and smiled. "A pure warrior is not necessarily unqualified for the post of the 'Supreme Speaker'. Even the emperor of the Ancient Sages Sector doesn't have to be a rare genius. After all, the specific affairs will be handled by the cabinet and the many ministers. There's also the aid of the major sects in the local area. Many 'work-free' emperors do not bother to issue any decrees at all, but the country is just as orderly as before. There might not be any major trouble in decades."
Upon hearing that, Emperor Phoenix glared at her and bellowed, "Of course you like a 'work-free' emperor. If there hadn't been a 'work-free' emperor, a powerful eunuch such as yourself wouldn't have had a chance to stir up any trouble!"
Wu Suiyun, a Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivator, sniffed and observed, "Enough, everyone! Now that we have come to a… modern Cultivation civilization, the twelve of us will be each other's only reliance. The Ancient Sages Sector is now in peril. There's really no need to cling to the grudge in the past!
"I, for one, feel that Blazing Tyrannosaur has her advantages to be the Supreme Speaker of the Federation.
"According to the intelligence that Fei Qi provided, the Star Glory Federation is a place where the parliament and cabinet are very powerful. There are countless times more departments in their court than those in the court of the Ancient Sages Sector. Military affairs, civil affairs, educational affairs… All the specific work is handled by the ministers of the corresponding departments. Even the Supreme Speaker cannot meddle with the internal affairs of the departments directly.
"The greatest significance of the so-called 'Supreme Speaker' is probably to focus everyone's hope and belief as a symbol of the federation!
"In terms of 'appeal' and 'symbolism', Ding Lingdang is definitely more suitable than Jin Xinyue. After all, her marvelous accomplishments are right there. Nobody can expect to compete with her!
"Also, she doesn't appear to be a headstrong warrior to me at all. Today, her entrance seemed a bit reckless, but it has certainly grabbed the heart of everyone in the Forest Ocean Sector. Her determination to meet the audience's expectations without caring about her image is evident enough that she is not as simple as she appears!"
Meng Chixin nodded and concluded, "All in all, Jin Xinyue and Ding Lingdang are both crucial figures that we cannot bypass when we get in touch with the Star Glory Federation. In three months, one of the two women will become the Supreme Speaker of the Federation. Whether we decide to fight or to surrender, we will have to deal with them someday. So, we must study them more deeply!"
Long Yangjun rolled her eyes and walked up to Screwhead, the tour guide. Pretending to be hesitating, she said, "Screwhead, truth be told, we are indeed from Firefly. However, we haven't made up our minds yet, not knowing if we should live in the Star Glory Federation. After all, there are too many rumors outside, and we have been living at the bottom level of Firefly, which has no access to the latest news. We can't tell whether or not the rumors are true at all!
"Just now, you were sighing gloomily when you learned that Jin Xinyue had a great chance of being elected. What, will the federation fall into chaos if Jin Xinyue is elected? In that case, there is no way that we are going to immigrate to the federation!"
"I can't agree with you more," Screwhead replied. "People from the Nether World Sector, the Water Crystal Sector, the Forest Ocean Sector, and the Uranian Ring Sector are mostly not particularly fond of Jin Xinyue and do not want her to be elected."
Long Yangjun rolled her eyes. "What about Ding Lingdang?"
"Ding Lingdang is certainly different," Screwhead said in delight. "Ding Lingdang and her Patriots Front have been quite nice to the four new worlds. She has offered a lot of advantageous policies. Although I'm living in the Dragon Snake Space Zone right now, I still hope that Ding Lingdang can be elected!"
"Is that so? Can we invite you to explain more about the situation, Brother Screwhead?" Long Yangjun asked.
Screwhead hesitated. "Well—cough, cough, about that…"
Long Yangjun took out another crystal coin and threw it at him. Having received his pay, Screwhead elaborated like a dam that had just been opened. "If the bosses here intend to live in the Star Glory Federation, it is indeed necessary for you to learn about the conflicts and contradictions among the major forces in the federation. You can't find a person that is more familiar with politics than me, Screwhead!
"In the federal parliament right now, two major forces are competing with each other. The MPs from Skyfire and the MPs from the Patriots Front combined have already surpassed fifty percent of the total seats. They are two giants!
"Meanwhile, the competition between the two giants is, in fact, a tug of war between the 'four new Sectors' and the 'three old Sectors'. Of course, on our side, we simply call them the new worlds and the old worlds.
"Skyfire represents the interests of the Heaven's Origin Sector, the Blood Demon Sector, and the Flying Star Sector, the 'old worlds'. Those places are Jin Xinyue's base.
"The Patriots Front, headed by Ding Lingdang, stands for the interests of the Uranian Ring Sector, the Water Crystal Sector, the Forest Ocean Sector, and the Nether World Sector, the 'new worlds'. She is the spokesperson of the newcomers to the country!"
Long Yangjun was slightly dazed. After blinking for a long time, she glanced at Li Yao and said, "That's odd. I'm told that Jin Xinyue was once a queen of the demon race. In the era of the 'Old Federation', the Blood Demon Sector was even engaged in a war against the Heaven's Origin Sector, which represented the Old Federation. Ding Lingdang, in comparison, is a native of the Heaven's Origin Sector, born and raised there, and a guardian of the Old Federation. How on earth is Jin Xinyue representing the Heaven's Origin Sector, the Blood Demon Sector, and the Flying Star Sector, whereas Ding Lingdang has won the support of the four new Sectors?"
"That's because you haven't learned the whole story, boss." Screwhead smiled. "Yes. In the era of the Old Federation, there was indeed a war between the Blood Demon Sector and the Heaven's Origin Sector, which the Blood Demon Sector lost. All the demons surrendered under Jin Xinyue's lead.
"Because they lost the war, the demons were not treated very well in the federation in the decades at the beginning. They were basically the bottom class of the society.
"However, Jin Xinyue didn't complain at all. On one hand, she suppressed the dissidents within the demon race who were dissatisfied about the federation cruelly with iron and blood, carrying on the strategy of 'integrate into the federation' determinedly to the end. On the other hand, she pleased the major sects in the federation through all kinds of methods, sometimes even groveling, especially the sects from the Flying Star Sector who did not have a deep grudge against the demons.
"For decades, Jin Xinyue was popular in the major sects of the federation. The demons who were sturdy, hardworking, and dutiful were given the dirty and exhausting work of those sects. The cheap but highly-qualified labor force from the demon race made the major sects able to spare their hands and gain enough resources to advance in fields that were more sophisticated!
"For the demons and the major sects, it was a win-win. After decades, Jin Xinyue was already a favorite for the leadership of the Star Glory Federation. She was almost the spokesperson for the major sects in the federation!
"After the four new worlds were discovered and merged one after another, as the minister of the Equality and Development Ministry, she did exactly what she had done to her fellow demons to the people of the four new Sectors. She plundered tremendous resources from the 'new worlds' and sent them to the pockets of the major sects of the three old worlds. She is a demon, but she is much more pleasing than any human being. How can she not have the favor and support of the major sects in the core worlds?
"Therefore, Jin Xinyue and her Skyfire have become the representatives for the interests of the 'old worlds'!"
"That explains a lot." Long Yangjun nodded. "Then, what about Ding Lingdang? Isn't she as native to the Heaven's Origin Sector as anyone can be? Shouldn't she be on the side of the old worlds, too?"
"Although Ding Lingdang is from the Heaven's Origin Sector, it was she who discovered and liberated the Nether World Sector and the Uranian Ring Sector. She also defeated a vanguard fleet of the Imperium of True Human Beings and saved Firefly," Screwhead said in excitement. "I believe that you should know the incident better than I do, right?
"In the Nether World Sector, she defeated more than ten forces on the wasteland entirely on her own and settled the War of Ghosts that had lasted almost a hundred years. She saved the dying Nether World Sector from the darkness of division and self-brutalization! In the Uranian Ring Sector, she went deep into the tiger's den alone, leading the Earthly Brute to overthrow the tyranny of the Heavenly Light! Therefore, the people of the two Sectors all regard her as a 'savior'. Even in the Dragon Snake Space Zone, except for the big shots above, the smallfolk and the normal workers actually quite like her.
"Since Ding Lingdang is the liberator and savior of the new worlds, how can she watch the Sectors that she has rescued to fall into Jin Xinyue's hands and be blatantly savaged and exploited by her?"
Chapter 1569: Two Women's Competition of Beliefs! |
Screwhead paused for the first time after giving such a long speech. Adjusting the slightly dry broadcast rune arrays on his neck, he went on. "That is not just Ding Lingdang's intention but also the intention of the Patriots Front founded by her.
"You might not know this, bosses, but at the end of the Old Federation, the antecedent of the Patriots Front was the Patriots Partnership. However, the role that the organization played in history was not a very glorious one. It is said that they once launched a coup, hoping to seize supreme power. For their purpose, they even attempted to assassinate the Speaker at that time. They almost dragged the entire federation into a hopeless war.
"The coup was known as the 'Riot of Patriots' in history.
"After the coup failed, the leaders and members of the Patriots Partnership were accordingly punished by the law. The few leaders who were directly responsible were sentenced to death. The general members were also sentenced to decades if not hundreds of years in exile or penal servitude.
"It was under such circumstances that Ding Lingdang picked up the mess in the Patriots Partnership and regrouped it as the Patriots Front!
"The Patriots Front that was just reshuffled was not accepted by the general public, who had just gone through the 'Riot of Patriots', much less attracting them to join it! At that time, the first batch of key personnel in the Patriots Front comprised the members of the previous Patriots Partnership as well as their family, disciples, and social network.
"Although they are not large in number, those who were willing to join the Patriots Front despite such curses and misunderstandings at that time were all the most loyal, elite, and devout members!
"The Patriots Partnership had been made of the most extreme and radical 'patriots' in the first place, who wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice everything for the federation, except that they had chosen the wrong path.
"When their overwhelming passion for the country was manipulated by their previous leader, Lu Zui, it turned into a power that could destroy everything!
"However, under Ding Lingdang's lead, the newborn Patriots Front began to make their contributions in an equally radical, bigoted, and extreme way!
"The members of the Patriots Front, in their disciplined attitude, did not defend themselves at all when they were questioned and even cursed by the outside world. Silently, they cleansed the dishonor of the Patriots Partnership with real actions. All the damages that the Patriots Partnership caused to the federation were slowly made up for by the Patriots Front. That was their belief in the beginning!
"With the support of such an ideology, and determined to atone, the members of the Patriots Front strived at the most remote, arduous, and dangerous posts in the federation!
"Where are the most remote, arduous, and dangerous posts? Of course, in the resource planets and Sectors that were just beginning to be developed at the edge of the federation's territory!
"Therefore, such things often happened. When a member of the Patriots Partnership was sentenced to dozens of years in penal servitude or exile, his family, disciples, students… Hundreds of people would migrate together with him to build the new land of the federation. With their blood, sweat, and even life, they slowly changed the impression of 'patriots' in the hearts of the people of the federation.
"Therefore, as the Nether World Sector, the Uranian Ring Sector, the Forest Ocean Sector, and the Water Crystal Sector gradually embraced the federation, the ascetic Patriots Front were the first echelon of Cultivators from the federation to go to the new worlds.
"The new worlds at that time were not nearly as prosperous and developed as right now. Each world had their own problems. Some of them had a harsh environment, some were seriously short of resources, and some were dominated by the eccentric beasts. The people were generally divided into many tribes, large and small, and battles and wars never ceased.
"It's exactly like the Forest Ocean Sector that you saw just now. Such a weird world that is entirely covered in primitive forests is definitely not something that just anybody can handle!
"Cultivators are no saints. Moving from a developed, old world to a perilous, new world to 'offer light and heat'? Many Cultivators from the old worlds were all hesitant. Even when some people stayed there for a couple of years, they would often run away as quickly as possible as soon as their work requirements were met.
"However, the Patriots Front persisted stubbornly to the end. They helped the four new Sectors establish roads and bridges; set up tubes to transmit spiritual energy; and constructed hospitals, schools, and training facilities; disseminating the culture of the federation to the new worlds and building a whole new civilization. They gradually blended into the residents of the new worlds!
"After a hundred years of construction, after a whole generation, countless ascetic members devoted themselves silently in those places. Most of them passed away there and were buried in the new worlds. Just like that, the Patriots Front was completely melted into the new worlds and could no longer be divided from them.
