Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 708
Aside from the morality of the war, even purely from the perspective of the national interests of the Star Glory Federation, the war would still bring no good.
With Jin Tuyi's guerilla warfare, it would be impossible for the Heaven's Origin Sector to conquer the Blood Demon Sector quickly.
'Blood for blood' was pure nonsense. No country would wage a war against another country for nothing but hatred. The biggest purpose of the expedition was, of course, to capture the demons as slaves who could be sent for mining on the resource planets of the Flying Star Sector. In such a way, the two Sectors could excavate tremendous resources and expand more quickly in order to deal with the invasion of the Imperium of True Human Beings a hundred years later.
But the real problem was that the Blood Demon Sector was savaged by the plague and the walking dead now!
If the federal army crushed the coalition army of demons, which was controlling the plague, the only outcome was all the demons ending up as the uncontrollable mutants or Elder Nether Spring's slaves.
Then, even if Elder Nether Spring was killed in the end, who on earth could be sent for mining? The uncontrollable mutants who could only live for half a month?
Without the demons developing the Flying Star Sector at the highest efficiency, not enough resources would be collected. Without enough resources, the new federation could never be built, nor would it be able to explore the vast universe. Then, the only thing that awaited everybody was the destined doom a hundred years later!
From that point of view, ending the war as quickly as possible, helping the Blood Demon Sector to control the plague, saving as many demons as possible, and trying to motivate them to work on the resource planets willingly was the only way out for the federation!
I am right. Li Yao firmed his belief again. Even if there are the help of Burning Prairie and the Grand Illusionary Soldiers, the war is still not in the interests of the federation. I have to stop the war. I cannot allow my compatriots to be killed in the Blood Demon Sector in vain, only to push the federation further down the path of destruction!
However, what exactly should he do?
The complexity of the situation far exceeded their previous estimations.
As smart as Jin Tuyi was, he was just a demon, not a god. When he came up with the ultimate version of the Red Tide Plan, it was impossible for him to know about the existence of the Children of the Nether World and Abyss, nor could he foresee that the arrival of powerful magical equipment such as Burning Prairie and Grand Illusionary Soldiers would bolster the fighting will of the entire federation to such an extent!
The two factors made the supposedly easy task an arduous one.
I have critical evidence in my hand. The question is how I can deliver the evidence to my targets!
Li Yao rubbed his temples and analyzed the three targets one more time.
Lu Zui, director of the Secret Sword Bureau, must've been bewildered by Abyss Guo Chunfeng. Also, those intelligence workers left no traces at all. I don't even know where to find him.
Iron Commander Zhou Hengdao is the firmest hawk. He is raising a tide in parliament and calling for an expedition to the Blood Demon Sector. Encouraged by Burning Prairie and the Grand Illusionary Soldiers, he will certainly not be easy to convince. Besides, how can I break through his security and talk to the big shot of the military face to face?
Speaker Jiang Hailiu is the best choice. He is the only one who hasn't lost his mind because of fury or ambition, but there's still the same question—how can I approach him?
Li Yao knew just by thinking with his bottom that the capital city must be unprecedently guarded after the assault three months ago, not to mention the critical locations such as the house of the Speaker or the parliament building!
To sneak into the house of the Speaker might be even more difficult than sneaking into the headquarters of the Pantheon of Demons!
The trickiest part was that, when he snuck into the Pantheon of Demons or the Eye of Blood Demon, everyone around had been an enemy. Li Yao had no concerns at all. He could create chaos with his crystal bombs at any moment and go on a killing spree.
But right now, of the soldiers of the federal army, the agents of the Secret Sword Bureau, and the bodyguards of the Speaker, 99% were innocent and did not know the truth. How could he attack them?
If he caused any damage and hurt a dutiful good man or an innocent passer-by, not only would he be guilty, he would be further proving that he was Blood Devil Li Yao, too.
Damn it!
Li Yao gritted his teeth and discovered that he was in a much more perilous situation than the Flying Star Sector or the Blood Demon Sector!
What if I simply show up in public since I cannot meet the Speaker?
Li Yao shook his head hard and vetoed the idea instantly.
After the chaos that he caused on the Grand Desolate Plateau, Guo Chunfeng would be looking for him with his Secret Sword Agents like a hungry hound. Wherever he showed up, the first to arrive would certainly be Guo Chunfeng and his subordinates.
If he did not resist, he would be taken away by Guo Chunfeng.
If he did resist, he would certainly injure a lot of Cultivators, soldiers, and Secret Sword Agents, which would also be evidence that he was a Blood Devil now.
What a dilemma!
Or maybe, should I turn to Ding Lingdang, Professor Mo Xuan, or Luo Xingzi?
He thought for a moment and believed that his old friends were most reliable of all.
Even if they did not believe him, they would not give him away to the Secret Sword Bureau easily. The Cultivators from the Flying Star Sector were strong enough to compete with the Secret Sword Bureau. The evidence that he had brought could be delivered to the Speaker through them, too.
After all, Li Yao had not done anything wrong. They could investigate however they wanted.
While he was pondering, the mental devil crawled out of his head like a bug and asked pitifully, "Then, what will you do with me?"
"Of course, I will ask for the help of Ding Lingdang, Professor Mo Xuan and Senior Luo Xingzi and see how you can be eliminated!" Li Yao replied gravely.
"How cruel of you!" the mental devil screamed. "Senior Jin said that we should live in peace!"
Disregarding the mental devil's scream, Li Yao typed in 'Ding Lingdang' on the light beam and searched.
Over the past ten years, Ding Lingdang had become one of the most influential celebrities in the Star Glory Federation. Many adolescents were her loyal supporters and established thousands of websites and forums for her. Red Fire House, the largest website of all, had more than fifty million registered users!
'Blazing Tyrannosaur' was Ding Lingdang's nickname in the Blood Demon Sector. In the Heaven's Origin Sector, everybody all the unstoppable female warrior 'Crimson Queen'!
Watching Ding Lingdang rushing, mauling, and crashing savagely in the battle videos, Li Yao found it difficult to move his eyes. Fascination beamed out of his face.
She is much stronger after ten years. I like it!
Li Yao swallowed hard and looked for the latest news on Ding Lingdang.
He knew that many teenagers in the Star Glory Federation would establish organizations like 'fan clubs' for the Cultivators they admired. They would follow the news of their idol and even arrange meetings with their idol occasionally.
As he expected, although he failed to find Ding Lingdang's contact on the website, he did find a summoning thread.
Seven days later, Ding Lingdang would be present at the hundred-day memorial ceremony for the victims in the assault of the capital city. The thread was calling for the fans in the capital city to meet Ding Lingdang.
Hundred-day memorial?
Li Yao's eyes shined. He inputted the keyword into the search engine and soon found a lot of information.
The memorial ceremony was of a fairly large scale. It would be hosted by Speaker Jiang Hailiu in person. The military leaders, including Iron Commander Zhou Hengdao, and influential celebrities of the federation would all participate.
The ordinary citizens taking part in the memorial ceremony were several million!
Other than mourning for the victims in the assault three months ago, the federal government would also publicize Burning Prairie, the super warship from the Flying Star Sector. It would be docked right in the sky above the capital city!
By then, not only would there be tens of millions of residents of the capital city watching the gathering, all the citizens of the federation would also be enjoying the legendary warship through the media!
Perhaps, the federal government was trying to eliminate the public's sense of insecurity and reestablish their faith in such a way.
The news made Li Yao's eyes glitter. The craziest idea popped up in his head.
Right now, the one thing that the Children of the Nether World and Abyss Guo Chunfeng are most scared of is me showing up in public. That's why they are covering me up and even vilifying me as the Blood Devil!
If I jump out in a random city and shout 'I am Vulture Li Yao', I will certainly be considered a lunatic. Then, Guo Chunfeng's accomplices will take me away at the earliest chance!
However, what if I do it in the capital city?
What if I jump out in front of the eyes of millions of citizens, the cameras of thousands of media outlets, and the noses of every leader and official worth mentioning?
At the climax of the 'hundred-day memorial ceremony', when Burning Prairie slowly stops in the sky of the capital city attracting everyone's attention, I will suddenly jump out and display a line words on the shell of the warship with my magical equipment.
I am Li Yao. I am still alive!
What will happen then?
Can the Secret Sword Bureau capture or kill me in front of so many eyewitnesses? Even if they take me away, can Guo Chunfeng still lie to everybody and secretly interrogate me?
That's right!
Li Yao snapped his fingers hard, his eyes brimming with delight. The Children of the Nether World and Abyss are trying everything they can to wipe me out. So, I will make the headlines in the capital city. Let's see how you can disguise that!
Chapter 1076: The Competition Begins! |
Li Yao was busy the entire day.
After sneaking out from the backdoor of the diner, he spent an hour in a gaming club like a real middle-school student and pondered calmly how he should go to the capital city.
From a remote city in the frontier to the capital city, of course, the easiest way was to fly in his Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit.
With his current capability, he could certainly finish the journey in a day and a night with at most two brief rests in the middle.
However, different from the Grand Desolate Plateau, the inland was populated and headquartered by a lot of Cultivation sects. Also, the air defense arrays of the federal army and the spies of the Secret Sword Bureau were everywhere.
The Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit at present included tremendous biochemical materials that would unleash demonic energy when functioning. He looked like an out-and-out great demon in the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit. The air defense arrays would certainly be a waste of the taxpayers' war tax contributions if they did not shoot him down.
Also, Li Yao had no doubt that Guo Chunfeng's accomplices were following his tracks right behind him. Should those guys catch him and engaged him in a fierce battle, he would not have any chance to explain himself anymore.
Since a rally of millions of people was to be held in the capital city, where the Speaker, the Chief of Staff, and the leaders of the major sects would be present, the defense would certainly be unprecedently heavy. It was almost an impossible mission to break in and meet the Speaker without hurting anybody.
Then, how can I go to the capital city through public transportation legally under the identity of an ordinary person?
Li Yao sorted through the whole plan in thirty minutes and left the gaming club.
Before he left, he ran into a young man who was walking into the club and stole his wallet.
He held his fingers and snatched the young man's ID card inconspicuously without touching the cash and the bank cards inside. Then, he threw the wallet to the gate of the gaming club.
Soon, he heard the boss of the gaming club shouting, "Whose wallet is it?"
Making sure that the young man picked up the wallet and would not make a fuss, Li Yao found a public toilet and changed his appearance to that of the young man.
He bought two paper maps of the routes of the civil carriers and the crystal trains in the federation with cash in a magazine booth. Then, he checked in with the young man's ID card at a ragged hotel and studied the maps carefully.
An hour later, Li Yao decided the route to the capital city.
At 1:30 p.m., the banks large and small in the city were back to business. Li Yao lurked at the game of a branch of the Federal Commercial Bank and waited patiently.
He chose banks because those who came to banks usually brought their ID cards.
Li Yao picked two targets in half an hour. They were approximately of the same height and appearance as him. One of them was a middle-aged man, and the other was a young man in his twenties.
The two of them were both in fashionable clothes and looked capable of affording a long trip.
Li Yao recorded their facial features and walking posture with his crystal cameras. He then walked past them and stuck an eavesdropping chip on their collar, collecting their voiceprint.
In the end, he stole their ID cards.
He changed into the appearance of the middle-aged man and went to the West Railway Station of North Tranquility City, where he bought a ticket to the capital city for the following morning with cash and the middle-aged man's ID card.
The hundred-day memorial ceremony and the debut of Burning Prairie were supposed to be events that would refresh the entire federation. Many citizens of North Tranquility City were planning to participate. The ticket office was quite lively.
Thankfully, the authorities had foreseen the situation. A lot of temporary carriers and super-fast trains were added to the major towns of the federation.
Despite the preparations, Li Yao failed to purchase a seat ticket; he only got a place on the train without a seat.
But Li Yao was not bothered. Putting the ticket in his pocket, he went to the toilet in a hotel outside of the railway station, avoiding the surveillance camera, and changed his appearance again. He returned to the ticket office and bought another ticket with the young man's ID card.
It took him only forty-five minutes to finish everything.
He returned to the bank that the two targets had visited and tossed their ID cards in a corner.
When they found that their ID cards were gone, they would certainly return to the bank to look for them. Their wallets were still with them, and they had only taken out their ID cards when they were doing business in the bank. Where could their ID cards have gone if they did not drop them in the bank?
As long as they found their ID cards, they would not be very suspicious.
Even if they were, it still did not matter because they were not Li Yao's focus.
After that, Li Yao took a large turn in the downtown and went to a branch of North Tranquility Development Bank, where he located his third prey.
That was his real target. It was a woman in her forties who was rather thick and wearing fancy makeup.
When she was doing business, Li Yao glimpsed at her ID card. The photo on it did not look like herself at all.
Li Yao stole the woman's ID card as before. He went to the ticket office of the East Railway Station of North Tranquility City and bought a ticket due at 11:30 a.m. the next day with cash.
The destination of that ticket was not the capital city but Green Plateau City, another big city two hundred and thirty kilometers away from the capital city.
In the next, he did not throw the woman's ID card back to the bank but returned to the hotel.
When he left the East Railway Station, he stole a wallet from a random traveler. After taking away all the money, bank cards and ID card inside, he threw the empty wallet into the bushes outside the railway station.
It was a very common theft case in the railway station, which would happen hundreds of times day. Barely anybody would be suspicious about it.
When he was back at the hotel, Li Yao took out the two ID cards and began his modification.
Theoretically speaking, the ID card of the federal citizens was a piece of precise magical equipment. Hundreds of interconnecting spiritual stripes were carved on the surface. Chips that stored tremendous personal information were embedded inside.
With Li Yao's capability in refining, it was not a problem to replicate the shell of an ID card.
But the real problem was that, since the information in the internal chip was stored in the online database, it was impossible for him to fabricate a new identity without the help of a crystal processor specialist.
Therefore, he decided to alter the stranger's ID card into the thick woman's ID card, and he would keep the thick woman's real ID card to himself.
Since it did not involve the core, Li Yao finished his job very quickly and threw the fake ID card back before the bank was closed.
He knew that the bank would perform full cleaning and examination after work. By then, the fake ID card would the discovered, and the staff would contact the thick woman whose ID card was lost according to the information on the surface.
As for the internal chip, it would only be scanned when she was doing important business, like checking in at a hotel or boarding on a long-distance vehicle.
Li Yao believed that the thick woman should be able to find that her ID card had been swapped in only one day.
Even if she did, the police of North Tranquility City would not trace the case back to him so quickly.
Two to three days later, it would not matter even if he were discovered.
After enjoying a bowl of delicious noodles with eggs at a restaurant next to the hotel, Li Yao appeared in the West Rail Station of North Tranquility City again.
