214: The past of the officers and generals

“When the Guan Jiang Department developed this method, it was put into limited use, allowing many people to instantly become powerful, and many even stepped into the Half-step Demon Subduing realm. There were even children who hadn't reached the Second Grade cultivation level, but with the enhancement of this method, they entered the Seventh Grade the very next day!”

“Such a method gave this old woman hope. As long as it was popularized, not everyone, but most people, could become stronger. In that case, the plan to eradicate all demons would become feasible. But…”

Guan Zizai's voice faded.

Lu Ze sneered and took over, “But you found that some people aren't suitable for this method. If they force its use, not only will they not improve, but their talent will be extinguished, or they might even die?”

Guan Zizai's heart trembled. She looked at Lu Ze and nodded, “Master hit the nail on the head. If this method is forced, it will only lead to death. Our superior, who oversees the Guan Jiang Department, was so excited after seeing our results that he immediately took it to the higher-ups to test. However, those few were not suitable for its use, and one of them, due to being too eager, died suddenly that very night.”

“It was after that day that the entire upper echelon fell silent for three full days. Within those three days, not a single high-ranking official issued an order. After three days, the entire Human Base's direction suddenly changed, claiming that those who used our method had the potential to mutate into demons! News outlets from various families scrambled to report, and there were even incidents of people mutating on the street, slaughtering dozens!”

“The Guan Jiang Department's reputation plummeted instantly. Those who had been modified by the method found themselves ostracized by others, even being told to get out of the Human Base. Under such conflict, the two sides began to fight. As if they had anticipated it, the higher-ups decisively intervened, suppressing all modified humans at that time.”

“Later, many people demanded an explanation from our Guan Jiang Department. We tried to contact the higher-ups, but they suddenly disappeared, and external news abruptly changed. In the eyes of outsiders, our Guan Jiang Department's director became the instigator and leader of this incident.”

“All at once, shouts of condemnation and abuse filled the entire Human Base. Many people demanded that we atone with death, even calling us accomplices of demons, claiming we developed this method to subtly destroy humanity.”

Guan Zizai's lips curved into a bitter smile.

“Actually, at this point, this old woman understood. The director was just a scapegoat. The higher-ups had already decided that those of us involved in researching the method would bear the responsibility for the Guan Jiang Department's affairs. This old woman also died in that struggle. Fortunately, I managed to take this soul gathering pearl at the moment of my death, allowing our consciousness to survive and linger until now. However, perhaps this is also the misfortune within the fortune; this old woman, having already died, still has to witness the world's disdain for the Guan Jiang Department.”

As her words fell, Guan Zizai was overcome with sadness, shedding tears multiple times.

Lu Ze remained silent, simply waiting for Guan Zizai to compose herself.

About half an hour later, Lu Ze finally spoke.

“You all, hehe, are also foolish.”

Guan Zizai looked at Lu Ze, puzzled, seemingly shocked by what he had just said.

Before she could retort, Lu Ze's voice continued.

“If Fusion with demons, using the power of demons, was only to help those who found cultivation difficult or impossible to better step onto the path of cultivation, then you wouldn't have died. But you insisted on opening a grand road to greater power for some people who were already at the pinnacle of this world, and this road isn't one that everyone can walk!”

“Guan Zizai, do you think, if you were originally at the pinnacle of this world, sharing resources equally with a few others, but then overnight, they all became much stronger than you, and you could no longer be compared to them, do you think you could still hold onto the meager resources you have?”

Guan Zizai understood Lu Ze's meaning but still wanted to argue.

“But we were also thinking for the future of humanity! If everyone cast aside their selfish desires and focused on expelling demons and rebuilding the land, we wouldn't be like this!”

“Cast aside selfish desires?”

Lu Ze chuckled, “Guan Zizai, are you telling a cold joke?”

Staring at Lu Ze's eyes, as cold as the Nine Heavens, Guan Zizai trembled, suddenly understanding something.

Cast aside selfish desires... Hehe, cast aside selfish desires... How could that be possible!

As long as they are human, they will have selfish desires.

Lu Ze didn't want to continue discussing this matter with Guan Zizai. He had a general understanding of the Guan Jiang Department's situation.

The Guan Jiang Department was probably still dreaming, finding a place to survive outside the Human Base, continuously researching, trying to kill all the demons by themselves.

Lu Ze told Guan Zizai to return to the soul gathering pearl and closed his eyes. Many of his previous questions were now answered.

No wonder the Human Base, after a period of prosperity, suddenly declined.

Presumably, after the Guan Jiang Department's method was implemented, many strong individuals used it, but it was later rejected, and they were all killed.

Such a loss of strong individuals, coupled with a powerful demon attack on the Human Base, would be enough to cause the Human Base to fall.

It was because of this that the situation became as it is now.

Lu Ze sat cross-legged, formally entering meditation.

He didn't want to think about the Guan Jiang Department's affairs anymore. For Lu Ze, the existence or non-existence of the Guan Jiang Department had nothing to do with him.

What he had to do was become strong!

...That night, the Shennong City Demon Subduing Division suddenly went on high alert. Many personnel were stationed there, and not even a fly could get in.

After Cheng Ran stepped into the Demon Subduing Division's formation, someone led her to the highest floor of the Demon Subduing Division.

Outside the only office on the top floor, Cheng Ran saw a man in a suit with graying hair—Meng Yanxing.

The two exchanged knowing glances.

But on the surface, they still feigned politeness, as if they didn't know they would meet each other tonight.

“Deputy Director Meng, why are you in Shennong City instead of guarding your Xuanyuan City?”

“I received orders from above. I have important matters to discuss with my old brother Xiong Hao. I just arrived in Shennong City and heard such terrible news, it's really…”

Cheng Ran nodded, her eyes lowered, feigning a bit of sadness, “No one expected such a thing to happen. It's a pity about Director Xiong. There are already so few human powerhouses, and now another one has fallen.”

Through the half-open office door, Xiong Hao could be seen sitting in a corner, without any injuries on his body, but his face was ashen, and his body was stiff, his Qi having ceased long ago.

Beside him, Xiong Lu sat on the ground, her eyes swollen from crying, her expression dazed.

Cheng Ran and Meng Yanxing walked in, meticulously investigating, and after confirming that Xiong Hao was truly dead, both secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Deputy Director Meng, since you have arrived in Shennong City, why don't you preside over the affairs of Shennong City, and I will assist? Otherwise, if Shennong City loses its director overnight, it will lose its backbone, and if not handled, it will likely fall into chaos.”

Meng Yanxing was still polite, “Since the Venerable One is here, you should naturally lead the affairs, and I will assist.”

“No.”

Cheng Ran refused, “I still have to preside over the Rookie Competition. If I also have to handle the affairs of Shennong City, I'm afraid I'll be exhausted and won't be able to manage them well.”

Meng Yanxing hummed, “In that case, I will temporarily take over.”