79: Section 79

Mark had the same intention.

Chapter 80: Naive Mark

Where is the most hidden place on the Lighthouse?

Jing Yuan didn't expect that Mark could actually find such a place.

The outer protective shell of the Lighthouse, on top of the so-called 'Big Pot Lid'.

Normally, only maintenance workers with protective equipment would come to this place.

There was likely no third person who would climb up with their bare hands like Mark and Jing Yuan.

Mark found a place to sit down.

Jing Yuan quipped, "Is this where you usually go on dates with Ran Bing?"

"What nonsense are you talking?"

Jing Yuan was momentarily taken aback; although Mark and Ran Bing were usually inseparable, they hadn't expressed their feelings for each other yet.

This joke was indeed a bit premature.

Jing Yuan smiled and said, "Let's talk business! You told the City Lord about the matters on The Surface; what did he say?"

"He was very angry..." Mark hesitated. "It's as if he already knew people existed on The Surface."

"Yes. He knows."

Jing Yuan simply spat out those four words, which left Mark greatly shocked.

How do you know he knows?

This was the question in Mark's heart.

Before Mark could ask, Jing Yuan said directly, "A long time ago, I heard an elderly Dust Citizen mention that back when City Lord Morgan was still the captain of the Wasteland Hunters, he encountered surviving humans on The Surface."

"But City Lord Morgan being a Wasteland Hunter was decades ago. It wasn't strange for there to be humans on The Surface then, but for there to still be humans today, that's very strange."

Jing Yuan paused, not yet having thought of how to fabricate the rest of the story.

"I heard from that Dust Citizen that the City Lord has actually always known humans exist on The Surface, but he hid the news."

"Where is this Dust Citizen?"

"He has already gone on the Far-Away Journey." Jing Yuan hesitated for a moment before continuing, "For many years, the Lighthouse has always told us that The Surface is no longer suitable for human survival and that the Lighthouse is our only hope. If there are people on The Surface and the City Lord has hidden all of this—have you thought about it? The City Lord chose concealment. Would he allow us to investigate?"

Mark didn't need to think; the City Lord's reaction just now had already explained everything.

"However, you are about to succeed as City Lord. When that day comes, City Lord Morgan should tell you all the secrets. Why not wait until then?"

Mark turned back to look at Jing Yuan and asked a question: "You also think I should succeed to the position of City Lord?"

Jing Yuan smiled indifferently. This kid Mark was still too idealistic; if Mark were even slightly more realistic, that kid Charles wouldn't even be worth mentioning.

"Mark, I understand your thoughts. Before I answer your question, you answer one of mine first."

Mark looked at Jing Yuan with a face full of confusion.

Jing Yuan was calm on The Surface, but his heart was racing.

Things had developed to a critical juncture, and he had to change the fate of Mark and the group of people behind him.

All the arrangements would be nonsense without Mark's cooperation.

"Tell me, what is your goal?"

Mark hesitated. At a time like this, you're talking to me about goals?

But Jing Yuan was very serious, so Mark replied solemnly, "Naturally, it's to solve the mystery of the mana ecology system, eliminate the Phage Beasts, and return to The Surface. When that time comes, there will be no Dust Citizens or Upper Citizens. We can be like the old world, having people to love and the right to love and be loved."

Some people might laugh upon hearing these words.

But Jing Yuan definitely wouldn't.

He and Mark shared the same goal.

Ever since transmigrating, living in this tiny speck of a place called the Lighthouse, not to mention being oppressed by the Light and Shadow Society, he lived in constant fear every day, afraid of when the Lighthouse might fall.

"Then how do you plan to achieve it?"

Mark's eyes were dazed. "I don't know."

Jing Yuan patted Mark's shoulder and said, "The Lighthouse must have other options, but City Lord Morgan won't believe it. Therefore, everything can only change after you become the City Lord; only then can we look for new opportunities."

"But I don't want to be this City Lord. If City Lord Morgan agrees and we find a way to survive on The Surface, then he wouldn't have to step down and go on the Far-Away Journey..."

"Mark!" Jing Yuan's tone suddenly became stern. He said, "You will succeed him in seven days. You don't necessarily have to seek Morgan's consent! Once Morgan goes on the Far-Away Journey, you will be the one in charge of the Lighthouse!"

Mark looked at Jing Yuan, suddenly feeling that he was a bit of a stranger.

Jing Yuan stared at Mark and said, "You don't want to succeed as City Lord? Then let me ask you, do you want to save the people on the Lighthouse? You should have heard by now! Teacher Elon is going on the Far-Away Journey. He worked for the Lighthouse his whole life, only to end up being exiled. And then there's 4068—he protected the supplies with us, yet he was subjected to a brutal beating! And those Dust Citizens, they do the hardest and most tiring work, yet they are only allocated the worst food. Are we still living as human beings like this?"

"Jing Yuan..." Mark was speechless.

"Exactly! If it were before we saw that woman, if you succeeded as City Lord, you could only follow Morgan's policies to maintain the stability of the Lighthouse. But it's different now. We've discovered people on The Surface, and it's highly likely we can find a way to survive there. You don't have to become a second City Lord Morgan!"

Jing Yuan let out a long breath and said, "Do you still remember Sister Red Calyx? Is loving someone truly an unpardonable sin? Isn't that human instinct?"

Mentioning Red Calyx was forever a pain in Mark's heart.

"To change all of this, we must find a new path for the Lighthouse. And the first step to finding that path requires you to take the seat of the City Lord! Morgan is old; he won't support your ideas."

After listening to Jing Yuan's words, Mark fell into a long period of deep thought, finally leaving Jing Yuan with a sentence: "Let me think about it some more."

Jing Yuan sighed deeply. "You still want to think? Do you think that just because you want to, you can become this City Lord?"

Jing Yuan understood that Mark had his own thoughts.

He didn't like fighting for power and profit, but without power, how could he protect himself and those he loved?

"What do you mean?"

"You should know that Charles also really wants to be the City Lord, right?"

Mark was silent for a moment. "I know."

"Now that the City Lord is passing the position to you, will Charles just let it go?"

"If that's the case, I'll go tell the City Lord to pass the position to Charles!"

"What are you thinking!" Jing Yuan scolded angrily. "Do you think the position of City Lord is a toy? To be passed back and forth? If you do this, what will City Lord Morgan think? What will Charles think? Aside from that, even if Charles were to succeed, what method do you think he would use to govern the Lighthouse? It would be nothing more than expanding the system he uses to manage the Light and Shadow Society to the entire Lighthouse. At that time, do you think he would support your actions? Let alone supporting you, it would be a miracle if he didn't try to kill you..."

Jing Yuan hadn't expected Mark to be so naive as to say such a thing.

He was both angry and anxious, and in the heat of the moment, he blurted out that last sentence.

Jing Yuan seemed to realize that saying this was premature.

Whether it was 4068 or Charles, before they made a move, what evidence did he have to say they wanted to kill Mark?

Mark looked shocked.

Jing Yuan's mind raced, hoping to find a reasonable explanation for all of this.

"Let me tell you a story!"

Mark had been thinking about the appearance of humans on The Surface, then was dragged by Jing Yuan into the matter of being City Lord, and now he had to listen to a story.

However, Mark was patient. He said calmly, "Go ahead! I'm listening!"

Chapter 81: The Story

Standing at the edge of the Lighthouse's outer shell, Jing Yuan began to tell his so-called story:

"In a certain era of the old world, there was a King who had two brave and battle-hardened sons. The King relied heavily on these two sons, depending on them to expand his territory.

As the King grew older, he began to consider the issue of a successor.

The King first considered his eldest son, so he designated him as the successor early on.

However, the King's second son was more capable. The second son spent years campaigning abroad, not only achieving great military feats but also gaining extremely high prestige, with a group of very capable people serving under him.

Later, the King knew that no matter which son he passed the throne to, the other would be dissatisfied. But in the end, there was only one throne!

In the end, the King didn't make up his mind, but his sons made it for him.

The eldest son feared the second son and planned to kill him. The second son learned of the news, prepared in advance, and killed the eldest son in retaliation.

Ultimately, the throne was seized by the second son!"

Jing Yuan looked back at Mark and continued, "Although you are not Morgan's son, he has already designated you as the successor. Since Charles holds a high position as the Leader, he must have also been Morgan's successor at some point. See, isn't the relationship between you two very similar to the relationship between that King and his two sons?"

Mark naturally understood, but there were still some things he didn't quite grasp.

"Since the King had already designated the eldest son as the successor, why did the second son oppose it?"

Jing Yuan continued using historical allusions, "Because almost the entire kingdom was won by the second son. If the eldest becomes King and cannot govern the kingdom well, should the second son oppose? If the second son says he wants to go down to The Surface to find the possibility of survival, but the eldest wants to stick to the Lighthouse—if you insist on going down, and he takes away your gravity body, confiscates your firearms, and even points a gun at your head, tell me, would you rebel?"

By the end of these words, Jing Yuan didn't even want to pretend anymore.

Jing Yuan had made it crystal clear; it was impossible for Mark not to understand.

"But now City Lord Morgan has already announced my succession as City Lord, Charles..."