Chapter 352: Conflict Transfer (Two-in-One)

8:00 AM.

System prompts appeared before Yan Jing's eyes.

[Stage B of the mission is about to begin.]

[The location for this mission is Peace Heavenly Kingdom.]

[Your drop location will automatically default to where you last departed.]

[Your initial Mental Immunity Value is 100 points.]

[Welcome back, esteemed player.]

Yan Jing opened his eyes. Beside him were the same teammates as last time, only Pan Yue was missing.

Qi Ming looked at the group and spoke first:

"Pan Yue is still reflecting. I used a Dungeon Termination Ticket to withdraw her from the team."

Dungeon Termination Ticket.

It was an exceedingly rare system item that halted a run after the completion of any dungeon stage. Clearly, this was a trump card Qi Ming had saved from his time in Zhoulin.

"As for me..."

Qi Ming paused and took a deep breath.

"Honestly, given my performance in the first stage, I should have withdrawn too. But I still want to follow you and continue learning, Mr. Yan. I hope you'll allow it."

He looked at Yan Jing, his tone sincere.

Over the past two days, he had taken Pan Yue to the border between Rainbow City and Ling'an City. He had met quite a few people there—some were Yan Jing's defeated opponents, others his friends.

Through them, he had heard many stories of Yan Jing's exploits, giving him a completely new understanding of the man.

Now, he wanted to start over. Compared to his companions who had been constantly entering dungeons, he had fallen far behind.

If he wanted to catch up, his only hope was the man standing before him.

"There's no learning to speak of. You probably won't learn anything from me, Qi Ming."

Yan Jing smiled. "My method of clearing dungeons is a bit unorthodox."

"But if you want a higher rating, I'd appreciate your cooperation."

"Absolutely." Qi Ming nodded solemnly, breathing a silent sigh of relief.

He knew that with those words, Yan Jing had essentially accepted him.

"What are your thoughts on this mission?"

Yan Jing looked at the others.

"The difficulty for this one should be very high."

Zhou Xian spoke up:

"In my experience, when a mission description neither lists a penalty for failure nor explicitly states that there is no penalty, it means there's only one outcome."

"You can only return by completing it."

Beside him, Qi Ming's expression turned serious.

"These types of missions usually require a long time to slowly chip away at. If we ultimately fail, we'll likely turn into a very special type of existence."

"Inner world vagrants."

Inner world vagrants were humans unable to return to the Surface World due to failing their missions.

Such humans were generally not of a low tier; the Inner World System wouldn't issue missions of this difficulty to low-tier players.

However, the vast majority of humans trying to survive in the Inner World met grim ends. Not even one in ten thousand managed to carve out a decent life.

Qi Ming continued:

"Take this criminal named Tianji from the mission description, for example. If this were our Surface World, he'd be something akin to an organization boss on an Inner World Pathway."

"And judging from phrases like 'unprecedented crime' in the description, our opponent's strength is absolutely not low."

Having shared his thoughts, Qi Ming didn't offer any suggestions like he had in Stage A. Instead, he waited for Yan Jing's next move.

He knew Yan Jing's method of clearing dungeons was different from everyone else's.

But to his surprise, Yan Jing simply asked him to buy a newspaper.

"Wancheng Daily."

It was one of the few print media outlets in Peace Heavenly Kingdom, and the only media property owned by Chen Xiaojing.

An article in the bottom-right corner was a status report Yan Jing had specifically arranged to publish.

After reading the article, both Qi Ming and Zhou Xian unconsciously frowned...

...

...

8:30 AM.

Tianji stared intently at the holographic projection from his Information Component, constantly refreshing it.

By now, the situation had long since escalated beyond Muke District. Members of the Heavenly Kingdom Council were already stepping forward to state their positions.

One council member from the Reform Faction declared that the bionic species and Smart Seeds should be completely equal. He claimed the current situation was likely an emotional outburst caused by the long-term oppression of the bionic species, the vast majority of whom were stuck at the bottom of society.

Clearly, this council member had his eyes on the bionic species' votes for the Heavenly Kingdom Council elections next month.

But more council members were clearly siding with the Smart Seeds, who represented the middle class.

They immediately launched attacks against him. The most ruthless was a Reconciliation Faction council member named Mo Sen. He directly pulled up a genetic structural diagram of the bionic species, pointing out their genetic defects.

He further argued that the Reform Faction member was entirely biased because he was of the bionic species himself. In this incident, Mo Sen claimed, the Smart Seeds were undoubtedly the victims.

In addition, he proposed a new "theory" called class optimization.

He argued that the flawed bionic species should hold lower positions than the more perfect Smart Seeds to optimize the social structure, sugarcoating it as "maximizing utility."

The comment section of the news report covering this council member's speech was quickly locked. There was no other choice—in just five minutes, he had been cursed at for tens of thousands of replies.

Such an escalation of conflict was naturally what Tianji wanted to see, but it wasn't his primary concern.

Instead, he was focused on what Yaoguang had mentioned yesterday: when the leader of the Intellect Brain would show up.

Finally, after an unknown number of refreshes, he saw a media outlet named Muke Morning Post publish a headline story that instantly dominated the front pages of all major media websites.

"To think the Law Enforcement Agency is actually behind this outlet..."

Tianji's face darkened.

The Muke Morning Post was the second-ranked media company in Muke District, but its true backer was neither Song Haozhe nor Yuheng. As for who it really was, that had always been a mystery.

Yuheng had once sent quite a few people to investigate, planting numerous spies inside the company, but ultimately came up empty-handed.

No one expected that the Law Enforcement Agency was pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Tianji let out a long breath. He had still underestimated the Law Enforcement Agency's influence.

Although most of its members were useless gluttons, its foundation couldn't be underestimated.

Clicking the headline story, he saw a video of a man whose entire right side had undergone mechanization speaking to the camera.

In the video, the man held two seemingly identical bottles of Happy Water, claiming he had intentionally caused the current incident. He stated that this new type of Happy Water was different from the standard addictive variety.

Although its addictive properties weren't strong, it could activate the Feral Gene in the bionic species.

His goal, he claimed, was to make the Smart Seeds realize the dangers of the bionic species.

What was even more ruthless was that he was holding a press conference and had provided a portal link in the bottom-right corner, allowing anyone to watch the live broadcast in real time.

"Heh, what a pity. You're still too slow."

Tianji wiped his face fiercely, then spoke into the earpiece port to Yuheng:

"Begin."

Soon, brand-new reports appeared in the public eye. These articles focused on several key points:

1. Why did the leader of the Intellect Brain choose to step forward and expose himself now?

2. The Intellect Brain had never been known to be involved in the Happy Water business. How were they able to manufacture it? What was the underlying principle? How was it sold and distributed?

3. The Intellect Brain was an underground syndicate that regularly committed all sorts of crimes and had a long rap sheet. Why would they suddenly have a moral awakening at this exact moment? Who were they trying to fool?

That wasn't all. Weird energy flowed from Tianji's fingertips as streaks of blood-red light bloomed, shooting out in all directions just as they had early this morning. Only this time, the blood-red light traveled much further.

He wanted to fan the flames of war and make everyone realize that the supposed leader of the Intellect Brain was merely a scapegoat.

Instantly, pairs of scarlet eyes lit up across various districts. Roars and howls shook the heavens as the fires of war reignited!

In his mind's eye, Tianji could already picture the protesting crowds violently clashing with the Law Enforcement Agency. As time went on, the violent suppression would inevitably cause the dam to burst. When that happened, this Peace Heavenly Kingdom would see true...

War!

"We need war!"

...

Papa Rat sat inside a teacup, his small face wrinkled into a frown.

He hadn't expected the opposition's response to be so swift.

These guys from the Seven Stars were truly deranged.

They must have planted God knows how many moles in various departments to intercept the news that the Intellect Brain was going to make an appearance.

"I hate situations like this the most. Having an inside mole makes things incredibly troublesome..."

He scratched his head in frustration.

It was like they said—leading a team was as hard as eating shit. If he only had to worry about himself, things would be much easier.

Just then, the Information Component on his paw vibrated.

An unknown number was displayed on it.

"Hello?" a voice came through after he connected the call.

"Hello, is this Boss Rat?"

The man's voice on the other end was gentle.

"It is."

Papa Rat gently tapped the wall of the teacup with his paw.

"Is this Mr. Luo?"

On the other end, Yan Jing was taken aback for a moment.

He hadn't expected Papa Rat to guess his identity.

While Yan Jing paused, Papa Rat spoke again:

"Thanks for taking care of my useless son during this time."

Compared to a moment ago, Yan Jing was less surprised now.

Yan Jing hadn't deliberately hidden the relationship between Mao Si and Luo Sheng. Given the methods Papa Rat was currently displaying, he could definitely find out if he intended to look into it.

"Yes, Brother Mao Si and I hit it off right away,"

Yan Jing said softly.

"I don't know what you're trying to do, Mr. Luo, but Mao Si is my son."

Papa Rat continued:

"I know him very well. He's just a foolish punk—clumsy, unreliable, not much to look at, and most importantly, he has no brains."

"I don't think he's the right candidate for whatever you have planned."

Yan Jing was just about to speak when Papa Rat cut him off, his tone thick with pressure:

"You had Chen Xiaojing sent in, and then you held Zeng Qing hostage. Who's next? Are you going to target Zhou Mo and Song Haozhe? Or me? I don't care, Mr. Luo."

"But I only have so many sons, and Mao Si is the one who cares about me the most. If you lay a hand on him, I absolutely will not let it go."

"..."

Yan Jing didn't quite know what to say.

Right now, they should be discussing a deal involving the future destiny of this country and hundreds of thousands of citizens. Gunfire was echoing endlessly outside, and the flames of war could spread from the easternmost edge of this land to the very west at any moment. Yet, the first thing the man on the other end wanted to discuss with a dangerous individual like him was his son.

Yan Jing could hear the killing intent hidden in his words. Finally, he smiled:

"I just really appreciate Brother Mao Si."

"He has great ideas. If possible, I'd like to treat him as a successor."

"He often mentions you to me. He says that although you love him, you refuse to let him realize his ambitions."

"As for your concerns, I assure you that I won't harm him. Otherwise, you probably wouldn't be seeing him ever again."

"Of course, I'd also like to remind you of something."

Yan Jing lowered his voice:

"If you are truly worried about your children, you need to give them more guidance and care. I don't think money alone can raise a well-adjusted successor, nor can it guarantee their safety."

"..."

Perhaps those words struck a nerve, because Papa Rat fell silent.

"What exactly do you want?" he asked softly.

"I want to change the bottom rung of Peace Heavenly Kingdom," Yan Jing said softly, speaking words that sounded like a fever dream.

But Papa Rat wasn't the least bit surprised. His expression didn't even shift.

If the man didn't even have the ambition to change the world, he wouldn't have gone to such great lengths, nor would he be speaking with him right now.

"Aren't the people from the Seven Stars doing exactly that right now? All you have to do is watch," he said.

But Yan Jing rejected the notion:

"No. The Seven Stars will inevitably fail."

"Furthermore, this operation of theirs will plunge the people at the bottom into an abyss of eternal damnation."

"..." Papa Rat had to admit that Yan Jing was right:

"You have a good head on your shoulders, Mr. Luo."

It was a very simple truth: the lower class in its current state could never defeat the upper class.

Given the current situation in Peace Heavenly Kingdom, they couldn't just work from the bottom up; they had to find a way to change things from the top down.

"To be honest, Mr. Luo, I share your line of thinking,"

Papa Rat said.

"So you decided to run for president?"

Luo Sheng asked with interest.

Strictly speaking, even he wasn't entirely sure what Papa Rat was trying to do. This was the first time he had heard him admit to wanting to change the bottom rung of society.

"I have already found a suitable candidate," Papa Rat said softly:

"But obviously, we've run into a little trouble now."

"Yes, trouble. And now I'm prepared to help you solve it." Yan Jing smiled faintly:

"You can take a look at this."

With that, a video was sent to Papa Rat's Information Component.

Papa Rat opened the video in confusion:

"As we continue to expand our influence, there will be more bloodshed."

"Bloodshed is inevitable..."

The video recorded the entire conversation between Yaoguang and Tianji. After finishing it, Papa Rat fell silent.

He knew the man on the other end was a dangerous figure, but this video proved once again that he had been thinking about things a bit too simply.

This could no longer be described with just the word "dangerous."

"What do you want?" he asked Yan Jing.

"Your friendship," Yan Jing replied with a smile.

"The show is starting, Mr. Rat. You just need to quietly observe."

"As for this video, it's meant to solidify your resolve in taking a stance."

"..."

"..."

The call on the Information Component disconnected, and Papa Rat fell deep into thought inside his teacup once more.

He originally had a complete plan, but now an unstable factor had been introduced into it.

Should he cooperate, or keep his distance...

Conflict wasn't an option. The other party had already demonstrated his strength, making a clash the worst possible move.

Just as he was pondering, his Information Component suddenly vibrated again.

He opened it and saw that it was the arranged live broadcast.

At this moment on the broadcast feed, the crowd listening to the Intellect Brain leader's explanation had grown rowdy.

"Liar! You're not the mastermind at all!"

"You're just a scapegoat! Who knows how much the Law Enforcement Agency paid you! They always do this—it's their usual trick!"

"Bionic species are already rampaging in other districts! Are you saying you did that too?! Liar!"

"Damn you, get off the stage!"

The people below were mostly Smart Seeds, and public outrage was boiling over.

Rotten eggs and foul-smelling stink bombs were continuously hurled onto the stage from the crowd.

Tianji was also watching this on his Information Component, the smile on his lips gradually widening.

Yes, that's right. Drive him off.

This wasn't some interpersonal dispute; it was a conflict between species!

But suddenly, his expression changed as a beautiful sight burst into the frame.

It was a beautiful girl. Although her clothes were ragged, they couldn't conceal her ethereal temperament in the slightest. Even among the Smart Seeds, she would absolutely rank in the top one percent.

Most importantly, she held up a banner made of white cloth that read:

World Peace

She squeezed her way forward through the crowd with all her might, waving the banner in front of the camera.

Set against the backdrop of the cursing crowd, the flying eggs, and the despondent speaker on stage, the scene was practically a work of art.

But no one expected what happened in the next second.

A group of masked figures rushed out from the side and began relentlessly kicking and punching the girl:

"Damn it, are you a Smart Seed traitor supporting the bionic species?! World peace, my ass! Spit!"

"Beat her! We've got a traitor here!"

"Damn it, anyone who doesn't stand with us Smart Seeds is a traitor!"

"All Smart Seeds should stand united on one side! Anyone who doesn't step up is a traitor!"

Under the mob's relentless blows, the girl quickly collapsed to the ground, on the verge of dying. Her fair skin and cheeks were soon covered in bruises and cuts.

It was like watching a perfect work of art being torn apart. Anyone seeing this scene would be shocked.

"Damn it! What the hell is this?!"

Tianji stared at the scene unfolding before him in disbelief.

This was absolutely not part of his plan.

He swallowed hard.

If this wasn't stopped...

Sure enough, in the very next second.

Led by one individual, the group of masked men charged toward a nearby Smart Seed.

"Do you support the Smart Seeds?! Why aren't you cheering?! Why aren't you throwing rotten eggs?!"

"Damn it, another traitor! Beat him!"

The man leading the charge was absolutely no simple thug. In just a few strikes, he beat the person half to death, twisting their arms and legs at unnatural angles.

"No, this is wrong, all wrong!"

Tianji stared at the screen, agitated, his eyes nearly splitting from their sockets.

This was...

Internal division!