Chongque City had always had the path of evolution follow a single route. The beautiful strategic officer had already explained why, and the big data had confirmed everything.
But Li Xiaofei had a new idea. Superpowers, which used the circulatory system as their internal circuit, shared a curious similarity with the meridian and acupoint systems of traditional cultivation. Since all forms of evolution ultimately arrived at the same fundamental mechanisms, despite being differing paths, then why not attempt to merge the two?
Li Xiaofei hadn’t found a single case in Chongque City’s database where someone had tried to integrate two or more evolution systems. Were the two paths incompatible? Or had no one ever tried?
He didn’t know. But based on his recent observations and his extensive experience cultivating, he had a strong feeling that a fusion between the two was entirely possible. Thus, Ishihara Masami was his experimental subject.
While he was deep in thought, he suddenly felt a familiar aura appear. Nagashima, the dead Jiepeng man, was strolling toward him.
Even Li Xiaofei was slightly surprised. “I thought you wouldn’t show up again. Here to die one more time?”
But of course, this Nagashima wasn’t really Nagashima. He was Angrus, a God General from Eden.
“I told you, we’d meet again,” said Angrus, as if he was greeting an old friend. He walked up to Li Xiaofei’s side and added, “The timing is just right.”
“How can I kill you for good?” Li Xiaofei asked seriously.
“No need to be so aggressive,” Angrus replied, his gaze drifting across the rolling waves in the distance. “Do you realize you’re now standing in the middle of a massive vortex? One wrong move, and you’ll be utterly destroyed. Everything you’ve worked so hard to build will vanish like dust in the wind.”
“Heh.” Li Xiaofei couldn’t help but chuckle.
The God General reminded him of the famous persuaders and strategists in ancient China. Those who, even when facing death, would laugh boldly and say, ‘Do you realize your own doom is upon you?’ Somehow, it would always cause the opponent to hesitate and reply with a ‘Wait a moment.’ He had to admit, lines like these were effective.
Now a little curious, Li Xiaofei played along and said, “Go on.”
Angrus said, “As expected, you’ve become the Chief Evolution Officer of Earth No.1818. But have you ever stopped to wonder, why you? What makes you qualified to assume the highest position and command an entire base planet? Are your parents nobles? Did you render some great service to Chongque City?”
Li Xiaofei remained silent. The truth behind it all was far too complex to explain in a few words. But Angrus continued, “Maybe you think some major force chose you. Maybe some powerful figure favored you. Was it Hu Shuo? Li Sheng? Zhou Chenglong? The Exploding Star Gang? Heh, have you ever considered what you actually are to them? Have you truly asked yourself? Why you?”
A sudden jolt ran through Li Xiaofei. It wasn’t because of the implications in Angrus’s words but because of what Angrus knew. He knew about Hu Shuo, Li Sheng, and the others. He knew who had selected him.
Li Xiaofei was now a little unsettled. Angrus was far closer than he had imagined. Perhaps, he had been right there beside him all along. When he thought deeper about Angrus’s words, Li Xiaofei suddenly realized there was truth in them. And the more he thought about it, the more terrifying it became. A faint sense of vigilance began to rise within his heart.
Indeed, the process by which he had become the Chief Evolution Officer this time, aside from a brief disruption by that small fry An Daoqing, had been far too smooth.
“It seems you've already realized it,” Angrus smiled faintly. “But it’s a shame. Year after year, you lay the golden threads, only for others to wear the robe. You’re nothing more than a pawn they chose because of how easily you could be controlled. In the end, you’ll be the scapegoat for the rush for resources on Earth No. 1818. I’ve seen it too many times. You're not the first. That’s why I came to give you a little warning.”
Li Xiaofei countered, “So you're saying you’re doing this out of kindness?”
Angrus replied, “Not just kindness, of course. I want to cooperate with you, since we share a common ground of interest.”
Li Xiaofei thought for a moment and gently shook his head. “They want to use me but am I not also using them? In the end, it’s a question of whose path is stronger. Besides, even if I were to choose a partner... I wouldn't choose a blood-soaked executioner like you.”
He rejected the offer outright. A bluish-green mist instantly began to spread around them, and space twisted as they were pulled into the Realm of Eternal Samsara.
“Again?” Angrus was both annoyed and exasperated. “I already told you, I didn’t do those things. Why won’t you believe me?”
Li Xiaofei replied, “I only have one question right now.”
“How can I kill you permanently?”
“Damn it!” Angrus swore furiously, completely losing his composure.
A few seconds later, yet another death fell upon him.
“I’ll be back again...” Angrus roared, his voice echoing as his body dissolved into swirling energy, completely vanishing into the air of the Realm of Eternal Samsara.
Of course, what died was only an energy clone. Li Xiaofei withdrew the Realm of Eternal Samsara, seriousness settling onto his face. Although he had refused Angrus’s offer of cooperation once again, he couldn't deny that the man’s words had triggered a very real sense of crisis within him.
The reason he had accepted the position of Chief Evolution Officer of Earth No. 1818 was precisely because he wanted to use this opportunity to protect this living, breathing version of Earth. He had never viewed this planet as a resource mine, nor as a place to harvest achievements or cultivate his own advancements.
All he wanted was to safeguard it and guide it down a perfect path of evolution. Li Xiaofei silently vowed that if anyone dared to stand in his way, they would die.
He continued to be extremely busy over the next few days. He was cultivating, teaching, releasing Energy Spores and studying the data they produced. He was also observing Ishihara Masami’s evolution.
In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed. Li Xiaofei’s strength had advanced again, and he had reached the level of a Supernova level cosmic lifeform. He had grown at an astonishing pace, yet he never revealed it to the outside world.
Li Xiaofei had done one very specific thing for the last half year. He had released Energy Spores exclusively within the borders of Great Xia, resulting in about ninety-nine percent of all new awakened superhumans being of Great Xia origin.
This caused the emergence rate of superpowered individuals in other regions, such as Jiepeng, Yiggs, and various European nations to plummet to absurdly low levels. The sheer abnormality of this phenomenon drew international attention and concern.
Many white elites were shocked and deeply unsettled. How could they, the noble, superior beings and long-time architects of the world order be utterly surpassed by the yellow-skinned people of Great Xia in this new era of awakening?
Certain international agencies and military organizations simply couldn’t accept such a result. They began to stir, sending spies into Great Xia in increasing numbers.
Against this backdrop of global unrest, Li Xiaofei was urgently summoned back to Chongque City to report on the evolutionary progress of Earth No. 1818. The moment he stepped back into Chongque City, Hu Shuo found him.
“What the hell have you been doing?” Hu Shuo asked sharply. “It’s been over a year, and the evolution rate of Earth No. 1818 hasn’t even reached 1%. Both the City Lord’s Office and the Council are extremely dissatisfied. Even Lord Li Sheng is disappointed in you.”
“I have my own plan,” Li Xiaofei replied calmly. “Evolution has never been a linear process. It always explodes forward at a critical moment. Everything I’ve done has been laying the groundwork for that explosion.”
Hu Shuo’s expression turned stern as he said, “You’d better pray the higher-ups accept that excuse. Otherwise, you’re in serious trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” Li Xiaofei asked, genuinely curious.
Hu Shuo gave him a cold look, clearly displeased with his attitude. He said grimly, “If you’re unlucky, you could be dismissed. If that happens, everything we invested in you will go up in smoke. You won’t just be ruined, you’ll be completely erased. No burial, no name. And you’ll drag me and Old Wei down with you.”