by <unknown>
"However, at the beginning, the cowardly and condescending flip-floppers never believed that Wuying Qi could secure such a glorious achievement!
"Many of them had even long negotiated with the Covenant Alliance about the terms of surrender. Each having their own ill intentions, they were even less willing to cooperate with Wuying Qi!
"Speed almost matters most for an army. Wuying Qi didn't have much time to dawdle with them!
"Thankfully, Wuying Qi had worked on the frontline for more than ten years. His Salvation Syndicate was quite an influential organization among the young Cultivators in the vassal worlds. The young generation of many sects and the middle-level and bottom-level core disciples had joined the Salvation Syndicate in secret!
"With their help, Wuying Qi cut off the communication between the vassal worlds and the Empyrean Terminus Sector, the capital of the Star Ocean Republic. Then, he declared that the country had entered the highest warring state and that the elite fleets to protect the capital city were on their way here. He claimed that he was also authorized by parliament with the power of expediency. Whoever disobeyed him would be executed by him!
"At the life-and-death moment, as the highest commander of the battle zone, he had to have the unconditional obedience of the vassal worlds!
"Wuying Qi was not simply talking.
"To deal with the governing sect of a vassal world that was the most rogue of all, Wuying Qi washed it with blood. After only one night, the sect with a population of almost a hundred thousand was entirely wiped out. Not even a chicken or a dog was left alive!
"In the other worlds, the Cultivators who had joined the Salvation Syndicate in secret also responded and went up to seize power!
"With the thunderous actions and the multiple approaches, Wuying Qi finally got the absolute support of those vassal worlds. He gathered most of their troops and formed a coalition fleet to chase after the defeated soldiers of the Covenant Alliance. Eventually, most of the invaders from the Covenant Alliance were surrounded and annihilated!
"It was just an expediency under the circumstances when he was forced to. If he hadn't surrounded and annihilated the main force of the Covenant Alliance but simply crushed them, the Covenant Alliance would've been able to return and attack again at any time. Only by destroying them completely could the long-term peace and prosperity at the frontier of the Star Ocean Republic be guaranteed!
"However, the Mr. Big Shots at the center of politics and the other local leaders of the vassal worlds obviously thought otherwise.
"When two 'unconventional things' were combined, Wuying Qi's tragedy was already destined!"
Su Changfa shook his head and sighed in sadness, as if he was very angry about Wuying Qi's poignant experiences after the battle.
The mental devil was also applauding inside Li Yao's head. "Senior Wuying Qi is truly a role model for all the Immortal Cultivators. With the fewest forces, he defeated the barbarians and awed the unruly. He saved the country and the people. How marvelous, how incredible! I hereby announce that Senior Wuying Qi will be the most admirable idol for me from this moment on!"
"Cut the cr*p!" Li Yao sneered.
Just now, Su Changfa's sophistry and his seemingly reasonable logic made his head swirling and dizzy.
However, when the ungrounded empty talk was changed into more specific examples, Li Yao's keen analysis and computational ability were able to function normally again.
As to exactly whether the Immortal Cultivators' logic was correct or not, it could be discussed later.
However, despite Su Changfa's exaggeration and distortion, when it came to Wuying Qi's actions, Li Yao—having been taught good lessons by the old seniors such as Xiao Xuance, Bai Xinghe, Jin Tuyi, Lu Zui, and so on—saw through the truth without any trouble.
I've seen too many schemes. Such fancy words are not going to fool me!
Wuying Qi had obviously been planning all that for a long time. Otherwise, how could he have been able to intimidate the ten or so vassal worlds and collect all their forces so shortly after the explosion of Karan and the defeat of the Covenant Alliance's army?
Since Wuying Qi had been working in the frontier for more than ten years, and he had been actively expanding the influence of his Salvation Syndicate, wouldn't those vassal worlds behind him, which were far from the capital and almost independent, have been the freshest meat in the universe? Did he not want to take a bite at it when he had the chance?
Wuying Qi's subordinates, namely the Cultivators of the Salvation Syndicate, must've deeply infiltrated those vassal worlds!
The massive attack of the Covenant Alliance was just an excuse. With or without the war, Wuying Qi would've swallowed the vassal worlds one way or another!
However, a great opportunity had presented itself so that he could justify his cause!
Wuying Qi gave false orders from the capital and executed the local magnates who disobeyed him when he actually did not have permission. When the Cultivators of the younger generation who were loyal to him filled in the power vacuum, a lot of blood must've been shed during the process. With dirt all over their hands, the Cultivators who recently rose to power could only follow Wuying Qi to the end!
Hehe. For such a great man like Wuying Qi, who probably would not spit out any bone when he devoured someone, is it possible that he would return the forces of the vassal worlds when he already had them?
Before the battle, Wuying Qi was merely in control of a border defense army which belonged to the country, and he was just a common general in the ranks of the army. The army was loyal to the Star Ocean Republic, not himself.
After the battle, however, Wuying Qi had taken over more than ten remote Sectors. He also boasted the magical equipment, starships, and captives that the Covenant Alliance left behind during their defeat. His capability had significantly soared. He was already a local warlord who was qualified to wrestle with the capital!
What a delicate scheme! He was truly a smart guy!
When he figured everything out, Li Yao examined Wuying Qi's decision to 'sacrifice' 8.2 million civilians. He soon thought of something and was greatly enlightened!
The devil was in the details!
The key point was not the death of the 8.2 million civilians that Su Changfa highlighted and elaborated on but the fact that he understated in the end, which was that 'Wuying Qi left most of the starships and strategic assets on Karan and had to borrow troops from the vassal worlds because of the shortage of soldiers on his side'!
If Wuying Qi had only left empty starships and assets, why on earth would he have been short of soldiers?
There could only be one answer. What Wuying Qi left behind on Karan were not just 8.2 million civilians, the starships, and the strategic assets, but also numerous troops of the border defense army!
Only by leaving the border defense army behind on Karan to 'resist with their full might' would the Covenant Alliance really be deceived!
Then, what kind of specific troops did he leave behind intentionally for the suicidal mission?
Of course, the troops that were absolutely loyal to the Star Ocean Republic and not to Wuying Qi himself!
It was an out-and-out purge!
By borrowing the cleavers of the Covenant Alliance, Wuying Qi slew all the forces that objected to him in both the border defense army and the vassal worlds and realized the complete unification of the frontier area!
Chances were that even the 'invasion of the Covenant Alliance' was within Wuying Qi's calculations. He had carefully calculated and guided every step that the two parties made. He fabricated an irresolvable dilemma where the 8.2 million civilians had to be sacrificed in order to cover his real purpose of purging and swallowing those ten or so worlds!
Even if the purge was discovered, he could still argue justifiably that the soldiers had to be sacrificed for the salvation of the country!
So sordid! So shameless! So cunning! He was even more dreadful than Xiao Xuance, Bai Xinghe, Jin Tuyi, Eld
er Nether Spring, and Lu Zui combined!
Cold sweat was pouring in Li Yao's heart.
After he thought everything through and came back to himself, when he listened to Su Changfa's enchanting persuasion again, it was like when his blood was boiling and he was seething with libido after seeing a sexy beauty, he accidentally saw her test result for STDs, with the dozens of items on it all being positive.
Then, no matter how beautiful, sexy, and attractive she was, it was still enough to calm and even freeze the most lustful man!
Li Yao coughed lightly and pretended that he was slowly convinced. With deep acknowledgement appearing on his face, he went on listening to the hearty tutelage from Su Changfa.
But he was actually sneering in his heart. Brag. Just keep bragging. Let's just see what kind of flower you are going to decorate such a scumbag as Wuying Qi into!
Su Changfa was quite satisfied that the new recruit was actively changed. He said with mixed feelings, "Wuying Qi was a man who did not care about his own reputation for the sake of the country. After finishing the Covenant Alliance's invasion through thunderous approaches, he already vaguely had the feeling that he would be berated by everybody in the world.
"However, at that time, he was still under the illusion that the public opinions would be 50/50. Some of them would support him while some would object.
"Also, parliament would let him go considering the great contributions that he had made.
"After all, his contributions could be used to offset his wrongdoings. He could even be sentenced to prison for a few years. Then, he could retire and focus his attention on the Salvation Syndicate. That was what Wuying Qi had in mind at that time."
Li Yao almost failed to stifle his laughter. After figuring out the truth, Su Changfa's story was indeed interesting in a different sense!
"Therefore, after receiving the subpoena of the parliament, Wuying Qi returned to the capital without any hesitation.
"Never did he anticipate that what awaited him there would be overwhelming curses, criticism, and vilification, as well as the immediate arrest and trial of the authorities, instead of any flowers or cheers!"
Chapter 1260: Eagle Flies! |
Su Changfa put on a hideous and infuriated appearance, raging and yelling, as if he were one of the ordinary people who hated Wuying Qi's guts.
Inside the Grand Illusionary Land, countless ignorant and fanatic ordinary people, whose eyes were bloodshot and faces were wry, resembling the believers of the Chiyou Cult, were spitting on and barraging Wuying Qi, who was wearing a black suit that was surrounded by white mystic rays, making him look like a saint.
It was like a bunch of hyenas attacking a lion.
One could not help but feel that Wuying Qi had been wronged, helpless and sorrowful, while the ordinary people were idiotic, ungrateful, and gullible.
"Wuying Qing is a murderer and a living embodiment of fiend!
"Blood for blood! For the 8.2 million innocent victims on Karan, he must be minced!
"Very soon, Wuying Qi was found guilty of crimes against humanity and massacre. Because he gave false commands and killed the leaders of the sub-republics without approval, he was also found guilty of treason. To answer for all the crimes, his military rank was removed, and he was sentenced to death without any probation. Also, his soul would not be left behind. He wouldn't even be given the opportunity of turning into a spectral Cultivator!
"What was ironic was that the punishment for officers of the Covenant Alliance who were escorted to the capital together with Wuying Qi was much lighter.
"Hehe. At this moment, Wuying Qi finally understood one thing.
"He had been betrayed!
"He had been betrayed again. Just like he had once been betrayed by the ordinary people for whom he fought for thirty years in the Martial Meritocrats civilization, he had been betrayed yet another time by the people whom he devoted his everything to protecting!
"Before, those people threw him into a crater. Today, they were going to send him to the guillotine without even letting go of his soul!
"Wuying Qi immediately understood everything.
"He was an outsider without any background in the country at all. He was a new force who distinguished himself!
"For the past ten years, he had been dealing with the Covenant Alliance in the frontier. His accomplishments were not significant, and he had sometimes even lost a battle or two. However, the capital had been 'lenient' on him and never issued any substantial punishment.
"It was because parliament needed an unsupported idiot like himself to jump into the swamp and take the blame!
"But now, after securing such a glorious victory, he was completely beyond control with his soaring capability. He posed a threat to the big shots in parliament and jeopardized the interests of the traditional forces in the world of Cultivators!
"Yes. He was guilty!
"He was guilty not because he sacrificed the 8.2 million civilians, not because he had seized the military power of the vassal worlds without approval, but because—
"He was too strong, too keen, and too brilliant! He was capable of threatening the parliament and the deeply-rooted interest groups!
"Whether or not he used that capability, the fact was that he possessed the capability. It was his original sin. He was guilty of being too strong!
"Such a crime could not be washed away by a few years of prison or the deprivation of power and properties. As long as he was alive, he might rise again at any time!
"Therefore, in the eyes of the hypocritical Cultivators and the ignorant ordinary people, Wuying Qi, who was guilty of being too strong, had to be executed!"
Failing to hold back his excitement, Su Changfa bellowed, his every wrinkle turning into a bloody saber, "At this moment, Wuying Qi finally abandoned all his illusions about Cultivators and ordinary people. He completely broke up with the ungrateful, shameless snakes!
"Yes. He was determined to save the civilization of mankind, but what exactly was the civilization of mankind? What was mankind?
"Mankind, the wisest of all creatures and the dominator of the universe!
"Was everybody who was born randomly entitled to such a noble identity?
"Were the stupid, fat, illiterate, foolhardy, avaricious parasites who lived on the Cultivators and the hypocritical, selfish, and shortsighted Cultivators all qualified to be called 'human beings'?
"No. Absolutely not!
"Only the warriors who had a healthy body and noble character, who knew the essence of the universe clearly, and who were willing to dedicate their everything to improving our civilization were the true human beings!
"The rest of them were simply animals wearing the skin of human beings. They were 'hominoids' controlled by their animalistic instincts!
"Wuying Qi did not care about his own life and death, but he absolutely could not stand the abhorrent hominoids sullying and even destroying the noble civilization of mankind any longer!
"Only by replacing hominoids with true human beings could the multiple shortcomings of the civilization of mankind be removed so that our civilization could be brought to a new altitude that was even more glorious!
"That was the enlightenment that Wuying Qi had.
"When he was enlightened and his belief blossomed, he abandoned his identity as a Cultivator without any hesitation! His real-life experience in the past hundreds of years assured him that the title 'Cultivator' had been contaminated by too many dregs and diseases. It was already hopelessly rotten!
"A new era required new protectors!
"Wuying Qi was no longer a Cultivator but an Immortal Cultivator, a brand-new existence who stood on the peak of humanity's hundreds of thousands of years of evolution and represented the future and the hope!
"The first Immortal Cultivator in history and in the three thousand Sectors was thus born!"
"Ah!" Li Yao exclaimed very cooperatively, with an 'I-never-saw-this-coming' expression.
Su Changfa w
as quite satisfied with his cooperation. As if on drugs, the old man's face was flushing, and his eyebrow was dancing while he chuckled in amusement. "To this moment, when the first Immortal Cultivator in the universe was born, the idiotic Cultivators had yet to realize what a terrifying enemy they had pissed off. They had no idea what kind of mysterious abilities the enemy had grasped during the hundreds of years of travel in the universe. They did not know what an enormous organization the Salvation Syndicate had developed into in secret, either!
"Wuying Qi was confined in the most heavily guarded prison in the Empyrean Terminus Sector. He seemed to be too frustrated to resist anymore. His death sentence would be carried out soon, too.
"His trusted subordinates whom he had brought to the capital had been disarmed, too, either arrested or under surveillance.
"The big shots in parliament and the seniors in the world of Cultivators, based on their own experience, thought that Wuying Qi's accomplices had been cleared and that he would not be able to stir up any trouble on his own.
"What was the biggest threat right now was actually the border defense army on the frontline that was loyal to Wuying Qi.
"The border defense army—combined with the private armies of those ten or so vassal worlds, equipped with the starships and the magical equipment left by the Covenant Alliance, and possessing their experience of more than ten years of bloody battles—was truly not to be underestimated.
"The Star Ocean Republic had been at peace for too long. Most of the troops lacked battle experience despite their remarkable gear. They were incapable of dealing with Wuying Qi's border defense army in a remote, unfamiliar environment.
"In order to settle the trouble as quickly as possible, preferably with no blood shed, the parliament dispatched the 'central army' whose responsibility was to garrison the Empyrean Terminus Sector.
"The parliament demanded that the central army march to the frontier as quickly as possible, take over the border defense army that was loyal to Wuying Qi, and bring the nearby vassal worlds under control.