Chapter 364 To Steal, To Deceive

No one answered him.

Because they have confirmed it countless times through all the highest-level channels.

It's true.

Everything is true.

"That 'Aegis' project..." The speaker's face was ashen. He remembered how he had confidently accused China of stealing technology on television.

In retrospect, it seems like a huge joke.

While others are already flying in the sky, they're still making excuses for the failure of a broken shield.

“We were wrong.” The Secretary of State closed his eyes, his face full of exhaustion. “We have always treated them as pursuers, thinking that as long as we block technology, we can slow them down.”

"But they...maybe they were never on the same track as us from the very beginning."

"This is bullshit track!" A blond, hawkish general slammed his fist on the table and roared, "They're cheating! This is foul play!"

“General,” the CIA director gave him a cold look, “how can you talk about rules with a country that can fly on swords?”

The general's face turned a deep purplish-red, but he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.

Yes, rules are made by the strong.

And now, who is the strongest?

“Mr. T,” the Secretary of State, who had been silent all along, looked at the President, who sat in the main seat with a gloomy expression, “has there been a reply from China?”

The president didn't speak, but simply pushed an encrypted phone to the center of the table.

A recorded phone call was playing on the other end of the line.

His voice was filled with questioning and anger.

"...You must give the world an explanation! This is irresponsible towards all humanity! You have opened Pandora's box!"

Unlike his anger, the voice on the other end of the recording sounded somewhat calm.

“Mr. T, this is not a magic box, it is an opportunity. We did not open it, it is an inevitable trend, it is our legacy.”

"Belongs to you? Doesn't it belong to all of humanity?" the grumpy bird retorted.

“When our ancestors created these civilizations, your ancestors were probably still in the trees.”

The voice on the other end of the phone paused, seemingly with a hint of amusement.

"Of course, the revival of spiritual energy is a global phenomenon. You can also cultivate immortality. I sincerely hope that your Western cultivation system will also be passed down."

"As for being irresponsible? Quite the opposite. We have enacted the strictest laws and built the most advanced monitoring terminals to ensure that this power is not abused. We are more experienced in this regard than you are."

The recording has ended here.

The office was deathly silent.

"This is outrageous!" The blond general trembled with rage.

“No, he was just stating a fact.” The Secretary of State rubbed his temples; he understood all the subtext in those words.

We have gods.

We have methods.

We have laws.

We have reins.

We are ready for everything.

And you have nothing.

General T slowly stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and looked at the night view of Washington outside.

He picked up the cigar on the table, only to find that his hands were shaking so badly that he couldn't even aim the lighter correctly.

He knew that from this night onward, the world's order would be completely rewritten.

That sleeping giant from the East has not awakened.

Instead, it has evolved.

He has transcended to a higher dimension.

That recorded phone call has been played three times. Each time, the phrase "Your ancestors may still be in the trees" is like a silent slap in the face to everyone.

The atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

“This is an insult,” Defense Secretary Brian growled, slamming his fist on the expensive mahogany table with a dull thud.

“No, Brian.” Secretary of State Robert rubbed his aching temples, his voice weary. “This is not an insult, this is a declaration.”

"We hereby declare that what we thought were rules are now invalid."

"I don't care what that is!" Brian's eyes were bloodshot. "We can't just sit here! I demand an immediate upgrade of the military alert level against China!"

CIA Director Cohen, a lean man, spoke coldly: "And then what, General? Send F-35s to intercept someone who can fly on a sword? Or use 'Tomahawks' to attack a mountain she can flatten with a single strike?"

"Besides, didn't our weapons already provide the answer in the last test? We lost in the technological battle, and now in the cultivation battle, we haven't even gotten started. What do we have to compete with?!"

“You!” Brian was speechless.

“Cohen is right,” the CEO finally spoke, his voice hoarse like sandpaper.

"We know nothing about their power. All the cards we have are meaningless in the face of absolute power."

He looked at Cohen: "Infiltration? Can the people we send over get their so-called 'techniques'?"

Cohen's expression was like ice: "It's difficult."

"Their holographic games require real-name registration, the martial arts techniques are all within the game, and there are no foreign language versions."

Even if the spies we've bribed have mastered the techniques and handed them over to us, we'll still need a translator.

"Moreover, are the Eastern cultivation system suitable for us? Can we even understand their technical terms? These are all questions."

"Moreover, in our myths and legends, people practice magic, are wizards, necromancers, and paladins."

The meeting room fell silent once again.

Brian couldn't help but slam his fist on the table and stand up: "Regardless of whether it suits the West or not, and regardless of whether we can understand the technical terms, we must get our hands on the technique!"

"Only by doing something can you succeed or fail; if you don't do anything, you will only fail!"

"agree."

"I second that."

"I second that."

"Then infiltrate, steal, and lure them with benefits." The chief's eyes turned ruthless.

“Using Asian faces, we send our second and third generation immigrants back to visit relatives, travel, or study abroad.”

"I don't care what methods you use—deception, bribery, kidnapping..."

“I want that thing,” he said, enunciating each word clearly. “That thing called ‘Qi-Inducing Technique,’ I want it on my desk.”

...

Under the same night sky, in Beijing, China.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was equally serious, yet it was a tense tension filled with hope.

"The international reaction was even more intense than we expected." Zhang Shouz put down the red phone in his hand and looked at the people in the room.

"I just had a short conference call, and some people are going crazy."

Qi Si's lips curled into a cold smile: "They're scared."

"It's probably a good thing," Chen Jianguo continued. "The only fear is that they won't be afraid and will start to have crooked ideas."

“They’ve already moved.” Chief Zhang pointed to a document that had just been sent to him. “Our ‘Skynet’ system has intercepted seventeen high-risk commands related to ‘cultivation’ and ‘techniques’ in the past three hours. Some rats are already getting restless.”

Zhou Jue listened quietly without interrupting. All these countries had made clear arrangements, so she didn't need to interfere.

"Don't worry, the net has already been cast." A sharp glint flashed in Commander Qi's eyes.

"The special operations team will make them understand that China is not their backyard."