Chapter 235 Chapter 229 Sending the Plague God
Faced with phenomena that humans cannot explain.
The old negotiation expert remained calm, gazing at the stars in the cola that truly looked like they had been picked from the night sky.
“Well, I might as well comply,” he said.
“You’re really going to drink it?” Ji Ma asked. “I’ve heard that the stars in the sky might be stars, planets, or even galaxies. You’ll have to bear the consequences yourself.”
“Since you picked the stars, why shouldn’t I drink?”
The old negotiation expert downed the cola in one gulp. The soda fizzed fiercely, and he couldn’t help but burp.
Ji Ma folded her arms over her ample chest, wearing an amused expression.
The people behind the surveillance cameras watched with anxiety as the old negotiation expert trembled.
According to astronomers, if what he drank was really a star, regardless of its nature, the Earth would be doomed, and even the biosphere scattered like thin dust across the Earth would perish, not to mention humanity.
The old negotiation expert trembled even more violently; his gray hair fell away, his skin regained elasticity, wrinkles smoothed out, age spots vanished, and his murky eyes brightened, turning the color of the sky.
He raised his hand and touched his head, finding thick golden hair. “What… what have you done to me?”
His voice was delicate, even cuter than his granddaughter’s.
“I merely reversed your aging,” Ji Ma said, “and made you more beautiful while I was at it.”
With a flick of her finger, a mirror appeared out of nowhere, floating before the old negotiation expert.
In the mirror was a lovely golden-haired girl, with features that were neither overly delicate nor exceptionally grand, and her fair long ears peeked out from the thick golden locks.
The girl in the mirror gasped in shock, and Ji Ma was quite pleased, saying, “You look a lot better than an old man.”
“Change me back!”
“I choose not to,” Ji Ma said, enjoying the old negotiation expert’s distress. “I don’t like your appearance or the way you always seem so unperturbed; I prefer how you look now.”
The old negotiation expert – perhaps it would be better to call her the negotiation girl – pressed her hands on the table, her long golden hair billowing in the wind as she asked with a youthful voice:
“Aren’t you worried this will influence your negotiations?”
“Because I am strong, strength gives me the ability to make others and other things comply with my will,” Ji Ma replied, clapping her hands as the breeze on the prairie ceased.
Nearby, the lights went out, the surroundings dimmed, but at the same time, moonlight fell from the night sky, showering the negotiation table like silver sand.
The old negotiation expert closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and regained her calm, saying, “I understand now.”
“You must have unwavering faith, ready to die for your country at any moment,” Ji Ma remarked. “So why don’t you arrange for a nuclear bomb or something to suddenly blast this place?”
“We Chinese have always valued honesty as our foundation.”
“Oh, it should be cautious, right? If I don’t die right away, then the intensity of the war will escalate. I was planning to keep some terror tactics in reserve; it seems I won’t need them now.”
“This is our initial proposal for your benefits, how do you find it?”
A thick stack of photocopied papers was presented, using a rigorous official format, detailing the money, sex, and power Ji Ma required, divided into three parts.
At the same time, the information was substantial and easy to understand, all expressed in straightforward language.
Ji Ma’s mind began to sketch the vision of a beautiful future life, in a seaside manor, where every morning, beautiful maids would collectively go out to pick the freshest leaves from the garden for her.
As for colorful flowers, they were uninteresting; she wouldn’t plant a single one.
If she grew tired of one place, she would run to another, and at each location, she would occupy the top floor, ensuring she couldn’t see the second family.
During her stay in China, Ji Ma truly felt nauseated just looking at people. The population density in the Eternal Battlefield of the Blood God wasn’t even that high; after all, no matter how intense the fighting was, there were times when everyone would die out.
Money and sex left Ji Ma immensely satisfied.
“Are you satisfied?”
Ji Ma looked at the papers and said, “So far, I’m quite satisfied.”
From afar, the command centers breathed a sigh of relief; the effort spent on negotiating with the demon was still less than that for a naval warship.
“But…” Ji Ma furrowed her brow as her gaze lingered on the stack of papers regarding “power”. “The plethora of official titles you provided, I don’t understand them at all; I’m somewhat satisfied, but what about the responsibilities you mentioned?”
“It’s about serving the people?”
“Ha?” Ji Ma burst out laughing, “You’re telling me to serve the people?”
“No matter how you think about it, at least you need to fulfill your responsibilities.”
Ji Ma tossed the stack of papers onto the table and said, “I don’t care what you all are thinking; in any case, I cannot accept this. You were very pragmatic before; why are you pulling out grand ideals now?”
“From a utilitarian perspective, we can polish your image. At the very least, you will hold those positions and do something, right?”
“Wouldn’t that mean I have to be hypocritical?”
The old negotiation expert broke through the façade, saying, “Yes, that’s right. You just have to appear so in public.”
“Heh.” Ji Ma revealed a cold smile, “But I don’t want to be hypocritical.”
The old negotiation expert said, “We can double your benefits. Perhaps you think we are very hypocritical—”
“I would rather you be hypocritical.”
“At least in public meetings, you need to respect the core values,” the old negotiation expert said, “Do something to be a little hypocritical.”
“Like what? Completely annihilating the enemy’s army?”
A voice came through the earphones: “Refuse her.”
“Peaceful development is the mainstream in today’s world,” the old negotiation expert said. “You can help us alleviate poverty.”
“Alleviate poverty?” Ji Ma stood up, angrily saying, “I have paid a cost unimaginable to mortals to reach this point today, finally able to use my strength to exploit the weak, and now you tell me to alleviate poverty? Was I born to serve you mortals? Dream on.”
“This is the most realistic approach; otherwise, how can we be hypocritical?”
“Hypocritical?” Ji Ma said, “All hypocrisy is a salute to kindness because it represents the powerlessness of evil, which must clothe itself in the garb of goodness, waving the flag of virtue to commit evil acts. It’s so suffocating; I can’t bend down.”
…
…
“Spring Dawn, why do you struggle so hard to establish order?”
The battlefield was littered with corpses, flags stood askew.
George breathed steadily, wiping away blood with the enemy’s flag.
“Only through order can goodness be preserved.”
“Have you considered that all the bloodshed you caused to establish order will be exploited by hypocrites? They will take the merits of what you have built and commit further atrocities.”
“I have thought about it,” George replied. “I heard a philosopher say that it is precisely because the sage establishes a nation that the wicked can steal from it and commit even greater evils.”
“Then why do you insist so much?” Duke Cardona asked with a wry smile. “You already understand; why have we reached this point today?”
“I believe that people cannot live like monkeys forever, and that philosopher definitely has not seen an apocalyptic army,” George said. “Every hypocrisy will add strength to the banner of goodness; it makes evil doers wary, they can’t openly flaunt their malevolence.”
George continued, “In my view, all hypocrisy is essentially a bow to the banner of goodness, followed by acts of evil.”
“Your thinking is naive. Those who claim to be villains rarely live long and seldom achieve great things.”
“You should meet my fiancée.”
“You mentioned her again,” Duke Cardona said. “Do men never forget the women of their rivals?”
“I think you are jealous.”
“Not jealousy; how did this war commence?” Duke Cardona forced himself to stand straight, shouting towards the blood-soaked battlefield, “Look! The rulers of great nations waged war for this beauty, snatching women from their fathers’ arms, pulling them away from their husbands, brandishing spears, sending them to their deaths.”
On the edges of the battlefield, only retreating soldiers remained.
“Ahem.” Duke Cardona shrugged. “Although only the soldiers lying on the ground moaning can hear, undoubtedly you will be recorded in history as a bringer of disaster; congratulations.”
“We still have much to discuss,” George said. “Before I publicly judge you…”
“Are you so cruel that you must send your most beloved suitor, a duke, to the judgment chamber?”
“Yes.”
“Men are colder in cruelty than the winter winds. May I ask what the charges are?”
“Betraying the oath of the group.”
“Haha, what about that oath? Do you really think people follow you for liberation or enlightenment?”
“I do not think so.” George pointed to the female knight who died with her warhorse behind him. “But they sacrificed their lives for that belief; the motivation becomes less significant.”
“Fine, I’ll surrender, but I hope you will personally behead me.”
“I will personally carry out the death sentence I issue.”
“Last question, will you execute your fiancée Ji Ma?”
“Depends on the crime she commits and whether I have the power to judge her.”
“This time I actually believe you would behead her,” Duke Cardona said. “How unfortunate that I never got to see Ji Ma; I wonder how stunning and how wicked she must be to leave Blood Spring Dawn so fixated.”
…
…
The negotiations on the prairie had reached a conclusion.
A broken conclusion.
“I feel like I’m chewing on a piece of leather candy,” Ji Ma said, reclining in her chair, her tone quite dissatisfied. “You have not truly submitted.”
“We are here to negotiate, not to surrender.”
“How pathetic.” Ji Ma remarked. “You’ve offered so many officials, all for naught. Including you officials, you are all useless. You are as fragile as any mortal; your power is merely something others have conferred upon you.
“It appears imposing, but you’re merely custodians of a public instrument; getting closer to power, relishing it a little, you mistakenly think it’s true power, treating it like treasure and using it as a bargaining chip in negotiations.
“I’ll tell you, I don’t need your pathetic offerings. My greatness lies within myself, and no one can take that away. What you need to do is acknowledge your collective helplessness.”
The negotiation expert said, “We’re always here to accompany you; our comrades are prepared for sacrifice.”
Negotiations fell into yet another deadlock.
Ji Ma was feeling hesitant; it wasn’t that she felt she couldn’t defeat China—at least she didn’t think so.
But just thinking about the short time of confrontation gave her a headache. With so many ants gathered together, fighting to the death, their bites could still be quite painful.
Ji Ma no longer wanted to live the life of constantly fleeing as she had before.
Why not try another country?
The negotiation expert said, “I have a suggestion; you might consider developing in America.”
With an off-ramp provided, Ji Ma asked, “Why?”
“You don’t seem to like public power very much.”
“Of course, I’m not a weak mortal relying on others to carry me.”
“America is much freer, and public power is not as centralized as in China.”
“Since you’re not worried about being my enemy, such courage is commendable,” Ji Ma said. “Just don’t regret it later.”
The negotiation expert, appearing as a beautiful golden-haired elven girl, smiled at her. “I have confidence in our people; can we discuss an agreement to reduce the intensity of the war?”
Despite the continued threats from the succubus, judging by her negotiating stance, she had made concessions.
She agreed to lift most of the curses, leave China, in exchange, China would no longer seek to arrest the succubus and not ban her account.
However, she was required to leave China within a week.
“You really are confident, aren’t you? Not afraid I’ll go live and repeat my tricks?”
“Then you can no longer stir up trouble on Chinese social media.”
“I’ll take that as a threat for now.”
Ji Ma’s figure disappeared from the screen.
The next day.
Ji Ma checked her bank card and found it unfrozen.
That night, Ji Ma announced publicly on her account that she would be developing in America thereafter, citing that China was too poor and too unfree, but that even if she left, anyone who slandered her would still receive a curse.
But this did not stop the online celebration.
On the third day, Ji Ma received an invitation from the American media, finalizing the time and place afterward.
On the fourth day, Ji Ma carried her suitcase and quickly traversed through the black-and-white dream, glancing back at the receding China.
Even Ji Ma had to admit.
The “ants” nurtured on this ancient land, united together to bite, truly made one prefer to relocate.
At this moment.
A golden-haired elven girl in her study was holding a brush, writing: “……. May I ask where the Plague God wishes to go? Paper boats and bright candles will illuminate the sky.”
Just a minute later.
Ji Ma stepped once again onto American soil, suitcase in hand, appearing promptly on the makeshift platform at the airport, where reporters rushed in from all sides.
There was no prevention; seemingly no one worried that Ji Ma would use this opportunity to spread a curse.
Ji Ma couldn’t resist, opening her arms and saying, “This air of freedom—”
From the sky, a precision-guided missile flew towards her head.
