Exchanging Systems
He read on.
The next change was even more abrupt:
Three days ago, the Abnormality Division had been reorganized into the Superpower Management Bureau, and a man named Dongli Cang had been parachuted in as its current director.
Chen Hu, whose "temperament was shit," had willingly handed over his authority without a word of complaint and accepted a demotion to captain of the Fourth Action Team. He displayed an almost fanatical "admiration and reverence" for his new superior, Dongli Cang.
He continued leafing through Dongli Cang's file:
Originally an ordinary clerk in a small frontier city, he had disappeared for nearly twenty days without explanation before suddenly making a high-profile appearance at the Superpower Management Bureau's Imperial Capital headquarters. A group of powerful Awakened followers had already gathered around him. His rise could only be described as legendary.
Even more noteworthy was his private life. An appendix to the file detailed several women close to him:
A sexy policewoman, an arrogant heiress from a prominent family, a sheltered inheritor of ancient martial arts, and even a noble Commandery Princess who looked down on everyone...
The person who compiled the information seemed to be an old lecher too. He had written about each girl as though he were writing a novel, so vividly that their laughter, scolding, and sidelong glances seemed to unfold before Su Luo's eyes.
Su Luo quickly skimmed the reports of Dongli Cang's activities since taking office: his schedule had been packed, his efficiency astonishing, and he had achieved one remarkable feat after another, rapidly establishing his prestige.
Every time, he managed to pick up one or more powerful subordinates whose loyalty was maxed out, and every time, he saved a beauty in distress and won her heart...
Strangely, as though he could see the future, he had provided advance warning of several beast tides in cities within a short period, allowing Awakened and troops to be stationed there ahead of time. He had made major contributions to the country that could not be ignored.
Su Luo propped up his chin with one hand.
"Why does this Dongli Cang... seem so much like a protagonist?"
Reading further, he came across the records on the national idol, Le Lingyan:
She had been taken into official custody immediately after the incident and placed under observation by the Abnormality Division. Strangely, however, she had been intensely resistant to any official research into or questioning about her ability.
So why hadn't the authorities forced her to answer?
(A) They had refrained from coercive measures on humanitarian grounds.
(B) Her superpower was too unique and powerful for coercion to be effective.
Please answer:
Finally, when Dongli Cang returned to his loyal Superpower Management Bureau, Le Lingyan had been overjoyed. Acting as though she had known him for a long time, she had thrown herself into his arms and quickly become his assistant and captain of the Superpower Management Bureau's Third Squad.
Le Lingyan's superpower talent was SSS Rank: Goddess of Light.
According to Dongli Cang.
Both superpower users' talent and strength were divided into D, C, B, A, S, SS Rank, and SSS Rank.
A person's talent grade represented the upper limit of an Awakened's growth in strength.
Dongli Cang had devised this grading system, and it had quickly spread and gained widespread acceptance.
"Wait... why would people from Great Yong use foreign letters to establish a grading system?" Su Luo was somewhat puzzled.
He looked at what those from D-grade to S-grade were capable of and compared them with the monsters of the Land of Darkness.
D, C, B, A, and S grades roughly corresponded to Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
At present, the Superpower Management Bureau had roughly two or three S-grade fighters, one of whom was Le Lingyan.
She was the first known person with SSS Rank talent, and her strength was growing extremely quickly.
There were probably no more than five S-grade fighters in the entire world... and all those known to the public were in the Superpower Management Bureau.
Of course, Dongli Cang, the suspected "male lead," was in a league of his own, far ahead of the rest at SS Rank.
Without concrete data, Su Luo had no idea what that actually meant.
Putting down the documents, Su Luo opened his panel and continued learning [Charm Spell].
After a brief period of darkness, the screen lit up.
"Hello."
Su Luo looked at the middle-aged man on the other side of the screen, dressed in dragon robes and imposing without anger, and spoke in a flat tone.
"Hello, Mr. Su." The emperor's voice was steady, carrying the authority of one long accustomed to power. "Minister Wang has already informed me of your purpose. I, too, look forward to both sides exchanging what we have and obtaining what we need."
"I gave Prefect Wang [Meditation], the foundational method of the Mana system, last night," Su Luo said calmly. "I assume you have already verified its authenticity. Consider it a demonstration of our sincerity."
Su Luo had to offer something genuine to make the other side believe him. After all, not everyone was close to Su Luo and had weak mental power; Charm Spell was not omnipotent.
"As the first step in our cooperation, I'd like to know where your world's superpower system originates. Is it an innate awakening? An environmental influence? A contract with a higher being? Idealism?"
The emperor fell silent for a moment, his gaze drifting slightly into the distance as though exchanging a glance with an adviser beside him. Then he looked back.
"Mr. Su, I will be frank. As to why superpowers have manifested, the Empire, and indeed the entire world, still knows nothing. Nor is there any record of a similar era in the vast annals of history."
The emperor's voice carried a note of helplessness.
Su Luo looked thoughtful.
"In other words, your supernatural system has no historical foundation. Either the previous supernatural era has vanished into a past too distant to investigate, or... it was 'something from outside' to begin with?"
The emperor slowly nodded.
At that moment, a man in a well-fitting uniform, with an efficient air about him, entered the frame. He bowed slightly and took over the conversation.
"Your analysis is quite perceptive, Mr. Su. Based on observations using our current scientific framework, or rather, the one we had before the collapse, the overall energy processes of high-grade superpower users largely... violate the law of conservation of energy. We lack the theoretical foundation to understand it and the means to observe it."
Su Luo lowered his head and pondered for a moment. When he looked up again, a trace of cold detachment had entered his eyes.
"If you don't have the slightest idea about the foundation of the supernatural, then..." His tone was indifferent. "The basis for cooperation between us seems rather weak."
"Not at all, Mr. Su! It is precisely because it is so mysterious that it has even greater research value! The Empire is willing to provide you with research facilities and resources of the highest caliber: the most advanced laboratories, ample experimental materials, top-notch research assistants..."
"First," Su Luo interrupted, pointing out the key issue, "the technological foundation you relied on to build all of that has already collapsed. Your existing system is nothing more than a patchwork built on ruins. Second..."
He paused, then added, seemingly offhandedly, "Given some time, I can handle everything you mentioned myself."
Despite his words, his tone seemed to betray a trace of barely perceptible hesitation, as though building a research system himself truly would be a tedious and time-consuming undertaking.
"There's no need to waste your time on such minor matters..."
After ten minutes of discussion, Su Luo's stance finally softened.
"Very well." He seemed to have been persuaded, or perhaps he was simply going along with it. "Make the preparations as soon as possible, then."
The envoy secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Although it's regrettable that we can't exchange supernatural systems, I can personally provide you with introductory knowledge of the Mana system in return for your assistance."
As the conversation drew to a close, Su Luo seemed to remember something and spoke again in an indifferent tone:
"Compile the technology your world had before its technological collapse. A technological system that collapsed for no apparent reason is... rather interesting."
The envoy felt a little bitter. Were several hundred years of human effort worth no more than the words "rather interesting"?
"Certainly. What specific fields of technology do you require?"
"All the major technological fields, from the first Industrial Revolution to the eve of the collapse."
"All of them?"
"Is there a problem?"
Su Luo's question was flat and even, but it carried a note that brooked no doubt.