Chapter 530
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Chapter 604 Helping Others to the End (4K)
Shi Lei returned to the morgue of the Requiem Church and could hear Cecilia crying from inside.
She was lying beside her mother's body, tears welling up in her eyes and streaming down her face.
The heart-wrenching sobs were like a dirge, a lament that tore at the heart. One couldn't help but wonder, why did such a young girl have to suffer like this?
Shi Lei always analyzes specific problems in specific ways; even if the problems are the same, different situations will naturally lead to different solutions.
If an elderly person loses their children, they might fabricate a white lie based on the actual situation.
Since the elderly already have limited time left, the emotional blow of a parent outliving their child is immense. Giving them a glimmer of hope is better than learning the truth.
But children have a long future ahead of them, and understanding the harsh realities early on will be more beneficial when they encounter setbacks later on.
Aizel, standing beside her, wanted to comfort her but didn't know what to say, so he could only stand there blankly.
Seeing her lover return, Xi took the initiative to move closer.
Shi Lei took her hand and tilted his head towards Lappland, indicating that they should go outside to talk.
Upon arriving outside the morgue, he gave the following instructions:
"Lappland, you stay here to protect Cecilia's safety until I return from the summit."
Exusiai currently staying with her sister Lamyuan at the Central Hospital for the next few days. Since Yu is not good at socializing, Lappland is the only one capable of handling this task. As long as she's not insane, she's relatively reliable.
Lappland was reluctant, but knowing that this was the only option for her, she nodded in agreement:
"Okay, when will you be able to meet up?"
"The Summit of All Nations is at 2 PM. I'll come find you after it's over. If everything's alright in Liyue, you can spend a couple more days in Laterano. Consider it a preliminary investigation; I'll bring Texas and Mudrock next time."
As soon as he finished speaking, Shi Lei created Rock Constructs Writing Tablet in the blink of an eye and handed it to the other party:
"The location of the Summit of All Nations is outside the effective range of the Jade Shield. I'll have Xi Liudian Ink Specter help you; use this to contact them in case of any emergencies."
Compared to the Cross-border Communication Network he built, Writing Tablet that is not Signal Jamming is still more convenient to use.
"Alright, leave it to me."
After giving instructions to be wary of Andon, Shi Lei left the Requiem Church with Xi. If that guy remained obstinate, he wouldn't be so lenient later.
It was midday, and there was still some time before the Summit of All Nations. Because the Messenger of All Nations, Oren, had to leave early due to unforeseen circumstances at home, neither of them had a guide.
Fortunately, Shi Lei is famous enough that fans come up to him for autographs wherever he goes.
He asked these people to recommend local food, and soon arrived at a highly-rated restaurant.
Unfortunately, Shi Lei was too happy too soon.
The food sold here is all high-calorie bombs like fried chicken, burgers, fries, and donuts. These foods, which are just right for Sarkaz, are too greasy for him.
And they add way too much sugar to the food, like they're throwing it on for free. Can you believe they even add sugar to fried chicken?
Shi Lei put the food down after only a few bites, and Xi was equally unable to enjoy it. One of them was beyond human capabilities, and the other was a fragment of Great Beast, so it didn't matter if they didn't eat it.
After having a small taste, Shi Lei and Xi visited the attractions in Laterano City. At 1:30, the two took off for the venue of the Summit of All Nations.
March 15, 1099, 1:31 PM
Hurlus Blantau, the sister of the current head of the Sherag Blantau family, complained to her husband:
"Yucatan, don't you think the desserts served are a bit... too sweet?"
"But don't you like sweets?"
"I like it, but it's way too sweet. Never mind, I can't explain it to you, I'm not eating it."
This tone was like asking your lover to choose clothes in a store, only to be dissatisfied in the end. Yucatan didn't find it particularly sweet, so he could only remain silent.
Before long, the couple spotted Enciodis and Rhodes Island leader Amiya in the crowd.
To the Ling Couple's surprise, Doctor Kal'tsit was standing behind them. They had heard that she was quite accomplished in the treatment of Originium-related illness and usually stayed on the This Ship, rarely appearing in public.
With the Summit of All Nations just around the corner, delegates from various countries have already arrived at the Grand Cathedral. They are banding together based on power and kinship, making them seem out of place among their surroundings.
"Let's go, Yucatan, let's get there quickly."
Hugh Ruth was delighted to meet someone from her hometown here, and she and her husband went to greet them.
Unexpectedly, a La Signora suddenly darted out and bumped into her from the side. Before Hugh Ruth could even ask what happened, the woman preemptively accused her of something:
"Tsk, are you blind?"
"You were the one who bumped into me, weren't you?"
The woman's less-than-perfect Sargon language immediately drew a look of disgust from her, and she exaggeratedly said:
"What broken Sargon language! Where on earth are you, you country bumpkin?"
The direct mockery annoyed Hugh Rose, but she held back for the time being, considering the occasion.
"I'm from Scherzag, not from the countryside."
"Scherzag? Where is this place?"
After establishing its Cross-border Communication Network, Scherzag has gained global recognition. The other party is feigning ignorance, which is clearly intentional.
The Messenger of All Nations, who was in charge of receiving them, looked extremely embarrassed and quickly tried to smooth things over by explaining:
"Madam Sharon, please allow me to introduce you. Scherzag is a snowy country west of Victoria."
"Huh? There are countries on those snow-capped mountains? Compared to Victoria, it's just the countryside. How dare you be so insolent in front of me Duchess?"
Before Hurlus could speak in rebuttal, Enciodis, who had come over after hearing the commotion, took the initiative to speak:
"Madam, let me say a few words of fairness. First, Scherzag is not a rural area. Second, many people witnessed you hitting someone. Third, Liyue, like Scherzag, is City on the Snow Mountain. Do you consider Mister Zhongli to be a leader of a rural village?"
Upon hearing the first two points, Madam Sharon inwardly scoffed, already having already decided how to respond.
But when Zhongli was labeled as someone to be despised, she found herself struggling to cope.
Who doesn't know that the countries attending this Summit of All Nations are only there because of him?
If this angers Zhongli, not only her husband, but the entire country will be dragged into a quagmire.
"I... I didn't mean that."
"What does that mean?"
Enciodis glanced at the other man, who was already showing signs of becoming the leader of Scherzag.
He knew that in such diplomatic settings, every word and action represented the nation, and he absolutely could not easily back down.
"We are all invited guests, and there is no distinction of rank or status among us. If Madam insists on calling us country bumpkins, perhaps we can ask Mister Zhongli to judge this matter later."
Madam Sharon knew she was in the wrong, so she glanced at her husband who was not far away, only to be met with a fierce glare from him.
You made the trouble, so you have to deal with it yourself.
This caused her confidence to plummet, and she began to speak haltingly to ease the awkward atmosphere:
"Um, no, I'm sorry."
Enciodis, seeing that things were going well, didn't make any excessive demands and gestured to Hugh and his wife to follow.
Shortly after this little incident, Shi Lei, who appeared out of nowhere, immediately attracted everyone's attention.
Representatives from various countries abandoned casual conversation and flocked to each other to offer compliments, hoping to leave a good impression.
"Mister Zhongli, I am Jeff Technologies from Columbia, and I very much hope to cooperate with you."
"Your achievement in building Cross-border Communication Network is unprecedented and will likely remain so. My family has long admired you; would you do us the honor of having a simple meal together after the summit?"
Shi Lei wasn't very familiar with these people, and the sudden rush of them made Xi nervous. He used the Jade Shield Wall to separate himself from the outsiders and sat down in his assigned spot.
Seeing that Mister Zhongli was refusing to see guests, the group had no choice but to stand there dejectedly.
His mere appearance overshadowed that of Pope Evangelista XI of Laterano.
However, he knew that the large number of representatives from various countries present today was all thanks to Zhongli. They hadn't come for him in the first place, so this large gathering was perfectly normal.
The white-robed monk beside him was conducting a final check to ensure the shortwave broadcast was functioning properly.
Although the number of Cross-border Communication users in Laterano has increased exponentially in just a few months, many of the original broadcasting equipment has not yet been completely phased out.
To ensure the entire Laterano City hears it, broadcasting is the safest approach. The official audio will afterwards be uploaded to the Liyue Circle and made available worldwide.
With one minute to go until 2 p. m., the Pope, escorted by Knight, walked onto the podium. The microphone in the center of the venue had been tested and was ready to use.
The scene quickly quieted down, and any whispers that broke the silence were quickly stopped by those around them.
The Pope looked around, picked up the microphone, and said:
"Emissaries from the Terra Nations, Evangelista XI greets you."
Laterano's international standing is not high, and his opening remarks only garnered sparse applause. The Pope had anticipated this, and glancing in Shi Lei's direction, he continued:
"The concept of the modern nation-state emerged with the birth of Mobile Cities. In the past, the nation-state simply meant a settlement. People with a shared way of life banded together to form a nation-state in the face of Catastrophe."
Mobile Cities have changed everything. Exchanges between countries are becoming more frequent, but friction is also emerging.
Perhaps I shouldn't use such mild words to summarize the historical significance of the word "friction".
I witnessed the fall of Gaul, its glorious civilization destroyed in a single night. The roaring armored warships fell silent, and the Gaul Old Guard was reduced to fire and smoke.
At that time, I thought, this won't be the first time, nor will it be the last. How can we preserve the civilization that the Terra Nations have collectively built up?
Everyone who cares about this land should consider this question: how have the civilizations of various nations continued?
We in Laterano have been working tirelessly for this war that has swept the continent, and we've heard far too many people yearn for peace and tranquility.
However, this was only the voice of the lower classes; the important figures in castles or palaces did not think so.
Some of their plans are so outrageous that they risk subverting other countries and destroying their cultures.
The Laterano Summit of All Nations convened today aims to advocate and call for nations to reach a consensus on building an alliance that pursues peace and tranquility.
Our nation's interests and security are linked far more closely than many people realize. Terra should fight side by side to the end, not destroy and distrust each other!
Evangelista XI's appeal was met with cheers from most of the Sarkaz on the radio. The applause in the audience was also much louder than during the opening remarks.
But that's not enough.
After listening to the speech, Shi Lei shook his head with slight disappointment, because the Pope's appeal was too idealistic.
Although world leaders haven't explicitly stated it, how many are truly unwilling to expand their territories? Getting them to set aside their interests and form the United Nations requires more than just empty slogans.
This is not only the experience accumulated in the Terra World, but also the lesson Shi Lei learned from traveling through thousands of years of previous worlds.
The only way to get someone to give up their interests is to offer something even more tempting; only then can a peaceful alliance be formed.
Shi Lei's original plan was to use the venue of the Summit of All Nations to share high technology with the Terra Nations for free.
Since the Pope's appeal is likely to have little effect, let's just lend him a hand. For him, such a beneficial matter is nothing more than saying a few more words. But if it can help so many people in Terra, then saying more is worthwhile.
Evangelista XI knew what the people in the audience who weren't clapping were waiting for. Instead of having Shi Lei appear last in the lineup, he moved him to second place.
If someone isn't a peace-loving person, no amount of appeals will help. It would be better to remove Zhongli early on, and then make a second appeal to those who remain after the event.
"Next, let's give a warm round of applause to welcome Mister Zhongli, the leader of Liyue, to the stage to speak!"
Upon hearing that Laterano Church had made such a arrangement, those who had been prepared to endure until the very end immediately brightened up.
"Slap, slap, slap."
The audience erupted in applause and cheers.
Everywhere I looked, people were clapping, and the sound was several times louder than when the Pope finished his speech.
Many representatives from major powers traveled great distances to attend the Summit of All Nations only because of Mister Zhongli's influence. Now that the Pope has finished speaking, it's his turn—how could they not be happy?
Shi Lei gently patted Xi's hand twice, signaling his lover to wait in her seat. He then walked onto the stage under the watchful eyes of countless people and waved to the audience.
Hello everyone.
In the corner of the twelfth row, Kal'tsit sat next to Amiya. She hadn't summoned the Doctor this time when she came to Laterano because she wanted to see what Zhongli was up to.
While the rise of Cross-border Communication Network has made it easier for Rhodes Island to obtain intelligence, much high-level, classified information is not openly shared with the Liyue Circle. It requires personal verification to ensure complete peace of mind.
After a brief greeting, Shi Lei glanced around the audience and cut straight to the point: