A cacophony of voices filled the room.
Shen Le sat upright at the conference table, looking left, then right, then left again, then right again.
Inside the confidential conference room, the major figures normally seen only on television seemed to have cast aside the reserve afforded by their positions. Red-faced, they argued without end.
Only the old man seated in the middle leaned back in his chair, still smiling calmly as he listened to everyone state their views (×) tear into one another (√).
After listening for quite some time, when the discussion began going in circles, he slightly raised a hand and turned to Shen Le. "Mr. Shen, it seems you have some thoughts?"
"Uh—"
Shen Le hesitated for a moment. Yet beneath the old man's encouraging smile, he gritted his teeth and complained outright. "I just want to say that the current Heaven-Earth Barrier is a little too indiscriminate in whom it protects. Why does Japan get to enjoy the same protection as us?
"Yes, that land and that sea region are definitely ours, and we absolutely cannot give them up. But why should we be the ones paying for their protection?"
"Uh—"
The old man's expression stiffened slightly, but he quickly returned to his standard, composed smile. Nodding faintly, he asked in a guiding tone, "So what is your idea?"
"I mean, could the barrier... be divided into layers?" As Shen Le spoke, he pressed a hand against his chest. His Divine Sense extended outward, and the Bronze Tripod pulsed once, giving him a clear answer. "Oh, it can. An inner and outer layer, each with different functions—the inner layer provides stronger protection, while the outer layer is mainly responsible for filtering the world's spiritual energy—"
With his eyes lowered, he recited the words in a flat,