Junk Society

Wu Zhong had sorted it out. All mercenary groups were essentially just affiliated with a platform, making a living under its banner.

The ones that truly counted as organizations were the operators maintaining that platform.

So if he dreamed of joining some mercenary group to discuss cooperation, he might just end up getting captured along with them.

"Debiao, I have something I want to discuss with Brother Xia alone," Wu Zhong suddenly said.

Yang Chunsha froze for a moment, then gave an "Oh" and stepped away.

Xia Heng narrowed his eyes and followed Wu Zhong to a spot far from the tents, where they smoked on the empty, deserted grassland.

"What do you want to ask?"

Wu Zhong said solemnly, "Brother Xia, I want to know whether your organization can help me settle the Mount Lu matter."

"My organization?" Xia Heng said calmly. "The Free Mercenaries' Club? The operators behind it can, but I'm not one of them."

Wu Zhong stared blankly. "Brother Xia, there's no one else here. Just give me a straight answer."

"Last time, you mentioned that church—"

Xia Heng cut him off sternly. "I don't belong to any organization. You heard wrong."

Wu Zhong was utterly baffled. Xia Heng had clearly said it himself last time—he was going to recommend Wu Zhong to join a church.

Yet now he was denying it?

Why? Was it because Wu Zhong had performed poorly? No, that couldn't be it. Xia Heng himself had said he was very satisfied. It didn't feel like that was the reason.

Or was he worried Luo Yi might overhear?

Wu Zhong frowned and suppressed his confusion. "Fine, I heard wrong. Then what am I supposed to do from now on? I need some kind of goal, don't I?"

"Staying in hiding forever isn't a solution. I want to get rid of the Mount Lu Vortex, completely free myself from the ghosts and gods, and make 985 stop hunting me."

Xia Heng sighed. "Actually, you don't need to worry about that. Focus on improving your strength and surviving."

"Just staying alive in this world is already difficult."

Wu Zhong said wistfully, "I know. Survive first, then get stronger. Once I'm strong enough, there'll be more paths open to me."

"But Brother Xia, just tell me. What forces might be able to help me?"

Xia Heng curled his lip. "The five great nations and the other containment organizations all have their own spheres of influence."

"They generally don't meddle in matters outside their own territories. Everyone handles their own affairs on their own turf."

"In the eyes of major powers, the Mount Lu Incident isn't as serious as you think. It's just a new calamity that came into existence three days ago and was sealed by 985. Nothing more."

"Even if it hadn't been sealed, it would still be considered 985's property by default, because it was born on 985's territory. Forget all that talk about the battle at Five Old Peaks and how exaggerated it sounded. To major organizations, this is still 985's internal affair."

"That's why 985 has remained so calm. They haven't publicly put out a warrant for you, and they've kept silent about the truth. They neither confirm nor deny the rumors."

"On one hand, they may genuinely think capturing you would be easy. On the other, they don't want to make a huge fuss and make you seem important. They can just hunt you in secret."

"That way, even if you escape their sphere of control and reach another organization's territory, they can still send small elite teams after you quietly without drawing strong interference from other major powers."

Wu Zhong blinked. "Everyone has their own sphere of influence? They normally don't deal with calamity objects on other people's turf?"

"Only miscellaneous little groups like mercenary teams run all over the world?"

Xia Heng stroked his chin. "Not entirely. There's one containment organization with no territory at all. They believe the entire world is within their 'containment range.'"

Wu Zhong said, "Whoa... the Free Mercenaries' Club, right?"

To his surprise, Xia Heng shook his head. "No. Didn't Yang Chunsha tell you? The Mercenary Club only establishes operating stations outside the five great nations."

"Mercenaries are mercenaries, and the club is the club. You need to keep those separate."

"The only organization with no territory, one that abandoned the division of so-called spheres of influence and declared that 'wherever there are calamity objects is within their containment range,' is called the Blue-White Society."

Wu Zhong tilted his head. "Blue-White Society? I've heard you mention them once or twice. They're that badass? They want to handle everything?"

Xia Heng's expression turned strange. "I used to think they were just showing off."

"And now?" Wu Zhong was taken aback.

Xia Heng sighed meaningfully. "Now? Now I think they're idiots..."

Wu Zhong scratched his head. What did he mean by thinking they were showing off before, but now thinking they were idiots?

"What do you mean? What's the deal with this Blue-White Society?"

Xia Heng sneered. "They claim the entire world is their containment range and that they want to end all calamity objects. If that isn't showing off, what is?"

"After the war, the five great nations and the various containment organizations sat down together to discuss territorial divisions and finalize containment ranges. From then on, everyone would only contain things on their own territory, publicly neither interfering with nor opposing one another."

"In the end, everyone agreed except the Blue-White Society. They firmly opposed dividing the human world into separate containment zones and refused the territory that should have belonged to them."

"And look where that got them. They ended up with no share at all, weren't recognized, and became a wandering organization without any territory. If that isn't idiotic, what is?"

Wu Zhong laughed too. "That is pretty idiotic."

But then he found it strange. "But why? Why act so pretentious?"

Xia Heng stopped mocking them and frowned as he recalled, "Actually, they weren't putting on an act. They really meant it."

"They believed that conference to carve up the world was a ridiculous farce, humanity's most tragic choice."

"The so-called noninterference and opposition were, in themselves, creating opposition."

"Dividing the world into containment zones, with everyone responsible only for their own turf, was fundamentally splitting humanity's containment forces apart completely."

"If this continued, they would naturally become competitors. Everyone would keep the useful calamity objects for themselves while pushing extremely dangerous calamities into other jurisdictions. They weakened other forces while shedding their own burdens."

"All kinds of conflicts would build up during that process. Clashes and friction over jurisdictions would only grow worse."

"That would make unity even more impossible, eventually leading to a war of calamities."

"And even without a war, the calamity objects that mysteriously emerged throughout the universe and caused chaos wouldn't go easy on humanity."

"As all containment forces guarded against one another and wore each other down, vast resources would be wasted. Civilization as a whole would become extraordinarily fragile, and every conflict and hidden danger would erupt."

"One day, when an apocalyptic catastrophe too overwhelming to resist arrived, humanity would irreversibly march toward extinction."

Wu Zhong pondered. "Would it really turn out like that?"

Xia Heng looked up at the stars. "It would. On that point, the Blue-White Society's judgment isn't wrong."

"Every so often, calamity objects emerge somewhere in the world, while most old calamity objects cannot be destroyed. It's like a pressure valve constantly swelling."

"Over time, the power of calamities grows day by day, and the apocalypse prize pool keeps accumulating until it reaches a critical point humanity cannot bear."

"The Blue-White Society calls it 'Terminal Loss of Control.'"

"That day may still be far away. Or perhaps... it is already close at hand."

"Only by binding together all of humanity's containment forces and wisdom, by giving everything to solve any calamity wherever it appears without distinguishing yours from mine, can human civilization possibly endure."

"Unfortunately, no matter how brilliantly they explain their theory, it changes nothing. Some believe it, some don't, and whether they believe it or not, no one can change the current situation."

"Trying to change the current situation itself would only intensify the 'internal attrition' they speak of, and might make things even worse."

"So there is no solution. To prove their point, that kind of apocalypse would have to truly arrive..."

Wu Zhong's mouth twitched. "Huh? If it really arrives, won't it be too late?"

Xia Heng said meaningfully, "Yes. Too late."

Wu Zhong felt that Xia Heng was acting strange.

He tilted his head and asked, "So, Brother Xia, do you believe in the Blue-White Society's ideas?"

Xia Heng said calmly, "I believe them, but there's no point."

"The Blue-White Society... Heh. Even if I jumped off Mount Everest, I still wouldn't join the Blue-White Society."

Wu Zhong was stunned. "Why? Do you have a grudge against them?"

Xia Heng sneered. "Have you ever thought about how an organization with no territory, one unrecognized by every other power, managed to survive until now?"

"Right. They refused a gift handed to them on a silver platter. They should have been suppressed from every side." Wu Zhong rubbed his chin.

Xia Heng explained, "Because these people specifically go after dangerous, chaotic calamity objects. They run around the world containing and resolving the troublesome garbage calamities that major powers hate dealing with—things whose drawbacks outweigh their benefits, whose costs are absurdly high, and which are bizarre and hard to handle."

"They're practically a trash can. People in the circle jokingly call them the 'Junk Society.'"

"Ah..." Wu Zhong froze. So this was how the Blue-White Society survived.

He nodded. "Picking up junk? I get it. They found their own 'ecological niche.'"

"Just like in nature, every species has its own ecological niche to ensure its survival. The Blue-White Society's niche is being the 'scavenger' of the Calamity Realm."

"All the major powers need a cleaner like that. So while they don't officially recognize them, they tacitly allow them to exist and throw every piece of garbage they can at the Blue-White Society."

"Heh, that actually proves the Blue-White Society's theory in reverse. Everyone pushes extremely dangerous calamities into other jurisdictions."

"It's just that the Blue-White Society thinks, rather than having you all shove them back and forth, you might as well give them to us. We'll be the trash can."

"In doing so, the other powers still indirectly accept the Blue-White Society's existence, even indirectly acknowledging their invisible claim that 'their containment range is the whole world.'"

"The difference is that other organizations contain by territory, while theirs is limited by the category of containment targets."

"Sure enough, no organization that can establish itself is simple. Still, this is just... too miserable, isn't it?"

Xia Heng spread his hands. "That's why Blue-White Society members are all fucking masochists."

"In this world, as long as you can endure hardship, there's endless hardship to endure. The Blue-White Society is the headquarters of beasts of burden."

"If those people love keeping busy so much, let them work themselves to death. In my view, all effort is meaningless."

Wu Zhong rubbed his nose. "Brother Xia, you seem really pessimistic."

"Honestly, I don't think there's any need to worry about something so remote. The world is so beautiful. Even if things really turn out as they say, that would be in the very distant future."

"They preach doomsday theories, but to me, that's just anxiety marketing—a way to recruit followers, like marketing to draw people in."

Xia Heng smiled noncommittally. "As far as I know, the number of official Blue-White Society members should currently be fewer than fifty."

"Huh? That few? And they're still considered a first-rate power?" Wu Zhong said in astonishment.

Xia Heng curled his lip. "Do you think that ecological niche is so easy to occupy? Why don't the other organizations do it?"

"Their members have an extremely high mortality rate, and the costs and prices of maintaining containment measures are more outrageous than the last."

"But every one of their members is indeed a top-tier figure. Their average quality is the highest."

"Think about it. Could someone willing to join a junk society like that be ordinary? As they say, those who cling to life and fear death should not enter this door. Without a dream in your heart, you'd stay far away."

Of course, Wu Zhong thought. If people are willing to join an organization like that, they must truly have ideals.

He said, "Anyway, they're still a first-rate power, right? If I don't join them, can they help me cooperate with 985 and deal with the ghosts and gods first?"

"By your account, the Blue-White Society should be willing to handle something like this too."

Xia Heng curled his lip. "Of course they'd be willing. They'd practically be begging to handle it. But the Mount Lu Vortex doesn't fall under the category of garbage."

"Especially once they realize you can resolve it, 985 won't allow the Blue-White Society to interfere, much less tolerate them gaining control of you."

"Don't forget, 985 even believes this calamity was created by a hostile organization. You and I happened to walk right into their sights. All those coincidences made them think there was a conspiracy behind it, which is why they've kept suspecting that we know each other."

Wu Zhong said irritably, "Then what do we do?"

"You said that with a power backing me, this could be peacefully resolved. It just can't be the Blue-White Society?"

Xia Heng shrugged. "The Blue-White Society can do it, but not yet. You need to wait until the Mount Lu ghosts and gods give 985 a headache, until they truly can't think of any solution, can't capture you, and the cost of maintaining things becomes unbearable."

"Then it will naturally become the Blue-White Society's job... 985 will seek their help on its own."

"If the ghosts and gods even lose control and break through the existing seal, the Blue-White Society will rush over to take the job themselves."

"At that point, you'll become extremely important. Then if you show yourself and resolve it, the Blue-White Society will help you, and everything will fall into place naturally."

"Otherwise, you're just a 'fugitive calamity object.' If you get entangled with the Blue-White Society too early, 985's reaction will only become more intense."

On reflection, Wu Zhong saw that it made sense. He was like the key to closing the Mount Lu Heavenly Gate.

985 had already realized that this key existed. They had merely failed to notice when the key ran away on its own... But that was fine. They could just retrieve it.

Yet the Mount Lu Heavenly Gate hung within their borders. They would never allow another power to possess that key unless they themselves no longer wanted it.

Wu Zhong sighed. "I understand. They've already sealed the vortex. They don't need the Blue-White Society at all, and I'm only icing on the cake."

"So all I can do is hide and wait until 985 ultimately fails to deal with the vortex."

"But how is that possible? Don't they have that Best Metal or whatever? It's indestructible. They sealed it successfully, and there's no more air leaking out now."

Xia Heng gazed up at the stars. "Let's hope so."

"Yeah... let's hope so." Wu Zhong smiled bitterly.

Of course, it would be best if 985 could seal the vortex forever. But that would be bad for him, because he would have to remain in hiding forever as well.

But what could he do? There was still another path—becoming strong enough himself.

As long as his own strength became impossible to ignore, he would naturally be able to control his own fate.

"Brother Xia, now that I have some fame, can I apply through Multiverse Academy's admissions?" Wu Zhong asked in a low voice.

The ghosts and gods had caused trouble for him and saddled him with countless grudges for no reason, but his fame had grown too. There was no reason not to use it.

Xia Heng pondered for a moment. "Of course you can."

Before Wu Zhong could rejoice, Xia Heng added, "But Multiverse Academy has good relations with all five great nations. If 985 makes a deal with them, Multiverse Academy will personally hand you back."

"Ah..." Wu Zhong's expression darkened. This fame was poisonous.

Xia Heng continued, "Actually, I recommend that you join the Mercenary Club, start from zero, establish your own identity, and claim publicly that you're a plant."

"With your current level as a top-tier Madblood Clan member, if you work hard and do well, you should be able to rise to gold-ranked mercenary. Then you can apply through public admissions and enter Multiverse Academy for further study."

"With that unconventional path, you can study there without joining the Multiverse Academy organization itself. You only need to pay tuition."

"Almost everyone who became a gold-ranked mercenary through abilities other than awakening became an Awakened this way."

Wu Zhong clenched his fists. "Become a gold-ranked mercenary, huh? Then can I register as a mercenary now?"

Xia Heng spread his hands. "I'm not club staff. I can't connect you to the Dream Network."

"But registration is simple. Once we leave 985's territory, we can register at a mercenary station in any country."

Wu Zhong nodded. For now, the most pressing matter was still leaving 985's territory.