Goddess Country's sudden move

Zhang Hongxing had given Wang Desheng his word, so naturally, he would not go back on it now.

Besides, he wanted to try combining Immortal Cultivation with technology himself. Now that the mayor had called his home, there was no reason to keep putting it off.

After finishing his meal, Zhang Hongxing called the mayor directly.

The mayor of Xinzhou City was named Huang Sheng. His ancestral home was Yongchang, and he had worked his way up from village Party secretary. At forty-eight, he was relatively young among mayors.

Mayors like him, who had risen through the grassroots, tended to be pragmatic.

That was why he harbored considerable doubts about Zhang Hongxing, a man who had appeared out of nowhere. Even with Wang Desheng, the foremost of the Four Great Kings of Diplomacy, personally vouching for him, and even with approval from the National Academy of Sciences, Huang Sheng still had his own reservations.

That was also why he had called Zhang Hongxing's home.

In fact, beyond making that call himself, he had specifically instructed his assistant to gather information about Zhang Hongxing. The reports, however, were simply too incredible.

So incredible that he could not tell whether they were true or false.

Only after the flying coaster incident at the Big Kid Amusement Park did he finally understand that Zhang Hongxing truly could not be judged by ordinary standards.

"Hello, Mayor Huang. This is Zhang Hongxing."

"Hello, Mr. Zhang. I'd like to thank you for what happened at the Big Kid Amusement Park today. Are you free tomorrow? Would it be convenient for me to visit your home?"

Huang Sheng adopted a very humble tone. After witnessing Zhang Hongxing's series of superhuman feats, his entire worldview had undergone a massive change.

On his way to becoming mayor, Huang Sheng had naturally met a few martial arts experts, including a cultivator who claimed to come from Kunlun Mountain. But the strength that man had demonstrated was only slightly beyond that of a professional athlete.

"I'll be home tomorrow. If you're coming over, it's best to come after three in the afternoon."

"All right, Mr. Zhang. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, then."

"All right."

After hanging up, Zhang Hongxing went to the backyard and sat cross-legged beneath the mulberry tree.

After growing for some time, the Great Mulberry Tree had undergone further changes. Its increased strength was precisely why it had been able to trap the Black Knife Daoist earlier.

Sitting cross-legged, Zhang Hongxing summoned a stream of true qi and channeled it into the Great Mulberry Tree.

With its capture of the Black Knife Daoist as proof of its worth, Zhang Hongxing would naturally spare no effort in nurturing the Great Mulberry Tree. The stronger it became, the safer his home would be.

Wangjiang Garden.

At Mayor Huang's home, Huang Sheng had just ended the call. He took a cup of hot tea from his wife, blew on the foam floating on the surface, then took a small sip.

"Huang, who were you just talking to? In all our years of marriage, I've never seen you act so humbly."

"The man who saved everyone at the Big Kid Amusement Park this morning."

"That hero? You found him? Wonderful! Can you take me with you tomorrow?"

"I'm going there on official business. What would you be doing tagging along?"

"Thanking him, of course! If it weren't for him, our daughter would have..."

"All right. Come along if you want."

The thought of his precious daughter made Huang Sheng relent. Thirteen-year-old Huang Keke was their only daughter, and she had happened to be at the Big Kid Amusement Park that morning.

Without Zhang Hongxing, there was no telling whether their daughter would have survived.

The night gradually deepened.

Aside from those forced to work to earn a living, only night owls addicted to nocturnal activities remained, enthusiastically burning through their youth.

After spreading throughout the afternoon, the incident at the Big Kid Amusement Park finally began dominating the headlines on major platforms. Even some news platforms where rankings could be bought had squeezed in three reports about the incident.

Just as the news about Zhang Hongxing was gaining more and more attention, a report from overseas suddenly appeared.

It was an announcement from Goddess Country.

The announcement primarily expressed a protest against the Xia Kingdom, declaring it a hegemonic nation and stating that all products from the Xia Kingdom would be banned from entering Goddess Country starting on the first of the following month.

That single announcement instantly sent media outlets across the globe into a frenzy.

The media within the Xia Kingdom were naturally no exception. The steadily rising attention surrounding Zhang Hongxing was instantly overshadowed.

Less than an hour after Goddess Country issued its announcement, Yang Guangwen, one of the Xia Kingdom's Four Great Kings of Diplomacy, released a video statement on behalf of the Xia Kingdom Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The contents of the statement were equally straightforward.

In addition to strongly protesting Goddess Country's baseless remarks, Yang Guangwen announced a ban on all products from Goddess Country entering the Xia Kingdom.

Although this was a move that would hurt their opponents at considerable cost to themselves, they had no choice but to use it.

Once someone was trampling all over you, even the most good-natured person could not tolerate it.

And shortly after the Xia Kingdom issued its statement...

In the main hall of Goddess Country's royal palace, Prime Minister William stood silently before the third-generation Goddess, Ili Basha, his head lowered.

"Who exactly told you to do this? Even now, can you still not tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Your Divine Highness. This truly was my own decision."

"William, do you think I don't know what kind of man you are? Did those people force you? Tell me."

"No, Your Divine Highness. No one forced me."

"William, I'm very disappointed in you. Their theories may have some practical merit, but they should never exist in this world.

"They are forbidden arts that the divine will not permit. God will eventually bring down punishment for this."

With that, Ili Basha turned and entered the inner hall. She had said everything she needed to say. If William would not listen, there was nothing she could do.

With those people backing him...

She no longer had any power capable of restraining William.

"That damned old hag. At her age, it would be one thing if she simply refused to cooperate with us, but she keeps trying to stop us. I think she's gone senile."

The moment Ili Basha left, a man in black robes emerged from behind a screen.

"Enough. The Goddess is my benefactor. I won't allow you to speak about her that way."

"William, you'd better remember your place before speaking to me. Without us, you'd be nothing but that old hag's dog—a watchdog that would bark for hours if she tossed you a bone."

"Enough! Don't push me."

William roared, his fists clenched tight.

"Hahaha... Angry, are you? Good. Without anger, how would you ever discover where your limits truly lie? Without anger, how would you ever join us?"

"Damn you, stop talking! I've done everything you asked. Now can you give it to me?"

William's eyes almost seemed to spit fire.

"Of course. But this will only last six months. If you don't take another dose in time after that, the consequences... Trust me, you absolutely do not want to see that."

The black-robed monk carefully took a white porcelain bottle from inside his robes and placed it in William's hand.

Then he turned and left.

With the porcelain bottle in hand, William immediately raced toward his home.