Reforms Begin

The office of the Speaker of the Sun Moon Federation.

On the top floor of the parliament building, the entire floor belonged to the Councilor's private office area. Heavy double doors of dark silver alloy slowly slid inward, and an icy, solemn air washed over anyone entering.

The office was extremely spacious, with a soaring dome. Arrays of soul-guidance prisms were embedded in the ceiling, casting soft, cool white light evenly throughout. There was not a trace of unnecessary extravagance; everywhere bore the distinctive technological feel of the Sun Moon Federation's soul guidance technology.

An enormous wall of floor-to-ceiling bulletproof soul-guidance glass stretched across the rear. Standing before it, one could look out over all of Mingdu, taking in the densely packed high-rises and soul-guidance flying cars weaving among them. In the distance, one could even see the antlike crowds coming and going across Parliament Square.

Qian Gu Fenfeng sat upright at his desk. He set down the last dossier, rubbed his eyes, and abruptly rose to his feet. With his head lowered, he circled the desk twice before finally picking up the command cube:

"Connect me to number two."

"...Zi'an, it's been a long time."

"Haha, Councilor Qiangu, there's no need to be so polite. We're family—why stand on ceremony?"

"Hahaha, all right. Zi'an, now that you've reached the Limit rank, the Qiangu Family did make its modest contribution..."

"Oh, Brother Fenfeng, I've always seen the Qiangu Family's support and kept it close to my heart. Whatever you need me to do, just say the word. I, Dong Zi'an, have always repaid kindness."

"Good. Now that you're commander of the Western Legion, I want you to gather them together so we can have a proper drink. Let's make it the day after tomorrow."

"No problem, Brother Fenfeng. I, Dong Zi'an, still carry some weight in the military."

"All right, then it's settled. I'll be sure to bring out some fine liquor I've treasured for years. None of us brothers goes home sober!"

Then Qian Gu Fenfeng calmly put down the phone.

"Secretary Pan."

"Here!"

"Tell Chen Yue, the two sisters of the Leng Family, Elder Yi, and Qingfeng that the plan will begin at midnight the day after tomorrow."

"Yes!"

The Sea God Legion's base.

Deep coastal waters surged with churning waves, and the salty, fishy sea breeze swept year-round over the unbroken stretches of docks. Enormous soul-guidance warships lay moored in the harbor, the gun batteries on their hulls gleaming coldly. Alloy coastal fortresses several zhang thick stood along the shore, with all manner of detection soul-guidance arrays deployed along the coastline. Guard posts bristled everywhere, and mecha patrols passed back and forth without pause.

Chen Xinjie stood at the highest point of general headquarters, watching the troops training in orderly formations below and the layers of defenses under tight patrol. The corners of his mouth rose by two pixels.

Rather than calling this Sea God Legion the Federation's army, it would be more accurate to call it the Sea God Family's private army. They obeyed Chen Xinjie's commands exclusively, and this already posed a serious threat to the Federation's interests.

"Family Head Yue, have you thought it over?"

"Councilor Qiangu, this... could you please give me a little more time? After all, this is a major matter concerning the direction of the entire family."

"Hmph, then there's nothing to discuss."

"No, no, no, after all..."

"Enough, Family Head Yue. Then we have nothing more to talk about."

"Wait! Councilor Qiangu, we... we're willing to stand with the Qiangu Family!"

"Good. As a show of sincerity, let's see how you perform the day after tomorrow."

As the saying went, wind filled the tower before the mountain rain arrived. All the Federation's senior officials had smelled the gunpowder in the air and chosen to hold their positions.

On the surface, Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect were peaceful too, with calm winds and quiet waves. But the Tang Sect was transferring something in an orderly fashion. Every night, batches upon batches of military vehicles could be seen leaving its various branches.

This calm was precisely the prelude to the "Family Annihilation Operation."

As a poem said,

Dark clouds swallowed the sea as sunlight faintly waned; angry waves battered the cliffs, their force not yet spent.

Wind swept the lofty towers with a warning; thunder hid within the blue waters, gathering spears.

A thousand sails lay still within the cold harbor; ten thousand schemes were plotted in secret upon jade desks.

No cries rose from the silent shore; the tempest lay just a turn of the head away.