Hard Times

"We must finish this quickly!"

When it comes to planning to do something, Zhang Xuezhou rarely finds himself completely unable to get started.

The communications management center in Blanpeda failed to leverage the situation, and couldn't even find a roundabout way to do so, which gave him a vague sense of unease.

When trying to seize one's fortune through normal means, one may encounter some potential negative consequences.

Even without a skilled opponent to counter it, things are not easily accomplished.

If things were too easy, Huang Daoxian wouldn't have lived for a hundred years.

"When I encountered Linna, I should have abandoned the original plan. Every unexpected event requires careful investigation into the underlying reasons, and a swift adjustment based on the real-time situation is necessary to avoid futile efforts and falling into a passive position!"

Zhang Xuezhou does not engage in empty-handed attacks, but the application of techniques has its limitations; to gain the fullness, one must inevitably confront the lacking aspects.

So many people aspire to become emperors and generals, yet only a handful succeed; countless others are trampled underfoot.

Zhang Xuezhou can see the success of a few, but he is also well aware that most people need to face failure.

There are many dissidents in the Aomeijia Alliance, and the conflicts and wars are constantly changing, so there is no reason why he is bound to succeed.

Driving in the truck, Zhang Xuezhou and the others sped off, heading back in the same direction as the hotel.

"Where is Grien Pass?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"After Nags sent him here, we locked him in a youth hostel about two hundred meters away," Ren Anran said. "He was very cooperative. Are you going to kill him during the flag-raising ceremony?"

"Just a little bloodletting will suffice!"

Zhang Xuezhou shook his head.

He only happened to have the opportunity to participate in the project; he had no intention of conducting live experiments.

Zhang Xuezhou had his own selfish motives; he couldn't bear to see those rotting, putrid corpses, and he himself didn't want to become one of them.

In fact, if he could control the course of the civil war in the Aomeijia Alliance as quickly as possible, his actions would be somewhat commendable.

"We were only responsible for pushing Grian to a high position; his future fate depends on the choices he makes," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"This kind of opportunistic double-dealer deserves to die," Zhang Manqian said.

"In times of turmoil, he had no choice. The Montes Lineage looked down on him, and the rebels didn't contact him. He could only side with whichever side was stronger," Zhang Xuezhou shook his head and said, "Neutrality is just mediocre, not a capital offense!"

If Zhang Xuezhou and others hadn't intercepted him, Grean's fate after being captured wouldn't have been any better. He might have become the target of the Montes Lineage's wrath, a member of a suicide squad to suppress the rebels, imprisoned, or used to draw artillery fire.

The three people in the driver's seat couldn't help but discuss Grien, deciding on the best approach to take.

"It's a pity that Chimon Hagrid didn't intend to return to the Aomeijia Alliance," Ren Anran said with some regret. "Otherwise, his cooperation would have made things much easier for us!"

"He's entered the Eighth Sequence, and his ambitions are minimal. Controlling the Aomeijia Alliance won't bring him any benefits," Zhang Xuezhou shook his head. "Even if we didn't have to push him to the position of Grand Council Speaker, he would still find it troublesome."

"It seems that the place where Grian lives has been bombed!"

Zhang Xuezhou and Ren Anran whispered to each other as they moved closer to the original location of the hotel.

When Zhang Manqian called out, the two quickly leaned out of the car window.

Thick black smoke billowed over the former hotel site in the Academy District, an area that had clearly been bombed twice.

Thick smoke and a raging fire continued to burn, and flammable materials released bursts of deadly chemical odor.

The bombed area was deathly silent. The living were far away from the area, while the dead were beyond anyone's reach. Only a few figures could be seen extinguishing fires and running through the ruins.

"Thank goodness we left; our hotel was also affected!"

After dropping off the students, Zhang Manqian quickly distributed cash.

Although she didn't get to use the students' abilities, Zhang Manqian still had to fulfill her promise.

She nodded repeatedly to answer the students' questions from time to time, and instructed them to hide in areas with underground fortifications if possible. Ren Anran, on the other hand, kept contacting Grian with her communicator.

"Wait here, I'll go check the situation!"

Zhang Xuezhou jumped out of the driver's seat and then tightened his clothes.

Just as Ren Anran reached out, Zhang Xuezhou's body swayed and floated, then appeared more than 30 meters away.

"As long as he doesn't go inside a building, Xuezhou should be able to avoid the rockets coming from high altitude with his speed. He can also calculate the impact point, so he shouldn't be hit by the bombing!"

Ren Anran considered Zhang Xuezhou's capabilities and finally felt relieved.

"Hey, Grean!"

The long-delayed call was finally answered.

A soft "Hey!" came through the communicator, and Ren Anran felt a sense of unease creeping in.

"Daniel is still in our hands. You'd better gather the money quickly to avoid us killing him and ruining our relationship!"

Ren Anran lowered her voice and changed her story. She heard Grian on the other end of the communicator nod and agree, accompanied by crackling static that made the communication difficult to connect, as if someone was cursing her.

"They should be in the basement!"

After hanging up the communicator, Ren Anran glanced around and knew that Grian, that opportunist, had switched sides again and gone to save his life.

After twelve days of preparation, Ren Anran thought everything was in perfect order and all that remained was for everyone to work together.

However, Ren Yisheng's reinforcements failed to be contacted, the communication check failed directly, and now even the puppet Grand Council Speaker Grean, whom they had prepared, has fallen into the hands of others.

A series of events followed, and things didn't go as smoothly as expected.

"Given the lack of oversight at the first communications post in Branpeda, the communications facilities there could collapse at any time. If we can't issue a televised address to inform the whole country, whatever we do in Branpeda won't get out, and the fighting will continue in other regions!"

"Xuezhou is right, we must finish this quickly!"

Ren Anran pondered for a few seconds.

She called out to Zhang Manqian, then ran out as well.

"Wait for me!"

Zhang Manqian, having given away her money, waved her hand; Ren Anran was nowhere to be seen.

"How can someone jump from the Fifth Sequence to the Seventh Sequence? I never had that feeling before?"

Zhang Manqian let out a long breath, feeling that her body was not progressing at a fast pace. Each advancement was only achieved through extensive practice, and she didn't know how long she would have to wait to reach the Sixth Sequence.

"Hey, you students, come here right now! I'm Pozier, the Chief of the City Guard. You've all been selected for temporary conscription. This is my identification. I hope you'll cooperate!"

Zhang Manqian had just finished handing out 5,000 yuan to each person when she heard hurried footsteps in the distance. Soon after, someone quickly joined their group.

Pozier looked to be about forty years old, with some gray hair.

His left arm hung limply downwards, bound by two boards in front and behind him, and bloodstains remained on his face.

The gloom between his brows clearly indicated that this former high-ranking official of the Aomeijia Alliance was having a hard time, and had even fallen so low as to have to go out and conscript men himself.