Mini World Game Console-Chapter 684 - 685: Invade and Learn Chinese Well
February 19th, Lantern Festival.
After dinner at the restaurant, Ren's mother went home. On the way, she stopped by the supermarket to buy two packs of glutinous rice balls and a box of fresh milk—one pack with black sesame filling and the other with peanut filling. Back at home, she heated the milk, added some sugar, and then put the glutinous rice balls in to cook, making Ren Suo next door cry with envy.
Having glutinous rice balls any other way is heresy; they must be had with milk.
Thus, the entire family of four and their cat gathered around the dining table to eat glutinous rice balls. After letting the Black Cat try some, Ren Suo discovered that the Black Cat, like himself, was a devoted fan of the black sesame filling, so Ren's mother served the cat a bowl.
Although Ren's father, Ren's mother, and Ren Xingmei didn't mention it, they had noticed the Black Cat clinging to Ren Suo was quite extraordinary. The biggest oddity was that Ren Suo never had to act as a poop-scooper, as there was no poop to scoop. The cat litter tray Ren's mother bought, therefore, could only be listed for sale on a second-hand app.
Besides, the Black Cat was particularly understanding, clever, and smart. It had no dietary restrictions and even showed a distinct fondness for sweets like ice cream. If anyone else saw this, they would surely think the Ren Family was mistreating the cat.
"Are you all going back to the academy together to register tomorrow?" Ren's mother suddenly remembered and asked.
"Yeah," Ren Suo and his sister exchanged a look and nodded. "My little sis goes back to school on the 21st to register. I have to register a day earlier, on the 20th, so we're going together."
"Is your luggage ready?"
"Not yet, I'll sort it out in a bit."
"Since that's the case, Xing Mei, why don't you stay one more day with Mom?" Ren's mother said earnestly. "You'll just be idling away if you go too early, and you'll be all alone in the dormitory. How lonely would that be…"
"No, I'm staying at my brother's place tomorrow," Ren Xingmei said.
Ren's mother blinked. "…I suddenly really feel like having some boneless pickled fish with you tomorrow, Xing Mei. Stay here, let your brother go by himself."
Ren Suo took out his phone. "I'm also a bit hungry. There should still be innocent pickled fish available for delivery now…"
Ren's mother clicked her tongue. "Eat, eat, eat, all you know is eating! Besides being able to bring a few girlfriends home, what else can you do?"
Ren Suo was so stumped by his mother's words he momentarily couldn't tell if she was criticizing or praising him.
Feeling something was off about his mother, he changed the subject. "Mom, it's the peak period for going back to school now, with dense crowds. Isn't it good for Xing Mei and me to go back together? We can look out for each other. Don't worry, my guest room is very clean. My little sis is used to it."
Looking out for each other, looking out all the way to the bed, huh!
Ren's mother had noticed some signs long ago. But, much like trusting that a sow wouldn't climb a tree or an ironwood tree wouldn't bloom, she had complete confidence in Ren Suo. Several months ago, she had even asked him to take good care of his sister.
However, now the sow was climbing trees and the ironwood tree was blooming: Ren Suo had indeed found girlfriends! Although Ren Suo still seemed clueless, he had somehow become enlightened about emotional matters. Once this happened, he'd gained insight into three or four relationships simultaneously. Another one wouldn't even be surprising.
But this was all her own speculation, without any solid proof. Moreover, Ren Suo currently seemed wholeheartedly devoted to his girlfriends; he looked quite safe.
So, in the end, Ren's mother relaxed and advised, "Then take extra care of your sister. Don't let her suffer any harm."
Ren's mother emphasized the last part of the sentence, but naturally, Ren Suo couldn't tell. "Mom, don't worry. With me there, no one can hurt her!"
It's precisely because you're there that I'm not at ease at all!
After finishing the milk glutinous rice balls, Ren Suo went back to his room to pack his luggage and get the gifts ready. At that moment, Ren Xingmei came over and asked, "Brother, have you bought the tickets?"
"Hm? No, I haven't bought tickets; let's just take a taxi."
"By taxi?" Ren Xingmei was startled. "That'll cost quite a bit... Oh, is it because of Luna?"
Ren Suo nodded. Cats couldn't take high-speed trains, and he didn't trust shipping her, so he had no choice but to take a taxi, bringing the Black Cat all the way from Baiyun to Lianjiang.
"Those moments I tore open half a mile of this morning's murky universe, with three feet of blue light revolving to cleanse the smog~"
The phone suddenly rang. Ren Xingmei conscientiously left the room. Ren Suo glanced at the caller ID, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth, as he answered, "Cheng Ling, Happy Lantern Festival."
"Happy Lantern Festival," Dong Chengling replied with a laugh. "Have you had lantern festival sweet dumplings yet?"
"No, our family eats tangyuan. Don't you?"
"My mom is from the north; we've always eaten lantern festival dumplings since I was a child. They have a different texture from tangyuan. What filling do you like?"
"Black sesame filling."
"I also like black sesame filling."
Ren Suo felt a stir in his heart and asked, "I'm returning to Lianjiang tomorrow. Can you make some for me?"
Dong Chengling seemed slightly taken aback on the other end but soon laughed. "Sure, and it might not even have to be tomorrow. How are you planning on going back to Lianjiang, by high-speed train?"
"Um, I plan to take a taxi back with my sister, since I'm bringing a cat," Ren Suo said as he petted the little head of the Black Cat, who was looking at a tablet next to him.
"Suo, would you like to experience the convenience of Spatial Movement?"
Meanwhile, in the Federation, California, West Foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park, the sun shone brightly at noon.
The makeshift camp that had been set up a few days ago had now transformed into a modernized military restricted area.
After all, the Federation does not celebrate the Spring Festival; they have Christmas holidays instead. Therefore, in February, there were no efficiency issues with the military. They had spent a fortnight demarcating a restricted area around the space distortion phenomenon, erected electric barbed wires, dug trenches, set up weapons, and several corps had been pulled nearby for training, as if an enemy might drop straight from the sky into their encirclement.
Mr. You sat cross-legged on a velvet Taiji mat, meditating with his eyes closed. This Taiji mat was Mysterious Country's latest spiritual research product, equivalent to a portable Spiritual Energy Aggregation Device. The Taiji patterned velvet cover was a customized skin that Mr. You had purchased separately.
"Mr. You, the meeting starts in five minutes."
Hearing the voice of the Huanghe Cultivator Chen Liao, Mr. You opened his eyes, exhaling a ten-inch-long, sword-like white breath. He then stood up, his entire body cracking like a tractor's roaring engine, as if a giant dragon had awakened.
Then he relaxed his body. His shoulders slumped, his back slightly bowed, and his neck protected. His aura shifted from that of a majestic dragon to a cunning hyena; all his power was concealed, and all his vital points protected. He casually slipped on a long-sleeved sports jacket and walked out, asking, "Who's here? There's quite a stench."
"Please be a bit more polite," Chen Liao remarked, already accustomed to Mr. You's astonishing Perception. He grinned ruefully. "C-rank Pallbearer Aurora Roy, leading the Pallbearer team, is here."
"Aurora Roy, the one Old Chuan thrashed like a dog?" Mr. You curled his lips, but his expression grew slightly more serious.
Aurora Roy, the team leader of the Pallbearer group, held a position similar to that of Watcher Angel Zack. Last September, Aurora Roy infiltrated Mysterious Country on a secret mission and was caught by the combined assault of Immortal Palace Explorers and the three-thousand-li section of the Great Wall. He was captured by Mysterious Country's government, and the Federation had paid a hefty price to ransom him back.
Unlike the Watchers, who needed to maintain a reputation and uphold standards, the Pallbearers stopped at nothing in their missions, acting as the dark guardians of the Federation. This term, the Federal Government was able to suppress the conglomerates decisively, acting with authority, largely due to the Pallbearers and Watchers: Angel Zack protected the president, while Aurora Roy did the dirty work. Over the course of a year, dozens of senior executives from various consortia had mysteriously died, yet not a ripple stirred among the public. This was because a daring newspaper that had criticized the government's actions was destroyed by "demons and ghosts," and all its staff perished.
The existence of balance was due to "you dare not, I dare not." But now, with a government to which Zack and Roy were loyal, encountering a president who aspired to be a historical figure, the government's attitude transformed into "just try me." Of course, the Federation's maneuvering was still artfully relaxed, so its cohesion had almost reached a historical peak.
The Watchers are the shield, and the Pallbearers are the knife. Now that the Federation had dispatched its "knives," it was evident they were prepared for a storm of blood and violence.
Upon reaching the meeting tent, You Jiu entered and said, "Hey, isn't this Aurora Roy who spent a month in our prison?"
Roy gave him a look and casually responded in Chinese, "Isn't this the Taoist You Jiu who got kicked out to work during the festival? It must be the Lantern Festival back in Mysterious Country, right? Don't worry, we've prepared sweet rice balls for you so you can feel at home here."
In terms of sharp tongues, You Jiu was no match for Roy, who was accustomed to dirty work.
Chen Liao immediately tensed up, partly worried that You Jiu might explode, and partly worried about him getting provoked. In fact, he too sensed that the Great Wall might be implying something of that sort. However, it had been necessary to send a Fourth-Stage Cultivator to the Federation, and You Jiu was indeed a very suitable choice.
However, You Jiu was not angry. Instead, he sat down and said with a chuckle, "Getting kicked out is better than getting beaten. Your Watcher leader and Pallbearer leader are famous for being beaten every day; I greatly admire that."
Aside from Victor, who covered his mouth to hold back laughter, the other Watchers and Pallbearers glared at You Jiu with anger. Angel Zack and Aurora Roy had appeared in Ren Naiser's videos, and in every instance, they were on the receiving end of a beating. This was almost a disgrace for the Federal Transcendent, and with You Jiu pointing this out so bluntly, everyone's Qi Cyclone was about to erupt.
If it were Angel Zack, a fight might have already started, but You Jiu wouldn't have dared to be so sharp-tongued if Angel Zack had been present.
The typically reticent but formidable Aurora Roy, after a brief verbal exchange with him, lost interest and stated directly, "The frequency of spatial cuts has increased to once every three hours, and the concentration of Spiritual Energy has risen by another 1.2%. This area is likely to become the main battlefield as prophesied. We need personnel assistance from Mysterious Country."
"Impossible," You Jiu denied without a second thought. "Don't we face the possibility of airborne attacks back home? My presence here is already a big favor to you!"
"Your area actually faces no risk of airborne attacks," Roy responded, turning his laptop toward You Jiu. "According to intelligence gathered by the Six Great Supernatural Organizations, spatial distortions are occurring globally. The Federation's Yosemite area experiences the most frequent occurrences. Other areas have them to varying degrees. However, information from the Tactical Bureau indicated that most regions in Mysterious Country showed no spatial distortions, with only slight fluctuations in the northern grasslands."
"…Maybe it's a feint," You Jiu retorted stubbornly, though he inwardly wondered why the entire world was experiencing spatial distortions while Mysterious Country remained so stable.
"Not sending troops is acceptable." However, Roy hadn't expected that a few words would persuade Mysterious Country to dispatch tactical-level combat power. "But Mysterious Country possesses knowledge of Space Series spells; shouldn't that be shared with the Federation? The Federation is now facing an invasion from another dimension, and their spatial technology is capable enough to break through space itself. We urgently need this technological assistance. The Federation has officially requested help from Mysterious Country, hoping you, You Jiu, can help report back on the situation here."
You Jiu opened his mouth, finally blurting out, "…I will."
He was no politician; he couldn't spout nonsense like "it's just a prophecy that hasn't happened yet." If an Otherworldly Invasion were indeed to occur, based on the current situation, the Federation was certainly the most likely to become the main battlefield.
Otherwise, the Great Wall wouldn't have sent him.
If a war truly occurred, it would concern all of humanity. By that time, let alone technology, the Great Wall of Mysterious Country might just become the Great Wall of the entire universe.
"But will we make it in time?" You Jiu shook his head. "Given the current situation, even if a True Blue-Eyed White Dragon appeared the next second, I wouldn't be surprised. The rise in Spiritual Energy concentration and the intensification of spatial distortions suggest that another dimension is almost intersecting with our universe."
"No one knows the situation," Roy stated. "Whether they can only appear through a specific Space Gate, or whether they will deploy troops randomly across Earth; whether they intend to use war as a means of initiating contact with Earth, or come with the purpose of annihilating mankind. We can't even be sure if the adversary is a carbon-based life form. We only know from the prophecy that our first contact will definitely begin with war."
"But if the adversary truly possessed perfect spatial traversal technology, we wouldn't have foreknowledge of their arrival through spatial distortions. This suggests their technology might be imperfect, perhaps needing more time to formally contact Earth. Moreover, for a significant event like dimensional contact, they would likely require certain conditions to ensure the opening between dimensions…"
"Maybe, perhaps, should?" You Jiu scoffed lightly.
"Facing an unknown threat, this is the best we can do," Roy said softly. "We don't know the enemy's strength, when they will appear, or where they will appear… We can only hope that Lady Luck is on our side."
"The Federation has fallen to the point of placing its hopes on luck?" You Jiu snorted with laughter.
Roy glanced at You Jiu. It's surprisingly easy to get information out of this idiot. The Federation had long suspected that Mysterious Country held a controllable trump card. They even suspected Mysterious Country had acquired the inheritance of the Fairy Palace, which enabled them to construct such a comprehensive system of spell learning.
Now You Jiu's confidence was, without a doubt, derived from the trump card that Mysterious Country had always hidden. Furthermore, based on personality model analysis, You Jiu's tone revealed his immense pride in this trump card. Given that You Jiu was a staunch 'humanity-first,' or perhaps 'Mysterious Country-first,' nationalist, the trump card was likely intrinsically linked to Mysterious Country...
In an instant, the image of an Immortal—aloof from worldly joys and sorrows, enigmatic, transcending the mundane, and soaring aloft to immortality, serenely detached from worldly affairs—appeared in Roy's mind.
Suppressing the urge to continue probing, Roy took out two documents. "If the enemy is overwhelming and the Federation is unable to resist, we naturally have a final recourse, for which we will need the cooperation of the Mysterious Country government."
"Oh?" You Jiu slightly raised an eyebrow, thinking that the Federation indeed had a trump card, even a last resort. Coming to the Federation was really the right move, to draw out all their secrets...
However, when You Jiu took a look at the documents, his face immediately fell.
Both documents were written in Chinese, with titles that were easy to understand:
"World Tree Assistance Plan"
"Fairy Palace Assistance Plan"
Incredible! So their so-called trump card is to admit defeat and then call for daddy's help!?
Noticing the strange expression on You Jiu's face, Roy spread his hands and said, "It can't be helped. The only powers capable of aiding the Federation now, apart from Mysterious Country, are the lofty Fairy Palace and the World Tree. Not to mention, if we can take this opportunity to establish diplomatic relations with these transcendent forces, it would all be worthwhile."
You Jiu's mouth twitched. Although he felt the Federation was quite cowardly, Roy's argument was rather logical. After all, the World Tree and the Fairy Palace had rarely missed any global crisis. This time, the chances of them intervening were extremely high. If he could make connections with them through this...
Then I'll have the chance to meet the Queen again!
Thinking this, You Jiu handed the plans to Chen Liao beside him, saying, "Alright, if war hasn't broken out by the time I get back and turn on my computer, I'll seriously discuss this plan with my superiors back home…"
VREEEEE—
A sound like tens of thousands of mosquitoes buzzing simultaneously erupted; though not shrill, it was startling!
In the conference room, the instrument measuring Spiritual Energy concentration exploded!
The faces of You Jiu and Roy changed as they shouted, "Get out of here—"
But the next second, the walls and ceiling of the temporary conference room were torn apart by blood-red Gang Qi resembling claw marks! The Spiritual Energy exploded continuously in the wake of the blood-red Gang Qi, instantly turning the temporary conference room into rubble!
A humanoid warrior, encased in silver War Armor, landed gently on the debris. He looked down at the wreckage, a disdainful snort sounding from beneath his faceplate. He shouted something in a language Earthlings couldn't understand, then sharp Bloodclaw Radiance flared from his ten fingers as he prepared to rush to other battlefields—
CRASH!
A hand suddenly reached out from the debris and accurately grabbed the Silver Armored Warrior's neck, slamming him harshly to the ground!
The man in a tracksuit who emerged from the rubble moved like a dragon flipping its body. With a loud bang, he directly blasted away the other debris, allowing other Transcendent beings buried in the wreckage to immediately ready themselves for combat!
"You Jiu, I owe you one!" Aurora Roy shouted, transforming into a streak of light to quickly provide support on other battlefields!
At this moment, the military restricted zone was already engulfed in flames!
The Silver Armored Warrior roared, his blood-red claws slashing viciously at You Jiu. However, they could not penetrate You Jiu's Spiritual Energy Cloak! 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
Then, seeming quite astonished, he stopped his assault and began chattering rapidly. You Jiu listened for a moment and then grew utterly impatient. "Just learn Chinese properly, you damn invader! I can't understand your bird language!"
You Jiu spat contemptuously at the Silver Armored Warrior, a glob of saliva shaped like a white Flying Sword!
