Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 687: The Choice Between Ascension and Expansion_1

"Wang, the Ascension plan can't wait much longer!"

One month after the defeat of the Sky-Devouring Huge Beast, Hu Da sought out Wang Linchi. He had visited various places in the Qiandao Realm to verify Wang Linchi's claims and found no falsehood in them. At this rate, the entire Qiandao Realm would face not only a population problem but also a resource problem. After transforming into Merit Giants, their needs were not eliminated. Although they no longer needed food, they still consumed resources for Growth, daily entertainment, and other aspects of life, mainly due to their colossal size. Therefore, after investigating, Hu Da found the situation to be very serious. Even more severe than what Wang Linchi had said.

A hundred years? That's the limit set by the population problem. In reality, in about five years, there will be a scarcity of resources, leading to many conflicts. It's quite clear what will happen next. It would lead to civil war.

"It seems you've identified a big problem. But even if you want to speed things up, it's not that easy," Wang Linchi said helplessly. "Starting again from scratch can't be done on a whim. I haven't even figured out where to begin."

Of course, he was lying to Hu Da. Wang Linchi not only had ideas, but he also had plans. However, the timing was not right yet, so he couldn't rush things.

Some things should only be revealed when they hit rock bottom. Only then will the other party grasp this lifeline. If you reveal it too early, they might carefully consider it and even suspect you're trying to trap them.

Hu Da didn't question Wang Linchi's explanation. He empathized, understanding that such a major issue was not easy to resolve immediately.

"Is there any way other than ramming the Qiandao Realm into the Green Nether Fairyland?" Hu Da hesitated for a moment before asking.

Wang Linchi stated seriously, "Of course there is."

Hu Da's spirits lifted. He had only asked tentatively and hadn't expected Wang Linchi to actually have a solution. This was indeed unexpected.

"Really?" Hu Da quickly sought confirmation. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Yes, as real as gold," Wang Linchi confirmed, not deceiving him. However, his next words threw cold water on Hu Da's excitement. "If we can make the Qiandao Realm as large as the Green Nether Fairyland, then we won't need to go there."

"How can we do that?" Hu Da listened. That's actually a good idea, he thought. Instead of relying on others, it's better to expand our own realm.

"I don't know," Wang Linchi gave his 'flawless' answer.

He actually knew. It would simply involve raising the world's upper limit, energy level, volume, and so on. The quickest method, naturally, would be to target other worlds. By devouring other worlds and quickly digesting them, it could grow. As for the method used in the previous world—achieving Growth through the trade mechanisms of Virtue Currency—that could also work. However, the Qiandao Realm definitely wouldn't last that long. Even if it could, I would never let the Qiandao Realm survive.

"Huh?" Hu Da was rendered somewhat speechless by Wang Linchi's reply. What kind of answer is 'I don't know'? How can you just say you don't know?

"Enough with the 'huhs'. Why would you think I'd know how to enlarge a world? I'm just giving you a suggestion, meaning you need to figure it out yourself. I still have to manage the Ascension plan," Wang Linchi said.

"Since there's another option, then let's not bother with the Ascension plan! Let's directly implement the Qiandao Realm Expansion Plan!" Hu Da suggested, thinking himself quite clever.

"Fine, then I'll leave it to you." Wang Linchi clapped Hu Da on the shoulder. "Good, I can continue my retirement and just wait to reap the benefits." He said this with an air of approval, as if to say, Not bad, kid. You actually know how to help share the burden.

"Wang, you're letting me handle this?" Hu Da was completely taken aback; he had never expected Wang Linchi to say such a thing.

"That's right. Since you proposed it, you should be the one to do it. I don't know anything about any Qiandao Realm Expansion Plan," Wang Linchi said matter-of-factly. "The Ascension plan, at least, has some prior basis. There's some reference material, so I barely know where to begin. But your Qiandao Realm Expansion Plan is something you just cooked up on the spur of the moment. I have no idea what to do, so even if you asked me, I couldn't do it. So, you proposing it and then not doing it, expecting me to do it instead—isn't that a bit much?"

I'm not going to indulge him. Does he really think we have a superior-subordinate relationship? That I have to jump every time he opens his mouth? The Ascension plan involves my interests, which is why I'm willing to help. Of course, I'm deliberately giving him some hope. When that hope shatters, this lifeline I offer will seem even more valuable. Everything is relative.

"That... makes sense. I'll look into it when I get back. As for your Ascension Plan, Wang..." Hu Da trailed off, considering. He wanted both plans to proceed simultaneously, but these two initiatives weren't just a matter of words; they required a massive investment of resources, and resources were already stretched thin; they likely couldn't support both.

"So, you're saying we don't need to do it, right? Excellent. I was waiting for you to say that." Seeing Hu Da hesitate and trail off, Wang Linchi jumped in to finish his sentence.

"No, Wang! Why are you always trying to shirk responsibility?" Hu Da grabbed Wang Linchi, who was about to leave.

"I've already retired! If you have a better plan, you certainly don't need me. You can't expect me to lose sleep over these things even in retirement, can you?" Wang Linchi said, his voice heavy with grievance.

This made Hu Da give a wry smile. In the end, he could only say, "It's not that we don't do it; we *must* continue. This is in case our Qiandao Realm Expansion Plan fails, leaving us completely trapped in the Qiandao Realm."

"Are you sure? Don't be impulsive, saying one thing now and another later. There are no take-backs from here on out." Wang Linchi knew Hu Da would naturally prioritize the expansion plan.

The idea is good, but a clever housewife can't cook without rice. The entire Qiandao Realm is under the control of the Green Nether Fairyland; there's simply no way to break free. Indeed, due to the Qiandao Realm's own problems, they are currently exempt from sending tribute to the Green Nether Fairyland. But that doesn't mean the Green Nether Fairyland will permit the Qiandao Realm to expand. Moreover, this isn't just any expansion. It's an expansion to the point of being on par with the Green Nether Fairyland. How could the Green Nether Fairyland possibly allow that?

"Don't worry, Wang. A word once spoken cannot be retracted by a team of four horses." Hu Da had never intended to go back on his word. He chose the Qiandao Realm Expansion Plan primarily because the Ascension plan was currently at zero progress, and no one knew how things would develop. After all, Wang Linchi himself had said they had to start from scratch. So, what if the Ascension plan failed?

As for the resource issue, we can only grit our teeth and supply everything. What other choice do we have? He understood that this was a fight for survival, not a game. If both plans failed, chaos would be inevitable; it would just be a matter of sooner or later. Conversely, exposing the problem now and uniting everyone from top to bottom might actually offer a chance of success. Trying to hide it and cover things up while reallocating resources would easily lead to shortages, and then the problem would become severe.

"Since you're confident, I'll play along. However, this way, I'm afraid everyone will face shortages of food and clothing," Wang Linchi said gravely.

Of course, I don't care. My goal is just to have the Qiandao Realm crash into the Green Nether Fairyland. It only needs a little push, so the resources consumed aren't actually that great. It can be done regardless. Using an engine to provide thrust versus using the Impact of an explosion for thrust—it's just a difference in process; the overall effect is the same. Of course, the consequences are different. A high-investment engine-assisted thrust is definitely safer. With a low-investment Impact-assisted thrust, I can only guarantee the result, not how the process unfolds. If you pay one dollar, you get one dollar's worth of effect. You can't expect to pay one dollar and get a hundred million dollars' worth of feedback, can you? For an old miser like me, it's impossible to pay out of my own pocket. Anyway, there are high-level and low-level plans. I've provided the options; how they choose is up to them. I won't interfere.

"We're all Merit Giants now. We won't die without eating. It's not about lacking clothes or food; at most, it just means less entertainment." Hu Da knew that for Merit Giants, food was never a necessity. They ate more for the enjoyment of flavor—the sight, smell, and taste—not because they truly needed sustenance. If they truly needed food, the amount of resources required would be astronomical. An adult steer would only be the size of their palm. One can only imagine how much food each person would need to consume daily. Under normal circumstances, the Qiandao Realm could certainly not support so many Merit Giants.