Hunting Action?!
"What do you mean by this?!"
Ouyang Xuan stood up in shock, looking at Qin Luo, who was smiling calmly.
Was this guy insane?
In this era, with spiritual energy just beginning to recover,
the overall strength of modern martial artists was far inferior to that of ancient martial artists.
If a war broke out, they would undoubtedly be the ones to lose.
Even if they had Transcenders among them, it still wouldn’t be enough to bridge the gap in overall strength!
Seeing Ouyang Xuan’s shocked expression, Qin Luo couldn’t help but mock, "Hey, hey, hey, Ouyang, can you stop being so dramatic?"
"You’re supposed to be on the same level as me. Your reaction is making me feel embarrassed for you."
"Or are you telling me you’re actually okay with being overshadowed by those ancient sects?"
"Think about it," Qin Luo continued slowly, "Those ancient prodigies are all arrogant. What do you think their first move will be after they emerge?"
What would they do...
Ouyang Xuan thought for a moment and frowned, "Expand their influence?"
In this era of spiritual energy recovery, ancient ruins were constantly emerging.
The larger your sphere of influence, the more opportunities you could seize.
This was especially true for those ancient sects.
They were nothing like the modern world.
Back then, they would launch battles over even the smallest resources.
Now that they’ve finally reemerged, do you think they’ll hold back?
"Exactly, they’ll fight for territory," Qin Luo said with a faint smile, giving Ouyang Xuan a meaningful look. "So, Ouyang, if a war between ancient sects breaks out, who do you think will be the most affected?"
[Whispers of the Wind! Activate!]
As Ouyang Xuan listened, his expression grew increasingly serious. "Us...?"
"Exactly. To them, modern martial artists are nothing more than ants they can crush at will."
"Every one of them is a martial artist, but we still have many ordinary people among us."
"Do you think they’ll care about the civilians in our alliance once they’re caught up in their own battles?"
Ouyang Xuan’s eyes widened slightly. Would they?
The answer was undoubtedly no.
But...
He hesitated, repeating, "The leader said they’re not our enemies. They wouldn’t..."
*Slap!*
"Ugh—!"
Before he could finish, Qin Luo backhanded him across the face, leaving Ouyang Xuan stunned.
"Idiot!" Qin Luo’s previously calm expression turned furious as he scolded, "Even a childhood betrothal that’s been in place for over a decade can be broken off so easily these days!"
"And you’re still clinging to some alliance agreement that’s tens of thousands of years old?!"
"Even if they’re willing to honor it, what about the distribution of benefits? What about the inevitable injustices that will arise? Was any of that specified in the agreement?"
"Ouyang Xuan, wake up! You’re the acting head of the General Department now!"
"Every decision you make affects the safety of people worldwide!"
"If you keep pinning your hopes on some vague, ancient alliance agreement... then I can’t accept someone like you as the acting head."
*Boom!*
A thunderclap seemed to explode in Ouyang Xuan’s mind.
He held his reddened cheek, staring blankly at Qin Luo.
Forget about the slap for a moment.
What Qin Luo said actually made sense.
It had been tens of thousands of years since the ancient era.
Did they even remember the so-called alliance?
Even if they did, what about the finer details?
Would they abide by them?
Hah...
Let’s be realistic. Even now, inequality exists among people.
How much worse would it be with ancient sects that prioritize strength above all else?
As Ouyang Xuan thought this through, his eyes grew increasingly uncertain.
The leader’s words were never wrong.
But...
Qin Luo’s argument wasn’t without merit.
[Whispers of the Wind continues to activate.]
Seeing Ouyang Xuan’s conflicted expression, Qin Luo sighed and walked over to him.
He patted Ouyang Xuan’s shoulder and comforted him, "Uncle Ouyang, I know you’re feeling lost right now."
"You’re questioning whether the leader you respect and trust so much could be wrong."
"Let me make this clear to you."
"The leader you respect so much isn’t wrong."
The leader... isn’t wrong?
Ouyang Xuan looked at Qin Luo in confusion, "What do you mean?"
Qin Luo patiently explained, "What I mean is, the leader of the General Department is someone who always prioritizes the bigger picture."
"So why would he bother with, or even care about, such trivial details?"
That’s right...
The leader focused on the entire world and wouldn’t concern himself with minor details.
Ouyang Xuan recalled the leader’s usual demeanor.
He always seemed detached from worldly affairs, with his sole goal being to gather Transcenders and prepare for potential future crises.
Beyond that, he rarely involved himself in the alliance’s day-to-day matters.
Qin Luo continued, "That’s why leaders are leaders."
“All he has to do is sit there and talk about the big picture, while we, the people working under him, have to consider so much more.”
“After all...”
Qin Luo weighed the photos of the major sects taken on the table and said seductively, “Peace, peace, alliances, alliances.”
“Isn’t us annexing the sects also a form of peace?”
“I suspect the leader probably wants to gather more manpower to resist what might happen in the future.”
“So, wouldn’t annexing the ancient sects achieve the same effect?”
Ouyang Xuan: !!!
One second, two seconds, three seconds!
Ouyang Xuan’s expression gradually shifted from confusion to shock.
He turned to look at Qin Luo.
Why does it sound... kind of reasonable?
No... wait...
Ouyang Xuan shook his head, took a deep breath, and said, “What you’re saying makes some sense, but how do we bridge the gap in strength?”
He clenched his fist. “If a war breaks out, modern martial artists would definitely be no match for them.”
Hearing this, Qin Luo knew the matter was almost settled.
He chuckled lightly. “Who said anything about a war breaking out? Or rather, who told you that we’d be the ones dealing with those sects?”
Ouyang Xuan looked at Qin Luo in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“It’s simple.”
Qin Luo tapped the table, staring at Ouyang Xuan as he spoke seriously, “Form the [Destiny Squad] to hunt down... the prodigies of the sects!”
“The ancient sects are already full of undercurrents. All we need to do is play the role of the shadowy hand pushing things along from behind the scenes.”
“I believe someone at headquarters has a system that can perfectly cover up the methods of killing.”
“Uncle Ouyang.”
Qin Luo patted the shocked Ouyang Xuan on the shoulder, a hint of something inexplicable in his eyes as he said slowly, “Framing and shifting blame might seem a bit underhanded.”
“But...”
“You don’t want modern civilization to be slowly devoured and annexed by the ancient sects, do you?”
Buzz—!
As soon as these words were spoken, Ouyang Xuan’s mind went completely blank.
After a long moment of contemplation, he said, “Alright, you decide on the specifics of how to proceed.”
“Also...”
Ouyang Xuan looked at Qin Luo and said solemnly, “In three days, representatives of the sects in the mortal world will arrive at the headquarters building. To show our commitment to peace, we’ll exchange sect disciples and alliance members.”
“Oh?”
This was the first time Qin Luo had heard of this.
Isn’t this just like an exchange program?
Hmm?
Exchange program...
Qin Luo seemed to think of something, and the corner of his mouth curled up. “Reserve one of the exchange spots for me.”
“Who?”
“Our little sister-in-law.”
Ouyang Xuan: !!!