Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 897: Chapter 716: The Gathering Storm

Under the witness of relatives from numerous high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and Ministry of Land, the long-prepared ceremony by the Light Illumination’s Church concluded perfectly with the unique plot of the Sacred Monk subduing the demon.

After beating the Holy Woman unconscious, Sanship Longma began to laugh wildly skyward: ”Holy Woman, I want you to assist me in training!”

Fortunately, before he could kill all those fake believers like Hell Demon Envoy and Demon Master Monster, the arriving Sublimators finally intervened from the shadows, putting an end to this farce.

And when the Holy Lord, who was in a secretive discussion with a certain official in the conference room, learned of this matter, ten minutes had already passed—exactly when this video reached over a thousand views on YouTube.

In just an hour, before the Light Illumination’s Church could leverage their connections to remove it, and aided by those with vested interests, this video, dubbed ’Dragon Master Demonstrates Online Demon Subjugation,’ garnered tens of thousands of likes and shares, with views nearing a million, not to mention an unknown download count.

No wonder ’Fujimoto Movie’ is considered top-tier in the industry, with personnel fully trained, state-of-the-art equipment, rapid filming and editing, and extremely cunning angles, especially the brief fight scenes which evoke a profound and lingering feeling.

Every tear drop seemed to bring a heavy echo inside the heart.

Portraying the Sacred Monk’s Iron Fist and the Monster’s confession perfectly.

At the end of the video, upon the suggestion of Chiba Ryouni, the Drug Expulsion Alliance’s logo and emblem were affixed. As one of the five bosses, he endorsed everything for the Huaizhi Gang, solving all of their concerns.

Minor concerns like the Tiger King Group were trivial.

After laughing so hard his abs seized, the first thing Chiba Ryouni did after wiping his tears with his sleeve was to grab Tobio’s hand, aiming to bring the Huaizhi Gang over to his side.

”Take whatever you want, old man, you don’t really care, right? But don’t think about asking for sky-high prices.”

”That’s the new blood I have high hopes for in the Alliance, the future backbone, how could I just hand them over like that.” Tobio’s eyes widened in disbelief and said, ”You’re underestimating my regard for the Alliance a bit, aren’t you?”

”Oh please, you petty old thing, he humiliated your Envoy publicly, if it were your old self, you’d probably have packed them up and sold them to the Iron King Party and those Russian Federation Men.”

Chiba Ryouni sneered, lifted his eyes seriously and said: ”Such talent will find no success under an old guy like you who’s all about rules. Why not give them a chance?”

”Hey, Ryouni, I’ve watched you grow up, calling me an old guy repeatedly—isn’t that a bit disrespectful?”

”Just because I grew up hearing tales about you, doesn’t mean I can respect you from my heart.” Chiba Ryouni raised his eyebrows and looked over: ”Besides, looking at your current appearance of waiting for a higher offer, aren’t you scheming something?”

”To be frank, my original plan was to use this opportunity hoping that you might cast a vote for me in the meeting two days from now. If you want anything else it’s fine, but Ryouni, not this—Huaizhi Gang cannot be given.”

The old man scratched his head with a fan, troubled: ”That child Lihua, recently she’s inexplicably interested in that good-looking guy. Well, she’s reached that age... Ah, of course, I’m not one to break up pairs, but for the upcoming collaboration between the two families to last, it’s best not to have unnecessary friction from the start, right?”

”Hey, are you serious? That child Lihua?” Chiba Ryouni expressed incredulity, ”You’re not shameless enough to lie about this, right?”

”In any case, you don’t need to worry about young people’s affairs—I’ve got it covered here.”

Tobio waved his hand and said: ”Besides, I’d rather you focus on the situation outside than just pursuing women, after all, you’re a Hybrid, don’t think you can stay out of it, okay?”

”It depends on what you want to discuss, there’s too much trouble lately...” Chiba Ryouni rubbed his brow in frustration, ”This is different from my personal affairs and reputation, don’t expect me to offer much for it.”

”Isn’t the Chiba meeting also overwhelmed? No progress in the All Spirits Drug issue yet?”

Chiba shrugged: ”Caught thousands of fake drug dealers, the fingers chopped off are enough to open a cookie factory, but no real leads were found, embarrassing.”

Perhaps a few months ago, when Matsumoto Genichiro privately sought help from the five bosses, news regarding the All Spirits Drug covertly spread within the Tanbo Inner Circle.

A medicine that can cure Hybrids.

Many spoke convincingly, but most were rumors without anyone having really seen it. Even the shape and color had dozens of different versions, from pills, injectables, decoctions, to suppository versions.

Effects varied greatly, claiming to cure AIDS, treat colds, cure Hybrid complications... In fact, thanks to the active fake drug dealers, such rumors practically emerged every year, heard month by month.

Even the Hybrids themselves knew they were incurable.

But this time it was different, because the spies of the five bosses discovered it was truly effective.

A Hybrid in the late stages of various complications, left with just one breath, lying on the street—someone threw him a pill saying it would heal and it actually did.

He ran around full of energy, healthy enough to kill a cow.

Then mysteriously disappeared, a full-grown person, evaporated within the Tanbo Inner Circle.

Though numerous people vanished annually in the Tanbo Inner Circle, without the approval of the five bosses, it was rare for someone to vanish on their own...

Now, amidst these looming storm clouds, every alliance executive felt immense pressure.

Everyone had long anticipated.

Once the Order of Nothingness is issued, what kind of bloody storm will be faced?

”This time, let me lead, Chiba-kun.”

In the tea room, Tobio set down the fan, supporting the ground with both hands, and bowed respectfully to his junior, who was less than half his age, earnestly requesting, ”Besides this old man, there is no one more suitable.”

”Tenmoku Sōkai...”

In the silence, Chiba Ryouni sighed helplessly, ”Are you so desperate for power?”

”Yes, that’s right.”

The elderly man slowly raised his head, propped up his body, his face covered in wrinkles so calm, ”Because apart from me, no one else can do it. If this old man doesn’t step forward, wouldn’t that be the end?”

So audaciously speaking such self-righteous words, yet his eyes shone with fervent light.

”Leave it to me.”

He said so.

.

.

The next day, the envoy of the five big bosses came to visit again, respectfully expressing congratulations to Huai Shi, and on behalf of the five big bosses, expressed appreciation for the young man, recognized the existence and ability of the Huaizhi Gang, and left an invitation for the next day’s alliance meeting before departing.

At the same time, Lawrence arrived.

He handed Huai Shi two photographs.

”What is this?” Huai Shi restrained the urge of his twitching eyelids, inspecting the photographs in his hand, ”Who are these two people?”

”You don’t need to know, but it concerns the safety and interests of the hybrid mainland of the entire Yingzhou, no, the entire Current Circumstances—once you trace these two people, you need to report immediately. If verified, Green Day will not be stingy with any rewards or commendations.”

Lawrence extinguished his cigarette and spoke concisely, ”No matter what happens, Huai Shi, this is something you must accomplish as a member of Green Day, the importance of which I don’t need to stress further, do I?”

”... I probably, understand.”

Huai Shi tried to restrain his abnormality, showing only curiosity and confusion as if unrelated, raising the photo in his left hand, ”Who is this?”

Lawrence irritably took out a pack of cigarettes, lit another one, and told him, ”God City Future, a madman.”

”What about this one?”

Huai Shi raised the photo in his right hand, pointing to the man with a flamboyant smile, ”And who is this? The Cowherd who offended the five big bosses?”

In the silence, Lawrence’s expression suddenly became complicated, ”This is a dangerous character, Huai, the more you know, the worse it is for you. This has nothing to do with you, just telling you to be prepared for contingencies.”

”More than that, this is today’s highlight.”

He placed a heavy box in front of Huai Shi, ”This is originally the share of the Tiger King Group, we fought for it, and it’s handed over to you—have a good rest, tomorrow at the banquet I’ll introduce you to a few reliable people.”

After leaving behind a box of alchemical precious metals that pass through all borders, Lawrence turned around and left in a hurry.

In the silence, Huai Shi raised his palm and swept over the box, confirming there were no monitoring devices, instructed Takuma to place it in the safe, and returned to his bedroom at present in Huaizhi Corporation.

Finally, he lowered his head and looked at the photo in his hand.

He squinted his eyes, carefully discerning, trying to find any difference from the person in his memory, but finally discovered that the guy in the photo looked exactly like that idiot Liu DongLi!

”Damn it, why?”

He could only risk activating his phone, trying to dial his number, but it went unanswered for a long time, and the guy’s social media had stopped updating half a month ago.

Calling, no answer.

Sending a message, no reply.

In the silence, he lowered his head, scrutinized the two photos side by side on the table, feeling like there were one hundred thousand small questions in the minds of one hundred thousand small friends.

In the silence, Huai Shi closed his eyes and softly asked, ”Ai Qing, did you see it all?”

”Yes.”

The woman on the other end, who seemed to be online at all times, answered, ”I saw it all.”

”Is there something you’re hiding from me?”

”Are you referring to Liu DongLi being raised by Green Day’s Great Commander, the agreement previously signed between Green Day and the Jurisdiction Bureau, and that he’s been missing ever since he escaped the Astronomical Society’s surveillance?”

Ai Qing calmly and straightforwardly answered, ”Yes.”