"This isn't forging at all!"
"Oh? You were just released by the Flame-Chasers, and now, working to atone for your crimes, the very first thing you do isn't to fawn over me, the head of the engineering department, but to question me? You've got some nerve, Hajiwei..."
Chen Li stood on high with his arms crossed, looking down at Vill-V, who was looking up at him.
"For you to come up with a name like 'Hajiwei,' your family must have hired a real expert," Elysia retorted.
"Elysia, you've been corrupted by the group members in the Friends Circle. The Elysia I knew would never say something so heart-chilling," Chen Li said, looking at Elysia with disappointment.
"So, what's gotten into him? I've been gone for a while," Vill-V asked, standing beside Elysia and looking at Chen Li, who was standing completely unharmed on a flaming forge.
According to Chen Li, the forge-like thing beneath his feet was called a "Synthesis Platform," which could rapidly produce weapons by feeding it materials. Vill-V felt that weapons forged this way had no soul, hence her earlier comment. But on the other hand, the productivity of such a platform was truly outstanding. Vill-V felt like a textile worker seeing the spinning jenny for the first time.
After adjusting her mindset, Vill-V began to wonder: could she get Chen Li to forge a few more Synthesis Platforms?
"I have no idea. After we brought you back, Chen Li took a phone call and just turned into this happy-go-lucky guy, acting like he's the king of the world," Elysia said, shaking her head in confusion.
"Insolence! How dare you speak of this Emperor so presumptuously! Not even you, Noble Consort Ai, are permitted! Have you not heard that the imperial harem must not meddle in politics?"
"Weren't I the Empress just a moment ago? Why have I been demoted to a consort in such a short time?" Elysia frowned.
"You're actually taking him seriously?" Vill-V glanced at Elysia, surprised.
"If he wants to play, I'll play along," Elysia said with an indifferent shrug.
"What do you mean, 'play'? Consort, This Emperor does not understand your words. After This Emperor returns from His coronation ceremony, We shall deal with your transgression."
After checking a text message he'd received, Chen Li hopped down from the Synthesis Platform.
"Where are you going? Vill-V just got back. Shouldn't we be holding a welcome party?" Elysia asked.
"After this Emperor becomes the supreme ruler of the Flame-Chasers, and indeed the entire world, We will certainly hold a grand ceremony for Noble Lady Vill. But for now, This Emperor must truly attend His coronation." Chen Li tossed his phone to Elysia as he spoke.
After saying his piece, Chen Li crouched beside the Synthesis Platform and began setting the quantity and type of weapons for it to forge. The advantage of the Synthesis Platform was that as long as it had enough energy and materials, it could continuously and rapidly forge weapons. Moreover, thanks to Chen Li's professional trait, the forged weapons had a chance to gain special attributes like "Swift," "Powerful," and so on.
The initial probability was only 0.1%. After his profession reached level three, the probability rose to 0.4%—0.1% at level one, 0.2% at level two, 0.4% at level three. If this pattern held, by the time his profession reached level 11, he should be able to forge weapons with special attributes 100% of the time.
And because of the Longevity Pill deal, the Flame-Chasers had received a massive influx of resources from the United Nations. This time, Chen Li was synthesizing a batch of 100,000 weapons, which was projected to yield 400 weapons with special attributes.
These weapons were Chen Li's gift to the Previous Era. He held high hopes that they would acquire new and powerful Entries through the trials of time.
"Let's see... who is 'Higher-Up #1'? And all the higher-ups from the UN and the Flame-Chasers are meeting today? I didn't get a notice like that," Elysia said, confused after reading the message on Chen Li's phone.
"This is a meeting to divide the Longevity Pills. Of course they wouldn't notify you," Chen Li said after he finished programming the platform.
"Eh, Longevity Pills? You can mass-produce those now?"
"It sounds impressive, but it's really just Kaguya adding a bit of her power of eternity to some jelly beans. They can extend one's lifespan, but the effect is mediocre. So I can make as many as I want," Chen Li explained.
"What? Isn't that just fake medicine? What if people find out?" Elysia asked, worried.
"Don't worry. This Emperor is going to solve the very problem that might arise if they do find out," Chen Li said with a thumbs-up.
"Do you need me to go with you? I feel like this kind of occasion is perfect for... casting someone aside once they've served their purpose. Plus, you're an outsider, Little Li..." Elysia said with concern.
"My dear Consort, are you a prophet?" Chen Li asked, looking at Elysia in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
"Because I'm the one who plans on doing the casting aside."
"I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about the higher-ups... wait, what are you planning to do?" Elysia froze.
"There, there, Consort. You can show Vill-V around the engineering department. I'll be right back. Wait for This Emperor to conquer a vast territory for you!"
After saying this, Chen Li took the phone back from Elysia and left for the meeting.
---o---
"I say... did you all really need to bring so many guards to a meeting?"
Inside a massive conference hall belonging to the Flame-Chasers, Chen Li looked at the powerful figures filling the room, each with a guard standing behind them, and expressed his confusion.
"How could one attend such an important meeting without a guard?"
"Exactly! It's like going fishing without wearing a helmet!"
"Well, if someone invites me to dinner, I'm definitely bringing a guard. And I'll have the guard keep an eye on the host's cup-holding hand."
"Afraid they'll smash the cup as a signal?"
"A kindred spirit!"
"..." - by Chen Li.
Chen Li had miscalculated.
It was clear that while the officials and politicians who could climb to the top of the Flame-Chasers or the UN might be corrupt, none of them were stupid. They actually brought guards to a meeting!
But it made sense. This wasn't some Game of Thrones where people would calmly attend a feast completely unprepared for a knife in the back. The vigilance of these higher-ups did cause Chen Li a little trouble.
But only a little.
"Everyone, let's be frank," Chen Li said, moving a chair aside and standing at the head of the table with a sigh. "This time, I've brought a full 3,000 Longevity Pills, enough for everyone present to have ten each. And you are all higher-ups who hold immense power in your respective fields. My idea is to use these pills to control you, so that you will follow my commands to save this civilization, which is on the brink of being destroyed by the Honkai."
Chen Li spoke with great sincerity to the assembled higher-ups, some of whom were fat and bloated, others shrewd and capable. The reactions from the crowd below were mixed.
"And if I'm not mistaken, upon hearing that I have 3,000 Longevity Pills, your first thought wasn't to continue cooperating with me, but to get rid of the tool now that the job is done. After all, an outsider like me is far too dangerous."
Just as some of the higher-ups slammed their hands on the table and glared at him, Chen Li suddenly spoke again.
His words made those who had just shot to their feet a little embarrassed. Because that was exactly what they were thinking.
A truly competent demon lord would never give the hero a chance to level up. And betraying the helper after they've outlived their usefulness was a common occurrence in the process of saving the world.
How did Chen Li know this? Because Higher-Up #1 had already tattled to him.
According to Higher-Up #1, all the leaders had already discussed and decided on how to deal with Chen Li after the transaction, long before this meeting began: If Chen Li brought a large number of pills, it meant he had ulterior motives and could not be allowed to live. If Chen Li brought very few pills, it meant he was trying to instigate infighting among them to achieve some goal, sitting on the mountain to watch the tigers fight, and therefore could not be allowed to live. If Chen Li brought a moderate number of pills, it meant he had likely seen through their intentions, proving he was meticulous and his schemes ran deep, and thus absolutely could not be allowed to live.
Every single person qualified to attend this meeting to divide the spoils from the outsider was either the craftiest of old foxes or an individual of immense power... and in the end, their suspicions weren't wrong.
But when Chen Li first saw that message, he had laughed out of sheer anger. You motherf...
"So let's be decisive. I intend to use this one Longevity Pill to buy all of your lives. I wonder if you all agree?" Chen Li took one pill from the sack filled with them and slammed it onto the table. Slammed down beside it was the Compulsory Transaction Gold Coin.
"In your dreams."
"Hah, save the world? Who do you think you are?"
"Another youth who hasn't been beaten down by society."
"Arrogant!"
The various higher-ups were either scornful, indifferent, or completely unconcerned. Because every guard they had brought was a powerhouse, hand-picked from across the globe. The arrival of Honkai energy, while eroding civilization, had also given it a chance to transform. For example... by allowing those with Honkai resistance to grow stronger after being exposed to it.
"Then I'm sorry. It seems we'll have to resort to force after all." Chen Li shook his head and took out the Holy Grail.
"Do it!"
Although they didn't know what this outsider was planning, out of caution and greed, all the higher-ups ordered their subordinates to attack. The goal of these powerhouses was not only to kill Chen Li, but also the sack behind him. They were determined to secure more Longevity Pills for their employers.
Countless attacks flew toward Chen Li—blades, lasers, bullets. But all of them were stopped three feet away from him by the bond he shared with his friends.
"This level of attack is nowhere near enough to break through my friendship and bonds. I'll finish you all within five seconds." Chen Li shook his head, then lifted the trash-can lid from the Holy Grail and tilted it slightly.
One second passed. All the World's Evil, the collected malice of an entire world's population, slowly flowed out of the Grail and dripped onto the floor. The Friends Circle Curio manifested around Chen Li, shielding him from the evil's assault.
Two seconds passed. The evil that flowed from the Grail spread aimlessly, corroding everything around it, yet it could not breach the Friends Circle's defense around Chen Li, its closest target.
"Boil, my blood (All the World's Evil)!"
Three seconds passed. An endless malice began to radiate from Chen Li's body. The assault from All the World's Evil, which had been directed at him, came to an abrupt halt and even began to seethe.
Four seconds passed. As if it had found its master, All the World's Evil transformed into countless slender black threads, lashing out at the assassins, guards, and mercenaries who harbored ill intent toward Chen Li. Countless villains were pierced by the threads of evil, their eyes instantly becoming vacant.
Five seconds passed. The countless puppets now controlled by All the World's Evil placed their hands on the shoulders of the employers they once served, aiming their weapons at their former masters.
Only one pink-haired woman, whether by luck or by the will of the evil itself, was not temporarily controlled. Instead, a large hand made of black mud grabbed her by the collar and dragged her before Chen Li.
"A very pretty flower... interested in telling me your name?" Chen Li ignored her calm, almost dejected gaze, and pinched her chin.
"..."
"Not talking? Playing the aloof ice queen? Then don't blame me for being rude. I can tell from your eyes that you're not afraid of death. But what if... it's social death? Little girl, you wouldn't want your family to worry about you, now would you? Hehehheh "
"...Sakura."
The girl's pupils contracted, and she slowly spoke her name.
---