"How did you end up driving yourself?"
"Someone ate their fill and then refused to acknowledge anything. I was worried he'd abandon me after starting something, so I had to come find you."
Li Shuangjin chuckled, "Isn't that blaming the victim?"
"Isn't it?"
"Yes, yes, it's my fault. Sorry, I've been so busy these past two days, I haven't..."
Zhuo Jian changed the subject, "You remembered."
The car was quiet for a while before Chong Yan finally said, "Mm."
She didn't speak, and he continued, "If I hadn't remembered, would you have watched me act foolish indefinitely?"
"I told you I'd tell you after that night. You were the one who didn't want to go back. Also, your name has always been Chong Yan, so that's not my fault, is it?"
After experiencing so many worlds, "Chong Yan" was his signature. This time it wasn't, which made him jealous of his own name. He didn't know who to blame.
"It's not your fault. I'm just jealous of myself, which is... interesting."
"You have the nerve to say that," Zhuo Jian rolled her eyes silently.
Chong Yan quickly changed the topic. "You said we're leaving, when?"
"It doesn't matter where we go now. In three thousand worlds, there should be no exceptions. Let's wait and see. I don't know what Luan Yu's situation is. Last time I wanted to ask a few more questions, but why did you scare her away?"
Thinking of this, Chong Yan remembered his own malice towards Dong Ling when he had no memory.
He couldn't be entirely blamed for that; the man's words were a bit disgusting.
"Next time, I won't have amnesia."
"As you wish."
"Then what are we doing now?"
Zhuo Jian sighed, "Luan Yu asked Dong Ling to inquire about the collective karma of the human world, which means the spatial-temporal anomalies are related to the collective karma of the human world. Once we've dealt with this world, we'll go find her."
"Okay."
As expected, within a week, the number of spatial-temporal anomalies in Haicheng increased to seven. Bad news poured in from all over the world. Some were suffering from war, and after finally finding stability, they were now being invaded by monsters. Others took advantage of the chaos to commit murder and arson, wishing for utter anarchy.
To suppress them and better organize everyone to fight against the foreign race, Commander Li urgently contacted the other two warlord factions and invited them to Haicheng to discuss strategies.
Before that, Chong Yan took Zhuo Jian back to the Li family.
Seeing his parents was secondary. The main purpose was to explain some of his doubts to Commander Li and tell him how to face this crisis.
After an early dinner, before sunset, they entered Commander Li's study. Present were not only the people they had met before, but also Commander Li's remaining brothers and some influential relatives in Haicheng, a total of about twenty people.
They were filled with confusion about this "meeting," thinking it was a welcome party for the sixth master's wife. They never expected her to be the main focus.
"I've gathered everyone here today mainly to discuss the matter of the monsters. I believe you're all aware of recent events and may have even encountered these creatures. To put it simply, Miss Qin here is an associate of the sixth master and also our instructor for confronting the foreign race. Please listen to her."
The crowd was still bewildered, but Zhuo Jian calmly began to speak.
"These monsters originate from another world. Some of you might believe in ghosts, so think of it as a world with things like these besides ghosts. Their world is very unstable. One or more parts of their bodies are replicated, which is why they look like this. Also, you should have noticed that these things have brains, and some are even quite intelligent. They are large, grotesquely shaped, and difficult to deal with, but these are not their most terrifying aspects."
She looked around, sensing the unease and fear in the room.
"These things can affect people, turning them into similar monsters."
Some people at the table visibly changed their expressions.
Commander Li understood at a glance that some of them had already witnessed people being transformed into these monsters.
After a long pause, someone asked with a trembling voice, "Then, how do we deal with them?"
"Most of your weapons are effective. However, these things are endless. If you only fight them, you'll never defeat them. You must prepare for a prolonged war."
Someone said boldly, "Isn't that the same as fighting those beasts outside? They haven't given up after all these years. Just consider it fighting them. I have no problem with that."
Others echoed his sentiment.
Commander Li banged the table to quiet them down.
"All negative emotions are the culprits that lead to human transformation into these creatures: anger, sorrow, regret, depravity, greed, hatred, delusion, and desire... The monsters themselves might not be terrifying, but human nature will cause you a lot of trouble. Be mentally prepared."
In addition to the introduction, Zhuo Jian also shared some techniques for fighting the monsters. After more than two hours of explanation, the meeting concluded. Commander Li asked Li Xiaoxian to escort most people out, keeping only the most important few.
Among them were Luo Yonghun, who was the male second lead, and his father, as well as Shen Min, the governor of Haicheng Bank.
A female Tian Gan.
"Commander, is there anything else?"
"It's me," Chong Yan said, "You all have dealings with Western arms dealers. I have something I'd like you to help me with."
"Sixth Master, speak freely."
"I have a batch of weapons that needs to be brought into Haicheng under your names."
The two exchanged a look. "What kind of weapons?"
"To deal with those monsters, so no one can question their origin." Sudan Novel Network
Luo Yonghun couldn't help but ask, "Then where did they come from?"
"Sent to help us from other worlds."
Luo Yonghun wisely shut his mouth.
The two also tacitly stopped asking, only saying they would cooperate fully.
After clarifying some details, the others left, leaving only Commander Li, Li Xiaoxian, and the two of them.
Their doubts were no less than others; in fact, knowing more only made them question more.
"Sixth Uncle, are people from other worlds really sending us weapons?"
"Or do you think I conjured them?"
Li Xiaoxian thought to himself that he didn't have that ability, but this woman might.
"Old Six," Commander Li also wanted to know.
"Indeed, they were sent by people from other worlds. They experienced all of this earlier than us, their weapons are more advanced, and more targeted."
The father and son knew they wouldn't get more information, so they stopped asking.
A few days later, Shen Min and Luo Yonghun "transported" a batch of weapons from the still-unrestricted waters. Compared to the previously almost useless swords, spears, fires, and clubs, these new weapons were monsters' nemesis, easily killing them.
Haicheng's alien crisis was the first to be brought under control, followed by China. Gradually, stronger weapons were distributed. Some were bought from Commander Li, with whom many had good relations. Some were acquired through numerous channels by intermediaries. A small number of people tried to smuggle the weapons to other countries.
Arms trafficking had been largely unregulated before, but now it was different. The power of these weapons was known to all. Smuggling them was tantamount to treason. Although Commander Li discovered and apprehended many people in time, some weapons still leaked out.
Because of this, he was deeply concerned and quickly summoned the others back to discuss countermeasures.