Chapter 270 Give Up Rather Than Hold Onto The Impossible
Free, well-hidden, and effective.
Wandering in the dark, ignoring the rules, the consequences, and morality, creating a favorable situation for the country in the most effective way.
These were the primary purposes of the Special Warfare System for any country.
Every country had its own Special Warfare System, hence the birth of the Dark World.
When it came to Zhongzhou State, the Special Warfare System was detached. But this kind of detachment wasn’t because of how powerful the Special Warfare System was, but because of its careless freedom and its indifferent attitude toward the law most of the time.
Careless freedom also meant chaos.
Not any regime would be willing to accept such a privilege system that could get above the law and had such great integration.
But such a privilege system that could wander in the dark, ignore the law but couldn’t voice the same opinion could survive in any regime.
Because of its carelessness and freedom, it also meant that it was easy to control and pin down.
So in hundreds of years, the status of the Special Warfare System in Zhongzhou State had been very subtle. The person standing on the highest spot of this system could be the State-protecting War God in high rank. But the whole system would always be under control.
Most obviously, Special Warfare System of Zhongzhou State, whether Kunlun City or the Special Operations Bureaus, no matter how high their ranks were, no matter how powerful they were, these institutes were all subordinate to Zhongzhou State Ministry of State Security or General Staff Headquarter.
The former was a government department, while the latter was a military department.
The Special Warfare System?
Ordinary people wouldn’t know anything about it.
In this situation, the State-protecting War God of Zhongzhou State was in high status, but there would always be Ministry of State Security and General Staff Headquarter, these two sensitive departments that respectively belonged to Government and Military between War God and the whole Special Warfare System.
This sounded minor, but it had a crucial effect.
At least it meant that once there was a disturbing change in the Special Warfare System, Government and Military could get involved in the internal affairs of the Special Warfare System through these two departments at any time.
All the so-called honor and glory belonged to War God, and the whole Special Warfare System would be under the control of Government and Military, this was the so-called balance that Zhongzhou State had been maintaining for years.
But now Gu Xingyun saw an opportunity.
Li Honghe re-entered the Jianghu world and took over Lonely Mountain.
The high level became silent.
Li Tianlan came back to life and was still considered the Heavenly Son of Zhongzhou State, and the high level was still silent.
Who could have thought that after the silence, in a situation where most of the people didn’t realize anything, Kunlun City would unite with Wang family of Beihai and raised such a big storm?
Setting up the Special Warfare Department in different regions.
There was the Southeast Special Warfare Department, then the Southwest, Northwest, Northeast would follow.
The principal of the Special Warfare Department entered the Decision Making Committee, and the subordinate Special Operations Bureau of provincial-level entered the local Standing Committee.
In this case, the State-protecting War God in the highest position, the Special Warfare Department, the Special Operations Bureau, three forming an organic whole and direct connection among them. They naturally squeezed out the Ministry of State Security and the General Staff Headquarters, and the discursive power of the whole Special Warfare System would rise rapidly overnight.
And this was just a start, the establishment of the Special Warfare Department would make up the gap between the top level and the low level of the Special Warfare System. After these departments were established, the Supply Department and the Personnel Department would improve. Once Gu Xingyun perfected the thole Special Warfare System, his status in Zhongzhou State would be unshakable.
This change was subtle but significant. At least for Li Tianlan’s future, this would be bad news.
Kunlun City approved his achievement in Changdao, his credit. But once Gu Xingyun brought up this suggestion, everything would be meaningless.
Nothing would change even if he could graduate early with a hundred thousand credits.
Should he create his own force?
This could be a liberal force, but now it needed to be under the control of Huating Special Operations Bureau or to be…directly suppressed.
Should he give up this opportunity and get into the system?
Right now East Emperor Palace was an establishment of branch level, so it wouldn’t be a big difference if it could jump to bureau level.
There was a mechanism of governor level above East Emperor Palace, and Special Operations Bureau, Special Warfare Department, and finally Kunlun City.
It used to be very chaotic inside the Special Warfare System.
Chaotic, it would be easier for the official in high level to manage, and it meant countless ways and opportunities to climb up for the people in the basic level, especially for young people with strength and potential like Li Tianlan. The Special Warfare System that only valued strength was the quickest path for a young man like him to rise up.
But once Gu Xingyun perfected this system, then everything in the Special Warfare System would be standardized. If Li Tianlan wanted to climb up, he had to turn over the whole system.
How hard would that be?
This was like an ordinary soldier trying to take down the Minister of Military Ministry, like an ordinary civil servant trying to take down the Prime Minister of Zhongzhou State.
This wasn’t just a hard thing to do, and this was a joke.
To build a perfect structure for the Special Warfare System, this was Gu Xingyun’s plan.
Li Tianlan felt a bit bitter inside.
No matter how arrogant he was, he wouldn’t think that such a move was solely against him and the Li family. He and the Li family were just a casual chance that Gu Xingyun picked up and used in order to unite with the Wang family of Beihai and form the current situation.
Suppressing the Li family?
It was just a part of it. But in the end, it was for Gu Xingyun to improve his own strength.
The Wang family of Beihai who also didn’t want the Li family to rise up had no reason to turn down Gu Xingyun’s suggestion. Their main range of force was in Southeast, Youzhou and Beihai Province. No matter how much the Special Warfare System changed, on the contrary, the whole Southeast Group might get quite some benefits in this change and game.
The relationship between the Prince Group and the Special Warfare Group was very subtle in recent years, but their conflicts were under the table. In a serious situation, they would support Gu Xingyun.
As for Sigh City…
If Gu Xingyun’s plan worked out, Sigh City would be the Minister of Northeast Special Warfare Department. Their sphere of influence was in the Northeast, and it would be only in the Northeast. The benefit Tribulation brought by breaking through the Invincible Realm would be extremely suppressed.
As for Academics…
Li Tianlan slightly twitched the corner of his mouth.
Bai Qingqian who was deep in thought also frowned and said, “The attitude of the Academy…” She stopped and never finished her sentence.
…
The Academy Group was now in cooperation with Li Tianlan and Sigh City, and it was the current leadership group, their attitude mattered a lot. But Bai Qingqian, as the most amazing woman in politics in Zhongzhou State right now, wouldn’t underestimate this situation, so she fell silent right after she opened her mouth.
Those who cooperated were called allies.
There was a subtle difference between allies and families, and sometimes the difference could be huge.
The Academy Group, which was alone in the Special Warfare System, took Li Tianlan’s future and Sigh City’s present very seriously. But from their standpoint, especially after they witnessed Special Warfare Group and Prince Group drifted apart, they should realize something.
Maybe when Li Tianlan and Sigh City were powerful enough but still under control, they would accord with the interest of the Academy Group.
The reason was very simple.
It would be easy to control.
After all, the Academics had nothing against Kunlun City. They just wanted benefits.
Sigh City was the benefit they wanted, while Li Tianlan was a pawn of the Academics to gain more benefits in its future plan.
Facing difficulties, Li Tianlan would struggle and fight back. While he was struggling and fighting back, the Academics would give him the proper support, and they would slowly gain control of Li Tianlan.
As for the other big group in Zhongzhou State, North Group slowly fell apart in recent years. They were still living and breathing, but in this matter, they wouldn’t have any specific statement, they would abstain from choosing or follow others.
So there was only a Giant Group left.
Li Tianlan looked at Dongcheng Wudi and Bai Qingqian, then squinted his eyes.
Somehow he understood why they came here.
Li Tianlan calmed down and said with a smile, “About the early graduation of my East Emperor Palace and me, did you discuss it in the meeting?”
“Gu Xingyun wanted to wait. He admitted your achievement in Changdao, but the semester just began in Sky Academy. Anything could happen in the next three years. There could be someone who has more credits than you do right now. So he felt like it’s suitable that you graduate three years later.”
Dongcheng Wudi frowned and said. Apparently, he didn’t like the result of this high-level meeting.
Li Tianlan nodded, didn’t feel surprised at all.
Gu Xingyun wanted to steal three years from him, which was his primary measure to deal with Li Tianlan.
His plan was too big to be accomplished in one day. This was a revolution. Although it complied with the general trend, it needed a bit of scheming.
Three years were about enough for him to finish it.
Li Tianlan stared at the teacup on the table silently. The tea in it was still, crystal clear.
His future was getting dimmer and dimmer, but it didn’t turn completely dark after all.
There would be chance for him.
In an angle which Dongcheng Wudi and Bai Qingqian couldn’t see him, he squinted his eyes, looking stern and calm.
“Thank you, General.”
He lifted his head and looked at Dongcheng Wudi, then said in a sincere way, “I see now.”
Dongcheng Wudi looked at Li Tianlan.
In his eyes, Dongcheng Wudi saw calmness and detachment, he saw strong determination, but he didn’t see any confusion or sadness.
Dongcheng Wudi moved his mouth, and his face looked very awkward and weird. At this moment, the stern General that had killed hundred and thousand in the battlefield felt extremely complicated inside. He stayed silent for a whole minute or two, then said with a bitter smile, “Tianlan, what’s your plan for the future?”
“There will be an opportunity for me.”
Li Tianlan looked at Dongcheng Wudi with a smile. “I still have a few years. It doesn’t matter if everything is settled. Eventually, I will get back to Invincible Realm. Nobody can stop the Li family from the things they want to do.”
His eyes seemed to glow with light.
Gu Xingyun used the general trend and his strength to change the rules.
Then he would use his strength to tear the rules apart.
All the suppression looked hopeless, but in the end, it was because he wasn’t powerful enough.
Li Tianlan could do nothing about that.
He should give up rather than hold onto the impossible.
He should let it all go.
When he was powerful enough, he could pick up what he left behind again.
“I know what you mean.”
Dongcheng Wudi took a deep look at Li Tianlan. “Now, you need help. In the situation where Sigh City is stuck in the Northeast, and the Academics holds a subtle attitude, only we can help you. Tianlan, come home with me. Old Master has been talking about you a lot lately, and the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming, come back to Luojing with me. By then I will pick up Senior Li, we can have a meal together and talk about the wedding of you and Rushi.”
He stopped for a second and looked at Li Tianlan, then said while stared at him deeply, “Kunlun City had a big move this time. But it’s not that big of a deal if you think about it. Gu Xingyun can mess with you, but he can’t mess with me. The future of the Special Warfare System will be very tough, so you should join the Military. After you and Rushi get married, the Dongcheng Clan will be yours, and the future Giant Group will also be yours! When you have control over the Border Control Corps in the future, you don’t have to be afraid of Kunlun City anymore.”
Zhongzhou State was full of wealthy families.
Giant Group was a big, internally liberal group not limited to regions, and it was a force that nobody dared to ignore.
If this force could fully support Li Tianlan, then he could definitely get straight into the Military.
The Border Control Corps looked like an army group, but it had nearly six hundred thousand elites, so it was considered to be a minor Military Ministry. If Li Tianlan took over Border Control Corps, he definitely wouldn’t have to be afraid of Kunlun City.
“Thank you, General, for this great offering.”
Li Tianlan looked at Dongcheng Wudi with a firm and stern expression. “But I have my plan, and…Rushi is excellent, but I don’t plan to get married soon, so…”
“You have a plan for shit!”
Dongcheng Wudi frowned hard and interrupted Li Tianlan. His tone was rude, and it sounded like he had no control over his emotion. “In the end, you just don’t want to marry Rushi, do you? Tianlan, don’t be too selfish! What’s wrong with Rushi? What’s wrong with coming to the Military? What the hell do you want?!”
Li Tianlan’s face froze for a second, then he smiled and looked at Dongcheng Wudi.
His eyes looked grateful, but he didn’t say anything.
Going to the Military was indeed a great choice, but he didn’t want that.
Even if he could climb on top of the Military Minister, so what?
Gu Xingyun still had what the Li family lost. The glory and honor that the Li family used to have were stepped on by Gu Xingyun. No matter what, there wouldn’t be any fight between the Military and Special Warfare System.
Even if he could put them down, he couldn’t forget who the current Standing Minister of Military Minister was.
General Qi Beicang, was the director of the Decision Making Committee, nominally the flag character of the Special Warfare Group.
If Dongcheng Wudi left the Border Control Corps, he would probably take Qi Beicang’s place and become the real big shot of Zhongzhou State. And because of that, the atmosphere between the Dongcheng Clan and Special Warfare Group was very subtle and complicated. If Li Tianlan got into the Dongcheng Clan, it would set fire to their complicated relationship. If he went to the Military, they would also be in control, and it wouldn’t be easy.
Even if the Dongcheng Clan could handle everything, Li Tianlan would drag the Dongcheng Clan into the bloody battle between the Li family and Kunlun City by doing this.
Li Tianlan wasn’t in Invincible Realm. Right now he was nothing, he had nothing. Starting everything from scratch, he couldn’t afford to risk the past of the Li family and the future of the Dongcheng Clan.
Most importantly, when he went from Lin’an to Huating and got off that Audi after saying goodbye to Military Counselor, Li Tianlan had made up his mind that nobody could decide his future for him anymore.
Not his grandfather, not the Dongcheng Clan, not…even her.
This was his pride, or his obsession.
“Tianlan and Rushi are still very young, it’s alright to delay the marriage.”
Bai Qingqian suddenly said. She looked at Li Tianlan with a soft smile. “If you don’t want to go to the Dongcheng Clan, it’s fine. Tianlan, how about going home with me for the Mid-Autumn Festival?”
Li Tianlan was a bit overwhelmed.
The home Bai Qingqian mentioned was naturally not the Dongcheng Clan.
It was…
The Bai family of Youzhou!
Among the Zhongzhou State Giant Groups, the Bai family of Youzhou, whose status was no less than that of the Dongcheng Clan.
Li Tianlan felt a bit confused. He could never expect that when he made a clear statement that he didn’t want to get married, this intended mother-in-law would invite him to the Bai family.
“Well…”
Li Tianlan couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. “Aunt Bai, it really isn’t a convenient time for me. If I have time in the future, I’ll definitely go and visit you.”
Bai Qingqian stayed quiet for a while, then nodded slightly and said in an elegant tone, “Fine.”
She didn’t say much, just looked at Li Tianlan quietly with soft eyes.
She had things to say, but she couldn’t.
Bai Qingqian’s eyes were a bit shaky.
Li Tianlan dodged her stare subconsciously, then handed a box near the couch to Dongcheng Wudi.
“General, my grandfather asked me to give this to the Dongcheng Clan.”
Dongcheng Wudi took the box. He seemed to know what was inside, just nodded and said, “Right now the family is making a new weapon for you, it will take about two, three years. Go get it when it’s done.”
Li Tianlan nodded absent-mindedly.
“You really don’t want to go back with me?” Dongcheng Wudi asked again, feeling sore inside.
…
Li Tianlan smiled and shook his head.
Dongcheng Wudi hesitated for a while, then sighed and said with a bitter smile, “Forget it, then I’ll go back. Tianlan, call me if you need anything. The Dongcheng Clan will do anything to help you.”
This was such a heavy promise.
Li Tianlan had to stand up, then slightly bowed and said, “Thank you, General.”
“You’re welcome.”
Dongcheng Wudi held Li Tianlan up and gave him a complicated look. “We are family, no need to thank me, this is our…”
“It’s guilt!” Bai Qingqian suddenly spoke, she looked at Dongcheng Wudi with bitterness and coldness in her eyes.
…
Li Tianlan froze and felt confused.
Bai Qingqian took a deep breath, then handed a name card to Li Tianlan and said softly. “You can also call me if you need anything, what the Dongcheng Clan can do, the Bai family can do it too.” …
“Thank you, Secretary Bai.”
Li Tianlan took it with a serious expression.
Bai Qingqian took an in-depth look at him, then turned around and walked straight to the door.
Li Tianlan sent the couple with a weird relationship away.
The young woman who had been guarding at the door stopped Li Tianlan quietly and let Dongcheng Wudi, and Bai Qingqian walked ahead.
“Tianlan, I’m Tan Mengyao, the secretary of Secretary Bai, this is my card.”
The secretary laughed softly. “Please take more care in the future.”
Li Tianlan took the card, shook her hand and said hello to her.
His eyes laid on Dongcheng Wudi and Bai Qingqian without control.
The couple walked side by side, keeping a steady distance.
“Where are you going?” Dongcheng Wudi walked to his wife and asked in a complicated tone.
…
“The airport.” Bai Qingqian said blandly.
…
“I’ll send you.” Dongcheng Wudi said subconsciously.
…
“No need for that.”
Bai Qingqian shook her head. She looked at Dongcheng Wudi and said stiffly, “If you don’t mind, goodbye.”
She walked away from her husband and straight to the gate.
Dongcheng Wudi stood there and watched her back. After a while, he lifted up his hand and touched his face.
He still remembered the hard slap on his face from Bai Qingqian when she heard about Li Tianlan’s death from East Island.
That was more than a slap.
That was the most powerless sadness and desperation of a woman.
Dongcheng Wudi’s eyes looked bitter.
He took a deep breath and slowly walked to the gate.
In Li Tianlan’s gaze, this couple that used to be so close together now parted ways at the gate of East Emperor Palace.
The two of them were heading to the same destination.
But they went in different directions.
If they didn’t come together.
Then why should they leave together?
