Master of Kaidan
Chapter 221 You Might Have Earned, I Definitely Didn’t Lose

Chapter 221: Chapter 221 You Might Have Earned, I Definitely Didn’t Lose

When Feng Xue first got his hands on the "Carcinogenic Effect" phantom object, he was quite excited. He thought about filling in content like "’Feng Xue’ is not carcinogenic," "Not practicing martial arts is carcinogenic," "Not understanding Libra is carcinogenic," and so on. Wouldn’t he skyrocket to fame instantly if he submitted a paper to "The Lancet" or "New Victoria Medical Magazine" through Jessica’s connections?

But after giving it some more thought, he realized that this thing was not as powerful as he had imagined. Its function was to instinctively make people reject certain things, but this rejection did not include understanding.

For instance, if you say moon soil is carcinogenic, most people will never encounter moon soil in their lifetime, so rejection is out of the question.

Similarly, even if he wrote something like "’Feng Xue’ is not carcinogenic," it wouldn’t have the intended effect on those who have no idea who he is.

Therefore, this item only has an ideal effect on things that are "widely recognized."

Furthermore, for something inherently harmless and beneficial like practicing martial arts, if there are conditions for it, people will learn it without being forced; if there are no conditions, they cannot learn it no matter how much you coerce them. In this case, artificially adding a "not learning causes cancer" subconscious inducement probably has no positive significance and might prompt an immediate reaction from officials.

Lastly, there is the problem of intensity. After all, the item merely makes people feel that "this thing is carcinogenic," a "subconscious rejection," but despite tobacco being carcinogenic, its use has not decreased. People subconsciously reject dirty and disordered environments, yet you’ll still find plenty who do not clean their rooms for months.

So unless Feng Xue was planning something anti-humanity, the power that this thing could wield was quite limited.

After contemplating for a long time, Feng Xue realized that the true value of this object was actually in handing it over to the officials.

Firstly, in the hands of the officials, it served as a calming pill, expressing his goodwill towards them.

Secondly, the authorities holding this item would not likely use it rashly, just as those in control of nuclear weapons are the least willing to use them.

And most importantly, even if the authorities filled in content like "Practicing martial arts is carcinogenic," Feng Xue would not be afraid.

Because if the authorities dared to do so, practicing martial arts would become a sort of "plague," and Feng Xue, who could force others to practice martial arts through the No-thought Divine Power, could become like a Demon King spreading the "plague" without taking on the role of a Martial Arts Master.

Even when those forced to practice martial arts found they didn’t get cancer, he could feed off the benefits as a Martial Arts Spreader.

As for why he didn’t just do this outright, firstly, the value of being the source of martial arts is higher than that of a plague Demon King, and secondly, it was to shift the conflict.

Simply put, if he staged things himself, spreading the plague and causing widespread panic, then the governments of various nations would undoubtedly band together to target him, and Feng Xue would have to face a unified national machinery, perhaps even from multiple countries.

But conversely, if he maintained his goodwill and let the spark be ignited by an individual or a small group, then the outcome would be completely different. First, any existing hawks and doves might start to squabble among themselves, and at the same time, the other major rogues would not miss out on an opportunity. Thus, the conflict would be decentralized, and Feng Xue would face much less pressure, which would afford him ample time to develop.

It’s like robbery—if you rob a bank directly, the police will definitely come after you. But if you rob a manager who has embezzled bank funds, it’s a completely different story.

Firstly, he wouldn’t readily expose his embezzlement, and secondly, if the matter is leaked, the focus will be on dealing with him before tracing back to you, granting you plenty of time to react, whether to launder the money, flee after withdrawing funds, or even open a detective agency to outwit yourself and benefit from both sides. Suddenly you have a lot more options, and the money you end up with could even be more than if you had robbed the bank directly.

In essence, his coming to Yan Country was to deliver this paper to the officials. Accepting disciples? That was just to extend his time of Descent.

As for revealing divinity before the public...

Compared to the entire plan’s benefits, that was merely a drop in the bucket!

At least now, Feng Xue had another legal opportunity for deification.

Don’t underestimate the significance of legality; the effects are entirely different.

If the organization doesn’t allow it, even if you cleave open a mountain with a single sword, the organization could simply conduct artillery practice that very night, turning the place you sliced open into ruins. They wouldn’t even need to refute rumors; they could just ignore the incident, later investigate some celebrities’ tax affairs, and publicly criticize some pretty-boy artists. You’ll see if anyone still remembers you after a week.

But it must be said, despite its many drawbacks, this item ultimately remains a treasure that could directly affect the entire human civilization. Two hours after the phone call ended, three inconspicuous Volkswagen cars arrived at the bridge tunnel by the Yangtze River Bridge in Luzhou.

Liu Qi, who was spending the night under the bridge for the first time, was still pondering whether his master’s phone call earlier that day had been a joke or serious when he saw a dozen people emerge from those three cars, one after another.

Although he had only been training in martial arts for a week, having successfully meditated, Liu Qi could clearly feel the temperament of these people. Especially those carrying safes – they gave him a sense of invincibility. However, the chilling sense of crisis that made him tremble was instantly gone with a light yawn, replaced by a feeling as relaxed as waking up from a lazy sleep after an all-nighter in the dormitory.

"They’re quite fast," Feng Xue said lazily, digging at his ear, looking as though he’d just woken up. However, the slight fluctuation of killing intent he let out intentionally made the "experts" who had learned the Golden Bell Shield instinctively assume a defensive posture.

"Mr. Feng?" The leader was a middle-aged man who looked to be about forty, not particularly muscular, but with a distinctive temperament. Feng Xue nodded slightly and stood up, brushing off his blanket with a smile, "It’s only been half a year, and someone has managed to reach the Sixth Level. Quite impressive!"

The man Feng Xue smiled at didn’t speak but maintained a wary posture. The middle-aged leader reminded him in a humble yet proud manner, "Mr. Feng, I’ve come for that item."

"How boring," Feng Xue said, casually pulling out a stack of papers from his chest and handing them to the man. The middle-aged man, seeing Feng Xue’s nonchalance, was slightly nervous, "Please wait a moment."

Feng Xue spread his hands, indicating that he could take his time. The middle-aged man immediately took out a small box from his pocket. As the box opened, Feng Xue caught sight of the gleaming text:

Name: Phantom Object·Pawnshop Owner’s Magnifying Glass

Elements: [Identification], [Precious], [Tool]

Description: A refined magnifying glass, belonging to a bankrupt owner of an old-established pawnshop, able to precisely assess an item’s function, feature, origin, and value. It is the favorite object of pawnshop owners. However, when this object itself is pawned, how would it be assessed?

Remarks: Missing corners and edges, damaged paint and color, gnawed by insects and rats, worn out and dilapidated...