Once, I wanted to be a good person
Chapter 917 - 239. Unless Old Mr. Bai is resurrected? (5,800 words)_2

Chapter 917: 239. Unless Old Mr. Bai is resurrected? (5,800 words)_2

In front of someone like him, cherishing one’s subjects doesn’t seem to be a point deduction.

Moreover... in front of an old fox who’s been in power for decades, Fang Ze didn’t think he could deceive him.

So, having thought of this, after a moment’s hesitation, Fang Ze chose to be sincere and said, "To Xida State, inviting the demigods is for justice. To me, there’s indeed a lot of self-interest."

Fang Ze continued, "Although I’ve just taken over Congyun City, I’ve already shouldered a responsibility for its millions of subjects."

"I cannot just watch them become displaced, their homes destroyed, and families shattered."

Upon hearing Fang Ze’s words, Emperor Li’s expression didn’t change at all. He merely nodded and said, "Holding the Divine Artifact brings responsibility for all the people. Your self-interest isn’t wrong."

"However...."

At this point, he shifted his tone, "You need to be responsible for the millions of subjects in Congyun City, and I need to be responsible for the hundreds of millions in Tang State."

"If I were to now abandon the people of Tang State and head to Xida State, what would I do if Tuoya State suddenly turns and attacks Yunlan State and Tang State?"

Hearing Emperor Li’s words, Fang Ze couldn’t help but say, "Your Majesty, even if Tuoya State turns its focus, you would still have ample time to return to Tang State."

"But once Xida State falls, Tang State could also follow in its footsteps!"

"Without the skin, what can the hair adhere to? Saving Xida State is also saving Tang State!"

Upon hearing Fang Ze’s words, Emperor Li couldn’t help but smile. His smile was peculiar, as if his face was forcefully pulled into a smile, giving the impression of a hero in decline and someone who saw through the vicissitudes of the world.

After smiling, he looked at Fang Ze, then suddenly changed the topic, asking, "Fang Ze, do you know why the demigods from the Outer Realm chose fifty years ago to make our 102 noble families into demigods? And why, after fifty years, are they now beginning to descend on a large scale?"

Fang Ze was momentarily stumped by Emperor Li’s question.

Emperor Li half-reclined on the dragon couch, gazing deeply at the rising sun through the window, his voice wistful, "Because of time, time...."

"Back then, all 102 of us were like the rising sun, at the peak of our lives. We had great righteousness and ideals in our hearts. Even when faced with the greatest temptations, we wouldn’t waver in the slightest."

"We believed we would fight for our race, for our kin, and for this world all our lives."

As he spoke, Emperor Li’s voice gradually became somber, "But in the blink of an eye, decades have passed. Gradually, we discovered we were growing old, we found we could no longer lift our swords, draw our knives, and realized we too would die. We became afraid....."

"Death.... an ancient nightmare that many talents and heroes throughout history have been unable to escape?"

"Even we don’t want to become trapped in this nightmare."

"And what’s more terrifying, is that escaping death seems so easy for us: we just need to... kill our kin, betray our race, and immortality would be within our grasp."

"We would become forever young, our bodies restored to their peak state. Without any punishment. We even have the most perfect excuse: we are preserving the last seed for the Human Race."

At this point, Emperor Li looked into Fang Ze’s eyes, and said, "Do you understand just how unfair the balance is?"

Fang Ze, seeing Emperor Li’s eyes, couldn’t help but say, "But Galan Houde died. The demigods from the Outer Realm slaughtered his descendants as sacrifices for their descent. They’re only using you, they won’t spare you."

Emperor Li smiled, "You see, you still don’t understand."

Emperor Li explained, "Do you think Galan Houde really cared about his clan’s deaths?"

Without waiting for Fang Ze to answer, Emperor Li shook his head, "He didn’t care. Once he chose betrayal, his descendants were destined to be like penned pigs, meant to die."

"If they don’t die, how could Galan Houde attain immortality?"

"It’s just that Galan Houde died first, so the demigods from the Outer Realm made use of the waste. The Human Race demigods saw it all clearly and didn’t mind at all."

Listening to Emperor Li’s explanation, Fang Ze suddenly understood. He couldn’t help but look at Emperor Li, asking, "Then... what about you?"

Emperor Li’s smile faded, then he said somberly, "Me, I haven’t made up my mind yet."

He said, "I don’t care about those unworthy descendants. I care about my hundreds of millions of subjects....."

"Perhaps in the end, I too would choose to betray the Human Race and achieve immortality. But I hope by then I can at least protect my subjects one last time."

After hearing Emperor Li’s words, Fang Ze understood his meaning: honestly, with Emperor Li’s status and power, he had too many ways out, and so did Tang State.

Demigods from the Outer Realm came not to bear grudges but to reopen the world. They could easily allow Emperor Li to remain neutral, leaving Tang State to be destroyed last with the world. There’s no need for confrontation.

Similarly, Emperor Li had many ways to allow the subjects of Tang State to go as far as possible without being stopped. There’s no need for him to risk himself for the people of other states.

Thus, Fang Ze’s so-called "argument of dependency" simply couldn’t hold.