The Demonic World I designed
Chapter 1242 - 1240: People’s Hearts

Chapter 1242: Chapter 1240: People’s Hearts

Jiangnan Liuzhou was once the most envied place, with many outsiders coming here to do business and coveting its people.

Everyone here exuded confidence, every place was filled with laughter and joy, all hopeful for the future.

Who would have thought that one day riots would occur on these very streets, people would protest at the government office, demanding an explanation from those who created Jiangnan.

Among the protesters were men and women, even centenarians, all with bloodshot eyes and ruthless breaths; unless Chen Qing came out to give them an explanation, they seemed ready to do something terrifying.

More and more people joined the ranks, some being coerced, like the residents of the Military Dependent Building.

Most of them did not wish to cause trouble, as their husbands were still on the frontline, and being women, left to guard the home with their children and elders, they did not want to cause more problems for their husbands. But it seemed the situation was such that they couldn’t refuse.

It started with just a few people causing trouble, but within days, those not participating were seen as deviants, traitors who surrendered to outsiders, and might even be ousted.

There were conspiracy theorists saying that Hell Ruler was just a lie, the so-called spiritual bodies delivering messages in dreams were fake, a method used by Chen Qing to control everyone. How could there truly be Hell Ruler, and how could Chen Qing govern the afterlife? It was all fake!

The people supposedly working at Hell Ruler were not family members, but Evil Ghosts wearing human skin, and the spirits in dreams were fake, mere disguises by evil spirits.

Everything was a conspiracy, a plot by Chen Qing and these outsiders to replace them!

It sounded preposterous, unable to withstand scrutiny.

After all, many people had seen their family members in dreams, often chatting about a parent’s personality, a deceased husband’s character, or a child’s traits, never making mistakes.

Moreover, Jiangnan was thriving, everyone was much more prosperous than outsiders, all of it thanks to Chen Qing. How could this be a form of enslavement?

But most of the people wouldn’t listen, they just wouldn’t...

So stubbornly convinced it might not be true, or perhaps not truly stubborn, but pretending to be...

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"Father, the chaos outside is overwhelming, shouldn’t our family step in to stop it?"

Within Lyuzhou, the Yang Family was once a renowned Sorcerer Family, known as the local powerful family of Lyuzhou. Once Lyuzhou wasn’t as wealthy as it is now, but it was considered one of the more prosperous Provincial Government Offices in Jiangnan, with the Yang Family as the top Sorcerer Family for three hundred years, with considerable foundations.

Before the living corpse incident, their family had fled early to Nanming Prefecture and returned later, even losing their residence. However, the Family Head was wise, promptly responding to Chen Qing’s call, vigorously cultivating the family’s descendants with intellectual knowledge, having now seven magicians enrolled in the academy, even one chosen as Hell Ruler, considered doing well among families.

Logically speaking, with such family foundations, they were the least willing to see Lyuzhou disrupted, but since the riots began, these Sorcerer Families led by him showed no intention to act.

"Stop it? Stop it with what?" Yang Renxin sighed, "In just a few days, more than half of Lyuzhou’s residents have been coerced, the public sentiment is fierce, and the government won’t intervene. It’s better if we don’t stand out; if we do, we’d instantly become targets. Do you think the leaders of these disturbances are what type of people? At first, those stirring trouble were the idlers and ruffians of Lyuzhou."

"Lyuzhou now has such favorable conditions; as long as they settle down, whether in commerce or farming, they’ll have a good life. But there are those whose businesses fail and who refuse to farm as local farmers, nor do they wish to suffer as soldiers selling their lives. They’ve become idle idlers on the streets of Lyuzhou, occasionally working at the docks or bullying immigrants to pass days."

"These people, living unsatisfactorily, desire most for disruptions; only when chaos occurs can they profit from it!"

"But there aren’t many such people, right?" Several descendants paused upon hearing this, "Lyuzhou is the best city of Jiangnan, full of opportunities, such vexatious ruffians, despised everywhere, aren’t numerous, right?"

Others also nodded; in an age where effort brings advancement opportunities, everyone united in upward momentum, how could those ruffians have influence?

Their numbers aren’t sufficient either.

"You all are still too young, naive about mankind’s sinister nature." Yang Renxin reluctantly smiled, "Such ruffians alone couldn’t reach this point, but why are their supporters so numerous? What’s the reason? There’s only one reason: human nature’s insatiability!"

"Huh?"

"Lyuzhou offers too many opportunities, creating numerous instances of overnight wealth. Those with brains willing to suffer have many opportunities, but not everyone succeeds, notably in such times, easily breeding jealousy."

"For instance, within the same village, initially everyone survived as farmers eating dirt, dirty-faced struggling, but the neighbor next door suddenly succeeded with a good crop variety and became rich, while you, though better than before, are tens of times poorer than them. What do you think?"

Everyone: "....."

"Jiangnan has only grown for ten years, during these years, the master’s influence expanded so quickly? While the foundation on the ground hasn’t been clarified, opportunities in Heaven have already arrived, look, daily countless people prosper, daily countless people find new directions, but you, still stagnant, just an honest farmer or an unsuccessful nobody."

"When everyone was eating dirt, naturally it made sense; but when the neighbor Er-gou suddenly leapt through the Dragon Gate, does it still make sense to you?"

"Clearly you’re the same people, but my luck’s worse, many have such thoughts over the years."

"If nothing happens, such thoughts won’t cause major harm, just accumulate until the influence stabilizes; slowly people compromise. But unexpectedly, a slim chance to overthrow and restart appeared, do you think those people won’t go mad?"

"Overthrow and restart?"

"Hmph!" Yang Renxin sneered, "Humans are often resentful and forgetful of kindness, unable to see losing a leader as significant. They naturally presume that with Jiangnan’s wealth and countless opportunities, once the leaders above are gone, they’ll have a new chance."

"But they don’t consider who created all this; without him, why do they presume losing leadership while resources remain?"

"No one considers the consequences, just seeks to fish in troubled waters while forgetting current life was once desperately desired... too easily gained, hence lacking appreciation."

"But given this, shouldn’t we repay the master’s kindness, father?" Several descendants quickly inquired.

"If we come forward, we’ll be targets, immediately becoming outlets of resentment!" Yang Renxin looked at them, "Do you dare gamble? The consequences... could be family destruction and personal ruin!"