Chapter 1209: Sun Zhongliang

Dense electric light erupted from the feet of the two emperors, almost illuminating the entire conference room like daylight. Deafening roars sounded from all directions, as if the earth were groaning beneath their feet.

The crowd in the conference room didn't seem to understand what was happening, only shocked by the terrifying aura erupted by the two, looking around in bewilderment...

Until a staff member ran into the conference room in a hurry and shouted beside Sun Zhongliang:

"Di... Director!! The boundary of the 7012 project has been expanded, and there are unknown stone corridors and spaces appearing all around..."

"What?" Sun Zhongliang was stunned.

"Our people are exploring the surroundings and haven't found where the boundary is yet... But conservatively estimated, the area should have expanded more than ten times." The staff member paused for a moment. "Also, we found stairs leading underground... But when 7012 was first designed, there were no stairs at all!"

Sun Zhongliang had led people to survey this underground project countless times. There was only one level here; where did the stairs come from?

Where did the end of the stairs lead??

"What did you do?" Sun Zhongliang looked at Chen Ling and the other in disbelief.

"We reshaped this underground project." Chen Ling said slowly. "We don't know exactly how much it expanded; you can send people to explore it slowly... However, it should be enough to hold the survivors of Wushan now."

Even for Chen Ling and Ying Fu, using Reshape to this extent in one go was extremely exhausting. Unless the seventh or eighth-rank Lou Yu came in person, it would be impossible to do better than they had.

Whether it was Sun Zhongliang or all the guests present, everyone was shocked beyond words...

They had never heard of a Divine Path capable of reshaping matter, let alone someone who could expand an underground project from the last century by dozens or even hundreds of times in such a short time. This was simply a miracle!

"The problem you were most worried about is solved."

Ying Fu stared at Sun Zhongliang. "Now... what other excuse do you have to stop us?"

The scarlet warning lights flickered in the conference room, and almost everyone’s gaze fell on Sun Zhongliang...

Sun Zhongliang stood there blankly.

A moment later, his fists clenched silently.

……

Two days ago.

Halfway up the cloudy mountain.

"I’ll take the call from above."

Drizzling rain drifted from the sky. At the entrance of the Half-Mountain Hotel, Sun Zhongliang looked at the number lighting up on the screen, his expression somewhat complex.

He took a black umbrella and stepped away from the 749 Bureau crowd, walking alone toward the deserted side of the mountain.

Sun Zhongliang pressed the call button.

"...Hello?"

"Sun Zhongliang, your proposal has been rejected." The voice on the other side of the phone was extremely deep. "You want to mobilize the power of Divine Path possessors to protect the entire Wushan Town? That’s too risky."

Sun Zhongliang’s body trembled slightly.

"But, are we really going to ignore the people? That’s hundreds of thousands of people... I know those successors; I’ve dealt with them for decades. Once they know the truth, they won't be content to just survive underground like this. Since that’s the case, why don't we join forces with them..."

"Hundreds of thousands? Do you know how many people there are in the whole country?" The person’s voice was somewhat helpless. "Sun Zhongliang... I have always appreciated you, but I didn't expect you to still be an idealist at such a critical juncture...

War is like a flood and a beast, swift and violent. We can't protect everyone, but you must know that out of our billions of people, only a few hundred Divine Path possessors have emerged. They are the treasures of culture and important objects of protection. To put it bluntly, the strategic value of the entire Wushan Town is not as important as those few hundred people.

You want them to protect ordinary people, but even if they join forces, can they withstand a nuclear strike? Even if they withstand the first one, what if there is a second or third? How do you know how many nuclear weapons the enemy will throw here? Taking a step back, the 7012 Underground Project is only so big; how many people can you accommodate? If you accommodate a small portion of the people, what will the part that isn't accommodated think? What if they turn around and attack the underground project?"

Under the repeated questioning of the person on the other side of the phone, Sun Zhongliang opened his mouth to explain, but in the end, he couldn't say a word.

"You want to mobilize these Divine Path possessors to protect the people now, which is failing to distinguish between primary and secondary. I let you manage the 749 Bureau, not to lead them into danger!"

As the person delivered the final verdict, the whole matter was settled. At this moment, Sun Zhongliang also knew clearly that there was no possibility of his proposal passing.

"...I understand."

The person on the other side of the phone was silent for a moment, then spoke coldly again:

"Sun Zhongliang, do what you are supposed to do... I will reiterate one last time: do not take risks."

*Beep, beep, beep...*

As the phone hung up, Sun Zhongliang slowly put it down.

Fine raindrops hit the edge of the black umbrella, making a *drip-drop* sound. Sun Zhongliang looked down at the town shrouded in hazy water vapor at the foot of the mountain, his gaze extremely complex...

Sun Zhongliang knew very well that his proposal was indeed risky. The reason he still bit the bullet and submitted that proposal was for the "White Hands" who were destined to abandon the 749 Bureau after knowing the truth, and also for himself.

He had never married or had children in his life, and his parents had passed away many years ago. He had no attachments in society, which was an important reason why the higher-ups trusted him and handed the 7012 Underground Project to him... But this didn't mean Sun Zhongliang lacked a heart of mercy.

He had come all the way from Shanghai to Wushan. Whenever he saw lively children playing on the street, couples traveling together, or a four-generation family sitting at the door basking in the sun, an unspeakable sadness would rise in his heart... He knew that in a few days, all of this would be reduced to ashes. But he knew everything, yet could do nothing.

Sun Zhongliang had never possessed happiness, so he yearned for it more, and cherished it more...

Even if this happiness didn't belong to him.

But with the nation above and the fate of humanity above, Sun Zhongliang also knew that he couldn't lead them into danger... So he extinguished all fantasies, ignored his emotions, and fulfilled his duty as the Director of the 749 Bureau according to plans and regulations. Even if he became the target of public criticism, he didn't care.

But now... the spark of hope he had extinguished with his own hands had ignited in the darkness in a way he had never imagined.

Sun Zhongliang looked at the two emperors in front of him, took a deep breath, as if making a certain decision, and spoke slowly:

"I have nothing to say..."

"The door is already open. As long as they are willing, you can take them away..."

"The resources prepared for this underground project are sufficient. As long as you can bring the survivors over, I will settle them all. No matter what happens outside, this place can at least guarantee their life for ten days."

Sun Zhongliang’s gaze swept across everyone in the conference room, his back straight.

"I, Sun Zhongliang, will bear all the consequences alone."