Chapter 1587: Persuasion

“You mean...”

“You want us to expend a massive amount of manpower and resources at this most tense node of the international war to save this ‘Chen Ling’ you speak of?”

After Lu Xun finished explaining the cause and effect, the figures in the conference room, who were already frowning, immediately asked in return.

“Not just him, but also Dr. Ji and Dr. Chu,” Lu Xun added. “Dr. Wu and the others have already gone over there.”

Everyone was silent for a moment.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Lu,” one figure replied calmly. “After the global nuclear strikes, the domestic situation is also very tense. There are too many displaced people who need us to protect them and maintain order. Our manpower and weapons must be used in the most critical places... At this juncture, national security and public safety are above all else.”

“I agree. There are too many regions where people are struggling even to eat, and tens of thousands may be dying every second. We cannot invest so many resources into three people.”

“Furthermore, the Otherworld intersection you speak of is just a concept Chen Ling described to you; there is no evidence that they will intersect with us... Predictions of the end of the world like this appear by the thousands every day. Compared to investing resources into these ethereal things, the current severe situation is what we really need to care about.”

“But you also saw it—those weapons carrying Otherworld Tail Waves did indeed open a channel to another world, didn't they?” Lu Xun immediately retorted.

“But that was an accidental phenomenon,” another aged voice sounded. “We do not deny the existence of that world, but we also believe that the order of the universe is stable. Without the use of specific technology, these two worlds cannot approach each other for no reason, let alone... overlap.”

“This is not for no reason! You know better than I do the changes that occurred after the Red Star passed by, don’t you??”

“Even if, as you say, the two worlds are bound to intersect, we should preserve our strength and stockpile resources to deal with the uncertain possibilities, shouldn't we? The life and death of three people—in the face of the interests of the entire nation or even the race, which is heavier? Dr. Lu, do you really not understand?”

“No! The life and death of the three of them concerns the future of all humanity!!”

“The future of humanity has always been determined by humanity as a whole, not by specific individuals.”

“But...”

“If I remember correctly, Bureau 749 previously sent us a warning regarding the ‘Ghost Mockery World-Ending’... This warning points to the ‘Chen Ling’ you speak of, right?”

“What makes you so sure that they are the future of humanity?”

Lu Xun was speechless for a moment.

Lu Xun had walked this path with Chen Ling, so he naturally understood the logic behind it, and he trusted Chen Ling. But these people before him hadn't experienced it personally; getting them to trust his words completely, especially at this critical juncture, was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

“They are, of course, the future of humanity.” Lu Xun took a deep breath, a glimmer of starlight flashing in the depths of his eyes.

“I won’t comment on your impression of Chen Ling for now... but the five scholars currently with him—every one of them will become a pillar of humanity’s future.”

Lu Xun paused for a moment:

“What do you think... Yang Xiao?”

*Whoosh*—!!!

The moment Lu Xun finished speaking, all the lights in the conference room went out. Whether it was the light bulbs, the monitors, or even the safety exit signs, everything plunged into darkness... The next second, Yang Xiao’s face slowly opened its eyes on every screen in the room.

From the tactical screens hanging on the walls to everyone’s mobile phone screens, the same face rippled across every electronic device like an inescapable flow of water.

At the same time, a visible starlight like fabric flew lightly in from outside the window, circling around Lu Xun. Specks of starlight permeated his body, and his pupils seemed to contain the entire universe!

This was the first time Lu Xun had displayed his strength without reservation in front of the high-level officials. This supernatural power undoubtedly caused a huge visual impact on everyone present.

“I agree,” Yang Xiao’s voice sounded from the speakers of every electronic device. “As I am now... one person can rival half a nation.”

“All modern electronic communication equipment is a part of Yang Xiao... and I can control celestial bodies and starlight,” Lu Xun said slowly.

“Every person trapped in the Gray World right now—some control quantum mechanics, some control mathematics, some control biology... In the future, they will only be more powerful than us.”

“Now, do you have a clear understanding of the value of those people in the Gray World?”

Lu Xun’s line of thinking was simple.

The trade-offs of the high-level officials were judged by value. If he couldn't persuade these people, he would use the simplest and most direct way... let them witness the value of the Nine Lords with their own eyes.

The people present had actually heard of Yang Xiao’s abilities; his terrifying combat record on the sea had shocked the entire high-level leadership, and everyone’s eyes were focused on him, thinking he would be an extremely powerful weapon... At the same time, they had overlooked the other Nine Lords.

But now, the incredible power Lu Xun displayed made them realize that every scholar participating in the exploration seemed to have this level of terrifying potential; it was just that Yang Xiao was the fastest-growing among them.

The conference room fell into a brief silence. They seemed to be thinking seriously. A moment later, a voice sounded slowly:

“After the appearance of the American Otherworld Tail Wave missiles, we did indeed conduct corresponding research... and we have had some results.”

Hearing this, Lu Xun finally let his guard down.

He knew that since they had said this, it meant the high-level officials were starting to consider how to save Chen Ling and the others.

“However, this so-called ‘Otherworld Tail Wave’ is not fixed... It possesses a fixed wavelength similar to a radio frequency band, and the Otherworld connection points corresponding to different wavelengths are also different.”

“We can indeed open a channel to that world for a short time by detonating missiles, but if we want to replicate the extremely precise connection point of Wushan Town, we cannot do it... because the specific data for that wavelength is only in the American laboratory.”

As soon as this was said, the joy that had appeared in Lu Xun’s eyes immediately turned solemn...

He had thought that with national support, he could directly use technology and resources to open a fixed-point channel to the Gray World, but now it seemed that it wasn't that they didn't have this technology, but that they didn't have the corresponding data.

After a brief silence,

Yang Xiao’s voice echoed slowly in the conference room:

“I understand...”

“I’ll make a trip to their laboratory.”