Chapter 14

The followers of the Dark God, such as Tang Guanshu, were highly regarded by Huaxia Jiu, who hoped to thoroughly resolve the issue of his energy source.

Given that Tang Guanshu and others had very poor self-protection abilities, for safety reasons, Huaxia Jiu would need to take care of these hundreds of people for some time. Therefore, it was better for him to stay in Hedaba City for the time being.

Moreover, as Xu Jianhong had said, this was a war between humans and the demon race. Influenced by the Three Laws of Robotics, Huaxia Jiu instinctively wanted to protect humans. Therefore, he not only did not dislike the war against the demon race but also had a faint sense of anticipation.

As for why he had thought for a long time and only gave a positive response after Xu Jianhong's patient guidance, it was because he had instinctively performed a series of logical calculations in his brain.

——

Seeing that Huaxia Jiu finally agreed to stay and serve in the Steel Tooth Legion, Xu Jianhong, despite his usual composure, couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief. Although Huaxia Jiu was 'outstanding,' it wasn't enough to make Xu Jianhong value him so much. The reason for this was that Xu Jianhong had his own private motives, particularly the desire to form a connection with the legendary cultivation sects that pursued immortality.

He knew a story from a few years ago. A nobleman who was about to die due to old age was granted a longevity elixir by a cultivation sect, extending his life by ten years.

The desire for immortality is an innate instinct of every living being. Although no one has ever truly achieved immortality, the ability to extend one's lifespan is enough to make any intelligent being do many things, regardless of the probability or the uncertainty of achieving it.

With this mindset, the several requirements Huaxia Jiu needed to meet did not make Xu Jianhong feel difficult or dissatisfied; instead, he secretly rejoiced and even hoped that Huaxia Jiu would make more demands, as long as he could meet them.

So, as soon as Huaxia Jiu finished speaking, Xu Jianhong said without hesitation, "Speak! I will try my best to meet your demands."

Huaxia Jiu was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Xu Jianhong to reveal such a willingness to meet his demands even before he had specified them. He guessed it might be related to the 'training' Xu Jianhong had mentioned. Huaxia Jiu, fearing that Xu Jianhong, Huang Tianzhong, and others would see through his true identity, had never explained his background and had avoided discussing 'training' and other probing topics.

"I have three requirements. First, I need my own independent living environment, and no one can enter or interfere without my permission. Second, I have the right to refuse some of the tasks you assign me, although in most cases, I will follow your orders. Third, I like sunlight, so I hope my living place will have plenty of it," Huaxia Jiu said, his face expressionless but his words serious.

Xu Jianhong was taken aback upon hearing this. The second condition was somewhat expected or normal, but the other two seemed overly simple and childish, or even a bit strange.

"Alright! I will meet all three of your conditions. I will prepare the necessary documents and your residence by this afternoon," Xu Jianhong said, though he was surprised, he showed no sign of it.

——

In the center of Hedaba City, in the military management area, about a mile from Xu Jianhong's residence, stood an elegant mansion covering several acres.

Huaxia Jiu glanced at the stone carvings of strange beasts standing on either side of the gate and, led by a middle-aged man who looked like a butler, crossed the red lacquered gate and walked into the mansion.

Inside, a garden as large as a basketball court greeted his eyes. The garden featured a small bridge over a stream, artificial hills, and strange rocks, with exotic flowers and plants scattered throughout. A stone path about a meter wide ran through the garden, leading to the depths of the mansion. At the end of the path was a grand structure with at least a dozen rooms, made of stone, wood, and brick. On either side of the two-story building, separated by a lawn, stood two sturdy stone pavilions.

The entire mansion, except for a few purple trees about a person's height, had no large trees, making the shady spots few and far between, adding a bit of heat to the place.

Although the mansion was elegant and spacious, Huaxia Jiu didn't feel much about it. He only paid more attention to the two pavilions, thinking they could be used as observation and security points. What he cared most about was the sunlight coverage, which he found very satisfactory.

In the living room of the mansion, Huaxia Jiu, somewhat reluctantly, stepped inside at the butler's earnest reminder, leaving the sunlight behind.

In the living room, Huaxia Jiu looked at the table full of food and couldn't help but frown inwardly and smile bitterly.

He needed to replace the staff with people he could completely trust or control; otherwise, the issue of not being able to eat would be a very troublesome and dangerous problem.

Thinking of this, a flash of inspiration came to him, and he remembered the followers of the Dark God, including Tang Guanshu. Given their devotion to the Dark God and his identity as the Dark God's messenger, these people, though not entirely trustworthy, were controllable.

After dismissing the butler and maids, Huaxia Jiu began to contact Tang Guanshu through a Bluetooth wireless earpiece.

——

Tang Guanshu, who had been somewhat disappointed at not being able to serve by the side of the Divine Messenger, was excited and eager when he received a message from the Divine Messenger. He carefully selected two men and seven devout and steady followers of the Dark God and hurried to the mansion where the Divine Messenger was staying.

After a brief meeting with the fanatical Tang Guanshu and the other seven, and arranging some precautions, Huaxia Jiu eagerly sat on a stone table in the lawn outside the house to bask in the sun.

The stone table was in the center of the lawn, next to an artificial water channel, with four round stone stools nearby. There were no obstructions on either side, and two stone paths led directly to the central building and the stone pavilion on the other side.

At this moment, Huaxia Jiu was engrossed in a book, reading at an astonishing speed, skimming through dozens of lines at a time. The stone table was piled with at least forty or fifty books, which he had found in the mansion's study.

——

The next day, at dawn, the mist began to thin.

In the center of Hedaba City, in the tallest building, a five-story pavilion.

Xu Jianhong stood by the window, looking distantly at the Huaxia Mansion. He could vaguely see Huaxia Jiu lying in a chair in the courtyard, reading a book.

Five steps behind Xu Jianhong, a middle-aged man who looked like a butler was bowing, speaking cautiously, his forehead covered in sweat. He was the original butler of the Huaxia Mansion.

After a long moment, Xu Jianhong slowly turned around, looked at the middle-aged man, his gaze sharp as a knife. The man, intimidated by Xu Jianhong's piercing gaze, fell to his knees, his face full of fear.

"So, including you, all thirteen servants in the Huaxia Mansion were dismissed without any explanation," Xu Jianhong's eyes flashed with a hint of killing intent, his voice cold and stern.

"Spare my life, sir! Every word I said is true, without a single lie," the middle-aged man, clearly aware of Xu Jianhong's temperament, sensed the killing intent.

Xu Jianhong looked at the man, whose face was turning ashen, then turned back to the window and said, "You may go."

The man, feeling as if he had been granted a reprieve, bowed gratefully and retreated.

"Is he a hermit or hiding some secret? But why did he keep the seven people from Tangjia Town? It seems Huaxia Jiu has a closer relationship with the survivors of Tangjia Town than I thought, or perhaps just with those seven. I should take better care of those hundreds of refugees from Tangjia Town," Xu Jianhong mused.

Huaxia Jiu spent a day reading through nearly a thousand books in the mansion's study, accurately scanning them with his electronic eye and categorizing the content in his brain.

Through these books, he gained a vague understanding of the energy system of this world. Especially a book called "The Origin and Development of Human Cultivation" gave him a deeper understanding of the world.

As the book described, since ancient times, humans have witnessed various strange phenomena, such as lightning, thunder, storms, and other natural disasters, which caused countless deaths and destruction, far beyond human control or resistance.

Thus, they believed that beyond the mortal world, in the heavens, there were various deities. In the underworld, there was a realm of ghosts and spirits, the abode of the dead.

Therefore, the concept of immortals spread among the people. Countless humans sincerely worshipped the various deities they imagined, praying for blessings and relief, with incense burning profusely.

Thus, some people, born with special abilities or who later cultivated and became powerful, took advantage of this to pose as deities, collecting faith power to become false gods, seeking immortality.

Additionally, driven by the desire for immortality, over the years, generations of intelligent and talented individuals dedicated their lives to research, and some cultivators eventually grasped some of the mysteries of the universe, mastering formidable powers. With the help of various magical treasures and artifacts, they could wield great power, live for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, and be considered immortals. This inspired more people to pursue the path of cultivation.

In the present world, humans are thriving, and the other races have been forced to retreat to remote and desolate areas. The number of cultivators is countless, and various cultivation methods have emerged, leading to the formation of different sects. This has resulted in sectarianism, competition for cultivation resources, and control over the mortal world, leading to frequent conflicts and battles. Thus, a world where the strong are respected has gradually formed.

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