Chapter 586: Seven Years

In April 3997 of the Bright Calendar, in Atlanta, at the Dream City Arena, a tremendous roar erupted, nearly tearing apart the dome.

In Box 24 of the arena, Wallace Carroll, Senior Deputy Executive Director of the FBI and Level 9 Agent in charge of the Third Special Affairs Division, held binoculars fixedly, observing a figure on the ring, watching every move of the black-haired young man.

Beside him, one of Carroll's assistants, Level 8 Agent Tancred, shrugged with a helpless expression: "I think this observation is completely useless, Chief! What's the point? Watching a super-standard powerhouse at the main god level, mingling in NMOSA (National Mixed Cold Weapon Fighting Alliance) to bully these weaklings?"

Then he cast a contemptuous glance at the black-haired youth on the stage: "He really goes all out, collecting faith and condensing divinity, shamelessly. It's been five years since he entered the league, right? The fifth NMOSA War Emperor gold belt is about to hang around his waist. NMOSA is getting less and less appealing."

"But I think he's still fair, isn't he?"

Another Level 8 Agent, Belor, disagreed. She was a legendary fourth-level female magic swordsman, also intently watching through binoculars, her eyes shining.

But if anyone could see her field of vision, they would find that this legendary figure with a maiden's face was mainly focused on the black-haired youth's face and figure, not his combat moves.

"He always uses only the strength of a Level 16 magic professional, the most ordinary kind, yet he is invincible in the ring. No matter who, even the previous stars who held the War Emperor title, he finishes them all in a hundred rounds. All his fights are classics, used as teaching videos by school fighting clubs. His matches in NMOSA have the highest ratings and attendance. His sports equipment and endorsed products always sell the best."

"But he is a main god, one that even powerful beings like the Goddess of Magic and the Goddess of Nature would be wary of."

"No one knows that. Not many in this audience would believe it. A young man just over twenty, forcing the Church to swallow its pride for nearly seven years? Don't joke, it's too absurd. And so far, all his fight footage shows him either in Light Demon No. 8 or No. 9, or the Scarlet Dragon Armor, never revealing his face. So, although it's an open secret in high-level magic professional circles, the general public doesn't know. But I think if they did, most would only admire him more."

Belor chuckled: "I heard a rumor that young Mr. Wilingston actually wanted to quit NMOSA last year—it's too unchallenging for him. But the NMOSA president and several TV stations that bought the streaming rights were desperate, begging him to stay a few more years. How to put it? His appeal to the audience is different from other players—"

"Yeah, yeah! Women always love to kiss his ass."

Tancred snorted, then swept his gaze helplessly across the arena. Of the 140,000 spectators, seventy percent were women.

"That's not right. It's more accurate to say women are more willing to spend money on him. Do you know how much a regular seat ticket sells for on the black market now? Seven hundred federal dollars, nearly half a month's salary for an ordinary person."

This came from another Level 8 Agent in the box, a middle-aged man in a suit, with a steady demeanor: "His fans now span the New and Old Continents and East Asia. Many fighting and magic enthusiasts like him, believing he has pushed the techniques of combat and magic to the extreme. 'Rage War King' has only released up to Volume 34, with single-volume sales exceeding 370 million copies, total over 9 billion, plus countless pirated copies. The recent film adaptation, with him personally designing the fight choreography and magic use, as we know, the first movie grossed 6.7 billion gold shields in America alone, ranking third in historical box office."

"I really don't understand what he's thinking? What kind of faith deity is he trying to condense?"

Tancred said with a puzzled look: "Games? Internet? Fate? Fitness? Combat? War? Wealth? Or youth? Beauty?"

At the last two words, he deliberately glanced at his colleague Belor. He knew that Andre Li Wilingston had a beauty and fitness show a few years ago that swept across America. Twenty-four episodes, repeatedly broadcast on major TV stations.

Especially his self-proclaimed family-inherited 'Green Hair and Rosy Cheek Sword', which every woman in America practiced. It even spread abroad, from ten-year-old girls to eighty-year-old grandmothers, almost all women in the world were his followers, watching his videos daily, including many men.

Since he stopped teaching, those videotapes and discs made of special materials that recorded the 'true essence' of Andre's sword technique have been hyped to a sky-high price of hundreds of millions of gold shields on the black market.

"But as far as I know, having too many divine duties isn't good for a god, right? He's too greedy."

That means chaotic power, interference among faith forces, even affecting the god's mind. Human thoughts are messy; even the prayers of devout believers contain stray thoughts. These thoughts converge and become a heavy burden for a god.

The middle-aged man mused: "That depends on how strong young Mr. Wilingston's physical and soul power is. If he is strong enough, carrying more divine duties might not be a bad thing."

As they discussed, Wallace Carroll's expression shifted: "Someone told me he is preparing to break through Level 20. It should happen within the next two or three days, likely skipping Legend and Demigod to directly impact the Ancient God status!"

This statement made everyone in the box slightly moved. They didn't ask how their boss knew; they exchanged glances, their eyes showing solemnity.

"Finally!"

Agent Belor sighed emotionally: "The world has been waiting too long for this day!"

"So, after ten years, His Highness will leave this world?"

Tancred raised an eyebrow: "That's really good news for the major churches, even the Holy Church of Light. Just wait ten more years, and they can breathe a sigh of relief."

"Not necessarily!"

The steady middle-aged man took the opposite stance again: "The Wilingston family is already excessively powerful. Relying on Eastern trade, the internet, arms, and the underworld expansion, their alliance with Light Demon Industries directly and indirectly controls wealth of at least fifteen trillion. Who knows how far the Wilingston family will develop in ten years? Once young Mr. Wilingston becomes a true god, it will only make them more unbreakable."

...

When Li Mochen stepped down from the ring, he hadn't even broken a sweat. Then, as he walked out of the arena under the protection of security personnel, he heard good news from Eliza.

The 'Sky Knight' Type A bio-armor developed by Xuri Biochemical Pharmaceutical Company had passed the Defense Department and military safety inspections and combat tests that morning, and the former immediately placed an order for one hundred sets.

"According to previous negotiations, each set is priced at 150 million gold shields."

Eliza reported with a helpless look: "Still sold too cheaply; our negotiation team was too weak. Sky Knight is a Level 20 bio-armor. When paired with Light Demon Industries' recently produced 'Messenger' class magic armor, it can boost a Level 15 magic professional to Legendary Level 2 combat power."

"But its cost plus R&D expenses are only 72 million gold shields, right? Don't be too greedy, Eliza."

Li Mochen shook his head with a smile: "Reasonable pricing squeezes competitors and ensures no peer products appear. We also need to cultivate more loyal fans and vested interests within the military."

"OK! I know it's a reasonable business strategy, but what about the East?"

Eliza looked at him askance with a questioning gaze: "Their 'Dragon Guard' Type III has been developed, a bio-armor comparable to the 'Earth Knight' model. Though slightly inferior in various functions, their cost is lower."

"You underestimate their technical capabilities, Eliza! That's a country with a population of over ten billion, and the average intelligence level surpasses America's. Such R&D capability is not surprising. Don't forget our Professor Gu Hong is also Chinese."

Li Mochen said without changing expression, but his words clearly didn't convince Eliza, so he changed the subject: "This is actually a good thing, Eliza. You have to know that since the end of the Cold War, this country's equipment procurement costs have been decreasing year by year, while daily operating expenses keep rising. Those Defense Department officials think, if there are no enemies in the world, why buy so many weapons?"

He glanced meaningfully at Eliza: "If not for this country's legal restrictions, our arms dealers would spare no effort in cultivating opponents."

At that moment, his Norfolk 'Monarch' limousine slowly drove out of the Dream City Arena. Through the window, Li Mochen saw a large crowd holding protest signs on the left street.

This reminded Li Mochen of his early days in the fighting world a few years ago. But the content of the signs was completely different now. At a glance, they read: 'We don't want unemployment', 'We need jobs', 'You are the executioners of the middle class', 'Please keep Wilingston Textiles, this city needs it', 'Go to hell! Heartless Wilingston', 'Go back to your hometown! Mixed-blood monkey'.

But Li Mochen had gotten used to this scene three years ago.

"So, the FBI has been watching us with three Level 9 agents for a whole year, and the CIA is no slouch either."

Eliza rubbed her forehead, slightly troubled: "Many people now think you favor the East too much, disregarding America's national interests."

"I'm happy to—"

Li Mochen's expression was somewhat unbridled: "They can't do anything to me, can they? The Eastern market and trade bring us enough profit. This year, Xuri Group's net profit of 470 billion gold shields, at least a third comes from that ancient country. Industrial transfer is also a trend, not started by us. Service and high-end manufacturing are the future of this city and this country."

Then he pointed outside: "Have Banfield check who is behind these people outside?"

"No need to check, it must be the Church."

Eliza shrugged: "They won't miss any chance to disgust you."

She was also indifferent to the protesting crowd. In this regard, Li Mochen had been fair enough. Over the years, although he had gradually transferred some of Wilingston Group's industries and factories in Atlanta to the East, he had created more job opportunities in the city. Especially the expansion of territories in the dark world in recent years brought a large amount of magical materials to Atlanta.

Xuri Group and Li Mochen's private holdings in the dark world—22 elite armored divisions, 27 mechanized infantry divisions, and under their jurisdiction 15 dark cities, 9 large military fortresses, 8.3 million square kilometers of land, 29 large-scale magical beast farms, and 197 mines in operation—had made Atlanta and Georgia's alchemical industry exceptionally developed in just a few years, attracting many magic professionals to the city.

In recent years, Xuri Group alone directly provided 1.7 million jobs. Adding indirect upstream, downstream, and service industry jobs, the number exceeded 3 million. This didn't include the Wilingston Group, whose development speed under Conshuri was no less than Xuri Group's. In fact, due to deeper roots, its expansion rate surpassed the latter, though its profit margin lagged behind Xuri Group due to family reasons.

Moreover, for this round of layoffs at Wilingston Textiles, the Wilingston Group paid 1.7 times the standard severance. The union didn't resist fiercely; workers were already eager to leave. The city had better, higher-paying jobs waiting for them.

"I said who is commanding, not instigating."

Li Mochen replied with a smile: "If we can't cut them directly, can't we at least cut off their hands?"

"Wow, getting impatient, are you?"

Eliza looked at Li Mochen with curiosity: "You used to not care much about this kind of protest."