Bai Wenliang leaned back on the sofa, gaze shifting from Jiang Ao to Fang Wenyu.
Both men were outstanding talents inside the Xuanjian Division—strong, and after years of leading teams they understood the bureau inside and out.
He still remembered, two decades ago, Fang Wenyu had strolled in carrying the head of a Xuanjian Division Fourth-level Awakener.
He'd punished no one; instead he'd seen raw potential. The Division was too vast—even a Level Six like him couldn't reach every corner.
Internally, it needed a ruthless enforcer against rot, and under his patronage Fang Wenyu had become exactly that.
Lingzhou Prefecture under Fang's rule ran like clockwork; reckless civilian Awakened kept their heads down, and plenty of internal parasites had been culled.
Looking at them, he said, "You're both exceptional; choosing either torments me, so I'll set you one test."
'A test?' Qin Wan looked puzzled.
Both were veteran Level Fives—what further test could there be?
Bai Wenliang's eyes turned hard. "You know the Monster Association is now our enemy—and the world's. They've inflicted our worst losses in decades."
He paused, letting three pairs of eyes lock onto him.
"One month. Whoever wreaks the most havoc on the Monster Association becomes the next Deputy Director. You may requisition national resources at will—outside our borders you may even launch nukes. I'll shoulder the consequences."
Fang Wenyu's eyes glinted; nuking without blowback was a dream scenario.
Even Level Five beings die if caught at ground zero.
Nanwu Country is hardly short of warheads—over twelve thousand sit in storage.
Enough to plough every city on the continent.
"Understood, Director. In this month I'll inflict the heaviest losses on the Association," Jiang Ao said, face cruel.
Spot a Level Five or higher? Nuke the zone—unexpected kills guaranteed.
Collateral casualties? Bad luck; may they reincarnate into Nanwu next life and dodge the blast.
If word of this leaked, public uproar would erupt.
But this was Town City headquarters of the Xuanjian Division—not even a mosquito could slip in.
Except, in the overlapping space, the Evil Eye watching from another dimension.
It hugged its knees, silently observing the conversation.
The scene streamed live to a villa district in distant Liyang Country.
Jiang Yan, also on a sofa, watched without expression.
'Still too lenient—he dares plot against me again.'
Without turning, Jiang Yan asked, "Are our people inside Nanwu yet?"
Behind him stood An Conghao—now two metres tall, skin pale, body glowing faint green after using the soul crystal.
"One thousand Monsters carrying five thousand second-generation tyranny potions have infiltrated Nanwu. With illusion crystals their devices and border troops detected nothing."
Beyond the original Monsters and researchers, all later recruits were created in a minor country.
An Conghao ran that site; the cannon-fodder Monsters knew only that base, not the true lab's location.
To meet demand for second- and third-generation tyranny potions, Base One had opened a dedicated Phagocyte cultivation lab.
Fed vast energy daily, the primary body split into numerous offspring, easing Tyrant's burden—otherwise even draining Tyrant dry couldn't supply so many Monsters.
Jiang Yan sneered. "Ordinary media dare meddle in the war between Monsters and Awakened? A single lesson will teach them cruelty."
"Move the moment everyone's in position," he ordered An Conghao.
He'd show no mercy to outlets that reported on him—his grudges were small but sharp.
"Yes, sir!" An Conghao replied.
He continued, "President, what do you think of the merit-point system I proposed?"
The system had debuted just before the Anna Country operation to tally merits.
Cash meant little to the Monster Association; members joined with their own motives.
Thus the point system: one point traded for ten thousand blue star coins, private deals allowed.
Points were earned by accepting and completing Association missions.
Beyond money, points bought status, identity, and access to future research results.
Two hundred thousand points could commission a Level Five equivalent Monster once; the coveted soul crystal—now stocked after Jiang Yan's return—cost five million points plus a major merit.
Five million equalled five hundred billion blue star coins; some might eventually buy their way in, hence the merit requirement.
"The system works. Keep it running; we'll tweak later," Jiang Yan said casually.
"Understood!" Approved, An Conghao beamed.
Ignoring him, Jiang Yan sank his consciousness inward.
pearl of the abyss: 670 000 / 3 870 000 (units in ten-thousands to save words).
After he left, some Monsters took Monster-creation missions for points.
'Once the Nanwu operation ends I can summon again,' he mused.
Though requirements soared, his forces expanded fast, harvesting negative emotion with ease.