Chapter 97

Chapter 97

This request was so bizarre that the leaders present, who had initially imagined it would be something special, exchanged bewildered glances.

Feeling extremely relieved, Azure Dragon finally made this request. Wei Xi's previous psychological impact on him had been immense. Just because he wasn't a boar, Wei Xi had been ready to devour him without hesitation. He was over a thousand years old now, and before he turned into a dragon, society was still feudal. Back then, there was no such thing as animal protection. Later, he accidentally began cultivation and spent his days submerged underwater, oblivious to the world. When he emerged, he encountered the era of reform and opening up. He couldn't read or write, so he had no idea about the concept of protected animals in the new society. However, judging from Wei Xi's reaction, it was clearly a significant matter that not everyone could possess.

Seeing the leaders fall silent, his triumphant laughter faded, and a rare hint of anxiety flickered across his cold eyes. "…Is this difficult to arrange?"

The elderly leader, who had initially felt as if they were facing an enemy with Azure Dragon's question about politics, fell silent for a moment before coughing. He felt embarrassed by the wild speculations that had raced through his mind earlier. "…No, no, we will definitely take care of it as soon as possible."

Hearing such a confident response, Azure Dragon relaxed immediately. He secretly glanced at Wei Xi and nodded, approvingly addressing the elder leader, "You have indeed come with sincerity."

The leaders: "………………"

Receiving such praise, the leaders nodded rather stiffly. "…There is no doubt about that."

Having expressed his most pressing concern, Azure Dragon suddenly recalled the mineral water bottle that had prevented him from entering the sea. With resentment, he added, "Oh, right, there's one more thing. You need to address the issue of ocean pollution seriously. It's despicable how they dump waste and litter. Before I came to the capital, I noted down the names of those factories secretly polluting the waters in Ocean City. Little Group will give you their names shortly. Fine them! Arrest their bosses – let none escape!"

The leaders hadn't anticipated receiving such a citizen's report. The local government's supervision was insufficient when it came to factories secretly discharging pollutants. They didn't even know where to begin investigating. Azure Dragon's request seemed more like a favor than a demand. They all nodded in unison, "Certainly, certainly. The plan to tackle ocean pollution has long been on the agenda, and we will increase our efforts in monitoring and enforcing regulations."

Azure Dragon: "Mmm."

There was a moment of silence as the leaders exchanged glances, hesitating, "Then... what about the rest?"

Azure Dragon, preoccupied with grooming its whiskers, looked puzzled, "Huh? What else?"

The leaders: "...."

The leaders: "Are these all the requests? Nothing else?"

Azure Dragon frowned, its mind racing, beginning to feel annoyed. Why were these people persistently asking it for more? As an entity of the working class, it had been poor for over a thousand years, knowing nothing about what it should demand. Its inherited knowledge mentioned a glistening dragon palace beneath the sea, but it couldn't return to the ocean now. Besides, it was living in a zoo, with officials, a residence, and luxurious surroundings that far surpassed its humble beginnings in the riverbed. It was quite content with its current living conditions.

Impatiently, Azure Dragon swished its tail, "That's it, I can't think of anything else for now. Just take care of what I've mentioned."

Worried that the humans might not take it seriously, it added menacingly, "Remember, you've already promised me the trending topic and the animal protection. No matter how difficult it is, you should know the consequences of breaking a promise to a deity, right?"

The leaders, unfazed by the threat, replied calmly, "...We understand."

Putting aside the potential aftermath, there was no point in retracting such peculiar demands anyway.

Azure Dragon was convinced that they were not lying, finally nodding in satisfaction. He transformed back to his original size and climbed onto the Prime Minister's back. "Very well, I'll go rehearse my performance then."

As the king of the aquatic creatures, he naturally prioritized his duties and didn't have much time to dally with ordinary humans.

The leaders: "...."

This... That's it??

Stunned, the leaders watched as his figure disappeared into the water. Even Unity Yi, who had given Azure Dragon a crash course in business, was bewildered. After a moment, he finally grasped the essence of the situation and sighed at his master. "Ah, this is the downside of lacking education and being too solitary. Master, our company's philosophy is indeed correct - educating our employees on culture as soon as they join. Otherwise, they'd end up like this dragon."

This dragon clearly never ventured out for cultivation, held itself in high esteem, and refused to make friends. If it weren't so illiterate and had a slight understanding of modern knowledge, it wouldn't have been so easily appeased. If Unity Yi were in its position, he would at least negotiate for government subsidies or tax exemptions for such a precious species.

This demonstrated the importance of literacy education in the socialist era. Not just this dragon, but the wild dog spirits that Xin Nan had previously recruited also fell victim to fraudulent labor agencies due to their lack of education.

Wei Xi, however, felt somewhat displeased. "What qualifications does it have to be a protected animal so easily?"

What was going on with the country? Were the criteria for protected animals that lax? If it became one, wouldn't he no longer be able to consume it?

Unity Yi, though unsure about his master's grievance, tried to reason with him patiently. "Forget it, Master. The dragon clan now only has this one descendant. Such a small number already qualifies it as an endangered species. It's eligible for protection."

Wei Xi listened thoughtfully, while the leaders beside him finally managed to break free from their surreal experience. Although it was unbelievable that the Azure Dragon had been dealt with so easily, the outcome was still a happy one. No ordinary people were alarmed, no force was used, and not even excessive social resources were mobilized to stabilize this unpredictable and destructive creature.

Moreover, judging from the dragon's dedication to its mission, it seemed unlikely that it would cause trouble anytime soon.

The crisis dissipated too effortlessly, almost unreal. Recalling the information hinted at by the Azure Dragon, the leaders couldn't help casting sidelong glances at the master-disciple pair from Taicang Sect. The senior leader, after a moment of hesitation, stepped forward to shake hands with Wei Xi, "Thank you, Daoist Master Wei and your disciple, for persuading this Azure Dragon."

It sounded like the dragon's mindset had been influenced by someone from this temple.

Confused by the praise, Wei Xi responded, "Did I?"

Xia Shouren, unable to bear it any longer, interjected, "You did!"

Wei Xi, half-understanding, shook hands with the elderly leader. The latter continued in a composed manner, "I've heard that Daoist Master Wei also made a significant contribution in preventing the Azure Dragon from entering the sea. Little Gu has briefly informed me over the phone. Your bravery in risking your life for the safety of the people and the stability of the nation is admirable. The country will not forget your sacrifice."

Wei Xi was even more perplexed. Did he really?

He had just gone to grab something to eat.

Xia Shouren: "..."

But the old leader's emotions were stirred as he spoke: "I hope that in the future, Daoist Wei can have more interactions with us."

Wei Xi understood this sentence and nodded, "Our sect has quite a lot of contact with Mr. Gu."

"Oh, is that so?" The old leader smiled, "Little Gu is one of our key talents being cultivated. The program he oversees, 'Believe in Science,' has played a significant role in dispelling feudal superstitions among the people and has considerable influence in the new media industry. I'm sure Master Wei has already collaborated with him, right?"

Wei Xi nodded, "Aside from this project, there will be another advertisement collaboration later on."

Upon hearing this, the leader was taken aback, "An advertisement?"

Mr. Gu, who had been lost in thought due to Azure Dragon, abruptly snapped back to reality and looked at him with horror.

Right, he almost forgot about the executioner's block of this career!

Wei Xi replied, "It could be considered part of the remuneration for this collaboration."

The old leader made an "oh" sound but didn't fully understand. Advertising was a small part of their department's business, usually not requiring his direct supervision. However, he didn't dwell on it; it was just a collaboration, and one involving a large and dangerous operation like dragon hunting. He smiled at Wei Xi and said reassuringly, "Daoist Wei, don't worry. You risk your lives for the country, and I'll definitely make sure he handles your matter properly when I return. If he doesn't do it well or elegantly, you can come to me to lodge a complaint!"

Then, he turned to his subordinate and said with a smile, "Did you hear that, Little Gu?"

The subordinate looked at him with an expression of grasping onto a lifeline, as if he had just found salvation: "I heard you, I heard you! You're the one who said it, boss!"

The old leader was utterly confused: "?????"

**********

Azure Dragon still needed to rehearse its performance, so the leaders and some Taoist priests decided to stay and watch. Wei Xi originally wasn't interested in it, and now that it had become a protected animal he couldn't touch, his last bit of patience was exhausted. Thus, he naturally requested to leave.

Many tourists who had been hastily evacuated were lingering by the zoo entrance. They had been abruptly taken out while they were still enjoying themselves, and were all rather perplexed. They gathered around the entrance, demanding answers: "What's going on? What happened inside? We haven't finished our visit yet. Why did they suddenly let us out?"

Moreover, the evacuation operation seemed overly intimidating. Not only were there armed soldiers surrounding the park, ready for action, but several tanks had also been mobilized. People who had grown up in peaceful times had never witnessed such a scene before. While they felt scared, their curiosity was piqued.

However, the military personnel responsible for the evacuation were tight-lipped about the reason. They remained silent until they received a call from inside the park, announcing the retreat. Then, they finally informed the crowd with a sigh of relief: "It's okay. We suspected that a few illegal elements had infiltrated the park, but the danger has been neutralized. If you want to continue your visit, you can re-enter without buying tickets."

With that, they left as swiftly and quietly as they had arrived.

The rumble of the tank tracks echoed on the road, stunning the tourists at the entrance—just how many illegal elements were there?

What kind of criminals required such terrifying weapons for capture? Wouldn't anyone caught in a tank shell be reduced to ashes?

Visitors looked bewildered, unable to fathom the situation.

"One thing's for sure, it's bizarre. Are they here to take on Godzilla?"

"Or did some prehistoric monster appear?"

"Whatever it is, since it's no longer a threat, let's just head back to the aquarium and check out that snake. I haven't even had time to snap a photo yet."

**********

Wei Xi gazed at the peculiar vehicles with a hint of confusion. Although he lacked context, his intuition told him that the equipment on those departing individuals was something to be reckoned with.

Tuan Yiyi was also startled, muttering softly as he watched the tanks recede, "Damn, could it be they're here to deal with the Azure Dragon?"

Wei Xi frowned slightly, struggling to grasp the concept, "The Azure Dragon? Didn't it say it's their faith and totem?"

"That's where humans are complex and formidable. Despite their weakness, they become the final choice of Heaven's Dao," came Shuo Zong's voice from behind. Wei Xi turned to look, meeting the profound and complicated gaze of the speaker, "You won't understand, nor should you try to."

Wei Xi grew even more perplexed but decided to put it aside. Tuan Yiyi had a resilient heart, quickly recovering from the shock and preparing to hail a taxi back home.

Unfortunately, at this hour, there were not many empty cars around, and with the recent evacuation of tourists from the park, even ride-hailing apps were scarce.

Tuan Jieyi grimaced as he said to his master, "Peak hour, damn it. Master, we might have to take the Beijing subway back again."

Wei Xi, who usually feared nothing, felt a chill run down his spine at the thought. His previous experience with the Beijing subway during rush hour had left a deep impression on him.

The pair immediately fell into a panic about the traffic situation. At that moment, a low-profile black car glided past them and stopped just a few steps away. They looked up instinctively to see the driver already hurrying out to open the rear doors for Shuo Zong and the others.

Tuan Jieyi gasped, "No wonder he's the country's most eligible bachelor. Master, look, the epitome of success."

Wei Xi's gaze swept over the crowd, noticing that many people had taken notice of the scene and were casting curious glances their way. Under such circumstances, Xia Shouren couldn't help but flash a smile fit for a domineering CEO. He straightened his back and nonchalantly said to Chōmei, "Chōmei, do you know what it feels like to hang out with someone super rich?"

Chōmei: "Huh?"

Xia Shouren smiled faintly, as calm as a chrysanthemum, "Sure, he might always swindle your money, but during peak hours, you can sit in his car and laugh at those arrogant opponents who can't get a ride as they try to chase you."

Chōmei: "..............."

Recalling the past, Xia Shouren was secretly overwhelmed with emotion, his heart aching. He couldn't resist revealing a vengeful expression. However, as he tried to get into the car, Shuo Zong held him back. Bending down, Shuo Zong asked, confused, "What are you doing?"

Shuo Zong ignored him, holding him back with one hand while his calm gaze fell on Wei Xi. "Why are you standing there?"

Wei Xi: "?"

Xia Shouren: "?"

Shuo Zong waited for a moment, then clicked his tongue. "Come here."

Jiutianyi was startled. "Holy shit, Master, we've met a kind soul today!"

He promptly rushed forward with Wei Xi. "A hero in a desperate situation, thank you so much! My past love interest truly didn't misjudge you."

Shuo Zong: "…"

Jiutianyi helped his master into the car and tried to climb in himself, only to have the collar of his coat grabbed by a powerful hand, pulling him backward.

Despite his large build, he was powerless against this action. Confused, he stepped back a few steps, watching helplessly as the triumphant man before him didn't even spare him a glance, naturally taking a seat beside his master and shutting the door with a clean snap. "Let's go."

Jiutianyi: "…So, what about me?"

Xia Shouren: "...What about me?"

Chōmei: "...And what about me?"

Shuo Zong turned his head to glance at the three of them indifferently. "There's no room for all of us. You can follow behind and take a taxi."

As soon as he finished speaking, the black car drove away mercilessly, leaving behind a trail of taunting exhaust fumes and a cloud of dust.

Chōmei watched the car disappear and murmured, "Mr. Xia, did you know that the arrogant rival who was chasing your rich friend just left in his car?"

Xia Shouren: "..."

Chōmei: "And here we are, unable to get a taxi."

Xia Shouren: "..."

Chōmei: "So, what was the point of losing all that money?"

Xia Shouren: "..."

United Right mournfully crouched to the ground in Xia Shouren's silence, "What terrible taste my past love had!"