My brother is so cunning

Chapter 1125 A Tale of Two Cities

Wen Rui could clearly see that his cheap father was suspicious, so he quickly diverted his attention. He then raised his hand and pressed a red button on the control panel. The circular screen instantly switched. It was no longer a summary of information from the Three Realms, but a three-dimensional map of dozens of cities in the mortal realm appeared. Each city was marked with a green label that read "Directly under the jurisdiction of the Demon Alliance".

"Intelligence alone is not enough. We need to prepare all the cities in the mortal realm for war in order to truly resist the encirclement and suppression by the Chan Sect and the Heavenly Court."

Wen Rui slid his finger across the map, clicking on cities such as "Freedom City," "New Coastal City," and "Golden Stone Fortress" in turn: "These cities are all important strongholds that the Jie Sect has cultivated for many years. Now we need to immediately launch a war preparation mobilization. From defensive fortifications and troop deployment to material reserves, everything must be implemented according to the 'scientific war preparation plan.'"

As soon as he finished speaking, the communications officer next to the control panel immediately connected to the encrypted channels with each city, transmitting Wen Rui's instructions in real time.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the red "Mobilization Initiated" indicator lights on the screen lit up one after another, accompanied by real-time reports from the city commanders:

"Freedom City Command Center received! Freedom City has initiated a city defense reinforcement project. Mortal craftsmen are covering the surface of the defensive fortifications with 'Strong Interaction Force' material, which is expected to be completed within three days. At the same time, 'Mystic Energy Neutralization Generators' are being installed on the city walls, capable of withstanding magical attacks at the Golden Immortal level!"

"New Binhai City reports! The 'air defense array tower' 300 miles outside the city has been activated. If any enemy approaches, we will immediately launch a counterattack! The air defense array has been upgraded and modified based on the experience of the last battle, and it has been installed on an anti-gravity floating platform, which can move and fire."

"Jinshibao has received orders! The 'supply depot' inside the fortress has been inventoried, and food, medicine, and weapons have all been replenished."

……

"The enemy launched a cognitive war against us by spreading rumors, but their so-called labeling is nothing but self-talk. They just find an excuse that doesn't need to be proven and label us, the disciples of the Jie Sect, to shift the blame. Their methods are too low."

Wen Rui said loudly, seemingly implying something, "Back then, we were actually deceived by the so-called 'divine omen' of the Chan Sect. Even the Tongtian Sect Leader was fooled and believed their nonsense. They were evenly matched opponents with an excellent matching mechanism."

"Times have changed. This is no longer the ignorant era where people would readily believe those who claimed to be expounding on the Way of Heaven. The people's wisdom has long been awakened. Since the other side wants to wage a war of public opinion, I will play along with them. I will lay out the facts and let the people see them and judge them!"

After saying this, Wen Rui gave an order to another official of the Demon Alliance:
"Since the Buddha wants to use his 'knowledge of past lives' to frame me, then we will let all beings judge the truth. Issue the order to immediately broadcast the Buddha's words on television and radio in Free City and surrounding cities. At the same time, announce that in three days, the Chaos City Television Station will launch a program called 'Truth Investigation: Cities Under Two Types of Education,' using factual cases to compare the differences between different education models, allowing the enlightened beings to judge for themselves what true 'blessing' is."

Upon hearing this order, Wen Zhong, who was standing nearby, was somewhat surprised: "If such a public debate is used by the Chan Sect and the Western Sect, it will cause public panic, won't it?"

"What's there to be afraid of? Truth becomes clearer through debate! If the people are panicked because of ignorance, then let them see the truth through the facts." Wen Rui said firmly, "Our Jie Sect spreads knowledge and enlightens the people. Our teachings are not meant to make people blindly follow us, but to give them the ability to make independent judgments. No matter how authoritative the Buddha's 'knowledge of past lives' may be, it cannot withstand the facts that are seen with one's own eyes; no matter how loud the Chan Sect's 'orthodoxy' may be, it cannot deceive the masses who have opened their eyes to see the Three Realms."

These words sent a shiver down Wen Zhong's spine. He suddenly realized that he had been too trusting of the extraordinary power of the vertical eye between his eyebrows.

What is the principle behind the vertical eye between the eyebrows indicating loyalty and steadfastness?
What is the true nature of the evil and righteous energy seen through the vertical eye's spiritual vision?
It seems that after awakening this ability, Wen Zhong took it for granted as the standard designated by the Heavenly Dao, and never had any doubts about the accuracy of this ability.

Compared to the eyes of tens of millions of ordinary people in the mortal world, which is more important, his so-called "divine eye"?
If the public sees Wen Rui as a problem, but I see him as having a sinister aura, are the tens of millions of people wrong, or am I wrong?
Three days later, Liberty City TV launched the "Truth Investigation" program as scheduled.

The program opens with footage of Buddha claiming that the Creator God was an "extraterrestrial demon" spreading evil teachings. Then the camera shifts to the host, who stands in front of two very different cities—the Peacock City on the left, which is indoctrinated by the Western religion, and the New Source City on the right, which is indoctrinated by the Creator God.

Peacock City was the capital of the Peacock Dynasty, which was the most Buddhist kingdom in Xiniu Hezhou. It is said that under the leadership of successive kings, the entire population of Peacock City believed in Buddhism, and there were countless temples in the country, with everyone becoming a monk.

"Xinyuan City" is also located in Xiniuhe Prefecture. Its people are similar to those in Kongque City, both being blond, blindfolded, high-nosed, and broad-foreheaded Westerners. It was once the territory of the Huanxi Zen sect.

Back then, when the four allied sects of the Southern Continent attacked the Joyful Zen Sect, Gu Changfeng led a guerrilla force that sowed the seeds of Taoism on this land. After the Joyful Zen Sect was destroyed, the Demon Alliance took advantage of the situation and established a regime here with the help of the local people who had been liberated from oppression. Xinyuan City was the new city built from this.

The camera first focuses on Peacock City: there are no tall buildings in the city, only clusters of temples and low adobe houses. The people on the streets are dressed in coarse cloth monk robes, holding prayer beads and chanting. They are either chanting scriptures in the temples or meditating on the street. The whole city is so quiet that it is almost silent.

A reporter, disguised and infiltrating the program, interviewed an elderly man: "Grandpa, do you feel happy with your life now?"

The old man clasped his hands together, his face full of piety: "Amitabha, being able to recite scriptures and draw near to the Dharma every day is the greatest happiness. Wealth is an external thing; only by wholeheartedly turning to the Buddha can one seek blessings in the next life."

The camera pans across the city's market, revealing only a few stalls selling coarse food and simple linen clothing. People hurry away after buying their necessities, and no one mentions "development" or "innovation"—just as Western doctrines say: "The Diamond Sutra says, 'All phenomena are illusory,' so clinging to economic development is attachment to external appearances; the Surangama Sutra says, 'All sentient beings, from beginningless time, have been deluded into believing themselves to be things,' so studying science and technology is being deluded into external things and deviating from the true path of spiritual practice."

Although the people of Peacock City were not hungry or cold, they had never experienced the conveniences of modern life, and were unaware of the earth-shaking changes that had taken place in the outside world.

(End of this chapter)