In the name of supernatural powers

Chapter 161 Dispute over the Ownership of the Dragon-Subduing and Tiger-Taming Swords
Cangwu City.

Thick smoke billowed from the industrial forest, and the endless skyscrapers were hidden in the dense fog.

Every year, up to 200,000 people die from air pollution. Except for the core areas where the meteorological bureau has superhumans who purify the environment every day through various means, the air in other places is filled with a pungent smell.

The area shrouded in dense fog is called the fog zone, and people who live outside the fog zone are called the upper class.

This does not specifically refer to federal citizens. The vast majority of Chinese immigrants do not live a wealthy life. The difference between them and federal citizens is that they are protected by law, have certain labor rights, and have freedom and the right to choose.

Liu Hanwen has always wanted to address environmental issues, and has been constantly relocating heavily polluting industries to other areas.

On the one hand, it's important not to put all your eggs in one basket; the previous concentration of federal industry in Nankaido was a last resort.

Within a single Dao in the northern region, there exists at least one ancient god circle, similar to the area in the northwest imperial capital, and even potentially facing the ancient god circles of the Qin and Han dynasties.

The ancient god circle of the Shenzhou Dynasty was still under control. It had been governed for thousands of years by successive dynasties, and each dynasty would deal with the ancient god circle of the previous dynasty.

Over time, this accumulation has resulted in a constraint on the ancient god circles within China, limiting their influence to localized areas.

As things have developed to this point, the Federation no longer refers to these areas as the Ancient God Circle.

These are treasures left by our ancestors, a legacy of the Chinese nation for five thousand years, and a hidden realm.

The real danger lies in the overseas ancient god circles, ancient god ecosystems that are unregulated and unrestricted, expanding endlessly.

On the other hand, the situation has stabilized since the cataclysm.

The disputes at the top are intense, but they do not affect the overall situation.

Liu Hanwen felt that the time was right to develop the economy and that it was also necessary to loosen the restrictions on the people.

Severe punishments are necessary in times of chaos, but civil administration is needed for a prosperous era.

If no one else is going to start this, then he should be the one to do it. Instead of letting the people remain stuck in the era of catastrophe, and letting China never see peace again.

This is also the biggest point of contention between Liu Hanwen and Chen Yunming. Chen Yunming controls the Confederate District, which is the source of labor for many industries.

The industrial transfer touched upon Chen Yunming's fundamental interests.

They could still talk for the first two years, but the conflict gradually intensified, and in the past year they have started to attack each other in newspapers, on television, and at various conferences.

Liu Hanwen spoke about "new economic reforms," ​​while Chen Yunming spoke about "promoting the integration of Chinese and non-Chinese cultures."

"Sir, this is a list of cities that can accept industrial relocation."

Secretary Liu brought a thick stack of documents.

Liu Hanwen put on his reading glasses, took the document and flipped through it. His back was slightly bent, and he seemed to have some difficulty sitting in the chair.

Secretary Liu advised, "You don't need to lock up your life force so tightly. It's okay to loosen it up a little."

When Zhuge Liang grows old and feels that he can no longer further develop his vitality, he will choose to seal his vitality and only unlock it when needed.

The advantage is that one's strength will not diminish with age, while the disadvantage is that one will develop the minor ailments that ordinary people have.

Overall, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

"Birth, aging, illness and death are the natural course of life, and we cannot resist them too much."

Liu Hanwen, with a carefree demeanor, laughed and said, "This old man wants to serve the Federation for another ten years; I can't retire to the second line for at least eight years."

Eight years is the time required for Liu Hanwen's "Two Horizontal and One Vertical" strategy, which aims to transfer Nankaido's industries inland along the Yangtze River within eight years.

The goal is to restore the economic structure to its pre-catastrophic state and achieve a soft landing for the wartime industrial system that has been maintained for a decade.

"How is Xiao Yan doing?"

Secretary Liu replied, "I've already introduced all the well-known playboys in the industry."

"How's the effect?"

"It's not clear yet, but the collateral branch of the Lin family is up to something again. They've moved into the old Lin family residence and said they're going to pay respects to General Lin Yinong and General Lin Youqiao in a few days."

"They probably didn't hire a bald monk to perform shamanistic rituals, right?"

A hint of coldness flashed in Liu Hanwen's eyes.

Ever since Lin Zhiyan took him in, the Lin family's collateral branches have been subtly trying to take a share of the family fortune, but Liu Hanwen has basically thwarted their attempts.

If he, the top official of Nanhai Province, could let these petty scoundrels swindle a single penny from Lin Zhiyan, then he wouldn't be Liu.

Later, seeing that they couldn't get any benefits, and with Lin Zhiyan growing up day by day, the collateral branches of the Lin family gradually became anxious and began to seek outside help.

That is, the Buddhist community. Three years ago, they even hired a group of monks to chant sutras in front of the graves of the two generals from the Lin family.

Liu Hanwen was so angry that he had everyone arrested, and many of them are still not released.

Since then, the Buddhist sect has been completely focused on subduing dragons and tigers, putting pressure on Liu Hanwen through various channels.

Liu Hanwen is not afraid of them now, but he will eventually step down. In less than ten years, he will be relegated to the second line.

Their strength and influence will decline at that time.

Secretary Liu is an insurance policy, but ultimately she's not family. Nobody can predict what will happen ten years from now.

Ring ring ring.

The landline on the table suddenly rang.

Liu Hanwen picked up the phone, and the operator's voice came through: "Chief Liu, Han Xueshi, the Dean of the South China Sea Divine Power Academy, is looking for you."

"Take it over."

The call paused for a second, then an anxious voice came through.

"Chief Liu, a major discovery! A major discovery!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Hanwen straightened his back slightly, and his secretary beside him perked up a little.

As a Grand Scholar specializing in the study of the Ancient God Circle, Han Dongcai's research, once it yields a breakthrough, can have a significant impact throughout the entire Federation.

For example, Han Dongcai's Five Elements Secret Medicine indirectly led to the Federation gaining hundreds of thousands more Tier 2 Transcendent beings, and with updates and iterations, the difficulty of developing Tier 2 Transcendent beings will continue to decrease.

The stronger the Ancient God Circle, the stronger the demonic beasts; the stronger the demonic beasts, the more raw materials the Federation can obtain.

Liu Hanwen asked, "What is it?"

Han Dongcai said, "A few days ago, the Extraordinary Rating Department sent us a medical examination report of a person, which revealed that a chief official in Fangshi, Nanhai West Circuit, may possess dual acquired supernatural powers."

"When the news reached me, I flew to Fang City this morning. After my inspection, I can guarantee that the dual supernatural powers are completely real and there is no inherent defect of having dual supernatural powers."

Upon hearing this, both Liu Hanwen and Secretary Liu's expressions changed slightly.

In the modern life force development system, strength depends entirely on supernatural abilities, which determine the upper limit of an extraordinary person.

Having two supernatural powers means having an extra bit of strength.

"Scholar Han, do you mean this dual supernatural power can accommodate two great supernatural powers? If it is truly acquired later in life, can you figure out the underlying principles?"

Liu Hanwen, as expected of a high-ranking official, immediately grasped the key point.

One of the Earthly Fiend Divine Powers is powerful enough; if someone could possess two, they might instantly become a top-tier Martial Marquis.

The Heavenly Divine Power is rare; in many cases, it depends entirely on fate.

Of the thirty-six fixed numbers, six are beyond human control, and the remaining thirty Heavenly Divine Powers all have owners; whether or not they can be filled depends entirely on fate.

Even if someone becomes vacant, it doesn't necessarily mean they'll be in the same sequence as you.

The Earthly Fiend Divine Power is easier to obtain; it's still possible to gather two out of the seventy-two divine powers.

However, that's too far off. For one person to possess two great supernatural powers would infringe upon the interests of others, making it very difficult to implement. But understanding the underlying principles is crucial; it's something that could change the entire Federation.

Han Dongcai said, "It's still unclear. Supernatural life bones have existed since ancient times, and there are too many things we can't answer. At least we can try, and maybe we can find some results."

He couldn't guarantee it either, as similar abnormal phenomena of acquired dual supernatural powers had been occurring all along, and most of the Federation didn't understand the underlying principles.

Scientific innovation is about exhaustive exploration, and the same applies to research in the field of supernatural powers.

Liu Hanwen nodded and said, "I will fully support your research. As for which official will be in charge, I will transfer him to the Divine Power Academy specifically for your research."

Upon receiving the promise, Han Dong was overjoyed and said, "His name is Lu Zhao, the young man who was on the news a few days ago, the chief officer of the garrison at Ant Ridge."

With Liu Hanwen's support, Lu Zhao had no choice but to obediently go to the Divine Power Academy with them, even if he didn't want to cooperate.

Moreover, this isn't bad at all; you don't need to work hard to gain seniority, you can make a difference just by cooperating with the research.

Suddenly, there was silence on the other end of the phone, and no reply was given for a long time.

Liu Hanwen paused for a moment while holding the phone, then looked thoughtful and changed his words, saying, "Border defense matters are of great importance. Lu Zhao can cooperate with you in your research, but I cannot transfer you to the Divine Power Academy."

"what?"

Han Dongcai hadn't expected the other party to change their tune, and said with a slightly anxious tone, "This is a study concerning the entire Federation. Can't we just find someone to fill in for the border defense..."

"Ok, deal."

Liu Hanwen interrupted, saying in an unquestionable tone, "Don't reveal this matter to the outside world before we achieve results."

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Sending Lu Zhao to the Divine Abilities Academy for research would only ruin him with its comfortable life. The Federation has too many similar extraordinary individuals with special abilities who are then sent to the Divine Abilities Academy for study.

To say it's for slicing and studying would be inappropriate; so far, there have been no casualties, and these people are all important federal assets.

But time is also a cost. If you spend five, ten, or even twenty years inside, your life will be over.

No military commander was raised in a greenhouse.

If it were anyone else, sending them to the Divine Power Academy to be raised as pigs would be one thing, but not for Lu Zhao.

This was the support Liu Hanwen had prepared for Lin Zhiyan.

Don't give him any excuses like it's about the Federation. The Federation won't stop functioning if one person is missing, nor will adding one person save the world.

Secretary Liu, who was standing to the side, understood her leader's intention and congratulated him, saying, "Leader, now we can give the Dragon-Subduing and Tiger-Taming Divine Power to Lu Zhao."

"This can be considered a kind of fate."

Liu Hanwen couldn't help but smile; it was a relief to have resolved one of his worries.

As long as the Dragon-Subduing and Tiger-Taming Divine Power remains in the Lin family, at least the next two generations will not fall into poverty, and Lin Zhiyan can live a peaceful and stable life.

"By the way, what is Lu Zhao's current position?"

Liu Hanwen began to inquire about Lu Zhao's specific situation.

Secretary Liu had already memorized Lu Zhao's situation and replied, "He is currently a captain in the military and a chief clerk. He was promoted just two months ago, and he will have to wait until next year to be promoted again."

“Didn’t he earn a first-class merit?” Liu Hanwen said, “A first-class merit should warrant a promotion. He should be promoted one level next month.”

Secretary Liu advised, "Wouldn't it be a bad thing to be promoted two ranks in just six months? Even if you have merit, we still need to consider the impact."

"Whoever thinks it has an impact, let him come see me."

Liu Hanwen waved his hand and said firmly, "If there is anyone else with the same merits as Lu Zhao who hasn't been promoted, I'll promote him too."

Promotion speeds in peacetime and wartime are on completely different levels. In the Federation, years of promotion are not a hard requirement; the level of life development is.

Having meritorious service, sufficient life development, and connections is equivalent to rising to prominence quickly.

"Yes."

Secretary Liu nodded helplessly.

He had originally planned for Lu Zhao to stay in the city for half a year before coming to Cangwu next April or May.

This would both train Lu Zhao's abilities as a frontline commander and also trigger a public opinion storm.

If someone gets promoted too quickly, they're bound to be labeled as someone who got promoted through connections.

At the same time, it also has an impact on the psychology of a 26-year-old. If he rises too quickly, Lu Zhao may become impetuous.

Similar situations are all too common in officialdom, especially when people gain power and inevitably lose control of their desires.

But his boss didn't seem to think so.
-

On the other side, the Lin family's old house.

Inside the modern-style mansion, gold and red are the main colors, and the decorations are understated and calm. Many of the objects can be called antiques, but they are placed like ordinary items.

Lin Zhiyan sat alone on the right sofa, her long legs crossed, her beautiful face icy, looking at the elder on the other sofa with indifferent eyes.

The Lin family's rise to power can be traced back to the founding of the Federation. After two hundred years of ups and downs, it finally reached its peak with her grandfather's generation.

The family has two Martial Marquises, one of whom is a top-tier Martial Marquis with the Heavenly Gang Divine Power.

That is, Lin Zhiyan's father, a top-notch martial marquis who is only thirty-eight years old and possesses the Heavenly Gang Divine Power.

There are even rumors that if Lin Youqiao hadn't sacrificed himself, he would be the one sitting in the Wude Hall today.

However, these are all unverified rumors. The highest chief of the Federation is not solely determined by strength.

However, the power of the Dragon Subduer is undeniable. It has extremely strong individual combat capabilities and rarely has an opponent in battles against opponents of the same level.

The Lin family's collateral branches, that is, his so-called cousins, all had their eyes on the Dragon-Subduing Tiger.

Liu Hanwen could help her deal with the others, but he couldn't do anything about the Lin family.

Because this was a family matter within the Lin family, as soon as Liu Hanwen intervened, someone ran to the gate of the Imperial Capital's Martial Virtue Hall and began wailing and howling.

Such a simple and unpretentious move stumped the top official of Nankaido.

"Xiao Yan, look, this Dragon-Taming Tiger-Subduing Manual has been vacant for ten years. Why don't we let it go and give it to our uncles..."

Lin Zhiyan interrupted, "All the supernatural life bones belong to the Federation; we only have the right to use them. This right of use is with me; why should I give it to you?"

"But aren't you unsuitable for subduing dragons and tigers?"

The uncle seized on this point and said, "You can't just keep it in your hands and not use it, can you? Why not take it out and give it to someone who needs it, so as to contribute to the Federation?"

Lin Zhiyan slightly averted his gaze and said, "I will find the right person myself."

“Then you have to find a member of the Lin family.” The clan uncle said, “The old man said back then that the Dragon Subduer and Tiger Tamer must stay in the Lin family no matter what. You can’t give them to outsiders.”

Lin Zhiyan sneered, "I can't give it to outsiders, but you can give it to bald monks?"

The uncle argued, "That person also has our Lin family bloodline, he's your cousin. Can't you grant your brother's request?"

Lin Zhiyan coldly said, "My relationship with him spans three generations. Don't try to glorify yourself. You gave him the Dragon-Subduing and Tiger-Taming Swords, do you think he'll return it to the Lin family after he dies?"

Ten years ago, not long after his father sacrificed his life, the Buddhist sect accepted a member of the Lin family into its monastery.

After ten years of intensive training, he is now known as a Buddhist disciple and the leading figure among the younger generation.

Master Liu said that these bald monks were just waiting for this day. As long as Lin Zhiyan could not inherit the Dragon Subduing and Tiger Taming Technique, they could find an excuse to take it away.

(End of this chapter)