After breaking up with my girlfriend, I became a Great Sage of the Demon Clan.

Zhuque lit a cigarette for himself and slowly took a drag.

Some time later, Zhuque sent Zhou Yan a message.

"Starting today, Xuanwu will temporarily cease eavesdropping."

Zhuque wanted to test whether Xuanwu would let Lin Anru go if Zhou Yan stopped eavesdropping.

If all else fails, Zhuque will have to talk to Xuanwu. Why drag innocent children into the infighting among adults who are fighting amongst themselves?

Xuanwu can't be this shameless!

……

Wu Family Taoist Temple, Central Courtyard, Chu Daoyun's Bedroom.

Chu Daoyun opened the bedroom door. The bedroom was on the second floor, not high up, but it offered a panoramic view of the surrounding area.

Chu Daoyun could see that in the courtyard where the Vermilion Bird Academy was located not far away, the lights were on abnormally, and some students from the Vermilion Bird Academy were walking back and forth between different rooms.

Chu Daoyun closed her eyes. From half a kilometer away, she could faintly hear the conversations of the students from the Vermilion Bird Academy through her Five Elements Divine Power.

"A curse? My junior is cursed?"

"There seems to be a very powerful sorcerer in my neighborhood. Should we ask him to break the curse?"

"Lord Suzaku has already made arrangements, and Junior Brother Zhou is also at the hospital taking care of Junior Sister Lin. Let's wait for now."

"What's going on? This year's four-school competition is such a mess. First, some god suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and now someone on our side is cursed. Leng Qing, how about we bring over the Golden Buddha? Isn't that thing supposed to prevent curses?"

"Isn't that thing sometimes effective and sometimes not?"

Chu Daoyun smiled with satisfaction.

She watched Zhou Yan carry Lin Anru away from the Wu Family Martial Arts Academy, so she guessed that Zhou Yan was very anxious, but being anxious was useless. This curse was placed by a true god, and almost no one could break it.

So, just wait a few days, let Lin Anru's physical condition get worse, until Zhou Yan is anxious, panicked, and desperate, then go out and pretend to hear for the first time that Lin Anru is unwell. Then, pretend to be kind and go to Zhou Yan to help solve Lin Anru's problem.

I suppose Zhou Yan will start to have feelings for me.

He must have thought, how could there be such a gentle, kind, lovely, and unpretentious goddess in this world? Wouldn't it be natural for him to become infatuated with her?

The jet-black phoenix poked its head out from behind Chu Daoyun once again and spoke.

"Our most adorable little Daoyun, no one can resist your charm, that monkey will definitely fall in love with you in the end."

Chu Daoyun glanced at the black phoenix on her shoulder, and the phoenix immediately vanished.

They weren't afraid that Zhou Yan, the Six-Eared Macaque, would know that these phoenixes, whether speaking or acting, were communicating spiritually as long as Chu Daoyun didn't deliberately reveal it.

They were one, and all their interactions were like the collision of one person's thoughts.

However, the result of these conflicting thoughts is not entirely benevolent.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Closing the Net

Three days later, at the Red Cross Hospital.

Zhou Yan sat outside the ICU ward, his hands resting on the back of a public bench, sighing heavily.

The doctors' gasps echoed through the ICU ward.

"A body temperature of 300 degrees Celsius, that would cook a normal person, right?"

“These Awakened Ones are not human. The most severe heatstroke I’ve ever seen didn’t even have one-fifth of her body temperature.”

"Dialysis, dialysis... glucose!"

Leng Qing, standing next to Zhou Yan, said calmly.

"Junior, I have a friend who also had heatstroke when he was a child."

Zhou Yan looked at Leng Qing.

"and then?"

Leng Qing shrugged.

"The whole village is eating."

Zhou Yan said with disdain.

"Can't you speak a little nicer?"

Heatstroke is the most severe form of heat illness. You can think of its pathology as the slow cooking process of a steak at a low temperature, where the steak is the person.

By the time heatstroke patients are brought to the hospital, a part of your body has already been slowly cooked.

These past few days, Lin Anru's body temperature has been fluctuating in the hundreds of degrees Celsius. At its worst, it even burned through the hospital bed. However, as a demigod awakened, this level of fever has not caused the whole village to have to eat.

Lin'an is still alive and well.

The ICU ward door opened, and the doctor and Song Qing'e, who was ginseng extract, came out.

After the doctors left one by one, Song Qing'e plopped down next to Zhou Yan and said weakly.

"Sister Lin's blood and energy are getting weaker and weaker."

The repeated abnormal body temperature over the past three days, along with endocrine problems caused by various serious illnesses, have made Lin Anru's life signs increasingly weak. If it weren't for Song Qing'e, the ginseng spirit, keeping her alive with her essence and blood, Lin Anru probably wouldn't have woken up at all.

Zhou Yan reached out and touched the child's head.

"You've done your best. Lord Suzaku will find someone to handle this later."

These past few days, Zhuque has found a great shaman who claims to have learned the true methods of the Witchcraft Sect. He is on his way and should arrive around 3 PM today. Then Lin'an will be saved.

Leng Qing stood up.

"Qing'e, you're tired. Let me take you to eat, and then you can rest for a while."

The ginseng spirit Song Qing'e obediently went to Leng Qing's side, and was embraced by Leng Qing as they left to eat in the cafeteria.

After waiting for the ginseng spirit and Leng Qing to leave, Zhou Yan got up and went into Lin Anru's ward, then went to Lin Anru's bedside where her body temperature had just returned to normal.

Just a few days ago, this girl was lively and energetic, capable of punching through an armored vehicle. Now, she lies in bed with tubes inserted all over her body. Her strong body is in pain even when she moves. Only her weak eyes can still move, and they turn to face Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan reassured him.

"Lord Suzaku has already sent someone to resolve this. Anru, please wait a little longer."

Lin Anru's lips moved slightly; she wanted to speak, but the unbearable weakness within her body made her slowly close her mouth, only letting out a soft "hmm."

Zhou Yan sighed.

After Zhuque told Zhou Yan not to monitor Xuanwu, Zhou Yan realized that Zhuque suspected that Xuanwu was the one who had cursed Lin'an.

Zhou Yan even asked Little Yama about this, and Little Yama replied that Xuanwu wasn't so despicable as to lay a hand on a little kid.

If everything is alright with Xuanwu, Zhou Yan will start to consider whether he should ask Yingzhao for help. Of course, asking Yingzhao for help will have to wait until after Zhuque finds someone to break the curse.

Zhou Yan still felt that Ying Zhao, the gardener who could only rely on immortal plants, was probably not as good as a professional in solving the curse.

"Repeal Resolution 38!"

"We do not recognize Wang Jiajin as a member of parliament!"

"Shameless congressman, get out of Congress!"

A series of noises came from outside the door.

Zhou Yan left Lin Anru's ward and walked to the window in the corridor outside the ward.

The hospital gate is just a hundred meters away from the window. At this moment, more than a thousand people are standing outside the gate, densely packed around it. A few people in the lead are holding up signs and shouting.

"Repeal Resolution 38!"

"Shameless congressman, get out of Congress!"

The people behind him were shouting loudly.

how to say?

There are many and frequent demonstrations and rallies in the Eastern United States. For example, if a school insults a certain ethnic group, people will hold a rally or demonstration. If the country raises taxes, people will hold a rally or demonstration. People who feel they are being exploited will also hold a rally or demonstration.

Most importantly, these marches and rallies are not gatherings of ordinary people. They are basically capitalists and middle-class families with political aspirations. These families cultivate their children's political ideas from a young age and then try to win over the people in their own communities and hold marches and rallies on some random, nonsensical issue.

Of course, this rally was led by the children of capitalists and middle-class families who had been prepared for it.

Street politics was born. Zhou Yan had heard his history teacher say that the initial marches and rallies were good, and people really wanted to fight for their rights and legal protection. But now, these marches and rallies have become tools for those "representatives of the people" to gain political capital.

A few years ago, there was even a minor who started an environmental march, demanding that the government protect the environment, while real environmental organization members were planting trees in the desert.

Street politics in the Eastern Xia Federation is now just like presidential elections—a mass-produced influencer assembly line. All you need to do is shout a few slogans and create a persona. As for the actual content, you don't need to care; once you're in that position, it's all the same to everyone.

Zhou Yan has now seen a link in the internet celebrity assembly line: street politicians are leading their votes to storm hospital security guards.

Zhou Yan took out his phone and checked Proposal No. 38.

Yes, it's a bill about women. The content of this bill seems to prohibit women from having abortions in any form, whether it's due to rape, promiscuity, or pregnancy under any circumstances.

The bill even includes the principle of collective punishment, holding doctors, nurses, and hospitals responsible for abortions accountable, and even imprisoning women who have a tendency to intentionally abort.

The bill, introduced by MP Wang Jiajin in the House of Commons, has now passed the House of Commons' approval and is currently under review in the House of Lords.

Unfortunately, Councilor Wang Jiajin has been feeling unwell these past few days and is undergoing a check-up at the Red Cross Hospital. Meanwhile, those street-level politicians, sensing the impending fire, have flocked over to hold a protest march.

Amid the noisy protest, dozens of black armed police vehicles arrived at the end of the road extending from the hospital entrance. More than a hundred armed police officers, armed with rubber bullets, shields, batons, and pepper spray, got out of the vehicles and ran to the hospital entrance, stopping the enraged crowd that was about to break through the hospital's security guards.

Upon seeing the police, the crowd calmed down considerably, but the shouts grew louder and louder. Then, a large number of reporters and social media users came out and began interviewing the protesters.

Zhou Yan estimated that the internet in the Eastern Xia United States would be in an uproar again today, with countless celebrities, lawyers, and public figures coming out to support the people and pressure the government.

If the pressure is successfully forced, the leaders of this protest will gain enormous political capital, and then...

Footsteps appeared beside Zhou Yan and stopped next to him.

Zhou Yan's gaze shifted from the hospital entrance to the window in front of him. There were two reflections in the glass: one was Zhou Yan, and the other was someone he might recognize.

Zhou Yan turned around and looked at the man beside him—Mu Yuan—with a puzzled expression.

That guy who's hailed as a savior, ran for city councilor in Zhongzhou, and is also a student at Xuanwu Academy.

Mu Yuan raised his hand and waved, then smiled.

"Excuse me, are you Zhou Yan from Suzaku Academy?"

Mu Yuan was dressed in a well-fitting suit and wore a pair of refined glasses. With his handsome features, the term "social elite" seemed tailor-made for him.

Zhou Yan nodded slightly.

Mu Yuan reached out his hand to Zhou Yan.

"Mu Yuan, a third-year student at Xuanwu Academy, ranked fourth in the previous four-school competition."

Zhou Yan grasped Mu Yuan's hand.

Did you organize this march?

Mu Yuan let go and turned to look out the window.

"Lord Xuanwu told me that the current Eastern Xia United States has solidified its class system, and the wealth of the people is constantly being harvested by capitalists. The poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer. The contradictions between the lower class and the upper class are constantly accumulating, so all it takes is a simple stimulus."

Mu Yuan nodded his chin toward the hospital entrance.

"Public anger can then erupt."

Mu Yuan turned back and met Zhou Yan's gaze.

"So, Lord Xuanwu wants to change this world, Mr. Zhou Yan, is that what you think too?"

Mu Yuan smiled with utmost gentleness.

"I know your past. You suppressed your seniors at Suzaku Academy, and you didn't allow Awakened Ones to bully ordinary people. You also collaborated with Dong Yuecheng in Xinxiang City to set up night schools for the local slums and provided a lot of jobs..."

Zhou Yan interrupted.

"Let's get down to business."

Mu Yuan's smile froze.

Zhou Yan crossed his arms. This Mu Yuan wasn't an auspicious beast, but a divine beast with an awakening level of 73%. With such a high awakening level, Zhou Yan didn't believe that this thing had any humanity, so all this gentleness and righteousness must have been an act.

Mu Yuan's smile faded.

"I want information on all the participants in the four-school competition from Suzaku Academy and Byakko Academy."

Mu Yuan's eyes, behind his glasses, were fixed on Zhou Yan's face.