louisehourcade Chapter 293 Li Zhenguo's Overt Scheme, the Value of Merit
Chapter 293 Li Zhenguo's Overt Scheme, the Value of Merit
When the US Secretary of State's plane made an emergency landing at Beijing Capital International Airport, Li Zhenguo was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the No. 1 command center, overlooking the city's night view.
"They're here," the secretary's voice came from behind.
"Hmm." Li Zhenguo nodded, his face showing no surprise.
Everything was under the master's control.
After witnessing firsthand the power capable of destroying the world, Americans had no choice but to bow their heads.
"Minister, how should we receive him? Should we follow the highest standards for a state visit?" the secretary asked.
Li Zhenguo turned around, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
"A state visit? No." He shook his head. "They're not here for a visit. They're here to 'seek the Way'."
"Seeking the Dao?" The secretary paused, not quite understanding the meaning of the word.
"They don't want to see us. They want to see Mr. [the Master]," Li Zheng-guo said slowly. "Or rather, they want to see Mr. [the Master] through us."
"Then...should we arrange for them to meet with the gentleman?" the secretary asked cautiously.
"What do you think?" Li Zhenguo asked in return.
The secretary immediately lowered his head. He knew he had asked a foolish question. Who was this gentleman? Could he be someone these mortals could simply meet at will?
"Sir, the path has been paved for us. Now it's up to us to put on a good show." Li Zhenguo walked to his desk and picked up the two red encrypted phones.
He first dialed the number for the Divine Chef's Palace.
He Yuzhu's calm voice came quickly from the other end of the phone.
"Mr. He, I am Li Zhenguo."
"Speak," He Yuzhu said, his voice as concise as ever.
"The Americans have arrived. They wish to see you, sir," Li Zhenguo said directly.
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
Then, He Yuzhu's voice rang out again: "The master has decreed: games must have rules. Let them play by the rules."
"Understood." Li Zhenguo's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately understood his master's meaning.
After hanging up, he dialed the number in Kunlun Mountain.
On the other end of the phone came the respectful voice of Daoist Xuan Chen.
Li Zhenguo explained the same situation to Daoist Xuanchen and Zhang Sanfeng, who was behind him.
The instructions sent back from Kunlun were exactly the same as those from the Divine Kitchen Hall.
"Minister Li, my master once said: 'The Great Way is fifty, the Heavenly Cycle is forty-nine, and man escapes one.' There is always a glimmer of hope in everything. Since they have come with sincere intentions, Kunlun cannot turn them away. However, Kunlun has its own rules. Everything will be done according to the rules."
"This junior obeys."
After hanging up the two phones, Li Zhenguo already had a complete plan in mind.
A plan that can be described as an "open conspiracy".
He turned to his secretary, who was still waiting for instructions, and said, "Go, send a deputy director from the foreign affairs department to the airport to pick up the Americans."
"Deputy Director-General?" The secretary exclaimed in surprise. "Minister, this...this level of protocol is far too low! The person coming is the Secretary of State, their third-highest-ranking official!"
"Low? I think it's already quite high," Li Zhenguo said calmly. "Tell our deputy director not to discuss any political or military issues with them. Just politely take them to the state guesthouse and give them two addresses."
"Two addresses?"
"Yes." Li Zhenguo picked up a pen and paper from the table, wrote down two addresses, and handed them to his secretary.
"One is Qianmen Street, Shenchu Temple."
"The other one is the external liaison office that we just set up for Kunlun Taoist Temple in the suburbs of Beijing."
"Tell Americans that China has entered a new era of universal spiritual cultivation. We no longer use the old methods to deal with problems."
"The answers they seek, the path they choose to take, are found in these two places."
"Let them choose for themselves. Let them see for themselves. Let them ask for themselves."
The secretary looked at the two addresses on the slip of paper, and then at Li Zhenguo's confident expression. Although he was still full of doubts, he knew that all he needed to do was carry out the orders.
"Yes, Minister! I'll arrange it right away!"
……
Divine Kitchen Hall.
He Yuzhu hung up Li Zhenguo's call, his face expressionless.
He glanced at the American diplomat who had been waiting in the store, trembling with fear, not daring to leave or speak, for the past hour.
After witnessing the horrific, globally broadcast footage, the blond, blue-eyed man felt as if his soul had been ripped out.
The way he looked at He Yuzhu now was no longer the probing and fawning look he had before.
Rather, it was a sense of awe and fear that came from the depths of one's soul.
He now finally understood what kind of being he had been talking to.
The seemingly ordinary cook in front of me is not a spokesperson promoted by the Chinese government at all.
He is the messenger of the gods!
"You just asked me if there's a chance to earn 'merit points' in the United States of America?"
He Yuzhu slowly walked up to the diplomat and spoke calmly.
"Yes...yes! Your Excellency, Lord He!" The diplomat suddenly jumped up from his chair, bowed deeply to He Yuzhu, and his posture was extremely humble.
"We...we are very eager to make our contribution to this world!"
"Very good." He Yuzhu nodded.
He pointed to the huge "List of the World's Most Valuable Materials" on the wall.
"You've seen the items on the list. Each one requires merit points to redeem."
"And the way to obtain merit points is also very simple."
He Yuzhu's voice was not loud, but every word was clearly heard by the diplomat.
"Do things that are beneficial to China."
"Do things that are beneficial to the world and to all mankind."
"Sir, this merit system you have established will naturally make the fairest judgment."
"It will record every good deed you do, and it will also record every bad deed you commit."
"Rewards and punishments are clearly defined and precise, down to the smallest detail."
The diplomat listened, completely bewildered, but still nodded frantically.
"Then...then what exactly should we do?" he mustered his courage and asked.
He Yuzhu glanced at him but did not answer directly.
He turned around, took out a small wooden plaque from under the counter, and hung it next to the huge list.
On the wooden sign, a line of brand-new small characters was written in cinnabar.
The World Merit Ranking (Beginner Level)
"Task 1: To issue a public and formal apology for the global panic caused by that foolish, live-streamed event. And to make every effort to calm public sentiment and restore world order."
"Mission Reward: United States of America, National Merit, 1000 points."
"Task issuer: Divine Chef's Palace".
The diplomat stared blankly at the words on the wooden sign, completely dumbfounded.
A public apology?
Should the world's only superpower admit its mistake to the entire world?
This...this is even more painful than killing them!
This is a tremendous humiliation to the national dignity of the United States of America!
He was thinking of opening his mouth and saying something.
He Yuzhu, however, seemed to see through his thoughts and said calmly, "You can choose not to do it."
"This is a mission, not an order."
"The doors of the Divine Chef's Temple are forever open to those who have 'meritorious service'."
"As for those who, without merit, still attempt to defy the rules..."
He Yuzhu did not continue speaking.
But his gaze inadvertently drifted towards the direction of the huge, glass-like crater outside the door.
The diplomat, following his gaze, also thought of Area 51, which had been completely wiped off the face of the earth.
A chilling, bone-deep coldness instantly shot from his tailbone straight to the top of his head!
With a "thud," his legs went weak, and he knelt directly on the ground.
"I...we'll do it! We'll do it! I'll convey your message to the Secretary of State right away!"