The Decision of the Seven Martial Stars Families

"A referendum?" The Seventh Prince froze for a moment, numerous thoughts flashing through his mind. For a time, he couldn't comprehend Qi Yuan's words. Seeing that neither the Seventh Prince nor Gongyi Cai understood, Qi Yuan explained, "It means letting the people... vote on their fate. When the time comes, I'll have my robot, Zero-One, compile all their life records. Every evil deed and every good deed will be laid out in full. And then... we provide options, letting the people vote on whether they should be put to death, sentenced to prison, or... acquitted." Qi Yuan explained patiently. He had never met those people; he didn't hate them, nor did he feel anything toward them. So... let a vote decide. Besides... wouldn't it be rather fun? "This..." The Seventh Prince hesitated. He hadn't expected this kind of referendum. He had assumed it would be a vote among the families of the Seven Martial Stars. A public referendum like this was completely unheard of and unprecedented. Seeing his hesitation, Qi Yuan couldn't help but say, "Could it be that the citizens of Qinyuan Kingdom don't have the right to vote? Yet I clearly remember that everyone has voting rights. Or is that just empty talk?" Qi Yuan's voice rose slightly. The Seventh Prince's heart seized, and he quickly replied, "They do! They absolutely have the right to vote!" Though, as Qi Yuan had said, it truly had just been empty talk. Yet now that Mr. Qi brought it up, how could it remain just talk? A vote had to be held. It was just that the ramifications of this matter were far too vast. A nationwide vote where every citizen acted as a judge held far too many unpredictable variables. "Since they have the right, why are you hemming and hawing? Don't tell me... you can't even find college students to build a voting website? Or is the website so shoddy from layers of subcontracting that it'll crash under heavy traffic?" The Seventh Prince looked thoroughly bewildered, then immediately promised, "Our royal family will go all out to push this forward and serve Mr. Qi!" "Don't serve me. I don't need servants. Serve the people," Qi Yuan said, stretching languidly. The Seventh Prince nodded repeatedly. Granted, with his authority, he had no right to promise this on behalf of the royal family. A referendum of this magnitude would also require the consent of all the Seven Martial Stars families. Yet right now, how would the Seventh Prince dare refuse? Agreeing outright was his only choice. As for whether the Seven Martial Stars families would agree... there was no need to wonder. How could they have the nerve to disagree? Otherwise, what awaited them... might also be a referendum. At this moment, Qi Yuan turned his gaze to Gongyi Cai. "Long time no see, old fellow. Hmm, you look younger." Gongyi Cai blinked in confusion, then hastily bowed his head. "This humble old man greets Mr. Qi." His posture was extremely humble. It was completely different from back when they were at Lost Path Mountain. "Mm. Ten years later—well, not quite, my corpse met you," Qi Yuan said casually. "Back then, you brought several youngsters from your family along. I remember one named Gongyi Qing whose attitude was quite nice. However, there was one whose body was hollowed out by booze and women, Gongyi Lang, I think. He looked down his nose at people, arrogant as could be, almost committing the crime of desecrating a corpse." Back when Qi Yuan had been reduced to a corpse, Gongyi Qing had treated him with considerable respect. That Gongyi Lang, on the other hand, had spouted nonsense and foul insults. Hearing this, Gongyi Cai's expression shattered, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. He understood: Qi Yuan was a Resetter. Evidently, this Resetter had died in that timeline, and ten years later, the Gongyi family had sent them to communicate with Qi Yuan's corpse. Hearing that someone from the Gongyi family had been disrespectful to Qi Yuan, his face twisted into an expression uglier than crying. "Husband, should I blow a breath at the Gongyi family?" Ning Tao offered considerately from the side. Gongyi Cai dropped straight to his knees, his expression filled with terror. "Mr. Qi, spare us!" He had seen with his own eyes that this woman beside Mr. Qi had nearly blown the Eyes of the Sky to ruin with a single breath. If she blew a breath at the Gongyi family, would anyone in the Gongyi family survive? Scared out of his wits, Gongyi Cai kowtowed and begged for mercy. Seeing this, Qi Yuan said to Ning Tao, "Am I some kind of demonic fiend? Killing and slaughtering every day is so distasteful. It's just a trifle, not worth mentioning. If I hadn't run into Gongyi Cai, I probably would've forgotten all about it." Hearing this, Gongyi Cai finally breathed a sigh of relief, the boulder in his chest dropping away. As long as she didn't blow a breath at the Gongyi family, all was well. Right now, he hated that little brat Gongyi Lang to death. That spoiled playboy really had some nerve, daring to scoff at Mr. Qi! "Thank you, Mr. Qi, for sparing our lives." Meanwhile, his heart was filled with newfound goodwill toward Gongyi Qing. Gongyi Qing wasn't from the main branch, but he was driven and capable. Some time ago, someone in the clan had proposed promoting Gongyi Qing, but the proposal had been rejected. Now that Mr. Qi had mentioned Gongyi Qing, that rejection was naturally null and void. The Gongyi family would not only support Gongyi Qing, but they would also treat him as the true leader of the family's younger generation! "You two clean up here. I can't be bothered to bury them or hold a funeral feast. You arrange it. Since we're in the Imperial Capital and it's still early, I think I'll go have fun for a couple of days." Qi Yuan spoke casually. Wrapping his arm around Ning Tao, his figure vanished into thin air. Only the Seventh Prince, Gongyi Cai, and a floor full of corpses remained in the room. The Seventh Prince opened his hand; his palm was slick with sweat, showing just how nervous he had been. Yet right now, his heart surged with excitement and fervor. He looked at Gongyi Cai and said slowly, "For this referendum, how about... Gongyi Qing and I take charge of it together?" Though he didn't know who Gongyi Qing was, since Qi Yuan had mentioned him, he had to be heavily relied upon. "Agreed!" Gongyi Cai nodded repeatedly. According to protocol, such matters required the patriarch's approval. But under the present circumstances, what was a patriarch worth? Mr. Qi was the true king! A king who loomed over the entire world! Meanwhile, the entirety of the Imperial Capital had dissolved into utter chaos. In particular, the families of the Seven Martial Stars and their high-ranking figures immediately discovered the destruction of the Mu family's thirteen Eye of the Sky fortresses. This event was a thunderclap that terrified every single Seven Martial Stars family to their core. Those were the Eyes of the Sky, the very foundation of the Seven Martial Stars families' reign. The Eyes of the Sky had actually fallen? This was more terrifying than a global nuclear war breaking out. Countless personnel, vehicles, and communications converged toward the Mu family, desperate to understand what had transpired. Yet the conclusion they reached left them even more horrified and bewildered. It was actually a single human who had destroyed thirteen Eyes of the Sky with a flick of her hand. This was... utterly unbelievable. The Eyes of the Sky were claimed to be capable of slaying gods. And yet... a human woman had dismantled them with ease. At that moment, in a hall three thousand meters underground, the patriarchs of the Seven Martial Stars families were gathered together, all wearing grim expressions. "Wiping out the Guiran Military Camp and annihilating three thousand soldiers with a single sword was already enough to shake the world. And yet... his companion... is a hundred times, ten thousand times more terrifying than he is! She actually obliterated thirteen Eyes of the Sky with a single palm!" the old patriarch of the Gongyi family said, trembling. Hearing this, the other patriarchs of the Seven Martial Stars families nodded solemnly. "Even the gods of myth and legend... would be nothing more than this, wouldn't they?" There were twenty-one families among the Seven Martial Stars. At this moment, twenty old men were gathered together, discussing today's events. "If that woman wished to, our Eyes of the Sky would probably be reduced to dust in an instant as well." Old Patriarch Fang was aged and decrepit, but no one dared ignore his voice. The Fang family was among the upper three of the Seven Martial Stars families. Their status was a notch above even the Mu family. Yet even so, Old Patriarch Fang knew in his heart that being a notch higher meant nothing before Mr. Qi. "This person... is too terrifying. And his companion... is... simply inhuman!" "Sigh, before the unknown, we must maintain reverence. The Mu family accumulated power for a millennium and grew accustomed to tyrannizing others, holding the world in contempt. Now that they've stumbled, they face eternal doom. Sigh, a thousand-year clan... doesn't even qualify to be someone's servants. Truly... utterly laughable." Having said this, the old man sounded somewhat disheartened. It was as though the things he had taken pride in all his life had completely vanished. Worldly power... in the eyes of higher beings, was truly nothing. "According to analysis, the energy level of the methods that woman employed is immeasurable," an elder spoke up. After Ning Tao obliterated the thirteen Eyes of the Sky, thousands of warships had immediately flown into space to investigate and study the remnants. "Though it cannot be measured, obliterating our Eyes of the Sky... would take her only a single breath. Through simulations, we have concluded that a single such strike... is sufficient to wipe the Guiran Kingdom off the map. Note: that means wipe off the map, not slaughtering the humans upon it, but ensuring the Guiran Kingdom ceases to exist in this world. Most importantly, we do not know if that was her limit." The moment these words fell, looks of shock flashed across the faces of everyone present. Even with their power and composure, they were shaken. The Eyes of the Sky were indeed powerful, but exterminating all humans in the Guiran Kingdom would require several Eyes of the Sky firing simultaneously. Moreover, that would only exterminate the humans; other living creatures could not be wiped out. Yet that mysterious woman could flatten the entire Guiran Kingdom with a single strike, erasing it from the map. What kind of concept was that? An incomprehensible concept. "Therefore... none of you should think of resisting, plotting, or trying to win them over. We cannot begin to fathom a being of this caliber. Perhaps our proud technological civilization and cultural heritage are not even worth the time it takes for them to take a nap." Old Patriarch Fang spoke, deep helplessness in his voice, his speech slightly disjointed perhaps from tension. If immortals still left traces that could be studied, Ning Tao's display was beyond all comprehension. Could human power... sink a continent? Just how many megatons of explosives would that take? "Therefore, I propose we cease discussing this here. No amount of discussion will change anything. Toward Mr. Qi and that mysterious woman, we need only maintain reverence for the unknown. At the same time, strictly forbid our clan's descendants from causing trouble outside. If anyone stirs up trouble, the lighter penalty will be expulsion from the family, and the heavier penalty... death!" Elder Fang's attitude was resolute, his words ringing out firmly. "I second it. I don't want our family to be put to a referendum!" "If Mr. Qi puts us to a referendum, we wouldn't have the slightest power to resist either." "Sigh, sometimes... going down in history isn't bad either." The old patriarchs voiced their agreement one after another. Although Qi Yuan hadn't said anything, they understood what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. Regarding Qi Yuan, they no longer dared pry directly into his private life like Marquis Blue Sea had; instead, they looked into his public records. These public records also revealed the tip of the iceberg of Qi Yuan's character. Hmm... diagnosed with mental illness, somewhat unpredictable. Overall, however... he could be considered someone who repaid kindness and vengeance alike, an "upright, law-abiding" person. Since he was like this, they would simply accompany him in "acting out this play." "Tomorrow, I shall personally visit Mr. Qi. Who will accompany me?" Elder Fang asked. Thinking of something, he added, "I will go in my original body." For people of their stature, having cloned avatars was as simple as could be. Cloned avatars usually lay dormant, only taking their place in special circumstances. "I'll go in my original body as well." "I'll go in my original body too!" These old fellows understood clearly by now that Qi Yuan must never be offended. Going with a cloned avatar would be a sign of disrespect toward Mr. Qi. ... On the streets of the Imperial Capital, Qi Yuan strolled along with his arm around Ning Tao... or rather, more accurately, Canary. At this moment, Qi Yuan held a brick in his hand, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "I've always heard that if you throw a brick at random in the Imperial Capital, you're bound to hit a bureau chief. I wonder if it's true?" Since he had rarely visited the Imperial Capital, he really wanted to test it out. Canary tilted her head, looking thoughtful. "Blood Pearl, I think that'll be difficult. There's hardly anyone around us." "Then we leave it to fate." Qi Yuan took the brick and tossed it into the air. He didn't use any force this time; the throw only sent it several tens of thousands of meters high. Moreover, he deliberately cast a spell, afraid of crushing someone to death. Even if the brick fell and hit someone, it wouldn't hurt them in the slightest. "Come on, let's go see who it hits!" Seeing the brick begin to plummet rapidly, Canary grew excited as well, clutching Qi Yuan's arm and wanting to see if it would actually hit a bureau chief. "Let's go take a look." Qi Yuan was in high spirits. In this life, it was rare to have someone willing to fool around with him. The two of them hurried toward where the brick was about to land. At this moment, the sunlight on the streets of the Imperial Capital was somewhat glaring. Many people looked up at the two suns in the sky, taking photos and posting them online. Huang Weiming walked down the street, despondent, holding a black briefcase. He came from a rural background. When he went to college, the villagers had pitched in, some giving eggs and others sweet potatoes, just to afford sending him to a prestigious university. Prestigious universities in Qinyuan Kingdom carried exorbitant tuition fees. He had worked hard, juggling part-time jobs and studies through university, and started his own business immediately upon graduation. Fortunately, an investment project he backed grew rapidly. In just five years, his company reached a market valuation of one billion. At that point, he had begun giving back to his hometown. Yet who could have foreseen that his "little company" would catch the eye of a powerful scion? That aristocrat wanted to swoop in and reap the harvest directly. Lacking any powerful backing, Huang Weiming had no way to fight back. Various government departments began giving him a hard time, and business partners started cutting off communication. All of it was to force him to sign on the dotted line. Once he signed, the company would no longer be his; he would merely become an employee. Although the salary offered was high, he was deeply indignant. Because of this, the project he had planned to invest in for his hometown had to be shelved. "Simply shameless! How could they do this?!" Huang Weiming felt a profound sense of powerlessness in his heart. He wasn't an immature kid. He understood compromise and making concessions. After all, such things happened often; usually, one took a slight loss to achieve a win-win outcome. But... that scion of the Mu family... was far too shameless. He truly intended to devour everything clean, leaving him not a single scrap! Completely lacking any sense of fair play! How could he not be furious? He even wanted to curse the heavens. He looked up, fury burning in his eyes. Yet in the very next breath, the anger in his eyes turned to sheer terror. Something resembling a brick plummeted from the heavens, about to smash squarely onto his head. "Ah!" Huang Weiming screamed in fright, completely unable to react. At that exact moment, the brick slammed onto his head. He froze. Because... he wasn't injured at all. Right then, a voice called out from nearby: "Hey... are you a bureau chief?"