The staff of the Federal Executive Administration spent an entire afternoon coordinating with personnel from various departments, dismissing them or directing them to the side halls to rest as each group finished their assigned tasks.
Presently, a side door swung open, and several more figures walked in, escorted by internal staff.
These people were representatives of the various religious sects stationed within the Federal Government. Whenever the government wished to convey its will, it did so through them into the sects' inner hierarchies. Among them were representatives of the Primitive Sect.
Once they were seated, dossiers were distributed to them as well.
Olin waited until they finished reading before speaking. "The Executive Administration requires your cooperation with our government's actions. Starting from now, all matters regarding the review and approval of reports and the execution of procedures involving the sects will be placed under direct supervision until this mission is concluded."
The sect representatives looked troubled and uneasy. One of them spoke cautiously: "We need to inform our sect leadership of this."
"You may," Olin replied. "There are telegraph machines and telephones right next door. You can send your messages from there. But remember: as citizens of the Federation, you have only the obligation to comply, not the right to refuse."
Once the federal executive apparatus was mobilized, it did not matter what sect one belonged to—so long as they resided within the Federation's borders, they were obligated to align with the Federation. Or rather, before the prospect of far greater interests, they were required to sacrifice a portion of their own.
After the first person made his request, he was escorted out by security guards. The others likewise stated that they needed to relay word to their sects and hurried off to the side hall.
Cassian walked over and said, "Matters concerning the sects on our East Coast are simple enough to handle, but the New Light Cult on the West Coast might not be so willing to cooperate."
"Someone has already been sent to communicate with them," Olin said. Checking his watch, he added, "We just need to wait half an hour. Word should arrive by then."
Half an hour later, an executive secretary walked into the main hall and handed them a document.
"Five minutes ago, the West Coast Council passed the agenda. All sects and organizational entities on federal soil are to comply unconditionally with the government's demands."
Olin and Cassian exchanged glances, satisfaction gleaming in their eyes. With the West Coast Council's cooperation, there would be no issue.
At almost that exact moment, in another council chamber, members of the advisory staff, the State Councilor, and various diplomatic officials gathered foreign diplomats and representatives of the major corporations.
There, it was officially announced that the Federal Government had received petitions from civic organizations and certain sects. Because the matter concerned global security, and because there were doubts regarding whether authorization should be granted, the Federation invited the various nations and corporations to deliberate and offer their counsel.
Yet everyone present knew this was merely a pretext. The negotiations between the Federal Government and Great Shun over the past two-plus years had unfolded before all discerning eyes; the Federation simply wished to avoid acting under its official government name.
Clearly, the Federation and Great Shun had already reached an accord and divided the spoils. But the Tianji Sect was a tough bone to chew. The resources involved were immense; the Federation could never swallow them all in a single bite, and the risks needed to be spread around. Now, only by participating actively could these parties hope to partake in the feast.
The advisory staff and the federal officials present were in high spirits. The current Archon was only in his first term. If they could successfully dismantle the Tianji Sect, reclaim Weishu State—one of the five great states—and absorb its population and resources, his reelection would be guaranteed.
Moreover, by virtue of such an achievement, the man residing in Sovereign Hall would have accomplished enough to go down in history as the greatest Archon the Federation had ever known.
Every one of them would also reap immense political capital. A decade or two down the line, it was entirely possible that a State Councilor, Vice Archon, or even an Archon might emerge from their ranks.
After a grueling day of nonstop work, Cassian took a moment to sip a hot, invigorating drink. Flipping through his files, he looked up at Olin and said, "There is still one place we overlooked."
"Where?"
"Huansuo Island."
"The International Investigation Delegation?"
Olin nodded. "We ought to inform them. Give them a heads-up, then."
In truth, neither of them took the International Investigation Delegation seriously. When it came to federal affairs, the delegation had no standing to intervene. The fact that the Federation was not acting in the name of the state was already showing ample courtesy to the international order.
At that same moment, in the Federal Capital, at the local headquarters of Progenitor Company.
Having concluded matters in North Lailusi, Gao Xinjian had already returned. Because Progenitor Company's representatives had also attended the meeting, an invitation from the Federal Government had now been delivered into his hands.
Gao Xinjian glanced through it. Though its contents were startling, he was not entirely surprised; in fact, it had long been within his expectations.
"No wonder they needed to negotiate with Great Shun first," he remarked. "A matter of this magnitude could only move forward if both major powers took a clear stance."
Beside him, an administrative secretary reviewed the report and said, "Sir, the Tianji Sect's situation remains unclear. The Federation might not necessarily..."
Gao Xinjian shook his head. "Since the Federation has decided to act, they are bound to have absolute confidence. I am afraid the Tianji Sect will find it difficult to survive this crisis."
In a low voice, he continued, "This administration is bold and willing to take risks. If the Tianji Sect falls, four of the Ying Continent's five great states will have been absorbed into the Federation..."
He gazed at the map projected onto the light screen. If the blue representing the Tianji Sect were wiped away, only a single patch of red would remain prominent.
"Next will be us. So we must begin preparing as well."
The secretary asked nervously, "Sir, will the Federation move against us?"
"Without question. But it will depend on how quickly they can digest Weishu State."
Gao Xinjian said, "Weishu State is not Aymon State. The vast majority of its population is of East Continent descent and devoted believers of the Tianji Sect. With the agreement between Great Shun and the Federation in place, forcing them to convert through heavy-handed means will be virtually impossible. If it originally would have taken twenty years to digest, that timeline will stretch to forty, or even sixty. That will be more than enough time for Great Shun's Skyline Project to reach completion."
The secretary said, "No wonder you decided to shift our strategic focus to Great Shun in the future, sir."
Just then, Gao Xinjian felt his boundary credential chime. He checked it; notifications indicated that their fellow consortium members—Oceanic Life, Deep Sea Spiral, and Colossus Flora—were all inclined to agree to support the operation.
These, after all, were global megacorporations that boasted Throne martial artists.
He pondered for a moment, then asked the person on the other end, "Is there any definitive word on when the Great Shun delegation will depart?"
A reply promptly came back: "Sir, based on yesterday's intelligence, it will likely be scheduled for mid-August."
"A month's time, then."
Gao Xinjian lapsed into contemplation.
At that moment, the secretary received a message as well. "Sir, the Federation has invited us to mobilize manpower. How should we respond?"
For Progenitor Company, agreeing had its drawbacks, but refusing was equally problematic. Attacking the Tianji Sect offered Progenitor no benefit, yet declining would be equivalent to declaring that they did not stand with the Federation.
Gao Xinjian said in a deep voice, "State that our chief security consultant, Xiang Boqing, has died in an accident, leaving us unable to spare high-level personnel. However, Progenitor Company will deploy three thousand combat dolls to support the Federation's operation. Reply with that."
The secretary was startled—Mr. Xiang was dead? Yet he dared not pry. He bowed and immediately stepped outside to make the arrangements.
Gao Xinjian picked up the dossier and turned the pages one by one. But when he reached the end, he straightened slightly. He noticed that the Federation seemed to have overlooked a certain party.
The International Investigation Delegation.
Or rather, they had treated the International Investigation Delegation with too much contempt, offering nothing more than a perfunctory notice.
Granted, the International Investigation Delegation might still retain some prestige among certain countries, but here in the Federation, it was barely regarded as anything more than window dressing.
Yet he knew that Delegation Leader Meteora's strength was by no means as simple as it appeared on the surface.
Gao Xinjian had learned of this only by chance. The Federation might truly be in the dark; otherwise, they would not have handled things this way in their report.
He set the dossier down. Matters were growing interesting. How this would ultimately unfold was now anyone's guess.
***
On Guxin Island, at Little Awakening Temple, Zhao Juexian, Dharma Master of the Eight Emptinesses Chan Cloister, sat in meditation within the Precious Hall of Great Joy. His frame was colossal, towering over five meters even while seated. Chan banners hung by his seat, covered in sutra inscriptions that seemed to radiate auspicious light amidst the fragrant incense smoke wafting from the braziers outside.
Ever since he entered seated meditation, he had not stepped down from his dais for thirty years.
Even so, his body remained immaculate and unstained. Anyone drawing close could catch whiffs of an otherworldly fragrance. Rumors within the temple held that the Dharma Master was one of the eighty-eight avatars of Grand Venerable Yuantong Fahua.
Guang Jue, an upper Chan practitioner and director of the cloister, stood below the dais and pressed his palms together in a respectful bow. "Dharma Master, the Federation schemes against the Tianji Sect and requests our Little Awakening Temple to provide forces in aid. How should we respond?"
The various cloister heads present kept their eyes lowered, quietly chanting the Grand Venerable's holy name.
After a time, Zhao Juexian slowly opened his eyes. "Our karmic ties with the Tianji Sect have run their course," he said softly. "By rights, we should not taint ourselves with worldly defilement. Yet the torrent of mortal affairs rushes onward. We dwell within it, and though we cultivate the Chan mind detached from the outside, we cannot deceive our own hearts. Today, our disciples across the eight quarters are entangled in this mundane world, unable to find liberation. For their sake, I cannot refuse."
The assembled Chan practitioners chanted the Grand Venerable's name in unison.
Unlike the Xuan Sect, after crossing east, Little Awakening Temple had not established its grounds in prosperous or densely populated lands. Instead, it raised its monasteries in remote and desolate regions. Its disciples aligned with no faction, following their own paths.
Time had proven their strategy wise; they had avoided being targeted by the Federation. Yet their disciples and properties were scattered far and wide, and they could not simply abandon them.
Zhao Juexian then called out, "Guang Yong."
A Chan practitioner stepped forward immediately. He possessed a towering, burly frame, hair cascading all the way to his feet, and wore a wrath-restraining golden circlet upon his brow. He joined his palms and bowed deeply.
"Dharma Master, this disciple is here."
Zhao Juexian said, "You have resided in our temple for forty years, yet your worldly ties remain unsevered. Go on behalf of our Little Awakening Temple."
"This disciple obeys the dharma decree."
Guang Yong bowed reverently once more to the dais, then bid farewell to the assembled monks. Leaving the Eight Emptinesses Chan Cloister, he boarded an airship and departed for the Federal Capital.
Chapter 1284