According to the knowledge etched into the very foundations of the world, several decades ago this world had indeed endured a cataclysmic upheaval known as the Apocalypse Cataclysm.
That great catastrophe had plunged the entire world into an abyss of chaos and ruin, while every living thing was baptized and enlightened by the power of the Cataclysm.
Even more consequential, the catastrophe had given rise to a spiritual realm above the physical world: the Boundless Mind Sea.
That realm was the collective manifestation of the consciousness of all things, mirroring and interacting with the material world. Its landscape shifted with the beliefs, emotions, and memories of living beings, while in turn exerting its own influence upon reality.
Within this Boundless Mind Sea, six catastrophic forces were born: Order, Chaos, Life, Immortality, Destruction, and Mystery.
Every being that stepped onto the supernatural path resonated with one of these six forces, becoming its "practitioner" in the material realm.
The force that Qiu Tu had resonated with was Order.
Returning to his senses, Qiu Tu wore a look of deep contemplation.
He was not surprised that his path was Order. After all, during the twenty-odd years before his transmigration, he had lived mostly in a peaceful, stable era.
Even during the years he was imprisoned, he had constantly yearned to return to a calm, well-ordered life.
What truly surprised him was his branch along the path of Order:
Order-Politics.
"Politics refers to the governance of a nation by governments and political parties—the sum total of diverse social activities and relations centered around state power."
"In the Cataclysm Era, building a stable, healthy nation is undoubtedly the optimal path to guiding humanity toward recovery."
"So climbing to the top of the existing sanctuary system, or establishing a brand-new nation from scratch, will be the best way for me to practice the path of Order?"
"The higher my position, the greater my authority, and the more people I can unite, rally, and influence, the stronger my power will become?"
Recalling the information in his mind, Qiu Tu had an odd look on his face.
'So... if I want to grow stronger, I have to get promoted? From section chief to division chief, to director? And then from ruling a single city to holding absolute sway over the entire zone pending planning, all the way to reigning over a sanctuary?'
'Only by making everyone submit to my order can I reach the peak of this supernatural path?'
To be frank, Qiu Tu felt that this goal was a bit too grand and exaggerated.
He did have some ambition, but at most he had envisioned becoming a section chief or division chief, drawing a steady government paycheck, chatting over tea with a few pretty female subordinates, and handling routine official business.
Being suddenly expected to reach such heights, with the heavy burden of rebuilding human order thrust upon his shoulders, felt a bit overwhelming.
Yet the supernatural powers of this world were peculiar in just this way: once a person's path was set, it could not be altered.
Therefore...
Qiu Tu blinked. "How about starting with a small goal? Taking Yan Chen's seat?"
"Going from section chief to director should be enough to give my supernatural strength a massive leap forward, right?"
With that thought, Qiu Tu slowly made up his mind: he would start by taking Yan Chen's position!
Once he reached that decision, his mindset settled considerably.
Setting his racing thoughts aside for the moment, he turned his attention to his physical condition following his Cataclysm Awakening.
He inspected his body thoroughly.
The most immediate sensation was that his body seemed to have been remolded. Not only was he significantly stronger, but his skin had also become smoother, and even the scars on his body had completely vanished.
He clenched his fist and threw a sudden punch forward. With a sharp whoosh, the air cracked, sending papers fluttering across the room!
"So strong," Qiu Tu murmured, astonishment flashing in his eyes.
Whether an illusion or not, he felt as though he could punch a bull to death right now.
Lowering his fist, he dropped into a half-crouch, bent his knees to gather strength, and kicked off the floor with all his might.
The next instant, his head collided solidly with the ceiling!
With a dull thud, Qiu Tu clutched his head and dropped back down.
Huh. It didn't even hurt.
Thud, thud, thud!
Right as Qiu Tu was excitedly testing his limits, a sudden knock sounded at the door.
Along with the knocking came Lao Ying's anxious voice. "Brother Tu, is that you? Are you alright?"
Qiu Tu gathered himself and looked toward the doorway.
Earlier, while using spirit vision, he had noticed that although Lao Ying looked calm on the surface, he was actually pacing outside, worried sick.
Lao Ying had likely heard the commotion inside, and seeing that Qiu Tu had not emerged, feared that the Cataclysm Awakening had failed.
Thinking this, Qiu Tu called out, "I'm fine," while stepping toward the door to open it.
He grasped the doorknob and twisted.
Creak. The door didn't open.
The knob sheared right off in his hand.
Qiu Tu was speechless.
Outside, Lao Ying grew even more frantic, calling out once more, "Brother Tu, are you okay?"
Seeing this, Qiu Tu didn't bother trying to fix it and simply drove a fist straight into the lock.
Bang! The wood around the lock shattered, blown open into a gaping hole.
Lao Ying flinched in fright and instinctively started to back away. But before he could, Qiu Tu reached through the jagged opening, gripped the frame, and ripped the entire door off its hinges.
"Get someone to replace the door in a bit. Make it iron. Wood isn't sturdy enough."
Qiu Tu tossed the door aside, leaving Lao Ying staring after his unbothered back.
Lao Ying stood frozen, dumbfounded, unable to process what he had just seen.
After a long moment, he took a deep breath, steadied his nerves, and strode inside.
Once in the room, he cautiously looked Qiu Tu up and down before asking in a low voice, "Brother Tu, you succeeded?"
He licked his dry lips and added, "Are Cataclysm-users really this strong?"
For the taciturn Lao Ying, uttering those two questions was proof enough of his shock and curiosity.
So Qiu Tu simply had him act as a sparring partner to test his newfound power.
Five minutes later, after being knocked to the floor for the nth time, Lao Ying rubbed his aching arms and bruised body, his eyes filled with disbelief.
In the past, although Qiu Tu was everyone's big brother, it was primarily because of his sharp mind and the debt of gratitude they owed him for raising them like a father and brother. As for physical fitness and fighting prowess, he had been utterly ordinary.
Forget A Tai—even Lao Ying could easily take on two of the old Qiu Tu at once.
Yet now, Lao Ying had been entirely powerless in his hands.
No matter what move Lao Ying attempted, Qiu Tu merely swung a palm out and slammed him straight to the ground.
After being floored several times, Lao Ying had gradually picked up on Qiu Tu's simple routine. He figured that by employing a few tricks, he could at least trade a few blows.
In the end, it proved completely useless. Even if his eyes could track the movements, his speed could not keep pace, and his body simply could not react in time.
After just five minutes of sparring, Lao Ying was left gasping for breath, drenched in sweat.
"Strong... terrifyingly strong... Is this what a Cataclysm-user is?"
Lao Ying felt that with the combat power Qiu Tu had just displayed, taking on twenty or thirty grown men would be child's play—and that was with Qiu Tu not even knowing how to fight properly.
Hearing Lao Ying's words, Qiu Tu merely smiled without replying.
A Cataclysm-user's true power lay far beyond mere physical enhancement. Those bizarre, uncanny abilities were what truly inspired dread...
They were the insurmountable chasm between Cataclysm-users and ordinary mortals.
Take the Cataclysm ability he had unlocked upon his first awakening: Reshaping Order.
This ability allowed Qiu Tu to establish one rule each day.
The rule could only affect a fixed space no larger than eight cubic meters, and it lasted for just twenty-four hours.
However, any living being or object within that space whose rank was not higher than Qiu Tu's would be bound by the rule.
As Qiu Tu understood it, he could set virtually any rule he pleased in that designated space. Even if the rule was "water flows upward," "women cannot wear trousers," or "people cannot die," it would take effect.
The only limitations were that he could establish only one rule at a time, and it could not affect anyone whose rank exceeded his own.
Yet for Qiu Tu, this was already more than enough.
Besides, this was merely the effect at his current rank of deputy section chief. As his position climbed in the future, the ability would clearly grow even more potent; its potential was virtually boundless.
What was more, as he grew, he would unlock a second ability, a third, a fourth...
He would become unimaginably powerful.
'So: resolve the Qin family, deal with Jia Shu, take down Yan Chen, and climb step by step to the very pinnacle of Xinjie City!'
'That is my path forward!'
Qiu Tu's gaze turned resolute and burning, filled with an all-consuming ambition.
Having tested all his abilities, Qiu Tu instructed Lao Ying to arrange for the room to be restored. After carefully putting away the second bottle of Cataclysm potion, he walked next door and carried Shen Lingshuang back.
Perhaps because she had been living in constant fear since her arrest by the Investigation Bureau, or perhaps because Qiu Tu's chop to her neck had been a bit too forceful, an hour had passed and she remained fast asleep.
Qiu Tu laid her on his bed, pulled the quilt over her, and let her continue resting. He then sat down on the sofa in the living room, patiently awaiting Fourth Master Qin's call.
The worst-case scenario had not come to pass, and everything seemed to have returned to its original track. Only Qiu Tu knew that he was now an entirely different man.
Time slipped by in silence. Soon, the appointed hour arrived.
At five minutes to seven, Qiu Tu's communicator vibrated sharply.
Feeling the vibration, Qiu Tu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them and picked up the device.
True to expectations, the call was from Fourth Master Qin.
A faint smile touched the corners of Qiu Tu's lips as he answered.
Fourth Master Qin's hoarse, venomous voice came through the receiver. "I accept your offer."
Qiu Tu smiled. "Fourth Master, you won't regret this."
Fourth Master Qin gritted his teeth, his voice a low, furious growl. "I just can't accept it! I can't take this lying down!"
"Why do I have to be the one sacrificed?!"
"I'm my father's biological son too! I'm his own brother!"
"Why?! On what grounds?!"
Hearing this, Qiu Tu chimed in along with his outrage. "Fourth Master, I understand completely. Isn't a man's whole life about just one thing?
"Fairness! Fairness! And f*cking fairness!
"Why should you swallow all the bitterness while Director Qin and Section Chief Qin reap all the benefits?
"Just because you were born a few years later?"
Qiu Tu's words struck right at the core of Fourth Master Qin's grievances.
Over the past several hours, he had undoubtedly endured an intense internal struggle while facing relentless pressure from the first and second branches of the family.
Gnashing his teeth, he snarled, "Exactly! I refuse to accept it!"
He then lowered his tone. "So tell me, what do you need me to do? How do I get in touch with the Military Department?"
Even now, Qiu Tu did not let down his guard.
He spoke in a calm, steady cadence. "Fourth Master, the plan is simple, but we must take it step by step. All you need to do tonight is keep your communicator open and wait for my instructions.
"If Director Qin presses you again or asks for your opinion, play along for now. Agree to his face to keep him steady and let him go meet Director Yan."
Qiu Tu glanced at the time. "It is exactly seven o'clock. The drive from the Qin estate to the villa downtown takes about twenty minutes.
"Director Qin will likely leave the Qin residence around seven-thirty.
"When that time comes, I will give you your next instructions."
Fourth Master Qin was evidently sincere about the alliance, replying in a heavy voice, "Fine. I'll wait for your word."
Ending the call, Qiu Tu stood up with a faint smile.
Walking to the window, he gazed at the dusk slowly settling over the horizon. His pupils contracted for a fraction of a second, shifting abruptly from black to a vivid, radiant azure.
Grey mist drifted, physical matter fell away, and his spirit ascended into the Boundless Mind Sea.
Distance and walls were no longer barriers. His gaze pierced through layers of space, locking straight onto the Qin family estate.
'The show is about to begin...'
Chapter 49