Chapter 172: Xu Shi, You're Driving Me Crazy! - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

Chapter 172: Xu Shi, You're Driving Me Crazy! Cheese—no, knowledge—is power. The ability possessed by Wen Shengkui is indeed a bit convoluted to explain. However, there is a similar example that can be used, and that is Shen He. As everyone knows, Shen He's "Unity of Will is an Impregnable Stronghold" has a hidden effect: as his popularity grows and the more hearts he wins over, his personal attributes, such as mental strength and physical capabilities, are correspondingly enhanced. Wen Shengkui's ability can be understood this way, except what he needs isn't people's hearts—it's knowledge. The more he learns, the more he understands, and the stronger he becomes in other areas. Not to mention, the old man is inherently a scholar who doesn’t need to dedicate extra time and effort to specifically enhance himself—it's all a part of his daily life. Therefore, the notion Long Tianding had earlier about "the old guy being too aged and frail" simply doesn't exist. If several decades ago Wen Shengkui was a metaphorical five-layered dog—no, desert death lord—then now he must be layered at least fifty thousand times. No wonder he's SS-level, Xu Shi secretly marveled. In his view, this was the epitome of a sage wielding an authoritative text. Especially since, once knowledge is amassed, it doesn't fall away easily. Gathered hearts can be lost, but it's not as easy to shed acquired knowledge. Of course, it's not to say the old man is completely invincible. As an SS-level "Elevated", his complications are no less than Xia Ke'an's, for instance, his paralyzed legs can't be restored no matter how much he layers. Don't ask why technological means aren't used—he doesn't want it, so what can be done? Furthermore, Wen Shengkui is already in his twilight years, so some decline in function is unavoidable. The most critical one is "memory deterioration," which might be the only way to weaken the old man’s strength. Yet, even so, he fares much better than Shen He, who bleeds profusely upon a backlash. The value of top-tier abilities is evident. Thinking of this, Xu Shi felt somewhat regretful. After all, this isn't his grandfather's peak period anymore. Previously, when he talked with Xia Ke'an, she explicitly stated that she'd seen the old man manipulate fire and summon lightning with his bare hands, just like a grand elder in a fantasy drama. To say without exaggeration, had he maintained this capability, Wen Shengkui might have broken through the SS limit to become an unprecedented SSS-level "Elevated". But alas, without that opportunity, the gap can never be filled. However, even now, disregarding complications and backlashes, he still has the power to single-handedly overthrow the other five consortiums and become a great dictator. It's just that the old man doesn’t have such ambitions; he cares about the development of the entire city's populace and institutions. This time, he acted only because Long Tianding crossed the line first—otherwise, he might not have taken such actions. "Really…?" Under his explanation, Gu Yi understood and instinctively shrank her neck. Good heavens, is this still the same old man she had dragged into gaming before? She didn't say anything disrespectful because of his poor gaming skills, did she? Quickly remember… “That’s why I told you to study more.” The answer to the problem was right there, and Xu Shi playfully tapped her nose. "Why don't you study?" Miss Black Rabbit mumbled a few words. Yet, as she spoke, those things were genuinely boring to learn—better to draw the old man into gaming. "I'm the one paying your salary, you know." Xu Shi stated confidently, "Once you've learned it all, I can directly make use of you, can't I?" "Yeah, right. If I had that capability, would I be working for you?" Gu Yi retorted indignantly. “So, are you quitting?” “Nope.” Gu Yi nestled closer to him, quickly admitting defeat. Xia Ke'an, meanwhile, lay quietly in Xu Shi’s arms, her large eyes blinking as if lost in thought. And as the few exchanged banter, matters had already settled on the other side in Sin City. Or perhaps it had long been settled—though only Long Tianding died, the manner of his death was incredibly shocking. It wasn’t just a warning shot; it was an outright massacre meant to terrify others. No one else dared make any moves; everyone understood that such a gap couldn’t be bridged by mere numbers. An S-level Long Tianding had been taken out in a single move. How could they, like tiny shrimps, fare even if they came in thousands? They wouldn’t even serve as toothpicks. Do you wish to vanish instantly? No? Then stay put; the first rule of street life is survival—brotherhood is just a pipe dream. Meanwhile, Ning Wei reemerged into everyone's sight, dragging a man with a deathly pallor alongside him. Who else could it be but Lin Wenhua? Several black streaks marked Ning Wei’s face—it seemed like engine oil? Apparently, all the cyborg assassins Lin Wenhua left for his protection had already been dealt with by him. "Master." Casually wiping away the grime, Ning Wei pulled out an obedient little black dog from his arms, handing it to Wen Shengkui while nonchalantly shaking off some dog hair stuck to his inner lining. “Oh?” The old man gave him a curious look, “And what did I tell you before?” Such minor actions certainly couldn’t escape his eyes. “I…” Ning Wei showcased a trace of embarrassment on his face, “I... I’ll write my resignation upon returning.” “Forget it; just don’t let it happen again.” Wen Shengkui chuckled suddenly, then closed his eyes and instructed, “Take me back, I’m tired.” “Yes, thank you for your kindness, Master.” With a glance upward, Ning Wei heaved a sigh of relief before connecting to the communication line to arrange a doctor for the old man. No matter what, the consequences of an old man wielding abilities couldn’t be overlooked. Xu Shi could barely suppress a laugh, thinking, Brother, care to blow a whistle more? That expression and those actions—your cool persona just crumbled! Honestly, Xu Shi had never paid much attention to the interactions between his grandfather and Ning Wei, but these observations piqued his interest. Indeed, serving as a top-tier steward to the old man was no easy feat, similar to Su Lin’s role for him. If one wanted to argue, perhaps Ning Wei should be the one lying under the bus instead… Might as well call him brother from now on? Lost in absurd thoughts, his grandfather’s voice echoed in his mind, “I’ll send the person over to you later. From here on, it’s none of my concern.” “…Right, thank you, Grandpa.” Xu Shi quickly responded, thinking, Grandpa, you can speak across space? In that case, let me answer—I'm sure you can hear me. “In any case, I have one request: handle it properly. Whether you do it yourself or delegate someone, if it turns into another Long Tianding scenario, I won't forgive you.” “Absolutely, absolutely.” Watching as the master and servant duo receded from the screen, Xu Shi became pensive. What defines tactical withdrawal, you hidden boss? Of course, his grandfather’s spiritual level was indeed extraordinary. “Well, shall I leave too?” With the drama concluded, Qi Maoyang reluctantly stood up. “You folks enjoy your family time. Let me know if anything comes up.” In fact, he felt fortunate—missing out on such grand drama featuring an SS-level “Elevator” in action truly would have been a regret. Dad, you're missing out... But aside from shock, he felt nothing else. Primarily because his power was relatively useless… what can a C-level ability like "Snapshot Retention" accomplish, seriously? It was somewhat useful during his photography days, but even then, it required a brain-machine interface. Otherwise, where would the pictures output from? Spit them out? So he never pursued breakthroughs in that area, but watching the top-dogs in action was thoroughly thrilling. “Alright, not holding you back?” Xu Shi saw him off, “Recharge well—we'll have a lot on our plate soon.” “I get it, don’t worry.” Qi Maoyang nodded. He understood what Xu Shi alluded to. Concerning post-crisis public affairs management—who else but "Virtual" to handle that? After all, with "Dragon City" collapsing, there couldn’t be any more variables, right? Reflecting on everything that transpired today, Qi Maoyang couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional. One could say the city is big, but a groundbreaking reform was concluded in less than a day. But to call it abrupt? No way. Every detail had been mapped out long before. Perhaps the only element with less presence was "Prism"? But that's just on the surface. The audit bureaus had a vial for every man, and city-wide resident aid was inseparable from them… Even when escorting people to "Shark Teeth," he noticed the large contingents of medical personnel. And bear in mind, the complete downfall of "Shark Teeth" and "Dragon City" reduced the six major conglomerates to four—enough for "Prism" to rise in prominence. If there were anything to fuss over, it might lie in the interest distributions? ...No, that’s not it. As his thoughts wandered, Qi Maoyang suddenly realized something that had been overlooked. "By the way, it's one thing for Chairman Xie to stay out of this, but why haven't I seen Director Tang from the Inspection Bureau?" He curiously asked Xu Shi. Gu Yi was just as curious and promptly leaned in to listen. Xu Shi merely laughed without responding, gesturing for Qi Maoyang to figure it out himself. "Could it be that she shouldn't be called Director Tang anymore?" Qi Maoyang was quick to deduce, "Perhaps it's time for a title change? Like... Governor Tang?" "Governor?" Miss Black Rabbit looked confused. Where did this title come from? In Sin City, there's only one office that refers to its head as "Governor". That is the leader of the City Hall, the nominal highest authority within the city. And just as Qi Maoyang suspected, at this very moment, Tang Shuang was standing with a small team inside the current Governor Yue Chizheng's office, facing off against the old man. The atmosphere was tense and confrontational. "Tang Shuang, are you mad?" Yue Chizheng, who usually appeared unremarkable, was now drenched in sweat, though his voice was surprisingly strong. "What are you doing here with these people? Are you rebelling?" “……” Tang Shuang didn't respond but merely fiddled with a memory card in her hand. The card contained evidence against Yue Chizheng, detailing his shadowy proclivities. You had to give it to Zhang Shijun’s business habits—they were invaluable, still proving useful up to this point. Tang Shuang wasn't overly concerned about the shady origins of this data, but she was quite clear about who the so-called "anonymous informant" was. Who else could it be but Xu Shi? When it came to such issues, she certainly wouldn't show leniency, so she immediately brought people here to corner the bewildered Yue Chizheng. Yet, after all this time, she remained undecided on the course of action. Or perhaps, Xu Shi handing her this information meant he wanted Yue Chizheng brought down? If it was just about convicting him, that wouldn’t be too challenging, but the problem was, only with this evidence, it might not hold him down for long. Grabbing Jiang Fengshan back then was challenging enough, let alone for a figure as towering in status as Yue Chizheng. Not to mention his connections with various consortiums, just within City Hall itself, he had plenty of subordinates. In places where people are involved, things get complicated—it's not just about cuffing someone and tossing them into a cell. In other words, if she simply arrested him, the punishment wouldn’t match the severity of his crimes. Of course, there's a more drastic approach. The mere fact that Xu Shi gave her the information signifies his intent to pull Yue Chizheng down, and with his support, she has plenty of room to maneuver. Last time, Xu Shi even resorted to vigilante justice on Jiang Fengshan. So doing the same again, or even finding another method, wouldn't be impossible. It wasn't that she couldn't, just that she was unwilling. The issue lay with those three words: "unwilling to compromise." It doesn’t matter how good her rapport with Xu Shi is off the record; she doesn’t want to compromise when it comes to fairness in enforcement—breaking that integrity is one thing. Moreover, doing so would tacitly acknowledge Xu Shi's influence over City Hall. When she couldn't handle him even when things were clear-cut, let alone now… besides, if Yue Chizheng gets ousted, he'd need to be replaced. By whom? It’s obvious Xu Shi would pick someone of his choosing. That’s where her dilemma lies. Meanwhile, a significant tremor was felt throughout the building. “What just happened?” The palpable tension was broken, and Tang Shuang quickly snapped back to reality to ask. The question was soon answered when a frantic officer from the Inspection Bureau arrived with updates. Finally, the people holed up in this room learned about what transpired outside. “…Repeat that? Yu Xingchuan led a team to suppress the riots outside the city?” Director Tang's eyebrows furrowed abruptly, “Who gave her the authority? Why wasn’t I asked for approval?” “Deputy Yu said these are special times requiring special measures. She couldn’t just wait around indefinitely…” The subordinate stumbled over his words, avoiding eye contact. Excuses! My communication wasn’t even disrupted, how could she not reach me? The truth is she never even tried to contact me! Tang Shuang internally rolled her eyes, instantly realizing that Xu Shi likely orchestrated this behind the scenes—he had, after all, given her a heads-up recently that something was brewing, urging her to prepare. So this was what he meant by ‘preparation’? She could finally see what Xu Shi had been up to—intentionally keeping her out of the main battlefield. As for Yu Xingchuan, that sly girl always had a knack for strategy, which Xu Shi probably found appealing. As for why she was sent here, the answer was simple: Xu Shi planned on using this opportunity to deal with Yue Chizheng! Taking down two consortiums in one sweep, with one closely tied to Sin City... She hadn't imagined Xu Shi's ambitions ran so deep, much less that they would succeed! It seemed, judging by the reports coming in, that the chaos outside was reaching its conclusion. Now, all that remained was the situation here. "Oh, Director Tang…” The subordinate hesitantly handed her a small note, "Deputy Yu asked me to make sure you personally see this." “Hmm?” Tang Shuang was taken aback, unfolding the note. It contained only one sentence. “Governor Tang, if you haven’t handled the City Hall situation correctly yet, then perhaps you should stand down. For the stability of Sin City going forward, it’s best to let Yue Chizheng remain as governor for the time being. — Xu Shi” “……” Reading this, Tang Shuang’s anger flared. This wasn’t a suggestion or advice—it was a flat-out threat! Xu Shi really knew how to manipulate her, fully aware of her internal struggle at the moment. All he needed to do was give her a little push, leaving the rest to be decided later, prompting her to make a decision swiftly. And the phrase “correctly handled” was ambiguous, what does it even mean to handle it “correctly”? Releasing Yue Chizheng? Obviously not. Arresting him via standard procedure? Also not it. For Director Tang, there was but one choice left. Go all out and take out this insidious old man! And Chairman Xie was always very considerate, even pondering how and where the beating should come from. “Tang Shuang, don’t do anything reckless!” Yue Chizheng panicked; the report from the underling was made right in front of everyone, so he naturally heard it too. He even reacted faster than Tang Shuang, realizing how Xu Shi intended to strike against him. “…Heed my command!” Tang Shuang paid him no mind, crumpling the note in her hand, taking a deep breath. “Governor of City Hall, Yue Chizheng, has conspired with ‘the Forgotten Ones,’ attempting to incite a large-scale rebellion!” Her voice was clear and resolute, “Seize him!” Her feelings were deeply conflicted. Bringing someone as corrupt as Yue Chizheng to justice should be a good thing. But… not in the way she wanted. “Xu Shi, you’re driving me crazy!