Mo Yuan was extending an olive branch that would drive countless desperados wild with desire.
Su Zhan didn't accept imdiately. He looked at Mo Yuan and said, "I am deeply honored by City Lord Mo's high regard. But before I make a decision, may I ask a few questions first?"
Mo Yuan made a gesture of invitation. "By all ans, speak freely."
Su Zhan looked directly at the other man and asked the question that had been swirling in his mind for a long ti. "City Lord Mo, forgive my bluntness, but are you... an Aberrant, or an Awakened individual?"
This question struck at the very core.
In a place like Black City, where Aberrants and Awakened individuals seed to coexist peacefully, the racial identity of its supre ruler undoubtedly determined the future direction of this city.
Hearing this, Mo Yuan's face showed no trace of offense. He answered without a mont's hesitation. "An Aberrant."
Even though Su Zhan had already suspected this, hearing the confirmation directly from the other's mouth still made his heart contract violently.
An Aberrant!
An Aberrant had truly beco a city lord officially recognized by Daxia!?
This completely overturned his previous understanding!
In the mainstream environnt of Daxia, Aberrants were threats, dangerous existences that had to be strictly controlled.
Even if Black City was a lawless land, allowing Aberrants to exist was already a special exception. But for an Aberrant to beco the highest administrator, ruling over such a powerful city... How was that possible?
How could the upper echelons of Daxia allow such a thing to happen?
Moreover, under his governance, Black City not only hadn't descended into chaos, but had developed a relatively orderly and uniquely prosperous society. And Daxia hadn't imposed restrictions?
This was completely illogical!
Su Zhan blurted out his shock without thinking. "This... how is this possible? How could Daxia allow..."
Seeing the unconcealed astonishnt on Su Zhan's face, Mo Yuan smiled. "Find it unbelievable? Child, you think it's impossible only because you aren't strong enough yet. When you possess sufficient power, you naturally gain bargaining chips. Daxia fears , but at the sa ti, they also need . It's a kind of... tacit understanding. A kind of balance."
Su Zhan's scalp instantly prickled.
Fear? Need? Tacit understanding? Balance?
The aning of Mo Yuan's words was crystal clear.
His strength had already reached a level where the entire Daxia had no choice but to compromise to a certain extent.
It wasn't that Daxia didn't want to move against him, but that the cost of doing so was too high, or perhaps, they simply couldn't!
Instead, they needed to rely on his power and the special existence of Black City to maintain stability on a certain level.
What level of strength was required to achieve this?
A tidal wave of shock surged in Su Zhan's heart.
He had originally estimated that this city lord might be Calamity-level.
But now, it seed he was far beyond that!
An ordinary Calamity-level would absolutely not make Daxia so hesitant and fearful!
The other party's strength had probably surpassed that of the vast majority of Ocean Realm powerhouses. At the very least, he was at the late Calamity stage, no, most likely... the peak of Calamity!
Or even... touched a higher realm?
No wonder he dared to guarantee Su Zhan's safety. With such strength and status, if he was willing, protecting a "Chen Qing" within Daxia's territory would indeed be effortless.
No matter how powerful the Aberrant Purge Division was, they absolutely wouldn't dare to openly defy this man's will and take action within Black City.
But...
Su Zhan's heart quickly sank.
What Mo Yuan could protect was "Chen Qing," the Aberrant genius from the northwest.
But his true identity was "Su Zhan."
He was the forr top genius of Vermilion Bird Academy, the genius believed to have died in the Mist World, the genius who would be erased by Daxia's upper echelons the mont his identity was exposed.
If the highest levels of Daxia knew Su Zhan was still alive...
When that ti ca, the pressure from the Capital would probably be sothing even this suprely powerful City Lord Mo might not be able to withstand, or... might not be willing to withstand!
Su Zhan's inner world was a raging storm, but on his face, he desperately maintained calm.
Mo Yuan took in all his subtle reactions but didn't point them out.
"City Lord Mo, then, what is your stance?"
Su Zhan asked the second, and even more crucial, question.
"I believe that before deciding whether to join, understanding the leader's ultimate goal is a basic consideration. It's like joining a company; you always need to understand its developnt direction."
This question was bold, even sowhat presumptuous.
Directly asking about the fundantal stance of a powerhouse who wielded such power was akin to prying into his secrets.
Mo Yuan was slightly taken aback and actually laughed. "Heh, Chen Qing, you really dare to ask. However, since you asked, I'll be honest with you. My stance naturally is on Daxia's side."
Su Zhan was sowhat surprised by this answer.
"Guess, why is it that those wanted criminals who have committed cris outside can catch their breath here under my roof and avoid being captured by the authorities? Aside from my own strength making Daxia wary, the more important reason is that these wanted criminals, seen as destabilizing factors in the outside world, are essentially potential strength resources!"
Mo Yuan spoke slowly. "And I, Mo Yuan, have the ability to integrate these dangerous resources, making them useful for myself, and also for Daxia. My stance naturally is hoping for Daxia's stability and prosperity, not its destruction. What good would Daxia's destruction do ? When that ti cos, with war raging everywhere and order collapsing, how could my Black City remain unscathed? If the skin is gone, what can the hair adhere to? And that group of madn in the Transcendence Society, their goal is precisely to overthrow the existing order, attempting to let the Mist engulf the entire world, letting the Mist beco the master. Therefore, I and they are natural opposites, locked in a fight to the death! The rule I established in Black City: any Transcendence Society mber who sets foot here will be killed on sight. That's the root reason. And one of the functions of integrating these wanted criminal resources is that every year, I dispatch a team composed of desperados from the city to garrison Daxia's borders, assisting in resisting the Mist's erosion."
Su Zhan listened carefully, growing more and more shocked the more he heard.
"See, isn't this deal very cost-effective for Daxia?"
Mo Yuan spread his hands. "Those destabilizing factors who disrupt public security in the outside world, once they co to Black City, fight and kill each other, consuming themselves and dying out on their own. Good people simply won't co to this hellhole. It's equivalent to the bad guys closing the door and fighting among themselves, a self-purification. Not only that, I can also screen out the strong ones from this scum, force them to garrison the borders, shed blood and sweat for Daxia, exerting their final bit of usefulness. Daxia doesn't need to dirty its own hands, doesn't need to expend massive resources hunting them down all over the world, and yet gains an extra border defense force out of thin air. It stabilizes internal security while strengthening border defense. And all I ask for is absolute autonomy over this land, and Daxia's tacit consent to my existence. Multiple benefits with one move, all advantages. Tell , what reason would the upper echelons of Daxia have to be unhappy?"
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