High Martial: I Use Everything as Swords

Chapter 260: Chapter 218: The Ten-Year Countdown and the Exile of the "Sinners

East Sea Fortress City, Central Council Hall.

This was the heart of power for the entire city, a magnificent, climate-controlled hall.

At this moment, dozens of levitating seats were arranged in tiers, filled with the most powerful people in East Sea City.

Military leaders, heads of financial conglomerates, elders from Martial Arts Sects, and even several Tier Five Grandmasters who were rarely seen in public were present.

No one whispered amongst themselves. All eyes were fixed on the holographic projection in the center of the hall.

It was a dynamic star map.

The massive fissure above the Pacific Ocean, known as the "Sky Mark."

It was pulsating at a visible rate, the dark red halo at its edges expanding outward, continuously eroding the surrounding, previously stable blue spatial barrier.

"The data you are all seeing comes from the Pan-Asian Alliance’s highest Science Academy."

Speaker Ye Daoyuan sat on the highest throne.

He was the pillar of East Sea City, a powerhouse at the Tier Five Celestial Being Realm Peak.

No emotion could be detected in his voice, yet it made the heart of every person present skip a beat.

"According to the latest projections, the rate of the Sky Mark’s spatial convergence has surged by three hundred percent in the past three months."

Ye Daoyuan tapped his finger lightly on the armrest.

The holographic projection shifted, displaying a glaring, blood-red countdown:

[9 years, 11 months, 14 days]

"Ten years."

Ye Daoyuan’s voice echoed through the hall.

"We have less than ten years.

Ten years from now, a stable High-dimensional Channel will be fully formed."

"When that time comes, what descends upon Blue Star will no longer be those Tier Three or Tier Four small fry, but true... Tier Six Life."

BOOM!

That sentence exploded in the crowd like a high-explosive charge.

The once deathly silent hall instantly erupted.

Tier Six!

That was a legendary existence, defined as "City Destruction Level."

On Blue Star today, the strongest humans were merely at the Tier Five Celestial Being Realm.

The gap between Tier Five and Tier Six was greater than the gap between a human and a dog.

Once a Tier Six high-dimensional being descended, East Sea Fortress City’s hundred-meter-high alloy walls, its proud Spiritual Energy Shield, and all the powerful experts present would become dust that could be wiped away with a casual wave of a hand.

"Impossible! The previous models predicted at least fifty more years!" a representative from a conglomerate cried out, his face pale.

"Nothing is impossible."

Ye Daoyuan cut him off coldly. "The infiltration of Blue Star by High-dimensional Creatures is accelerating. This is an irreversible process.

What we are discussing now is not ’why,’ but ’what to do’."

The hall once again fell into a suffocating silence.

A sense of despair began to spread.

Just then, from the defendant’s dock on the right side of the hall, a soft chuckle was heard.

In the dead silence, the laughter was exceptionally grating.

Everyone glared in that direction.

Two groups of people stood there, representing the recently crippled Inner City Sun Family and the Star Sea Technology Branch.

Although Sun Changhe was now a cripple and the family’s core industries had been seized, the Sun Family, as an old power, still had deep roots.

The one who spoke was the Sun Family’s current acting Patriarch, Sun Changkong.

"What? Scared already?"

Sun Changkong adjusted his collar. Even in the defendant’s dock, he maintained a detestable arrogance.

"Shut up! As a criminal awaiting judgment, what right do you have to speak?"

Li Tiecheng, seated in the foremost position of the military section, emanated an Evil Qi so intense it was almost tangible, pressing down hard on the Sun Family members.

Sun Changkong grunted, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, but he only straightened his back further.

"Criminal? General Li, don’t speak too soon."

He scanned his surroundings, a fanatical gleam in his eyes.

"You all fear that countdown, but we, the Sun Family and Star Sea Technology, foresaw this day five years ago."

"Is that your reason for conducting human experiments and sacrificing several hundred elite students?" Chen Beixuan asked, his eyes icy from his seat with the Martial Arts University.

"That was for the sake of exploration!"

A high-level representative from Star Sea Technology shot to his feet, roaring hysterically.

"The path from Tier Five to Tier Six is simply impassable through normal means, not unless a Tier Six lifeform fully descends!

The rules limiting this world are both a protection and a shackle.

The descent of a Tier Five being has already served as a grave warning to all of humanity.

If we don’t seek a way to break the world’s shackles and cultivate a higher tier of power ahead of time...

...then when a Tier Six lifeform descends, only one fate awaits a humanity that waits passively.

And that is destruction.

Conventional cultivation makes a breakthrough impossible. That is a rule of this world!

Only by borrowing the power of High-dimensional Creatures, only through the Divine Domain, can we break this limit and allow humanity to possess the means to resist Tier Six life in advance.

Only then can humanity survive ten years from now!"

"For the sake of all humanity, what’s the sacrifice of a few hundred students?

If it can lead to the birth of a Tier Six powerhouse, never mind a few hundred. It would be worth it even if the entire Outer City had to die!"

"This is war! There is no morality in a war for the survival of our race!"

This speech brutally tore away the veneer of civilization.

Although cruel, although anti-human, under the absolute premise of an "extinction-level crisis"...

...this extreme utilitarian logic actually caused many council members to hesitate.

’If death is truly certain, then gambling on a future with the lives of a few... seems... not entirely unacceptable.’

Li Tiecheng slammed his hand on the table, instantly leaving a handprint dented into the alloy tabletop.

"Bullshit! If humanity’s survival depends on such cannibalistic methods, then what’s the difference between us and the Demon Beasts outside?"

"Naive!"

Sun Changkong retorted mockingly, "Li Tiecheng, you can preach your morals when a City Destruction Level Demon Beast is crushing your head!"

The two sides were at daggers drawn, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder.

"Enough."

From the throne, Ye Daoyuan spoke again.

An immense pressure instantly enveloped the hall, forcibly suppressing all arguments.

"The Sun Family and Star Sea Technology colluded with an Evil Cult and harmed their own kind. Their crimes are unforgivable."

There was no room for negotiation in Ye Daoyuan’s voice.

Sun Changkong’s expression changed. He was about to speak, but an invisible force sealed his mouth.

"However."

Ye Daoyuan’s tone shifted. "Right now, East Sea City cannot afford internal strife, and we do indeed need someone to... scout the path ahead."

He looked at the holographic map and pointed.

The map zoomed in, locking onto an area northwest of East Sea City—the Suspended Mountain Secret Realm.

The very place where Han Feng had just caused a major uproar.

"The council’s resolution is as follows:"

"First, all involved members of the Sun Family and Star Sea Technology are spared the death penalty."

At these words, Li Tiecheng’s brow furrowed tightly, but he did not voice an objection.

He knew that at this critical juncture, killing this group of madmen who possessed cutting-edge technology would indeed be a waste.

"Second, effective immediately, the Sun Family and Star Sea Technology are stripped of all privileges and residency rights within East Sea City.

The core members of both families, their radical research teams, and all their remaining resources will be forcibly relocated to the ’Suspended Mountain Secret Realm’."

"Third, the military will completely seal the entrance to the Suspended Mountain Secret Realm.

Unless the ten-year deadline arrives, or you truly develop a means to counter a Tier Six being inside, you are not to take a single step out."

A collective gasp was heard throughout the hall.

Exile.

And exile to a Secret Realm with an extremely unstable spatial structure at that.

That place was now a bridgehead connected to the High-dimensional Channel, the first stop for the future descent of High-dimensional Creatures.

Throwing the Sun Family and Star Sea Technology in there was both a punishment and a form of exploitation.

It was turning them into a flesh-and-blood defensive line against the high-dimensional invasion, turning them into a group of fanatical guinea pigs.

Want to live? Fine.

Then research desperately in there, fight and kill the Demon Beasts in there.

If they could actually produce something worthwhile, it would be a blessing for humanity.

If they couldn’t, then their entire clan would be annihilated, buying East Sea City a little more buffer time.

This was truly making the most of one’s resources.

Sun Changkong was stunned.

He had expected either death or reparations. He never thought the council would offer such a "poison pill."

To accept was to face near-certain death; to refuse was to die right now.

Moreover, for those who fanatically pursued high-dimensional power, the Suspended Mountain Secret Realm... was, in a way, also a Holy Land.

"...We accept."

Sun Changkong gritted his teeth, forcing the words out from between them.

"Very well."

Ye Daoyuan waved his hand as if shooing away a fly. "Since the decision has been made, it will be executed immediately.

You have one month to relocate. After one month, the Suspended Mountain Secret Realm will be completely sealed."

Having dealt with the "criminals," Ye Daoyuan stood up, his gaze sweeping across the hall.

"Everyone, the countdown has begun."

"I hereby announce the activation of ’Project Torch’."

"From this day forward, East Sea Martial Arts University, the military, and the major conglomerates will break down all barriers and share resources."

"Lift the resource restrictions. We don’t need flowers in a greenhouse. We need blades that can kill.

As long as someone has enough Talent, as long as they dare to risk their lives.

Whether they are commoners or nobles, they will all be treated equally. The capable will rise, and the mediocre will fall."

For the next ten years, East Sea City will spare no expense to cultivate Tier Four and Tier Five combatants."

"At the same time, Spiritual Energy Fighters, Armor, Potions... all research and development projects that can enhance our combat strength will be given the green light."

"I don’t care what methods you use. Ten years from now, I want to see a force that can go head-to-head with a Tier Six high-dimensional being."

"Meeting adjourned."

...

The meeting ended, and the crowd dispersed with heavy hearts.

On a terrace outside the council building.

Li Tiecheng lit a special-issue Spirit Smoke cigarette and took a deep drag. The acrid smoke swirled in his lungs, carrying away a sliver of his frustration.

"Damn, this is frustrating."

He blew out a smoke ring. "They’re a bunch of scumbags, but we have to let them live to see another day."

"There was no other choice."

Lin Guodong stood beside him, looking down at the bustling nightscape of East Sea City.

"Old Ye’s ’Drive the Tiger and Devour the Wolf’ strategy is underhanded, but it really is the best solution.

The technology those lunatics from the Sun Family have is genuinely impressive."

Chen Beixuan stood with his hands behind his back, silent, his gaze fixed on the distant East Sea Martial Arts University.

"Old Chen, what are you thinking about?"

Li Tiecheng glanced at him. "Still worried about that precious student of yours?"

"This time, Han Feng has made a mortal enemy of the Sun Family and Star Sea Technology."

Chen Beixuan sighed. "Although the Sun Family’s main force has been exiled, an old power, though fallen, is not completely dead.

They definitely still have hidden assets in the city. Their peripheral forces, vassal families, and even the dark corners of this city all have their eyes and ears."

"That kid, Han Feng, is a living target now."

Lin Guodong nodded. "Indeed. A student with no backing managed to bring two behemoths to ruin and get their entire clans exiled.

Tsk, tsk, the hatred from that... I bet Sun Changkong dreams of skinning him alive."

"And the kid is too high-profile."

Li Tiecheng flicked his cigarette ash. Though his words were critical, the corner of his eye held a hint of a smile.

"Catching a missile with his bare hands, slaying a Tier Three High-dimensional Projection... with a monstrous track record like that, it’s hard to keep a low profile.

Now, the entire city has its eyes on him. For every person who wants to recruit him, there’s surely someone who wants to destroy him."