Counterfeit and Genuine

In Yanjing’s secret underground base, Song Xian wore a grave expression as he looked at Zhong Tianming, deeply resistant to the plan that was about to unfold.

"Elder Zhong, Bai Cangshu… no, Mercenary Tao is a complete monster. Though he is currently missing, he may simply have been affected by some special ability. That place of ours…"

He abruptly stopped halfway through. Yan Qiu, standing behind Zhong Tianming, had instinctively placed her hand on the gun at her waist.

After dealing with Ability Users so many times, they had always managed to uncover certain unusual rules.

The core members of the Southern Heavenly Gate Project all knew that so-called Ability Users were not a new race born from bloodline mutations or some spiritual energy resurgence.

They were ordinary people chosen by some hidden entity—or, more precisely, by some hidden space.

As long as an ordinary person met certain conditions that had yet to be fully identified, they might be chosen by that space and become a so-called Ability User.

Of course, the more likely outcome after being chosen was death, followed by the erasure of all records.

They had backed up the files of every soldier who had attempted to enter through hypnosis. Now, quite a few files were missing from the wall, representing that those people’s existence had been completely erased.

And through their contact with these Ability Users, they had learned that the most dangerous thing was to inquire about that space.

The moment anyone attempted such a conversation, at best, the Ability User would fall silent. At worst, they would launch indiscriminate attacks against everyone around them.

The researchers believed this was an extremely powerful secrecy protection mechanism. Once triggered, the Ability User had to kill those in the know, or be killed themselves.

Song Xian had nearly let slip information about the space just now, which would make him an unstable factor.

Zhong Tianming held a high position and carried himself with tremendous presence. Completely unaffected by the change, he remained seated upright.

Influenced by his imposing bearing, Song Xian calmed down considerably as well.

After thinking for a moment, he reorganized his words.

"Elder Zhong, the student Bai Cangshu, codenamed Mercenary Tao, has now been confirmed to possess actual combat capabilities that have truly reached… Calamity-level."

"Moreover, his personality is peculiar. Whether based on the profile our psychological experts constructed from his life, or our analysis of his deeds after becoming an Ability User, he is a beast that cannot be controlled at all."

"Powerful, greedy, cunning, calculating over every last detail…"

"If we use his clone to temporarily control public opinion now, we may very well face retaliation in the future. Within East Xia’s Ability User factions now…"

Song Xian clenched and released his fists several times. That student Bai Cangshu was no longer the same person he had been at Binhai University.

Over the past few days, not only had the real world undergone enormous changes, but undercurrents were also surging within the Infinite Dimensional Space where the Reincarnators resided.

The deaths of more than twenty Title-level Reincarnators were nearly comparable to a catastrophic deployment from a large Secondary World.

Not to mention that Mo Shi Mo Wang, the Reincarnator "Sword Cultivator" with such a promising future, had also been confirmed dead in the incident.

Show had vanished without a trace, but according to East Xia’s intelligence channels, his sense of existence had not yet been erased. He should still be alive, though no one knew who had captured him.

The only person who had emerged from this incident completely intact—or at least appeared to be in perfect condition after relying on the space’s treatment—was Red Dust.

Most of the intelligence regarding that battle now came from Red Dust. He was utterly certain that both the Mad King and Mercenary Tao had touched the threshold of Mad-tier.

They were already the strongest Reincarnators in practical terms without relying on Title Abilities.

Song Xian could not understand why Zhong Tianming would risk using Bai Cangshu’s clone at a time like this to seize control of the world situation.

In his view, the rise of the Reincarnators was now unstoppable. Though the Finality Empire had suffered an unknown blow, its momentum remained immense.

The Free Federation and many other nations had already announced their recognition of the Finality Empire’s existence, adding its coordinates and location to their respective world maps.

They had also begun drafting various bills to transfer rights.

Zhong Tianming’s temples were streaked with gray, yet he still radiated an unquestionable authority.

Looking at Song Xian, he spoke with certainty.

"You Ability Users may possess talents and opportunities in that regard, but when it comes to this world… you still do not understand it well enough."

"If we allow the people you mentioned to take charge of the situation now, what do you think will become of this world?"

"Even if what you described happens, and those most powerful Ability Users each establish themselves as kings and rule over a region, will that truly make this world better?"

"It will not!"

Zhong Tianming’s words were decisive, and Yan Qiu behind him was startled as well.

Yan Qiu despised Ability Users, but she would never underestimate their power.

They were a group so extraordinary that they could not be explained by common sense or science at all.

Yet from Elder Zhong’s words, she sensed that he was not afraid of them.

Zhong Tianming gently shook his head. He held both respect and wariness toward Ability Users, but he did not blindly believe that they had no weaknesses left.

As long as they were human, they would have human weaknesses.

He could clearly foresee that no matter how powerful these so-called Ability Users became, most of them had once merely been ordinary people. Their political awareness—or rather, their ability to influence the world—was practically nonexistent.

If they allowed these people, who had gained power solely through violence, to control the world, the civilization of this world would most likely decline rapidly.

"So, we must put forward an Ability User whom no one else can question and use them to maintain this portion of the order!"

Zhong Tianming’s expression was solemn as he looked through the one-way glass at Bai Cangshu’s clone in the room.

The other man was tall and lean, bare from the waist up, his entire body radiating a vitality that made even a middle-aged man like him envious.

And…

Bai Cangshu’s clone was extraordinarily calm. He allowed the researchers to draw blood from him and cooperated with all kinds of experiments, showing no inclination whatsoever to escape.

Half an hour later, Bai Cangshu’s clone was released from the room. After calmly listening to all of Zhong Tianming’s plans, he revealed a faint smile.

Song Xian knew that smile very well. Once upon a time, Bai Cangshu himself had smiled the same way, appearing warm and sunny.

He secretly turned his head, and the voice of another Reincarnator immediately came through his earpiece.

"There is no resistance in his heart, but no other voices have appeared either…"

Mind-reading abilities were not particularly rare among Reincarnators. The Southern Heavenly Gate Project was progressing fairly smoothly now, with more and more Reincarnators joining the organization, and talents in this area had also been recruited.

Bai Cangshu’s clone looked at the various medals on Zhong Tianming’s military uniform and nodded calmly.

"Understood. I will cooperate with you as Mercenary Tao and claim the title of King of Ability Users."

Song Xian felt slightly relieved, but then he heard the clone say,

"As compensation, can you hear out my plan?"

"Rather than making me, a counterfeit, into a false King of Ability Users, why don’t we… kill the genuine one together?"