Moth Chasing the Sun 18

The Holy Healing Church was naturally no better. It guided people to praise suffering and submit to fate, so it was surely pleased with the current situation.

What could bring people more pain than war?

Moreover, the more people suffered, the more fertile the soil for religion to thrive. If everyone were happy and content, who would believe in gods or seek ethereal spiritual solace?

Azbeto's purpose was clear: he wanted to carry out genetic optimization, executing those he deemed useless, and the Church naturally didn't mind turning the whole world into a massive experimental ground.

As for who counted as useless, one could infer from the past words and deeds of this obsessive man.

He despised overly emotional people, believing it was a sign of underdeveloped brains, and advocated for the supremacy of reason. He loathed those who indulged excessively, thinking that if they couldn't control their physiological reactions and master their own bodies, how could they master their lives? He equally detested the short-sighted, the foolish, the unambitious, and the self-degrading, blaming them for hindering social progress.

In Azbeto's view, only the talented, the ambitious, and the truly capable should survive, to lead humanity toward a more distant future.

As for the bad parts, they needed to be excised, just as an infected wound must have dead flesh removed to heal properly.

Disregarding current citizenship levels, he used the Church to give everyone a completely fair starting point. He conducted the first screening—willpower.

The modified green mist was less lethal, with no risk of instant death, but the damage to the body and the torment to the spirit were no less severe.

A truly capable person might not necessarily have strong willpower; their strengths could lie elsewhere, but a useless individual absolutely could not survive the erosion of the green mist.

In this regard, he was indeed like a law-abiding orderly person, and one who believed in absolute equality at that.

But his screening was completely inhumane, unreasonable, based solely on his personal will, and offered no chance for redemption.

A good person might make mistakes, and a bad person might reform. Humanity's greatest virtues are tolerance and forgiveness.

But in Azbeto's dictionary, these two words absolutely did not exist.

So he ordered the cleansing of underground venues in Kurtzli City, because he believed that those who frequented such places were inevitably pests and scum, unworthy of the sparks he wished to preserve.

If possible, he would have had the legion's purge and the agent deployment happen simultaneously, but considering that not every legionnaire could pass the screening, he was forced to abandon that idea and split his forces.

Nevertheless, in Azbeto's mind, he didn't think any of these social parasites would be survivors who could pass the screening.

After the Great Cleansing era, the world was riddled with wounds. The war had left many uninhabitable radiation zones, and the population had dropped by nearly a quarter.

The Federation had divided the existing inhabited areas into ten administrative regions, each with a legion stationed.

Because of the unified government, the military was not large—after all, there were no external enemies anymore.

After Azbeto's promotion to general, he gained control of three legions. The rest were led by other generals.

A large legion of millions wasn't composed entirely of his die-hard followers who supported his ideals—most were ordinary people.

But he could rest assured that these soldiers wouldn't mutiny and would continue to follow his orders, not through personal charisma, but through a small chip.

The Church certainly had experience in controlling minds. Walnut Town was not their only experimental site.

The Insect Master had indeed told the truth, but a person's perspective limited what they could see.

How could a frog at the bottom of a well imagine the vastness of the ocean, or a mayfly born in the morning and dead by night know the beauty of the seasons?

The Church's true situation was not something a mid-level thug like the Insect Master could glimpse. It had the common people as its foundation and the wealthy as its backers, its depth far beyond what a small figure like the Insect Master could imagine.

The prisoners captured in Walnut Town all died instantly when connected to the brain-computer interface, before their memories could even be read.

Before dying, they shouted in unison, "Never betray the faith," startling the interrogators.

An examination of the corpses revealed no external injuries or poisoning—just brain death. Such inexplicable deaths were most likely linked to esper powers.

The Church also had psychic espers.

This was precisely why the Resistance had always regarded the Church as its greatest enemy. Captured Church members yielded no useful information, and the words of those who planned to betray the Church, like the Insect Master, were too one-sided.

Using religion and faith to control people, and utilizing believers' fanatical devotion as insurance, was far more reliable than mere bribery.

After all, bribery couldn't make people willingly die, but faith could.

The Resistance's understanding of the Church was always insufficient, and vice versa.

With Azbeto's rebellion and the Church's involvement, what about the Mechanical Pure Land?

Remember, Azbeto's initial banner was to purge the Mechanical Pure Land. The interrogation reports he submitted were also true—that organization must have played a significant role.

If the Church and Azbeto each had their own motives and interests, why was the Mechanical Pure Land mixed up in this?

They had always wanted consciousness upload technology. Would a chaotic society allow them to achieve their goal?

Unless they were fishing in troubled waters with a different agenda.

Lu Mingqiu's thoughts raced, and suddenly she recalled a rumor: although the consciousness upload machine had been destroyed, the blueprints were preserved and kept by the current Federation President.

After all, this technology was the crystallization of human wisdom; wouldn't destroying it entirely be a waste?

The machine was indeed destroyed.

But with the blueprints, rebuilding one wasn't too difficult.

Could these lunatics be planning to attack the Presidential Palace amid the chaos? Lu Mingqiu initially thought it absurd, but then reconsidered—it wasn't impossible. Did cyber maniacs ever act with logic or reason?

If the President fell and the Federation fractured, such events probably wouldn't even rank high in their minds.

Once she figured it out, she immediately contacted her counterpart. The person on the other end had been steeped in politics for decades. As soon as she began speaking, he grasped the connection, hastily hung up, called for his secretary, and said in a low voice, "I need to see the President."

At that moment, Azbeto's outrageous actions had just been reported. The President was naturally not idly watching the livestream. He first mobilized troops to suppress the rebellion, then ordered the evacuation of civilians, disaster relief, and price controls on daily necessities to prevent economic collapse.

Then the internal line rang: the Minister of Finance requested an audience.

It must be something that couldn't be discussed over communication.

The Federation President appeared quite old, with a somewhat portly figure, but she lacked any kindly aura. Instead, she exuded an imposing dignity.

After entering, the Minister of Finance leaned close to her ear and whispered his suspicions.

The President's expression remained calm as she ordered the addition of three guard units.

Having stated the urgency, the Minister prepared to leave, since whether it was stabilizing the economy or providing logistical support for the military, such matters fell under his purview.

At that thought, he inwardly cursed Azbeto.

Everyone was quietly doing their own things—why did you have to flip the table?

Was having a hereditary mental illness something to be proud of? Could you just go mad whenever you pleased?

He was already tormented trying to extract money from the oligarchs—and it wasn't even for himself, all of it went to public welfare.

War was even more of a money pit.

Plus all the ensuing problems—he wished he could just stab Azbeto, that unpredictable madman, to death.

Lu Mingqiu ended the communication but didn't rest. She first logged into her main account, using her movie queen identity to post a message urging everyone to stay safe.

Then she ordered Resistance members to begin consolidating.

Troop movements took time, but Azbeto had seized the initiative, advancing from north to south.

His first conquest was Marishan City, where he brazenly moved into the Federation administrative building and then ordered the execution of everyone in the city with a criminal record.

From petty theft to armed robbery, none were spared.

The blood in the streets dyed the snow red, and the stench of burning corpses hung over the city, lingering for days.

The soldiers were like iron machines, not blinking an eye at the cries and pleas of the people.

Whether they cursed in fury, shouted in indignation, or begged in sorrow, using tears and wails as a barrier, nothing could stop the scythe of death.

The once-prosperous city had instantly become a living hell on earth.

Words could not capture even a fraction of the horror.

The inhumane slaughter lasted an entire day until the thunder of artillery drowned out their screams.

It was the arrival of the suppression army.

****

Amid the chaos of war, the suffering of the lower classes was invisible to those at the top.

Dingyang City was even hosting a banquet—Teresa's engagement party. The omega chosen was the daughter of another oligarch family, gentle as water and quite beautiful.

A invitation had been sent to Yan Xianchuan, and she went; Lu Mingqiu did not.

At home, Lu Mingqiu handled various affairs without concealing them from her. Yan Xianchuan could overhear discussions about the stalemate in the war, public protests, and the handling plans for the five towns hit by the agent.

Despite Dingyang City's continued peace, the air grew heavy with an ominous premonition.

But when she entered the banquet hall, she saw guests smiling and chatting softly with wine glasses in hand. Occasional remarks about the war were quickly diverted to other topics.

—Why talk about that? It's boring. I pulled some strings yesterday and got a pair of top-quality cranes, which I'm raising in the garden.

And so the conversation turned to everyone's pets, with complaints about picky eating and bad tempers—really a display of wealth in disguise.

Yan Xianchuan usually found such chatter amusing—it passed the time. At banquets, without hearing gossip and veiled sarcasm, how could one while away the hours?

But recently, with all of Lu Mingqiu's strategic analyses and worries fresh in her mind, she found them rather tedious.

Such a major event was unfolding outside, with undercurrents everywhere, yet they neither knew nor cared, only fixating on their own small world, strutting like peacocks showing off their wealth, calling it the refinement of high society.

Too ignorant, too narrow.

Yan Xianchuan didn't stay long and left.

When she returned, Lu Mingqiu was staring blankly out the window.

"I need to do something," she said softly. "I can't stay here any longer."

"Azbeto's army has drawn a line between Lipeia and Marishan. Their supplies keep flowing from Kurtzli, and neither side shows signs of fatigue. This could drag on for a long time."

"In such a war, one person's effort is but a drop in the ocean, barely making a ripple. But we're not helpless either."

"Though the gas in the five cities led by Juedong has been evacuated, the Church released it again in Yulu City. Their aim must be to create internal and external chaos, to keep us flustered."

Lu Mingqiu's face showed signs of fatigue, but her eyes were bright. "Interfering in the war is like an egg against a stone, but causing trouble for the Church—isn't that our specialty?"

The Church was the oligarchs' lackey. Whatever they wanted to accomplish, we just had to block it without overthinking.

Yan Xianchuan said nothing about danger or feasibility, only, "I'll go with you."

Before the other could respond, she added, "I remember there's an esper who can shapeshift into anyone. Have her come take my place."

Because of the war, the Yan Family's business had actually improved. With everyone panicking, who wouldn't want to stockpile weapons for emergencies?

Even if the Yan family doubled their prices, people gritted their teeth and paid.

The Dingyang City business continued as usual, with no word from the main family. If Yan Xianchuan simply stopped, all the effort she'd put into building her facade would be wasted.

That shapeshifting esper was Mirror, who had rendered great service in the Walnut Town affair and had been idle since, with no current assignments.

Moreover, if she took over, her quick thinking in adapting to situations would certainly surpass even Yan Xianchuan herself.

Yan Xianchuan couldn't honestly claim she wasn't clever—just too impulsive.

After considering, Lu Mingqiu agreed to the plan.

No longer having to play the proper person or engage in pleasantries with these people filled Yan Xianchuan with such joy that she ate two extra bowls of rice that evening.

When Mirror arrived, she attached herself to Yan Xianchuan like a savior, nearly beating drums in celebration.

It was Yan Xianchuan who brought her back, without reason or pretext. An alpha bringing someone home—what more justification did she need? None.

Mirror, wearing a face that seemed made for trouble, walked boldly into Yunmengtai and was led straight to the top floor.

The face she currently wore was alluring, someone else's likeness.

Her cover identity was from a wanderer clan.

She knew all the details, so the moment she entered, she transformed into Yan Xianchuan's appearance.

Yan Xianchuan: !

Yan Xianchuan: "So alike!"

Mirror studied her, then tweaked a few details until the two were like twins—every aspect identical, no coincidence.

She was meticulous, following Yan Xianchuan around for just an afternoon, learning mannerisms so well she could mimic even the small habits Yan herself didn't notice.

The next day, Lu Mingqiu used the pretext of entertainment company business to take an airship out of Dingyang City, planning to slip away once she reached Nanjin City.

After Mirror had observed enough, Yan Xianchuan drove her back.

Two people left, but only one returned—Mirror disguised as Yan Xianchuan.

Yan Xianchuan took the opportunity to depart, boarding a vehicle bound for Shangyuan City.

The Church's method of deploying the Mutation Serum was aerial drops. The serum was heavier, so it sank directly without mixing too much with the air. The slight dispersion was normal loss.

For aerial drops, they needed corresponding flight equipment. Whether airships, helicopters, drones, or fighter jets, flying over cities required prior approval from relevant departments; unauthorized flights were prohibited.

So the Ministry of Transportation received an order: submit the list of all flight vehicles for which applications had been filed in the past week.

Since Yulu City was affected and lacked manpower, retrieving records from the central system worked just as well.

Each entry had to be cross-referenced with surveillance footage to identify suspicious flight vehicles.

After reviewing everything, the result was nothing—all were within the scope of approved use.

Lu Mingqiu wasn't disappointed. She said, 【Request satellite surveillance footage.】

Speaking of satellite surveillance brought up the Great Cleansing era's chaos. There used to be many satellites in orbit, each powerful country launching one to assert international status; some large nations had more.

But once war broke out, satellites were the first target of any hostile country. If you had a satellite capable of photographing the ground at will, wouldn't your military movements be exposed?

There were now three satellites in space, launched after the Federation government was established.

Departments like meteorology and transportation that needed satellite maps received automatic real-time information feedback, but the usage rights to the three satellites were entirely held by the President.

Even if the Investigation Bureau wanted to request surveillance footage, it required layers of application, extremely troublesome.

The Minister of Finance got the news, heaved himself out of his chair again, and went to whisper in the President's ear.

Lu Mingqiu soon obtained the surveillance footage. It showed a clearly modified drone, with significant improvements in both flight altitude and payload capacity.

After completing its designated mission, it landed in an unremarkable truck, which eventually drove into a meat processing plant in Shangyuan City.

So Shangyuan City was their true destination.

Besides the two of them, Lu Mingqiu called in three more espers, forming a five-person team.

When they rendezvoused on the way, Yan Xianchuan found they were all familiar: Gold Ring, who could manipulate metal; Pea the Bard; and Druid Ger.

The first was an old acquaintance; the latter two she had met briefly during the Walnut Town mission.

On the way to Shangyuan Town, Lu Mingqiu explained the purpose: "Primarily reconnaissance—find a way to grab the Church by the tail."

"Try to locate the storage site for the Mutation Serum, if it exists here."

The expressions of the newcomers were grim. Even Gold Ring had no mood to gossip about superiors.

They spoke little along the way. Yan Xianchuan observed and quietly communicated with Lu Mingqiu. 【We'll definitely succeed, don't worry.】

Lu Mingqiu shook her head and replied, 【It's not that. It's just... too many people have died.】

People died—wasn't that normal? Even without Azbeto's rebellion, people died every day. Now just a few more.

But everyone had to die eventually. Skipping decades of struggle—what a bargain.

That's what Yan Xianchuan thought, but she wouldn't say it. She was insane, not stupid—saying that would surely displease Lu Mingqiu.

Lu Mingqiu's gaze grew heavy, and she sighed softly.

Frankly speaking, with the Resistance's current number of espers, could they simply attack the oligarchs' strongholds, killing all those involved?

Casualties would be heavy, but it was possible.

Why not do it? Because it was pointless. If one oligarch fell, another would rise. It would just replace the people in charge, with no fundamental change.

Exploitation would persist, oppression wouldn't vanish, and might even worsen.

After all, these people would think: "My predecessor's entire family was wiped out because of these rabble-rousers. I must seize all their money so they can't afford rebellion or anything else—just focus on earning and surviving."

And what was Azbeto's difference from these oligarchs? Both were those in power arbitrarily shaping those beneath them according to their whims.

If Azbeto were a vagrant, would he have such destructive power?

At most, he'd kick trash cans and urinate on walls.

The harm a person in high office could inflict on people's livelihoods was incalculable.

The Resistance wanted to eliminate the oligarchs, to have a fair social environment, a way of life with avenues for advancement, not the current chaotic state.

Azbeto thought the lower classes were born guilty, that their failure to escape their circumstances was their own fault, their lack of ability.

But weren't the true culprits the oligarchs who blocked all paths forward?

If hard work guaranteed a decent life, who wouldn't want to live well?

It wasn't that they didn't want to—it was that they couldn't.

They didn't even have the right to literacy; survival was already a struggle, leaving no room for morality.

Under such conditions, demanding these people never commit a single illegal act was like looking for bones in an egg.

Lu Mingqiu's thoughts were filled with societal concerns, but when they reached Yan Xianchuan's ears, they transformed entirely.

Yan Xianchuan: She must have seen so many deaths, and kind-hearted Qiuqiu can't bear it!

She grabbed her backpack, unzipped it, rummaged around noisily for a while, and pulled out a purple-wrapped milk candy, pressing it into Lu Mingqiu's hand.

Then she leaned close and whispered, "My treasure—grape milk candy with a filling."

"For you."