The spell's range covers the entire territory of China? Hand it over to the state.

Beijing.

It was nearly dusk, but the golden bridge spanning the city added a touch of softness and sanctity to the light falling upon it.

People's Square was under heavy security.

Armed garrison troops set up three layers of cordon.

If you look closely, you'll see that the veins on the backs of these soldiers' hands are bulging as they grip their guns, but the muzzles are all pointing straight at the ground—they are waiting, waiting for the triumphant souls of the fallen heroes, waiting for the captured culprits.

They are waiting.

"Boom!"

It wasn't thunder, yet it sounded more powerful than thunder. A series of orderly and heavy footsteps shattered the void and tore through the long wind.

Three thousand golden-armored heroes, draped in flowing light and riding on auspicious clouds, surged into the sky above the square like a golden river.

The murderous aura brought back from the ancient battlefield intertwined with the glorious national destiny, making everyone present feel their scalp tingle and their blood boil.

Immediately afterwards, a stream of light split off from the Golden River, like a meteorite falling to earth, and crashed hard into the specially reserved open space in the center of the square with a whistling sound.

Smoke and dust rose, and gravel flew everywhere.

Once the dust settled, everyone's attention immediately focused on it.

Zhao Tiezhu, clad in dark gold armor, hovered in mid-air, holding an old man who was limp and lifeless as if he were carrying a dead rat. He frowned in disgust, as if afraid of getting something dirty on him, and suddenly flung his hand away.

"Thump."

The figure landed heavily, rolled twice on the rough cement ground, and finally lay there, making violent retching noises.

"Reporting, sir, mission accomplished!"

Zhao Tiezhu floated in mid-air, clapped his hands, and his loud voice made the surrounding air buzz: "But these old fogies are too weak. They were scared out of their wits over the Atlantic Ocean. The stench of urine was so strong that it could be smelled for miles. It almost made me faint as we flew all the way here."

The solemn and tense atmosphere was instantly shattered by this blunt truth. Several young soldiers around him pursed their lips tightly, their faces turning red, barely managing to suppress their laughter.

Old Ross, who was lying on the ground, finally caught his breath.

He truly lived up to his reputation as the behind-the-scenes tycoon who had controlled the Western world for half a century. Although he was soaking wet, his hair was a mess, and his priceless bespoke suit was now a rag, the first thing he did after getting up was to straighten his crooked bow tie with trembling hands.

He was breathing heavily, his cloudy eyes scanning his surroundings.

The dark muzzle of a gun, the soldiers as indifferent as iron, and the solemn-faced high-ranking officials of Longxia ahead.

Finally, his gaze settled on what was directly in front of him.

There were two people standing there.

One was Long Yi, with a dignified gaze and an upright posture; the other was a young man dressed casually with his hands in his pockets.

For once, Su Yun finally walked out of Kunlun Palace after a day.

Compared to his confusion a day ago, he now seemed completely at ease.

Not only did they gain everyone's support, but their strength also increased significantly, and their ability to survive was maximized.

He no longer needs to worry about anyone plotting against him.

When Old Ross met Ryuichi, he didn't experience the indescribable fear he usually felt when facing Heroic Spirits.

For him, every human being has weaknesses, and weaknesses are the basis for transactions.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the lingering fear from the "high-altitude roller coaster" ride, and forced a so-called "high society" polite smile onto his face, even though the smile looked worse than a grimace at that moment.

"Mr. Long, although our meeting was a bit rude, it may be a unique form of diplomatic etiquette."

Old Ross brushed the water off his sleeves, trying to keep his tone as calm as possible: "Since you brought me here instead of killing me at sea, it means I still have value. If I have value, then we can talk."

He deliberately ignored the word "public trial" that Zhao Tiezhu had mentioned earlier, a nightmare he absolutely dared not touch.

Long Yi didn't speak, but just looked at him quietly. His eyes showed neither anger nor hatred, only indifference as if watching a clown's clumsy performance on stage.

This silence made Ross uneasy, but he had to gamble.

"I can give you what you want."

Rothschild raised a finger and spoke rapidly: "I know what you want. Gold? The Rothschild family controls the three vaults at the bottom of the Swiss Bank. Add to that the things the West has looted from all over the world over the past three hundred years—including from your Old Summer Palace—a total of ten thousand tons of gold, and incalculable antiques."

"Van Gogh's paintings, the Egyptian pharaoh's scepter, the remaining few of the twelve zodiac animal heads, and three entire warehouses full of Dunhuang manuscripts and fragments of the Yongle Encyclopedia..."

"Give me a promise and I'll hand over all the keys right now."

There was silence all around.

Ten thousand tons of gold.

What does this mean? In times of chaos, gold is valued; in times of prosperity, jade is valued. But in this apocalyptic environment, gold remains a hard currency and a cornerstone for rebuilding civilization.

Seeing that Long Yi remained silent, Old Ross assumed that the other party was interested and immediately raised his stakes.

"And the technology!"

He took a step forward, only to be forced back by two bayonets. Unfazed, his voice rose even higher: "The Ark Alliance's genetic modification technology! That's fifty years ahead of yours! Not only can it create super soldiers, but it can also extend human lifespan to two hundred years! And there are blueprints for psionic weapons, application data for controlled nuclear fusion…"

"I can even give you a list."

Old Ross lowered his voice, his eyes turning sinister and ruthless: "A list of 'observers' lurking around Longxia, whom you haven't yet completely purged. Some are foreign dignitaries, some are business leaders, and some are even people within your own ranks who have been bribed. With this list, you can completely remove these spies from your sights."

At this point, Ross gave a confident smile.

He felt he had won.

No one can refuse such a bargaining chip. Whether it's gold, the technology to achieve immortality, or the opportunity to eliminate dissidents, these are things that those in power dream of.

"My requirements are not high."

Old Ross spread his hands, appearing very sincere: "I just need to survive. I don't need any power, just give me a manor in the mountains of the southwest, equipped with basic living supplies and security. I'll retire there and never interfere in anything. You'll make a profit on this deal."

The wind blows across the square.

Su Yun suddenly smiled.

His smile made Old Ross feel a little uneasy.

"What are you laughing at?" Old Ross frowned. "Young man, this is not child's play; this is a game of strategy at the national level."

He didn't know Su Yun, so naturally he wouldn't have imagined that Su Yun was the culprit who had caused the West to suffer setbacks and led to his capture.

"I'm laughing at you for being too ambitious; you've even managed to squander the abacus beads in the underworld." Su Yun shook his head, then turned to Long Yi, "Elder Long, this old man says we're guaranteed to make a profit. What do you think?"

Long Yi stood with his hands behind his back, his expression unchanged from beginning to end.

That expression is called "contempt".

"Ross, how old are you this year?" Long Yi suddenly asked an unrelated question.

Old Ross paused for a moment, then asked, "Seventy-eight? What's wrong?"

"I've lived for seventy-eight years, and all the books I've read have gone to waste. I've become a beast," Long Yi said calmly. "What do you think this place is? This is Longxia."