Great, now we are dead!

Ye Shou glanced at the potted plant on the flat table and suddenly asked, "Dad must have talked to him a lot in America, right?"

"That's right, you're very interested in the World Peace Federation (TPC)?"

Junpei stopped what he was doing and looked at Ye Shou in surprise: "When did my son become so interested in public welfare?"

"Just curious."

"Um"

Junpei looked him up and down for a moment, then smiled nonchalantly.

“Sawai is not just a lobbyist. Over the past two decades, he has attracted a large number of people who share his vision, including politicians, scientists and social celebrities. They are not limited by nationality or ethnicity and are widely present in all sectors of society—it’s almost like a secret society.”

He explained to me the essential properties of TPC, which are…

The old man patiently introduced Ye Shou to the character of Ze Jing, and Ye Shou gradually pieced together the character's personality.

He was indeed a first-rate politician with both skill and ability, who never forgot his original aspirations and adhered to principles. However, he was clearly not an omnipotent superman, so the establishment of TPC was not very smooth.

External resistance is naturally varied and need not be elaborated upon, but the internal contradictions are what Sawai finds most troublesome.

Simply put, although he created the organization, he did not impose his personal will on everyone like a leader would. Instead, he encouraged them to take initiative, which resulted in different political views, the so-called radicals.

This faction believes that the first step in uniting humanity is to establish "military mutual trust" among major powers. Therefore, it advocates for the participation of all countries in forming a military force dedicated to "protecting human life and property and maintaining the balance of the Earth's ecological environment"—in simple terms, an enhanced peacekeeping force (Earth Defense Force).

Sawai, however, was more rational; he deeply understood just how difficult this was.

The only time it would be possible for major military powers to join forces without any reservations is when aliens fall from the sky.

Therefore, he is a conservative.

They believe that neutral transnational research organizations should be established to share technology, resources, and talent, and to dedicate themselves to "promoting the overall progress of human civilization" and "building technological reserves for the development of space resources."

He believes that making the pie bigger can effectively reduce conflicts between countries, and that technological progress can make people cherish peaceful life more, thus showing more tolerance and understanding towards their fellow human beings.

This may not achieve true "unity of all mankind," it may only alleviate the conflicts, but like climbing a mountain—

To reach the summit, one must climb step by step, and each step will be worthwhile; quantitative changes will eventually lead to qualitative changes.

Currently, there is no fundamental conflict between the two factions, and both are led by Sawai. However, signs of a conflict between the civil and military factions have already emerged.

"TPC will definitely be established before the Earth Defense Force."

Junpei Kuze said confidently, "I have decided to provide Sawai with some connections and introduce him to several highly respected scholars."

His ideals may seem unattainable, but after twenty years of accumulation, he has amassed a considerable amount of hidden assets, and perhaps he really can succeed.

Junpei's tone implied excitement, because if the TPC could gain enough influence internationally, then the Hise family might be able to break free from the shackles of "Japan" and take advantage of the favorable winds to achieve a higher political status.

—During the economic bubble era, many conglomerates acquired American capital, which seemed to be a form of reverse economic colonization, attempting to break through the glass ceiling.

In the end, it all turned into a mess. The Japanese capital was easily stripped bare by the Americans. A single piece of paper broke their thigh bone, and from then on, they could only walk with a limp!

The Jiu family is powerful in China, but if it wants to continue to expand, it needs a platform that is not subject to US constraints, or at least not one where the US is in control.

Junpei Kuze has been trying to solve this problem for the past few years. If he can do it, he will undoubtedly be the "founder" rather than an ordinary head of the family, and his achievements will be firmly above those of his own son.

TPC is the platform he's interested in, but it's not the only option.

Of course, he knows Sawai very well, so he thinks TPC is a more worthwhile investment, and it's worth taking a little risk.

"Earth Defense Force..."

Ye Shou was still pondering the familiar name, his eyes thoughtful.

Junpei chuckled upon seeing this:

No matter how talented a child is, he is still a teenager. He is always particularly fascinated by military power. As a father, it is time to make him see reality clearly.

"That's just wishful thinking. I can't imagine major military powers fighting side by side. In reality, as long as they don't interfere with each other, the earth can maintain a general peace."

Junpei laughed confidently, "Of course, it's not impossible—unless there's an alien invasion, hahaha!"

Ye Shou hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Chapter 33 Great, we're doomed now!

On the second-to-last day of the system card refresh cycle, Ye Shou sat in his car, reflecting on the past month's experiences, and his heart couldn't help but stir with emotion.

So much has happened in this past month, some planned, some unexpected, and he even had a brush with death, gaining real "combat" experience. It has been an incredibly fulfilling month.

He did gain something, but the thought of encountering more and more troubles from now on made him feel depressed.

If the world weren't so chaotic, he would still prefer to be a carefree rich kid.

【Ghost Brain】, 【Ghost Soul】, 【Ghost Back】... The first two are definitely going to stay.

The value of the "Ghost Brain" has been fully demonstrated in the past month. The uses it has developed so far have made Ye Shou exclaim that he has made a fortune.

[Ghost] is generally ineffective, since you can't encounter swordsman spirits everywhere. But it's still a skill on the "mystical" level. Ye Shou doesn't have much of a way to deal with supernatural things, so having this method can at least help in emergencies.

There was only one [Ghost Back], and Ye Shou hesitated:

It can improve physical fitness and is extremely practical, but since it comes from a real fighting manga (laughs), its upper limit is also very obvious.

It's not that it's not useful, but whether it's worth using up a Fate Coin... Ye Shou decided to wait a little longer!

He still has one more chance to travel to another world (cyberpunk) in this cycle that he hasn't used yet, and the time spent there won't be counted in the main world's refresh cycle. As for Ye Shou, if he doesn't spend money, he can stay there for a maximum of twenty days, during which time attributes such as [Ghost Back] will still be effective.

In other words, you get an extra 20 days of limited-time trial card!

He had previously enjoyed various culinary experiences combining "technology and ruthlessness" in a cyberpunk setting, and upon returning, he chose [Gourmet] again.

(As it turns out, the Gourmet absorbs the life force of the ingredients; while cyberpunk food may look novel, it's not as effective as ordinary wild game. As for so-called high-end cuisine, it's no different from that in the main world.)

Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages. Negative terms like "fighter" and "stepping stone" will remain in effect for twenty days...

Just as Ye Shou was deep in thought, the car smoothly slowed down and came to a stop, arriving at its destination.

"Lord Ye Shou, as you instructed, he has been well taken care of, and no one knows that he is hiding here."

I notified them a day in advance that they are ready to be summoned by you at any time today, and that great scientist should be up by now.

The melodious, clear voice, like that of a nightingale, brought Ye Shou back to his senses, and he nodded to Liuli.

"Alright, let's go meet this great scientist."

Ye Shou traveled light this time, bringing only Liuli and his driver, and no other subordinates with him. However, as soon as he got out of the car, he was greeted by two rows of people who came to welcome him.

"Welcome, Kuze-sama!!!"

As if etched into their DNA, these men in suits and sunglasses, who look stuffy and hot, all have spring-like lumbar spines, perfectly aligned at a 90-degree angle.

The person in charge of the place also rushed up to greet him, saying that everything had been prepared and that Ye Shou would not see any embarrassing scenes.

Ye Shou was slightly puzzled by this statement, but after meeting Kayaba Akihiko in real life, he immediately understood its meaning:

Having been removed from cyberspace, Kayaba Akihiko, despite having been cared for during this time, inevitably developed symptoms of weakness. He was unable to walk upright and needed assistance, and he couldn't even chew food normally, only able to eat nutritious liquids. His speech was also slurred.

What awkward situations should we avoid?

The answer is that Kayaba Akihiko had just removed the urine bag before that.

It must have been a very unpleasant experience. In any case, when he met Ye Shou, the great scientist was restless and looked uncomfortable no matter what.

Ye Shou chuckled to himself.

This can be considered a kind of "paying back the debt". In the original work, Kayaba Akihiko would occasionally quit the game and have girls taking care of him, but the 10,000 people he tricked into getting involved did not receive that treatment.

The damage to the body from a vegetative state is extremely severe. People like Ryougi Shiki and Asuna Yuuki, who have the money to hire top-notch caregivers, and who remain like Sleeping Beauty for two or three years, are ultimately very rare cases.

Most families can only participate in government aid programs and enjoy relatively affordable medical treatment. SAO victims are depleted of all their energy and spirit, and even if they wake up, they have to go through a long and painful recovery period.

Even a master like Shiki wouldn't have the strength to self-harm after lying in bed for three years. On the other hand, Kirito could walk on his own as soon as he woke up, which is practically Baki-level performance. It's a waste of his talent that he didn't go to the fighting tournament next door!

(The human body, isn't it amazing?)

Therefore, Ye Shou never felt there was anything wrong with scheming or taking advantage of Maochang—this guy deserved it.

"Seeing you like this, I feel really bad."

Ye Shou's calm and concerned tone, along with his gentle and infectious voice, was touching, but Kayaba Akihiko found it inexplicably sarcastic.

"It was my oversight. Perhaps I should have moved you into the Medicuboid. Your health would have been much better that way."

"..."

Upon hearing the name, Kayaba's eyes narrowed, then dimmed again.

"As expected... you knew all along."

"I told you, I've known everything about you since the very beginning. How could I not pay attention to such a promising medical project?"

Ye Shou smiled modestly.

The Medicuboid is a medical device developed based on improved NERvGear technology, specifically designed for critically ill patients. Its hexahedral cabin structure incorporates a multi-level buffer system, which can automatically adjust the (consciousness) depth of infiltration according to the patient's physiological indicators.

Even if someone is in a vegetative state or completely paralyzed, as long as there is brainwave activity, they can enter cyberspace through this and communicate freely with the outside world. Then, doctors can tailor a treatment plan based on the patient's feelings and the various data detected.

Besides its direct medical effects, the greatest use of this device is to allow patients to find dignity as "normal people" in the online world and generate a positive will to live—which often creates miracles.

Kayaba Akihiko spearheaded the development of this device, but it wasn't a project under the name of [Rect]. Instead, it was developed in collaboration with several top-ranked university hospitals and was kept secret, so he rarely mentioned it to anyone.

However, this naturally did not escape the eyes and ears of Ye Shou. Ye Shou even obtained the list of potential patients for the medical plan, among whom a girl named "Konno Muyuki" caught his attention.

But he has no other choice now.

Konno Yuuki contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion at birth, and since the disease is incurable, her fate will not be changed.

All Ye Shou could do was provide the best medical care for Yuki and her fellow patients, striving to prolong their lives until the day medical technology made a breakthrough.

He will then be able to obtain the Destiny Coins of the heroine of the "Absolute Sword Yuki" arc.

If all else fails, then we'll have to risk trying Kayaba Akihiko's approach and see if we can upload our consciousness to the network world.

Thinking of this, Ye Shou glanced at Mao Ba and secretly curled his lip.

Speaking of which, this guy also has a hidden protagonist's halo. As the villain who caused so much casualties and tragedy, he had a reason to die, but he can still exist in the form of a digital life form, with every plot closely connected to him... He's practically the author's favorite!

Unfortunately, this "biological father" had no dignity whatsoever in front of Ye Shou and was completely under his control.

"It's strange that you developed a device like the Medicuboid. It's clear that deep down you have a soft and kind heart and want to help those poor people who are suffering from disease."

But it was also you who devised such a horrific plan. If I hadn't stopped it, at least a thousand people would have died.

"My prediction is a mortality rate of around 73 percent."

Kayaba Akihiko suddenly spoke.

"why?"

Ye Shou gave a half-smile: "I know you're doing this for your dream, but is it really necessary to go this far?"

"..."

"Fine, I won't force you to answer. Humans aren't always rational beings, and I know that all too well."

Ye Shou stood up and gestured for someone to put Maochang in the car.

"All I need to know is that you are willing to pay a huge price for your ideals—that's enough."

People with obsessions and desires are always easy to control. Kayaba Akihiko's mental state in this matter is like that of a martyr. To deal with this kind of person, you just need to treat the symptoms, and you don't need to worry about him not cooperating.

"Where are you taking me now?"

Maochang remained calm.

"Let me show you the evidence."

Ye Shou glanced at him sideways: "About the future of this world."

……

"...How is this possible!"

In the long, deep passageway, specially made scented candles emitted tiny, bean-sized glows, densely arranged on the rock walls on both sides, making the air stuffy and dry, carrying a rich, oily aroma that made one slightly dizzy.

Kayaba, sitting in an electric wheelchair, followed Ye Shou to a platform separated from the outside by rope knots, talismans, and torii gates. Looking out, there was a natural hollow cave, with a very strange thing hanging from the cave ceiling, revealing its true form under the light.

It was like a heart magnified countless times, its surface covered with capillaries like vines, while the thick arteries connecting to the core resembled the mooring ropes of a ship, deeply embedded in the rock.

——Boom!

This thing is still throbbing!

Although extremely slow, jumping only once every two or three minutes, it is undoubtedly "alive"!

Kayaba Akihiko was deeply shocked: