Legend Management Bureau Chapter 86

[ … words ]

He Suoyi spoke flatly, “I sent a telepathic message to King Zhuanlun, manipulating him into assassinating the Great Emperor of Fengdu, and then framed the Great Emperor of Mount Tai for the deed. I also made sure Houtu caught wind of it immediately. Had you not interfered, the Underworld would be short a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal right now, bringing me one step closer to my ultimate plan.”

Du Yu pondered for a moment before frowning. “Director, you handled this poorly,” he said. “Of all the mistakes you could have made, your biggest was letting the Eight Underworld Emissaries and the Ten Yama Kings make their move at Mount Bugui right when I happened to be watching. Those people let the situation get to their heads, so naturally, they could not see through such a shallow scheme. But as an outsider, I saw through it at a glance.”

“Mount Bugui? Hehehe.” He Suoyi chuckled. “Even if Mount Bugui were to collapse entirely, the people of the Underworld wouldn’t dare interfere. Even if those numerous Underworld Immortals suffered countless casualties, Houtu would never reveal herself. But for all my meticulous calculations, I never anticipated that you would go see Houtu on that exact day. Tell me, how exactly did you find her?”

“I can’t tell you that,” Du Yu replied, shaking his head. “Now it is my turn to ask a question. Why do you want to kill Zhang Jian?”

“Hahaha!” He Suoyi threw his head back in laughter. “Let me reiterate—killing Zhang Jian was merely one link in the chain. If it weren’t for your meddling, Jade Emperor Zhang Jian, the Great Emperor of Mount Tai Zhang Youren, and the Great Emperor of Fengdu would have all vanished within these two days. The only remaining administrators of the entire Immortal Realm would be two women—the Queen Mother of the West and Houtu—along with the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas far beneath the waters. My ultimate goal is to purge the entire Immortal Realm and rebuild it into a true paradise.”

“Purge the entire Immortal Realm?!” Du Yu stared in shock. “Hah, I never pegged you for having such grand ambitions, old man.”

“Have you never harbored such thoughts yourself?” He Suoyi asked. “Some people have ruled the Immortal Realm for far too long. It is time for a change of guard.”

Du Yu remained silent. He got the distinct impression that He Suoyi had completely lost his mind.

“Originally, I could have done everything in my power to elevate the Legend Administration into the most crucial organization in the Immortal Realm, using my meager strength to slowly mold this world into a paradise,” He Suoyi continued, his tone turning frigid and completely devoid of emotion. “But who could have predicted that once Little Zhan left, no one would ever take the Legend Administration seriously again.”

“An accomplice… Hahahaha! I am likely the person in this world who wants Zhan Qisheng dead more than anyone else.” He Suoyi smiled darkly. “If he had killed Zhang Jian here, the modern Heavenly Court would have undoubtedly been thrown into a furious uproar. I could have conveniently used the hands of those hidden powerhouses to eliminate him.”

“So you’ve always been this ruthless, old man?” Du Yu said. “If I hadn’t stopped Zhan Qisheng here, he would already have a massive target on his back from the Heavenly Court, right?”

“This isn’t the first time you’ve gotten in Zhan Qisheng’s way,” He Suoyi noted. “Originally, he was supposed to trigger a massive catastrophe during the legend of Hou Yi Shooting the Nine Suns. It was the perfect opportunity to simultaneously purge the mortal realm and orchestrate Zhan Qisheng’s death. I sat quietly in the Legend Administration that day, waiting for it all to unfold, only to be entirely derailed by your arrival.” He Suoyi’s eyes narrowed. “From the very first day you stepped into the Legend Administration, you have done nothing but ruin my plans.”

“So your scheme really started that far back?” Du Yu shook his head. “I suppose I lost on that front. I was just a clueless rookie back then, relying on you guys for every little thing.”

“At the time, I figured Cui Jue sending over a new operator wasn’t entirely a bad thing. The chances of a mere mortal surviving their involvement in the legend of Hou Yi Shooting the Nine Suns were astronomically slim. At worst, I was just sending another fool to his death. At best, if the operator somehow managed to complete the mission, I would gain a new bargaining chip.”

“But you never even bothered to discuss this with me,” Du Yu offered a bitter smile. “You could have at least asked if I was willing to be your lapdog. You know, just for the sake of formality!”

“I already asked,” He Suoyi sighed, looking at Du Yu with a sense of resignation. “Before you stubbornly insisted on entering Zhongli Chun’s legend, I suggested you take on the legend of the Eight Underworld Emissaries first, but you refused. It was then I knew you weren’t someone who could be manipulated.”

“That’s it?” Du Yu retorted. “I went to find Little Zhongli first, so you just gave up on me?”

“Hahahaha, fair enough. Going by your logic, it seems I should have asked one more time. I suppose I miscalculated on that front.”

“Exactly,” Du Yu said. “You’re a pretty big deal in your own right. How could you be so sloppy?”

He Suoyi let out a few more booming laughs, and Du Yu chuckled along with him.

After a brief spell of silence, the tone between the two men suddenly plummeted to a freezing chill.

“Du Yu, have you had enough fun playing around? If you drag this out any longer, your seven days in the legend will be up. With not a single soul left alive in the Legend Administration, how exactly do you plan on returning?”

Du Yu gritted his teeth at the words and demanded,

“Old man, you better explain to me right now—what do you mean ‘not a single soul left alive’?”

He Suoyi offered another dark smile. “I mean exactly what I said. They have all scattered to the winds. They are all dead. Even if you somehow miraculously manage to return, you will be the only one left.”

“What about Little Qi?” Du Yu demanded, his face contorted with rage. “You just said she was only sleeping for a bit!”

“Indeed, she is only sleeping for now, but she will fade away entirely soon enough,” He Suoyi stated callously. “Her neck is broken. She is lying right at my feet as we speak, coughing up blood. From the looks of it, she won’t last more than a few minutes.”

“And… what about Sister Qianqiu?” Du Yu pushed further.

“I originally had no intention of killing the girl. My targets were solely those Underworld Emissaries. But who could have guessed that Dong Qianqiu would fight back so fiercely? I shattered every bone in her body. I am afraid her soul has already dispersed by now.”

Every single thing Du Yu dreaded hearing the most had just spilled from He Suoyi’s lips. He didn’t understand how it had come to this, and a part of him desperately didn’t want to.

Why was it that even with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva—a fellow Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal—standing by their side, they were still no match for He Suoyi? Why had the combined might of the Eight Underworld Emissaries failed to secure even the slightest advantage?

If Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the Eight Underworld Emissaries, the Phantom Demon, and Dong Qianqiu combined couldn’t defeat He Suoyi, was there any hope that Lady Houtu could subdue him?

“Is that so? So I really am the only one left…” Du Yu muttered under his breath. “All alone… just like I was before I died.”

“No, Du Yu,” He Suoyi interrupted. “You still have me, and right now, you still have the right to choose.”

Just as He Suoyi finished his sentence, the door in front of Du Yu suddenly creaked open. Zhang Jian poked his head out in confusion and immediately spotted him.

“Mister?!” Zhang Jian hurriedly swung the door wide open, stepping aside to make room. “I heard someone speaking outside, but I never expected it to be you! Is there something you need? Please, come in!”

Du Yu stared blankly at Zhang Jian as He Suoyi’s voice echoed directly in his mind, ‘Du Yu, there is only one path left for you to take. Kill the man standing before you, and I will bring you back.’

‘But what if I kill Zhang Jian and you just leave me stranded here anyway? Wouldn’t I be getting screwed over?’

‘No, you wouldn’t be,’ He Suoyi countered. ‘You have no ties or kinship with Zhang Jian. Even if he dies, it won’t affect you in the slightest. If you kill him, there is a chance I will bring you back. But if you refuse, you won’t even have that sliver of hope.’

‘I have to admit, you make a compelling argument,’ Du Yu thought back. ‘I’m genuinely starting to consider it.’

‘It’s good that you are tempted,’ He Suoyi chuckled mentally. ‘Look at his neck. Do you see how incredibly fragile he is? With Zhongli Chun’s physical prowess, you could end his life with a single strike.’

Du Yu stared silently at Zhang Jian, his piercing gaze making the man shudder uneasily.

“Mister, is something wrong?” Zhang Jian asked hesitantly. “For you to be awake at this hour, standing right outside my door… is there an urgent matter we need to discuss?”

“Boss, right now, someone is ordering me to take your life,” Du Yu said bluntly, holding nothing back.

“Take my life?” Zhang Jian froze for a moment before letting out a dry chuckle. “Please, stop joking around, Mister. I’ve seen what you are capable of. If you truly wanted me dead, you wouldn’t be standing here telling me about it. My head would already be rolling on the floor.”

“I’m not joking. This person is communicating with me telepathically right now. He’s throwing every threat in the book at me, and we’ve practically reached an agreement,” Du Yu deadpanned.

‘Du Yu, what the hell are you planning?’ He Suoyi demanded, a hint of suspicion bleeding into his voice.

Ignoring He Suoyi completely, Du Yu continued speaking to Zhang Jian. “Boss, I come from roughly three thousand years in the future. I am an operator for the Legend Administration. My real name is Du Yu; I am not the Zhang Zhen you know.”

Zhang Jian only looked mildly surprised before nodding in understanding. “I had already noticed that you are quite different from the Zhang Zhen I once knew. So a divine spirit has descended and possessed him?”

“I am no divine spirit, but I am indeed borrowing your brother’s body,” Du Yu clarified. “My purpose in coming here is to ensure that you successfully ascend to become the Jade Emperor. I will spare no effort in helping you achieve this goal.”

Zhang Jian, who had been struggling to maintain his composure, was utterly dumbfounded. It took him a long time to finally speak. “No wonder you have been helping me so much… So you were burdened with a grand mission all along? But what you said just now… I still don’t quite understand. Are you here to help me become the Jade Emperor, or are you here to take my life?”

Du Yu clenched his jaw, forcing the words out through gritted teeth. “Boss, because I am here helping you, I have lost many friends. I’ve completely lost all hope…”

“Mister… what exactly are you trying to say?”

Du Yu paused for a moment before declaring, “My conviction to see you become the Jade Emperor hasn’t wavered in the slightest. I believe with absolute certainty that this legend will be successfully completed. With my help, you will ascend to the throne of the Jade Emperor.”

“A-And so?”

“And so, the ‘present you’ is going to suddenly remember that I exist in this world. Everything I am doing right now is slowly carving itself into your memories.” Du Yu lunged forward, grabbing Zhang Jian tightly by the shoulders. “Boss… you have to remember! No matter what the ‘present you’ is doing, if you suddenly recall this memory, if you suddenly remember what happened three thousand years ago and realize that I exist in this world—drop everything and immediately send backup to the Legend Administration! The entire world is going to be thrown into chaos! He Suoyi! He Suoyi is staging a rebellion!! I don’t have a single shred of hope left! You are the only one who can possibly save me!”

He Suoyi stared at his monitor in absolute shock.

“Du Yu! You—!”

Never in his wildest dreams did He Suoyi expect Du Yu to make such a desperate gamble, staking all his hopes on the “memories” of the future Jade Emperor.

Before he could say another word, the main doors of the Legend Administration were violently kicked open. A strikingly handsome woman stood on the threshold.

She cracked her neck from side to side and demanded coldly, “He Suoyi, what the hell did you do to the people I sent?”

“Houtu?”

Before He Suoyi could even process the situation unfolding in front of him, the entire roof of the Legend Administration was ripped off and blown away into the sky.

High above, two silhouettes radiating brilliant, blinding golden light glared coldly down at him.

Houtu scratched her head and hollered up at the sky, “Who the hell is up there? Turn off that damn golden light before you blind me!”

“Please forgive us, Lady Houtu,” a crisp, frigid male voice responded. “This junior is the True Lord of Illustrious Holiness, Erlang Shen Yang Jian. One minute ago, I received a heavenly decree from the Jade Emperor to apprehend He Suoyi with full force. If we have caused any offense to the Underworld, I shall personally visit to offer my apologies at a later date.”

The other, much shorter silhouette shifted slightly and chimed in, “This junior is the Eight-Armed Third Prince, Nezha. I offer my greetings to Her Ladyship.”