Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 496: If the work is not saturated, let it become saturated_1

Chapter 496: Chapter 496: If the work is not saturated, let it become saturated_1

"Everyone, you’ve worked hard. Dismissed!" Zhang Lin called out, somewhat tired, and the numerous laborers on Mount Tai quickly dispersed.

Since arriving at Mount Tai, he had tirelessly begun preparations for the Holy Emperor’s birthday ceremony, working from dawn till dusk without a moment’s rest.

Despite this, he was still in high spirits, knowing that at least here, he need not worry about his personal safety.

Once the crowd dispersed, he turned back to look upon the Golden Body of Saint Emperor in the main hall and sighed.

The gap between people is truly vast, Zhang Lin couldn’t help but muse. Who could have thought that the once obscure Spirit Master could have garnered such influence today? In his life, he may not have held such formidable power as he does now in death. What a pity that the living Holy Emperor isn’t Wang Linchi but merely a new divine spirit modeled after him.

"Now, it’s no longer about the difference between people. You and I are humans, and he is a god," Li Zheng said, wiping the dirt from his face with a damp towel.

He, too, had just finished his work. Compared to Zhang Lin, who was in a management role, Li Zheng’s work was much more physically demanding.

"You’ve finished your tasks as well?" Zhang Lin replied. Ever since he left the Capital, he had ceased to be the Grand Secretary, and his status with people like Li Zheng was now equal.

"Yes, I’ve just completed an inspection. Otherwise, I would have finished earlier," Li Zheng said, then asked, "Fancy a drink? It helps with sleep."

Although he had asked, he already started leading the way.

Seeing this, Zhang Lin had no choice but to follow.

They had originally thought the Mount Tai Temple might be struggling, but the reality was quite the opposite – not only was it not struggling, but it was also thriving.

This gave them a sense of how wide-reaching Mount Tai Temple’s connections were and how revered the Holy Emperor was. It couldn’t be said that these resources just appeared out of thin air; that was simply impossible. Even the Holy Emperor, as powerful as he was, couldn’t directly interfere as a spirit.

However, one aspect was rather concerning: to obtain these resources, one had to exert their own effort, and controls in all areas were exceedingly strict. This gave Zhang Lin the impression of a reward system, where everyone who received supplies would feel deeply grateful to the Holy Emperor.

He had realized this but didn’t voice it. After all, they were aiming for incense and faith; revealing it would only offend them. Besides, they weren’t just making empty promises; they were quite generous and not stingy. So why would he disrupt this win-win situation and put himself in an unfavorable position?

Soon, the two found a place, ordered some side dishes, and procured a bottle of good wine. As the managers in charge of the Holy Emperor’s birthday, they naturally enjoyed certain privileges.

"The view on Mount Tai is really something," Li Zheng remarked, gazing at the distant scenery, then added, "Thinking about it now, being the Imperial Command Envoy might not have been as comfortable as life is now."

Zhang Lin merely smiled without speaking. As the former Grand Secretary, his life had been far more comfortable than that of an Imperial Command Envoy.

However, compared to the present, it indeed fell short.

Now, although the work was tiring, it was only for a certain period. As soon as the Holy Emperor’s birthday passed, he could relax. Moreover, if he did a good job, they would let him plan it again next year. That meant he would only have to work at most for three months of the year and could spend the rest eating, drinking, and enjoying life.

Having been through so much, Zhang Lin’s ambition for power had significantly decreased. The great terror of life and death was witnessed first-hand. He had narrowly escaped death in the Capital, leading him to have a more relaxed outlook on many things.

As for the Southern Zhang Clan, many ambitious people within the clan wanted to rebuild here, even dreaming of taking over the Mount Tai Temple to restore the Southern Zhang Clan’s former glory. Not everyone was willing to live an obscure life, tilling fields and crafting goods by hand; naturally, they yearned to regain their previous status.

Seeing this, Zhang Lin decisively relinquished his position as clan leader and left with his wife and children.

Thereafter, he witnessed numerous members of the Southern Zhang Clan being expelled from Mount Tai.

They should have recognized where they were. The saying "Divine beings are three feet above your head" isn’t just an empty phrase. If you dared to make a small move, someone would dare to eliminate you. Seize power by force? A fine idea, but could the population of the Southern Zhang Clan compare to the Holy Emperor’s followers on Mount Tai? Among these followers were numerous former soldiers. The moment a rebellion started, it would be swiftly crushed. As long as the Holy Emperor is present, Mount Tai and the Dai Temple will never fall into chaos.

In Zhang Lin’s view, Mount Tai resembled an alternative version of the Northern Royal Court. The only difference was that instead of controlling the Hu Lu with a Shaman, the Holy Emperor used a win-win approach, ensuring everyone had enough to eat and drink, which was why everyone supported him. At this stage, the scenario of insatiable greed wouldn’t arise because everyone was struggling. Perhaps in two or three years, such an attitude might emerge.

"At least, you’re not in imminent danger, are you?" Zhang Lin said, taking a sip of his wine and looking into the distance.

As the Grand Secretary, he had to engage in daily overt and covert struggles. The Imperial Command Envoy had it even worse—a tool that, once worn out, would likely be discarded as a scapegoat. Even knowing too much could lead to implication in some affair.

"Hmm, yes." Li Zheng didn’t say much more. He quietly looked at the sky and then asked, "What do you think Dajing would be like now if King Heaven Equivalent hadn’t died back then?"

"I can’t imagine," Zhang Lin replied immediately.

A Spirit Master who achieves the top three honors rarely meets a good end. He had once thought it was just a false saying, but now it seemed to be true. Fortunately, the path of the Spirit Master had been severed, rendering everything meaningless.

He still wondered if Wang Linchi had anything to do with the severing of the Spirit Master’s path back then. Wang Linchi had denied it, but Zhang Lin wasn’t entirely convinced. Who knew if he had lied all those years ago? Zhang Lin even suspected he himself was merely a pawn in Wang Linchi’s ascension to godhood, with the entire world as Wang Linchi’s chessboard. But then again, the thought amused him. If it wasn’t true, that was for the best. If it was, well, that would be quite a spectacle.

"Why can’t you imagine?" Li Zheng asked curiously, surprised by the answer.

"Can you?" Zhang Lin countered.

This left Li Zheng speechless; he truly couldn’t imagine it either.

"Was all the steam machinery really destroyed?" Li Zheng asked, changing the subject.

"I don’t know. The Royal Family was responsible for its destruction. Looking back, the Royal Family seems to have had significant problems."

"But these things are no longer our concern. The world is in such chaos; even if you knew, what could you do? You’re not actually thinking of finding intact steam machinery and then pacifying the realm, are you?" Zhang Lin teased.

"Of course not. It was just a passing thought. After all, back then..." Li Zheng’s voice trailed off, becoming quieter and quieter.

「...」

Wang Linchi also overheard their conversation and fell into deep thought.

Are their workloads really that light? How do they still have time to drink and chat so late at night?

He had selected them to work, not to reminisce, indulge in nostalgia, or chat over drinks; he intended to exploit them as top-tier tools.

Their ability was why they could hold such positions. At least regarding the birthday celebration, Wang Linchi was quite satisfied with their progress and the quality of their work.

I need to find a way to ignite more enthusiasm in their work, Wang Linchi thought, feeling he couldn’t let them off so easily. After all, they only work for about three months a year; they must be slacking off the rest of the time. This birthday celebration isn’t a one-time event; it happens annually on March 28th. The more they organize it, the more experienced they’ll become. With their experience and abilities, wouldn’t the incense and faith for me, Wang Linchi, come rolling in? It would be like printing money. And this is still a chaotic era; once an age of prosperity arrives, I, Wang Linchi, could earn even more.

Then there’s the ’False Tiger’ seven-day truce plan. It’s showing good results so far. With widespread publicity, most small and medium-sized factions are desperate for a ceasefire—and a seven-day one at that. However, the major factions are different; they’re mostly looking to use this opportunity to stir up trouble.

Wang Linchi found this somewhat troublesome. I can’t just send the game characters to kill all these troublemakers, can I? That wouldn’t be good. A miracle is a miracle because it’s mysterious, rarely performed, and must be effective at crucial moments. If miracles happen too often, they lose their impact and novelty, which would affect the subsequent gathering of faith.

Then I’ll just teach them a lesson. Coincidentally, the prototype of the faith network I’m building is also taking shape. Since Wang Linchi wanted to further control faith, he naturally needed a network. The server would, of course, use a Devil, created from a piece of a game character’s brain he had excised. The previous Amulet tests, the Class B Devotee connections, and so on, were all made possible by this nascent faith network. Subsequent Divine Arts, Spirit Glyphs, and the like would also rely on this faith network. To do a job well, one must first sharpen one’s tools.