Chapter 1207: 大会失控

Chen Ling surveyed the barrier before him. It was very similar to the Deliverance he had encountered in the Heavenly Pivot Domain, though their properties seemed to be exact opposites. He was surprised that Bureau 749 possessed something from the ancient archives of the Ghost Dao.

However, the strength of this barrier was far inferior to that of the Deliverance he had seen before.

"Is it because the wielder of the mystic treasure is too weak...?"

Chen Ling mused.

Chen Ling recalled that Kongwang, wielding the Deliverance at that time, could block even eighth-tier masters like the Tongtian Tower Lord. This current barrier, while effective at blocking internal access, was quite ordinary in its external defensive capabilities.

Even so, Chen Ling couldn't open it from the outside on his own.

"This time, we truly have to work together," Chen Ling said slowly.

Ying Fu scoffed. A bolt of purple lightning rapidly expanded in his hand, weaving into a searing, dazzling sphere like the sun. Thick plasma surged within it, and an aura of terrifying destruction echoed throughout the stone corridor.

A wisp of purple energy swirled in his eyes as he stated blandly, "You'd better not hold me back."

Judging by his aura, Ying Fu was undoubtedly going all out. Chen Ling, naturally, held nothing back either. Dense red paper surged from within his body, splitting even his face in half. The endless red paper resembled a swirling cloud of mist in the dim light, and a massive, eerie eye opened within it.

The red cloud and purple lightning nearly filled the entire stone corridor. Even the surrounding walls couldn't withstand their energy and began to show tiny cracks.

The next moment, two devastating attacks simultaneously struck the Wall of the Underworld.

Fine dust drifted down from the ceiling, and accompanied by the distant roar of a falling elevator, the atmosphere in the conference room remained heavy.

Initially, the people didn't realize someone had breached the 7012 underground project; they merely thought there had been another explosion upstairs. It wasn't until red alert lights began to flash continuously around them that confusion appeared in their eyes.

Seeing this, Sun Zhongliang furrowed his brow but calmly continued, "I understand you all have concerns with me, but this decision was made from a national standpoint, concerning the survival of our civilization. I hope everyone can put aside personal feelings and live here peacefully for a period. Once everything is over, we will still need your strength to pass on our civilization."

"How long will we have to live here?" a guest couldn't help but ask.

"A few months at the shortest, a few years at the longest. Please rest assured, the supplies prepared here are sufficient for everyone."

Sun Zhongliang's estimation was conservative. The supplies prepared in the underground project could last them indefinitely. However, he personally estimated that the war outside wouldn't take that long to end, perhaps less than half a year before everything settled.

"Director Sun, I appreciate your kindness," a figure stood up from his seat. "But I don't intend to hide here. More people outside need me. If I leave now, I can also save some resources for everyone."

"I'm leaving too. My daughter is still waiting for me to come home. I'd rather die with them than live alone here."

"And me. I won't take up public resources. I have nothing to fear; I'm just a nobody."

By this point, the initial anger had subsided, and most people were reasonable. They had put themselves in the shoes of the nation and Sun Zhongliang, understanding that his actions were indeed for their benefit.

However, this didn't mean they had to accept it.

Their current act of standing up, still addressing Sun Zhongliang as "Director Sun," and politely explaining their reasons for leaving, demonstrated the utmost adherence to ancient etiquette.

Approximately one-third of the people were determined to leave. The remaining two-thirds, seeing them rise to depart, also felt somewhat moved, with another third planning to follow. After all, everyone had parents and relatives, and with the world outside in turmoil, hiding alone here made them feel uneasy.

Sun Zhongliang seemed to have anticipated this scene and sighed.

"Everyone... to protect the safety of this place, the surroundings have been sealed by a mystic treasure. You cannot enter or exit. Please, take your seats."

Hearing this, the few people at the front froze, then turned to look at Sun Zhongliang in the center of the conference room, their eyes once again flaring with anger.

"Sealed by a mystic treasure? Hmph, I'd like to see what can stop so many of us!"

A middle-aged man wearing a Bagua training suit raised his hands, as if molding a wisp of cloud in his palms. Then, he forcefully swung both hands, striking the nearby wall with such speed that the air crackled.

*Thud—!!*

A phantom image of the Styx River flashed across the wall, emanating extreme coldness as if from the abyss of death. Under the isolation of the phantom, the man's palm strike failed to break through the wall in the slightest. Instead, he was thrown back several steps, his eyes wide with astonishment.

At this, everyone's gaze immediately changed. This man was considered an outstanding practitioner of the Might God Dao, a fourth-tier master. Yet, even with a full-force attack, he hadn't left a single mark on the wall. This meant that most of the people present, like him, couldn't budge the Du Shang in the slightest.

"Sun Zhongliang, do you realize this is house arrest??" an angry shout rose from the crowd.

"...Perhaps," Sun Zhongliang replied calmly. "But this is my duty."

The Bagua practitioner took a step, directly soaring across most of the conference room. Before the surrounding guards could react, he swept forward with a gust of wind, appearing before Sun Zhongliang, a flicker of murderous intent in his eyes.

"Sun Zhongliang, you are too careless," the Bagua practitioner said coldly, glancing at the unmoving guards around them. "You know we are all divine power users, yet you bring only a few ordinary people with guns to protect yourself? Do you think they can protect you?"

"You are mistaken, Mr. Li," Sun Zhongliang replied without changing his expression. "I don't need the protection of divine power users. On the contrary, protecting you, the divine power users, is my job. My life or death is not important. My sole purpose for living is to ensure your safety. If I die by your hands, I would still be considered to have died in the line of duty. But I must warn you, the Du Shang is not under my control. Even if you kill me, it will not open."

"You!" The Bagua practitioner opened his mouth, unsure how to respond for a moment.

"Ignore him, let's try it ourselves!"

Among the guests, several more stepped forward and jointly attacked the surrounding walls, seemingly trying to find a weakness in the barrier. But unfortunately, they all ultimately failed.

"Give up," Sun Zhongliang said with a slight smile. "I told you... this place is absolutely safe."

*Boom—!!!*

The moment Sun Zhongliang's words fell, a deafening roar erupted from outside the conference room door!