“Hmph…Shangri-La?” Feng Bujue laughed. “Perhaps it is for you.” He stretched his neck a couple of times, raised his head, and said lazily, “Their faith stems from deception, their peace from ignorance, they have no discontent… only because they are afraid.”

You keep these people like livestock, dictating where they live, what clothes they wear, and what things they do. The most terrifying thing is that you control their minds, taking away their… freedom.” He looked at York Coben with cold eyes, “Don’t try to make your family’s actions sound like they are serving the villagers. No matter how you try to sugarcoat it… it’s all ultimately to maintain your family’s rule for generations and ensure your eternal benefit.”

The muscles in York’s face twitched a few times, “Even if everything you say is right, what would you do if you were in my position? Would you give up such a situation if it were before your eyes?” He turned his face again, glaring at Hank with a distorted expression, “My offer still stands, say what you want, but… would you really refuse? Can you refuse?” He laughed twice, as if trying to reassure himself, “Stop acting high and mighty, as long as you nod, you can join my ranks, you don’t have to do any work, just enjoy yourselves. Think about it, absolute power! When you’re eighty years old, you can still play with eighteen-year-old women, they’ll come to you willingly; you can decide the life and death of these lowly people with a single thought. In this village, you can do whatever you want, and your descendants can inherit this kind of life…”

“I can’t help but ask,” Kuangzong Jianying sneered, “Those outsiders who joined your ancestors, they must have agreed to these conditions, right?”

“Heh… of course, who would refuse?” York replied.

“Where are the descendants of those people now?” Kuangzong Jianying asked.

“Uh…” York was momentarily at a loss for words.

“How long did your ancestors let them live in the temple before making their move? A month? Half a year? A year?” Kuangzong Jianying laughed.

York gnashed his teeth, unable to respond.

“Generally speaking, this kind of imperial power is not shared with others, even the infighting among family members is cruel, let alone outsiders,” Kuangzong Jianying said, “Besides, judging by your attitude towards your brother and son, only an idiot would believe your promises.”

“Then what do you want?” York seemed to be turning angry from embarrassment, blurting out, “What can you do? The only device that can communicate with the outside world has been destroyed by me, and it won’t be repaired in a short time. If you kill me, the entire village won’t let you off!”

“I have to correct two mistakes of yours.” Feng Bujue raised his right hand, extending his index finger, “First, I am fully capable of contacting the outside world directly from this room, you don’t need to worry about that.” He extended his middle finger, “Second… hehe…” His smile gave people a sense of death.

Feng Bujue stood up, revealing the operating console behind him. The reason he was sitting there wasn't to study the communications components that York had damaged; that area could be temporarily restored with [Makeshift Repair]. Feng Bujue’s real purpose was to block the area next to it. The light on that operating area had been on for several minutes.

“As soon as I entered this room, I was looking for the location of the broadcasting communication. I really have to thank the people who designed these devices, the interface is as simple and easy to understand as a point-and-shoot camera,” Feng Bujue continued in a mocking tone, “Our conversation just now has all been broadcast live, so… the people that the villagers won’t let off are you.”

York Coben’s eyeballs were about to pop out of their sockets, his horror was written all over his face. When he saw the communication light that announced everything to the village was on, his whole body turned cold.

“Our conversation is no longer a secret, and this village no longer has any secrets.” Feng Bujue came to the operating console, facing it as he spoke, “Villagers of Shenyou Village, you’ve heard it all. The so-called Son of God and his family… for many years, they have distorted history, monopolized knowledge, and buried the truth, letting fear and ignorance shroud you, making you live like pigs, dogs, cattle, and horses, and you must still be grateful to the rulers.

The so-called outsiders are just humans who migrated to other planets hundreds of years ago. Coben described them as heretics and devils in order to prevent you from learning the truth from the outside world. Even if you don’t believe what I’m saying now, you should have heard York Coben’s voice many times, judge for yourselves.”

Feng Bujue paused for a few seconds, then continued, “I will contact humans from the outside world and tell them the coordinates of Shenyou Village. After that, I hope you can communicate with the outsiders rationally. The future is up to you, the villagers of Shenyou Village, to decide. There will no longer be anyone who enslaves you in the name of divine will. As for York Coben…” He glanced at the Son of God, “I’ll leave him for you to deal with, he’s right here in the Divine Decree Chamber, you can come in and take a look.”

After saying these words, Feng Bujue turned off the communication channel, turned around, spread his hands, and smiled at York, “Ah… seeing your current expression, I feel incredibly refreshed.”

“You… you what… why! Why would you do such a thing!” York Coben was on the verge of collapse, he roared, “Are you sick! You don't want the wealth and glory that's handed to you! You and your companions even had the chance to replace me, didn't you? Why?”

“Jian Shao, explain this question for him.” Feng Bujue laughed.

As soon as the words fell, several sword lights flashed, and Kuangzong Jianying instantly appeared beside York Coben. Almost at the same moment, Coben’s mechanically modified limbs were all severed, and his fat torso fell vertically to the ground. Blood, oil, and nutrient solution flowed across the ground. Coben’s face was filled with a look of astonishment.

“There’s a saying… when the road is uneven, busybodies will smooth it out; when things are unfair, capable people will take care of them.” Kuangzong Jianying said as he stylishly sheathed his sword. His moves were much better than the ones Feng Bujue used to take down Havetz, because his weapon didn’t have the effect of restraining mechanical creations. Being able to dismember Coben so quickly and neatly was mostly due to his own skills.

“If it were in the world I lived in, faced with such a choice, perhaps I would compromise…” Kuangzong Jianying said, “But here, first, we won’t stay for long, and second, you this guy… how should I put it, hmph… deserves to die.”

York Coben, lying on the ground, was completely despairing. He had been holding onto a sliver of hope that he could escape the village alive, but now, even that illusion had been completely shattered.

Most of the adult males in the Coben family had undergone mechanical modifications, and there was a reason for this. In addition to preventing assassinations, demonstrating divine power, and extending lifespan, it also allowed them to survive on old Earth in case of emergency. Enhanced cardiopulmonary function could cope with the terrible air, and mechanical bodies could help them hunt mutated creatures for food.

The ancestors of this family had indeed planned very thoroughly. Many of the rules they had set, such as body modification, the control of history, and which parts of knowledge should be kept absolutely secret… it could be said that they had already thought about how to deal with all kinds of possible changes for their descendants. The Coben family had been able to rule smoothly for so many years also thanks to the fact that the successors of each generation strictly adhered to these iron rules.

If it weren’t for the arrival of two players today, perhaps the only thing that could destroy Shenyou Village would be its own genetic degradation. Expecting the outside world to discover this place one day was probably a distant prospect.

“Oh, right, although the probability is extremely low, but in order to prevent you from relying on the unshakable prestige that your family has established over the years in this state to confuse the public with rumors and turn the tide…” Feng Bujue took out his steel knife, squatted next to York, and smiled as he put the tip of the knife into the other party’s mouth, using the blade to press against York’s cheek, “Just to be safe, you should still smile…”

“Ah… ah!” York Coben roared in pain, watching helplessly as Feng Bujue cut open both sides of his cheeks, and his tongue was also stirred by the tip of the knife. For some reason… his throat also had a numb sensation.

…………

More than ten minutes later, at the entrance of the temple, Hank slowly walked out of the temple. A large number of civilians had gathered at the entrance, from the first area to the third area. The priests had all been arrested by the villagers. Although some of them were innocent, this group of people would definitely have to suffer, and no one would believe their words again.

Among the crowd gathered at the entrance of the temple, there were also many guards who had met the “invaders” before. As soon as they saw Hank, they shouted, “It’s him! He was with those two outsiders before!”

Hank walked to the front of the crowd, and everyone stared at him. People were waiting, waiting for this man to say something. It was as if in the darkness before dawn, they were looking forward to the guidance of that ray of light.

Hank scanned the people in front of him. He saw Miss Molly in the crowd, his mother, and his friends. At this moment, Hank received the attention that he had never received in his entire life.

After a moment of silence, Hank finally spoke.

“Those two outsiders… no, it should be said that two travelers from the outside world have left. They said they won’t come back, and they don’t want to be remembered or talked about.” Hank tried to keep his tone steady and his pronunciation clear, “That Mister Madman… he repaired the communication device that Coben had destroyed, and contacted a place outside called ‘Solar System Research Station’. He told the other party the coordinates of Shenyou Village and the signal frequency. Our village is no longer an isolated place, the outside world already knows about our existence.

Soon there will be other humans visiting us, and they have the ability to take all of us away from here. We can go to a place called ‘Second Earth’, which is the current home of mankind. There is clean air and water there, there are blue oceans, there are mountains, rivers, forests, and lakes, and there are also real cities.

Diseases can be cured, you don’t need to kneel down and pray; the weather can be predicted, it’s not the capriciousness of the gods. Every child has the right and obligation to receive education, no one stipulates or forces you to believe in anything, wear anything, or do anything… women don’t have to be sent to other people’s houses before marriage to be fornicated, and men don’t have to risk their lives to do scavenging work.”

His voice unknowingly became louder, or perhaps it was because everyone had become quieter.

“I can understand your feelings at this moment. Like you, I feel confused and timid about the future, but at the same time, I am full of expectations. But what I am sure of is…” In Hank’s eyes, there was a kind of relief and emotion, “… we are free.”