Journey to the West: Life Simulation of Sun Wukong

Zhang Mazai had set up Huang the night before, using the bodies of Hu Wan and others. He was originally delighted, but his expression turned odd upon receiving the news that Su Jie had postponed the operation.

Had the plan changed?

"Big brother, I think Sun Mingyi is playing games with us," the second brother blurted out angrily.

"No! It's not possible!"

Zhang Muzhi looked at the letter in his hand, which detailed the reasons for Su Jie's change in plans.

However, he was a bit puzzled—why had Su Jie's transformation been so drastic, shifting the target from Goose City to all the nearby towns?

The revolution hadn't succeeded yet, but was it necessary to take such significant action?

What he wanted wasn't just to kill Huang, but to eradicate him—to set an example in Goose City while avenging Xiao Liuzi and conduct an experiment to fulfill his aspirations.

He could tell that Sun Mingyi was that sort of person too.

But—

Suddenly taking such big steps, wasn't this a bit of stretching the shoots to make them grow?

He didn't quite understand.

Ma Bangde had also read the letter. Although he wasn't a revolutionary and couldn't decipher everything in it, he had his own unique insights.

"There are only two reasons for changing the plan, one internal and the other external," Ma Bangde articulated. "For external reasons, there must be some pressure, but given his strength that even bullets can't kill, no one can pressure him."

"Bullets can't kill him."

Everyone fell silent for a while.

Zhang Muzhi then asked, "Then, what about the internal reason?"

Ma Bangde twitched his lips, placing the letter on the desk: "It could be that he was provoked by something, or saw something that changed his attitude."

Zhang Muzhi immediately thought that if Su Jie hadn't been provoked outside the city, he must have seen something inside the city.

"Second brother, go check where Sun Mingyi went after he left," he instructed.

"Sure, big brother."

The second brother acted swiftly.

After he left, Zhang Muzhi told the others, "Since our friend has other ideas, we shouldn't rush against Huang. Let's wait."

"No problem, big brother." All four brothers nodded in agreement.

"Big brother, Huang is here."

At that moment, the second brother came running back in, explaining, "I had just stepped out about ten meters when I saw Huang heading this way with a large group of people, looking menacing and up to no good."

"Oh?"

Zhang Muzhi looked up towards the entrance; Huang had brazenly walked in, not even bothering to greet anyone before sitting down with his legs crossed and pulling out an appointment letter.

The photo on it was indeed Ma Bangde.

"Is this you?"

Huang's voice had a distinctive magnetism.

Upon realizing the person in the appointment letter's photo was not Zhang Muzhi, Huang was thrilled. He immediately gathered his people, ready to take down Zhang Muzhi, who was impersonating the county head.

However, upon receiving the appointment letter and clearly seeing the person's face in the photo, he was a bit confused.

Wasn't that Tang?

Thus, he had staged this act.

"It is me," Zhang Muzhi answered Huang's question flatly.

"Is that so?" Huang replied blandly, scrutinizing Zhang Muzhi as he blatantly lied.

"Yes."

Zhang Muzhi asserted firmly.

"This is not you at all."

This is part of a series from My Virtual Library Empire (M|V|L1EMPYR).

Huang stopped playing along.

"Is that so? I also fucking say it's not me!" Zhang Muzhi complained, and finally, Ma Bangde personally came forward, spoke for Zhang Muzhi, and acknowledged him as his "nephew."

Ma Bangde was a clever man. Compared to Huang, Zhang Muzhi, a man with ethical principles, gave him a greater sense of security.

Just as Huang attempted to intimidate Zhang Muzhi and Ma Bangde, Hu San suddenly burst in anxiously shouting, "Master, it's terrible! Those people really came. They went straight to the bunker and stole most of the silver!"

Huang's expression changed drastically, and he immediately took his men and rushed back to the bunker.

Meanwhile, Zhang Muzhi watched Huang's hasty retreat and turned to Ma Bangde with a sly smile: "Come on, Uncle Two, let's go watch the excitement."

"Okay, nephew," Ma Bangde replied with an attitude bordering on over-familiarity.

"Hey! I called you 'Uncle Two', and you took it seriously," Zhang Muzhi scoffed, slinging his arm around Ma Bangde's shoulder, "Let's go!"

"Don't! Don't cling to me! I need my dignity!" Ma Bangde exclaimed.

"I don't need it."

Zhang Muzhi chuckled, forcibly pulling Ma Bangde out the door, but he ultimately spared Ma Bangde any embarrassment, simply asking him to follow.

The second brother and the others were also laughing.

This Ma Bangde, taking himself too seriously again.

When they arrived in front of Huang's bunker, they found it shambling in ruin, utterly perforated like a hornet's nest.

Huang was outside, furiously scolding his men, who were covered in wounds, albeit only superficial ones, like a deranged dog.

"What are you good for?!"

"Just two men, and they did this to you!"

When Huang learned that only two people had come to rob them, he was furious.

With at least fifty men guarding, they couldn't overcome just two men!?

He suspected there was a traitor inside!

"Master, they can't even be killed by guns," someone complained.

"Don't fucking make excuses!"

Hearing this, Huang became even more furious, "If guns can't kill them, are they immortals or what?"

In saying that, he wasn't far off.

The others thought to themselves but dared not voice it, because that would only make Huang use them to set an example.

They were servants; getting killed meant the Magistrate wouldn't stand up for them.

"Master Huang, please, don't get too agitated," Zhang Muzhi interjected, "As the magistrate of this county, you should discuss these matters with me."

Magistrate?

Huang was shocked and immediately understood that in the eyes of others, Zhang Muzhi was still the magistrate, and since the original magistrate, Ma Bangde, had become an advisor, he could not expose him, as it would do him no good.

But he was aware that Zhang Muzhi and Ma Bangde were definitely not related as uncle and nephew.

After all, which nephew would make his uncle tread on thin ice like this?

Zhang Muzhi's true identity seemed just about to spill out—he was indeed Zhang Mazai!

Although Zhang Muzhi didn't have freckles on his face, Huang didn't have a four either.

"My lord Magistrate, you must stand up for me, we must eradicate the bandits around Goose City, otherwise we won't see good days ahead." Huang was clear that Zhang Muzhi was not in league with that bunch, but their ideologies were close, possibly even cooperating; if so, he was truly finished.

Fortunately, Zhang Muzhi was still the magistrate.

In this position, he must fulfill the magistrate's duties.

"Of course, I am the magistrate, and anyone threatening the people of Goose City must be eradicated," Zhang Muzhi said excitedly, "But Master Huang, you must also contribute."

"No problem!" Huang agreed at once, "Be it money or people, I will provide. I have three hundred loyal men, and I can give you two hundred to join in eradicating the bandits!"

At this point, Huang's hatred towards Su Jie and the others exceeded his disdain for Zhang Muzhi.

Zhang Muzhi, at least, played dirty with him, whereas Su Jie and the others had straightforwardly taken nearly half of his wealth.

Half!

That was the wealth he had accumulated over nearly twenty years!

Though he had hidden wealth in every corner of Goose City, the wealth in the fortress was undoubtedly his most cherished.

Now, half of it had been stolen.

Moreover, the robbers claimed that leaving half was to give Huang face and threatened to come back for more if not given one million monthly.

They acted as if they owned the place.

Arrogant!

Too arrogant!

"Attacking bandits is a major project, and they are many. We need some time to prepare, and your men, I need them ahead of time to train them," Zhang Muzhi said, the corners of his mouth curling up.

"No problem," Huang agreed. He knew Zhang Muzhi had his own schemes, but his men would definitely not betray him, so handing them over to Zhang Muzhi ahead of time was no big deal.

Meanwhile.

Su Jie was vigorously developing the stronghold.

Rather than calling it development, it was more about instilling new thoughts in the villagers, urging them to pick up their weapons and swing their hoes at the enemy.

Support whoever wins.

That was the villagers' attitude in the past.

Now, while still similar, their minds were much clearer. During decisions made by Su Jie and his group, a small portion of the villagers would voice their doubts instead of just acting as puppet soldiers.

Those who asked questions, as long as they weren't being unreasonable, were praised by Su Jie and his group.

Because this was a breakthrough!

From zero to one.

From nothing to something.

This was truly a spark of revolution.

After finishing a day's lessons, Su Jie had Chen Tian Yuzi lead the villagers to continue integrating nearby villages and spread ideological seeds to unlock their minds.

This was a lengthy process, but at least through such efforts, a spark had been born.

Zhang Manman approached Su Jie, who was watching the crescent moon, and said, "With this, we might score even better at Professor Zhao's class... But there seems to be something else in your eyes."

Su Jie said indifferently, "To me, this is no longer about scores, but about wanting to do something for these people."

Zhang Manman didn't understand, "Although they are real, they are just NPCs with high intelligence. They are not worth getting too emotionally involved."

Not understanding.

Not agreeing.

She was concerned that Su Jie's mind might have been affected.

Although his vitality had rapidly increased to 49, his mental state, unlike ordinary mental practitioners, was neither in meditation nor in embryonic breathing.

Su Jie, sensing Zhang Manman's thoughts, smiled, "No need to worry, my mind has no issues, I've just gained a different perspective on the phantom realm."

"What?" Zhang Manman asked.

"Since we've taken over someone else's identity, then, shouldn't we consider ourselves as NPCs as well?" Su Jie seemed to be asking Zhang Manman and perhaps himself as well.

Zhang Manman pondered, kept silent, and finally answered, "Are you getting too deep into your role?"

Su Jie shook his head, "Professor Zhao's history class is not just about history. To make us empathize, he lets us descend here, otherwise we might as well just observe."

"This is what I've realized over this semester."

"Immersing in it allows us to truly feel the essence of this era——"

"Devouring."