Chapter 438: Wang Yu Yan (13)
Wang Yu Yan did not encounter the male lead so far due to Jiang Li's action. There was also little chance of Nuwa running into her within the human camp. This female lead had led her corps to another fae territory in an attempt to rescue Mohan from Jiang Li. On the other hand, Wang Yu Yan was in the most heavily protected areas in the human territory.
However, the biggest event that took place in the original timeline still proceeded in this one. It was decided that the various fae cities would be the targets of man-made virus that would spread like a plague and take down every self-proclaimed descendant of the gods.
Wang Yu Yan, as one of the brightest strategists of the allied cities, had the pleasure of meeting the Federal President.
It happened fifteen minutes since she left the huge theater room in a foul mood.
She had already boarded the flying shuttle and was only a few miles away from the military camp when somebody intercepted her. "I'm sorry, Colonel, but please come with us."
"Who are you!?" General Wang Wei's voice thundered as he asked.
Wang Yu Yan's expression turned solemn. Upon studying the features of the person, recognition flashed in her eyes but she didn't speak. She waited for the other party to introduce himself. The wait did not take long.
"I'm one of the city mayor's bodyguards."
'What's going on?' She knitted her brows.
"The city mayor?" A hint of surprise flashed across' Wang Wei's eyes.
A brief silence took over. Then, the girl and her uncle exchanged glances before the general nodded at her. "It seems important. Go, don't make them wait for long."
"... Yes, Sir." She could only say before casting a suspicious glance at the bodyguard.
A few minutes later, the beautiful female officer found herself in a spacious but not overly decorated room. There were other people inside and judging from their expressions, they seemed to have experienced the same as her.
However, everyone was as quiet as a mouse.
They patiently waited for the esteemed man seated behind the desk to speak.
Half a minute later, the maids excused themselves after arranging enough refreshments and pastries on the long table.
Finally, somebody broke the unsettling silence.
"The discussion at the official meeting seems quite stupid, right?" A warm smile was on the middle-aged man's face. Considering his position, his opening remark was a bit awkward, but nobody pointed that out. After all, a thread of sorrow could be faintly seen in this person's eyes as he faced the dozen people standing before him.
The man sitting behind the desk looked young, yet he already with a head half grey. In reality, he was the highest elected leader of their race. His name was Shi Nianzu and his special ability was naturally in politics and leadership. It had been ten or so years since he had come to power. One could say that it was through the effort of this man that humanity had persevered to this point. Others even said in praise, had this leader been born several hundreds of years ago, he would still surely rise in power and might even speed up the rebirth of humanity from the dark age.
Wang Yu Yan looked at the person with complicated eyes.
To be invited to a special meeting with this person was a great honor. Especially since she was both lacking in experience and age. Yet it could not be said that she was without qualification to be there. After all, with just a few words from the President, she had realized that something was wrong.
The others invited in the room exchanged glances with each other.
'Damn. So I actually made a fool out of myself.' Meanwhile, Wang Yu Yan reflected on what happened earlier in the meeting room and then smiled bitterly.
The President noticed her expression and said to her, "Colonel Wang."
Upon being called, the woman regained her senses and bowed her head, "Yes."
"Look at you now." The same smile was still on the President's face. He said, "I think you have come into a realization by now. But please don't feel down. You did well earlier."
"I thank Your Excellency for the kind words," Wang Yu Yan could only say. Even though for a moment, her expression still turned stiff.
Shi Nianzu nodded. "The others here are mature and not the type to easily voice out their opinions due to cautiousness. But you are different. What you did greatly helped to make everything there seems natural."
When the word 'natural' came from the mouth of the supreme leader, her hunch was already half-verified.
She inwardly sighed. 'There is only a need to make something look natural when it is fake.'
An old man, a military advisor from another important city, thought for a moment before raising his hand and voicing out the guesses that everyone else had in mind, "So Milord, the strange atmosphere earlier and those ideas thrown out are on purpose?"
"Yes."
"Since you have just insinuated that even in that place, we had to stage a play, the reason behind it, it is the work of the enemy?"
When the President heard the question, it appeared like the man had tried his hardest to not emulate the bitter smile on Wang Yu Yan's face. However, it was also a fact that he nodded. "That's right."
As for the ones that stood in front of the President's desk, they all put in a lot of effort to not sport out a grim expression. It was very awkward.
It was no news to them that there were traitors and spies amongst the humans who had already sided with the fae. Considering their bleak situation, it was inevitable. There would always be fickle and cowardly individuals doing something shady behind everyone's backs. In human history, didn't it happen all the time? Traitors selling out their countries for their own survival or benefits?
However, while these leaders and brains of the army and government were aware of this fact, it was still hard not to feel bitter when these traitors began to act. The timing was just unfavorable for them.
Another thing that made them downhearted was the fact that some spies were one of the city leaders or somebody working for them. Whichever of the two, since they could get past the security checks, it meant they were not brainwashed, they worked for the fae on their own accord. What could be worse than that?
"How distasteful," mumbled Wang Yu Yan in both discontent and worry.
One of the oldest city mayors, a proven loyal one, couldn't help but sigh. "Even though the various governments have united, and the domed city-states have agreed to work together, the Federation is still not cohesive internally."
Shi Nianzhu turned to him and said, "Don't feel down, elder." His words sounded a bit odd since the old mayor was criticizing his administration, yet he was not offended. Instead, it was he who tried to comfort the other. "We have always been in a desperate situation, anyway."
The laughter that reverberated was hearty yet a bit forced.
After ordering the others to take a seat, the President then began to discuss several plans with them. The ones present this time were chosen based on ability and loyalty. Here, there was no discrimination regarding one's rank or occupation. The atmosphere was solemn, and the people were burning their lifespan to come up with countermeasures and solutions.
In the end, the President chairing the meeting said, "All right. Let's summarize now what we have discussed today."
The President pressed his lips into a thin line before continuing, "In the earlier congregation, only two proposals will be pushed forward. The first was the virus plan."
The people present quietened down and focused their attention on him.
"I can tell you all that is not as stupid and reckless as Professor Huang had made it out to be. Some things that happened there were staged on purpose to make it sound like the fake aspect of the plan is real, a simple deception, although it's not guaranteed that it will confuse the opponents. Let us hope the fae's spies would report the news that we want them to report. We'll keep the real modus operandi to ourselves until the last moment."
Wang Yu Yan looked down as she still had no good feeling about the plan. She still had not forgotten that apart from the worry that the fae's great seer would intercept it, the latter could also make it an excuse to launch a full-scale war. In the case that it succeeded, it would still not be a joyous matter because millions of human slaves would become victims too.
In today's world, it indeed seemed like more than eighty percent of the habitable land had fallen into the hands of the fae. But the population of these fairy-like beings was fewer than humans. Only nine of the cities were inhabited by fae civilians, others housed fae armies. The rest only had slaves and war beasts monitored by a few battalions of fae soldiers.
Those hundreds of millions of humans, could they really bear to sacrifice all of them?
"The other one to be implemented has been proposed by our junior here." The President did not give her more time to feel conflicted within.
"I approve of Colonel Wang's suggestion. It's been two hundred years since humanity started a campaign against the fae to defend our homeland. Everyone should have seen already how hopeless and senseless this war is. We have already fought enough for honor, it is time to consider our race's survival. Once the time comes, there would be several starships setting out with a few millions of our population to continue our legacy elsewhere."
"The rest of our next course of action are the ones discussed in this room."
"Everything will proceed in secret. I hope no news of this secret gathering would reach the spies' ears."
"Military rule, what you see, what you hear, what you feel. When you leave, leave it here! Dismiss!"
Everyone bowed and said words of compliance before leaving the room through a secret passage connected to the city mayor's office borrowed for this meeting.
…
Fae territory.
On the third day, after the visit to another Fae city governor, Jiang Li finally decided to go back. Strangely, Mohan was not with him...