Shi Lang was ruthless, he did not even ask for the permission of the people and directly asked his tech expert on the ship to check into the broadcast stations and satellites. A few minutes later, every screen on the planet began to show the meeting Jill was holding with Salve. The leader of the variants was such a natural that he did not need to be guided in the ways of expression.
The leaders heard his speech, while the older ones were shocked and enraged, the younger generation felt guilty and ashamed. The prime leader stood up from his chair and smashed his communication device on the ground. He pointed his finger at Shi Lang and said, “Who gave you the right to interfere? You were hired to go and kill those vermins. Just do your job and get the hell out of my home.”
Shi Lang raised his brow and asked, “Are you sure you want to talk to me in that tone?”
As soon as his words dropped the pressure in the surroundings increased. The Cigs felt as if someone had just taken hold of their shoulders and was pushing them down on their shoulder. The prime leader was too angry to realize all this and he said, “Yes, I will talk to you like this you bloody mercenary. You are no better than those vermin drigs. You all are foreigners.”
Shi Lang leaned his head back and covered his face with a palm, and said, “If we are all trash, then you are the supreme quality of trash. You filthy inbred old bastard. Do you really think that I am your slave? Kneel.”
The next moment, the prime leader was kneeling in front of Shi Lang and his back was also bent forward as he prostrated to Shi Lang. The young general stood up, while the two people beside him already took out their handguns and stunned the guards and gunmen in a blink. The people were shocked, this was too unexpected.
The people who enlist the help of the Strike Force were like customers and these customers had the right to complain about the technician. Shi Lang will be in a bind if these things got out. However, he did not care.
He looked at the young leaders and asked, “You and your people practice the way of Mercy. I will ask you a few questions and I hope that you reply honestly. Believe me, it is not my motive to kill any of you, but sometimes you need to be forceful to get the truth out.”
The young people of the cigs were a bit nervous but one of them nodded. It was a young girl, who did not seem to be anything special. Shi Lang waved at the girl and asked her to take a sit. Then he asked, “What is your name?”
The girl replied, “Ryud.”
“How old are you now, Ryud?”, asked Shi Lang in a calm tone.
His voice eased up the girl as she said, “I will turn twenty tomorrow.”
The young man nodded and said, “Since you can sit among the top brass of the Cigs, then you must be a prodigy.”
Ryud shook her head and denied being a prodigy. Shi Lang asked her, “Tell me, if someone is born with a Variant gene, then is it their fault?”
Ryud thought about it and she shook her head, and said, “Birth is a natural process with no manipulation to it. So it is nobody’s fault they are born that way.”
Shi Lang nodded and asked, “So, what is the reason those people are exiled? Is their variation a communicable disease?”
Ryud shook her head and said, “The ancestors conducted all sorts of tests, and did not find anything that may deem the variants a biological compromise.”
Shi Lang nodded again and asked her a series of questions all of which pointed to the fact that the variants were not dangerous. Then he looked at the prostrating to the prime leader and shook his head. He sighed before he started speaking, “You all probably do not understand what is going on here. Allow me to explain this. You only look at someone when they defeat a villain.
The prime leader of your planet is someone who is from the same lineage that ruled the planet when the first variant appeared. The people made the Variants a villain because they did not understand them or their uniqueness.
It is normal for people to fear what you do not understand, while some try to rise above it some are simply too clever to let such an opportunity go away. Let me guess, the families of older leaders are the most powerful organizations and own most of the businesses on this planet. Their power is not limited to the commercial, even the military is theirs. To top it off, they must own the food production too. Am I right?”
The young leaders were surprised and they nodded. Shi Lang asked, “Ryud, what will you do if you want to face this sort of corrupt and false government?”
Ryud was fascinated by Shi Lang’s speech and replied, “Is that even possible, sir? They hold a lot of power.”
Shi Lang chuckle and said, “You all are so innocent, no wonder you are so divided. All the people, that are not blood-related to these top families are the reason the empire of these families is so high. You all practice mercy, so why not do some of that on yourself? Why don’t you rise against them? Stand together and see, these big families are all just a name.
This is your chance to take back what was rightfully yours and evolve to be the better you. If you are too afraid, then ask the variants to help you. Is it not obvious that those people are not terrorists? It is the rich and wealthy that divide you and then they rule over you.
Mercy is not letting someone live a life with no pride. Mercy is when you allow those weaker than you to stand up and reach a level where they can live with their heads high.”
The people looked at him with a surprising and enlightened expressions. The entire scene was being broadcasted to the masses of the planet. To make things fun, Shi Lang took back the pressure from the prime leader.
The next moment the old man jumped up to his feet and then the person said, “You dared to sow discord among us? Also, do you think these people do not know better? They have all known it for eons, yet they serve us willingly. What can they do now? I will complain about your conduct to the Strike force. You are just a hound for the galactic council.”
Shi Lang replied, “If you did not stop yapping, you, your associates, and their entire families will be nothing but the ghosts on Cega. Believe me, you do not wish to enrage me. I am not one of your pathetic citizens.”
He sighed and said, “Fine, if the Variants did not give in, then we will act against them but after a week. I cannot act unscrupulously like you.”
The prime leader thought that the young man has conceded and his chest buffed. That said, Shi Lang and his team walked away, and riding their lev bikes they came to the regroup point.
Jill and Salve had decided to talk over for a week and see if both parties could reach a middle point. Shi Lang and the rest did not say much and came to the ship. They were resting when Crystal asked, “Sir, why did you ask for a week?”
Shi Lang smiled and said, “Yo, Aran, show her.”
Aran was the tech expert, he replied, “Ok, boss.”
The next moment, in the center of the lounge a projection appeared. It was the live feed from the bloggers on social media. They were all talking about the things that the prime leader and his cronies have done and even the person who exiled the first Variant was dragged into the mess. More and more people began to watch and talk.
The big families took action, suspended accounts, and blocked people. Then they began to issue arrests. Crystal was confused, when Shi Lang said, “See you tomorrow.”
He went back to his room, acting like he was not related to any of this.
…
The day passed, and early in the morning, Shi Lang woke up from his meditation when the door of his room banged loudly. He opened the door and Crystal gazed at him with her big blue eyes. She said, “Boss, can you teach me how you did this?”
The young general shook his head and said, “It is a basic charm technique, I just incited their emotions and not their hormones.”
Crystal said, “I see.”
Then she ran back to the lounge. When Shi Lang appeared there, he saw that the entire planet was on strike. The people were protesting against the big families, and even the military was standing silently on the sidelines.
Shi Lang set the entire planet on fire with just a spark.