Lu Yan had to think very carefully about what he was going to answer next.
Joining a faction meant nothing, since even if the government of China managed to establish some substantial sized order and gradually began to reclaim the lands in the future, the "warlords" would most likely not be punished since in hard times like the ones they were currently in, drastic measures were the only way to survive and in the process help more weak or courageless humans to survive as well.
Even less so considering the fact that Lu Yan was a fairly upright person and even after more than 1 month of apocalypse he had not deviated so much from his character. With his previous status as a police chief, it would be even easier to avoid trouble.
However, helping a person build up a dynasty was different. In case he joined Bai Zemin, Lu Yan knew that regardless of whether the government recovered or not, they would have to face against each other in the future.
Once the boat set sail, it could only do its best to withstand the lashing of the ocean in case of a storm or sink into oblivion within endless darkness.
"That's... That's a pretty hard decision to take." Lu Yan couldn't help but smile bitterly and shook his head as a sigh of exhaustion left his body self-consciously.
It really wasn't easy... He knew nothing about the young man in front of him, how could it be so easy to make such a decision? As if that wasn't enough, Lu Yan was clear that if he made a mistake here then there were 2 fates that awaited him in the future.
1) To live a good life under the protection of Bai Zemin's faction, but with absolutely no power except that of his two hands. This also meant that if Bai Zemin's faction ever found themselves in trouble, he would only be a soul evolver slightly stronger than a normal human and would most likely not have the ability to protect his beloved daughter.
In addition to the aforementioned, in the hypothetical case that Bai Zemin actually succeeded in establishing a dynasty in China, Lu Yan would probably regret for the rest of his life not having accepted his offer when he had it in his hands.
2) The second fate was naturally annihilation. There was nothing but death as the government of China was a very strict government regarding traitors or against those who rebelled.
"Why don't you observe for a while then?" Shangguan Bing Xue suddenly said.
"You mean..." Lu Yan looked at her with surprise on his face, waiting for her next words.
Shangguan Bing Xue's eyes glittered curiously as she said calmly, "It's natural to have doubts, after all, you still don't know anything about us nor do you know the strength of our group. But if you are given some time, it will probably be easier for you to make a decision. What do you think?"
Bai Zemin didn't say anything about it, which meant that he also thought it was a good idea.
Lu Yan thought about it and after a while realized that while he might not get such a good treatment in case he decided to join since by then Bai Zemin and his group would have already subdued the entire North Camp, he also realized that it was the safest way not to make a mistake.
Looking at his daughter sitting next to him who was looking at him with concern, Lu Yan finally decided to risk losing some of the power and prestige he might have if he joined now rather than risk losing everything.
"Then let's do as you suggest, Miss Shangguan." Lu Yan gritted his teeth and nodded before looking at Bai Zemin and confirming, "Is that alright with you?"
"All right." Bai Zemin nodded with a casual smile and said calmly, "Although for obvious reasons the treatment you will receive at that time will not be the same, it will still be a good deal for you as well."
Just then, two maidens appeared. One big and one small.
The older maiden who had a slightly cold appearance bowed slightly to everyone before looking at Bai Zemin and announcing, "Sir, lunch is ready."
However, the person in question seemed not to hear her as his expression turned slightly ugly as he looked at the small maiden.
This little maid was Xiang Feng.She was wearing a small domestic maid's uniform and looked rather shy as she looked with her two big curious eyes at the surroundings and wiggled her small fingers in circles while clasping both hands together.
Bai Zemin tried his best to remain calm and asked in a low voice, "Xiang Feng, why are you dressed like that?"
"Eh?" The girl jumped slightly and looked at Bai Zemin straight. She didn't seem scared of him and honestly answered, "Big brother, mom told me that now that the world changed, then I also needed to work so that I wouldn't have bad days like in the past."
Everyone had different reactions when they heard such words, words that a ten-year-old girl should not say.
Bai Zemin sighed in his heart. He understood that Fang Yi had good intentions, after all, as a mother, it was natural to want the best for her little daughter. However, he could not accept her thoughts.
He knew that what Fang Yi was doing by slowly preparing Xiang Feng was the right thing to do. She would not always be there for her daughter and if something bad happened to her, then the little girl of ten years old would be left all alone. But if Xiang Feng worked as Bai Zemin's maid, unless he fell she could live well enough, and at the very least, she wouldn't have to worry about being bullied or exploited by other people nor would she ever again have to experience the terrifying feeling of starving as life slowly disappeared from her soul and body.
It was just that Bai Zemin couldn't accept it. He simply couldn't.
"Xiang Feng, come here." He waved his hand and called her over.
The girl ran forward but two steps later she stopped and timidly looked at all the people in the room. After hesitating a moment, she walked with her head down and stopped in front of Bai Zemin to look at him with her two dark eyes that shone like precious pearls.
Bai Zemin pulled her gently and made the girl sit on his lap, "Xiang Feng, can you tell big brother what you would like to be when you grow up?"
"I want to be a doctor!" The little girl did not hesitate and answered immediately. She looked incredibly excited as she said, "My dad was a doctor in the past, and I always wanted to be like him."
After the mention of her father, the excitement in Xiang Feng's voice gradually faded and her gaze was filled with sadness. Although she was small and only ten years old, she naturally knew that her father had died.
While the meaning of "death" was somewhat distant and unclear to someone her age, Xiang Feng knew that those who died could not speak to or hug their families anymore; even seeing them was no longer possible.
"So you want to be a doctor..." Bai Zemin smiled.
Although in the future conventional medicinal means would cease to be of use and probably those with magical healing skills would become the new definition of 'doctor', it was still good to study and know the basics. Moreover, as time progressed, Xiang Feng would adapt to the world and her thoughts would gradually change to adjust to the new reality she was living in.
"Since you want to be a doctor, then you should go and take off that uniform." Bai Zemin smiled and pulled the girl down from his lap. He looked into her eyes and said kindly, "Big brother will help you go to school soon, and you won't have time to work. What do you think?"
"Mm!" Xiang Feng's eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically. She apparently liked the idea of going back to school.
Bai Zemin gestured with his eyes to the older maiden and the latter understood. She quickly called out to the girl: "Xiang Feng, come with me to the kitchen. Help me prepare some juice and this will be your last task, okay?"
The woman was clearly smart and easily found a valid excuse to get the girl out of there without breaching what Bai Zemin had said earlier.
"Okay, Big Sister Ni!" Xiang Feng waved goodbye to Bai Zemin and rushed off.
Bai Zemin's expression returned to its usual slight coldness and looked at Shangguan Bing Xue calmly, "We have a school?"
She shook her head slightly and said indifferently, "So far we have focused on different occupations. Construction, repairs, modifications, administration, botany, trainers of one or two martial arts, etc. However, we have not established a school for children."
The world had changed and in the future it would change even more. Why bother with setting up a school that would be basically useless? Paper qualifications could not help the current society nor could they help the future society that would be formed in case mankind managed to survive the apocalypse, evolving to become more powerful new age humans.
"Well, we'll establish one then." Bai Zemin decided without leaving room to say the contrary. "Until the age of 14, all children will be required to go to school to learn basic things like writing, mathematics, language, music, and other kinds of arts. From the age of 14 onwards until the age of 16, everyone will have to attend a military academy to learn different self-defense arts. After that, everyone is free to follow the path of their choice."
Nangong Lingxin's and Nangong Yi's eyes glittered with appreciation. They felt more and more comfortable with Bai Zemin. Although he sometimes seemed to be bloodthirsty and killed without a second thought regardless of who the other party was, the reality was that the twenty-year-old in front of them was not a bad person in general. Definitely more upright than people like Kang Rong, who allowed his son to do as he pleased, damaging the lives of many people in the process.
Shangguan Bing Xue was silent for a moment before her eyes lit up as she understood Bai Zemin's intention. In fact, even though he seemed to make the decision on the spot without thinking too much, she realized that he really had a brilliant mind if this was a plan he had just thought of.
"That's a great idea. First, we will lay the groundwork for weak children, then for 2 years we will instruct them how to fight and unconsciously impose obedience on their's mind, which in cases of fatal crisis will allow us to have more fighters. As if that were not enough, by helping children in street situations and poverty, they will feel grateful to the people who were their guide and focus of light in the midst of a path of seemingly never-ending darkness." Shangguan Bing Xue sighed. Even she could not help but praise his thoughts a little.
Bai Zemin smiled slightly but said nothing. Many ideas flashed in his mind, he just needed time and suitable personnel to implement them after polishing them some more.
"Now we just need to start recruiting capable people." Nangong Lingxin clapped her hands. She was naturally happy that people like innocent children could find their place in this world. Regardless of his secondary motives, it was true that Bai Zemin intended to help since this was an idea that was born from seeing a ten-year-old girl working out of fear for the future.
"About that..."
"Em?" Bai Zemin snapped out of his thoughts and looked to his left side.
Lu Xiaoyao cringed a little under his gaze, but in the end, seemed to gather enough courage as she gritted her teeth and said resolutely, "If you don't mind, I could help you with the matter of the school for children and the military academy for teenagers."
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Thanks a lot to all those who use their Golden Tickets to vote for BW <3