Chapter 190: Eliminate, Collect, Replace: A Complete One-Stop Service

“It turns out, even after thirty thousand years, many still strive to uncover these truths. Even though the Temporal Response Bureau is under the control of Wandering Light, he still couldn’t suppress human desire.”

After organizing all the materials he had obtained from the archives room, Chen Xiyi discovered a large number of experiments targeting Martial Artists.

Not only were they exploring the Mythic Era, but they were also trying to break through the upper limit of the Grandmaster Martial Artist stage.

“One case succeeded in creating an artificial Longevity Martial Artist. But it was called off immediately after its success. The researchers were killed by Wandering Light Devotees during an outing.”

“The data was preserved, but that artificial Longevity Martial Artist died due to flaws. That indicates it failed.”

“If they could have improved things further, they truly might have elevated everyone’s strength by another level. Unfortunately, Wandering Light cleaned it all away.”

Judging from this experiment, Longevity Martial Artists clearly held special significance for Wandering Light.

Otherwise, why would he cap the upper limit?

Longevity Martial Artists truly were stronger than Grandmaster Martial Artists. It was practically a body reborn with a new bone structure. Yet compared to Wandering Light, even if everyone became Longevity Martial Artists, they’d still just be slightly sturdier ants.

Projects seeking breakthroughs were easily suppressed. Conversely, projects focusing on Internal Energy and martial skills received unprecedented support. The next tier was Internal Energy weapons.

Essentially, everything was directed towards killing. Projects promising greater destructive power and faster execution received more backing.

Research projects concerning life level, lifespan, or even daily welfare faced suppression. Everything geared towards war.

The elders of the Temporal Response Bureau had ample justification: guard against Wandering Light, massively expand military preparations, and one day overthrow his reign of terror.

Under this prevailing atmosphere, coupled with a powerful enemy constantly striking them, everyone could only helplessly drift with the current.

“This move by Wandering Light was truly masterful.”

Chen Xiyi flipped through the experimental techniques that caught his interest. Though many projects he needed had either failed or were halted midway, the data was still preserved.

“Still, it’s a bit regrettable. Half of it consists of various martial arts manuals. They might be advanced, but they’re utterly useless.”

Fifty percent of the materials in the archives were various martial arts manuals. These were all the martial arts collected by the Temporal Response Bureau over the past twenty thousand years. Ordinary people never got a chance to see them.

Commoners did practice martial arts, but they practiced third-rate skills that were completely insignificant.

To learn the martial arts stored in the archives room, one had to join the Temporal Response Bureau. The problem was, joining wasn’t easy.

From a population base counted in billions, only thirty thousand people became members. And even those members weren’t qualified to enter the archives room. Probably fewer than ten thousand people actually had the chance to learn the top-tier martial arts stored there.

The gap caused by martial arts meant that even among Grandmaster Martial Artists, distances were vast.

They stood at the same stage of mastery, but martial arts skills became the divide between the upper and lower tiers. Others wielded rocket launchers while you held a nail clipper. There was zero room for comparison.

Thud, thud, thud—

Before Chen Xiyi could say “come in” after the knocks, a man in his fifties pushed the door open.

“Elder Chen, I heard you just returned from the archives?”

The first thing he asked upon entering was precisely about that.

This was Li Zhi, the elder of the Calendar Department.

Li Zhi ranked near the bottom even among elders. The Calendar Department itself wasn’t a major bureau. It was a descendant segment of the ancient Rites Ministry from a previous dynasty. Its existence was age-old, but it concerned the calendar only in printing it annually for department distribution.

And then nothing else.

It offered no profits, held no real power, so naturally, it had little to do daily.

“I went for a bit, grabbed some novels. What brings you here, Elder Li?” Chen Xiyi showed no fear. He truly had brought back two novels.

The archive staff hadn’t stopped him; novels were regularly preserved anyway, easy to get at any bookstore. They weren’t rare materials.

Yes, the archives contained not just precious data but all manner of books.

“Just a bit curious, nothing serious. Idle time breeds boredom.” Li Zhi glanced at the two books on Chen Xiyi’s desk. They were indeed novels, probably bestsellers popular among the minor officers beneath the Calendar Department.

“You’ve become an elder so young, Elder Chen. A bright future lies ahead.”

Li Zhi sat opposite Chen Xiyi as he spoke, framing this statement like admiration while probing Chen Xiyi’s connections.

Reaching elder status this young meant powerful backing.

Li Zhi mentally searched for clues about which elder might have secured this placement.

Though the Calendar Department offered neither profits nor power, Li Zhi reigned as its sole authority. He wouldn’t tolerate outsiders encroaching.

“What bright future? I’m just settling in for retirement. Anyone after a real future would join the Expeditions Army. I hear the New World is leagues better than our Fallen Land.” Chen Xiyi smiled ruefully, then adopted a look of yearning.

He changed the topic, unwilling to linger on this. He was an imposter elder after all. The illusion was sustained purely by magic twisting people’s temporary memories. Any serious investigation would expose it.

Otherwise, why choose such a powerless department?

Li Zhi smiled bitterly. “True. Our insignificant bureau will only see migration as the last batch.”

Though arriving last brought safety, it also meant the rewards were already divided. Going over, he’d just remain a conservative elder in the Calendar Department.

Li Zhi himself wanted to expand territory, but that role would never reach him.

Reports had arrived from the New World. They featured only fighters at the Body Forging and Postnatal Warrior stages from before the Mythic Era. Innate Warriors didn’t exceed twenty. It was practically risk-free—a perfect gold-plating mission adding luster to one’s record.

Golden opportunities like that would never pass to low-tier elders like Li Zhi. They’d either go to rising high-level stars or reserve-role elders holding real power.

Li Zhi intended to probe Chen Xiyi’s connections and explore leveraging them to escape the Calendar Department. Just a chance to climb higher mattered much.

But upon hearing Chen Xiyi’s reply… It seemed Chen Xiyi was just another unlucky victim.

After Li Zhi’s retirement, this young fool likely inherited his role as the next custodian of tradition.

After all, why assign a promising talent to his department? Though called an elder, genuine power might rank lower than rising stars or reserve elders.

Anyone with a real future would head to the New World.

Relief washed over Li Zhi.

There were few treasures in his calendar-printing domain worth coveting—an extra calendar copy?

“Since you’re new, do you have drinks set up here? I happen to have some good stuff. Care for tea and a chat?” Li Zhi suggested thoughtfully.

Colleagues bound by zero conflicting interests ought to foster camaraderie.

“Then I’ll boldly take the liberty to sample Elder Li’s prized stash.” Chen Xiyi didn’t refuse. Disguises needed finesse; stern dismissals invited suspicion.

Offending Li Zhi risked him blabbing indiscreetly. Any slip-up revealing Chen Xiyi’s false identity would spell true disaster.

Caution remained paramount.

Chen Xiyi pondered one thing: constant acting was troublesome.

He only needed to play this role for another month or so, but what if…?

“Xiao Qian, fetch my treasured Spring Blossom tea from the office. Use fresh water from the New World.” Li Zhi shouted outside, then chatted with Chen Xiyi: “New World water is clean; crisp, sweet, refreshing—nothing like the sterile water here in the Fallen Lands.”

“Really? Then I’ll savor every drop.” As Chen Xiyi watched Li Zhi, thoughts evidently flowed.

Li Zhi sensed unease under Chen Xiyi’s gaze yet lacked appropriate words.

The clerk named Xiao Qian entered to brew tea, awkward at the heavy silence. He hastily served before slipping away.

Minutes later, ‘Li Zhi’ slowly left the office. It now sat entirely empty.

Across the Calendar Department, memories of Elder Chen vanished abruptly—as if no such figure ever existed. Li Zhi remained the sole elder.

Seated in Li Zhi’s office, Chen Xiyi stretched slightly.

“If flawless concealment was what I needed, replacing the original person entirely would have worked. Why fabricate an identity? Lack of experience brings trouble indeed.”

He extracted Li Zhi’s memories, collected Li Zhi, then wove illusionary camouflage. Now who would guess this wasn’t Li Zhi?

“Even without power, an elder knows vastly more than the average Temporal Response Bureau branch chief.”

Chen Xiyi combed Li Zhi’s memories. Though Li Zhi was now powerless without spoils, political defeat after reaching elder rank caused it. Before elder status? Li Zhi navigated politics.

Thus, Li Zhi held many secrets and retained personal connections born of favours.

Crucially, even without power, his status fundamentally loomed high—below the top thousand, above ten thousand.

Except regarding significant interests, most would spare him face.

“That opens massive room for subsequent maneuvers.”

Chen Xiyi replaced Li Zhi and claimed his memories. This persona became his tool to visit other elders, harvesting necessary intel from those wielding real power.

No power? No problem. Power-holding elders personally received such visits.

After all, they shared rank. No arrogance would show, especially facing an elder carrying zero conflicting interests. Fostering friendship and sparing courtesies was ideal.

When power or gain surfaced? Instead of open rifts, minor concessions smoothed paths.

Chen Xiyi wouldn’t replace the highest echelon elders tangled in intricate networks—it was too complex. Nothing barred using Soul Searching, though.

“Among over a thousand elders merely ten actually steer power. These ten haven’t entered the New World but stabilize the Fallen Lands through layered oversight.”

Visit and plunder a batch first; unexpected gains might surface.

Chen Xiyi scanned details of these ten elders. Contemplating plausible non-suspicious reasons to visit multiple targets formed his next challenge.