Chapter 399: Wu Qingsong’s Decision

Wu Qingsong did not call for a carriage; instead, he slowly walked back to the inn where he was temporarily staying in the dark.

Beck and the others did not dare disturb his thoughts. They followed a few meters behind, which made the people around them keep their distance as well, silently making way.

Can Mystic Moon’s words be trusted?

Wu Qingsong thought they probably could. If his goal—and the goal of those behind him—was to have him eventually join Dark Moon, then it would be unlikely for them to deceive him on these matters. He had likely withheld part of the truth, but the possibility of outright lies, Wu Qingsong believed it wasn’t high.

Did his words make sense?

There was logic to them. Otherwise, he couldn’t have used them to persuade Wu Qingsong.

But what they considered right was not necessarily right for Wu Qingsong.

Turning the Xuanyuan Church underground? That was not a problem.

Wu Qingsong had originally planned to begin dispersing the Church, breaking it into smaller parts across various regions starting from the Stampede Plateau. But he could clearly hear the implication in Mystic Moon’s tone. If this task were to be done with the help of Dark Moon, then the leadership of the Church would no longer be his.

What had he said?

You can even keep the Knights. They can become a special force under Dark Moon, entirely your own?

Even keep?

This was telling Wu Qingsong that retaining the Knight Order was already considered overstepping by Dark Moon. After taking away what he had painstakingly built, they actually considered this an act of generosity?

They wanted Wu Qingsong’s ability to awaken the potential of the beastkin, even sought to understand its secrets. They wanted the Church he had founded with his own hands to turn it into yet another weapon under Dark Moon. They even wanted Wu Qingsong’s ideas. And without doubt, they had their eyes on the wealth created in Nagrand.

And what they were prepared to offer in return was merely a vague “maximum support.”

Why?

While Mystic Moon spoke at length, Wu Qingsong had to stop himself from laughing several times.

He said Wu Qingsong was too self-centered, but how much better were they?

They thought they had him in their grasp. But couldn’t Wu Qingsong do all of this himself? Did he have to rely on Dark Moon?

What they failed to understand was that one key reason Nagrand had achieved its current success was because people believed in it—believed that Nagrand could win, believed that Nagrand could bring lasting happiness to their lives, and therefore believed everything the priests told them.

If Wu Qingsong chose to flee without a fight, chose to abandon them, could the faith born from that belief continue to exist? 

If the Divine Knights abandoned their creed, abandoned the land that had raised them, could they still exist and grow?

Could the zealous priests still hold on to their faith, still want to bring that happiness to all beastkin?

How could the beastkin believe in a divine-favored who fled from battle?

Nagrand’s system was built on a large population, expansive farmlands, and a growing number of workshops. Leaving the land that had been so painstakingly cultivated, what would they have to build an industrial system? 

What would they use to mass-produce equipment? 

How could they resist the Elven Empire?

To avoid exposure, any church built by Dark Moon could not, like Nagrand’s Xuanyuan Church, protect its believers’ interests with powerful will, nor could it bring direct benefits to the faithful.

When faced with the dominance of the Empire and the worship of the Elven gods, they could only, like the old religions, hide in remote corners and gain followers through vague lies and fear—completely contrary to Wu Qingsong’s ideals.

To maintain secrecy, they could not build dense networks of workshops or powerful logistics, nor could they gather the large population needed to support industrial development. And without scalable firearms, their greatest advantage would be gone.

If Wu Qingsong accepted their terms, it would mean betraying the ideals he had upheld for years and everything he had worked for. He could never accept such an outcome.

He would never, without any resistance or effort, accept the “reality” that Mystic Moon had laid out before him.

If he were willing to accept that kind of reality, then there was no need to join Dark Moon at all. He would just take those he cared about to Gale Island or the Seven Isles and build a small, closed but safe kingdom of his own. Wouldn’t that be much simpler?

“Sir? Where are we going?” Beck finally asked from behind.

They had already passed by the inn and gone a long way ahead.

Wu Qingsong couldn’t help but shake his head and smile.

“Beck.”

“Sir?”

“If one day, you must face an enemy far stronger than yourself, what would you choose to do?”

“Avoid direct confrontation?” Beck said uncertainly.

“If you’ve already retreated once, even twice, and there’s nowhere left to go, and the things you must protect have become too many to take with you?”

“I don’t know, sir.” Beck shook his head. “Didn’t you tell us once that people are more important than anything? As long as people live, anything is possible. But if they die, then nothing remains?”

“Yes.” Wu Qingsong couldn’t help but laugh softly. “I did say that. But what if the thing you must protect is the people and you can’t take them with you?”

“Then I would die fighting for them!” Beck finally understood. “Sir, if you mean Nagrand, then I’m willing to die for it. As long as you give the order, I believe all the brothers would make the same choice. It is the hope of the beastkin. We are willing to give everything for it.”

“I understand now.” Wu Qingsong nodded. “Beck, I won’t let that day come.”

“Sir?” Beck was suddenly confused again.

“We’re going back to that place from earlier,” Wu Qingsong said. “I’ve made my decision.”

***

Mystic Moon was not surprised by Wu Qingsong’s return, nor was he surprised by his decision.

“I’ll find a way to get you in contact with Julian’s personal attendant and through him arrange a meeting with Julian. But we’ll need to use a few minor tricks.”

“Red Moon?”

“That’s right. We’ll need to guide them a little. I believe you won’t mind that?”

“No problem,” Wu Qingsong replied.

“I don’t think Julian will refuse our proposal. But in this process, the details are critical, and the balance very delicate. We need to make him feel that this deal is profitable, worth using all his political capital to obtain, but not too profitable so that he doesn’t become tempted to seize it outright. Do you understand?” Mystic Moon said. “Red Moon may need to play a role throughout the entire process, perhaps even staying close to Julian for a long time, constantly influencing and guiding his thoughts, until everything is settled.”

“I will provide sufficient compensation,” Wu Qingsong said. “I believe you’ll be satisfied with it.”