The two opponents were simply not in the same weight class. Having just consumed the Spirit Fruit, Cheng Xunyun felt its effects starting to wane, and his head throbbed once more. Desperately, he turned to look at the guard standing behind him. The camera balanced on the guard's shoulder was streaming live, and his conversation with Lin Bai had many important people watching. The situation had escalated beyond his control. No one paid any attention to the unreasonable demands of the Western Continent. Until it happens to you, you don't know the pain. As Lin Bai was not present on the Western Continent, they naturally dared to prepare for war, brazenly spouting nonsense as they clamored to defend the planet, all while hoping Lin Bai would stir up chaos on the Eastern Continent. That way, they could reap the benefits and perhaps even seize a piece of the Eastern Continent. They wouldn't care how many people on the Eastern Continent died. Once they engaged in battle with Lin Bai, those people would likely drop weapons of mass destruction on the Eastern Continent under the pretext of saving the world. Those fools have no idea how formidable Lin Bai is... "So, you can't do anything to me," Lin Bai said. "Don't think from your perspective. Step back and consider the bigger picture. You only see my dominance but overlook my contributions. Imagine if I weren't here, and the Players entered the other world, clashing with the Seven Righteous Sects and the Five Demon Sects. What would that world have devolved into? Players possess great potential for growth and flexible moral standards, while the Seven Righteous Sects and their allies hold immense local power. In their struggle for benefits and territory, both sides would most likely have beaten each other senseless, reducing that world to ruins..." Grandmaster Yan Qing and the others silently gazed at the Players. Far Vision Eagle and the other Players were still caught up in Lin Bai's machinations, so they didn't react. Moreover, Lin Bai was right. According to their plans, they did intend to leverage the Players' advantages to control the game world. Swirling the wine in his glass, Lin Bai continued, "But now? With me suppressing everyone from above, no one dares to make waves..." As he spoke, RING, RING. Cheng Xunyun's phone began to ring. He glanced at the caller ID. "Alliance Hierarch," he said, "I'll step out to take this call." Lin Bai glanced at him. "Take it here. I can hear things a hundred miles away. Besides, I think the call might be for me." "..." Cheng Xunyun shivered, a sense of powerlessness spreading through him again. Dealing with a non-human is just too stifling. He answered the call. General Chen's image appeared on the screen. It was a video call. "Cheng Xunyun," General Chen said, "I need to speak with Lin Bai." Cheng Xunyun turned his phone towards Lin Bai. General Chen said, "Alliance Hierarch Lin, I am General Chen Guangxu of the East Third District. I am fully responsible for matters concerning the exchange between our two realms." "Hello, General Chen," Lin Bai nodded at him. "I heard your conversation with Cheng Xunyun. The Tang Empire is willing to cooperate extensively with you, Alliance Hierarch," General Chen stated. "However, we need your cooperation to fully mitigate the impact of this Magpie Bridge incident. Peace is predicated on stability. Your sudden arrival with characters from the game world has pushed our world to the brink of war..." "How should I cooperate?" Lin Bai inquired. "First, send the individuals from the game world back..." General Chen began. He had only uttered a few words when Lin Bai cut him off. "Then let's fight!" General Chen was momentarily stunned. Cheng Xunyun, holding the phone, was rendered speechless. "Just like how the Justice League integrated the Cultivation World—beat those who disobey into submission, and naturally, there will be no war," Lin Bai said casually. "General Chen, I've heard from Cheng Xunyun that the nations of the Western Continent don't have a friendly relationship with you. With my help, this is the perfect opportunity to surpass them." He glanced at Grandmaster Yan Qing and the others, smiling. "I've always done things this way; I have extensive experience." Grandmaster Yan Qing and the others managed awkward smiles. On the video call, General Chen forced a smile, his brow furrowed. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, the world you come from is dominated by Cultivators, which is different from our civilization's path. You may not understand modern warfare. We have developed many high-performance weapons. If the other side is pushed to desperation, leading to mutual destruction, those weapons are enough to destroy the planet countless times. That would be an unprecedented catastrophe, with consequences no one could bear." Cheng Xunyun sighed and added, "A small nuclear bomb is enough to destroy a city. It's more devastating than a Heavenly Tribulation and would cause unimaginable environmental damage, rendering the area uninhabitable for humans. Your abilities might allow you to counter Immortal Techniques, but you cannot withstand nuclear bombs. After all, our world has no Spiritual Energy, so large-scale Spells cannot be cast..." "And according to your methods, they won't wage war?" Lin Bai questioned. "For example, if I used the Magpie Bridge to transport large quantities of Pill Medicine and various heavenly materials and earthly treasures to this world, extending its lifespan and curing previously incurable diseases, would they simply allow you to develop rapidly with assistance from a different world?" Both Cheng Xunyun and General Chen fell into silence. Lin Bai's examples were too tempting; resources were the most critical factor in the development of civilization. Entering that world through game cabins might offer some research advantages, but these were far less enticing than the exchange of tangible resources. Setting aside specialized products of the Immortal World like Pill Medicine, if metals and minerals essential for modern industry could be transported from the different world, it could bring about a complete transformation for the Tang Empire, eliminating resource scarcity issues. This was because, in a world dominated by cultivation, the demand for resource utilization is not high. The underground reserves must be incredibly abundant, and modern society possesses complete extraction equipment. The Western Continent doesn't have a Magpie Bridge. They certainly wouldn't stand by and watch the Eastern Continent rise using resources from the different world... Looking at the two visibly swayed men, Lin Bai said, "Those who want to wage war will find any excuse to do so. Since that's the case, why don't we seize the initiative?" You're the one who always wants to start wars, aren't you?! Ever since the game began, how many battles, large and small, have you fought? You barely rested for two or three months during the Heavenly Tribulation, rushed to the Fairy World, and now you're planning to wage war against the Celestials! Before even fighting the Celestials, you're already thinking of starting a war in the real world. There's no one more warlike in the entire world! Can't we just find a compromise? General Chen felt a weariness in his heart. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, I understand your intentions are good, but we must consider the lives and interests of our people. Our world has a vast population. I cannot be the one responsible for destroying the world." "General Chen, are you planning to achieve peace through exchanging benefits?" A trace of disdain flickered in Lin Bai's eyes. "It is always the strong who take resources from the weak, never the other way around." "How could that be?" General Chen looked uncomfortable. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, even the wisdom of two people can have oversights, especially since you are unfamiliar with modern warfare. We have an established think tank. Since you've come to our world, why don't we all sit down together, discuss, and formulate a comprehensive strategy to minimize the losses from war? Warmongers will surely meet their doom. And Alliance Hierarch Lin, you once said something in the game that I greatly admire: 'To subdue the enemy without fighting.'" "When interests are involved, there's no such thing as 'subduing the enemy without fighting.' General Chen, I don't wish for war, but the game company hiding in the shadows is eager for the world to be plunged into chaos." Lin Bai pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, "Throughout my time in the game, I've achieved a certain level of success. Therefore, the number of game cabins they provide will inevitably increase. I've learned that when the Immortal World increases its player quota, the Continent of Gods and Demons does so proportionally. According to the logic of typical games, they will eventually connect the two worlds. I despise this unstable factor of someone always lurking in the shadows, scheming. I hate being led by the nose. Therefore, I must seize the initiative to prevent the game company from harming every world. I don't care about power, but I must have a voice. When I make a decision, everyone must execute it resolutely." This speech made General Chen fully understand Lin Bai's intentions. The tension that had gripped him eased, and he smiled. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, we can talk." "I have matters in the Celestial Human World to attend to; I won't waste time on negotiations," Lin Bai said. "You can hold a press conference and inform them of my conditions. You resolve the remaining issues yourselves. Lin Wu Bai will stay here to help you handle any trouble." He paused for a moment, then added, "If the other side rejects the peace I offer and insists on launching what you call a nuclear war, I can open more Magpie Bridges for you, allowing you to evacuate your citizens to the Immortal World. The Immortal World is vast, with plenty of territory. With your people safe, the rest can be left to Lin Wu Bai and the Players to handle." Cheng Xunyun looked at Lin Bai in astonishment. What he proposed was indeed a solution. But relocating the populace to the Immortal World would mean starting everything from scratch. It would also mean everyone would be under Lin Bai's supervision, with no way out. Most people would not be willing. Moreover, Lin Bai had just provoked the Celestials in the Immortal World. The Immortal World might not be safe, and the people migrating via the Magpie Bridge wouldn't possess Undying Bodies. General Chen frowned slightly. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, we will discuss this and give you a reply as soon as possible." Once the first Magpie Bridge was established from the game world, building more became much easier. Inter-country negotiations involved too much red tape and bickering, so Lin Bai didn't wait for their decisions. After a few trips back and forth between the game world and reality, hundreds of Magpie Bridges connecting the two worlds were erected. The Magpie Bridges materializing in the void were like a series of miracles, dazzling to behold. Lin Bai made an announcement online, and couples eager to become Bridge Protectors in the real world flocked to volunteer. There were simply too many couples in long-distance relationships. Communication in a technological society was convenient; after discussions between parties, Magpie Bridges between cities were rapidly built. This mode of transportation from another world quickly replaced the outdated existing methods. Cheng Xunyun, who followed Lin Bai, was helpless against Lin Bai's unilateral actions. He repeatedly emphasized that modern society required order and official approval for such undertakings, but Lin Bai paid him no heed. In just half a day, the entire transportation system of the Tang Empire was paralyzed. With the instantaneous Magpie Bridge, who would still use slow highways or expensive railways and airplanes for travel? The crucial point was that the Magpie Bridge was not only fast but also safe, with no worries about derailments or crashes. Upon entering the real world, Lin Bai engaged in no killing or destruction. Instead, he immediately began constructing Magpie Bridges, providing convenience for people's travel. In the real world, Lin Bai's fame skyrocketed. More people became his fans, and the appearance of the Magpie Bridges threw the entire Tang Empire into a state of euphoria. This was because most people in reality had watched Lin Bai grow up and felt they knew his character and disposition like the back of their hand. Much like the audience outside "The Truman Show," it's hard to harbor ill feelings towards someone you feel you know so well. Moreover, Lin Bai only ever targeted Cultivators stronger than himself in the game and had never harmed ordinary people. During the Zhen City War, he had used a Magpie Bridge to evacuate the citizens of Zhen City ahead of time. In the eyes of the common people, Lin Bai was not a villain. Of course, not everyone liked Lin Bai. Experts from the transportation department were the first to severely condemn Lin Bai's irresponsible actions. They stated that his arbitrary construction of Magpie Bridges had disrupted the existing traffic order, would severely impact people's lives, and damage market operations, among other things. They called for the regulation of the Magpie Bridges. The source of thɪs content is 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⁂𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⁂𝘯𝘦𝘵 Many other experts also stepped forward, denouncing Lin Bai's reckless actions and claiming they would bring disaster to the Tang Empire. They urged the public to remain calm and not allow a character from a game to disrupt social order. "Alliance Hierarch Lin, why couldn't you wait for the results of our discussion? Your actions now have put us in a very passive position," Cheng Xunyun said resentfully. "Director Cheng, I operated the same way in the game world. Whether Players or ordinary citizens, everyone was extremely satisfied with the Magpie Bridges. There's no creation more universally beneficial to the populace than the Magpie Bridge." Lin Bai, gazing at the Magpie Bridges now spanning the land, continued, "And I've already exercised restraint. I gave you an opportunity to maintain order by not yet allowing people to travel between the two worlds via the Magpie Bridges. I must say, your ability to handle emergencies is commendable." Listening to words that could be either sarcasm or praise, Cheng Xunyun said, "You know I'm not talking about the Magpie Bridges." Lin Bai shook his head and chuckled. "As long as I move fast enough, no conspiracy or scheme can catch up to me. You can't, the people from the Western Continent can't, and not even the game company can." Cheng Xunyun was speechless. Just then, Cheng Xunyun's phone rang again. Only a single sentence came from the other end: "Cooperate fully with Lin Bai. We will send you intelligence on the movements of other countries in real-time. Tell Lin Bai to prepare for the impending war." After hanging up, Cheng Xunyun looked at Lin Bai with resignation. "Alliance Hierarch, you've achieved your goal." "It was bound to come to this sooner or later," Lin Bai shrugged nonchalantly. "Director Cheng, now that the Magpie Bridges are built, don't you want to take this opportunity to transport some large machinery into the game world? The natives of the Immortal World are quite backward; they need your help to build their nations." "I will arrange it." Hearing Lin Bai use the term 'natives' for the second time, Cheng Xunyun pondered for a moment before asking, "Alliance Hierarch Lin, you refer to the people of the game world as 'natives.' You aren't from that world, are you?" "My independent way of doing things is at odds with that world; I thought you would have noticed by now!" Lin Bai laughed, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. "That's right, I don't belong to that world. I was sent into the game world by the Ancestor of the Righteous Door to serve as its savior."