Xia, cannot offer you the future you desire. Join us

Su Qi didn’t even think before replying: [No time.]

The other party didn’t seem to care—or perhaps they simply didn’t understand human language.

They pressed on: [Are you Mr. Su Qi?]

Su Qi raised an eyebrow.

He casually typed two words.

[No.]

After sending it, he was about to close Yuanxin (the messaging app).

But the other person replied almost instantly.

[Mr. Su, please don’t be so quick to refuse communication. We mean no harm.]

Su Qi’s finger hovered mid-air.

The tone was polite, but the words carried an unshakable confidence.

After a moment’s thought, he typed again.

[What do you want?]

A brief silence followed before a new message popped up.

This time, the content made his lazy eyes flicker with something unusual.

[We are a group who admire your talents.]

[Especially the ‘Primordial Flow Construction Method’ you pioneered.]

In an instant, all traces of lethargy vanished from his face.

Replacing it was a cold, detached calm.

It had to be…

The Descendants.

The term surfaced in his mind without needing conscious thought.

But here was the problem.

The number of people who truly understood the value of the "Primordial Flow Construction Method" could be counted on one hand.

Elder Feng, Wu Gong, Yun Huang, and his younger sister by his side.

Elder Feng and Wu Gong represented Great Xia’s government—there was no way they’d leak a secret that could shake the nation’s foundations.

Yun Huang and Liu Yuan…

Su Qi’s gaze swept over his sister playing in the water nearby, immediately dismissing that possibility.

As for Yun Huang?

Suspicious, but unlikely.

That left only one answer.

The Descendants’ infiltration into Great Xia’s government had reached an unimaginable depth.

There had to be a massive breach in Great Xia’s upper echelons—perhaps even within the military’s core.

Otherwise, this information wouldn’t have leaked so quickly.

At the very least, it should’ve waited until after the competition, when Great Xia officially announced the results.

Su Qi leaned back in his chair, unmoving, but his entire aura had shifted.

He picked up his terminal again.

This time, his reply was even shorter.

[Terms.]

The other side seemed caught off guard by Su Qi’s directness. The pause before their response was noticeably longer.

After about a minute, the reply finally arrived.

[We know you’re a man with grand ambitions, Mr. Su.]

[Great Xia—this outdated, rotting machine—can’t give you the future you desire. They’ll only use you, exploit you, and eventually turn you into a mere cog in their vast system.]

[They don’t even grasp the greatness of your creation, only seeing it as a tool to churn out obedient soldiers.]

[It’s a waste. A criminal waste of your genius.]

Su Qi stared at the screen, expressionless.

The messages continued.

[But we’re different.]

[We can offer you a real stage. Unlimited resources, the most advanced laboratories, top-tier talents from every field at your disposal.]

[You once spoke of ‘opening an era of peace for all ages,’ didn’t you? With Great Xia, it’ll take a century. But we can help you achieve it.]

[Join us, and you won’t be a genius shackled by rules—you’ll be the one who makes them.]

[You’ll wield the power to truly change this world.]

Admittedly, they had a way with words.

Every sentence struck precisely at the vulnerabilities of a young prodigy.

Flattery, promises, sowing discord, grand offers.

A seamless combination.

Any other proud, ambitious young man might’ve been swayed.

Su Qi read it all.

And felt nothing.

If anything, he wanted to laugh.

Because those words?

They were just bullshit he’d made up on the spot to impress Elder Feng.

How the hell had the Descendants gotten wind of it?

But still…

Who would’ve thought…

The mole the Descendants planted in Great Xia might actually be…

Baldy?

Well, the pool of suspects was small.

And even fewer had heard his impromptu grandstanding.

Of course, he couldn’t rule out the possibility that Elder Feng had spread those words as leverage in negotiations.

With a yawn, Su Qi lazily typed three words.

[Not interested.]

He tossed his phone aside and closed his eyes, ready for a nap.

……

Meanwhile.

In a lavishly decorated room brimming with futuristic technology,

a well-dressed, handsome young man stared fixedly at the two words on the holographic screen before him.

[Not interested.]

His expression shifted—from confident composure, to shock, to disbelief, and finally, to a simmering fury at being toyed with.

“What does this mean?”

A shadowy figure beside him rasped.

“Exactly what it says.”

The man took a deep breath, forcing down his anger as he regained his polished demeanor.

“He refused.”

“Impossible!” The shadowed figure bristled. “No one turns down an offer like this! Was our sincerity lacking? Or does he misunderstand us?”

“Neither.”

The man shook his head, fingers tapping lightly on the screen.

“This man… is far more interesting than the reports suggested.”

His deep-set eyes gleamed with the excitement of a hunter spotting prey.

“No anger, no skepticism, not even a counteroffer.”

“That reaction only means two things.”

“First, he genuinely doesn’t care about what we’re offering.”

“Second, he already knows exactly who we are—and knows better than to take our deal.”

The shadow fell silent.

Either possibility demanded a complete reassessment of their recruitment strategy.

“It must be the second. Gentle persuasion won’t work on him.”

The man smiled, a cold, cruel edge to it.

“Send him one last message.”

“Tell him we’re very sincere.”

“If he won’t come to us… we’ll pay him a personal ‘visit’ soon.”

“And attach his sister’s dossier.”

“Let him know—the people around him aren’t as safe as he thinks.”

……

Back in the cave.

The discarded phone lit up again, stubbornly.

Su Qi opened one eye and picked it up with mild annoyance.

The new message was lengthy.

[Mr. Su, don’t be so quick to dismiss us. We hold the utmost respect and sincerity for your talents. Perhaps we can communicate differently. If you won’t come to us, we’d be delighted to visit you.]

[Attachment: [Liu Yuan’s Comprehensive Profile]]

[We hope you understand—once a miracle is exposed to the light, it attracts countless covetous eyes. And we are the ones most capable of protecting such miracles.]

A blatant threat.

Su Qi scanned the message and the attached file detailing Liu Yuan’s life.

His expression didn’t change.

Still that same lazy indifference, as if he’d just read a spam ad rather than an overt warning.

He tapped open the attachment.

The document contained Liu Yuan's complete life records, detailed to an almost disturbing degree.

From her birth certificate to every medical examination report, down to every test record at the academy after awakening her card abilities.

Even her favorite ice cream flavor was meticulously noted.

Su Qi flipped through the pages slowly, carefully.

The cave was silent.

Only the sound of the waterfall and the occasional splash from Liu Yuan playing in the water filled the air.

But the warm, humid atmosphere was cooling at an unnatural rate.

"Brother?"

Liu Yuan sensed something was wrong and stopped playing, turning to look back.

She saw Su Qi still sitting in the recliner, posture unchanged, staring at his phone.

"It's nothing."

Su Qi's voice was soft. He turned off the screen and tossed the phone aside.

"Keep playing."

He closed his eyes again, as if preparing to go back to sleep.

Liu Yuan tilted her head, puzzled, but obediently turned back and resumed trailing her feet through the water.

……

The handsome man watched the motionless chat window on the holographic screen, a confident smirk curling his lips.

"It seems our Mr. Su needs some time to digest this 'gesture of goodwill.'"

He swirled a glass of red wine.

"He'll figure it out. Geniuses are always smart—they know the optimal choice."

The figure in the shadows remained silent.

But the tension in the room noticeably eased.

Just then, every networked device in the room—from the massive holographic display to the man's wrist terminal—flickered simultaneously.

Zzzzt—

A faint buzz of static.

"What was that?" The man frowned.

"Probably an overload. We have too many devices running here," the shadowed figure replied.

Dismissing it, the man took a sip of wine, savoring the quiet before the prey stepped into the trap.

……

Back in the cave, Su Qi opened his eyes.

The usual drowsiness in his gaze was gone, replaced by a depth of unsettling calm.

He picked up his phone again.

"Yuan, I'm stepping out to make a call."

"Okay, brother!"

Su Qi walked to the waterfall.

Extending a hand, he diffused his soul force, parting the curtain of water.

He stepped through the gap, and the cascading water sealed behind him, muffling all sound.

Then, he summoned a card.

A disposable one.

Its sole function was to grant his phone a single, clear signal.

A minor expenditure, really.

But with the current restrictions on entering and leaving the Source Realm, bureaucratic approval was a hassle.

And since the balding guy was likely compromised, using him as a messenger wasn’t reliable.

Su Qi dialed Elder Feng’s number.

The call connected instantly.

"Su Qi?" Elder Feng’s voice carried surprise.

"Elder Feng." Su Qi’s tone was flat.

A pause.

"What is it?"

"Someone wants me to relocate."

Su Qi spoke as if discussing someone else’s affairs.

Elder Feng’s breathing sharpened.

"What did you say?!"

"The Descenders reached out to me," Su Qi said slowly. "They even sent a gift—my sister’s entire dossier."

Crash!

Even through the phone, Su Qi could hear something shattering under Elder Feng’s grip.

The old man’s fury was palpable.

"Don’t worry. I’ll handle this!"

"That’s not the point," Su Qi cut in. "I just need to confirm one thing. Aside from you and Wu Gong, who else knew about the 'Sourceflow Construction Method'—and those words I once carelessly said?"

The question was a knife, plunging straight to the heart of the matter.

Silence.

Long enough to make Su Qi wonder if the call had dropped.

"...I understand."

Elder Feng’s voice was icy, weary.

"I’ll deal with this. You just—"

"No need," Su Qi interrupted again. "I’m just informing you—Great Xia’s sieve has too many leaks."

"You handle your housecleaning. I’ll… return the favor."

"After all, it’s only polite."

He hung up.

Stretching, his joints crackled softly.

The earlier chilling aura dissipated.

Once more, he was the languid young man who couldn’t be bothered with anything.

"Brother, are we leaving?" Liu Yuan ran over, grabbing his hand.

"It’s fine."

Su Qi smiled and ruffled her hair.

……

The handsome man swirled his crimson wine, savoring the frozen chat window on the screen.

To him, the lack of response was proof of the other’s inner turmoil.

"He’ll contact us," the man declared. "A smart man, after seeing our 'strength' and 'sincerity,' will make the right choice."

"Such is human nature."

"Fragile. Amusing."

"Bound by so-called family ties."

"By morality."

"By societal expectations."

"Why not embrace our Lord’s grace…?"

The shadowed figure stayed silent, tacitly agreeing.

"Still, that old man Feng might cause trouble," the man mused, setting down his glass. "Great Xia’s old lion may be aging, but its claws are sharp. If he learns we’re poaching, he’ll go berserk."

"No matter," the shadowed figure rasped. "Our plan has reached its critical pha—"

"Oh, right."

"Is Great Xia still holding that farcical competition?"

"Pathetic. The winner’s a foregone conclusion, yet they insist on this charade."

"Tell me—with leaders like these, what choice do we have but to carve our own path?"

……

A freshly conjured card materialized.

Its backdrop was a digital sea of 0s and 1s, centered around a disintegrating ID.

[Card Name: Holy Sht! Doxxed!]

[Type: Causality/Consumable]

[Rarity: Rare]

[Energy Tier: ???? (Tier 4)]

[Effect: Locks onto a digital ID, tracing its existence across physical and informational layers.]

[Note: Did you think I couldn’t crawl through the wires to punch you?]