Chapter 1028: Chapter 1028
Chapter 1028: Chapter 68: Three Strategies to Stabilize the Netherworld, Immortal Aid to the Netherworld
King Yan Qin Chuan listened to Xiao Jie’s proposal of “Saving the Nation through Mortal World Birthrate” and showed a deeply contemplative expression on his face, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the Black Jade Table, making a soft, rhythmic sound. After a while, he nodded slightly and said in a heavy tone:
“Immortal Venerable’s strategy is far-sighted, indeed a good plan to save the world, capable of fundamentally reversing the decline of the imbalance between yin and yang. However… this strategy takes a long time to take effect, proceeds slowly, while our Senluo Ghost City is in imminent danger, the survival of the Netherworld hanging by a thread, like a stack of eggs hanging over a deep abyss, I fear… we don’t have that much time to wait for the mortal world to slowly recover its vitality.”
Xiao Jie snorted inwardly, “I knew you’d pull this trick!” This Yama Emperor is clearly desperate for a solution, having lacked external powerful support for thousands of years, and finally encountered someone like him offering help with requests, he’d definitely try to extract every bit of value from this ‘Immortal’.
Fortunately, his mind was working at full speed earlier, and he did not only think of this long-term plan. Since the other side finds it slow, then let’s go for something ‘quick’.
“Your Majesty, rest assured, this is only the first strategy I proposed, aimed at long-term peace and stability. I have devised three strategies for Your Majesty, corresponding to long-term cure, mid-term stability, and short-term emergency.”
“The first strategy, named ‘Removing the Firewood Under the Pot’, addresses the root cause and aims at a century-long plan to permanently eradicate the crisis in the Netherworld. Although it takes time, it is the most thorough and effective.”
“The second strategy, called ‘Quenching Thirst by Imagining Plums’. Now, the core demand of the billions of lost souls in the Netherworld is nothing more than reincarnation, to be born anew. However, the quota of newborns in the mortal world is limited, and ultimately it is impossible for all ghosts to be satisfied immediately. These wandering ghosts, unable to see hope, naturally become easily attracted and manipulated by the Netherworld Emperor’s deceitful words, becoming the source of turmoil in the Netherworld.”
“This plan is rather simple—why not have a ‘lottery for reincarnation’? Every month, we fix a certain number of reincarnation slots, and conduct a public lottery among all registered and compliant wandering ghosts. As long as they’re lucky enough to draw a slot, they can immediately be arranged to reincarnate! Moreover, every lottery result must be widely publicized, setting up several ‘lucky ones’ as examples, allowing all ghosts to clearly see the existence of ‘hope’. In this way, most ghosts in the Sea of Reincarnation who only seek a stable rebirth will have something to look forward to, knowing that as long as they patiently wait and follow the rules, they have a chance to get their turn, naturally calming down and not easily stirred to rebellion.”
King Yan Qin Chuan stroked his beard and pondered: “Hmm… this plan sounds somewhat reasonable, it might appease public sentiment. But… those ancient, resentful ghosts who have been accumulating grievances for millennia might not easily trust it. Moreover, even if it could temporarily appease most of the wandering souls in the Sea of Reincarnation, how should we deal with the millions of ghost armies under the Netherworld Emperor’s command, who harbor ulterior motives? They won’t believe in this lottery either.”
“Your Majesty’s concerns are very valid!” Xiao Jie immediately responded, this was precisely the opportunity to introduce his third strategy, “Therefore, it’s time to mention my third strategy! This strategy is called—’Driving the Tiger to Devour the Wolf’!”
“The enemy relies mostly on their overwhelming numbers, merely intimidating by their sheer quantity. However, in terms of individual combat proficiency and fine equipment, they must fall short of Your Majesty’s well-trained and finely equipped regular Underworld Ghost Army, mustn’t they?”
Qin Chuan nodded, with a trace of the pride of a legitimate ruler in his voice: “Indeed so! The ghost soldiers under the Pseudo Emperor’s command are a disorganized mob, mostly composed of wandering ghosts with scattered spiritual bodies and weak soul power, merely gathered by a fierce aura, many even lacking decent weapons and armor, brandishing rusty knives and forks, clothed in rags, relying solely on their numbers and being driven by ghost rulers, they dare to go on the offensive everywhere, causing my army to be stretched and exhausted. Only the Pseudo Emperor and his core ghost kings’ direct imperial army can truly be considered elite.”
“In that case, it’s easy!” Xiao Jie spread his hands, “Let’s simply drive the millions of ‘tigers’ in the Sea of Reincarnation to devour that group of ‘wolves’ under the Netherworld Emperor!”
“How exactly would it be executed?” King Yan leaned slightly forward, clearly intrigued.
“Establish a ‘Merit-Based Reincarnation’ system! Publicly announce to all ghosts in the Sea of Reincarnation that as long as they kill a member of the Netherworld Emperor’s rebel army, they can earn corresponding ‘Merit Points’. Once they’ve accumulated enough merit points, they can immediately qualify for reincarnation without waiting for the lottery! Furthermore, the stronger the target slain, the more merit points gained!
If one accumulates enough merits, they can even customize the social status of their reincarnated parents, be it King, Duke, General, or Village City Lord, they can reincarnate, allowing the reincarnated person to be born as a winner in their ghost lives.” ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel⁂fire.net
Xiao Jie’s eyes glowed with a calculating light: “In this way, does Your Majesty still worry about your army’s numbers? Those ghosts in the Sea of Reincarnation who are mad for reincarnation will immediately transform into Your Majesty’s most fanatic warriors! A million-strong army, within easy reach! Although these wandering ghosts lack individual combat strength, they’re enough to fill battle lines, serve as cannon fodder, deplete the rebel forces, and carry out harassment tasks.”
He paused, revealing a ‘you know what I mean’ smile: “Moreover, precisely because they are not strong, on the brutal battlefield, there probably won’t be many who actually survive to accumulate enough merit points… This way, not many reincarnation slots will be needed, yet it can significantly relieve the pressure on the front lines. As long as this ‘Merit Army’ withstands the Underworld Emperor’s assault, possibly forming a standoff, it buys us precious time. When my friend in the mortal world unifies the Nine States and begins to promote the ‘Nationwide Birth Rate’ policy, the number of newborns in the mortal world increases, providing more reincarnation slots, naturally expanding the operational space for both ‘Merit-Based Reincarnation’ and ‘Lottery Reincarnation’, ultimately entering a virtuous cycle!”