Chapter 3: Dragon dicatator Tai Alix.

Shen Weijun adjusted his dark cloak, embroidered with lion cub patterns that shimmered faintly. His Urban Genesis Protocol system had a touch of the desire for flair and theatrics. Even the name itself was dramatic. It was simply a city evolution system, one that required him to develop a city into his own territory.

It had nothing to do with lions, like many people thought.

He leaned back in his chair, smirked, and said, “Marriage? Between my family and the dictator of the Bureau? President Tai Alix knows that the Bureau is losing the war. I believe that she is behind this sudden alliance movement. Personally, I think an apology and honesty are far cheaper than an inevitable divorce suit worth millions.”

Su Wanrong chuckled nervously. “Strong words. But surely, you see the benefit of peace?”

“Peace.” Shen Weijun raised an eyebrow. “What they call peace, I call recession. Earth could have developed hundreds of years ago. But the SOB kept systems a secret for years to benefit themselves. They have strangled technology for years. Every time a system host invents something new–a cure, a cool phone, a machine, a kid’s toy, a snack, a breakthrough–the bureau swoops in and confiscates it. They study it for a while and then file it under ’classified’ and the host is paid pennies and told to go away and keep quiet. If they ran this country’s streetlights, we would still be using candles to cross the road.”

The audience in the studio laughed. Su Wanrong tried to steer the conversation back on track. “But the bureau argues that there are too many system hosts and the market for inventions is oversaturated. You have to agree with them on this one. Once upon a time, a phone could sell for up to fifteen thousand yuan or two thousand dollars. Today, phones cost only fifty yuan because there are six hundred ten phone companies worldwide. The mobile phone industry is dead because of system hosts. Isn’t the bureau right to argue that unchecked systems and their hosts destabilize society in different ways?”

“Destabilize?” Shen Weijun snorted. “Society destabilized the moment Uncle Shi discovered his system could multiply dumplings infinitely. Do you know how many dumpling restaurants went bankrupt? Four hundred thousand fifty-two restaurants worldwide. And yet, did the Bureau help? No. They just ate the dumplings and wrote a report.”

The audience chuckled.

Weijun continued, smirking still. “You can do the research if you wish to verify this information. The Bureau is one of the biggest supporters of Uncle Shi’s dumplings. That franchise alone has two thousand branches worldwide. All the family-owned dumpling restaurants have been squeezed out of business. Our fight as independent hosts does not concern only us, it touches the common people too.

If you go to One city, you will not find a single Uncle Shi’s dumpling restaurant. The way I see it, he has enough branches and his greed should be curbed. If the Bureau wants to buy back some of its lost affection from us, that is the place to start. Not a marriage alliance.”

He paused and drew in a small breath, remembering the grievances of his family against the bureau and the start of the system wars.

“Twelve years.” He said, eyes gleaming sharply, “Do you know what that means? It means children born after the fall of systems have never known a world without Bureau checkpoints, random searches in their homes, and never-ending restrictions. They call us rebels, but reality is that IH gives system hosts the opportunity to innovate, even under fire. We created realistic toy panda robots and put pandas in every home, bringing laughter to children. The Bureau turned around and called it unsafe! As if the Bureau is not the most unsafe government entity in the world.”

Su Wanrong sighed. On this subject, Weijun could go on forever. “That said, don’t you think that without regulation, hosts will tear the world apart. SOB President Tai Alix says this all the time.”

Weijun leaned forward, voice dripping with sarcasm, “Ah yes. The president. The woman who thinks unchecked system hosts and too much innovation is dangerous but still used system abilities to give birth to fifteen children. She also flies around like a dragon, burning off the hair off the top of her enemy’s heads. And don’t get me started on her suspicious fat orange cat Majesty.” He shifted, crossing one leg over the other. “What I am saying is that if she truly cares about safety, she should regulate herself and that cat first.”

Su Wanrong touched her ear, smiled and pressed on to what mattered most. “What about the marriage alliance? We have received more confirmations that other world leaders are already spreading the news. They believe it could symbolize unity between the Bureau and Independent hosts.”

Shen Weijun burst out laughing. “Unity? I am all for it, but we have to be realistic and see it for what it is: tragedy. Imagine the wedding vows: Do you take this woman, knowing that she will report you to her mother and file a report every time you sneeze? Or the honeymoon for that matter. This bride and the Bureau would spend it filling out forms on everything and everyone they saw in One city or around me. I think President Tai Alix has a system that generates paperwork faster than romance.”

The audience roared with laughter. Even one of the cameras shook as the cameraman snorted.

“Besides,” Shen Weijun continued, “marriage is supposed to be about love. Not forcing my family to bend our beliefs and tolerate a spoiled young woman that has never known a day of hardship.”

Su Wanrong shuffled her cue cards as the audience mumbled. She cleared her throat. “Well, we have compiled the names of the three most eligible women from the Bureau president’s family that are available for marriage. Her three oldest daughters. Tai Liwu, Zhang Alix and Zhang Xifeng. Now of course, there are three more that are age appropriate in President Alix’s next set of Quintuplets, but it has been confirmed that only the oldest three are on the table. Does the Shen family have a preference?”

Weijun shook his head. “I am afraid my words will offend someone so I will let my family make this decision privately.”

Wanrong was not having it. “In what way is that offensive? Zhang Alix is a famous delicate beauty that any man would love to have for a wife. Zhang Xinfeng is currently the most famous classical pianist in the world, and she plays every instrument known to man. She has even invented a few. Both are known to be system hosts. And the third….” she hesitated, as if the name itself carried bad omens.

She Weijun leaned back, eyes glittering. “If a choice must be made, it will be between the two system hosts. Even in a forced marriage, one hopes for the best possible partner. Unfortunately, this disqualifies Tai Liwu before she even gets a foot in the race. And her misfortunes…..they are as famous as Uncle Shi’s dumpling restaurants, sadly.”

“Officer Tai Liwu may not have a system and her reputation for bad luck cannot be denied but she is brave. And she is the spokesperson of the normal police in the Bureau. That position could be an advantage to you.” Su Wanrong suggested. “Netizens are already starting polls on which of the three sisters is best suited for the marriage alliance. Your opinion could determine its outcome. Is Tai Liwu in or out?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep