Chapter 75

"Right now, all the disaster-stricken states have had their cell signals and internet signals cut off; some information can get out, but not much.

Although some people will still manage to get a signal through Starlink and post it on the TT Platform you Easterners developed, they are, after all, a minority.

You should know why this is! So, if you go do it quietly, perhaps the road ahead won't have too many obstacles, but you've already spoken out now.

Even if they don't report it in the papers, word will still spread through back channels; your journey this time probably won't be too smooth."

Still, at least the trouble of being besieged at the school gate by those reporters and idlers has been resolved.

Mrs. Wood sighed, and after finishing speaking, she went back inside.

She took two steps then turned back: "In a bit, go to the office to pick up a check; I've saved some money over these years, consider it a bit of support for you!"

The news that Chen Yaozu was withdrawing from the All-American Faculty and Staff Olive Oil Tournament to go to the disaster area as a volunteer spread through the school's faculty and staff ranks in a very short time.

So when Chen Yaozu went to the office to collect Principal Mrs. Wood's $20,000 check, he also received several dozen checks ranging from a few tens to a few hundreds, the highest being $800.

For teachers at American public schools, being able to exceed $500 is already considered very generous.

Even Chen Yaozu, who roughly understood teacher salaries and expenses, was shocked for a moment when he saw the $20,000 check Mrs. Wu De gave him.

Anyone who hasn't been a public school teacher in a major American city doesn't know how hard it is to save $20,000! However, perhaps because Portwater High School has teacher dormitories, Portwater High's teachers are generally more well-off than teachers at other schools.

"Right, this money is for us to commission you to purchase supplies and deliver them to the disaster area.

It is not your remuneration, so, strictly speaking, you don't need to pay taxes on it.

But this money needs to be declared.

For the specifics on how to do it, ask your private lawyer!" (Actually, I don't understand this either; I just heard a friend mention it once, he used to handle charitable donations.)

After Mrs. Wood finished speaking, she handed him another piece of paper: "This is the phone number for the most source-level compressed food wholesaler in Los Angeles; the compressed food on the market all has to go through several middlemen multiplying the profit several times over before it can enter the market.

You can go directly to the source to purchase these supplies!

Alright, go on then! Olivia is waiting for you, isn't she!"

Chen Yaozu left the office, returned to his residence, and waited for Olivia's arrival.

He hadn't discussed going to the disaster area as a relief volunteer with them; having gotten along to the point of being practically family, not saying a word didn't seem right.

Audrey was in class; Olivia's library job allowed her to leave her post, and she was on her way back.

Taking advantage of the time before she returned, Chen Yaozu, who had been busy to the point of having no free time these past two days, finally had a moment to examine his own condition.

The instant the Seal Worship Ceremony ended, he felt the difference in the Seal, the difference in the Purple Daoist Robe ritual garb on his body, and the difference in himself.

He could feel that at the moment of Worshiping the Seal, the Jade Talisman deep in his Sea of Consciousness, through the Great Seal, emitted white light covering those Forty-Nine Dharma Protector Disciples, giving them some gifts.

At the same time, it also gave him one; this gift information would slowly integrate into a person's soul, allowing them to obtain the knowledge inside without any aftereffects.

How to use acupuncture to stimulate the human body, boost immunity, treat some simple epidemics caused by floods, as well as common colds and the like.

Only at this moment did Chen Yaozu feel a bit like a Daoist; before, he wasn't much like one — after all, what Daoist doesn't know how to treat illness? Even if it's just a simple cold, they'd have to know how! Now it's good; this knowledge has integrated into his brain, but he has no practical application experience yet.

He took out that Los Angeles Zhi Zhong Gongyin; the faint white light it emitted, unnoticeable unless looked at closely, was pleasing to the eye.

But upon close inspection, one could see a mighty, thunderous momentum from this small Great Seal.

He couldn't help but also lay out the Purple Robe ritual garb, place them together, and use a Deduction Probe technique once.

【Los Angeles Zhi Zhong Gongyin: Daomen Twenty-Fifth Treatise Merit Seal; the Seal Master is the Daomen Twenty-Fifth Governance Leader.

Just experienced the Seal Worship, considered blessed by the Ancestral Master Dharma Gate, beginning to contain Daoist Thunder, connecting heaven and earth, nurtured day and night thereafter.

Day after day it will inevitably manifest divine might, suppress the sect's Qi Luck, gods and ghosts avoid it.

He who holds this Seal, Qi Luck favors him!】

【Los Angeles Zhi Zhong Gong Celestial Cave Garment: During the Seal Worship, blessed by the Ancestral Master Dharma Gate; currently divine strangeness slightly revealed, can conceal breath, attract Spirit Qi, wearing purple clothes to perform the Dharma Gate has several percent bonus! Can recite scriptures daily to pray for blessings and refine, this ritual garment can also accumulate power.】

【You hold the Los Angeles Zhi Zhong Gongyin, open the Daomen Twenty-Fifth Governance, perform acts of teaching transformation and compassion; your merit is immense.

Therefore, as a reward to you, the Five Animals Frolics Guiding Technique is advanced to the Five Animals Frolics Qi Ingestion Light Body Guiding Technique.】

Then, a stream of memory regarding the Five Animals Frolics Guiding Technique integrated into his brain, instantly elevating his daily Five Animal Frolics — which could only be used to temper the body and strengthen health — to the Qi Refining Level.

Qi Ingestion Light Body — what ancient phrasing; if this term is traced back in historical records, it can be legendary all the way to the Yanhuang Era.

Chen Yaozu couldn't help but assume a Tiger Form, following the Dharma Gate to begin breathing and exhaling, trying to taste the Spirit Qi in this American air.

It seems it won't work!

Too rushed!

Ingesting Spirit Qi requires doing it according to the hour, the orientation, and the method in order to take effect.

Past the hour, wrong orientation, and if posture and method are done wrong, it also cannot take effect.

No wonder from ancient times to now, successful cultivators have been few; turns out even cultivation methods are this harsh.

Unlike the previous Five Animal Frolics Guiding Technique, where as long as you persisted in practice you could guide Qi and Blood to strengthen the body.

However, although he couldn't ingest Spirit Qi, during the breathing his strength increased a lot, and his speed became much faster; in an instant, the room was filled with his afterimages.

Like an ape, like a tiger, like a bear, like a deer — startling Olivia, who had hurried over, slightly.

"You're back!"

Seeing Olivia finally return, Chen Yaozu stopped his Five Animal Frolics cultivation and greeted her.

"Yaozu, what exactly are you thinking?"

Olivia, who had hurriedly handed off her shift and rushed back upon hearing the news, couldn't help but question: "You're not unaware of what it means that all of America isn't reporting news from the disaster zone.

I also don't believe you don't know what it means that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is blocking all roads and not letting private rescue teams enter.

Let's not guess what those politicians have in their heads, but since someone has blockaded the information, it proves it's not a place us ordinary people should go touch.

You know, Audrey's dad went in for five years precisely because he said things he shouldn't have.

Now you want to enter the disaster zone as a volunteer under blockade conditions; you know once the other side arrests you on charges of disturbing order, besides going to prison, you'll be deported.

You worked so hard to come here, and in just over a year you can get a Long-term Green Card.

Why would you touch these things!"

Olivia isn't without compassion; she's just been educated by society to not dare have any extra thoughts.

Chen Yaozu had gotten along quite harmoniously with them these days, to the point that deep down she already regarded him as family.

Now... what on earth has he done! Chen Yaozu just smiled and waited for her to finish, offering no rebuttal, but his resolve was far more forceful than any rebuttal.

"Can we not go?"

In the end she could only ask this one powerless question.

Chen Yaozu shook his head, his tone without a shred of hesitation: "Sometimes not knowing means you truly don't know, but once you know, you have to do something about it."

"Then how many people are you going to take?"

From his tone Olivia knew she could not change Chen Yaozu's mind, so she shifted her stance, wanting to help offer suggestions. "To be honest, hearing you insist like this, I'm actually quite moved.

If it weren't for Alan and Claire, I might have gone with you.

But as things stand, I definitely can't go!

However, I can give you a few suggestions!"

Olivia spoke very seriously; she was not some ordinary ignorant middle-aged woman from the Texas countryside, she was a woman who had attended a prestigious school and worked as an elite white-collar professional.

She knew that since Chen Yaozu was determined to go and actually do this, he would inevitably encounter many problems along the way, and the questions she raised were precisely the most important ones.

"You're planning to bring supplies in, right? But do you have guns?

How many people are going? How many of them have guns?"

Olivia's worry was not unfounded; in this world, the only disaster relief army that might not carry guns is probably a single country.

Especially in America, this is a country where the average person owns three guns; if you bring supplies in without guns, everything might be gone on the very first day.

Even the people might be gone! This really is no joke.

So, Olivia cut straight to the point and asked Chen Yaozu how many people they had and how many guns they brought. Legal or not? That's right!

The reason to ask if it's legal is because in America every state's laws differ from every other state's, just like the laws of one country differ from another's — they're different! You can legally carry a gun in California, but a gun permit obtained in California may not be recognized in Texas.

A gun permit from Texas may not work in California either.

After all, America is a federal country with fifty-odd states, and there are fifty-odd state laws.

This time they're headed to Florida and several surrounding states, and the laws of these states differ.

"Don't worry! We definitely have adequate self-defense capability!"

Chen Yaozu nodded; he had thought of this too, but the disappointing part was that the number of people at the Fuzhou Gang Los Angeles Hall who could legally carry guns was neither many nor few.

However, among those forty-nine honest folk he had accepted as Dharma Protector Disciples, not even half could legally carry guns — not even a third.

After Olivia gave a whole string of reminders she also left, and Chen Yaozu finally had time to drive away from the school, heading for the Fuzhou Gang Hall to check whether the supplies were ready, and was just planning to call Megan to ask how far the religious registration process had gotten, but before he could dial, a call came in — it was Cindy.

"I'm going too. I've asked around; because FEMA has blocked all the intersections, private rescue teams can't get in, so you need to hike or cross some mountain peak or range that doesn't require proper roads.

So you need me. I'm a senior Outdoor Guide with very strong hiking and wilderness traversal experience.

Very useful!"

"Alright! You get ready, then come find me!"

Chen Yaozu was persuaded and agreed to her request to go together, then called Megan to ask about the timing.

She gave a definite answer: the day after tomorrow the religious sect should be approved.

"Supplies are about ready, if it's just us fifty-odd people going!"

Having inexplicably become a Dharma Protector Disciple at the founding of a miraculous religious sect, Zhou Jiping was still very excited, so he handled matters very conscientiously.

Hearing Chen Yaozu come to inquire about preparations, he answered with full confidence.

But he raised another question he had pondered at length: "Sir, if we want to expand our influence, just these few dozen people are actually of little use!"

He used to be a teacher with an active mind, never having come into contact with killing and fighting, so his thinking was not confined to killing and fighting.

He even saw through what Chen Yaozu wanted to do by seizing this disaster opportunity — perhaps the Daoist sect descending the mountain to cultivate is truly about rectifying the world and aiding the distressed.

But Daoist people, when they reach a time of disaster and see people unable to survive, they would even lead all the poor and suffering to rise up in rebellion, becoming an existence that demands the dynasty perish.

They truly dare! Just like Zhang Jiao of the Han Dynasty, that was a genuine Daoist figure who used a peasant uprising to bring down a dynasty — a massive stroke.

They really dare to rebel against them!

But more often, this is actually one of the cultivation methods of the Daoist sect — accumulating virtue and doing good deeds!

Besides, a newly established Daoist Lineage naturally needs to build a good reputation, a good name, and most importantly a good influence, a large influence.

Since that's the case, these mere forty-nine disciples — aren't they a bit few? Besides, what can a mere forty or fifty people bring into a disaster area?

Is this an outing... or disaster relief? "Then by your reckoning, how many people would be suitable?"

Chen Yaozu wasn't stubborn either; in fact he could often go with the flow.

After all, in his previous life he did rescue work, and rescue work cannot be stubborn — once you're stubborn, it might cost lives.

"I think... our forty-nine disciples can each bring ten helpers, that adds up to nearly 500 people! With 500 people, the scale of this disaster relief volunteer group will actually look like something, and word of it will carry more influence!

That would also help our Daoist Lineage's prestige.

That way, even if the roads are blocked, crossing mountains and ridges to deliver supplies, more people can deliver more!

If the distance is short, we can even make a few more trips!"

Hearing this, A Yu was the first to object: "How can that work? Pulling out 500 elite operatives, our territory would be swallowed by other gangs!

No way! The current way is better — even if just you and me take the 49 people, leaving the rest to guard the territory, that doesn't strain our muscles or bones.

Good grief, pulling out 500 people at once, such a golden opportunity with our forces emptied — would other gangs let this territory go? Besides, although our hall can allocate funds to buy supplies, that's at the current consumption level, barely manageable.

If we increase the disaster relief headcount by 500, where would the money come from? Supplies before troops! More people means equally more consumption, and for the funds we can currently mobilize, the pressure would be huge."

Funds?

Chen Yaozu thought for a moment; he already had a plan in mind: "If we really need to add people, I'll handle the funds.

But if the manpower can't be pulled, then forget it! Cut your coat according to your cloth?

Do as much as the manpower allows!"

Unexpectedly, Zhou Jiping already had a plan in mind: "Actually we don't need to pull people from the gang; our manpower isn't small, and qualified troop sources are plenty!

Those people on Ding Fatzi Plaza, able to endure countless hardships and walk all the way from South America to the US-Mexico Border, experiencing so many dangers along the road and still arriving alive, can be considered to have some skill.

Moreover, they don't lack wilderness Transmigration experience, are physically strong and robust; even if the America military were recruiting, they would be qualified!

Moreover, it's merely moving and carrying disaster relief work!

Chen Yaozu agreed with Zhou Jiping's idea, and indicated the money he would go handle.

The main reason was, when Zhou Jiping spoke of expanding the number of disaster relief Volunteers to 500, he Obtained a prompt.

【If the number of people rescued on this trip is sufficient, you can bring the Ghost Mirror and the Brazil Female Ghost, let them exert effort and assist on this trip; after this trip ends you will surely share in Merit.

Merit can eliminate the Ghost Mirror's Resentment Qi, restore the Ghost Object's Spiritual Intelligence to clarity, restore the ability she ought to have after Decades of Go To cultivation.

At the same time, if this trip accumulates Merit, it can also neutralize the Resentment Qi and Killing Qi the Brazil Female Ghost accumulated from killing Too Many people, Cultivation/Base advancing another level.

If successful, these two ghosts can serve as your Go To Foundation Assistance.】

(Chapter End)