Chapter 586: Qionglin Regulations

Luo Qi stared into his eyes, wanting to see if he was serious; he didn't look very smart.

"I..." Luo Qi paused, slowly exhaling a breath, "I understand your predicament, really, it's truly not very comfortable. But I cannot dispatch Battle Mages..."

"Why?" Zhou Ruisi asked in astonishment.

Luo Qi blinked, "I reckon the reason is—because my word doesn't carry any weight?"

"How can you shirk responsibility in such a way?" Zhou Ruisi said rashly, "Although I don't have the clearance to participate in operations at your level, I can still tell who is in charge."

"So you used your keen eyes to identify me?" Luo Qi asked.

"Oh, cut it out, stop using that tone! Is mocking me fun? I am demanding the rights I am entitled to according to the Qionglin Regulations," Zhou Ruisi said, exasperated. "I know that someone like you, who was promoted by exception, probably hasn't even been properly trained and hasn't had time to become familiar with the regulations."

"Why do you care so much about the regulations? I haven't seen any other Mage mention the Qionglin Regulations twice in five minutes," Luo Qi said calmly. "Aren't the Qionglin Regulations just guiding opinions?"

"Guiding opinions? The Qionglin Regulations are the law of our Mage World!" Zhou Ruisi said, aghast. "How can you be so outrageous?"

"Me?" Luo Qi said in surprise, "I haven't even taken my clothes off yet, how am I being outrageous?"

"Don't insult me with quips, Mind Archmage. If humans felt that laws were all just guiding opinions, wouldn't you think that human was outrageous?"

"That's not necessarily true. There are plenty of humans who feel that the money-making methods they come up with are all plagiarized by others, and even written into the criminal law. So for them, the criminal law is just a guiding opinion," Luo Qi held forth. "Having said that, the Mage World only has the Three-Chapter Law, no red tape. I haven't even reached the high-altitude reaction yet, so even if I don't let you go back to the warm bed in the human city, Qionglin can't just have me arrested, can they?"

"You..." Zhou Ruisi shook his head in disagreement, "Many short-sighted Mages see it that way, and it is wrong. The formulation of the Qionglin Regulations focuses on ensuring resource optimization, rational allocation, and the protection of talent, ensuring the sustainable development of our world. This is of great significance to the development of our Magic World, and it is a level of understanding that every aspiring Mage should reach."

Luo Qi's eyes narrowed like a cat's, "Are you here in this desolate mountain wilderness giving the 250th Qionglin Government Work Report? You love the regulations so much, could it be that you wrote them?"

"I did participate in the sixth revision of the Qionglin Regulations," Zhou Ruisi said disapprovingly, his expression becoming even more serious at the mention of the regulations.

"How did you participate? As the subject of the research?" Luo Qi asked.

Shi Qian covered his forehead, as if he had wanted to leave, but now wasn't leaving anymore.

Zhou Ruisi was unmoved by his sarcasm, "I am indeed lacking in ability when it comes to field work; if it weren't for the shortage of manpower, they shouldn't have sent me out in the first place. But in terms of internal affairs, I have many strengths. If I meet with an accident here, it would be no small loss to Qionglin and the Mage World."

"I can see that," Luo Qi said. "My eye for people is also very good."

"My intelligence is my greatest advantage; it is not only combat power that is worth praising," Zhou Ruisi was stirred to fighting spirit. "My graduation score was 753."

After he finished speaking, he stared at Luo Qi, waiting for Luo Qi's reaction.

But Luo Qi had no reaction; he thought calmly for a long time, but couldn't remember what a suitable graduation score was supposed to be. His original goal had been 410, the passing score for graduation, and he had been trying to scrape together points the whole time, like a poor wretch picking at the loose change in his pockets.

Just then, a voice came from the side, "Yo, you're so amazing, is that the highest score in these past few years?"

Yan Hao walked over to watch the fun while tossing beans into his mouth, looking Zhou Ruisi up and down, "Impressive, impressive. So even Du Zhengyi doesn't have a score as high as yours; his last exam was 734, and I thought he was the ceiling."

Zhou Ruisi shrugged, finally feeling a bit more satisfied.

Luo Qi glanced at Yan Hao, "How come you even memorized my brother's graduation score?"

"What's wrong with that?" Yan Hao was relaxed and happy now, blowing a sentence over in a low voice, "Idol worship, that's all."

Zhou Ruisi was not very satisfied that the attention had been diverted, fearing that the few of them would fall into idle chatter, so he changed the subject. "I don't mean to show off; scores don't prove anything. I just want to say that although I haven't participated in many things, I am familiar with all the historical regulations. I have a photographic memory and learn very quickly. Aside from the exam stuff, I have read many Qionglin books. Because I am familiar with the historical regulations, that is why I was selected to participate in the revision of the Qionglin Regulations."

"You actually have nothing better to do than read regulations when you're bored?" Yan Hao looked at him with awe, "You're really amazing."

"I read the regulations in order to better serve the Mage World and regulate the unnecessary behaviors of Mages... I don't want to talk to you about this; you... you Battle Mages won't understand the significance of the regulations. But I know this mode of yours: a Mind Archmage leads the team to execute the most dangerous missions. Since ancient times, top-tier Mages have always done it this way! Therefore, I absolutely do not want to participate! I don't want to get involved in any ancient Magic; Pandora's box is best left untouched. I don't want to know what you are going to do, I just want to go home and do what I am better at." Zhou Ruisi finished in one breath and swallowed a mouthful of saliva to moisten his agitated throat.

"Wait," Yan Hao said, "What are you talking about? Mind Archmages have always been the reserve team. Do you really understand Battle Mages? We never let Mind Mages lead combat teams. What kind of layman talk is this? You aren't even a Battle Mage, where did you get this information from, paper-talking?"

Zhou Ruisi had never been very afraid of Yan Hao and stabbed back mercilessly with a sword, "It's more likely because you rank too low in the Battle Mage sequence and have never had the chance to participate in top-tier operations before."

This sword struck right at Yan Hao's heart. He looked at Zhou Ruisi unhappily. "Stop bothering Luo Qi here; no one is going to send you away today anyway. If you've got the guts, go tell Du Zhengyi."

"Battle Mages are truly far too low in terms of Magic level compared to Mind Mages," Zhou Ruisi muttered. "Mind Mages can be Battle Mages, but Battle Mages can never become Mind Mages."

"Oh, so what do you mean? Bothering Luo Qi here because you think Luo Qi can control our brains? Control us into willingly sending you home? Is that what you mean by your Mind Mage leader?"

"You should read more books. Mind Mages rarely can control Battle Mages; theoretically, it is almost impossible to control a fully adult, strong-willed Battle Mage. Once a consciousness enters the brain to make modifications, the original brain will realize that the integrity of its system has been compromised, and it will use its own brain resources, its own memories, its own personality, and its own will to fight back. The brain with the weaker will might be devoured, and it isn't always the Non-Telepath Mage who gets devoured. Not to mention, you all have Shield Magic specifically for dealing with Mind Mages; don't think that just because I'm not a Battle Mage, I don't know that," he said argumentatively.

Luo Qi felt a bit uneasy when he heard that a Mind Mage's brain could also be devoured, and he glanced at Du Zhengyi, who seemed not to have heard.

But Zhou Ruisi seemed to have become addicted to spouting nonsense and couldn't stop once he started, "If brain fusion were that simple, wouldn't Mind Mages have the fastest learning ability? They wouldn't need to read books, study, or exert effort at all; they would just need to copy what's in other people's brains into their own? In reality, this is theoretically unfeasible because human memory is terrifying. Sometimes people even get lost in their own chaotic memories, lost in their own consciousness—that is, mental derangement. Transporting someone else's memory always brings some redundant memory beyond the knowledge itself. These memories connect with one's own memories, which will also destroy the completeness and consistency of the brain, causing the brain's rejection reaction. The result is usually falling into confusion, cognitive dissonance, mental derangement..."

Luo Qi's fingertips went numb with tension. He discovered that Du Zhengyi had heard everything, because he was now turning his head, leaving Wen Lin behind, and listening to Zhou Ruisi's high-flown discourse with interest.

"Can you stop cursing me?" Luo Qi suddenly said, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

"I want to say it's not that kind of superficial reason; a Mind Archmage will always be the leader because this has been the convention all along."

"Because it's written in the books?" Luo Qi asked coldly.

"Because that is how everyone becomes a Venerable. Venerable Pei Shu also became a Venerable after leading many Battle Mages to execute high-level missions," Zhou Ruisi said.

(End of chapter)