Chapter 71: Believe in Science

The Cold War was an era of gathering talents, and also a magical era.

In 1970, a best-selling novel became wildly popular, interpreting the existence of special abilities and claiming that Big Brother already possessed two million superpowered individuals serving him.

During the same period, American agents stole secrets and discovered that Big Brother invested sixty million rubles annually to carry out special ability research.

Thus, in 1972, within an Army base in Maryland, three major American agencies officially launched the "Stargate Project" at a cost of twenty million dollars.

The purpose of the Stargate Project was to find humans with extrasensory perception and attempt to study the causes and replication methods of forming "superhumans," applying them to intelligence and military purposes.

According to declassified files from the new century, one such special ability was "ears behind the wall":

A superpowered individual in a sealed basement could "see" paintings in another sealed room nearby, describe them, and replicate them.

Although the frauds were quickly exposed, hindered by "better safe than sorry" and "believe it just in case," the Stargate Project stubbornly continued until 1991, never giving up the attempt to find genuine superpowers.

The rumor that "developing human brain potential to 100% grants superpowers" also emerged and became wildly popular during that period.

At that time, the Rabbit, nearly broke enough to lose its pants, looked and saw both sides conducting special ability research; how could it fall behind?

Although rockets and warships were inferior, could a land of five thousand glorious years lack superpowers and supernatural humans?

Besides, if two major super-groups were working hard to research something, wouldn't falling behind mean getting beaten again?

Since it was domestic special ability research, the research content naturally had to be "domesticated."

The Five Elements theory, the True Qi of Black and Yellow, Qigong, cultivating immortality, and a host of other enduring old-school doctrines, wearing the skin of special abilities, officially entered the government's view.

The 507 Institute and the 749 Bureau, one a special ability research institute and the other a supernatural weapons research bureau, thus burst onto the scene.

Holding the mindset of "since we're already here" and "trying it won't hurt," the first-generation researchers of both institutions traveled everywhere, collecting supernatural incidents and "superhumans."

Under these circumstances, a large number of special individuals, superpowered child prodigies, Qigong masters, and so on suddenly flooded the entire country.

At that time, the net of nine-year compulsory education had many fish that slipped through; seeing such a grand spectacle, they naturally believed it completely.

However, as time passed, one by one the special ability users were exposed, and various supernatural incidents were gradually investigated, revealing the truth to be fabrication or misinformation.

Until the end of 1991, with the thunderous collapse of Big Brother, Old Mike realized the "Stargate Project" was meaningless and immediately terminated it.

Domestically, it was also considered unnecessary to continue research; no effective results were found, and special ability research ended there.

However, for the common people, the frauds had already grown powerful, and even some cults had taken the opportunity to mix in, forcing the government to begin strong debunking and anti-fraud campaigns.

But after years of indoctrination, who would easily believe that hard training in special abilities was a scam?

People who grew up in that era, who hadn't seen "special individuals," and who hadn't secretly practiced Qigong?

So when Chen Yonggui discovered the anomaly, his first reaction was not fear, but excitement.

Special abilities, real special abilities!

So many people and such huge things; absolutely no fabrication, and no point in fabricating!

He only wanted to witness special abilities with his own eyes and see that his past many years were not in vain!

Under Chen Yonggui's eager gaze, Tang Wen fell silent.

He originally wanted to try to fool the village head, but instead he led the other party into a misunderstanding.

"Old Uncle, you are overthinking it; there is no such thing as special abilities."

"This is just a perfectly normal person; why do you speak as if he were a puppet? Look at Tang Yi; he also has a nose and eyes, and if he doesn't eat he will starve to death; how is he sowing beans to become soldiers?"

Andong is a village; can you find so many villages in Northeast China? Tang Yi was recruited by me when I went to Northeast China to get diesel engines; the others are also old workers from over there.

They are just afraid that coming from out of town, they are unfamiliar with the place and dare not go out casually."

"But..."

Chen Yonggui instantly panicked; how could there be no special abilities?

"Then, then, then, your shipyard..."

Tang Wen: "Precast panels, corn-cob buildings; haven't you seen them? How fast are they built?"

"No, no, something is definitely wrong!"

Chen Yonggui scratched his head and ears, completely losing his usual composure:

"How could there be none? Let me think... airplanes, airplanes!"

"Building old things from decades ago with current technology is so simple; even car factories can do it."

Tang Wen guided him step by step, for he could not let the old man fall into the big pit of special abilities.

Chen Yonggui: "Then what about this ship? My eyes aren't blind; this is definitely not a cement ship. If you don't believe me, let me go down into the ship's hold to look."

"..."

Tang Wen sighed, acting as if he had been seen through, and said:

"Alright, this ship is indeed made of steel; I bought it."

"That's right!"

Chen Yonggui immediately said:

"This ship is at least a large vessel of five thousand tons or more; being so new, it certainly isn't here to be scrapped. Just buying so much steel costs tens of millions; where did you get so much money?"

"Do you know how my father died?"

Tang Wen asked in return.

Chen Yonggui: "Drowned, of course; everyone knows. The boat capsized... Sigh, which village hasn't seen it? A small boat goes out to sea, takes a nap at night, and is gone."

Tang Wen: "Actually, my father was a retired agent of the Dragon Group. Coming to Echeng to live in seclusion was to find a sunken ship on the seabed, filled with gold, silver, and treasures the little devils loaded when they retreated, which later sank due to a malfunction.

The Dragon Group searched for over ten years without success, but my father had a lead and kept searching secretly, and accidentally found it.

That night he went to confirm the coordinates, but went into the sea and drowned. I only learned these things when I sorted through his belongings and read his diary."

Dragon Group? Sunken ship treasures?

This doesn't add up!

Chen Yonggui asked subconsciously:

"What is the Dragon Group?"

"The Dragon Group is actually a secret organization passed down for many years. It was originally formed by remnants of the Imperial City Bureau after the fall of the Southern Song, who secretly banded together to revive China. Later they successfully helped Zhu Yuanzhang defeat the Yuan Dynasty and were officially renamed the Jinyiwei. After the fall of the Great Ming, they split into two factions.

One faction surrendered to the Qing court and became known as the Blood Drops, while the other held to their beliefs, drifted to the South Seas on their own, and secretly backed the Heaven and Earth Society and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in launching uprising after uprising.

The Jinyiwei entrenched themselves in the South Seas for three hundred years, gradually developing Chinese merchant networks across every region and grasping the true foundation of the South Seas.

When the nation's territory was lost, South Seas merchants donated enthusiastically, the Jinyiwei renamed themselves the Dragon Group once more, and swore to secretly safeguard the safety of hundreds of millions of common people.

"Every Dragon Group member has a unique skill at their side — some are proficient in weapons and combat, known as Soldier Kings, and the level above is called the King of Soldier Kings;

some step forward as commercial titans to lead society and bring prosperity to a region;

and some are skilled at going undercover, living under assumed names for decades without leaving a single trace — for example, my father, codename Featherless Arrow."

Tang Wen paused:

"Dragon Group members are spread across the world. Some may be commercial elites, others may be ordinary farmers their whole lives — impossible to tell apart. Only special methods can identify one another.

Every industry, every location has Dragon Group members stationed there. Some of them have become guardian families, generation after generation keeping the peace of a region.

Many incidents of supernatural ability are actually just tactics the Dragon Group uses to muddle the waters, preventing their transcendent existence from being detected.

As for people who fish in troubled waters from within, that's beyond their control."

Listening to this initial-generation Long Aotian novel from after the year 2000, Chen Yonggui was utterly spellbound. A thousand-year organization running unbroken from the Southern Song to the present, generations of guardianship, an endless stream of masters, and real names like the Heaven and Earth Society — all of it convinced him completely.

And just then, Tang Wen sighed and said:

"I discovered my father's secret, so I secretly contacted the head of the Dragon Group's South Seas Bureau, codename Night Thirteen.

Night Thirteen took me in to replace my father, and hoped I would use this gold and silver treasure to develop the economy, benefit society, move the wealth of the South Seas back into the country for development, and launch the '1999 Return Project.'

That's why I helped the village set up the fishing company and helped you all build roads — to complete the wealth-transfer goal before 1999.

Developed to the present, the Dragon Group has decided to gradually emerge into the world, and has authorized me to become the new generation's Featherless Arrow, in charge of Echeng affairs.

Village Chief Chen Yonggui of Dawan Village — I see that you are wholeheartedly devoted to the people, giving your all for the villagers, so today I am specially testing you.

Now, on behalf of the Dragon Group, I extend an invitation to you to become an unaffiliated personnel of the Dragon Group Southeast Bureau, assisting in the launch of the Return 1999 Project. Are you willing?"

Chen Yonggui was already dumbstruck. With a start, he answered:

"Willing! I am willing to join the Dragon Group!"

"Good. From today, your codename is Man Tian Huo."

Tang Wen rolled a silver coin in his palm, placed it in Chen Yonggui's hand, and said solemnly:

"Every member participating in the 1999 Return Project will receive 0.5% of this gold and silver after the plan succeeds — roughly twenty million yuan.

And as an unaffiliated personnel I have developed, you can draw a confidentiality allowance of 200 silver coins a month… until the day you die.

But in exchange, you can never voluntarily reveal your identity to others. Otherwise you will face the joint pursuit and killing of Dragon Group's Death God Long Aotian, Wolf Fang Soldier King Xiao Yan, Close-Quarters Agent Huo Yuhao, Flower-Protecting Master Lin Yi, and Down-the-Mountain Divine Doctor Bald Strong — you won't escape even to the ends of the earth.

Have you made your decision!"

"I've decided!"

In the dark of night, standing on the deck of the Yashen, Chen Yonggui was immensely excited, his heart surging.

The 1999 Return Project — just hearing it, it was an extraordinary grand plan. And Dragon Group members even got an allowance — two hundred silver coins!

"I am willing to keep the secret for the country, join the Dragon Group, and never leak it!"

"Featherless Arrow, I will definitely cooperate with the plan's execution, absolutely won't arouse suspicion, absolutely won't let anyone in Dawan Village harbor second thoughts!"

Chen Yonggui's face flushed red, his eyes fixed intently on Tang Wen.

The latter nodded solemnly and said slowly:

"Because of the urgency of the mission, some small gaps are inevitable. You must make good use of your local regional advantages, optimize and innovate your methods, only then can you raise the effectiveness of our work.

Stop always dwelling on supernatural powers — believe in science. Once the tourism village plan is finished, I'll apply to Bureau Chief Night Thirteen to have you converted to full member status, and your allowance will increase by a certain amount. Understood, Man Tian Huo?"

"Yes, Featherless Arrow!"