Chapter 361: You're not as good as him

Wang Man hadn't done anything special in private, and even though the Wan Long Palace was now full of the enforcement squads set up by Wang Chao and his men, did he still have to politely salute and make way for himself?

"Wang Man."

Hearing a familiar voice, Wang Man turned his head and saw an acquaintance.

"Wang Chao? Oh, you're so idle today you have time to stroll the streets?" Wang Man chuckled.

Wang Chao looked at him and smiled: "If you're free, want to take a walk?"

Wang Man shrugged: "Then let's go."

Although he didn't know what Wang Chao meant by coming to see him at this time, Wang Man knew they weren't on the same path, so he had to be cautious in everything.

As Wang Chao passed by, the surrounding Dragon People excitedly waved and shouted, "Chief, good!"

"Hello, everyone."

"Chief, you've worked hard."

"No hardship, just keep busy with your own affairs."

Wang Man watched this scene and always felt something was off.

It was as if Wang Chao had deliberately arranged these actors, yet the Dragon People did this instinctively the moment they saw Wang Chao.

Wang Man smiled: "It seems everyone still respects you a lot, Wang Chao."

"I too am now the chief of the Dragon People; aside from you not being usable by me, the entire Dragon People is developing in a good direction."

Saying this, Wang Chao saw a few children running over holding unique flowers that grew in the sea, and handed them to him: "Chief, this is for you, thank you."

"It's I who should thank you." Wang Chao took the flowers and smiled.

Wang Man looked at a Dragon Person on the side; that Dragon Person's heart jumped, and he immediately darted into the alley.

Wang Chao happily said: "Look, even the children know I'm doing good deeds."

"Huh?" Wang Man watched Wang Chao excitedly show off the flowers in his hand, as if they were some tremendous treasure, feeling a bit strange: "You..."

"What's wrong? Isn't this how it should be?" Wang Chao laughed.

I see, that's just how superficial work is, right?

Wang Man chuckled: "So what exactly do you want from me?"

"I just want you to see." Wang Chao looked around and said: "Everyone has shaken off their lazy state; speaking of which, it's because Yan Buji gave them medicine—I don't deny that's a good method—but his later actions make me uneasy."

Wang Man scoffed: "Aren't you also running a gambling house, gathering these people's hard‑earned wages, and even ordering some to cheat?"

"That's different." Wang Chao shook his head: "I'll get them moving—whether hunting or working—so at least they won't spend their days doing nothing. And as long as they take action, the Dragon People will surely have a day of growth."

Wang Man froze, staring at Wang Chao in surprise: "You... have become all talk and no heart now."

Wang Chao chuckled: "I've always been like this."

"So what? In private you spread that Yan Dao friend is a bad person, while you are the true chief leading the Dragon People toward revival. How about that? In my view, your methods are almost the same, yet you fall short of Yan Dao friend."

Wang Chao frowned: "What?"

Wang Man smiled: "Yan Dao friend is the true king, while you lack the crucial means."

Having said that, Wang Man quickened his steps, turned his head to look at Wang Chao: "Soon, Yan Dao friend will let you see what it means for a great building to be on the verge of collapse—only a moment away. Likewise, a true king will not abandon necessary means for the sake of his reputation; in my view, Yan Dao friend is the one to do it, and he will do it better."

Wang Chao watched Wang Man leave, standing in place silent for a long time.

Immediately, Wang Chao smiled: "Well then, I'll have to learn from you."

After a long while.

Wang Man arrived at Yan Buji's residence, saw Yan Buji organizing some books, and asked: "Yan Dao friend, what are you doing?"

"Just idling away, organizing the books I previously collected."

Wang Man walked over, glanced a few times: "Daoist canon, Buddhist sutras, mysterious texts, historical collections... Yan Dao friend, you have broad interests."

Yan Buji, while organizing the books, asked: "Anything the matter?"

"Wang Chao is now trapped in a strange environment." Wang Man said: "Those around him can get by just by flattering him, and Wang Chao himself is enjoying this atmosphere full of praise."

Yan Buji's eyes shifted, he smiled: "He knows it deep down, but they probably ran into serious trouble."

"Trouble?" Wang Man looked puzzled: "Is it because of resource allocation issues?"

"No, this is just a small matter, as they say. Resource shortage is merely growing pains; there are still plenty of spirit stone mines, so they won't run out now. But if they can't find new resources, they won't even be able to maintain the current situation." Yan Buji said lightly.

"So..."

"Either they find a way to leave the Boundless Sea Trench, or they can only descend into the inner seven layers—but neither option is something they can accomplish."

Wang Man's heart sank: "If that's the case, when we take over in twenty years, won't we be..."

"But don't forget, there's still that priest." Yan Buji held the book and began to flip through it.

"The Dragon People's ancestors shouldn't have failed to explore the entire Boundless Sea Trench; perhaps there are also resource sites elsewhere, we just don't know. Although the priest has always been slack, if he gives Wang Chao this information, our plan will only be prolonged."

Yan Buji looked at Wang Man beside him and continued: "Wang Chao understands deep down that the Dragon People now lack long‑term sustainable resources, and being trapped in the isolated Boundless Sea Trench makes development impossible, so the only option is to find a way to leave here."

"Can leaving this place be done?" Wang Man pondered for a long time.

"Before that, I need to make the entire Dragon People submit to me."

Yan Buji rose and said: "Let's begin. Wang Man, you can go out and announce that I, Yan Buji, can teach everyone how to refine pills and artifacts for free!"

"Ah?" Wang Man stunned: "This.... will anyone be willing to come? No, aren't you afraid Wang Chao will deliberately send people to learn your skills and then strengthen them?"

"I want them to learn, and the faster the better." Yan Buji laughed.

Skills are hard to copy, and pill and artifact refinement are even more so. Not to mention these two, which of the hundred arts of cultivation doesn't consume resources?

Yan Buji doing this is precisely to accelerate the Dragon People's resource consumption, thereby forcing Wang Chao to reveal his trump cards.

Otherwise, if Yan Buji didn't know how many trump cards Wang Chao had when he fell, wanting to seize the entire Dragon People would not be so simple.

Relying solely on Wang Chao and his men making mistakes would ultimately be too slow; as long as we can accelerate resource consumption to intensify the contradictions of the distribution system, the Dragon People will surely rise in revolt sooner or later.

By then, it will be the time for Yan Buji to truly take action.