Chapter 343: Departure Imminent

Serving the Empire, it has now been nearly a month since its founding.

Unlike the wild, desolate state of its earliest days.

After this period of construction, the entire nation has taken clear shape, successfully sprinting into the information age.

Even after Fang Can departs, they can guarantee replicating today’s industry and innovating beyond it.

The future backbone of the Empire, chosen by Fang Can, have already begun trial governance across the planet a week ahead of schedule.

The results are middling; the Empire operates steadily and orderly.

After all, Fang Can merely appointed these positions at random.

But the great hand of destiny happened to place exactly the right person in each role he designated.

Unlike the transparent thoughts of commoners, Fang Can did not open the minds of these future pillars of the Empire.

These future Empresses and regional governors differ greatly from the transparent-minded populace.

Somewhere among the people, someone coined the term “Wall-Seekers” for these officials, and it spread rapidly.

Let the “Wall-Seekers” lead us, the “Three-Body People”!

Though similarly closed-minded as the martial artists,

since they were personally chosen by Fang Can, the people’s acceptance of them remains tolerable—not as wary as toward other martial artists.

Now what they fear is: what will the situation become after Fang Can leaves?

As the final moment arrived, the Empire’s citizens, having worked passionately for thirty days, simultaneously paused their labor to listen for the Sacred Voice.

After all, this is Fang Can’s final speech before departure.

With the final three-minute countdown ending the trial of the Mind Network,

every citizen’s vision filled with Fang Can’s figure—a handsome man with white hair trailing to his waist.

Unlike his previous exposed form, now he wore silk robes, his expression softened, the hostility gone from his eyes.

Beyond the heavens, through the Mind Network’s transmission, the martial artists stood solemn, but their inner thoughts remained unknown.

Facing the gaze of the entire world, Fang Can smiled and announced:

“Today marks the thirtieth day since I founded the Serving Empire—and the day I officially depart.”

“First, I am deeply pleased that this Empire has achieved such remarkable progress in thirty days—far beyond my expectations.”

“This is not my achievement, nor should you sing my praises.”

“Remember always: I never participated in construction; I provided only a platform to unite you and a portion of knowledge.”

“From start to finish, every brick and tile of the Serving Empire is the labor of you, the workers.”

“Both martial artists and commoners contributed their strength.”

“I, this Immortal Master, have instead wasted considerable human resources.”

“To me, it was like a gamer—just a click of the mouse, watching the progress bar slowly fill.”

“But this is no game; every building and device is built from the sweat of your people.”

…

At the final moment of departure, Fang Can did not act as he had during his rule—with brutality.

Instead, he smiled, praising every individual of the Empire.

In this past month, every commoner contributed their strength.

After granting relative equality, their initiative reached its peak.

As the young man spoke, each person felt not only pride in building the Empire, but also a faint self-reproach.

They felt they had not worked hard enough these past thirty days, ashamed to accept the Immortal Master’s praise.

Simultaneously, through the Mind Network, snowflakes of pleas and entreaties to stay flooded toward Fang Can—but all were rejected by the Mind Network for various reasons.

As his speech concluded, Fang Can gently waved his hand, and a voice sounded in each person’s ear.

【Fang Can Mind Network service has officially ended. Thank you for your use.】

【Before parting, may every day of your future be good morning, good afternoon, good evening!】

After these final words were spoken, every person present felt a sudden emptiness in their chest, and the previously noisy inner voices vanished entirely.

They were released from the state of mental resonance; relationships between people reverted to isolated islands.

Unconsciously, some pressed their chests, feeling hollow.

The bond, so familiar over the past thirty days, was severed completely.

“Immortal Master? Are you still there?” someone asked instinctively.

But this time, no answer came to their minds—only silence in the Mind Network awaited them.

Only then did some realize: from now on, the one who daily woke them, urged them to rest properly, was gone.

…

Beyond the heavens, as the livestream cut off,

thousands of white crystals scattered across low Earth orbit moved toward Fang Can at visible speed.

Far away, watching these crystals streak across the sky at supersonic speeds, several fourth-transformation martial artists wore expressions of unprecedented wariness.

For each crystal contained the power of a half-step fifth-transformation.

Without unyielding resolve, they could not fathom how Fang Can’s severed body parts still retained vitality.

Theoretically, these martial artists’ bodies are centered on the mind.

Once a living body is severed, the flesh becomes mere dead matter—no emotional fluctuations, merely a rapidly decaying lump.

They could never achieve Fang Can’s level of a human-computer network.

‘Yet… finally, the Immortal Master can leave…’

Watching the crystals hurtle past in low Earth orbit, some martial artists flickered with obscure, unreadable glints in their eyes.

Had Fang Can not dragged them into space, they might still be mingling with mortals on the ground.

Though the Republic isn’t bad, ruling the people offers them far greater freedom.

This world must have hierarchy.

Otherwise, why endure the hardship of winter training in the coldest months and summer training in the hottest?

These Heaven-Path martial artists can effortlessly survive in space, detached from the biosphere.

Some have already planned to establish a paradise on the Moon.

Then set this sixth-transformation-restricted star as the lower realm to be worshipped by them.

Fang Can opened his palm, and the countless crystals began to contract visibly inward.

Like a compressed file, before the astonished eyes of the martial artists,

the computer formed from his body parts waved gently, and thousands of crystals merged into a single black bracelet hanging on his wrist.

“A minor application of spatial structure,” Fang Can explained, then smiled. “I am leaving. The entire Empire now rests in your hands—do not disappoint my expectations.”

“Of course, Master, rest assured,” Yang Xiao and the other fourth-transformation martial artists suddenly patted their chests in pledge—though their true thoughts remained unknown.

“Then, until we meet again.”

Fang Can waved his hand lightly, and in the next instant, his body reappeared silently before Ying Han.

(End of Chapter)