Versatile Mage: Get the Desert Emperor clone at the start

Chapter 467 Shao Zheng's Speculation, Destroying All Information

Throughout the meeting, Qin Xiaonan maintained a near-observer-like silence.

He sat quietly in his assigned spot.

He did not offer any substantive opinions on Shao Zheng's harsh analysis, the heated debates among the military commanders and family heads, or even their pessimistic views.

When the final document concerning the "Spark" decentralization plan was delivered to him, he calmly went through the signing process, just like everyone else.

This detached calm did not stem from indifference or ignorance, but rather from the fact that he was the one who started this global storm.

Azir's expedition, the rise of the Sun Disc, the activation of the Bipolar Universe Array...

The ultimate author of all these grand events is none other than him, sitting right here in the human decision-making circle.

After Azir, with the help of the Dragon King, conquered or incorporated all the powerful demon empires on Earth.

He made no plans for Aristocracy, especially for China, the country that gave him birth and raised him.

His true form is, in the end, human.

This land contains the culture he is familiar with, the city he runs, and his network of connections.

He seeks power and order that transcends dimensions, not indiscriminate destruction.

Turning his homeland into scorched earth was neither his original intention nor meaningful.

Qin Xiaonan's next target has already been set on that equally vast and mysterious summoning plane.

However, unlike her understanding of the Dark Dimension, Qin Xiaonan's knowledge of the Summoning Dimension was relatively limited.

He had not awakened summoning magic and had little knowledge of it.

All he knew was that it was a unique and vast existence, no less than the Dark Dimension, containing terrifying areas like the Valley of Ten Thousand Dragons, and harboring unimaginably powerful beings and resources.

Conquering that place is what he needs to do next.

Just as he was about to leave with the crowd, a voice rang out behind him.

"Lord Qin, please wait a moment."

It's Shao Zheng.

The Grand Speaker had appeared behind him at some point, his face bearing a complex and enigmatic expression.

With the rise of the new city's power and the astonishing strength displayed by its subordinates, such as Malzahar, Qin Xiaonan's actual status has long surpassed that of ordinary family heads, and he is respectfully addressed as "City Lord" by various forces.

Qin Xiaonan stopped and turned around to ask, "Speaker, is there anything else you need to tell me?"

Shao Zheng didn't answer immediately, but instead made an inviting gesture: "Shall we... talk alone?"

Qin Xiaonan's eyes flickered slightly, and she nodded.

The two walked into a reception room one after the other. The room was not large, with only a simple table and three chairs.

Shao Zheng closed the door, his sharp gaze fixed on Qin Xiaonan, and asked bluntly, "Qin Xiaonan, do you really have nothing to say about the 'Spark' defense plan that was finalized at the meeting just now?"

“Throughout the entire process, I noticed that you remained almost entirely silent.”

He paused, his tone carrying a probing and a hint of scrutiny: "Moreover, your new city is built on the edge of Shanghai, one of the areas closest to potential threats from the ocean."

"Logically, you should be the one among us who feels the most urgency and concern."

“But I can’t see the slightest bit of panic in you, not even… basic anxiety.”

Shao Zheng leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, "The current situation has become so critical that it threatens the very survival of magical civilization."

"Qin Xiaonan, if there's anything you couldn't say during the meeting, or if you have any... unique insights or information, now that it's just the two of us here."

"I hope you can be honest with me and not have any reservations." Qin Xiaonan fell silent after hearing Shao Zheng's words, as if he was weighing his options and making calculations.

In the closed room, only the soft breathing of the two people could be heard.

Five minutes later, Qin Xiaonan slowly raised her head and met Shao Zheng's expectant and scrutinizing gaze.

"Speaker, there are some things I can say, but I have one condition."

"What I'm about to say, whatever your reaction, I hope it's only between the two of us. It must not be recorded, divulged, or known to a third person. Can you guarantee that?"

Shao Zheng's pupils contracted slightly.

From Qin Xiaonan's tone and eyes, he sensed a seriousness and...danger far beyond his expectations.

He took a deep breath and nodded heavily: "As the Speaker of the National Assembly of China, I assure you that the conversation here today, which came from your mouth and entered my ears, will not be known to any third party."

Then Qin Xiaonan slowly spoke.

……

About thirty minutes later, the door to the reception room was gently pushed open from the inside.

Qin Xiaonan walked out with a normal expression, still looking calm and composed.

He nodded slightly to the staff waiting outside the door, then left with a composed gait.

Shao Zheng, however, did not come out immediately from the conference room.

He sat alone in that chair, his back to the door and his face to the empty wall.

His body seemed frozen in time, with only his clenched fists and slightly heaving chest revealing the intense turmoil he was experiencing inside.

His eyes were filled with disbelief and shock, a sense of disorientation, and a complex emotion that was hard to describe, a mixture of fear and a faint glimmer of hope.

They sat there quietly, as if they had turned into a sculpture.

Three hours passed silently.

It wasn't until night began to fall that Shao Zheng seemed to wake up from a long dream.

He slowly stood up, walked to the communicator, and pressed an encrypted channel.

“It’s me, Shao Zheng.”

"Immediately execute the highest-level command: completely destroy all investigation materials and analysis reports related to Qin Xiaonan, including her background, upbringing, social relationships, and all information related to the establishment of the new city before and after her birth! Ensure that there are no backups left."

His tone was firm and unwavering, brooking no argument:

"At the same time, a gag order was issued, prohibiting any department or individual from conducting any investigation or spying on Qin Xiaonan and her related forces in any form, effective immediately."

After issuing the order, Shao Zheng slowly sat back down in his chair.

He closed his eyes wearily, his mind replaying the words Qin Xiaonan had said to him in those thirty minutes... words that were enough to overturn the entire world's understanding.

He had indeed been secretly ordering the intelligence department to investigate Qin Xiaonan.

Because this young man rose to prominence too quickly and possessed too strange power, completely exceeding the scope of "totem guardian" or "gifted individual".

He had initially thought that Qin Xiaonan might be backed by some hidden, ancient organization.

But now, Shao Zheng realizes that he had underestimated this young man.

Qin Xiaonan didn't reveal much information, but every point she made was like a heavy hammer blow to the foundation of Shao Zheng's understanding.

(End of this chapter)