Redemption of a Born Demon

Chapter 207 - 194: Fanning the Flames, Fostering the Great Trend, Declaring the Manifesto

With a push from the authorities behind the scenes, similar opinions quickly spread among the populace and became the mainstream. Dissenting and questioning voices were either censored or suppressed.

This was the method the relevant authorities used to handle Yi Beidou’s defection.

The government could not get directly involved in this matter. Without this cover, Yi Beidou’s actions abroad would escalate to the national level and cause a great deal of trouble.

Public opinion, however, was a different story.

By simply manipulating the direction of public discourse, they could change the nature of the entire situation and cover up the impact of Yi Beidou’s defection.

In the future, if Yi Beidou were to die in battle abroad, the people would only see him as a lone hero. The domestic Martial Arts Realm would then channel its grief and indignation into strength, striving to improve even more.

And if Yi Beidou won victory after victory, advancing triumphantly, Donghua could leverage this Great Trend to galvanize the national spirit and bolster the people’s confidence. It was a win-win situation.

Sure enough, after similar narratives spread rapidly online, the tide of public opinion immediately shifted.

"I knew it! If Mr. Yi really defected, why would he show up in Japan at a time like this? Just in time to disrupt Japan’s All Martial Arts Conference? It was all a self-sacrificing ploy!!"

"SOB... Mr. Yi has made such a difficult choice. To think he’d be willing to abandon his status and reputation for all of Donghua, tarnishing his own name and putting himself in grave danger... I’m crying."

"It’s all our fault for not being strong enough, forcing a hero like him to take such a desperate measure. Comrades, we still need to work harder."

"’Though a thousand may stand against me, I will go on!’ One man against an entire country—now that’s a man at the pinnacle of humanity! That’s my true idol!"

"It sounds really badass, but it’s just too dangerous. He’s in a foreign land, all alone and without support. I really hope he doesn’t try to show off and prioritizes his own safety instead."

"..."

For a time, with the push from the relevant authorities, not only did Yi Beidou’s reputation in the country not fall after the news of his defection broke, but it actually skyrocketed.

A huge number of citizens began using various methods to get past the firewall and follow the latest developments in Japan.

The power of one man challenging an entire nation—and Japan, of all countries, a bitter historical rival of Donghua—how could something like that not make their blood boil with excitement?

「Wencheng. Xu Group.」

"Beidou..."

Xu Yao and her daughter, Xu Zifeng, had only just learned of Yi Beidou’s defection and that he was now in Japan.

On one hand, they were worried for Yi Beidou’s safety; on the other, they were also concerned about the future of their Xu Group.

After all, the Xu Group’s recent rapid growth was largely due to its association with Yi Beidou.

"You don’t need to worry about the Xu Group for now. Forget a mere defection—even if *he* committed crimes against humanity, as long as he lives and breathes in this world, no one would dare touch a single hair on the Xu Group."

Xiao Taoming said in a deep voice.

This was not just mere consolation. Regardless of whether the online rumors were true or if Yi Beidou’s defection was a self-sacrificing ploy, the deterrent power of such a man was unparalleled.

Especially now. Without a country to bind him, Yi Beidou had even fewer scruples.

If a man like that was determined to retaliate wantonly, his destructive power could be comparable to a nuclear bomb.

As long as Yi Beidou lived, no one would dare to harm anyone connected to him.

"Cousin... is he really going to be okay?"

Xu Zifeng said in a low voice.

What she really wanted to ask was whether Yi Beidou could actually survive, but she felt that saying it out loud would be too ominous.

In just the last six months, she had grown a great deal while helping Xu Yao manage the company’s affairs, but she still couldn’t even glimpse Yi Beidou’s shadow. Everything he did was far beyond her imagination.

’One man against an entire country?!’

’It was something straight out of a fantasy, completely unheard of. In the thousands of years of human history, no one had ever done it.’

"I don’t know. Who could say for sure? Do you remember what he said the last time we met?"

Xiao Taoming said.

*Some things must be cut off when the time comes. Don’t let wealth and luxury blind you, only then can you ensure your safety...*

Xu Yao and Xu Zifeng immediately recalled the words Yi Beidou had spoken during their last meeting.

’Perhaps, even back then, Yi Beidou was already preparing to do something like this?’

「Mount Emei.」

Zhou Qingchen was still consolidating her Ascension Technique in preparation for her upcoming "Crossing the Tribulation" when she was quickly informed by a disciple of the Emei Sect about what had happened in Japan.

’One man versus one nation, challenging the unprecedented to break through unprecedented limits... is this the path you’ve chosen?’

Zhou Qingchen murmured to herself.

Even she had not expected the path Yi Beidou walked to be so brutally domineering.

This also intensified the sense of urgency in her heart.

While many might see a dead end ahead for Yi Beidou, she had an intuitive feeling that he would undoubtedly succeed.

’Looks like I’ll have to speed things up as well.’

「Starry Sky Country, Texas.」

「Starship Launch Base.」

Devi was standing at the starship assembly site.

"Mr. Devi, I believe you’ll be very interested in this news."

The owner of the Starship Launch Base, the current richest man in the Starry Sky Country, Marsco, walked up from behind and handed a tablet to Devi.

Devi took it and glanced at it, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"One man versus one nation? An interesting path for Cultivation, indeed. But families and nations are merely fleeting clouds, destined to be phased out by the evolution of civilization. Our future does not lie in fixating on families and nations, but in the sea of stars, does it not?"