Chapter Seventy-Four: Sometimes, Ignorance Is Bliss

"Hello, old man!"

At the very moment Bai’s voice sounded, the Supreme Leader saw a three-dimensional projection, resembling Lan Tian in appearance, suddenly appear and materialize before him.

"I am an intelligent being from the Realm of Yuanlan, a moderate cosmic nation. You may call me Bai." Bai stretched lazily, greeting the Supreme Leader with casual indifference.

Originating from the vast universe, Bai had no intention of showing any reverence to the leader of a mere indigenous planet.

"It... it’s an intelligent life form? A true living being? Not artificial intelligence?" The Supreme Leader, his face full of astonishment, fired off several questions in succession.

"Nonsense. Natives are always ignorant! I am capable of independent thought and learning. Don’t compare me to the so-called artificial intelligence on your Earth; those are nothing but heaps of data. Such things, I, Lord Bai, could create by the millions with a wave of my hand!" Bai glanced at the Supreme Leader with some displeasure, snorting as he spoke.

"Ahem, Bai, mind your manners!" Lan Tian couldn’t bear to watch any longer. This was the highest leader of Huaxia, after all. If outsiders saw Bai addressing him in such a manner, who knew what kind of trouble it might spark.

"It’s fine, it’s fine," the Supreme Leader waved it off, his curiosity piqued. "So, Bai, can you tell me what the Yuanlan Empire you speak of really is?"

"You wouldn’t understand even if I explained. It’s better to show you directly." Bai shook his head, unwilling to elaborate further. Apart from Lan Tian and Wang Ling, Bai always maintained a cold and proud demeanor before outsiders.

With that, Bai projected a stellar map of the universe in three dimensions. Unlike the simplified map on the virtual network’s official website, this was a complete version. To make the reality clear to the Supreme Leader, Bai especially marked Earth’s position, its distance from the Yuanlan Empire, the boundaries of that empire, and several neighboring cosmic nations. As the map unfolded, Bai narrated the might of these empires, the power of their advanced weaponry, the strength of their people—nothing was left unsaid.

Even Lan Tian himself was struck with awe every time he saw this cosmic map, let alone the Supreme Leader, who was seeing it for the first time. As Bai spoke, cold sweat beaded on the leader’s forehead; his eyes were fixed on the map, comparing the tiny, sesame-sized Milky Way to the vast expanse of the Yuanlan Empire. Reflecting on Earth’s insignificance within the galaxy, he seemed possessed, muttering under his breath.

"No... Impossible... Impossible... How could it be..."

He repeated this phrase over and over, then turned to Lan Tian with hopeful eyes, as if wishing Lan Tian would tell him that none of this was real.

"Leader, that is Earth’s position in the universe. Without magnification, it’s utterly invisible..." Lan Tian sighed, then continued, "As much as I hate to say it, I must regretfully inform you that even this cosmic map is but a tiny corner of the endless universe..."

"My God! Like a frog at the bottom of a well! So, the whole of humanity is but as insignificant as dust... And to think we were so conceited, even foolishly believing Earth was the only world with intelligent life! How ridiculous..."

"And yet we keep fighting among ourselves—nations, regimes, even factions within a single nation, locked in endless strife. It’s utterly absurd!" Though the Supreme Leader was a man seasoned by great events, he recovered swiftly and accepted the brutal truth.

"Lan, why are you only telling me now! If we had remained ignorant, so be it, but now that we know, we must do something for the future of Earth’s people! We can’t just keep deceiving ourselves..." The Supreme Leader looked solemnly at Lan Tian. "Bai is right—Earth could be discovered by cosmic powers at any moment. No one can guarantee their intentions; if they come in peace, all is well, but if they come with malice... our world’s fate would be unimaginable!"

"I know. But you also understand that, faced with such overwhelming disparity in power, numbers are meaningless. Only quality can prevail. That’s why I feel it’s not yet time to reveal the truth to everyone. For one, it would be futile; and for another, it could cause unnecessary panic. Surely you recall the chaos that swept the globe with the 2012 apocalypse prophecy?" Lan Tian nodded. "It’s the same reason now. Sometimes, ignorance truly is bliss..."

"You’re right, Lan. No—Mr. Lan. I ask you, I implore you, do your utmost for Earth’s future. Grow stronger. Only then can we prevent our home planet from becoming someone else’s colony, or worse... a world of slaves!" The Supreme Leader fixed Lan Tian with a deep gaze, then suddenly stood and bowed. "As for your training rooms, rest assured, once you introduce them, we will pilot the project in Huaxia without reservation or hesitation. The nation will support you with everything it has!"

"Leader, you honor me. I am but one among Earth’s people, and of course I will strive for my home. With you now sharing this knowledge, the burden on me is much lighter." Lan Tian, seeing the Supreme Leader’s resolve, sought to ease the heavy mood in the conference room with a smile. "Besides, there’s no need to be too pessimistic. We’ve gotten this far; in the near term, the odds of Earth being discovered are low. Perhaps we may go unnoticed for a long time yet."

"I understand your reasoning, but we must prepare early. We can’t rely on luck; otherwise, when the real crisis comes, it will be too late to act..." The Supreme Leader remained deeply concerned, urging caution.

"Don’t worry. As Bai just said, while I may not be exceptional by cosmic standards, my comprehension is decent. I will devote myself to cultivation, and strive to one day lead Earth to integrate into the universe on our own terms," Lan Tian promised.

"Good! With your word, I am reassured. You are a son of Huaxia, and though I can’t speak for others, our nation will always be your most loyal support!" The Supreme Leader nodded.

Afterwards, Lan Tian and the Supreme Leader discussed in detail the feasibility of rolling out global cultivation. On the Supreme Leader’s advice, Lan Tian decided against opening the training rooms to all of Huaxia at once, opting instead to pilot the program within the military and public security forces before extending it to the broader public.

After all, once people gained power, not everyone would be able to remain true to their nature. Without the firm control of the military and the police, society itself might fall into chaos.