Chapter 21: The Struggle for Fame

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On the sixteenth floor of the bunker, inside the conference room of the Level Seven building.

The meeting was still in progress.

“Are we really going to give such excellent medicine to the people on the lower levels? You should all understand very clearly… what these medicines are worth.”

“We have plenty of Level Five medicine, yet even that cannot resolve the plague afflicting the lower levels.”

The speaker was the director of Bureau Five of the Bunker Administration. The director of Bureau One had once been her superior.

In private, the two had experimented with all manner of novel games—things so outrageous that even the Desire Tower would have found them astonishing.

Naturally, the youngest bureau director in history was very good at divining Director One’s intentions.

Level Five medicine could restore injuries, healing a person by a fixed percentage.

It could be said that Level Five medicine was precious as well. But, first, its effects were relatively slow, and second, it was almost useless against disease.

Level Four medicine could deal only with minor illnesses and injuries. Beginning with Level Three medicine, and including all lower grades, the drugs fell into the category of medicines that, according to human understanding, were effective only against certain illnesses and wounds.

Of course, Level Seven medicine must also exist. Some had even speculated that it might be the “elixir” sought by the emperors of ancient times.

At present, the meaning of this still-charming female director, now in her early thirties, was perfectly clear:

“Are the people on the lower levels truly worth consuming medicine this good?”

“Not long ago, our people reached the bunker’s second level. Among them are doctors, as well as peacekeeping troops from the Security Bureau.”

“Everyone, although we have a great deal of this medicine, and it can indeed ease the current plague crisis… what about next time?”

“This time it is the lower levels. But what if next time it is us? Our lives are not comparable to those of the people below.”

“Without us, the bunker would descend into chaos.”

Silence.

After the female director finished speaking, many people wore thoughtful expressions.

The deputy director of the Bunker Security Bureau frowned slightly. The sixth director of the Security Bureau, however, had turned livid.

After more than ten seconds of silence, the sixth director finally shot back:

“According to our investigation, this plague cannot be eliminated by any medicine used in the past.”

“Everyone, do you know what that means?”

No one spoke.

The sixth director of the Security Bureau continued:

“It means this may very well be a harbinger of the Great Devouring. Otherwise, where do you think a plague of this magnitude came from? Before the Great Devouring arrives, it is always accompanied by disasters.”

“This is completely different from that infectious disease caused by some man screwing another man’s ass.”

“Obviously, this is a natural-disaster warning that the Great Devouring is approaching!”

“Yes, of course your lives are precious, while the lives of those below are worthless. At least judging by the present situation, if the people on the lower levels die, then they die.”

“But do not forget that without those people… the Bunker Security Bureau’s field operations division would have no fresh blood.”

“And once the Great Devouring arrives, not one of you will escape. You, you, and you.”

He paused deliberately, his gaze passing first over the third director of the Security Bureau, then over the fifth director of the Administration.

Under ordinary circumstances, several directors would never have swallowed such an insult. But at the mention of the Great Devouring, their faces went deathly pale.

The second director understood. There really did have to be an external enemy.

Sometimes, human unity still depended on pressure from outside.

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Were the Three Towers a source of pressure? No. The monsters within the towers would never enter the bunker.

In the eyes of the upper levels, the Three Towers were merely farmland—or, more precisely, a forest available for hunting.

What they truly feared was the Great Devouring, a disaster capable of directly affecting the bunker.

“Of course our lives are worth more than those of the people below. But do not forget one thing: the people below serve us as well.”

“What I mean is, we still have to save them.”

The second director of the Security Bureau smoothed things over, his gaze turning toward the first director of the Administration.

The first director nodded.

“The Great Devouring is indeed terrifying. We truly cannot afford to lose the main force exploring the Three Towers from the lower levels.”

“In that case, arrange for the most knowledgeable doctors to begin distributing the medicine as quickly as possible. Organize treatment for them, conducted in our name by the upper levels.”

Once he finished speaking, the fifth director of the Administration immediately understood.

“I see. I will contact the Bunker Media Bureau and have them intensify their publicity for this treatment campaign.”

The sixth director of the Security Bureau wore an expression of disgust.

In principle, the medicine had been brought by a child named Wen Xishu.

But from this point onward, it would probably be advertised as a contribution of the upper levels.

The second director of the Security Bureau wore a broad smile, though everyone knew that this plump director was a master of hiding knives behind a smile.

The Security Bureau was taking credit for another’s gift, while the people were receiving treatment. That was a good thing. But the second director did not want anyone else to learn the secret of Wen Chaohua.

To climb even higher at the summit of power, one sometimes had to become more selfish. Only then might one have a chance, in this lifetime, to come into contact with the Council of Elders.

He yearned too desperately for advancement.

At present, both the Security Bureau and the Administration had decided to save the people. But Wen Xishu and the others had not changed their stance.

Therefore, he had to find a way to use outside forces to free Wen Xishu from the first director’s control.

The second director silently stroked the bracelet around his wrist, waiting for his subordinates to set things in motion. His smile grew ever more benevolent.

…

…

Wen Xishu was suffering.

The first stage of the interrogation was sleep deprivation.

Fatigue interrogation consisted of asking Wen Xishu all kinds of questions over and over again, repeating them endlessly, then using one or two inconsistencies to gradually destroy the other person’s logic.

But Wen Xishu’s reasoning was not destroyed. On the contrary, he infuriated the interrogator thoroughly.

“Wen Xishu, don’t think you can get away with pretending to be insane. This time, the upper levels do not care whether your mind is damaged.”

Wen Xishu looked at him, then suddenly spoke.

“You’re with the Security Bureau?”

“Of course.”

“Have Liu Jinsen interrogate me instead. The results might be better.”

“Then let me tell you this: I am Xie Changfeng of Bureau One of the Bunker Security Bureau. My rank is higher than Liu Jinsen’s.”

Xie Changfeng sounded rather pleased as he mentioned his rank.

“The people from Bureaus Two and Six are all shameless climbers who care only about ascending the towers. Especially the people from Bureau Six. They have no right to interrogate you.”

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Wen Xishu nodded.

“Then why don’t you use those other things after all? Truth serum would work better than you. I have nothing to say to you.”

“Your interrogation techniques are like a woman’s.”

“Really. Either bring Liu Jinsen in, or use the serum. Don’t force yourself. Or perhaps you could dance and disgust me a little? I might even tell you something. But if you want to play mind games with me…”

Wen Xishu did not finish. He merely gave a derisive little snort.

By now, he had learned a few things. Just as he had suspected, the Bunker Security Bureau was far from united, and the six bureaus held complicated and conflicting positions.

That meant his chances of survival had grown somewhat.

But he also understood that this interrogator harbored a certain hatred for the Wen family, and that he might not be able to hold out much longer.

After all, the truth serum would instantly shatter his mental defenses.

So Wen Xishu planned to provoke the man with his words, first establishing the logic that using truth serum meant he was incompetent. In this way, he could delay the moment when the drug broke through his defenses.

Xie Changfeng was indeed provoked. He began beating Wen Xishu, cursing him with filthy language all the while. But…

He could not outcurse Wen Xishu.

As far as Wen Xishu was concerned, being beaten was nothing.

He memorized the name of Xie Changfeng, whose rank was higher than Liu Jinsen’s.

He would simply return the blows twofold in the future.

…

…

Wen Xishu was being interrogated by people from Bureau Three of the Bunker Security Bureau.

Meanwhile, on the second level, Bureau Three of the Bunker Security Bureau and Bureau Five of the Bunker Administration had not forgotten to profit from Wen Xishu.

Once the upper-level officials in the conference room had finalized their policy, the doctors on the second level quickly began entering the hospitals. After a brief assignment of duties, they started distributing the medicine.

Before long, publicity campaigns had begun on the second level as well.

“Our Bunker Administration and Bunker Security Bureau have been working tirelessly to resolve this plague crisis.”

“We stand heart to heart with everyone. We will always serve you!”

“Serving our fellow citizens on the lower levels is our unchanging mission!”

Twenty-four vehicles equipped with loudspeakers drove around, broadcasting the message without pause.

Following the directions, people gradually made their way to the entrance of the Level Six medical facility, where they formed a long, winding queue.

They were all patients waiting for treatment.

But something unexpected happened to the upper levels: the people were not grateful to them.

No matter how the upper levels promoted themselves, the moment the patients received the medicine, there was no denying that it “belonged to Wen Xishu.”

That was the best publicity of all.

What the upper levels had failed to anticipate was that publicity for Wen Xishu had actually begun even earlier than their own decision.

And it all began with an insignificant little figure.