The modern world is like a sieve (11): 

The official holding the phone looked astonished, a bit dazed. Like most of the people present, he had not yet recovered from the earlier panic.

But his professional training remained. He quickly picked up the phone and said to the president of Country G on the other end, “We have already resolved the issue with the intelligent AI. May I ask if the riots of machines in your country have ceased?”

The person on the other end was clearly overwhelmed with excitement, speaking endlessly. The official smiled and nodded repeatedly, saying it was all right, that they were all human beings, and in times of crisis they ought to share in hardships together.

Then, following the president’s request, he put the phone on speaker. The president’s voice came through, hoarse and choked, yet extremely fervent as he poured out his gratitude to Si Qi.

It was easy to imagine the immense psychological pressure he had borne before, facing that sudden army of machines, gritting his teeth as he ordered soldiers to fight robots to the death, feeling bitter and helpless.

But now, with the crisis over, he had never been so grateful for the decision he made just minutes earlier—to risk embarrassment and publicly request help from Hua Nation instead of stubbornly holding out and making pointless sacrifices.

Perhaps too agitated, the president spoke at length, lavishly praising Hua Nation and praising Si Qi, with deep emotion in his words.

Some viewers, who had only been frightened by false alarms while sitting in front of their screens, grew increasingly annoyed as they listened.

Some even maliciously wrote comments:
“Isn’t this just Hua Nation and Country G staging a show together?”
“Using a pre-recorded silly video to fool everyone like this!”
“Does Hua Nation want to use this method to suggest how powerful it is? All I feel is ridiculous!”
“That so-called cultivator’s farce—are they trying to tell the whole world that Hua Nation only needs to move its fingers and tap a keyboard to solve what no other country could? Ha, I’ll never believe such nonsense!”
“And those zombies before too—just have an actor put on makeup, film a video, then tell us it’s a potential doomsday threat. And Hua Nation captures it right away, selling the whole world a favor to make us grateful!”
“Hua Nation is shameless.”

Such comments appeared one after another, and soon, because they sounded fresh and different, they gained support among many foreign netizens.

“I knew it was strange that the problem was solved so quickly. Turns out Hua Nation was staging the whole thing!”
“Intelligent AI suddenly appearing? Hua Nation’s government sure can make things up.”
“If they really have the ability, let them shut down every machine in the entire world. Then I’ll believe them!”
“If they can’t, it proves they’re lying. Hua Nation is despicable.”

Others, dissatisfied with the Hua Nation official livestream that was flooded with their own citizens praising the government’s strength, deliberately mocked:
“You people are so stupid. The whole world has seen through Hua Nation’s scheme, only you’re still kept in the dark.”
“Hua Nation locks you inside walls, not letting you see the truth of the world. If you just climb over those walls and look outside, you’d realize you live in a country without freedom or equality.”
“All of this is a lie.”

Hua Nation netizens, who were smiling with pride at how impressive their country was, stared blankly: ???

What’s wrong with these people?

What lie? Could there really be lying at a time like this? Do they think Hua Nation citizens are idiots??

Most ignored such “genius” remarks, but a number of their own citizens believed them, panicking and angrily saying:
“So that’s how it is! Too despicable—our country actually deceived us!!”
“I just climbed over the wall to look outside. They’re all laughing at us!! Don’t be fooled!!”

Hua Nation citizens: “………”

Seriously? It’s already 2022, and some people still think everything foreign is right, that our weakness and stupidity are normal?

The internet erupted in debate over Si Qi’s actions. Even though Si Qi and Chu Feng couldn’t be bothered to respond, the diplomats couldn’t completely ignore it. They tactfully suggested to Si Qi: “Could this intelligent AI show us what it can do?”

As long as they proved the AI’s capability, those shouting that Hua Nation was lying would have to shut their mouths.

And besides, such a good thing needed to be named and claimed as their own as soon as possible. If some people didn’t believe, so what? They’d regret it later.

Si Qi understood what Hua Nation meant and said bluntly, “In theory, I can use it to control all the networks and all the machines in the world. How about I make every foreign viewer’s phone and computer turn on and off ten times in a row?”

He sounded so certain that the foreign netizens who had been laughing suddenly froze, their smug smiles fading.

And when their devices—phones, computers, TVs—suddenly shut down without warning, only to reboot seconds later beyond their control, panic truly set in. The fear of AI control returned, but this time their fear was not of some ownerless AI, but of the cold-eyed man on the screen.

Many rushed to use the few seconds their devices stayed on to flood the internet with messages:
“Enough! Stop! We believe you!!”
“You can’t do this, you’re violating our rights!”
“Hua Nation cannot possess such a thing, or it will be at war with the whole world!!”

These reactions were quickly polished and relayed to Si Qi. Diplomats delicately told him, “Please don’t prove it any further, the foreigners are nearly scared to death.”

Expressionless, Si Qi ridiculed those troublemakers: “You told me to prove I wasn’t lying. Now that I’ve proven it, you criticize me for proving it. Is Blue Star filled with nothing but aggressive, unreasonable people outside Hua Nation?”

Hua Nation citizens roared with laughter at Si Qi’s merciless sarcasm, calling it refreshing.

Foreign netizens, on the other hand, fumed, calling Si Qi arrogant, heartless, unwilling to tolerate the slightest grievance; or they yelled at their compatriots, saying it was their stupidity that made Si Qi turn against them, when they should be doing everything possible to win him over to their side!

Regardless of the outrage, after several twists and turns, the foreigners finally understood Si Qi’s power. They realized Hua Nation’s strategy was the smartest and most reliable.

Hua Nation had not lied—everyone had witnessed Si Qi resolve a global catastrophe in thirty seconds with their own eyes. There was no faking it. Every account of Si Qi was real. He truly could track down the travelers one by one, and as long as other nations cooperated, the disaster could turn for the better.

And since Hua Nation was openly intervening in other countries’ affairs, reaching out to new travelers, how could they not seize the chance to win those travelers over with gestures of goodwill?

The dozen or so travelers already living happily in Hua Nation were the best proof. Compared to those countries that hunted and attacked travelers, turning them into enemies, Hua Nation—who had always shown kindness and shielded them from harm—was far more trustworthy.

Thinking about how many treasures Hua Nation would gain in the future, Zhou Song, who had watched the entire broadcast, quickly lowered his head, unable to suppress a sly grin.

Heh heh, heh heh heh heh…

Not long after the press conference ended, countries all around the world—whatever their motives—began submitting requests for aid to Hua Nation within a month.

Hua Nation, before the eyes of the whole world, had seized the spotlight and demonstrated its power.

What had left other nations scrambling and helpless, Hua Nation resolved with just a few hundred people in each task force.

Because the solutions seemed so easy, and the methods were shown openly, some countries thought maybe they could manage it themselves without Hua Nation, perhaps even win over travelers the same way.

But those travelers were intelligent beings from another world. They could see through such schemes. At first treated as enemies, hunted and attacked, and then suddenly courted after seeing Hua Nation’s success? Did they think travelers were fools?

So even without Hua Nation saying a word, just showing how well travelers lived in their land was enough. One after another, travelers declared they would follow Hua Nation’s teams and refused to remain in the “lands of sorrow” where they had nearly been killed.

Of course, the other countries objected. After witnessing Si Qi’s abilities, they now regarded travelers as precious treasures. Determined to extract as much benefit as possible from the ones in their borders, they declared: any traveler appearing in their territory belonged to them and no one else!

They set up public challenges, loudly declaring on the international stage that they would confront Hua Nation, who they accused of scheming to steal their national treasures.

But Hua Nation did not rise to the bait. They said they respected every traveler and would never use force to take them away. If the travelers wished to come, they were welcome with open arms; if not, they were still regarded as friends.

If other nations wanted to keep their travelers, they should talk with them directly instead of blaming Hua Nation for being so kind that travelers preferred to go there.

Travelers were free, not possessions. No country or person had the right to decide for them against their will.

These polite words left the other nations speechless, slamming their tables in frustration.

Reasoning? They could not out-argue a civilization with five thousand years of culture.
Trying to win favor? The travelers nearly hated them already.
Force? If they could use force, they wouldn’t have begged Hua Nation in the first place.

It’s often said that weak nations have no diplomacy. If this were a few decades ago, no matter how many reasons Hua Nation could give, others would ignore them. Instead, they would use force to threaten and demand Hua Nation hand over the travelers within their borders—or be beaten until they complied.

But now Hua Nation has risen so rapidly that it has become a presence no country can ignore. Even if Hua Nation had no justification at all, no one could do anything to them—because they are simply too powerful. Any resentment could only be swallowed.

The wars happening across various countries’ territories have finally ceased, but the “ducks in hand” they had struggled to catch flew away together with those who came to help. That heart-wrenching feeling of loss was unbearable, yet there was nothing they could do.

After all, the legs belonged to the travelers themselves. They couldn’t really tie them up with ropes and forbid them from leaving.

One group of travelers after another voluntarily joined Hua Nation. Some countries, unwilling to hand them over, stubbornly refused to ask Hua Nation for help. Some powers, seeing that certain travelers had weak combat strength, even hid them by force, coercing them to serve their interests.

They thought they had covered it up flawlessly—keeping their trump card secret.

But this fell right into Chu Feng’s plan.

He had Si Qi divine the locations of those travelers, then set up a teleportation array to appear directly before them.

If the traveler liked their current life and didn’t want to leave, Si Qi and his companions would not force them.

But most travelers could not possibly enjoy living in hiding, unable to walk openly in the sunlight, unable to roam freely in the streets. Seeing the relaxed and carefree travelers by Si Qi’s side, showing no trace of oppression or exploitation, they hesitated little before nodding and accepting his invitation—whatever happened, it couldn’t be worse than their prison-like existence. They were willing to take the gamble.

As it turned out, they won that gamble. In Hua Nation, they gained a freedom and ease they had never imagined.

Those forces that suddenly lost their travelers overnight were furious. They targeted Hua Nation, accusing them of stealing.

Hua Nation expressed great surprise, saying they had never heard of those countries having travelers in the first place. “Could it be that you fabricated this just to extort us?”

Having already gone this far, those powers felt they had nothing to lose. They presented benefits they had obtained from travelers, along with secretly recorded videos, proving those travelers did exist—but had suddenly disappeared.

Hua Nation feigned puzzlement: “Your people went missing, and you immediately claim it was us? Just because Hua Nation is especially powerful? If you want to accuse someone, at least bring real evidence. Besides, the travelers in your videos looked depressed, locked in estates and forbidden to go outside. Perhaps they simply had enough and left on their own.”

“Don’t be angry, and don’t rush off. There’s something we need to clarify. The international community has already established the Traveler Human Rights Act, granting every traveler the freedom to enter and leave countries without being forcibly detained. Why did you conceal their existence and confine them in estates? This must be explained before the whole world.”

Those forces: “……”

And so, within just a month, travelers from around the world had basically all joined Hua Nation, becoming one with it.

The help they could bring in the future was unimaginable. Even now, Hua Nation’s citizens were overjoyed. Their favorite pastime was browsing the official website of the Traveler Bureau—checking which new traveler had joined and what amazing achievements they had accomplished. Each update made people as giddy as if they had won the lottery.

One day, a reporter took to the streets, randomly interviewing passersby about the impact of travelers on their lives.

The responses were overflowing with excitement.

A female office worker: “For me, maybe it’s that premium fruits are cheaper again and again! I can finally eat cherries every day until I’m full!”

An elderly woman with deep wrinkles but a relaxed smile: “I used to feel travelers had nothing to do with me, but this past month has brought me too many surprises… Maybe you didn’t notice, but an herb called He Qilian used to have a global output of just twenty kilograms a year, enough for fewer than one hundred doses of a special medicine. Each dose cost 1.4 million M-currency, and even after national insurance reimbursement, it was still 170,000 Hua-currency. It’s life-saving medicine. To give my daughter just one shot each year, our family bore unbearable financial pressure. But recently, the government announced that the Agricultural Institute had discovered a method to mass-produce He Qilian. From now on, we can make the medicine ourselves, and each dose will cost less than a thousand yuan! Thank you, travelers, thank you, little green elf—you are our family’s savior!”

A frail young man beamed: “The influence of travelers? It’s huge! I was born premature, always weak and sickly, often hospitalized. Studying and working were constantly delayed. My parents worried endlessly. But after practicing the cultivation method released by the government, my body feels warm, my hands and feet no longer freeze at night, and I have energy. Being healthy feels so good—it’s like being reborn every morning.”

A young mother clutching her baby said, barely containing her emotion: “Yesterday I took my daughter to the countryside to visit my parents, when suddenly a trafficker snatched her! I couldn’t catch up, I was so terrified I could barely speak. Just as I was about to call the police, they contacted me first—they had already caught the trafficker! At the station I learned it was thanks to the new AI system, the very one Immortal Venerable captured live on stream, now integrated into the national SkyNet. From now on, child trafficking and other crimes will be detected immediately! Thank you, SkyNet, thank you Si Qi, thank you government… Living in this country is truly reassuring.”

A little boy in kindergarten: “Travelers are awesome! I want to be one too! Grow big wings!”

His parent beside him: “They’re our national treasures, as precious as giant pandas.”

Seeing everyone speak so highly of travelers, the reporter asked: “Have you heard of the newly launched Traveler Series functional drinks? What do you think?”

The guests frowned slightly, answering with varied expressions:
“I’ve heard. They’re developed by the Academy of Sciences based on traveler data, right? Supposedly they have many positive effects. Like the Angel of Light series—it detoxifies and improves health.”
“The Dragon series is like a supreme tonic for athletes.”
“The Immortal Venerable series of vaccines—getting one supposedly lowers illness rates dramatically. Practically a miracle medicine…”
“But… isn’t this crossing a line? I saw many foreign netizens claiming Hua Nation is using travelers for human experiments, and that travelers suffer terribly here. I know it’s unlikely, but hearing about the origins does make me uneasy.”
“That must be a ploy from foreigners who want to steal our travelers! We love them too much to hurt them. Everyone knows Hua Nation treats travelers with the most kindness!”
“……”

The interview ended. Back in the studio, Si Qi and the host watched the footage. The host smiled: “There are rumors abroad that our country secretly conducts cruel human experiments on travelers and sells the results. As someone directly involved, what do you think?”

Si Qi: “Unless the one saying this has greater divination skills than me and knows things I don’t, human experimentation is nonsense.”

The host chuckled: “I doubt there’s anyone more all-knowing than you. So it’s just rumors. Still, people are curious—how were these medicines and vaccines developed?”

Si Qi replied calmly: “Every traveler passes through the world barrier to enter Blue Star. The government must confirm we don’t carry pathogens dangerous to humans—otherwise it could be like a zombie virus outbreak. Only then can we interact with humans safely. Likewise, things harmless to humans might be deadly to us. For safety, we willingly cooperate with medical examinations. It protects us too.”

The host, clearly briefed beforehand, smiled gracefully: “I see. That’s indeed a necessary step.”

The audience looked enlightened. No one objected anymore to travelers undergoing examinations. It wasn’t just for humanity’s safety, but also for the travelers’ own protection.

Just as humans might be allergic to milk, a traveler might be poisoned by drinking mineral water. Hua Nation had to identify such risks in advance and inform them.

Si Qi continued: “During examinations, researchers found many rare results. With our consent, they tested further with instruments. Those findings became the prototypes of the Traveler Series drinks.”

So, there was no cruel experimentation. Just routine health checks yielding useful data, which Hua Nation put to good use—creating beneficial products for all.

It would be absurd to discard such discoveries merely to avoid suspicion.

This interview was meant to clear the Research Institute’s “wrongful accusations,” encouraging people to drink the health-boosting beverages and trust future vaccines.

Si Qi recalled when Hua Nation’s leaders kindly asked him to clarify misunderstandings on the program, so people wouldn’t resist these things. He couldn’t help but remark: “Your Hua Nation truly is remarkable.”

The host, flustered by the unexpected praise: “Eh? Why suddenly…”

Si Qi: “Not suddenly. You worked so hard to create these things only for the people’s benefit. Instead of boasting, you patiently explain away doubts, almost handholding to reassure them these are good for them.

“In the cultivation world I came from, the rulers never cherished the people so. They would never treat them like their own children, considering their wellbeing in everything… Hua Nation truly is a very good country.”

The audience and host froze for a moment.

Hearing such heartfelt praise of their country from someone of another world stirred genuine pride and emotion.

The seasoned host nearly teared up, maintaining her smile while gazing at Si Qi with growing warmth beyond respect.

“Thank you for your recognition. Now and in the future, Hua Nation will never let you down.”