Seized by the System

Time flowed by minute by minute and soon it was 10 in the morning. A loud voice echoed.

“The time has arrived, time for the sacrifice to start…”

Hearing this, Fang Ning arose from his exclusive seat and walked towards the high platform. A desert spanning thousands of square kilometers hushed in an instant, even the wind quieted down seemingly in a bid to not disturb the solemn situation.

An audience of thirty million had their gazes focused on the high platform.

Of course, a majority of the audience could not see anything at all. Only the minority seated at the very front could see everything clearly.

In comparison, the ones watching the broadcast were much luckier as the camera was aimed right at the sacrificial platform, and the picture was as clear as day.

The platform was nine meters tall, and it had nine steps to the top. Once Fang Ning neared the first step, he halted slightly in his actions.

He lifted his head high, his gaze focused on the front, and took the first step in his life.

He was all alone as there was not a single person within 100 meters around him. There was no long line behind him, and he could not hear the sounds of the bells and the drums. He also could not see the raised signs, and there were no rows of guards standing along both sides of the walkway.

It was entirely unlike when feudal emperors had to perform sacrifices to the heavens during ancient times.

Everyone at the scene felt an extremely subduing aura from Fang Ning. They all knew that this was the strength of the strongest person in the world.

On the other hand, the audience watching the broadcast was not restrained; right after the initial shock, they immediately started online discussions as they left comments one after another.

“Why isn’t there even one attendant? In all those shows on television, any time the emperors made sacrifices to the heavens, which one did not have a servant at their beck and call? Which one did not have a guard surrounding them at all times?”

“Yeah, I do think that it is a grand occasion, but the extravagance of it all is really quite lacking…”

“Hmph, the reason for its modesty is simple. He doesn’t need to be like those emperors from ancient times, coming up with some holy spectacle just to deceive fools like you lot.”

“What are you implying?”

“What else? With the amount of tremendous strength he possesses, just his limbs alone possess extreme power. How would those emperors who proclaimed themselves as sons of the heavens even compare? So it would be normal for him to not need any extravagant setting in a bid to glorify himself for the sake of fooling the citizens.”

Fang Ning stood on the first marble step, his heartbeat rapid. ‘Who would’ve thought that I, Fang Ning, would have this day! Ancestors of the Fang family and all those that carry your name, today is for you!’

Everyone thought that Vigilante A had no need for the extravagance enjoyed by emperors of old, nor did he need to glorify himself as something godly. However, nobody knew that it was because Fang Ning, Vigilante A’s true identity, just wanted to avoid troublesome things.

What was currently running through his mind now was the same things that ran through the minds of those emperors—honor, dignity, glory.

The only thing that he felt regretful over was the fact that Vigilante A was not his true identity. This matter made his heart surge with unexplained feeling—when would he be able to show off using his real identity!

There were only nine steps, yet he took every step slowly. Every time he ascended onto the following step, he stopped briefly.

Everyone watching thought that he was merely trying to convey to solemnness of the ceremony, so they watched his movements with bated breath, their gazes focused on the high platform. The person atop the platform seemed so small, yet it seemed like he was the only person that existed in that very moment.

Fang Ning was pleased with himself.

From times of old until now, who else was able to enjoy such glory? Who else was able to have the entire world focused on themselves alone?

The great master of the Fang family has finally achieved it today! ¹

Just when Fang Ning was enjoying his glory, somebody had to suddenly kill the mood.

Sir System urged, “Hurry up and summon your dragon so that we can get this over with. I still want to farm some monsters. Among all the attendees here today, a majority of them are good people. However, there are some bad apples that managed to sneak in. Although the ratio in comparison might be low, there’s still quite a number of them.”

Fang Ning snapped, “D*mn you, don’t you know anything about business ethics? That 500 million I transferred to you just for today’s sacrifice was all for nothing!”

The System then finally relented and said, “Oh, I see. Great Emperor Host, I hope your sacrificial ceremony goes smoothly, I will take my leave…”

Fang Ning was speechless and decided to pay no more attention to the stupid System.

Everyone watching could only see Vigilante A suddenly taking a stop on the seventh step. They immediately went on alert; could it be that this peerless powerhouse felt the presence of an incoming enemy?

Their worry did not last long as a brief moment later, they watched Vigilante A continue his ascent.

After finally dismissing the troublesome System, Fang Ning once again continued walking up the steps.

After messing around for two days and delaying everything to the last day, Fang Ning suddenly realized after taking his shower that he had one thing he had to practice…

He would be able to push off the numerous rituals that go along with the sacrificial ceremony, but there was one simple matter he had to do. The whole “ascending a high platform” had to be done by him no matter what.

If he let the System seized him for this, how would he be able to act cool?

Just to show off for mere minutes, he had rushed to practice things in the System Space. Be it a majestic gait or an imposing aura, he decided to practice everything that came into his mind.

He even went as far as to ask for live demonstrations from the demons in the Draconic Penitentiary, specifically those that used to be the demons of fierce ambition.

By depending on his overwhelming intellect and the body that the System had tuned to perfection, Fang Ning was able to master everything he needed to master in the blink of an eye.

Now, he was confident that even if Li Shimin ² or Zhu Yuanzhang ³reincarnated, they would still be inferior to him in terms of the way they carried themselves.

In the eyes of everyone watching the ceremony live, in the countless videos online, and in the broadcasts being shown on countless television screens everywhere, Vigilante A’s steps upward were powerful and steadfast. His entire posture was one of complete coordination and his entire being seeped with a subduing air.

None of the live audiences watching dared to make any more comments.

As for the people watching the live broadcast, they were deeply impacted. A moment later, live commentaries, comments, calls, and messages started going off non-stop.

“As expected of the True Dragon that descended into this realm, this is the perfect example of a majestic gait! I’m afraid none of those emperors of old were able to walk with such an imposing aura!”

“How mighty, how mighty…” echoed a group of people who merely wanted to get a say in.

Fang Ning tried to dawdle as much as he could, but there was only but nine steps after all. Under public scrutiny, there was only so much showing off he could do. A few minutes later, he finally reached the nine-meter tall platform. He turned around to face the innumerable audience.

He had a firm gaze and a bold expression as he looked into the distance. Just as he was about to give his sacrificial speech, a somber and gloomy voice boomed from up in the sky.

“All you nobodies dare to summon the True Dragon of China, don’t you think you are way in over your head?!”

The audience was beyond shocked at what they heard. A monster dared to come stir up trouble during such a serious occasion?

Everyone looked towards the sky at the same time.

A giant purple snake head with a menacing and cruel expression was currently descending from the sky above them. It was as big as a truck container and had unusually red eyes as big as giant brass bells.

Only its head could be seen, which only made it all the more menacing.

The purple snakehead watched the audience below it with a disdainful glint in its eyes, like it was looking down on mere ants. Its menacing jaw opened and it roared once more, “None of you know, but I know clearly. Your True Dragon of China has not developed fully yet, if you summon it now, you’ll be making yourselves the biggest joke in the world!

“Are you not afraid of causing countless trouble where you will no longer be protected from?”

Everyone could clearly hear the ridicule and indifference in its cold tone. Hearing its words, they turned to look at the snakehead once more.

Once they made eye contact, every single person in the audience immediately felt dizzy and light-headed. Not only so, an unexplainable sense of fear bloomed in their hearts and they could no longer stare at the snakehead directly.

Many adults even covered their children’s eyes so that their young and pure souls would not be stained with a shadow that could not be erased.

After hearing what the snakehead said, the fear in their hearts bloomed even bigger.

Was what it said true? Should they really not summon the True Dragon of China?

Was summoning it actually interrupting its nurturing process, which would lead to endless trouble?

Some distance away from the high platform, the people of the Truth Department watched everything unfold with expressions of shock on their faces.

“What happened to Nets Above Snares Below? How did this snake manage to wiggle in?” Director Hu’s expression was dark as he asked the leader of the Think Tank Group, Hong Yunqiao.

Hong Yunqiao’s eyebrows furrowed in response, but he gave no response.

Ren Ruofeng pondered a bit before he mused, “This snakehead, I recognize it. It is one of the heads of the Hydra Demon in Japan. The Venerable One has Xue Ba the celestial hound after it. There’s nothing wrong with Nets Above Snares Below; it isn’t from the outside, it came from within our realm.”

Ren Ruofeng then pointed at everyone watching. Hearing his words, they seemed to be deep in thought.

Director Hu nodded his head as well. He did not try to affix responsibility to anyone else and merely furrowed his eyebrows.

Hong Yunqiao’s expression was complicated. He never expected that Ren Ruofeng would still be attentive to any information despite spending his days drinking at the Venerable One’s house. This obviously meant that he was still unwilling to admit defeat, and was merely bidding for his time to make a comeback…

Director Hu’s strong soul scanned the audience members silently. He was clear on the countless reasons why each and every audience member had gathered at this place.

A part of them were here because of their belief in the dragons, but the other part of them were here because of the fear in their hearts; they wanted to find a person with a strong soul to depend on.

When the Flame Meteor had passed by, supernatural occurrences increased in frequency. The people that had obtained benefits from the Flame Meteor mainly kept a lowkey profile, but news about those that had suffered spread like wildfire…

Everyone had the same fear blooming in their hearts.

Furthermore, there has been an increased frequency in mysterious anomalies too.

A disaster was imminent, and a disaster that would be on a global scale too. Other than the few Extraordinaires, who else would be unafraid?

Would they run away to the highlands? What would they do about food, or their jobs? The matter of survival has always been the cause of all fear.

Defeating a thief of the home was easy, but defeating a thief of the heart was difficult… ⁴

Director Hu sighed inwardly.

Above them, the snakehead that everyone was watching in fear was looking down at the audience below it. Its cold gaze glinted with a sliver of satisfaction.

At this very moment, the eagle-eyed audience members finally discovered the long and giant body that was starting to materialize from out of the head.

…

Atop the high platform, Fang Ning did not know, nor did he want to know, where this detestable giant snakehead had appeared from.

He only knew one thing; somebody was trying to steal his spotlight!

Lock the doors and free the System!

Without waiting for his order, a barrage of System Notifications came in.

[The System is evaluating…]

[The System is evaluating…]

[The System decided to farm Hydra Demon…]

[The System seized the Host’s body.]

Fang Ning was speechless. ‘I knew that there was definitely a problem once a certain idiot only said “understood” but not “I’ll do it”.

‘This is good too I guess, I’ll be able to save on payment for a job again.’

At this moment, the frightened and confused audience members suddenly heard epic music being played. The music was grand, yet lonely and far-reaching, and it seemed to fill the heaven and earth.

In a flash, the shrubs started shaking and the grass started swaying as if wind was blowing through the desert. It seemed like nature was heralding the descent of some revered figure.

The fear in everyone’s hearts dissipated in an instant.

In this day and age, the rapid development of technology made it so that everyone knew what was going on. Vigilante A had a habit of playing his BGM first before he made his appearance to deal with major issues.

He has also never been defeated every time his BGM played too!

No matter who his opponent was, it was always the same winner in the end—the Eastern Pharos!

However, right after the music was heard, Vigilante A was nowhere to be seen. The high platform that he was on was now instead covered in thick white fog.

Everyone was shocked. This, this was even more magnificent…

Not only was the grand music not enough, he even added grander special effects…

In the VIP seats a distance away, the great green insect and Vigilante A’s animal companions were all watching the ceremony. Her mouth was filled with snacks as she chewed incessantly.

After she heard the music, her eyes had glinted instantly. She could not help but mutter, “This music is quite bad, huh? It can’t compare to my singing at all. I’ll have to ask the Great Azure Dragon whether or not he needs some insect accompaniment next time instead. That would be perfect for me to earn a quick buck too. Business has been slow recently and I haven’t had a customer in days.”

This was normal of course. Everyone was busy making preparations to survive the end of the world, so who would have the heart to play with the Great Reversal of Heaven and Earth…

Although this entire scene seemed to be quite useless, the effect it actually provided was astounding. At least it would be able to pull everyone’s focus away from the menacing snakehead.

As for the snakehead, it coldly watched everything unfold but made no movements.

It only thought, ‘Very well, Vigilante A, show me what you’ve got. I want to expose your uselessness in front of everyone!

‘They would’ve never expected that the sacrificial platform they worked so hard to build would instead become the altar for my ascension!’