"Lord Chu, what did the Minister say?"
As soon as Chu Chen returned, the various Vice Directors, upon hearing the news, gathered around him again.
"The Minister said this is a request from the Ministry of Revenue, and he has no way to change it."
"The Armory Department is the same, but they're asking for a lower standard. The quality of materials only needs to be the same as usual, and the construction period and quantity are no different from ours."
Chu Chen sighed and shook his head, saying.
"Ah? Is that so? What can be done about this?"
The Vice Directors were collectively dumbfounded.
They had thought it was only their Sword and Blade Department facing this, but they didn't expect the Armory Department to be the same. If they were to complain to the Empress, it would likely be of no use.
"Alas, these are troubled times, truly troubled times!"
The Vice Directors sighed and departed one by one.
Chu Chen narrowed his eyes, sneering inwardly, "Targeting me? Do they really think I can be targeted like this? It's just pressure on the construction period and quantity, isn't it? Let's see how I solve it."
"But I won't let those behind the scenes who are targeting me off the hook either!"
Chu Chen glanced around, half-closing the door, and returned to his seat to activate the Life Simulator.
[Simulation loading complete, Protagonist: Chu Chen!]
[You have recently been promoted and received a casting mission from the court assigned to the Ministry of Works. You feel troubled.]
[You received news from Meng Yuan, the Minister of Works, that someone in the court is targeting you.]
[You are determined to uncover the mastermind behind this matter.]
[You disguised yourself to eavesdrop on the Ministry of Revenue's office. After several days, you learned that the officials targeting you were led by Zhao Weihai, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.]
[You are puzzled by the reason and decide to continue monitoring.]
[After several more days, you finally understand the reason. It turns out that Vice Minister Zhao had accepted a large bribe and was acting on behalf of others to target you. Furthermore, Qian Jieren, the Minister of Revenue, was unaware of this matter.]
[You attempt to investigate further but leave behind traces. A group of assassins attempts to silence you.]
[You are unwilling to reveal your identity and temporarily cease your investigation.]
[On the day of delivery, you feel there are no issues and happily complete the task.]
[One month later, the military accuses you in court, stating that there are many problems with the swords and blades you forged.]
[The Empress is furious and dismisses you from your post.]
[You are angry and resentful, intending to investigate further in secret.]
[One night, while investigating, you are assassinated.]
[You die at the age of 23.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining 10 points.]
[Congratulations to the host for successfully completing the Life Simulation. You may choose one of the following three rewards.]
[...]
"What the hell! I was killed by an assassin?"
After reading the simulation process, Chu Chen was shocked.
He was currently at the Foundation Establishment realm. In the entire Yunyue Kingdom, there were only five generals, including himself.
"Fu Guo Great General Wei Zi? An Ding Count Kang Zheng? The son of Marquis Zhen Ning, Fang Guotong? Zhang Hongyi, the sect leader of the Scarlet Feather Sword Sect?"
Chu Chen instantly thought of the other four prominent Foundation Establishment realm cultivators. However, upon closer consideration, he didn't think they had any reason to attack him.
"Then, there's only one possibility."
Chu Chen's expression turned solemn, and he thought of the three Foundation Establishment realm imperial guards who had killed him in previous simulations.
"But if it were the imperial guards who acted, it must have been at the instigation of someone in the royal family. But who else could command them besides the Empress?"
The more he thought about it, the more confused Chu Chen became.
He himself was at the Foundation Establishment realm, and with his equipment and techniques, it was almost impossible for someone of the same realm to kill him without a trace.
"Could it be that there are existences above the Foundation Establishment realm in this Yunyue Kingdom? Isn't it said that cultivation has stagnated and it's difficult to progress further?"
Chu Chen recalled what he had read in the ancient texts when he first transmigrated and tricked Eunuch Han into permanently residing in the Sutra Depository to clean.
A thousand years ago, the Qingzhou Continent was still a place where cultivation paths were viable. But afterward, something unknown happened, and the spiritual energy in the world gradually decreased.
This led to increased cultivation difficulty and limited spiritual energy resources. Moreover, the elders, for unknown reasons, passed away one after another.
The inherited texts and legacies were inexplicably broken, leading to the current cultivation difficulties. Those who achieve martial cultivation are less than one in a hundred.
"If that assassin is truly a Qi Transformation realm expert, then with my current strength, I cannot resist. It seems I cannot continue investigating. I need to find other ways to buy time."
"When I become stronger with the help of the Life Simulator, I will then pursue the mastermind."
Chu Chen's mind raced, and he thought of a plan.
"In that case, since there's nothing else to do today, I'll simulate a few more times."
With a sense of crisis, Chu Chen once again activated the Life Simulator.
[Simulation loading complete, Protagonist: Chu Chen!]
[You sensed an anomaly in the unusual demands from the Ministry of Revenue and felt that someone was targeting you.]
[You intended to investigate, but felt it was too risky alone, so you abandoned the idea and decided to find another way to cope.]
[You completed the Ministry of Revenue's task of forging eighty thousand items on schedule.]
[The quality of the swords and blades produced by your forging workshop encountered problems, and you were accused by the military in court during the morning assembly.]
[The Empress was furious, and you were dismissed from your post.]
[You deeply felt your lack of strength and resolved to dedicate yourself to cultivation for a period.]
[One night, you were ambushed at home and killed hundreds of assassins.]
[You cooperated with the city guards to complete the investigation. Upon returning to your room, you were ambushed again.]
[You were assassinated by an assassin. You die at the age of 23.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining 10 points.]
[Congratulations to the host for successfully completing the Life Simulation. You may choose one of the following three rewards.]
[...]
"Damn it! I died again? Could this second wave of assassins be the same person as the one in the previous simulation?"
Chu Chen was getting annoyed. After thinking for a moment, he gritted his teeth and said, "Since the Life Simulator is just a simulation, I'll start another round. This time, I'll risk my life to pull off that guy's mask and see his face clearly!"
Chu Chen activated the Life Simulator again, starting the third simulation.
[Simulation loading complete, Protagonist: Chu Chen!]
[...]
[You cooperated with the city guards to complete the investigation. Upon returning to your room, you were ambushed again.]
[Ignoring your injuries, you fought desperately to pull off the assassin's mask.]
[You failed. You did not succeed. You were assassinated by this assassin. You die at the age of 23.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining 10 points.]
[Congratulations to the host for successfully completing the Life Simulation. You may choose one of the following three rewards.]
[...]
"Damn it! I couldn't even pull off a mask by risking my life? How big is the gap in strength between me and this assassin?"
Chu Chen was dejected.
Suddenly, Chu Chen thought of something. The Stand User he had drawn before.
[Ding! System prompt: The Stand User can substitute for death once in a Life Simulation, after which it will dissipate. Do you wish to add it to the Life Simulation?]
"No!"
"Are you kidding me? I can't bear to part with it."