The Great Worm Lich

Following closely behind the bewitching head of the LS Group’s security department, the equally beautiful female reporter showed a bright smile and gave a slight bow as she politely extended a hand. “Good Afternoon, Dr. Zhang, I’m Julie from NBC TV…”

To her surprise, when she finally saw the unusually young face that had turned around, her words were immediately lodged at her throat.

Looking at Julie’s dumbstruck expression, the young face unique to Asians in front of her smiled faintly and called out the female reporter’s full name while pointing to the round sofas surrounding a square coffee table under a few leafy short palm trees. “Miss Julie Mihr, we meet again. Please take a seat.”

“Yes, Mr. Lisheng — I mean, Dr. I didn’t expect to meet you again so soon, and on such an interesting occasion on top of that.” The quality of being a professional reporter allowed Julie to calm down very soon. She accepted the host’s invitation with a smile and walked to the round sofa to sit down on it. “If I had known this earlier, I’d have proposed for Riley to do the executive production of this interview. In that way, maybe you’ll be able to accept some questions that are more ‘explicit’ and make the interview more exciting. ”

“Oh, in fact, whether it is the restriction on questions, or the security measures you experienced when you came to see me, or even this costly exaggerated office, they’re just a cover-up arranged by the heads of LS relevant departments to show off my extraordinary status to NBC and the TV viewers. As for me, I always respect the opinions of professionals and I’ll do everything in accordance with their steps. However, since you’re Riley’s friend, it doesn’t matter if you really want to ask some explicit questions.” Zhang Lisheng shrugged, “In fact, I’ve just had a last-minute change of mind. Perhaps you’ll be able to get an unexpectedly big gain in this interview later…”

At this time, two waiters with upright posture pushed a large and bright silver refreshment cart to the palm tree and before the female reporter could ponder over the meaningful words that she had just heard, Zhang Lisheng politely asked again, “Do you need any drink to moisten your throat before the interview? Tea, coffee, cocoa or anything else? I have everything here.”

“A cup of Mocha coffee is enough, thank you.” Julie smiled and thanked him. No longer thinking too much, she made a gesture to her colleagues who had already set up four cameras in place before asking the young man, “Dr., may we start now?”

“Wait a moment, do you remember what I said? Miss Julie.” Zhang Lisheng spread his hand and said, “I never want to attract anyone’s attention, I always try to make myself look ordinary to others. In fact, I would not have accepted today’s interview if it was not for the sincere invitation from NBC. I’d like to repeat my request again, my face should be censored in the news. On top of that, other than the professional cameramen and cameras of the TV station, no other people or machine should be allowed to shoot me.”

“This has been written in our interview treaty, Dr. NBC is one of the largest TV stations in the whole country so we cannot breach the contract.” Julie asked with a smile. “However, I wonder why you were willing to accept an interview with your face revealed in the past but not now?

“Maybe it’s a change in personal habits.” Zhang Lisheng, who did not want to be the focus of the federation because of a series of ‘big moves’ that he was planning, answered ambiguously before finally saying, “Let’s get started, Miss Julie.”

“Sure, let’s get started.” The female reporter nodded, and the soft spotlight managed by the lightning operator began to switch on immediately. At the same time, a music with fast rhythm began to slowly resonate, creating a subtle atmosphere beyond words in the room.

Shortly, seven to eight seconds after the music ended, Julie chose a camera and faced it at her best angle before starting the interview in a loud voice. “Good evening once again. Now I have moved from the hotel lobby to an office large enough to play football and the owner of this large office, or should I say the entire Ocean Empire Building, and twelve other comprehensive commercial skyscrapers of the same size and hundreds of large slaughterhouses are sitting opposite me. Let us welcome Dr. Zhang Lisheng, the youngest billionaire and outstanding biologist worth more than 10 billion dollars.”

“Hello to all Noah immigrants who are currently sitting in front of the TV, I’m Zhang Lisheng.” The instant the female reporter’s words left her mouth, the young man immediately chimed in and waved his hand at the camera from the sideway.

“Oh Dr., there are four cameras facing you from different angles. You just have to act naturally in the interview.” The female reporter joked and reminded, “Since your face is censored on TV anyway.”

“Is it? I’ve only received a few brief interviews so I still am not aware of this…” Zhang Lisheng also responded with an approachable attitude, making the interview style to be simple and natural at the beginning.

The first few questions were like compliments to the LS Group and its boss as it introduced the company’s development process and the young man’s incredible achievements from different perspectives.

The interview went on according to plan and finally, it came to a relatively sensitive issue. Julie’s tone began to change subtly and her expression gradually became serious. “Dr., as we all know, Noah World is covered by barren deserts and the development of animal husbandry is seriously affected. However, the supporting industry of the LS Group in your name is livestock slaughter. It is rumored that your company has fallen into a financial crisis not long ago because of the depression of the animal husbandry industry and has resulted in several times of large-scale layoffs so can you tell us why did you suddenly mobilize a large amount of money to buy nearly 170,000 square kilometers of desert during such a situation?”

“This is a good question, Miss Julie.” Zhang Lisheng became silent for a while before saying with a shrug. “This question involves a lot of aspects. What should I say? Well, first of all, LS Group did encounter financial crisis because of its rapid expansion but this crisis has now been resolved by me through sales of gold…”

“Sales of gold…” The female reporter sensitively captured this word and interrupted the interviewee, something that she rarely did. “The topic of gold is now the focus of everyone’s discussion, Dr., could it be that you…”

“Oh, yeah, I can be said as the initiator of this nationwide discussion.” The young man pondered for a few seconds before finally chuckled without hiding anything. “Through the secret agreement with my creditors, I’ve used the gold I’ve been hiding in Shrimp World No. 2 to settle all LS Group’s debt. However, as the saying goes, ‘Every contact leaves a trace’. After I’ve suffered from the ‘gold crisis’ trouble, the Department of Defense still came looking for me. Because of my supports to our nation, I had to carry out a gold trade with the Logistics and Security Bureau of the Department of Defense…”

On one side, the black-haired young man who was being interviewed for the first time leaned against the sofa and spoke in a relaxed tone, but Julie, who had plenty of experience appearing on TV, could only feel her ears buzzing loudly. A shocked expression crept upon her face as an image of a childlike face from the simple bar last week nonchalantly telling that he had a big news appeared in her mind out of the blue.

These two were obviously the same person talking about the same topic but due to the change of identity, the feeling that was given off was completely different.

“Oh my god, Dr. Lisheng! You mean, the Department of Defense is not actually trading gold with the foreign world but with you instead?” The girl snapped back to reality from her daze and asked excitedly. This exclusive report that could allow her to make a leap in her career had caused the female reporter to no longer be able to control her emotions.

“No, Miss Julie, it seems you didn’t understand what I said. Just imagine, if the Wizard Li tribe of the Shrimp World No. 2 didn’t have any goodwill to our people, how could the gold be successfully delivered to the Logistics and Security Bureau of the Department of Defense then… in short, this is a very complicated logical relationship. It would take a lot of time if I need to clarify all of the things from beginning to the end…”

“We have time, Dr. If you’re willing to share with us, I can guarantee, without the need to receive any permission from my superior, that NBC will completely and truthfully deliver everything that you say to our national audience in a special show, no matter how long the story is.” Julie suppressed her emotions and said sincerely.

“Alright then. In that case, I’ll share all my experience buried in the memory and my previous thoughts to all of you…” Now that Zhang Lisheng had achieved his purpose through the loosening of reins, he no longer refused and began to tell the fabricated story between the Wizard Li tribe and him.

At first, he first followed his supervisor who had been invited by the federal government to the Shrimp World No. 2 for the purpose of biological research and because of the fortunate event that he looked similar to a dead guardian spiritual monster of the Wizard Li tribe, he was revered by the natives. He received help from the aborigines when he was collecting his experimental materials so he taught them some very basic measuring and tool manufacturing knowledge which has consolidated his status in the tribe as an ‘idol’. Then, the rich and populous human gathering place attracted the covetous eyes of a cruel naive tribe and because of this, a massacre that had caused a great sensation began to take place. Relying on the influence he had in the Wizard Li tribe, he helped the nation to deliver vengeance…

At once, this absurd yet intriguing story began to attract everyone’s attention.

“I really hope that the Wizard Li tribe and our nation can know each other more. In fact, not all of the intelligent creatures, or even the gods, of the foreign worlds, are cruel and inhuman. Just like the gods in our myths and stories that are always spread around us Earthlings or on Earth, there are both good and bad sides. Hating and detesting them without differentiating the good and evil will only make us more and more isolated, or even lose our future!” By the time the young man concluded it with a low voice, the sun had begun to set.

After listening to this long and twisted narrative, Julie became speechless for a long time and only took a deep breath after more than ten seconds. Without making any stance of her own in a clever manner, she no longer asked any questions as well. “Dr., this is really a startling story. I don’t know how many people will oppose your point of view, and I don’t know how many reporters will come after you after this show is broadcasted but I’m sure that your attempts are meaningful to all mankind. We’re grateful for your exclusive interview with NBC today. Thank you.”

She ended the interview succinctly.