Hiroshi Matsushima looked at the man opposite him, Gelangdola, and said, "So, did you come to see me just for this matter?"
Hiroshi Matsushima was very puzzled: "Sir, I have heard that between the end of the Secret Wars and the beginning of the Sublime Wars, there was a massive leak of bioweapons. Even now, there might be pathogens in everyone’s home that could cause disease in Benchmark Men."
Gelangdola nodded and said, "Indeed."
"These pathogens could be found in anyone’s residence. If someone was to entertain a friend at home, and the friend accidentally contracted a disease and died, would the host be responsible for this?" Hiroshi Matsushima said, "I have never heard of such a reasoning."
Gelangdola scoffed, "Pathogens do not communicate with people or make deals with them."
"We civilians don’t have an effective way to identify Heroes, just as we can’t detect pathogens that live on the ground," Hiroshi Matsushima said, "If you intend to act against this Martial Arts School because of this, how would the Martial Artists of Pine Eagle City view you? How will you recruit enough lower-tier officers in the future?"
"Besides, at this moment, I am not the Dojo Master of this Martial Arts School," Hiroshi Matsushima continued, "I’m not even the chief instructor. I’m just an old man selling advanced training courses. You shouldn’t have come to me for this."
"Instructor Matsushima, this is out of respect for you. Decades ago, you were the pride of Pine Eagle City. A person like you certainly qualifies," Gelangdola said leisurely while wiping the weapon in his hand. "And please understand. Martial Arts such as yours, if taught to Heroes, would be a defilement—don’t you agree?"
—Yet the founder of Martial Studies was a Thug.
Matsushima wanted to retort this.
But he swallowed his words. He calmly said, "I am just charging the road here. Whoever comes to pay tuition, I will treat them all the same. I don’t have the ability to identify Heroes. For someone like me to be responsible for identifying Heroes, there are bound to be slips. Perhaps the real Heroes might not be screened out, and those who might become lower-level officers won’t learn Martial Arts."
"’Impartial to all’...listen to this," Gelangdola pointed to the floor, turned his head to the Secretary Officer behind him, and said.
The Secretary Officer said, "Instructor Matsushima, please do not compare the Civilization Protectors with that group of Thugs. To us, that is an insult. If it were a more stringent Protector, just this statement alone could warrant administering a truth serum to you."
Hiroshi Matsushima remained silent.
In this regard, he was indeed very restricted. TX-0 had mentioned that the existence of his Personality Mask must be kept secret from the government, otherwise it could cause trouble. Matsushima would neither part with his Inner Strength, nor would he take the drug to train in "the special mode of thinking induced under truth serum."
Yet the Secretary Officer was relentless: "Did you know? Martial Artists like you, once you join the armed defense of the Gene Bank, would certainly gain better material conditions. And you, after winning the champion at the Paralympic Games, have always holed up in this Martial Arts School, unwilling to contribute to the future of humanity..."
Hiroshi Matsushima couldn’t help but say, "The Dyson Principle doesn’t have this clause. Humanity need not dedicate its thoughts to any constructed entity; only people have command over people. ’Constructed entities’ includes the ’Civilization Protectors.’"
The Secretary Officer was struck dumb (a figure of speech) and found himself speechless. He could not counter Hiroshi Matsushima’s words, nor did he dare to. For a moment, he even felt a twinge of fear.
Gelangdola’s fingers lightly tapped twice on the short gun in his hand, emitting a crisp sound, "Secretary, this is why you cannot become a commander. Look, Instructor Matsushima’s understanding of the Dyson Principle is higher than yours!" Then, he turned his gaze back to Hiroshi Matsushima, "And so, someone with your understanding of the Dyson Principle should become one of us... otherwise, you’re really dangerous."
Hiroshi Matsushima couldn’t help but ask, "Why?"
"Do you know who is most skilled at debating with a Civilization Protector on such ideological levels? It’s the Heroes. That ancient Prime Ancestor once tried to destroy an enemy’s beliefs with the magic of words during a battle. What was the title of his closest disciple? It was ’Flower of Rhetoric’. This represents another form of expression of ’language’. Heroes value the power of language highly," Gelangdola said, "You’re too sharp-tongued, too easily mistaken for a Hero. And yet, this kind of issue arises in your Martial Arts School. You’re too dangerous."
"Only by becoming a Protector can I have the standing to protect you. Become a Protector. Once you do, all suspicions about you will be cleared."
Hiroshi Matsushima closed his eyes.
He absolutely could not enter the force of the Protectors. Becoming a Protector required rigorous checks, especially for someone like him. Any trace of TX-0 must not be exposed.
He said softly, "Unless some important person decides ’unwillingness to join the Protectors is tantamount to siding with the Heroes’... I don’t think my suspicions are that severe."
Gelangdola heaved a deep sigh.
Then, from the dojo hall not far away, bursts of exclamations suddenly echoed.
Hiroshi Matsushima was startled.
"I initially thought that if you were willing to cooperate, nothing could be better, but you are actually unwilling... Well, I am a kind-hearted person," Gelangdola said, "I am willing to spend more resources to clear your name."
The sounds of fighting outside grew louder. Gelangdola frowned, "The counterattack is so fierce... this Martial Arts School really has serious issues." Thɪs chapter is updated by novel•fire.net
Hiroshi Matsushima stood up, "Sir, what exactly is going on?"
"I will investigate all the members of your Martial Arts School. Don’t worry, at first I will use a reversible truth serum," Gelangdola said. "If there are no more Heroes inside your Martial Arts School, there will be no problems. Rest assured."
Hiroshi Matsushima immediately turned around and walked out of the Quiet Room without saying a word.
Gelangdola thought to himself, "What a pity." If Hiroshi Matsushima had attacked him directly, then he could declare "Hiroshi Matsushima attempted assassination, is a Hero," and then strip Hiroshi Matsushima of his protection.
A human without protection is not considered to have human rights, just a mere object.
—It would be quite a pity. These Martial Arts skills, once made into plugins, could hardly be completely reproduced. Maybe he should be allowed to work for a while, until he leaves behind more data.
Gelangdola thought this way and walked out leisurely.