Jiang Shu naturally wouldn’t be fooled by Clo’s rhetoric.
Clo, this kind of guy, had all his skills maxed out, and his brainwashing ability was top-notch; one must never be led into his tempo.
So Jiang Shu asked again, "Have you ever thought about what to replace the current... um... system with?"
"No," Clo shook his head honestly, and then repeated, "No."
"Then why do you think there’s even the slightest possibility I would help you?" Jiang Shu was exasperated.
If...
Clo had a better blueprint, rather than just a concept as it was now, things would have been somewhat more interesting, but as it stood...
How could Jiang Shu possibly involve himself in such a capricious innovation?
"Really impossible?" Clo blinked, looking somewhat cute.
"Of course," Jiang Shu said irritably. "If you can’t come up with a complete reconstruction plan, overthrowing decay is more terrifying than the decay itself."
"I don’t think so." Clo shook his head. "It’s precisely because of the stagnant waters that no new ideas emerge; the lack of knowledge circulation caused by the Character Cards prevents us from conceiving a reconstruction plan."
"That’s all your speculation. No one will choose to believe a madman’s speculation, whether it’s the stagnant waters, the Character Cards, or even the thoughts of Mutants—it’s all your speculation," Jiang Shu said bluntly.
"The hierarchy of the pyramid must start to flow." It was Clo, in his black-eyed Ya state, who spoke more calmly. "Throughout history, profound changes were never accomplished in one go, but as long as the class system begins to flow, positive agents of change will accumulate, and history will move forward. Eventually, there will be a qualitative change."
"Then what class do you want to rise to the top? Wanderers?" Jiang Shu snorted coldly. "Do you think they’re all capable and ambitious like you? History is to learn from, not to mimic."
"It’s been five years, and Lonely City hasn’t changed a bit." Clo smiled. "I’ve said it; this city has an ’original sin.’"
"I hope that’s not your defense in court." Jiang Shu realized he had been somewhat excessive, so he shrugged his shoulders, easing the atmosphere between them.
"I will ignite this fire," Clo said to Jiang Shu with a mischievous smile. The shadows on his facial features created an eerie appearance as he proclaimed, "Fire purifies everything."
Using Si Nuo’s expression, saying Great Magician’s lines, Clo sure has a grand sense of authority.
Jiang Shu mocked in his heart.
"Just don’t burn me, and if you want to cause trouble, don’t do it in Seventh District; do it in Thirteen District instead; that’s safer." Jiang Shu yawned; he had only slept briefly last night and was now drowsy.
As for anything else, right now both of them were prisoners in jail; big endeavors would have to wait until they get out, and the current debate was basically like village kids talking about how to conquer the world.
"Whatever you say." Clo didn’t continue trying to persuade Jiang Shu. Simple words wouldn’t convince Jiang Shu; he needed something more heartfelt, like...
"How about this; you help me once, I help you once?" Clo offered. "I’ll help you escape from prison, and in return, you team up with me to conquer Lonely City."
"No thanks, I’d rather spend a lifetime in prison," Jiang Shu said, closing his eyes and resting against the wall.
Finally showing your true colors, framing me for murder to imprison me, then taking me on your prison escape, tying me to your ship of thieves...
Frankly, this method was rather unsavory, and Clo should be aware that without convincing him, there was no chance Jiang Shu would assist him.
However.
Can a Magician really have that much power? What exactly does he want me to do?
And it seemed that there was some disconnection between the two Clo’s; for instance, the black-eyed one knew he was a Magician, skilled in deception, while the red-eyed one did not.
Jiang Shu began to ponder.
"Then... what do you want? I could teach you... um, whatever you want to learn." Clo tried a different approach. "I can teach you many things you’ve never known before."
"Do you have any hard currency here?" Jiang Shu didn’t directly answer him but asked instead.
"Hard currency?" Clo thought, blinking. "Protein Powder, high-calorie food, cigarettes, and alcohol, what do you want?"
"Protein Powder, is this stuff... worth a lot?" Jiang Shu was puzzled; he could understand the other things, but Protein Powder...
Hm?
"For fitness," Clo said off-handedly. "In prison, having a robust physique is very important."
He continued, "Those dimwitted lugs on the underground floor love prisoner fitness stuff; Protein Powder has more lure than any other powder."
"Okay then." Jiang Shu nodded. "Since that’s the case, I think I don’t need your teaching."
"Hm?" Clo didn’t understand his point.
"I have this," Jiang Shu lifted a packet of cigarettes in his hand. "This should be more enticing than mushroom soup, right?"
He smiled. "You said it yourself, in here, the cheapest thing is knowledge, so why would I come to you?"
"Tsk." Clo’s face darkened as he scoffed dismissively. "You don’t understand. The integration in the field of knowledge is terrifying. I’m not just anyone; I’m better at teaching."
"Alright, alright, I get it," Jiang Shu waved his hand. "I can’t afford someone as excellent as you."
"Tsk." Clo said no more and turned his attention back to the tire in hand.
Two hours later, the B-level prisoners welcomed their first break of the morning, and Jiang Shu also began his first work of the day—Clo had him drag the finished tires to the collection area, of course, using a dolly.
"Good morning, Mr. Jiang."
"Good morning, Great Magician."
"Hello, hello."
Along the way, Jiang Shu also received many greetings. After last night’s Magic show, many people were interested in him, and several had already asked how he did it.
Jiang Shu simply shrugged and smiled, the phrase being just right.
Through this, he also got to know a few elites from various fields, including the arts, psychology, and performance, but among these people, Jiang Shu was most concerned about a historian.
He had examined a lot of historical material on Lonely City; after all, the best way to understand a city was to understand its history, and while reading these, Jiang Shu also noticed many peculiarities.
These issues, unresolvable by questioning Wolf, Kirie, or Shen Xuwan, and the information on the internet...
Were mostly useless; the knowledge restrictions in Lonely City were significant.
But maybe a historian—a specialist in this field—could solve his doubts.
And it was said that the reason this historian was imprisoned was also quite strange, known only to himself, having offended the upper echelons of the Three Major Groups simultaneously.
Hm, simultaneously.
Jiang Shu respectfully took it seriously.