1018——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Pa-at

I went to the top floor of the orbital elevator with Liu Ha. The vast room was covered in silver tracks, and about a dozen humans were waiting inside. Since most of them were familiar faces, I greeted Zhu Xian.

“It’s been a few days.”

Zhu Xian quickly stood up and shouted.

“All Tactical Forces Agents! We greet Your Majesty the Emperor!”

Boom!

Then, including Zhu Xian, all the Tactical Forces Agents kneeled before me in unison.

I hadn’t intended to get such a formal greeting, so I scratched my neck awkwardly. Then I asked Zhu Xian.

“I didn’t hear much from Liu Ha, but what’s this about the Galactic Tribe Alliance?”

“Yes. Let me explain as best as I can.”

Zhu Xian sighed lightly and continued.

“It seems contact with extraterrestrial races has been going on for quite some time. Previously, we only communicated indirectly via broadcasts or signals, but this time, they want to hold direct talks. And I heard it was a sudden decision.”

“Sudden, huh…”

“W-We’re quite surprised, too. We never actually anticipated dealing with an alien race…”

Indeed, Zhu Xian looked visibly flustered, and most of the agents appeared dazed, as if they couldn’t comprehend the situation. It made sense; you don’t exactly run into alien races in a regular lifetime.

But since I had encountered otherworldly beings and civilizations often, it didn’t shock me much. After some thought, I said.

“Zhu Xian, where’s Sagong Lin?”

“She’s preparing ahead of the meeting, Your Majesty…”

“Show me the way.”

“…Understood.”

Reluctantly, Zhu Xian led me to the room where Sagong Lin was.

Wiying!

As the electronic door opened, I saw Sagong Lin, who was getting ready in her ceremonial robes with the help of handmaidens. Since she was almost fully dressed, it wasn’t embarrassing, and she seemed to understand that, allowing me to approach her right away. Still, Zhu Xian awkwardly looked away, and I addressed Sagong Lin.

“What’s going on? Why are we meeting with the Galactic Tribe Alliance? You didn’t mention a word to me!”

Sagong Lin glanced at Zhu Xian, who quickly bowed his head and exited. The handmaidens hurried out as well. Sagong Lin walked over to the window and slowly spoke.

“It was sudden. They had been inquiring when they could meet us, but then suddenly brought up the Illuminati and demanded a meeting.”

“What?”

“I don’t know why, but the Galactic Tribe Alliance seems eager to make contact with humanity. As the Emperor of the Great Bear Empire, I had no choice but to accept.”

“Why the rush?”

“……”

Sagong Lin looked directly at me, and after a moment, I realized the implication in her gaze.

“…Is it because of me?”

“Yes. I don’t think this is a coincidence.”

“What connection could I possibly have with the Galactic Tribe Alliance?”

“I can’t say what the cause is, but a single droplet can cause ripples on the surface; you, a Reborn Person, are not just any droplet but a massive wave that could move even extraterrestrial beings beyond the universe.”

“Hmm…”

“Baek Woong, I’ve heard about your progress from Professor Sima Ling. I understand you now have some common sense; have you heard about this orbital elevator?”

I nodded at Sagong Lin’s words.

“I’ve heard it’s a structure created to supply resources to the moon base and facilitate space exploration; they say it can launch all sorts of goods into space.”

“That’s how it’s known to the world. However, the orbital elevator wasn’t built solely for that purpose.”

“What is it for then?”

Sss…

Sagong Lin placed her hand on the window. Gazing into the vast darkness of space, she spoke.

“On days like today, when an extraterrestrial race or otherworldly faction approaches, the orbital elevator was created to enable humanity to receive alien power without revealing the truth to the world.”

“…Doesn’t it seem a bit too grand for just a meeting place?”

“The orbital elevator also serves as a barrier. A vast global barrier is spread out to prevent incursions from lower extraterrestrial beings, extending to the height of the orbital elevator.”

“Ah….”

“Baek Woong, please attend the meeting via hologram. This meeting won’t just have me; there will also be the leader of the Illuminati, the President of the United States, and representatives from the Third World. Yet, none of us can confidently say we’ll represent humanity and voice our opinions to the otherworldly beings.”

As she turned her gaze towards me, she continued.

“But for you… with the courage you’ve shown against countless deities, I believe you can lead the discussion favorably.”

“…….”

“I’m counting on you.”

I understood why Sagong Lin called for me. She must have great faith in my past encounters with powerful beings. I nodded at her words.

“Leave it to me! I’ve got this!”

“Then I’ll guide you to the hologram room.”

A short while later, I went with Sagong Lin to a place called the hologram room. Once seated, I underwent fingerprint and facial recognition, and my image began to float in the air as a hologram.

Sagong Lin sitting next to me said.

“You may speak freely. Just be cautious; the alien language translation app tends to be slow, so there might be a delay in hearing their words.”

“Got it.”

Woooh…

A strange sound echoed. After a while, holograms began to materialize around the conference table, one by one. Counting me and Sagong Lin, there were ten seats in total.

Next to Sagong Lin sat an old man who appeared to be the leader of the Illuminati, whom I had encountered recently. He stroked his beard and said.

[Your Majesty the Emperor of the Great Bear Empire, I understand you have been reluctant to join this meeting. Perhaps you should step back gracefully.]

Then, Sagong Lin responded effortlessly without changing her expression.

[We cannot allow your New World Order to come to pass.]

[Isn’t that the closer goal for the Great Bear Empire as well? I know that your empire began from a certain secret society, just like ours.]

[For the salvation of humanity.]

[Hehe! That sounds just like us… There’s no pursuit of the wisdom of Akasha in your ignorance, huh? Well, let’s see how this unfolds today.]

And then, the two sitting right next to each other fell silent. I could feel the barbs in their words. I glanced at the Illuminati leader and thought.

‘Tsk. I just want to stab him with a knife, but he’s not in front of me….’

What’s the point of a verbal spar when I have a good knife? I desperately wanted to clobber the Illuminati leader if he were in front of me, but it seemed I had to endure for now.

Moments later, an oddly-shaped alien appeared on the other side of the hologram.

[Greetings. I am Kalbiog, the chief and chair of the Galactic Tribe Alliance. It is an honor to meet the leaders of Earth.]

Chizzzzt!

I saw the translation of the alien’s speech transform into the language of the Great Bear Empire. As predicted by Sagong Lin, the translation speed was slow, and it appeared much later than the spoken words.

‘Huh? I can understand that…’

Strangely enough, I found that I could naturally comprehend Kalbiog’s words, almost as if they were in my own language. So it seemed I didn’t need the translation app.

Then I remembered where I had seen this Kalbiog alien before.

‘Oh right! He was the alien who appeared when the Prophet explained the obsidian entity.’

Perhaps that’s why his appearance felt so familiar. Staring at Kalbiog with curiosity, he continued speaking.

[As you may already know, soon the [Old Ruler] will descend, and [Proclamation] will occur on your planet, Earth. The Great Return will bring consequences that may lead to your destruction…. Our Galactic Tribe Alliance, as a league of mortals, cannot stand by during such a tragedy, hence our initiation of contact with you.]

The Illuminati leader responded to Kalbiog’s statement.

[What precisely do you want?]

It seemed my words were also translated for the other side, as Kalbiog immediately understood. He rolled one of his four eyes and replied.

[We have three requests. First, we shall impart our advanced science and technology to you. Second, we are willing to evacuate some of your people to our home planet. Third, in exchange for the first two, we seek to obtain the seven great treasures that you possess.]

[…….]

[…….]

With those words, the eight human leaders, including Sagong Lin, fell silent. It appeared they were all contemplating the underlying meaning of Kalbiog’s request.

Then, the Illuminati leader spoke.

[So, what you’re saying is… you don’t intend to help humanity without us giving you seven treasures?]

[That’s right.]

[Even if you say seven treasures, we don’t even know what they are….]

[No need to play coy. You want the relics you call the Seven Ark.]

Kalbiog revealed unexpected knowledge, rendering the Illuminati leader momentarily speechless.

[…….]

While listening to their conversation, I quickly caught on to Kalbiog’s true intention.

‘These… bastards want the Seven Luminaries!’

I was at a loss for words.

How could an extraterrestrial race from beyond the galaxy come all the way here asking for the Seven Luminaries? The fact that the Seven Luminaries were such magnificent treasures astounded me, but then the Illuminati leader replied in a wise tone.

[If you explain your intentions for wanting the Seven Ark, we might consider it. Of course, we don’t have them with us….]

Kalbiog countered.

[Those are relics infused with the powers of the Three Sovereigns and their contracted powerful [Old Rulers]. They possess enough power to rescue the weak suffering from the tyranny of the [Old Rulers] scattered throughout the galaxy. If you hand them over to our Galactic Tribe Alliance, we will be able to bring justice.]

[Hoho… justice, huh? Hehe…!]

The Illuminati leader smirked with a face full of skepticism. It wasn’t just him; other human leaders displayed similarly dubious expressions. The rationale sounded plausible, but there was no way they could trust the justification being presented.

Sagong Lin chimed in.

[Will the level of technology you’re offering be sufficient for all of humanity to migrate to another planet?]

[Regrettably, it’s not that advanced. Even if your entire solar system is caught in cataclysmic destruction, terraforming and evacuating to another planet within the same solar system wouldn’t escape the doom. Besides, we don’t possess the technology to relocate billions across dimensions.]

[Then doesn’t that make your offering of advanced technology meaningless?]

Kalbiog subtly extended his hand.

[Ten thousand… if it’s around ten thousand, we can evacuate them to our home planet. And if you develop your own technology well enough, you could probably evacuate even more over the span of 17 years. It’s all up to you.]

[…….]

[Now, we’ve revealed our hand… leaders of humanity, make a wise judgment.]

Tap tap

Beep!

Upon Kalbiog’s words, the human leaders appeared busily touching their screens, seemingly contacting others. The Illuminati leader and Sagong Lin remained still, deep in thought. I watched the scene and pondered.

‘Hmm… so you’re saying humanity gets to survive as little as ten thousand while the rest perish? It’d be enough to maintain the lineage of civilization, but…’

However, in that thought, I suddenly understood the core of the dilemma.

‘Ah… no. This is just an extortion from the dying!’

It sounded as if Kalbiog was doing a favor by offering to save humanity with a generous hand, but in reality, he was simply trying to obtain the Seven Luminaries easily from a doomed humanity. Accepting that proposal would leave no one aware of how Kalbiog would treat the remaining ten thousand, and humanity, in all likelihood, would face extinction.

In practice, it was Kalbiog enticing the upper echelons of humanity at the expense of the rest of the billions!

I never expected that an extraterrestrial being, much less one associated with the [Old Rulers], would use such cunning tactics. I figured other human leaders probably realized Kalbiog’s intentions but also understood they were in a tight spot. If they refused to provide the Seven Luminaries, Kalbiog would simply wash his hands of the whole affair, leaving humanity to fend for itself without any hope of survival.

What should I do?

Sagong Lin spoke to me through secret transmission.

[Baek Woong… I’ll leave this seat to you.]

[To me?]

She nodded.

[I’ve heard you now possess the Law of Cause and Effect. Then all favorable winds of fate are yours… Everything hinges on your decision in this matter.]

[…….]

[Whatever choice you make for humanity’s fate, I will follow.]

I sneakily glanced at the Illuminati leader, who also appeared engulfed in distress, unable to make his mind up. The other human leaders looked equally uncertain, flailing about and completely lost.

‘What should I do…’

Rejecting this proposal was easy. But if I refuse, the other human leaders might backlash, questioning why we turned it down without any alternatives, and the Great Bear Empire would see its enemy numbers multiply.

Even if I consent to Kalbiog’s proposal, handing over the Seven Luminaries was practically meaningless. After all, if humanity perishes except for ten thousand, what’s the point?

In that moment, it struck me.

‘Oh, I got it!’

I suddenly had a brilliant idea.

So I decided to check in with Sagong Lin using secret transmission.

[Sagong Lin, I’ll be back in a bit.]

Pa-at!

I used my technique to teleport to a place I had visited before. The location had modern architecture, but within, I sensed a familiar aura.

‘Oh, it’s still here! Thank goodness.’

Seeing the familiar tentacle writhing behind the wall, I shouted.

“Hey! Long time no see! You remember me, right?”

[…It’s been a while.]

“I need to make a deal, so just wait a sec! I’ll be right back.”

[……?]

The other side seemed taken aback, but I then used my technique to return to the hologram room. Grinning, I addressed Kalbiog.

[Kalbiog, I’m proposing a deal.]

Kalbiog stared at me closely and replied.

[…A leader of humanity not recorded in the data. Who are you, and how do you know our language?]

[I am the Emperor of the Great Bear Empire.]

[But that should be Sagong Lin beside you.]

I grinned widely.

[Believe it or not, that’s up to you. Either way, I’m making a proposal.]

[What proposal do you wish to make? Our conditions won’t change….]

I directly confronted Kalbiog.

[The Tower of Muwang! I’ll share the technology there with you, but in exchange, you must provide all the scientific resources and technology of your Galactic Tribe Alliance. And of course, I cannot give you the Seven Luminaries, and you must protect humanity until the end times. This also means you have to join me in the fight against the Apostles of the [Old Rulers].]

[……!!]

[Did you understand? The previous conditions are unacceptable. I’m asking for at least this much.]

Seemingly shocked, Kalbiog shook his two heads vigorously.

[W-What on earth….]

[Stop pretending to be generous and hand over everything.]

[Unbelievable! Those are technologies of the Great Race. How could you possibly share the powers of the Tower of Muwang with us? Where did you hear such absurdity?]

I crossed my arms and faced Kalbiog.

[Fine. I’ll bring the party responsible here, so just wait.]

[W-What…?]

Pa-at!

I teleported back to the Great Temple of Astana and shouted.

“Hey! I need to make a deal, so follow me! Someone wants to see you!”

[……? What do you mean?]

“Just come with me! Can you use my teleportation passage?”

[Understood….]

Pa-at!

I grabbed the creature’s tentacle and teleported back to the hologram room. Once there, I connected it with remaining equipment, and its figure began to emerge as a hologram in the meeting.

Woooh…

Upon confirming the appearance, Kalbiog was stunned and exclaimed.

[…M-Master Tao King!]

[…….]

[What brings you here….]

The Prophet looked around as if trying to ascertain the situation. Then, understanding the state of affairs, he comfortably sat down in a chair, remaining silent.

[…….]

[U-uhm….]

The Prophet’s menacing gaze was fixed intently on Kalbiog, who appeared restless, unsure where to look, thus rolling his eyes nervously.

With a sly grin, I turned to Kalbiog.

[You mentioned wanting the Seven Luminaries, right? I could easily hand them over to the Prophet.]

[…….]

[Of course, it seems the Prophet isn’t particularly fond of this gathering….]

Kalbiog fumbled his words.

[…L-Let’s renegotiate… this earlier proposal is off the table. Let’s find a way to approach this amicably.]

[Sure, that sounds good.]

I released a quiet sigh of relief.

‘Now the conversation should get easier.’

Indeed.

The best way to handle that arrogant alien Kalbiog was to bring in the Prophet!

I had known of their connection during the last obsidian negotiation, so this was a move I had planned.