1019——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Kalbiog’s momentum was clearly crushed. Just moments ago, he was acting all polite, trying to limit our choices, but now he seemed restless, glancing our way. I felt good about it, but at the same time, I knew I couldn’t speak recklessly or things could go south fast.

‘Hmm… since this is a negotiation, I need to pull the situation in my favor.’

How much pressure should I apply? I eventually realized that there was no need to push too hard. Just having a prophet sitting here was already a huge pressure, and if I overdid it, Kalbiog might just bail on the whole negotiation.

So I knew exactly what I had to say. I looked at Kalbiog and said, “Hey. Listen up.”

[What is it?]

“Let’s exclude the Seven Luminaries from this negotiation. We don’t have them, nor do we have any obligation to hand them over to you. So, there’s no need to discuss them further. How does that sound?”

Kalbiog’s eyes bulged out.

[…That’s unreasonable… there’s nothing else your humanity can offer our Galactic Tribe Alliance.]

“Why are you so sure? Sure, you probably have better science and technology, but we’ve prepared in our own way for the apocalypse.”

[What might that be?]

I crossed my arms and replied.

“I can tell you if you agree to my proposal. First, I want to change the premise of our conversation. Isn’t it a waste of time and energy for both sides to keep dragging this out? We’re both busy, after all.”

[…….]

“Just know that we’re not in a position to be led around by your nose.”

Kalbiog fell silent for a considerable time. His eyes subtly glanced towards the prophet sitting beside him, clearly indicating he was concerned about it. After a while of sizing up the prophet, Kalbiog reluctantly nodded.

[…Fine. I will first hear about the ‘conditions’ you can offer. Then perhaps I’ll consider giving up the seven treasures.]

“Alright. Just a moment…”

At that moment, a broad-shouldered blond man spoke up, clearly annoyed.

[Who is that? He looks like just a young man, yet here he is, babbling in some foreign tongue and negotiating with the Galactic Tribe Alliance willy-nilly!]

I stared at the guy and retorted.

[Who the heck are you?]

[I am Gerald H. Harrison, the 46th President of the United States. Reveal your identity.]

Wait, this guy is the President of the USA?

‘He clearly has some fiery determination in his eyes. Well, I guess someone in his position would be…’

I knew that the US was the second-largest nation in the world after the Great Bear Empire, controlling not just the entire Americas but parts of Africa too. Also, Gerald was a president with a military background, so he must have some war experience. Not someone to be underestimated, yet I responded calmly.

[I am Baek Woong, the former Emperor of the Great Bear Empire. I have more than enough credentials to be here. And since I still have inquiries regarding the Seven Luminaries negotiations, I don’t think I did anything wrong.]

[Former Emperor, you say? I haven’t heard that before.]

[Sagong Lin can vouch for my identity. Now let me ask you again, Gerald, do you think you can lead this negotiation on better terms than I? If you can, I’ll gladly hand over the reins of this negotiation to you.]

[…….]

President Gerald looked like he was thinking hard. Then he said.

[From now on, refrain from making unilateral decisions in our discussions. We all need to participate as representatives of humanity.]

[Sure.]

I had no intention of doing as he said, but I might as well pretend to listen.

I shrugged and looked at Kalbiog. “Kalbiog, how much do you know about the Apocalypse and Revelations?”

[Why do you ask?]

[Because what we’ve got on our side is information about the events leading to the Apocalypse. We’d like you to support our technology advancements in exchange for that information.]

Kalbiog sneered at me.

[You calmly speak of things that can’t be trusted. There’s no reason for me to believe your words.]

[Why? Is it because humanity can’t know such things?]

[Exactly. Your humanity isn’t a civilization of demon magic, sorcery, or advanced technology, nor are you a descendant of the Old Rulers. You are a feeble race lagging behind by galactic standards and wouldn’t have access to such information.]

[So you’re saying you need proof of our credibility.]

[That’s right.]

At that moment, I turned my gaze towards the prophet sitting next to me, and Kalbiog flinched. I stared hard at the prophet and finally spoke.

[This guy knows everything. Isn’t he someone who can authenticate whether the information about the Apocalypse I mention is true or false?]

[……!!]

Kalbiog was visibly startled. Then, looking flustered, he said, [D-Don’t bring him into this! Is there really a need to involve him in this negotiation?]

[Why not? After all, he’s a regular customer with me. If I ask, he should at least comply with this level of request, right? Isn’t that right?]

I grinned and moved a bit closer to the prophet.

At that, the prophet, looking quite uncomfortable, shifted away slightly and finally spoke up.

[I can authenticate it, but you’ll have to pay a fee.]

Just as I expected!

I knew he would say something like that!

I’ve dealt with him enough times to predict this!

‘This greedy bastard will squeeze you out over the smallest things!’

How many times have I been overcharged for information by that guy…? I felt a desire to punch the prophet but kept my cool; getting angry wouldn’t help me here. I maintained my smiling expression and said to the prophet.

[It’s not like I have to pay a fee, right? Shouldn’t the one who wants the information be the one to pay?]

[…….]

The prophet looked at me with a gaze that showed he was incredulous and reluctantly replied.

[That could be an approach… if you’re willing to pay…]

Kalbiog seemed to pick up on where this conversation was going. He voiced even more agitation than before.

[…Does it mean humanity won’t incur any costs, Baek Woong? Do we look like soft targets willing to give up everything without a fight?]

I shook my head.

[Not incurring any costs? Why would you think that? It could be an enormous benefit for you if the information about the Apocalypse turns out to be true. The prophet is willing to authenticate it, so naturally, the fee should be on you.]

[…….]

[So what’s it going to be? But just so you know, the information I have about the Apocalypse is ‘real’. I’d stake my name on that.]

[Wait a moment… I need time to think.]

[No way.]

[What?]

I knew from experience that giving my opponent too much time to think during negotiations was a bad idea. They might change their mind or other variables might come into play. So I decided to push hard for an answer.

I leaned forward and said, [Just so you know, I’m giving you an opportunity here. I could easily just make a deal with the prophet without involving you. But since you approached us with goodwill, I’m simply returning that goodwill.]

I was just saying that to sound convincing; dealing with the prophet would net me a much worse deal. Kalbiog didn’t know that, though, and wouldn’t realize how I had been getting fleeced too many times by the prophet.

[Hmm…].

[So hurry up and decide.]

[Alright… I accept your proposal.]

Got it!

As soon as I received Kalbiog’s answer, I realized I was halfway successful. I flashed a grin at Kalbiog and said, [Now, let’s clarify what technology and support you’ll be offering us, and then you’ll deliver the information about the Apocalypse to me in the form of an authentication.]

[But as I said earlier… I won’t have the means to evacuate all of humanity from the solar system…]

I cut him off immediately.

[Who’s said anything about fleeing? Seventeen years isn’t an incredibly long time, but it’s also not just a blink. We can try to make do and figure out the escape later, so just give us the core technologies we need as much as possible.]

[…Hmph, you lower species…].

Boom!

Kalbiog slammed the table in a fit of rage. It was clear he was getting increasingly anxious with how things were going.

‘So his true feelings are starting to show.’

For a guy supposedly a strong leader, showing his emotions like this meant he had greatly underestimated humanity. His pride was clearly hurt at having to negotiate with those he viewed as lesser beings.

[We need technology for migrating to another planet or terraforming, combat techniques to counter the apostles or avatars of the Old Rulers, and detailed knowledge about the Galactic world. At least this much is what we need.]

[That’s outrageous…!!]

I couldn’t help but grin at Kalbiog.

[Outrageous? You’ve asked for the Seven Luminaries to be handed over without offering any guarantee that 10,000 people would safely be allowed to leave! Even that prophet wouldn’t make such a trade.]

[…….]

[Don’t be mistaken. The closeness of your alliance with the prophet is also in my hands, so control of this negotiation won’t shift to your side.]

This was the essence of the negotiation. Kalbiog was not just tied to me because of needing information about the Apocalypse but was fearful that he might offend the prophet’s kind by making me angry.

[W-Who are you?]

Kalbiog asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

[Are you really human…? How can a human like you exist… it’s almost as if… I’m speaking to an Old Ruler…].

[First things first. Are you going to accept our proposal?]

[…….]

Kalbiog took a long pause for thought, then he reluctantly nodded.

[…Fine… I must acknowledge the potential of your humanity… You might not be on the level to join our alliance, but I pay respects to your capabilities, Baek Woong.]

[That was rather long-winded. So, are we saying this deal is done?]

[Yes.]

I slapped the table with my palm, making a loud bang.

[Great! That wraps things up! So the authentication fee talk is up to you and the prophet. Let me know when everything’s ready; I’ll excuse myself for a bit.]

I jumped to my feet and headed out of the hologram room. I made my way to the lounge and enjoyed a cup of coffee, that black drink.

‘Phew. Did I stress out a bit…?’

I had been pretending to be calm up till now, but I was seriously jittery. One wrong move might’ve turned the Great Bear Empire into a global enemy or even sparked a world war. It was fortunate that Kalbiog bent to my will, but if things had gone wrong, the negotiation could have come to a disastrous end at any moment. I had to step out for a bit because holding onto such tension was exhausting.

While I was sipping my coffee, Liu Ha approached me.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yeah?”

“There’s a weird silver deer over there~.”

A deer?

I glanced at the opposite hallway. There stood a silver deer looking this way.

‘What the heck is that?’

The orbital elevator should be far above the stratosphere; what in the world is a silver deer doing here? Curiosity piqued, I activated the Fire Eye Golden Spirit to examine the silver deer and felt a sharp sting in my eyes.

“Ouch!”

W-What’s going on?

I soon realized that the ‘power’ of the deer detected through the Fire Eye Golden Spirit was so immense that the brilliance hurt my eyes. Whether it was divine power or something else, the energy was clustered within it, comparable to the Heavenly Spirit Pills or Primordial Spirits.

‘The Water attribute…!! Not something to take lightly!’

And I quickly recognized that the silver deer was no ordinary creature, drawing my sword swiftly. It seemed like the odds weren’t on my side. For a moment, I thought I saw a Tai Chi symbol etched on the silver deer’s forehead.

……

Gone?

In the blink of an eye, the silver deer had vanished. I stood there, tense, looking at the empty corridor when Liu Wu, who had appeared beside me, suddenly spoke.

“Your Majesty. I’m sorry I missed it.”

“Huh? When did you arrive?”

Seriously, when did he show up? Just a moment ago, Liu Wu wasn’t anywhere nearby, yet here he was now. Liu Wu bowed his head and said.

“I tried to restrain that deer using my abilities, but it has strong resistance… It’s a peculiar being. Lifeforms shouldn’t be able to resist my powers.”

What on earth is he talking about? I tilted my head in confusion, but it was true that I had indeed lost sight of the silver deer. I scratched my head and said.

“Gather all other tactical agents and keep an eye out. If it shows up again, have them call me right away. I need to wrap up this business quickly.”

“As you command.”

I re-entered the meeting room. As soon as I stepped in, Kalbiog addressed me.

[Our Galactic Tribe Alliance has paid the authentication fee for the information about the Apocalypse. You can now speak.]

[Got it. Then go ahead and tell me.]

I began to calmly explain what would happen during the ‘Apocalypse.’ First, the Earth would inexplicably perish, and then humanity would be sucked into a gigantic gate leading to the [Throne], where Earth would be spat out leading to the annihilation of 10 billion humans. Following that, I informed them that destruction would spread globally, and the repercussions would be immeasurable.

Of course, I didn’t mention how the universe itself would be doomed or the spectacle I saw while passing through the gate inside the Throne. I hadn’t seen it myself and telling them wouldn’t serve any purpose.

[……!!]

Kalbiog looked genuinely shocked, clearly unaware of that information, while all the other human representatives, except Sagong Lin, wore expressions of utter disbelief. Especially President Gerald, who was gnawing on his thick cigar, spat it out and exclaimed.

[What a load of nonsense. This is just fantasy!]

But it seemed he was the only one thinking that way, as the general atmosphere was leaning towards belief.

Kalbiog spoke up.

[Since the great Tao King has confirmed the truth of your words, we have no choice but to believe it. Then… who in the world are you? What kind of being could a mere human possess the truth of such an immense return?]

[Curious, are we?]

[Indeed.]

I smiled slyly.

[If you really want to know, how about you strip your species clean of treasures and permanently become my subordinate~~? Then I’ll enlighten you.]

[…….]

[…Buddy, I’m joking. Why are you taking it so seriously?]

I intended to make an absurd suggestion to throw them off, but to my surprise, Kalbiog looked deep in thought, leaving me astounded as well. After a brief silence, Kalbiog said.

[We will sincerely fulfill our contract with you. Those who will transfer the core technology will board the mothership and arrive at your planet within a year, so be prepared to wait.]

[Got it. Any other business?]

[Now that we’ve learned about the potential that destruction may spread throughout the galaxy, our Galactic Tribe Alliance will also need time to prepare… Thank you for your information, Baek Woong.]

[Hmm. Sounds like there’s nothing left.]

[Then, I shall take my leave…].

Boom!

Kalbiog’s hologram vanished. Moments later, the human representatives began buzzing amongst themselves, and Sagong Lin turned to me.

“Baek Woong, feel free to leave now. I’ll handle the remaining matters.”

Now all that was left was for the human representatives to coordinate their opinions, an incredibly tedious and bothersome political meeting. Sagong Lin seemed to think I shouldn’t bear that burden.

“Is that really alright?”

“Since you’ve handled everything, it’s only right I take care of the rest. Thank you so much for your help.”

“Oh, right! Just now, there was a silver deer that appeared…”

I told Sagong Lin about the silver deer I had just seen. Her expression suddenly changed notably as she replied.

“Indeed, that deer has appeared. It seems a being of great power has manifested; I was keeping an eye out to see what it signifies…”

“How strong was it? What could it have been?”

“…I have some ideas, but I won’t speak of it now. I’ll tell you later.”

“Got it.”

“You can return to the surface with Liu Ha.”

Clunk.

Just as I stood up, the scenery around me shifted to a white-grey landscape, revealing a splendid, breathtaking sight. I recognized it; it was the view of the prophet’s home planet. I remembered this sight from when I borrowed the rights to the Tower of Muwang in the past.

As I subtly glanced to my side, the prophet stood there, staring at me intently.

[Reborn person… you have just caused a massive ripple in the fate of this universe… are you aware of that?]

It seemed like that guy had manipulated time and space to summon me here. I had seen divine beings create such phenomena before, not that it was a rare occurrence.

“What? I caused a ripple?”

The prophet nodded and continued.

[The information you leaked about the Apocalypse was known only to a select few in this vast universe… even the Old Rulers themselves were largely unaware… only those of the highest regard among the divine could know… in other words… it was a heavenly secret prepared for your ascent.]

“Hmm.”

[However, reborn person, you chose to leak that heavenly secret to Kalbiog, a mere mortal leader… no matter how powerful he may be, he is nothing but a bug compared to true gods…]

“…….”

[Hence, it was something I should’ve intervened and prevented by anchoring to the Law of Cause and Effect… but it seems I’ve already attained the direct causal trajectory by appealing to the source of order. Thus not only can I not intervene, but also the deities of the universe are unable to interfere in this negotiation.]

The prophet then seemed to chuckle heartily.

[Ha ha ha… I’d love to witness the chaos unfolding among the dignitaries right now… I’d like to show it to you as well… Ha ha.]

“Are you saying it’s my fault?”

[No way… You’re a reborn… who could possibly judge the life of a reborn? Not even the gods can judge you.]

The prophet walked over to the nearby throne and sat down before continuing.

[Only you can judge yourself… You play with the threads of universal fate as if they were mere toys… watching from the sidelines, it’s just awe-inspiring.]

“Come on! Stop pretending to be all wise and stuff. So, what does this mean? Are the gods of chaos going to attack me now?”

When I snapped, the prophet replied.

[No… I don’t think so… After all, the gods of chaos have no causal links with you as of now… and with the direct causal thread currently threading around you, even less so. Just know, as an added bonus, I’ve called you to provide advice…].

“Advice?”

[Such threads of causality will make you sorely disliked by the other chaotic gods when used like this… it also consumes quite a lot of energy… it would be more effective if you frequently interacted with beings of order… that’s the proper usage.]

“Hmm.”

[And the payment for bringing me into this deal, I won’t take, since the stakes have turned enjoyable because of you… thus consider it squared… after all, things have grown somewhat boring since the Three Sovereigns vanished… it’s going to get interesting now… that’s what a reborn is for…].

He didn’t seem to be afraid of chaos; rather, he looked like he was enjoying it.

It appeared that he indeed was one of the kings of chaos.

“…….”

[I’m curious about what deals you might come looking to make with me next… until we meet again.]

Boom!

The moment he finished that sentence, I was suddenly back as I originally was, and the prophet had vanished. I stood there, a bit confused, before stepping outside.

‘Hmph. So what now…?’

I snorted. If I die, then so be it; that guy still annoys me. That’s the end of it.

About an hour later, Sagong Lin finished up the meeting and came out.

She then shared all the outcomes from the meeting with me. Honestly, I didn’t see a need to know everything, but I still listened with some interest. After discussing the meeting, Sagong Lin said.

“Baek Woong, I think I’ve seen that silver deer before. It has appeared at significant junctions in history.”

“What?”

She said with her transparent eyes.

“It seems to be from the Dan clan.”