The announcement from the Angel was like a giant stone thrown into a deep lake, with ripples spreading to every corner of the known Universe.
However, beneath the surface noise and speculation, the true eye of the storm seemed to be converging, following some invisible traction, slowly toward that blue star system—the Chi Wu Star System, Earth.
On Demon One, the rage and restlessness in the main control hall had been replaced by a deeper, almost cold determination.
Morgana sat on her throne, held up by the Demon Claws, her scarlet eyes flickering with the flames of a desperate gamble intertwined with the chill of reason.
Her communication with Karl had ended, and those whispered temptations and cold guarantees had seeped into her thoughts like venom.
The risk was huge, but the rewards... were enough to make her bet everything.
"Bitch..." she cursed under her breath, not knowing if she was cursing Karl, Keisha, or this damn fate.
But then, a nearly ferocious excitement appeared on her face.
"Fine, since you want to act, I'll play along with you in a big show! Let's see who breaks first!"
The light screen in front of her lit up, and a communication request, heavily encrypted and with its path hidden to the extreme, was connected to the core channel of Demon One.
The caller's ID was not the official code of any known civilization, but a string of constantly changing ancient runes that seemed to contain endless knowledge and the sediment of time—the Super Seminary, or rather, the core will behind the Super Seminary that truly controlled the "God-Making Project" and watched the winds and clouds of the Universe with cold eyes.
"Morganas true name, your decision."
As the communication connected, a flat, aged voice that seemed devoid of any emotional color rang out directly, without pleasantries or titles, getting straight to the point.
This voice did not propagate through conventional sound waves but acted directly on the level of consciousness, carrying an aloof indifference.
"Old things, you certainly know how to keep your cool."
Morgana sneered, though her tone lacked some of its usual insolence and had a bit more caution.
Facing the true behind-the-scenes core of the Super Seminary, even she had to restrain some of her wildness.
These guys were among the oldest and most mysterious existences in the known Universe, the legacy of Zilean, the afterglow of the Shenhe civilization; the knowledge and power they possessed were unfathomable.
"The Angel side is about to poke a hole in the sky, and you're still hiding in your tortoise shell watching the show?"
"Observe, record, analyze, guide. This is our duty and our way of existence."
The voice was without waves.
"The movements of the Angel are within the predicted branches of possibility. The weight has increased, but it has not exceeded the controllable threshold. Your choice will affect the probability of subsequent branches."
"Stop feeding me this nonsense!"
Morgana interrupted impatiently.
"I'll ask one thing: Earth, the Power of the Galaxy, and that little game of yours—'cultivating main gods to deal with the Ultimate Fear'—are you still doing it or not?"
"That grandson Karl hasn't given up on his script, and those old antiques of the Angel are also watching from the sidelines like tigers. What exactly is your attitude at the Super Seminary? Are you going to continue being a coward, or are you going to get down here and play?"
The other end of the communication was silent for a moment, as if calculating something, or perhaps communicating silently with multiple wills.
Then, that aged voice sounded again, but the content made Morgana's eyes narrow slightly:
"The growth of the Power of the Galaxy is one of the established key paths and must be guaranteed. The activation and integration of Super Genes such as the Nuo Xing God of War also meet observation requirements. Earth, as the core testing ground and incubator at the current stage, needs to maintain its basic stability."
"As for you, Morganas true name, your Demon civilization, Karl's Styx system, and even the intervention of the Angel... in the current deduction model, they can all be regarded as necessary 'environmental variables' and'stress test sources'."
"As long as you do not cross the two red lines of 'destroying the testing ground' and 'killing key observation targets', we are happy to see your 'performance'."
Morgana understood.
In the eyes of these behind-the-scenes masterminds of the Super Seminary, demons, Angels, and the Styx were all just "environmental variables"!
Earth was the testing ground, and Ge Xiaolun, Liu Chuang, and the others were the key "observation targets" and "petri dishes," while the god-level civilizations fighting to the death outside were merely tools to add variables to the experiment and exert pressure on the petri dishes!
As long as they didn't smash the testing ground or kill the petri dishes, they could mess around however they wanted!
A wave of absurd rage rushed to her head, but she forced it down.
Because she knew that what the other party said was the truth, at least it was the "truth" from their transcendent perspective.
In the eyes of these "scholars" who observed the progress of civilization and studied the ultimate void, the rise and fall of individual civilizations and the wars between gods might really just be a large-scale "experiment" or "social observation."
"So, you won't intervene directly? Even if Karl really wants to detonate a black hole singularity, or even if the old antiques of the Angel get tired of watching and want to flip the table?"
Morgana asked coldly, trying to grasp their bottom line.
"Necessary corrections will exist, but they will be carried out in a form consistent with 'natural evolution'."
The other party answered ambiguously.
"Our resources and attention are prioritized to ensure the continuation of key paths. As for the'scraps'..."
The voice paused, seemingly carrying a trace of extremely imperceptible indifference, "The specific fates of the Deno Remnants, including Du Kao and others, are not core observation indicators. If they can recognize the situation and go with the flow, they can naturally continue to exist. If their behavior constitutes a major negative interference with the key paths... cleaning up the redundancy is also a necessary means to maintain the purity of the experimental environment."
Cleaning up redundancy!
Morgana sneered internally.
Du Kao, Lian Feng, and those Deno Remnants regarded Earth and the Super Seminary as the last hope for the revival of their civilization, giving it their all, even to the point of sacrifice.
But in the eyes of the true higher-ups of the Super Seminary, they were nothing more than "scraps," "redundancy" that could be cleaned up at any time for the sake of "experimental purity"!
How ironic!
"Very well."
A twisted smile appeared on Morgana's face.
"I understand what you mean. You want the Power of the Galaxy to grow and want to see the results of the'stress test.' Karl wants his Void Era and wants Keisha to fall. And I... I want to kill my sister and want freedom for the demons! As for what that bunch of idiots like Du Kao think, or how many Earthlings die... none of my business! As long as the General direction of the script remains unchanged, we can improvise the details, right?"
"That can be understood this way."
The aged voice acquiesced.
"But a reminder again: the red lines cannot be crossed. Excessive destruction will lead to... systematic correction."
"Alright, alright, I get it!"
Morgana waved her hand impatiently, as if to disperse this unpleasant conversation.
"Then it's settled! You continue to be your high-and-mighty observers, and we 'actors' will put on a great show for you! Let's see who can have the last laugh in the end!"
The communication was cut off.
The hall of Demon One returned to silence, with only the low hum of energy flow.
Morgana leaned back on her throne, her fingers tapping the armrest unconsciously, her eyes flickering with uncertain light.
The stance of the Super Seminary both relieved her and made her feel a deeper chill.
In the chess game of these truly ancient existences, even gods might just be pawns.
Almost at the same time, at the Death Song Academy.
The star map in front of Karl kept changing, outlining complex causal lines and probability clouds.
The communications with Morgana and the behind-the-scenes core of the Super Seminary were like two key threads, cleverly woven by him into the established script framework.
"The Super Seminary... as expected, they are still the same. As long as their 'key observation targets' are not touched, they are happy to sit on the sidelines and collect data."
Karl muttered to himself, his phantom face blurry in the dim light.
"Morganas true name... has also entered the game; hatred and greed are the best driving forces."
His gaze turned to the other side of the star map, where a Planet shrouded in golden light and radiating majestic stellar energy—Lieyang Star—was clearly visible.
"Now, only the confirmation of the last'supporting actor' is missing."
Karl's voice was barely audible.
He raised his hand, and a secret communication containing special frequencies and encoded with Void and dark information quietly crossed the sea of stars, directionally sent to the core of Lieyang Star, the Heavenly Dao Tower.
This time, the person he contacted was not the Lieyang King, Di Hongkun, but the current actual highest ruler of Lieyang—the Guardian, General.
The communication connected quickly.
General's dignified, steady figure, as heavy as the Earth, appeared in front of Karl in the form of an energy projection.
He was wearing the traditional General's armor of Lieyang, his face calm, his gaze deep, showing no joy or anger.
"God of Death Karl."
General's voice was like a great bell, carrying the unique burning heat and majesty of Lieyang.
"What business troubles you to contact me personally?"
"General, sorry to disturb you."
Karl nodded slightly, his posture very low, but his tone remained flat.
"It concerns the future pattern of the known Universe, as well as... the continuation of the national destiny of the Lieyang civilization."
"Oh?"
General's eyebrows twitched imperceptibly.
"I'd like to hear the details."
He certainly knew about the return of the Angel legion and knew that this pool of water was already bottomless.
Lieyang chose to wait and see for the time being, but that did not mean they had no plans of their own.
"There is a dramatic change within the Angel, with millions of ancient warriors returning, and the balance of the Universe has already tilted."
Karl said slowly, his voice carrying a calmness that saw through everything.
"Keisha's authority is even greater, and her 'Justice' order will likely become even more unquestionable. Although Lieyang is strong, under such a trend, the space for independent autonomy is likely to be squeezed."
General's eyes narrowed slightly, he didn't speak, signaling Karl to continue.
"The matter of Earth is the focus of the game between all parties. The Power of the Galaxy, the Nuo Xing God of War, all gather here. The Super Seminary intends to cultivate, the demons intend to destroy, and the Angel... intends to train troops and control."
Karl changed the subject.
"And Lieyang's Sunlight, Reina, is also among them. Her growth and her stance are crucial to Lieyang's position in the new era."
"That child, Reina, has her own path."
General said in a deep voice, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible complexity.
Reina is the future of Lieyang, but also the greatest variable.
"However, paths need guidance, and opportunities need to be grasped."
Karl's voice carried a hint of temptation.
"Now, an excellent opportunity is right before us. The Angel tacitly allows Earth to become a battlefield for honing the new generation, and the Super Seminary only focuses on the growth of key targets. As long as certain bottom lines are not crossed, this battlefield will have unprecedented... freedom."
General heard the subtext: "You mean..."
"I can share with Lieyang some frontier research data on stellar driving, solar wind regulation, and... more efficient use of stellar energy to cope with Void erosion."
Karl threw out his chips.
He knew what General cared about most—the national peace and security of Lieyang, the survival of the civilization, and a deeper grasp of stellar power to cope with the ultimate fear that loomed in the dark.
General's eyes suddenly sharpened.
Karl's research, especially the part about the interaction between the Void and stellar energy, had always been a field that Lieyang craved but could not reach.
This chip was very heavy.
"Conditions."
General was concise.
"Very simple."
Karl's voice was flat and waveless, but carried an unquestionable power.
"In the upcoming 'big show' on Earth, please ensure that Reina, according to... the original plan, plays her proper role. No need to do more, and no need to do less. Just play the role of 'Sunlight' and 'Lieyang Main God' well. At the necessary moment, release the necessary energy to push the necessary... plot development."
General was silent.
He certainly knew what Karl meant by "original plan" and "necessary moment."
It meant that Reina would inevitably be involved in a god-killing war that could affect the entire galaxy, and perhaps even... be used as some kind of "tool."
"Reina's safety must be guaranteed."
General finally spoke, his voice low and firm.
"Lieyang can cooperate, but the main god of Lieyang must never become a pawn, and certainly must not be damaged."
"Naturally."
Karl nodded.
"Reina's safety concerns the national foundation of Lieyang and also the future pattern. My goal has never been to harm Sunlight. On the contrary, I believe that experiencing this tempering will be of great benefit to her and to Lieyang. As for safety... I will provide the necessary early warning and avoidance plans. Moreover, the Super Seminary will not sit idly by and watch one of their 'key observation targets' suffer irreversible damage."
General fell silent again, his gaze like lightning, as if trying to pierce through Karl's phantom body to see his true intentions.
After a long time, he let out a slow breath.
"Data."
He only said two words.
The corner of Karl's mouth seemed to curve into a very faint arc, and an encrypted data stream was immediately transmitted.
"Happy cooperation, General. For... a more exciting future."
The communication ended.
General's projection disappeared.
The Death Song Academy returned to darkness.
Karl stood alone in front of the star map, looking at the blue Planet representing Lieyang, demons, the Super Seminary, and the blue Planet focused by countless lines.
Finally, his gaze fell on the golden light clusters representing "Guixu Barrier" and "Merlot Heavenly Court."
"Actors, in position. Stage, prepared. The script..."
He muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the empty hall, "seems to have returned to its original track."
Only, this time, will the ending of the script really be written by the original screenwriter?
Karl's gaze seemed to unintentionally sweep over a faint, inconspicuous light point on the star map representing the "Silver Moon Observatory," then quickly moved away.
There, it seemed that something was quietly gestating, emitting a faint but firm light that was out of tune with the entire chessboard.
------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the fanfiction has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 or more chapters in advance over on my patreon: patreon.com/FTLGenBen
Also every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone, Thanks.