Several burly men, clad in casual wear, sat in a line along the bank, lazily holding fishing rods while their sharp eyes swept the surroundings. Near them, several bulging holsters lay uncovered, the sleek, dark forms of high-energy rapid-fire assault rifles openly displayed at the mouths of their open carriers.

Behind these men, nestled in the riverbank's green belt, a young man with extraordinarily large ears sat perched in the fork of a great tree. He sipped mellow old wine, his ears twitching subtly like radar dishes. A commando squad, fully equipped in modified Hercules combat armor, stood motionless among the bushes of the green belt like statues, each shouldering a 120mm high-energy particle cannon typically mounted on small warships.

At the bow of the yacht, a young man with bright, keen eyes sat on a small wooden stool, cheerfully holding an ancient, variegated rapier, staring intently at the fish darting in the river. Suddenly, he lunged downwards; the rapier flashed out like a bolt of lightning, invariably impaling a fish, whose head was then tossed into a wooden bucket at the bow.

Though his eyes were fixed on the fish, the young man occasionally lifted his eyelids. A divine light shot from his pupils, his gaze so intensely sharp it seemed capable of piercing through everything.

In the yacht’s spacious main cabin, Gu Xiechen’s fingers danced across a multi-function comprehensive communicator. Vast streams of data flowed down the light screen like a waterfall. On three smaller screens beside him, Sai Sheng, Ban Ruo, and Mo He were unloading their grievances onto Gu Xiechen.

Ban Ruo was relatively composed, merely complaining that the two planets currently under their control were heavily besieged by enemy forces, leaving him critically short of ammunition supplies.

Mo He was like a deeply resentful lady in seclusion, tediously listing nearly a hundred demands for Gu Wuchen. He pitifully ‘wept’ to Gu Xiechen about the harsh struggles his brother and he endured fighting bloody battles on the Thirteenth Link Star, ‘lamenting’ how they had forcefully consolidated all available forces under their command despite immense pressure from the Earth Federation Expeditionary Force Command… Finally, Mo He bluntly demanded of Gu Xiechen: this place lacked women, and the brothers who had been fighting tooth and nail for over two years needed women. Could Gu Xiechen airdrop at least one hundred thousand courtesans to the Thirteenth Link Star? Mo He specifically requested that all the courtesans must be the most famous top performers from the premier clubs in Paris’s underground entertainment districts. Gu Xiechen shook his head, silently closing Mo He’s screen. Mo He’s image immediately popped up on Ban Ruo’s screen. Gu Wuchen sighed, muting Ban Ruo’s screen, and focused all his attention on Siren’s report.

Siren Hu’s complexion was somewhat pale, with faint wisps of black energy swirling around him. His report was sparse, yet every detail was fraught with extreme peril.

From the moment Siren was ordered to lead the Special Operations Bureau’s psychic army to support the Thirteenth Link Star Sector until he inherited Mo Nemo’s legacy, Siren reported everything that had transpired over the last two years, withholding nothing, from Gu Wuchen. Gu Xiechen’s and Siren’s gazes met across the light screen. Siren’s eyes held a look of relief, while Gu Xiechen’s were filled with both admiration and comfort for him.

The current fragmented situation in the Thirteenth Link Star Sector was directly related to Siren inheriting Mo Nefen’s power.

That day, after obtaining Mo Nemo’s inheritance, Siren immediately led several hundred Guardsmen from Hadewer Defense Company and nearly ten thousand psychics from the Special Operations Bureau to the command center of Prince Heisojin. After a fierce battle, Heisojin’s Roman Kingdom Royal Guards suffered heavy losses. Nightstalker, already severely wounded, had both his arms broken by Siren. However, Nightstalker’s bizarre attacks and formidable strength inflicted non-trivial injuries upon Siren as well.

Just as the Earth Federation forces were about to annihilate all of Heisojin’s military strength, the Fallen Angel, former commander of the Roman Knights Templar, suddenly appeared leading an elite Roman army. Simultaneously, the Red Dragon King arrived with an army of Illusion race troops. The combined might of the Fallen Angel, the Red Dragon King, and Nightstalker grievously wounded Siren. Fortunately, Ban Ruo’s Buddhist Zen arts preserved his life, allowing Siren Liang to escape. Siren’s desperate counterattack, however, severely injured Nightstalker and wounded the Red Dragon King.

The Roman army, which had been enjoying a significant advantage, suddenly descended into internal strife. The Fallen Angel ruthlessly launched a sneak attack, gravely wounding the Red Dragon King, and in front of tens of thousands of Roman soldiers, ordered the Red Dragon King to kneel and apologize to the Holsom family. The notoriously vicious Red Dragon King, along with the equally injured Nightstalker, joined forces to fight back against the Fallen Angel. The result was mutual devastation. The Fallen Angel then fled with his forces, while the Red Dragon King and Nightstalker escaped the Thirteenth Link Star with the stunned Heisojin.

The military strength controlled by Heisojin was no longer capable of threatening the war zones controlled by Ban Ruo and Mo He, but it was more than enough to deliver devastating blows to the Earth Federation forces on other planets. Under Heisojin’s direction, and aided by the two vicious deities, Nightstalker and the Red Dragon King, the Roman army swept through and annihilated the Federation forces on two planets.

Generals within the Federation army loyal to the Papacy and the Pantheon Alliance immediately consolidated their forces, heavily fortifying the territory under their control. Papal Angels and creatures of darkness from the Pantheon Alliance openly joined the war, stabilizing their frontline and confronting the Roman army led by Heisojin.

Originally, Ban Ruo and Mo He could have seized the opportunity to attack the Roman-controlled planets and annex some territory. However, just as they captured the Twelfth Link Star, the Papacy’s Six-Winged Angel, Czt, discovered that Siren had inherited the dark angel power of Mo Nemo. Czt immediately ordered his subordinate Federation forces to attack the armies led by Siren, Ban Ruo, and Mo He.

Fortunately, a few days prior, Czt and Ganggelu had launched a sneak attack against the Grandmasters of the Dao Alliance. Although the attack succeeded, leaving the Kunlun Sect Master and the Zhongnan Gate Master seriously wounded, Czt and Ganggelu were also not unscathed. Less than fifteen minutes after the Papacy’s grand army dispatched by Czt attacked the Thirteenth Link Star, Ganggelu enthusiastically led a contingent of dark creatures to strike the rear of the Papal forces. The three factions engaged in a chaotic melee without reaching a conclusion when the Roman army reappeared.

Heisojin had intended to capitalize on the internal conflict among the Earth Federation forces for a great advantage, but unexpectedly, the three factions, locked in combat, turned their full might against the fleet led by Heisojin the moment they saw the Romans, like maddened bulls. Another messy brawl ensued, but none of the factions suffered significant losses in strength. They were merely frightened into abandoning reckless moves by the turbulent battlefield, resulting in a state of uneasy peace that lasted until Gu Xiechen and his group returned.

However, this supposed peace was relative.

During this period, the old King of Rome passed away, and Heisojin, who held the highest military merits, smoothly ascended the throne. At the coronation ceremony, the Fallen Angel suddenly appeared and caused a major disruption, reportedly killing several of Heisojin’s key trusted generals. This caused a huge loss of face for the Romans, as the coronation of their new king was being broadcast live via real-time signal to the Earth Federation and the Roman Kingdom. Eventually, the High Priest of the Pantheon appeared and managed a tense reconciliation between the factions, but the extent of the compromises and concessions Heisojin made remains unknown to outsiders.

Following months of turbulent fighting, the Papacy and the Pantheon Alliance secretly transferred twenty billion Earth citizens to the Thirteenth Link Star Sector using covertly manufactured colony ships. Whatever secret terms they reached with the Romans, the Roman Kingdom deployed its own large warships and colony vessels to assist in the migration, managing to move twenty billion people within a few months.

Jean Joanne and He Koms played significant roles in this population transfer. It was due to their coordinated efforts that they managed to evade Wolf’s surveillance, moving twenty billion people out of Earth almost undetected. By the time Wolf noticed the massive fluctuations in energy consumption and material usage across Europe, Africa, and the Americas, the Papal State and the Pantheon Federation had already established themselves on the Thirteenth Link Star. The Federation forces and parliamentarians under their control subsequently became envoys to the Earth Federation for the two newly formed nations. These were the storms and struggles of the preceding months before Gu Xiechen returned to Earth.

“So that’s how it is!” Gu Xiechen shook his head. The hidden influence of the Papacy and the Pantheon Alliance within the Earth Federation was immense. Once powerful non-human entities like Czt and Ganggelu controlled these organizations, enacting their agendas became trivially easy. The establishment of the Papal State and the Pantheon Federation was something the Earth Federation, with its current strength, was utterly incapable of preventing.

“How is your injury?” After pondering the cause and effect of the situation, its potential impact on him, and the strategy he and those around him should adopt during this upheaval, Gu Xiechen asked Siren with a hint of concern.

Siren nodded; his injuries were no longer critical. However, even though he had inherited Mo Nemo’s full power, completely integrating and absorbing this strength would require a long time. Preliminary estimates suggested he would need at least thirty years, assuming continuous diligent cultivation to enhance his own power base. Currently, Siren was equivalent to someone in the early to middle stage of the Soul Transformation Realm.

After a moment of thought, Gu Xiechen smiled and nodded. “Understood. Brothers, hold on a bit longer. I’ll send you some good things soon.”

Over the past two years, Siren, Ban Ruo, Mo He, and a host of other brothers had remained tightly united, persistently carrying out Gu Xiechen’s instructions. They were reliable comrades. Gu Xiechen was now immensely wealthy, and he would not be stingy with his kin. He intended to select a batch of various treasures, elixirs, and cultivation methods for them. More crucially, he would equip them with powerful warships—just three or five refitted super-carriers stationed there would ensure that the Papal State, the Pantheon Federation, or the Roman Kingdom would not dare to make any rash moves.

After a moment’s contemplation, Gu Xiechen transmitted a portion of his intentions via the communicator. Siren smiled smugly upon receiving Gu Xiechen’s plan. They had been severely suppressed during this period, nearly beaten down by the three factions; now, they finally had a way to vent their frustrations.

Setting down the communicator, Gu Xiechen leaned back comfortably onto the sofa, quietly observing Gu Yunü, who stood in the cabin, his face slick with cold sweat. Gu Yuru stood with his head bowed submissively, nervously watching the impassive Gu Xiechen. After an unsettling silence that lasted nearly a quarter of an hour, Gu Yudu could no longer endure the bizarre pressure. He bent over humbly and forced a smile. “I have been away for too long…”

Opening a hidden compartment beside him, Gu Xiechen pulled out a bottle of aged wine. Taking several long gulps from the bottle, Gu Xiechen said lightly, “It’s fine. I have people watching outside. Every move in Paris is within our sight and hearing. If anyone comes looking for you, they will notice.”

Gu Yuru’s eyes flickered; he clearly did not believe Gu Xiechen’s assertion. However, he dared not contradict him, replying meekly, “Then, why did you summon me, Honored One?”

After another pause, Gu Xiechen took another sip of wine before asking, “Did Gu Juechen take you with him to the First Star?”

Gu Yudu hurriedly smiled and said, “Yes, that planet has been renamed Vatican!” After a pause, Gu Yuru added, “Because the Beast Ancestor has once again dedicated the entire Gu Group to the Papacy, becoming the private arms manufacturer for the Papal State, the venerable elder has been canonized as a Saint and is now the Minister of Armaments for the Papal State.”

“Heh-heh,” Gu Yudu chuckled a few times, licking his lips, looking rather self-satisfied. “I am now one of the Cardinal Bishops in the Papal State Treasury.”

“Oh? Remarkable!” Gu Wuchen muttered. “That old rogue, he always knows how to hedge his bets.”

“Hmph, Ku Gu Shenjun took a fine apprentice, well deserved!”

With a cold sneer, Gu Xiechen asked chillingly, “Do you wish to become the Pope? You have ten seconds to consider!”

To become the Pope? To command the entire administrative authority of the Papal State? Gu Yuru knelt without hesitation, beaming as he kowtowed three times to Gu Wuchen. “Your question is quite strange. If I could be the Pope, that would naturally be wonderful… Heh, never mind anything else, just think of the female clergy in the ascetic convents… Tsk, tsk!”

Glancing sideways at Gu Yuru, Gu Wuchen produced a pale black jade talisman, exhaled a breath of his vital essence onto it, transforming the talisman into a swirl of pale black misty energy. He instructed Gu Yuru to bite his tongue and spit a bit of his vital blood into the swirling black mist. Gu Xiechen carefully channeled this black energy into Gu Yuru’s body.

Gu Yuru felt his body tighten; his soul and body felt encased in a layer of transparent spandex. A sensation of being bound and confined made him deeply uneasy.

“This is a Celestial Restriction Talisman used by the Thirty-Three Heavens Immortals to ‘protect’ their captured servants. With this, unless someone possesses divine power and magical ability several times stronger than the one who forged it, no one can pry into your soul or see your true strength,” Gu Xiechen said with a smile. “Rest assured, there is no existence in this universe stronger than the one who forged this Celestial Restriction Talisman.”

He fished out a Two-Yin Heaven-Seizing Pill and presented it to Gu Yuru, along with a suitable cultivation manual. Gu Xiechen gave a few brief instructions, then sent the ecstatic yet apprehensive Gu Yuru away. Currently, within the Earth Federation’s underground city clusters, the Papacy and the Pantheon Federation were instigating revolts among their followers. Wolf had already mobilized troops to violently suppress the unrest. Gu Xiechen planned to arrange for Gu Yuru to earn significant merit here.

For these rioting believers, the best outcome would be exile to a desolate planet with extremely harsh natural conditions. If Gu Yuru could successfully escort them to the Thirteenth Link Star after they were apprehended, this achievement would surely add to his luster and leave a deeper impression in the minds of the Papal State’s elite.

After Gu Yuru departed the yacht, Bell Adams slipped in from the adjoining cabin. He saluted Gu Wuchen, then expertly retrieved a bottle of wine from a hidden compartment and took a few swigs after popping the cork.

“Did you remember that kid just now?” Gu Wuchen asked.

“Remembered!” Bell Adams smiled. “Cardinal Bishop in the Papal State Treasury—not a high rank, but holding significant real power. I will use him to plant our own people.”

Gu Wuchen sighed, shaking his head in resignation. “The situation is complicated! Fight, or negotiate?”

After a moment of silence, Bell muttered quietly, “Fight or not… Boss, can you be ruthless to your own kind?”

Stunned for a moment, Gu Wuchen vigorously shook his head. After calculating for a while, Gu Xiechen gave a bitter smile. “Infiltrate the Papal State and the Pantheon Federation with full force; try to avoid large-scale warfare and minimize human casualties. If we must fight, we fight those winged birdmen and the hairy wolves hiding in the shadows!”

Kachak—the wine bottle in Gu Xiechen’s hand froze, shattered, and instantly dissolved into a trickle of viscous ice crystals. Before the crystals could reach the cabin floor, Gu Xiechen waved his sleeve, sweeping them out through the porthole.

Black Jack, dressed in a black trench coat and wearing a baseball cap, scrambled into the cabin like a startled field mouse. He immediately removed his hat upon entering and bowed respectfully to Gu Xiechen. “Boss, it’s wonderful to see you again. To be honest, I truly thought you were finished!”

Gu Wuchen tossed a bottle of good wine at Black Jack, cursing playfully, “Are you hoping I croak? Hey, enough chatter, I have serious business for you.”

After affixing a Celestial Restriction Talisman onto Black Jack as well, Gu Wuchen whispered a plan into his ear. Black Jack, after draining half the bottle, scurried back out as cautiously as he had arrived.

Bell also left the yacht after listening to Gu Wuchen’s arrangements for him.

Gu Wuchen twisted open a bottle, about to take a few sips, when Qianliyan, who had been fishing at the bow, suddenly darted in.

“Exalted One, someone is harassing Queen Fuya and Miss Jin; there are many of them, and they are using weapons.”

Gu Xiechen’s eye twitched with anger. He shouted, leading the two of them to rush toward the riverbank.

Dozens of heavy magnetic levitation battle vehicles roared past. The three-hundred-strong commando squad in the green belt’s small grove quickly charged out. Gu Xiechen yelled, leading his group to retreat rapidly.

On the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Fuya, Ming, and Jin, who had just signed a mutual defense pact with Wolf, had indeed run into trouble.