Back from Dragon Island, I'm swamped with work and headaches. The four tribes need time to mobilize troops, and while they provide manpower, I'm stuck arranging weapons and supplies. I meant to delegate to Fenlanlei, but seeing files taller than me, I shut up. Being a king's exhausting—being my kind of king is worse. I've been sleeping at cock's crow, visibly wasting away. Thankfully, my many wives keep me sane—back rubs, massages, soup deliveries, and playful teasing when I'm beat.
Every day, petty issues pile up. People come to me, claiming no one's in charge. Impossible—I set up my ministries like modern Earth governments. Still, I handle it, especially when it's Science Dean Cohen. "Your Majesty, I can't convince those stubborn fossils. You deal with them. My time's precious," he said, then strolled off. Scientists—always so logical, so blunt.
Griping's fine, but work's gotta get done. At the Academy of Sciences' conference hall, I'm hit with over two hundred pairs of glaring eyes. Damn, what's with the hostility? Like I owe them money. "Who are they?" I whispered to my wives behind me. "Seriously? Aren't they the biomedical experts you had us kidnap from Earth?" Oula said, shocked.
Oh, crap—I forgot about that. No wonder they hate me. Me, this dashing brother, getting random beef? Facing two hundred fuming faces, I flashed my most charming smile. "Greetings, everyone. I'm the ruler of Flying Dragon Star, your emperor. I brought you here without consent, along with your families. My apologies."
"Apologies? You kidnapped us!" someone snapped, others chiming in. "I get your frustration. I brought you here for a shared goal: unlocking the secrets of human life," I said passionately. "We won't serve your dictatorship!" "Yeah, doing science in a feudal society?" Sweat—stubborn bunch.
I drew my gun and fired a beam. Silence fell. "Just hear me out. Stay if you want; leave, and we'll erase your memories here, no harm to you or your families. Know where you're standing?" Blank faces stared. "You're on Flying Dragon Star, Saint Demon Continent, two billion light-years from the Milky Way." Chaos erupted. "Quiet! Want to stay stuck here?" Silence returned.
"You wonder why a cosmic era has feudal rule? It's necessary but not like Earth's feudalism—freer, a lawful society. The emperor controls the military to fend off alien attacks. You've felt it these past days: no pollution, life a hundred times better than Earth. I'll explain how good later. Think your Earth tech matters to us, who've mastered interstellar travel? Even forty years of research won't catch up. Ever heard of the Yellow Dragon Group? I founded it. Why do you think cancer and AIDS cures came so fast? I brought you to maximize your brains, to contribute to humanity, to uncover life's ultimate secrets. Know the races here? You don't. Gods, demons, beastmen, elves—shocking, right? That's cosmic life. More species await discovery.
Their powers? You can't imagine. One can wipe out hundreds of thousands of troops, like Earth's myths. You'll study that. Humans can too, but our lifespans are shorter—that's why you're here. I'll provide top-notch labs and living conditions. This is the West's paradise—you'll love it. Sure, there's war, but it's against aliens. You'd rather return to Earth's human-on-human slaughter? No conscientious person would. In this cosmic era, other races conquer planets while we bicker on tiny Earth, waiting for alien invasions. Not on my watch. We need strong bodies to win interstellar competition. Your work will ensure humanity's survival—that's a scientist's true nobility. Still want to go back? If you stay, we'll organize annual Earth trips for downtime, but I bet you won't leave. This place is too gorgeous. Back or not?" I shouted.
"No way! We exist for humanity's survival!" Everyone agreed to stay. Leaving the meeting, I was drenched in sweat. Convincing them was tougher than a duel. "Not bad. I knew you'd handle it since it was your idea," Cohen said leisurely at the door. "Didn't you say you were swamped?" I asked. "Was, but I'm done," he shrugged, all innocent.
"How's the Yanhuang Star lab?" I asked. (Yanhuang Star, a billion light-years away, is Earth-like but primitive, with no sentient life. We're building labs there to study human life secrets.) "Done. They can go anytime. It's a pristine beauty—virgin star. Isn't stationing troops there overkill?" Cohen asked. "Nope. Who knows what'll happen? It's a safety net, maybe a hidden ace," I explained. Ten thousand troops, plus nearly thirty thousand underage recruits—mostly Earth orphans, especially from the M-Z war—are there. With Yellow Dragon Group's earlier rescues, they'll guard Yanhuang Star's future and serve the nation.
"Pass! Nice! Slam dunk, haha!" I'm in the barracks, watching basketball with the troops. Earth's army brought basketball and soccer. With our inner true energy, dunking's a breeze, but on the court, it's all skill—everyone's on equal footing. Our military games beat the NBA. Ever seen four midair passes? Midcourt shots as easy as three-pointers? Nope. Our courts are one to two meters longer and wider for epic dunks. Looks badass. If I took these kids to Earth, they'd cause a riot. Starting a team's got potential.
"Your Majesty, the empress summons you. A god clan emissary seeks audience," a guard interrupted my fun. God emissary? Heh, faster than I expected. Probably bad news, but better they come to me. "Let's go!" I headed to the palace with my guards.
Seeing genuine smiles on passersby, I felt it was all worth it. Wudu's being rebuilt, save for the palace and historic sites. It blends both worlds' styles, no slums, no beggars—special agencies handle them. With ample funds, everything's smooth. Wonder what the gods will think of this.
Back at the palace, I changed into formal robes and entered the Council Hall. Ministers were seated. "Long live our emperor!" they knelt, chanting. "At ease," I smiled, returning the salute. A smug figure stood in the hall—the god clan emissary. We bow to gods, not the other way around. Their arrogance has a reason, but basic manners, man. Standing there with a sour face—who's that for?
"Prime Minister Fenlan, what's the rush?" I asked Fenlanlei, ignoring the emissary. Black society rule: revenge is a must; delayed revenge is petty. "Your Majesty, the god emissary is here to discuss joint attacks on demons," Fenlanlei said. "Hmph, let's cut the crap. You'd drag this out forever," the emissary interrupted, haughty. Fenlanlei fumed—nobody cuts him off. But this is a god! His expression showed gods' sway on Flying Dragon Star, evident from temples everywhere. I'll shatter that myth. No true gods exist—only humans are divine.
"What's your opinion, Emissary? Let's discuss," I said evenly, locking eyes. "By order of God Clan Vanguard General Lord Angel Gaga, we're here to help humans expel the vile demons. Deploy your troops in half a month; we'll assist. Any questions, Your Majesty?" He scanned the ministers, seeing their relaxed faces, assuming his words worked. Then he faced me, daring me to defy the gods.
"Any other demands?" I asked. "Of course. Henceforth, increase your reverence for gods. Supply all our army's needs here. Obey our every command without fail," he said, smug. Ministers seethed. Even gods get ignored sometimes—exactly the effect I wanted. Without this, they'd lack morale to fight gods later. "What freedom would we have? We'd be god clan vassals!" Fenlanlei snapped, unable to hold back.
"Aren't you thrilled to serve under us? Dare defy divine will?" the emissary pressed. "Great, great. I thought gods saved their people, like legends say. Turns out, it's for slavery," I said, shaking my head. "What's that mean?" He glared. How'd the gods pick this clown? Aren't gods supposed to be forgiving, kind? Bullshit—they've got scum like humans. "Nothing much. Respect me a foot, I respect you a yard. Joint attacks? Fine. Supplies? Sure. But your other terms? No deal. Everyone has rights—we don't force people to do what they don't want," I said coldly.
"You sure about this?" He stared, like we'd regret it. I smirked. "Yup. If you want, tell your Lord Angel General my terms." "You lowly humans will regret defying divine will!" he ranted. I'd had enough. A mere messenger acting cocky? I blasted him out with a surge of true energy. "Argh, holy battle aura!" he screamed, scrambling off. Ministers gaped. "No big deal. What's a god? Not these opportunistic punks. Gods are stronger, but we're not helpless. Demons and gods are evenly matched, yet we've held demons back. How great are gods, really? Court's dismissed. Prep for war. If they pull anything stupid, I'll make them regret those wings." I strode out amid stunned silence. "What boldness! In Saint Demon Continent's millennia, countless great rulers, but none match Your Majesty's audacity," a former Saint Wu Empire minister said, others echoing praise.
Damn, think being a black society godfather's easy? No guts, no tricks, no one follows. Humans are nothing to gods, today showed. This war's coming sooner or later. Gods, in human eyes, are perfect abstractions. Today, that illusion shattered. On Earth, I might've worried my rashness would cause trouble, but here, now? I fear nothing! Gods block me, I slay gods; demons block me, I slay demons!
Thinking of the dawning cosmic era, my blood surged. Haha!