Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Soul Contract!

Moreover, it is a “silent statement” with extremely strong binding force!
The entire council hall erupted in uproar.

These representatives from various factions in the Lost Lands had anticipated the sensitive nature of the meeting's content and understood that necessary security measures were essential.

However, directly invoking a contract that requires an oath to one's soul, especially one of such high caliber and with such severe punishment, still surprised many people.

This means that the matters to be discussed next are likely far more important and confidential than they had previously imagined.

However, when their bewildered gazes fell upon the young man sitting calmly in the main seat, all their hesitation, weighing of options, and even dissatisfaction vanished instantly, replaced by a deeper sense of apprehension and submission.

Cohen Corleone.

In this lost land, the name itself represents absolute authority and unquestionable power.

He was not only the king of Efein, but also, single-handedly and in full view of everyone, he directly killed Thrall, the legendary demon lord who had ruled the Lost Lands for many years and was known for his fierce power.

A legend has fallen, a new king must rise.

His will, in the face of absolute power, is an ironclad rule.

Signing a contract might mean taking on the risk of being bound by one's soul, as well as the potential trouble that may arise from knowing the secret.

But not sign?
Look at the calm gaze of the person in the main seat.

Refusal could mean being immediately "asked" to leave this hall where your future fate is decided, or even worse...

No one doubted that His Majesty Corleone possessed the ability to easily suppress any dissent present. Even if the five giants joined forces, they would probably find it difficult to contend with this ruthless star who could slay legends.

Under the absolute threat of force, so-called free will often appears pale and powerless.

After a brief commotion and internal struggle, silence returned to the council chamber.

Pope Reed seemed unsurprised by the crowd's reaction. With a gentle wave of his hand, the thick stack of "Words of Silence" contracts moved without wind, as if lifted by an invisible hand, and flew steadily to each participant below the stage, hovering precisely on the table in front of them.

As the scroll unfurled, the dark gold text of the contract was clearly displayed before everyone's eyes.

No one spoke, and no one raised any further objections.

President Sebastian Conrad, still wearing a warm smile, picked up a quill pen first, carefully read the only confidentiality clause, and then signed his name at the end of the scroll without hesitation.

Following the instructions, a trace of the soul's imprint was incorporated into the contract.

The dark gold characters on the scroll suddenly lit up, then faded, transforming into a barely perceptible golden light that seeped into his brow.

The contract is established.

Pope Dominic Reed, as the provider and distributor of the contract, naturally also signed a copy.

Ilya Taiwo adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his face expressionless, and signed the document with meticulous care.

Duke Adrian Solari also signed his name in elegant cursive script without any expression, imprinting his soul upon the document.

Gustav Nilsson was the most decisive. Without even looking at the specific terms, he bit his thumb and pressed a bloody fingerprint onto the scroll.

The raw, powerful soul force violently surged into the contract, completing its signing.

With the five industry leaders taking the lead, the audience below no longer hesitated.

Whatever thoughts may arise in one's mind, at this moment one can only follow the example.

For a moment, the only sounds in the hall were the soft scratching of a quill pen across a scroll, or the faint glow of someone pressing their handprint and channeling their soul power.

Wolf Lord Tolwald and Blood Lord Lucius, among others, also calmly signed their respective contracts.

After the last scroll was signed, it turned into golden light and entered the forehead of the last representative, and Pope Reed gently waved his hand.

All the signed scrolls spontaneously combusted without fire, turning into ashes and dissipating, leaving only a faint binding force of souls lingering in the depths of each signer's consciousness, reminding them of the confidentiality responsibility they bore that day.

The atmosphere in the council hall became even more solemn, even somewhat oppressive, the moment the contract was signed.

Everyone felt as if they were bound by invisible shackles.

However, this also means that the real secret discussions are about to begin.

All eyes were once again focused on Cohen.

Cohen's gaze calmly swept across the entire room, taking in the various expressions on the faces of the people below.

The binding force of the soul contract is like an invisible chain, temporarily binding everyone's secrets together, but it also makes the content to be discussed next even more sensitive.

He coughed softly, drawing everyone's attention back to himself, and slowly began to speak:
"Ladies and gentlemen, since the ancient Arcane Empire, this once brilliant star that illuminated the entire continent, fell and formed this vast territory beneath our feet known as the 'Lost Land'."

What has this land witnessed over the long years?

He didn't need anyone to answer; he answered his own question, his voice rising slightly, carrying a hint of barely perceptible sigh:

"It is an endless conflict, a bloody struggle between various tribes, city-states of order, floating islands, and countless guardians of ruins for resources, territory, and ancient grudges."

It was a severe division, with each faction acting independently, each confined to its own territory, like a heap of loose sand. They possessed formidable individual strength, rich ancient heritage, and unique racial talents, yet they were never able to truly unite their power.

His gaze swept across the faces of the various factions below the stage, noticing that some people had thoughtful expressions, while others had furrowed their brows, clearly thinking about the hardships their own factions had endured in the past chaos.

What did this lead to?
This means that although the strength of our individual powerful individuals, the ancient knowledge we possess, and the talents of certain tribes may far surpass those of the so-called kingdoms or even empires on the human continent.

But we have always been a disorganized mess.

When faced with external threats, they are easily divided, provoked, and defeated one by one.

In the overall landscape of the Demon Tide Continent, our Lost Lands have almost no unified voice!

We are seen as a chaotic, dangerous, uncivilized wasteland; our wealth is coveted by human nations; and our people are despised by the continental races.

Our destiny can never be truly in our own hands!

These words touched a raw nerve in many people's hearts.

The chaos and division in the Lost Lands, while giving many forces room to develop freely, also brought endless internal strife and the covetousness of external forces.

The rise of the Demon Lord Thrall was, to some extent, due to this division.

Even after Sal's downfall, the scrutiny from the outside world never diminished.

Representatives of some small and medium-sized forces who originally had doubts about "unification" also showed complicated expressions on their faces.

Cohen changed the subject, his voice becoming more forceful:

"The disasters caused by the Demon Lord Thrall's Demon Gold Empire are clear evidence of this."

He was ambitious and sought to collude with demonic forces to forcibly unify the Lost Lands.

He chose to betray his own kind and seek refuge in the abyss, becoming the common enemy of all living beings.

His ambition, built on destruction and enslavement, was doomed to failure!

Mentioning Sal brings a flash of hatred and lingering fear to many people's eyes.

Thrall's actions in the Lost Lands were a nightmare that many people didn't want to recall.

"However, Sal's failure proves just one thing."

What astonishing power we can unleash when all forces in our lost land can truly set aside past grievances and unite for a common goal.

We succeeded! We thwarted Thrall's plot and thwarted the demonic invasion!

His gaze sharpened, as if burning with flames, sweeping over every committee member and every representative:
"So, since we were able to unite once to destroy the Demon Gold Empire, why can't we unite a second time to establish a regime of our own, or even unite forever?"

After he finished speaking, the council hall fell into a long period of contemplation.

After giving everyone ample time to think, Cohen suddenly raised his voice:
"Therefore, I propose, and I hope, that our lost lands can take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to crush the tyranny of Sarr and usher in a new life, and completely end the divisions and internal strife that have lasted for thousands of years."

Let us truly and thoroughly unite all our strength, all our wisdom, and all our resources into one force.

No longer a disorganized mess, but a united fist.

No longer are there countless voices of mutual suspicion and even armed conflict, but only one common voice, a powerful and unified voice representing the will of all the beings in our lost land!
To establish a new, unified, powerful empire that will command the attention of the entire continent!

"Nation-building!"

The last two words were uttered by Cohen almost decisively, echoing in the solemn hall, their lingering sound never ceasing.

The words had barely left his lips.

The meeting room fell into a deathly silence that was even deeper and more oppressive than when the soul contract was signed.

If the previous signing of the agreement stemmed from fear of Cohen's military power and anticipation of the meeting's content, then Cohen's blatant declaration of the ultimate goal of "unified nation-building" was like a boulder thrown into an already turbulent lake, stirring up towering waves—at least in the minds of the vast majority of attendees.

Especially those sitting in the back row, representing various small and medium-sized orderly city-states, independent floating islands, ancient tribes, relic guardians, and even lone powerful individuals, their expressions instantly became extremely interesting, varied, and complex.

Shock, astonishment, hesitation, unease, vigilance, and even a fleeting sense of resistance and hostility... all sorts of emotions, like an overturned palette, intertwined and shifted on their faces.

Nation-building? Unification? Uniting as one?

That's easy for you to say!

Why is the Lost Lands called the "Lost Lands"?
Not only because it is the ruins of the Arcane Empire, but also because this land has never been truly unified since the collapse of the empire!
For thousands of years, this place has been governed by the principle of the strong ruling, tribal autonomy, city-state independence, and the drifting of floating islands!
Large and small forces are scattered throughout the land, constantly waging war, forming alliances, betraying each other, and annexing one another... in an endless cycle.

Freedom, or rather, the right to be independent and unrestrained, has long been deeply rooted in the marrow of every living being in a lost land.

Thrall, the Demon Lord, attempted to break this through with terror and demonic power, but he failed and provoked the strongest resistance.

Now that Thrall has fallen, Cohen, who rose to the pinnacle of power by killing Thrall, is also trying to promote "unification".
Although his rhetoric sounded far more correct than Sal's—for the sake of resisting foreign aggression, for the sake of no longer being defeated one by one, for the sake of gaining control of the continent, for the sake of prosperity… it sounded grand and full of idealistic brilliance.

But what about in practice?

What does unification mean?
This means that these city-states, floating islands, and tribes will lose their hereditary autonomy!
They were required to relinquish military and financial power, abide by unified laws, pay taxes to a central government, and submit to the rule of an "emperor" or "parliament" that they might be completely unfamiliar with, a result of the power struggles among various factions!

Will their unique culture, traditions, and interests be swallowed up and assimilated by the so-called trend of unification?

What the Demon Lord Thrall failed to achieve with fear and destruction, this human king wants to accomplish with "righteousness" and "ideals"?

Many representatives of smaller and medium-sized forces were on high alert.

They might be grateful to Cohen for leading the war to overthrow Sal, or they might be wary of his unfathomable personal strength, or they might have a sliver of hope for a future of "unity and strength."

However, when the choice of "unification and nation-building," which could directly deprive them of their generational rights and freedoms, is laid out so blatantly before them, it is inevitable that instinctive feelings of aversion and resistance will arise.

The air in the council chamber seemed to freeze.

No one immediately voiced their agreement, nor did anyone dare to immediately jump out and oppose it.

All eyes, whether openly or covertly, were drawn to the ten highest committee members sitting in the front row, especially the five local giants who represented the most powerful and stubborn old order of the Lost Land.

The entire council hall fell into an extremely subtle and tense silence, with only suppressed breathing and the faint sound of the magic lamp burning.

Cohen took it all in without showing any surprise or anger, as if he had expected it to happen.

Under normal circumstances, when faced with these forces that are accustomed to separatism and lax discipline, he has plenty of time and patience to either win them over, divide them, exert pressure, or offer incentives, gradually uniting the entire lost land into one force.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, there will be plenty of opportunities to gradually purge those die-hard elements, unify thinking, and consolidate centralized power.

But time waits for no one.

The Covenant of the Gods is like a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of all living beings on the continent of Demon Tide, and the deadline for its official announcement is drawing ever closer.

The prelude to the struggle for supremacy on the mainland has already been silently drawn, with undercurrents surging beneath the surface.

The unusual silence and internal mobilization of the five great empires, and the watchful eyes that loomed over the Lost Lands, all silently spoke of an impending storm.

He had no spare time to play long games of wits and tug-of-war with these power representatives whose vision was limited to their own small plot of land and who lacked sufficient understanding of the impending upheaval.

Decisive action is the only option under the current circumstances.

Cohen and several core members of the Supreme Council had foreseen the hesitation, resistance, and even potential hostility of the representatives from the smaller and medium-sized forces in the audience, and had already prepared contingency plans to deal with it.

These people need a more potent, life-or-death "drug" to completely shatter their pitiful wishful thinking and narrow-minded obsession with "freedom".

Cohen's gaze calmly shifted to Sebastian Conrad, who sat at the head of the domestic giants' seats.

This business tycoon, who controlled the economic lifeline of the Lost Lands, still wore that warm smile that seemed to never fade.

But the moment he received Cohen's gaze, a glint flashed in his eyes, and he nodded almost imperceptibly.

it's time.

Conrad cleared his throat lightly, and his gentle yet penetrating voice rang out, instantly drawing everyone's attention:
"Ladies and gentlemen, what His Majesty Corleone just said—establishing a nation, unifying, and working together as one—I know that this may be somewhat sudden, or even difficult to accept, for many forces that are used to being free and able to decide their own destiny."

There must be many doubts and surprises in everyone's hearts.

President Conrad's smile remained unchanged, his voice steady, possessing a persuasive affability unique to businessmen, yet also carrying undeniable weight:
"Next, I will make everyone present understand from the bottom of their hearts why, at this moment, our Supreme Council unanimously believes that we must immediately and decisively advance the great cause of nation-building, without delay."

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the representatives of the smaller, more powerful factions below, whose expressions remained uncertain and bewildered. Seeing that their attention had been successfully drawn, he continued:
"It's normal that people have doubts or even resistance to our sudden and urgent proposal for unification and nation-building."

After all, who would want to be controlled by someone who is used to freedom and autonomy?

"Can't we discuss this for a few more years, gradually integrate the resources, and let things take their natural course?"

He answered his own question, shook his head, and the usual smile on his face gradually faded:
No. Time waits for no one!
Because all of us, the entire Lost Land, the entire human continent, and even the seemingly high and eternal divine realm above us, are about to be swept into a massive storm that will engulf everything and determine life and death!
As for the name of this storm, I believe that everyone here has heard some rumors about it, more or less.

Four words—The Covenant of the Gods!

These four words seemed to possess a magical power; the moment they left Conrad's mouth, the previously quiet hall erupted into an uncontrollable uproar.

"The Covenant of the Gods?"

"It really is it!"

"I knew it! With the situation so tense on the mainland lately, the five great empires are all hiding like cowards, ignoring even the demon invasion!"

"President Conrad also knows? Is he about to reveal the details?"

"Quick, listen carefully!"

Despite the various rumors and gossip circulating beforehand, speculation is one thing, but when this term was formally mentioned by Conrad, a member of the Supreme Council and the head of Unicorn Trading Company, in such a solemn and serious tone, it was a different story.

The impact it has had is still enormous.

The expressions of those representatives from smaller, less informed groups changed drastically.

As Conrad stated, the date of the announcement of the Covenant of the Gods (although the exact date remains a mystery to most people) is drawing ever closer.

Even in the Lost Lands, these remote and relatively isolated lower- and middle-class forces, through various clandestine channels, passing merchants, and even the perceptions of certain powerful individuals, had heard some unsettling rumors, albeit in a haphazard manner.

Especially before, when the Demon Lord Thrall colluded with the demons of the abyss and launched a massive invasion of the Lost Lands, causing a bloodbath and almost dragging the entire Lost Lands into the abyss.

However, the five major human empires, including the Central Empire, which have always considered themselves the maintainers of continental order, have taken almost no substantive intervention actions other than some initial, insignificant statements and limited border guards.

This in itself is an extremely unusual signal.

Information pieced together from various sources all points to one thing: the five great empires, and even other top powers on the continent, seem to be preoccupied with something more urgent and terrifying, leaving them no time to attend to anything else.

This matter is very likely related to the legendary "Covenant of the Gods".

What does this mean?
This demonstrates that in the eyes of the five great empires, the importance and threat of the "Covenant of the Gods" far exceeds that of a localized demonic invasion!

This is enough to make any leader of a power with a brain tremble with fear.

Therefore, the existence of the "Covenant of the Gods" was no secret to everyone present.

What they desperately wanted to know, but had no way of knowing, was the detailed content of this "Covenant of the Gods".
What exactly does it stipulate?
Why does it possess such terrifying binding force or allure that it can make the five great empires so nervous, even temporarily setting aside the basic order of the continent?
What kind of devastating or subversive impact will this have on the Lost Lands and on these forces?

At this moment, judging from President Conrad's tone, he was clearly preparing to reveal the core content of the alliance, or at least some key information, to them!
How could this not instantly make them prick up their ears, hold their breath, and focus all their attention on this business tycoon?
The entire council chamber fell silent instantly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone stared intently at Conrad, waiting for his next words, as if they would determine their future fate.

Conrad was very satisfied with the result.

He paused briefly, allowing everyone time to process the impact of the phrase "Covenant of the Gods," then cleared his throat and continued:

“I know that you have all heard of the ‘Covenant of the Gods’.”

Today, I will share with you the core contents of this alliance, which will be officially announced to the entire continent in just over a month, as we have learned about it.

This is a hypothesis, closest to the truth, based on His Majesty Corleone's in-depth communication with the Church of Prophecy and the most powerful forces on the continent, including the Central Empire!

President Conrad first brought up the prestigious names of the "Church of Prophecy" and the "Middle Empire".

Cohen Corleone's multiple identities are no secret among the higher-ups in the Lost Lands. He is the "Son of Prophecy" who is fully supported by the Church of Prophecy, and also the "Royal Consort" publicly acknowledged by the legendary Empress of the Central Empire.

The level of information he has access to is unimaginable to most people.

Using the speculations of these two major forces as a basis for endorsement undoubtedly greatly enhances the credibility and authority of the subsequent statements.

After all, across the entire human continent, the prophecies of the Church of Prophecy and the intelligence of the Central Empire, to some extent, represent the "truth."

Sure enough, upon hearing those two names, much of the doubt in the eyes of the audience dissipated, replaced by deeper fear and focused attention. (End of Chapter)