Uncle here isn't your average office worker!

"Let us unite, starting now, from the very beginning of the Terran Conference, to grant peace to other nations while also bestowing peace upon ourselves. I sincerely hope that this will be our own choice, not our last resort."

King Ivangelista XI's appeal was met with a moment of silence, followed by a brief burst of noise.

Representatives from various countries, nobles, and dukes began to whisper among themselves, and not one of them stepped forward to agree with Ivangelista XI's initiative.

This is an incredibly tragic yet incredibly realistic situation, the worst but most likely outcome that Ivangelista XI had considered.

People often don't feel pain until they are hit.

Especially the dukes of Victoria.

Duke Godottin genuinely felt that this initiative was more like a child making a wish upon a shooting star—it sounded wonderful, but it was also naively ridiculous.

Conflicts cannot be resolved with a few words. Ursus will not abandon its desire for conquest because of a single sentence, nor will the Sami acknowledge Ursus's aggression. Letania will not abandon Bolivar's struggle because of a single sentence, nor will Victoria reunite because of a single sentence.

Conflicts are ever-present, and alliances exist because the conflict over one object surpasses that over others. But Haisi hasn't reached that level yet, because the Great Tranquility ultimately only occurred in Iberia.

You say the monsters will emerge, I say they won't. You say the Great Tranquility was artificially created by the Deep Sea Church, and they will try to use this power to destroy all the kingdoms on this land. I think that's a joke. What would they gain? If they slaughtered the entire land, how would they govern it?

During the Ursus conquest, Terra did not form a unified alliance because everyone knew that no matter how much Ursus expanded, its size was ultimately limited and would not affect them.

Throughout history, there has only been one enemy that could unite all of Terra in an alliance—the Sarkaz.

Because they were truly fearless and genuinely wanted revenge against all of Terra!

How big is the appetite of the Deep Sea Cult? Victoria is located in the inner circle, thousands of miles away from Iberia, a land abundant in resources and possessing everything imaginable. Even if they wanted all of Iberia, Victoria wouldn't mind giving it away at someone else's expense!

So, amidst the commotion, Duke Godotdin remained seated, showing no intention of speaking.

Her gaze swept over the other Dukes of Victoria present, and as expected, the Duke of Windermere and the Duke of Normandy also showed little interest. Only that old man Wellington actually raised his hand.

The Iron Duke was perhaps one of the few great figures who, even without wearing a crown, commanded the respect of many royal families. His reputation as the "imperial death knell" for his decisive victory over Corsica I and the fall of the Gallo-Gallic Empire was so resounding that the noise in the First Hall immediately ceased when he raised his hand.

King Ivangelista XI looked at the elderly Wellington who had raised his hand and nodded: "Please speak."

“Saint, I am very interested in your proposal,” Wellington said calmly, “but I think you should also know the real reason why I changed my course and came here.”

Wellington glanced at his fellow dukes and said sternly, “Unlike my ruthless colleagues, upon receiving Iberia’s plea for help, I immediately led my fleet to Iberia. I know a little about the threats in the ocean, the potential crisis caused by their endless numbers, and their terrible aggression. In my opinion, Iberia cannot hold out for much longer.”

His words had barely left his mouth when the Iberian judge immediately stood up angrily. He was about to refute Wellington's disdain for Iberia when he was met with Wellington's statement, which sounded like a declaration:

“I am not denying the determination of Iberia and the Inquisition to fight, but this is the truth. If that pillar of light had not suddenly appeared, I would not be here to see you.”

After saying that, he turned his head back to face Ivangelist XI:

"I think this is the real focus of this meeting. What exactly was that thing that pierced the sky and carved a hole in the star pod? Where did it come from? Was it used by someone?"

At this point, the Duke of Wellington narrowed his eyes.

This is what he truly cares about, and what he believes all the Terran leaders present should care about.

The beam of light instantly neutralized the attacks on the Inquisition, creating a persistent and unsettling spectacle in the sky. Its appearance was so sudden, and its disappearance so swift—was it a man-made weapon?

If so, who controls it? What is its strike range? How often can it be launched?

Frankly speaking, if this weapon falls into the hands of hostile forces, even the strongest fortress, the most powerful warship, and the most formidable warriors will be nothing but a joke! The lives of these powerful and wealthy people will be in the hands of others!

Everyone realized this and turned their questioning gazes toward Ivangelista XI.

The Pope's expression was quite serious.

That beam of light, if nothing unexpected happens, should be the work of Roy. It's a weapon he obtained from the laws of Laterano.

To be honest, Ivangelist XI didn't know what it was or how to use it. Naturally, he couldn't answer those questions, and Roy, he should have known, but Ivangelist XI couldn't betray him.

It wasn't just because of personal feelings, but also because Roy and the creator of the law were allies.

But now he understands very well what the Duke of Wellington means.

He must provide an answer, regardless of whether it satisfies everyone. Otherwise, no cooperation or alliance will be possible.

"Boom-thump-thump-"

Just as he was hesitating, suddenly, the sound of bells rang out from above the Papal Palace.

King Ivangelista XI looked up, stunned, in the direction from which the bell tolled. In that direction stood only a clock tower.

"The sacred bell has rung."

Built by the twelve apostles, the oldest bell tower in Lateran suddenly rang again after a century.

This indicates that something unexpected is about to happen.

Just as Ivangelista XI was about to summon his musketeers to investigate, the brightness of the halo above his head suddenly increased several notches, and then a voice suddenly rang in his ear:

“Bring them to me.”

The voice was so unfamiliar, yet it seemed to possess an inherent irresistibility, so much so that the moment he heard the command, Ivangelist XI chose to carry it out without any hesitation.

"Everyone, please follow me."

"The truth is right beneath our feet."

Book 1: Chapter 290 Trevor: We Call It Efficiency

Lateran Underground.

The once dimly lit passageway had been illuminated at some point, with countless firefly-like lights twinkling on both sides of each passageway, as if guiding the people who were gradually going deeper into the passageway.

This was a sight Roy had never encountered before when he accompanied Ivangelist XI deep underground. It was undoubtedly a change that would have alerted and unsettled the pope in charge of the area. But for some reason, Ivangelist XI showed little surprise or suspicion, as if he had known about it all along.

He was doing something unprecedented and unparalleled: bringing the leaders of almost every nation on this land into the sanctuary symbolizing the ancient secrets of Laterano, to witness the glory of the law that should only be witnessed by the Sarkaz saints. This act had been absolutely forbidden since the founding of Laterano, warned against by the twelve saints themselves, a taboo flowing in the blood of every Sarkaz. Yet, when Evangelista XI made this decision, he felt no resistance whatsoever.

Because it was a command from the law. It was a military order that could not be disobeyed.

Even though the law has never given such specific instructions in the past thousand years.

"Your Excellency Saint, where is this place?"

As the leader among the Victorian nobility and the common opinion leader of all those who questioned the Terra Alliance, the Duke of Wellington walked behind Evangelista XI. His gaze swept over the sacred reliefs, lifelike statues, and ancient coffins, and he couldn't help but frown, asking with a hint of doubt.

“We are seeking the truth, not to witness the history of Sakorta.”

“But Sakorta’s history is about the truth that you care about.”

King Ivangelista XI answered firmly, causing the Iron Duke to swallow back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

He truly didn't understand what Ivangelista XI was so persistent about, but he couldn't just leave, so he could only continue to follow with a furrowed brow.

Soon, they arrived at a wasteland littered with corpses.

The heads and broken bones of the Sarkaz lay scattered throughout the hall as always, while the mottled knife marks and rusted blades were buried under the yellow sand, revealing only faint traces. When the Duke of Wellington's gaze fell upon this wasteland, he almost immediately felt a sense of déjà vu.

This sense of déjà vu stemmed from his lifelong career of constant warfare. He could sense the changes in the temperament of Ivangelista XI and the scenes that had once taken place in this desolate hall, so different from the aesthetic style of Lateran.

"Is this a battlefield?"

"Our battlefield against the Sarkaz. The site of the final battle in which the Twelve Saints defended the law."

The Twelve Saints waged war against the invading evil Sarkaz to defend the holy city of Laterano. This is an ancient history known to all scholars who have studied Laterano. But no one knows the specific details of this war, nor does anyone know exactly where in Terra this war took place.

Previously, people believed this was simply due to the damage and loss of documents caused by the passage of time, or a myth fabricated by the Sakotas to embellish their own story. But now, everyone has witnessed the truth firsthand.

The Sarkaz and the Sarkaz did indeed have a battle, and the intensity and danger of that battle far exceeded expectations, extending deep into the underworld of Lateran, the deepest part of this religious kingdom.

At this moment, the Colombian ambassador, who had little interest in the war and a quicker mind, suddenly realized what was happening and exclaimed:

"Wait, so that means behind that door... is..."

“The sanctuary of the law.” King Ivangelista XI nodded emphatically, confirming the ambassador’s conjecture.

“But what does that have to do with a superweapon like the Law?” Duke Wellington said, displeased.

Admittedly, witnessing such an ancient battlefield was very attractive to a marshal who had spent his life on the battlefield, but the past is the past, and the gloom that now hangs over Terra is real.

What exactly that superweapon is cannot be explained by a small Lateran ruin.

Or perhaps the Sarkaz have finally gone mad and intend to bring him to ask their god?

Most of the leaders present, including the Duke of Wellington, who were interested in railguns, shook their heads inwardly. But the next second, their scorn and disdain were replaced by a sense of astonishment and uncertainty amidst a loud electronic voice.

"Hello everyone present."

A pale blue light suddenly emanated from the doors of the sanctuary, and a huge electronic pupil, shimmering with a faint red light, appeared on the black screen.

If Roy were there, he would have recognized that the voice belonged to Trevor Friston, the semi-artificial intelligence computer left in the underground of Trimont, Columbia.

Trevor Friston's voice was calm, seemingly unconcerned about the consequences of his sudden outburst and exposure; his voice carried absolute confidence.

“You may call me Law, God, or simply my Creator by name—Trevor Friston.”

"Aren't you suspicious of the alliance? Aren't you hesitant and timid even by small actions like railgun bombardment? Aren't you still like babies, babbling away while already playing power games and calculating how much profit you can gain?"

"Come, ask me questions. I know all the answers you need, I control all the power of your fears, and I possess all the benefits you desire."

“I will show you with my actions how gentle my compatriots are now, so gentle that even seeing it makes me feel tired.”

"But I am different."

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of beeps echoed through the magnificent yet desolate sanctuary, accompanied by an audio message that had been deliberately translated and played in all of Terra's languages.

[Didi, the military integrated control system's self-defense procedures have been initiated.]

Trevor Friston was never a cowardly man who lived underground and needed to be saved by others.

Trevor Friston had this plan from the day Roy arrived.

He implanted his subroutine into the authentication USB drive he gave to Roy, and through Roy's help, established his first sub-server on the outside world. Through this military terminal, he learned and mastered most of the important information about Terra's development to date.