The job change is a bizarre and calamity; the nation begs me to tone it down.

With his centuries-old demigod-level combat power and his incredible methods, there's no way we'll be able to fight him.

All five factions present combined would have to serve tea to Sheikha.

"Six months..."

Ivan finally spoke, his voice sounding like he'd smoked eight hundred packs of cigarettes: "Are you sure?"

"That's a conservative estimate."

Adam's answer was so blunt it was almost painful: "If he gets one or two more job advancements, this time might be shortened to three months."

Ivan fell silent.

He wanted to curse, but couldn't find a suitable target.

Just when the atmosphere was so tense it was about to freeze, Yamamoto Furukawa slowly spoke.

The old man spoke very slowly, as if each word had to roll around on his tongue three times before he would utter it.

But each sentence contains an astonishing amount of information.

"Mr. Adam's analysis is very insightful."

"However, I have some additional information about Gu Xu. I cannot disclose the source of this information, but she sent back some very crucial data."

Yamamoto Furukawa paused for a moment, seemingly giving everyone time to prepare mentally.

"Based on the analysis of that data, Gu Xu appears to have mastered the ability to reverse time."

The air in the conference room seemed to have been sucked out instantly.

The five representatives present have lived for nearly a thousand years; what storms haven't they weathered?

What shocking news haven't you heard?

But the words "reverse time" still plunged everyone into a deathly silence.

The silence lasted for a full ten seconds.

A dozen seconds might not seem like much to an ordinary person, but for the few of you here whose minds work at speeds comparable to supercomputers, it's a significant amount of time.

The silence of a dozen seconds meant that their brains had collectively crashed.

The monk Tianxing was the first to recover, his voice tinged with obvious uncertainty: "Lord Yamamoto, how credible is this information...?"

"At least 70% or more, and that's a conservative estimate. If it weren't so shocking, I can confidently say it's 100% credible!"

Yamamoto Furukawa left him no room for wishful thinking: "During the East Sea Battle, many ninth-tier saints of Shenxia who were confirmed to have died in battle, self-destructed their origins, or were seriously injured and dying were collectively resurrected in a very short time."

"Not only have his injuries healed, but his depleted magic power has also been restored to its full strength."

"We've ruled out all known healing, resurrection abilities, and items. There's no known way to do this."

"The only reasonable explanation is that someone forcibly reverted these people's condition to the pre-war state."

"In other words—time reversed."

Another silence followed.

The archbishop slowly raised his head, a glint of something—fear or greed—flashing in his eyes: "The rules of time... that's a realm even true gods might not be able to manipulate at will. A young man not even twenty years old..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

If Gu Xu truly has mastered the rules of time, then his threat level is not simply that of a demigod.

This means his potential may far exceed everyone's imagination.

After Adam and everyone else had fully processed the information, they slowly began to speak.

"Therefore, I propose—"

"Form a joint strategic alliance. The five forces will work together, concentrate all available resources, and carry out a comprehensive strangulation of Shenxia."

"Primary objective—eliminate Gu Xu."

The atmosphere in the meeting room changed instantly after those words were spoken.

The initial repression turned into tension.

For the five forces present, the word "unity" was even more absurd than "reversing time."

The grudges and entanglements between these five families could be told for three days and three nights without end.

Getting them to sit at the same table for a meeting is already a miracle, and now they want to join forces?

The monk Tianxing was the first to express his concerns.

"Joint operation..."

He carefully chose his words, speaking slowly, "His Excellency Adam's suggestion certainly makes sense. But everyone saw the results of our last separate raids on Sherlock."

"We all suffered heavy losses, while the Sheikhs didn't lose a single hair."

The monk Tianxing's voice was tinged with bitterness: "Under these circumstances, it is difficult for me to persuade practitioners in the country to participate in another joint operation with an uncertain future."

"Besides—"

The monk Tianxing glanced at the other four people present, his gaze lingering on each of their faces for a second: "The foundation of our mutual trust, how should I put it..."

He didn't say "equals zero," but the meaning was obvious.

Ivan was much more direct than Tianxing Monk: "It's not that I disagree with joining forces."

The leader of the Northern League tapped the table: "But I need to know the specific distribution of benefits."

"The Northern Alliance lost an entire mobile corps this time. If the benefits we get after joining forces are not enough to make up for the losses, then we might as well shut ourselves up and lick our wounds."

The words were spoken very bluntly, but no one present thought it was wrong.

Interests are always the foundation of cooperation.

Alliances held together solely by a "common enemy" are more fragile than sandcastles on the beach.

Adam had clearly anticipated these reactions.

He didn't rush to refute, but calmly said, "I understand everyone's concerns. But I would like to ask everyone to think about one thing."

"If we don't join forces—Gu Xu will become a demigod in six months."

"A year from now, his strength may catch up with any of the people here."

"Three years from now, or maybe even less—he will become the most powerful human being in the history of Earth."

"By then, even if all five of us were combined, we probably wouldn't be enough to defeat him alone."

"Do you think there will still be any issues regarding the distribution of benefits at that point?"

Adam's voice wasn't loud, but every word struck everyone's heart like a hammer: "Because by then, we will all lose the right to sit at the negotiating table."

Silence once again enveloped the entire conference room.

But this silence is different.

Everyone's expression was changing.

The monk Tianxing closed his eyes and flicked his prayer beads with his fingers.

Ivan stopped knocking, his fingers clenching into a fist.

The archbishop's lips stopped trembling, replaced by a resolute expression.

Yamamoto Furukawa still squinted, but something was ignited at the bottom of those murky eyes.

They are all intelligent people.

Smart people don't need others to repeat themselves.

"……All right."

The monk Tianxing spoke first, his voice tinged with helplessness: "I agree to participate in the joint operation. But let me make it clear from the outset, the South Indian Kingdom will only contribute its efforts, not be taken advantage of."

Ivan grunted. "The Northern Alliance is the same. If anyone wants to use us as pawns or cannon fodder, then they don't need this alliance."

The archbishop made a praying gesture: "The Vatican is willing to contribute to the eradication of heresy. But all actions must be carried out under the guidance of the Lord."

Yamamoto Furukawa nodded slightly, without saying anything more.