Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

"If you haven't crossed the river yet, strike it in the middle of the stream."

As his calm yet supremely majestic words fell, bright white energy rings composed of pure alien energy appeared out of thin air. As if possessing sentience, they ignored the Thunder Elephant God's protective energy and layered upon layered around his massive body with unparalleled precision.

These energy rings did not attack with brute force, but rather carried a strange force of binding, penetrating, and disintegrating, like spring rain nourishing all things, silently but extremely quickly weakening and destroying the energy structure and core connection of the Thunder Elephant God!

Tai Lei felt his own energy flow become incredibly sluggish, as if he were trapped in thick glue. Every movement of the Thunder Elephant God's massive body required immense effort, and it eventually froze completely, like a sculpture bound by countless invisible chains.

"Bam—!"

In a short while, bound by the ever-tightening and increasingly dazzling energy ring, the Thunder Elephant God's massive energy structure could no longer be maintained, and it disintegrated with a crash, turning into countless shimmering points of light that vanished into nothingness.

Forced to disarm, Thales knelt on one knee, panting heavily. He looked up at the masked old man in disbelief, his eyes filled with horror.

"Nebula Body... Supreme Power..."

He managed to utter those words with difficulty, feeling the despair brought about by the absolute disparity in strength.

The Whale Shark King clenched his teeth, his gums almost bleeding. The pressure from Yuan Zheng felt like the entire sky collapsing, but he couldn't back down; behind him were his people, whose hope had just been ignited!

"Black Sea Abyss!!"

The Whale Shark King let out a resolute roar, seemingly from the depths of the underworld, and with no more reservations, used the ultimate trump card bestowed upon him by Hades!

He fully activated the terrifying power within his body—a power that was both minute and extremely potent, belonging to the Xuanming Black Hole!

In an instant, a deep, dark black void, seemingly capable of swallowing all light, sound, and even souls, rapidly spread out from the whale shark king!

Although its range only covered an area of ​​tens of meters and its power was far less than that of the Xuanming Black Hole personally cast by Hades, the ultimate artistic conception and law aura of returning to nothingness, ending, and annihilating everything contained within it caused Yuan Zheng, who was the strongest of the Nebula Body, to suddenly shrink his pupils and become extremely solemn!

"What a bizarre and dangerous power this is... that it contains such a pure sense of ending and annihilation..."

Yuan Zheng frowned. The Black Sea Abyss itself could not harm him, but its source power was of an extremely high level and full of ominousness, making him highly vigilant.

He raised his hand, and pure and powerful alien energy began to condense at a high level, preparing to use thunderous means to completely destroy this dangerous and unstable source of power, so as to prevent it from causing harm to the world.

Just as Yuan Zheng was gathering his strength and about to make his move.

In the dark, churning abyss of the Black Sea, which seemed to connect to the end of the universe, ripples surged violently, and a figure, as if emerging from the eternal silence and the source of darkness, slowly stepped out.

He was clad in black armor, his face calm and expressionless, his eyes deep as if they encompassed the entire universe. Simply by standing there casually, he naturally became the absolute center of heaven and earth.

Even the radiant nebula phantom behind Lian Yuanzheng seemed to pale in comparison to him.

Upon seeing this figure, seemingly etched deep into his soul, Thales, kneeling on the ground, had his pupils shrink to their extreme. Boundless horror, like ice water poured over his head, almost suffocated him. He cried out in shock, his voice distorted by the extreme shock:

"Pluto... Hades?!"

Chapter 37 The outcome was already predetermined

Qin Chuan's figure emerged fully from the dark "Black Sea Abyss" phantom, like a demon god awakening from an ancient slumber, breaking through the barriers of time and space.

His appearance instantly plunged the previously tense and energetic battlefield into a strange state of stagnation.

The howling wind seemed to be held back by an invisible hand, the flying yellow sand was frozen in mid-air, and even the restless particles of alien energy in the air became docile and quiet.

Instead of immediately unleashing his imposing aura, he perfectly concealed the oppressive force originating from the Nebula Body Supreme, making it as if a divine weapon had been sheathed, thus appearing even more unfathomable.

His gaze was calm as still water, first sweeping over the Whale Shark King and Tai Lei, and finally settling on Yuan Zheng.

Qin Chuan's spiritual senses, like invisible tentacles, had already thoroughly detected Yuan Zheng's condition.

This person's extraordinary energy is as vast and boundless as the sea, stable at the level of five white holes. Converted to the measurement commonly used in the underworld, it is roughly equivalent to the terrifying equivalent of eight black holes.

Although not as unfathomable as the Snow Queen, whose supreme realm is rumored to have reached the level of six white holes, she is already one of the strongest beings standing at the top of the seven parallel universes.

If one were to fight this person with all one's might, even if one were to ultimately win, it would be no easy feat; it would be an earth-shattering and fierce battle, and one's own consumption would be considerable.

Once he and Yuan Zheng engage in a supreme battle here, the earth-shattering energy fluctuations will be like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, the ripples will transcend time and space, instantly alarming the Snow Queen in the seventh parallel universe.

At that time, the Snow Queen will definitely intervene personally.

No matter how confident Qin Chuan was, he didn't believe he could defeat the combined forces of Yuan Zheng and Xue Huang, two supreme experts, without using his ultimate trump card, the Xuanming Black Hole.

Therefore, his appearance this time was not for fighting, but rather to win people's hearts and minds, to persuade them with reason, or rather, to shake Yuan Zheng's seemingly unbreakable ideological barrier with his logic that understands the nature of human nature and the essence of contradictions.

Yuan Zheng also keenly sensed that Qin Chuan had no fighting spirit or killing intent whatsoever, which was completely different from the bloodthirsty and warlike image of Hades that he had heard about.

A flicker of undisguised surprise flashed in his eyes, visible through the imposing white tiger mask, and his aged yet deep voice rang out in the stagnant air:

"The legendary Hades is tyrannical and war-loving, who intends to conquer all parallel universes by force. But today, it seems that this is not the case."

Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan's lips curled into a faint, slightly sarcastic smile. His tone was calm, yet every word was like a needle:

"Likewise. I have also heard that the White Tiger Clan of Saint Ren has always revered love and peace. But I wonder why Elder Yuanzheng has mobilized so many troops to come to this Third Universe to help the Golden Elephant Clan suppress these Whale Shark Clan people who are pursuing freedom and the right to survival?"

This question, though seemingly casual, hits the nail on the head, piercing through the moral ambiguity of Yuan Zheng's trip like a sharp sword.

Yuan Zheng's imposing figure seemed to tremble almost imperceptibly. He remained silent for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts or weighing something deeper, before explaining in a deep voice:

"I am already aware of the cruelty and injustice of the Golden Elephant Clan's enslavement of the Whale Shark Clan, and I absolutely do not condone it. However, the Snow Queen has always adhered to the principle of not taking the initiative to interfere in the internal affairs of other clans unless it involves the overall balance of the universe. Previously, I could only turn a blind eye and hope that they would reflect on their own actions."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the tense standoff between the two groups below, before continuing, his voice tinged with a helpless sincerity:

"My purpose in coming here on this mission is not simply to suppress them. Rather, I hope to mediate the deep-seated grievances between the two tribes in a neutral manner and find a way for the Golden Elephant Tribe and the Whale Shark Tribe to put aside their past grievances and truly coexist peacefully."

"Peaceful coexistence? What exactly does Elder Yuanzheng mean by 'mediation'?"

Qin Chuan seemed to have heard something extremely interesting yet utterly absurd; his low laughter echoed through the desert, carrying undisguised sarcasm.

"It is to persuade the Golden Elephant Clan, who are the beneficiaries and have long been accustomed to enslaving others, to voluntarily give up this countless free laborers and this comfortable life built on the blood and tears of others."

Or should we persuade these whale sharks, oppressed for countless years, their ancestors' bones buried deep beneath the yellow sands, to abandon their most instinctive and fervent desire for freedom, and to continue willingly, generation after generation, groveling on the ground, enslaved by others?

His gaze, like a cold blade, swept once more over both sides, whose emotions had become even more agitated by his words:

"Elder Yuanzheng, which of the two 'mediation' approaches or possible outcomes you advocate do you believe would be the one that both races would willingly accept and abide by from the bottom of their hearts?"

"Impossible! We will never abandon the legacy of our ancestors!" The Golden Elephant Clan leader roared, his voice filled with bluster but his heart was filled with fear.

"Freedom! We only want freedom! We will never continue to be slaves!" The roar of the whale shark warriors was filled with a do-or-die determination.

The reactions from both sides came almost simultaneously, filled with an unquestionable and irreconcilable antagonism, clearly confirming Qin Chuan's words.

So-called mediation appears so pale and powerless in the face of such deep-rooted conflicts of interest and survival.

Qin Chuan stopped looking at them and fixed his gaze on Yuan Zheng again. Deep within Yuan Zheng's calm eyes, a dark vortex seemed to swirl.

"Since Elder Yuanzheng also feels that mediation is extremely difficult, even nearly impossible, then I have a simple and direct suggestion that aligns with the dog-eat-dog nature of this universe. Why not let the Golden Elephant Clan and the Whale Shark Clan each send out their strongest members for an absolutely fair duel?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached the ears of everyone present clearly:

"The victor wins everything; the loser accepts defeat. If the Golden Elephant Clan wins, the Whale Shark Clan will accept their fate, give up resistance, and continue to be enslaved for another 100,000 years. If the Whale Shark Clan wins, the Golden Elephant Clan must remove all their shackles, grant them complete freedom, and refrain from any form of enslavement. How about that? Isn't this the most direct form of 'justice'?"

This proposal was simple, crude, and primitive, yet it unexpectedly gained immediate acceptance from both sides of the conflict.

For both sides, who are used to speaking with force and whose conflicts can no longer be resolved with words, this seems to be the most "fair" and most acceptable way.

Power is the most primal law of this universe.

"No! Absolutely not!"

Yuan Zheng suddenly stepped forward, his voice rising abruptly as he resolutely objected:

"Force is never the fundamental solution to problems! Hatred only breeds more hatred! Peace won through violence is merely the prelude to the next large-scale war! It is a false and fragile truce! True and lasting peace should be built on the foundation of love and tolerance, mutual understanding and trust! It needs to be nurtured with patience and wisdom!"

"That's exactly what I've been waiting to hear!"

A glint of light flashed in Qin Chuan's eyes, like lightning streaking across the night, finally revealing his true intentions:

"Since Elder Yuanzheng so firmly believes in the ineffectiveness of force and so highly values ​​the supreme power of love... then instead of engaging in this empty debate, how about we make a bet in front of both of our races? Let's use a long period of time to test each other's beliefs."

"A bet?" Yuan Zheng's gaze sharpened, and his brows furrowed slightly beneath his mask.

“Since Elder Yuanzheng is so convinced that the power of love can influence all things and eliminate all conflicts…” Qin Chuan’s eyes shone with a deep and wise light, as if he had seen through the long river of time of 100,000 years. “Then why don’t we take 100,000 years as the timeframe and conduct a long experiment?”

He held up two fingers and said slowly:

"These 100,000 years are divided into two phases. For the first 50,000 years, you must not use any form of force to intimidate. You can only rely on the love and tolerance you speak of, and as a pure educator, patiently teach and influence the Golden Elephant Clan and the Whale Shark Clan, guiding them to discover the goodness in their hearts, let go of the hatred accumulated over generations, and sincerely move towards the peaceful coexistence you speak of."

"Then fifty thousand years later."

Qin Chuan's tone shifted, carrying an almost cold deduction:

"If the first 50,000 years are ineffective, and your 'love's influence' fails to achieve a stable peace, and the two races continue to clash, even escalating due to the release of pent-up resentment, then you will have to use your supreme power as the strongest Nebula Body to carry out necessary deterrence and forced mediation, to forcefully suppress the conflict and maintain the peaceful order between the two races."

His gaze, like two searchlights, focused on Yuan Zheng:

"Ten thousand years from now, let's judge the results of this long experiment. Let's see whether pure love and persuasion are more likely to bring true and lasting peace and tranquility to this land, or whether order and deterrence guaranteed by necessary force are the indispensable cornerstones for maintaining this fragile peace. Let the facts speak for themselves, shall we?"

He clearly stated the stakes, his voice carrying the weight of fate:

"If the two races can achieve lasting peace during these 100,000 years, especially during the first 50,000 years of pure 'love-based influence,' then you win."

"I am willing to accept defeat, acknowledge that the power of love surpasses force, abandon the idea of ​​stopping war with war and the rule of the strong, and from now on I will guard my corner of the underworld and no longer use force to unify or interfere in the affairs of other universes."

"If it is ultimately proven that the persuasive effect of the first 50,000 years is limited, and the military deterrence of the next 50,000 years is still needed to barely maintain a superficial peace."

His voice paused slightly here, emphasizing his words:

"Then, Yuan Zheng, you must acknowledge that in the face of deep-rooted class contradictions, conflicts of interest, and complex human nature, necessary force is an indispensable cornerstone for establishing order and maintaining relative peace. Furthermore, from now on, you must not obstruct the process of the Underworld establishing a new cosmic order for any reason."

This bet was ingeniously structured and spanned an extremely long period of time, far exceeding the imagination of ordinary living beings.

It is not merely a simple clash between two ideologies, but a direct test of the actual effectiveness of "love" and "force" in long-term and complex social governance, almost like putting Yuan Zheng's idealism into the crucible of time.

Yuan Zheng fell into a long silence.

The desert wind seemed to slow down as well, with only the faint rustling sound of distant sand dunes moving.

How could he not understand that Hades' gamble, seemingly giving him an opportunity to prove his ideas, was actually a calculated scheme, a deliberate plot.

Once he agrees, it means that for the next 100,000 years, his main energy will have to be devoted to the third parallel universe, focusing on mediating the almost unsolvable conflict between the two races.

This will greatly weaken the White Tiger Clan's ability to contain the expansion of the Underworld's power.

However, looking at the two races before him, who were like fire and water and almost impossible to persuade with words, Yuan Zheng's unwavering belief that "love can resolve everything" and his sense of responsibility as a strong person made it impossible for him to refuse this opportunity to test his own beliefs.

As if an eternity had passed, Yuan Zheng finally raised his head. His eyes, hidden beneath the white tiger mask, shone with unwavering purity, even a martyr-like idealism. His voice boomed, as if he were making a vow:

"Hades, I accept your wager! I will use these first 50,000 years to prove to you and to the seven parallel universes that love can create everything and change everything! True peace comes from inner enlightenment, not from external coercion!"

Qin Chuan nodded slightly, his face revealing neither joy nor anger, only an unfathomable calm.

"Very well. Then I will observe the situation."

The bet is hereby made!