Government Conference

In a room within the New York State Government Building, Kaecilius sat opposite a gathering of officials, including the Mayor of New York and the Governor, with Xia Ling also in attendance by invitation.

Initially, he was quite surprised. How could he, a prominent agent leader, nominally under the Security Council and with no real ties to the American government, be invited to such a meeting?

But upon further thought, he realized he was the one who had ordered the agents' attack. No matter what, if the Church of Dagon wanted reconciliation, he, as one of the parties involved, had to be present. After all, this wasn't Munich.

"Everyone,"

The Governor of New York finally broke the silence in the room.

"We are gathered here to resolve a pressing and complex issue. Mr. Kaecilius, I would like to ask you a question: Is the Church of Dagon a threat to our city's safety and stability?"

"Governor,"

Kaecilius sat up straighter.

"I respect the purpose of this meeting and understand the importance of your question. The Church of Dagon has never been a threat to New York. On the contrary, we are indispensable guardians here."

At this point, Kaecilius had intended to diss the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who he considered the real destabilizing element.

However, upon seeing the Director's half-smile, Kaecilius lost his nerve.

He was forced to swallow his unfinished words and shift to other matters.

"Of course, I do not deny that some of the Church of Dagon's recent actions have caused public concern and misunderstanding. Regardless of the reasons, these actions have deviated from our church's original intentions and doctrines.

I deeply regret this and promise to take all necessary measures to ensure such incidents do not happen again."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, then continued, "Naturally, we will fulfill our obligations as members of this city, such as helping the city deal with threats from all sides and providing unique medical services to its people."

At this, the politicians exchanged glances, seeing expressions of satisfaction in each other's eyes.

The reason they were willing to listen to their old friend and meet this High Priest of the Dagon Secret Cult was precisely because of the miraculous medical skills within their church.

If they were truly that effective, they wouldn't mind lending a hand. After all, even in America, money could only solve ninety percent of problems. For the remaining ten percent, even with immense wealth, one could at best only alleviate the situation.

Coincidentally, birth, aging, sickness, and death were precisely among the most critical parts of that ten percent.

And this was precisely the meaning of the Church of Dagon's existence.

As for Xia Ling, he was merely a tool for damage control. If negotiations failed, he and his agents would be the ones to step in.

"Mr. Kaecilius,"

The Mayor of New York picked up the conversation, his tone carrying a hint of sincerity.

"We have heard many rumors about the medical miracles of the Church of Dagon. Are these rumors true? If so, we are very willing to discuss how to introduce this unique medical resource into the broader public domain for the benefit of more citizens."

Benefit the citizens? I think it's the citizens benefiting you!

Kaecilius sneered inwardly but didn't expose it, continuing with a serious expression.

"Mr. Mayor, your perceptiveness and foresight are admirable. We in the Church of Dagon have unique insights into medicine, but these medical methods are not limitless and require..."

"Ahem."

The Governor of New York coughed, interrupting Kaecilius's words.

These details were not meant for public discussion; they were for private exchanges.

Otherwise, if these limited treatments were made public, how could they be conveniently allocated?

"Your Excellency High Priest Kaecilius, our meeting today is meant to discuss broader matters. We don't need to go into details today; we can discuss them later."

The Governor of New York's words conveyed a subtle understanding and hint that everyone present understood.

He continued, "We would prefer to hear the Church of Dagon's long-term plan for how to cooperate with government agencies in the future to jointly promote the safety and development of New York City and the entire state."

"You mean, you need us to fight the Red Hulk and his monster army?"

Kaecilius frowned slightly. He was certain that the Great Father was far more powerful than any aberrant demon called the Blood God.

However, was it worth offending such a powerful aberrant demon for this reason?

It wasn't just Kaecilius who frowned in thought; the Governor of New York was also somewhat displeased.

This cult leader, who had never seen the world, had no understanding of the art of conversation.

Were those words just casually spoken? It was too undignified. These were all gentlemen here. Well, there was also an agent leader.

In this small conference room, two country bumpkins had arrived, no wonder the foul stench was overwhelming.

"I believe the Church of Dagon would not stand by and do nothing about cults, right?"

Xia Ling's smile hid a hint of cunning and depth. His words fell lightly in the room, but like a gentle breeze, they dispersed the subtle tension in the air.

"As a member of this city, I naturally have no excuse to shirk my responsibility!"

After a few seconds of deliberation, Kaecilius resolutely decided to go to war with the Red Hulk's faction.

The church's situation was currently excellent. These government officials were considering converting to the Church of Dagon. Under such circumstances, unless they intended to abandon New York, they would have to fight the Red Hulk.

This was a holy war for religion; they had no choice but to fight. Moreover, Kaecilius had no intention of tolerating heretics.

"Your Excellency High Priest Kaecilius, will the Church of Dagon have some difficulty dealing with those Red Hulks?"

The Governor of New York showed a slight hint of worry. It wasn't that he was afraid Kaecilius would die, but rather that if he did, the church might no longer be able to provide medical services.

"Our strength has always been unquestionable. Foes like the Red Hulk are no match for us."

His confident demeanor suggested he possessed some skill.

"It won't be difficult, will it, High Priest Kaecilius?"

"Not at all, it is our duty."

"Excellent!"

The Governor of New York slammed his hand on the table.

"High Priest Kaecilius, your resolve deeply impresses us."

The Governor of New York stood up, his tone carrying a sense of solemnity. "Our government will provide full support to the Church of Dagon's actions. Together, we will fight against Red Hulk and his monster legion. We believe that with close cooperation between both sides, we will surely be able to protect the peace and stability of New York City."