The Art of Showing Off

Goddess Leona: "I feel like Tony Stark's words are a bit hard to stomach. What exactly are you trying to say?"

Tony Stark: "The wisdom of mortals."

Goddess Leona: "Heh, say that again if you dare."

The Invincible Urchin Gu Santong: "Tsk tsk, Tony Stark, you've gotten too cocky."

Biyou: "Add one."

The Invincible Urchin Gu Santong: "→_→, Tony Stark is so serious, and about this kind of thing at that. I'm really curious about what Tony Stark went through in the past. No, I should say, what is Tony Stark's mentality in researching these things? Is it just for the so-called art of showing off?"

Omniscient Li: "I also want to know what Tony Stark wants to say."

Tony Stark: "Group owner, what are your plans for this miracle?"

Li Hao frowned slightly, remaining silent in thought.

There is definitely a plan.

For example, the Angel Squad in the Vast Blue World is a great tool for showing off.

However, Li Hao was more interested in hearing Tony Stark's advice.

Omniscient Li: "I have a small plan; please share your thoughts first."

Tony Stark: "Symptoms are an art, and not just any art form. Has the group admin studied the Bible, or other similar religious scriptures?"

Omniscient Li: "No."

Tony Stark: "Why does the group leader think ordinary people would fear gods?"

Omniscient Li: "The unknown, because for ordinary people, gods belong to the unknown realm. The most terrifying thing in this world is always the unknown."

Tony Stark: "That's it. Whether it's the Bible or the scriptures of other religions, the most important thing about gods is mystery. So the same principle applies to miracles. Mystery is the best deterrent and the most frightening thing. If the group leader wants to achieve the best effect, mystery is indispensable."

However, this doesn't mean that being mysterious means being ashamed of others; rather, it means maintaining mystery while showcasing extraordinary qualities. Furthermore, mystery isn't a simple noun, nor does it represent any particular aspect. Mystery can manifest in appearance, strength, influence, and so on.

Li Hao seemed to be thinking about this, feeling that Tony Stark's words made a lot of sense.

While there's some truth to what he said, it doesn't seem to be of much help in the upcoming show-off event.

Angel Yan: "You should consult experts on this kind of matter. We angels have been professionally manifesting for tens of thousands of years, and we've traveled all over the universe to manifest in various civilizations."

Goddess Leona: "Tch, I thought you angels were going to say you've been showing off for tens of thousands of years. Oh, right, you angels are all female, you don't need to show off."

Biyou: "A goddess-like female!"

Invincible Urchin Gu Santong: "Tsk tsk, it feels like Goddess Leona is going further and further down the path of courting death."

Angel Yan: "Heh, Leona, it seems you've forgotten how powerful we angels are. No problem, once I ascend the throne, I'll come and teach you a lesson on what true angelic power really means."

Goddess Leona: "Hehehe, you think this empress is afraid of you? I'm super powerful now!"

Everyone laughed.

We don't know if you're good or not, but your ability to brag and court disaster is definitely very much Li Hao's.

Angel Yan curled her lip, too lazy to bother with that little brat who liked to court death.

She paused for a moment, then said, "The manifestation of divine power is mainly reflected in two aspects, and one fundamental point."

First, one must demonstrate abilities superior to those of the civilization receiving the manifestation; this is the most fundamental point of manifestation. Only by displaying strength surpassing theirs can one be called a saint; otherwise, it's just a monkey show.

Then there are two aspects of divine manifestation: grace and power.

Humans and other beings alike are often cowards who fear power but lack virtue. Therefore, Wibane is even more important, and the most crucial element of the manifestation. However, this power is not directly manifested in punishing all beings, but rather in a form of guidance, directing the tide in the direction one desires."

Lin Jiu: "A very interesting statement. It reminds me of the Buddhism concept of the eighteen levels of hell. Although I don't like those bald monks, their concept of the eighteen levels of hell does have a certain deterrent effect on sentient beings, making many people consider whether they will be punished in the future when they make mistakes."

Ming Yanwei: "The era when Uncle Nine lived was so good; there were still people who believed in the eighteen levels of hell. In my time, let alone eighteen levels of hell, even twenty-eight levels of hell couldn't stop people's hearts from turning bad."

Biyou: "So the saying about the eighteen levels of hell has this meaning too, guiding people towards goodness. It seems that the bald monks of Buddhism do have some skills."

Tony Stark: "The Holy See's concept of Heaven and Hell is very similar to the Buddhism of the eighteen levels of hell and the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

Therefore, in a sense, both Eastern and Western religions share the same view on the fundamental issue of guiding people towards goodness.

Everything was just as the goddess Yan had said: people's hearts are filled with evil thoughts, and they fear power but do not cherish virtue.

The group leader now needs to do more than just perform miracles; more importantly, the group leader is now connected with the Bitter Sea. You are all in this together, sharing both glory and loss. Therefore, the group leader 'Sanctum cannot only consider the present; the most important thing is the future."

Only then did Li Hao realize what was going on.

Right!

Previously, I only considered the task of manifesting sainthood, never realizing that after choosing a faction, the task of Sanctum would not only be about showing off, but also about how to better guide the development of the many forces in the Bitter Sea and how to help the Bitter Sea better prepare for future calamities.

With the return of the Grotto-Heaven realm, an unpredictable catastrophe awaits all beings in the Bitter Sea.

Without guidance, the same mistakes made by the France will continue to happen.

The nations of the Bitter Sea will betray other nations for their own interests, betray the people of the Bitter Sea, and even betray the interests of their own countries.

Therefore, the most important issue now is not just the manifestation of divine power, but rather uniting the nations of the Bitter Sea.

Obviously, this is not an easy task.

In fact, this is far more difficult than dealing with the powerful beings in the Grotto-Heaven world.

But Li Hao couldn't ignore it, nor could he afford not to, because the future of the Bitter Sea was his future; the two were already inextricably linked.

Li Hao shook his head with a wry smile.

Indeed, a hero needs three helpers. If it weren't for Angel Yan and Tony Stark, I wouldn't have considered things so thoroughly.

Omniscient Li: "What everyone said makes a lot of sense and is very good."

Angel Yan: "If the group owner finds it useful, that's good."

Li Hao didn't say much and left the Chat Group directly.

He needs to think carefully about how to turn Angel Yan and Tony Stark's idea into reality.

We still need to show off, but the most important issue now is no longer showing off, but guiding people toward the future.

That's right, guidance.

What Li Hao needs is not forceful intervention, but guidance to lead the Bitter Sea towards a better future, a future that aligns with his own interests.

Li Hao sat on the sofa, his eyes slightly closed, lost in deep thought.

Meanwhile, as Li Hao pondered how to achieve the best results, the internet had already completely erupted. No, to be more precise, the whole world had been in an uproar.

Facebook.

The gentleman said, "Fuck, this is ridiculous! We are noble white people, how can we need those inferior colored people to save us?"

"Hehe, you're so awesome upstairs. I wonder if you ever thought about France into battle when Atlantis invaded France."

"Fool, if Easterners were that powerful, they would have unified the world long ago, instead of giving you the opportunity to dictate the world from your keyboard."

"Yes, such a terrifying being certainly not from the East, otherwise the world would have been ruled by the East long ago, and we wouldn't have had a chance. But who exactly is that mysterious saint? Is it really, as the France have revealed, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Even if Jesus Christ were to descend, he wouldn't descend to the East. But speaking of which, I'm a little curious. You say even Atlantis has appeared, so will Jesus Christ also appear?"

"What's the point of your discussion about Jesus Christ? Aren't we here to know about the France sacrifice and that saint from the East? I feel that the Eastern saint is very likely an Eastern immortal, one of those gods who can fly through the clouds."

"The opponent wasn't just capable of flying through the clouds; don't forget the arrow that froze the Atlantic Ocean, and the defeat of the King of Atlantis. It's a pity the satellites didn't capture the saint's face, otherwise we would know what the saint looked like."

"What nonsense about saints and gods! I think it's just Easterners faking their divine powers. Aren't you still the noble white people? We should resist the temptations from the East and resist these damned charlatans. Otherwise, the Yellow Peril will descend upon you again sooner or later, and you will be reduced to pigs and dogs."

"Neuropathy."

"One more lunatic."

Putting aside the various arguments on Facebook, if we were to ask who is the most nervous at this moment, it would undoubtedly be the France president who barely escaped a disaster.

The invasion of Atlantis caused severe damage to the France and dealt a major blow to the government. However, the president gained far higher approval ratings than before because he persisted to the end and the Atlanteans were defeated.

Before the Atlanteans invasion, the president's approval rating had dropped to 39%, meaning he was unlikely to be re-elected if the presidency changed. However, since the last incident, the president's excellent performance has won him popular support, and his approval rating has soared to 69%.

If this can be maintained, it means the president can easily be re-elected.

Thinking of this, the president couldn't help but smile smugly.

With this unprecedented victory, who would care that I once betrayed national interests?

The president bowed slightly to the mirror, exuding elegance befitting a gentleman.

"However, there's still one last step. I hope that mysterious sage from the East can add a significant bargaining chip to my beautiful crown."

The president smiled as he walked out of the palace toward the venue for the grand ceremony.

Little did he know that, due to the interference of certain individuals, this event would exceed everyone's expectations.

Regarding the first side story of this book, please leave a comment in the comments section of this chapter. (The comment will be considered based on the number of likes.)