Directing on the Ark, Success if Not Banned

When the King of Scavengers presented the existence known as the "Royal Court Covenant," almost instantly, a vast, dark mass of Sarkaz soldiers simultaneously knelt towards it.

At that moment, even Ascalon, Logos, and Scout, three Sarkaz beside Kal'tsit, knelt down almost immediately. Even though they were unwilling, under this sacred artifact, which rarely symbolized "the end of conflict" for the Sarkaz, as fellow Sarkaz, they had to obey this tradition.

This was the only thing that could make countless ferocious Sarkaz cease their killing instantly. The Sarkaz bloodline, from the moment they saw this sacred artifact, would resonate with the bloodline of their sacrificed Royal Court Kings condensed within it.

The King of Scavengers then actively handed the "Royal Court Covenant" in his hand to Theresis, who was also kneeling. Theresis accepted it with both hands and slowly stood up. Only then did all the Sarkaz stand up as well.

"...The 'Royal Court Covenant,' this symbolizes the Sarkaz Royal Court, and from now on, they will no longer slaughter each other. This tradition has been broken countless times, but every time this sacred artifact appears, all Sarkaz still follow tradition before it."

Theresis, holding the "Royal Court Covenant," addressed everyone, "This is a symbol of Sarkaz friendship, and naturally, it will be given to a friend of the Sarkaz, to express Sarkaz friendship."

"A friend who is not Sarkaz, but has never discriminated against any Sarkaz."

"A friend who is not an Infected, but has never stayed away from the Infected, and still coexists with the Sarkaz, who are almost all Infected."

"A person who... believes that the Sarkaz can change, has helped the cause of the Sarkaz, and the reward he received is but one ten-thousandth of the favor he bestowed upon the Sarkaz."

"Such a person is my friend, and also the friend of all Sarkaz. Today, I present this sacred artifact to our Sarkaz's first foreign friend."

Saying this, Theresis turned his gaze towards Chen Qi beside him. Without hesitation, he cupped the "Royal Court Covenant" in both hands and, under the horrified gaze of the Rhodes Island group beside them, presented it to Chen Qi.

"And you, my friend, on behalf of all Sarkaz, I call you the 'Friend of the Sarkaz.'"

"From this moment on, you are the friend of all Sarkaz. You are not connected to us by blood, but our bond will transcend blood. From now on, our blood will flow for you, and our hearts will beat with a part of you."

"I hope you can accept this Sarkaz friendship, and from now on, let us be like kin, like blood relatives, united against our enemies, mutually beneficial, mutually helpful, willing to go through fire and water without hesitation!"

—Yes, this last sentence was Theresis's true objective. In front of so many people, witnessed by so many factions, he called Chen Qi the "Friend of the Sarkaz" precisely to let everyone know that Chen Qi was now standing with them.

This way, not only would other factions and countries hesitate to act against Chen Qi due to the deterrence of the Sarkaz (Zarak, the 'rat' tribe of Terra), but it would also cause Kal'tsit's faction, which had a significant feud with them, to forever be wary of Chen Qi.

And this wariness was not just limited to Kal'tsit's Rhodes Island; any faction would be wary of an organization that was friends with the notorious Sarkaz.

In other words, from now on, Chen Qi would find it even harder to find collaborators other than himself, as they disdained associating with the Sarkaz. This, in a way, bound Chen Qi to the Sarkaz's cause.

With this witness, this "Royal Court Covenant," Theresis no longer had to worry that the plays Chen Qi had promised would be empty promises—unless Chen Qi openly reneged, he would be hunted by all Sarkaz.

This was the method Theresis devised to bring Chen Qi into the Sarkaz's fold. For this, he was willing to pay any price and make any promise.

Because the Sarkaz needed this friend; the future, continuation, and reputation of the Sarkaz all needed this friend.

For this, Theresis was willing to do this, with unprecedented promises, whether in terms of benefits, friendship, or political maneuvering, Theresis was willing to take such action.

Everything was for the future of the Sarkaz. He thought... this was also what his sister Theresa would have wanted to see.

Chapter 66: Mostima's Arrival, Laterano's Decision?

However, no matter what Theresis thought in his heart, it couldn't change what he was doing now, and the immense shock it caused in the eyes of others who were unaware.

The esteemed Regent of the Sarkaz was actually so respectful to a Yan person, even calling him "friend," and not just any friend, but the friend of all Sarkaz. Furthermore, he could even give away an artifact like the "Royal Court Covenant," which could be called a "sacred artifact" by the Sarkaz, as a symbol of friendship for the Sarkaz race.

At this moment, on Rhodes Island's side, the three Sarkaz led by Logos were all dumbfounded. No matter how much authority or power they possessed, or how unapproachable they seemed in their daily lives at Rhodes Island, they all appeared deeply shaken at this moment.

Inside the Landship, Amiya, who had stayed behind due to Kal'tsit's concern that Theresis might act recklessly, had her pupils contract, and her gaze towards Chen Qi was filled with immense surprise and wonder.

Even the well-traveled Kal'tsit slightly parted her lips, appearing unable to comprehend the scene before her. Her gaze fixed on the "Royal Court Covenant" Theresis was presenting to Chen Qi, and she fell into a brief mental storm.

...What just happened?

Others might not know, but Kal'tsit understood the significance of the "Royal Court Covenant" sacred artifact to the Sarkaz race all too well. It was the only sacred artifact that could stop all ferocious Sarkaz from fighting the moment it appeared. In essence, possessing the "Royal Court Covenant" was equivalent to having the protection of the entire Sarkaz race.

From then on, no matter where this person walked on this land, as long as they displayed this sacred artifact, all Sarkaz in the area would not attack them, and would even protect the holder's safety when necessary!

It could be said that if Theresis truly handed the "Royal Court Covenant" to Chen Qi now, Chen Qi would have received the friendship of all Sarkaz on this land—if necessary, even if Chen Qi wanted to order the Sarkaz of Rhodes Island to do his bidding, they would have no choice but to comply.

But the problem was, the core strength of Rhodes Island was currently supported by the veteran Sarkaz from the Babel Tower era!

In an instant, Kal'tsit realized the seriousness of the matter—if Chen Qi had already been bought by Theresis, then with the "Royal Court Covenant" in his possession, if he were to join Rhodes Island, wouldn't Rhodes Island fall apart in an instant?

However, Kal'tsit found herself unable to stop it, even if she wanted to. Firstly, the strongest combatants on their side, Ascalon and Logos, were Sarkaz. Asking them to attack a Sarkaz sacred artifact was like ordering them to commit suicide.

As for Kal'tsit acting herself, or asking Outcast, who was a Sarkot, to do so... that was also impossible. Kal'tsit clearly saw that the Bloodborne Archon and the King of Scavengers were still watching them.

Moreover, acting at this moment would undoubtedly lead to Kal'tsit and her group being torn to shreds by the enraged Sarkaz. Kal'tsit herself could be reborn, but others couldn't!

Therefore, Kal'tsit was momentarily at a loss and could only watch helplessly as Theresis presented the "Royal Court Covenant" to Chen Qi.

At this moment, Chen Qi also understood what Theresis was getting at.

"He intends to use this thing to pull me onto the Sarkaz's ship... 'Mutually beneficial and mutually helpful,' I suspect you'll be the one receiving help and benefiting."

"But it seems I have no choice but to accept this now, otherwise, I'm afraid even leaving here safely will be a problem."

Chen Qi's mind was racing, contemplating the current situation. Having the protection of the Sarkaz for his crew wouldn't be bad; at least with their protection, no one would dare provoke the crew wherever they went.

After all, Terra was currently overrun with Rhodes Island and Sarkaz mercenaries. With this, it was equivalent to receiving the friendship of all Sarkaz, and the crew could continue to act with impunity on Terra from now on.

However, this would somewhat tarnish the crew's reputation. After all, the Sarkaz were generally despised by other species on Terra. If he accepted this, it would be difficult to find promotional activities in various countries in the future. Events like the nationwide promotion in Syracuse last time and Londinium this time would likely not happen again.

But Chen Qi had ways to deal with such matters. It was best to accept this precious item first and ensure the safety of everyone in the crew.

"—I am deeply honored to receive the friendship of a race, and such trust and support, Regent."

Chen Qi then accepted the "Royal Court Covenant" from Theresis under everyone's gaze. At that very moment, a voice from the system suddenly appeared in Chen Qi's mind.

[Detected host obtaining rare item "Royal Court Covenant," congratulations to the host for activating the system's new "Treasury" function!]

[Collecting rare items from the world of Terra can earn corresponding rewards and reputation points. The more "rare items" the host collects, the greater the benefits obtained.]

[Currently, the host has obtained the rare item, the Royal Court Covenant. Do you wish to view the amplification effect of the "Royal Court Covenant"?]

"Confirm." Chen Qi replied in his mind almost without hesitation, and soon, a row of glass cabinets, similar to those that used to hold figurines before crossing over, appeared before him, visible only to him. In one of them, the shape of the "Royal Court Covenant" appeared.

[Royal Court Covenant]: A sacred relic of the Sarkaz race. Whoever holds this item will be considered to have gained the friendship of the Sarkaz race. It permanently increases affinity with the Sarkaz race by 50% and grants immunity to all damage from the Sarkaz. Any work photographed by the host will receive a 1.5x increase in reputation gain from Sarkaz.

After Chen Qi slowly accepted the "Royal Court Covenant," the system determined that he had obtained this rare item. At this moment, Theresis, rarely, showed a hint of triumphant joy, but still said loudly:

"All Sarkaz, for our friend, salute!"

"Crack!" XN

Almost as soon as Theresis finished speaking, all the Sarkaz who witnessed this scene simultaneously extended their right hands and slammed them heavily onto their chests. With a wild yet solemn ritual, they bowed slightly in Chen Qi's direction.

At this moment, even the Bloodborne Archon, the King of the Scavengers, and on Rhodes Island's side, Scout, Logos, and Ascalon, and even Theresis himself, whether willing or not, placed their hands on their chests and bowed slightly towards Chen Qi.

And now, on Chen Qi's mini-map, a large area of gray dots that originally belonged to the Sarkaz had almost instantly turned blue, symbolizing allies!

This change made Chen Qi breathe a sigh of relief. He knew that his gamble on Theresis letting him leave had paid off. Theresa's advice was indeed useful; he had gained the friendship of the Sarkaz race!

—Although he might have been calculated against by this pair of siblings, this outcome was perhaps the best. At least the entire Art Troupe could be kept safe, and he could move around Terra without any danger in the future.

After doing all this, Theresis turned his gaze to the five Imperial Guards standing by, who had witnessed everything, and then said faintly:

"Now, Director Chen Qi is a friend of our Sarkaz and is protected by the Sarkaz."

"Therefore, do you still intend to insist on your own ideas and senselessly spill your lives on this land? Of course, if you can still be considered life."

Theresis's tone carried a hint of threat. However, this time, even the five Imperial Guards seemed hesitant. They never imagined that Theresis would go so far as to bind the fate of an entire race to Chen Qi's survival!

And if they were to continue to insist on their mission... they would face the combined assault of all the Sarkaz here, and they would die for no reason.

"...You are weaving your own cocoons, Sarkaz."

However, they couldn't lose face. The Imperial Guards brought out their final deterrent, their trump card—the Ursus Empire. They immediately said:

"Your ability to act recklessly in Londinium now is merely taking advantage of Victoria's weakness and the vacancy in the throne."

"But our great Ursus Empire is different. With your current strength, we only need two army groups to flatten Londinium—even if you have your so-called Royal Court."

"...Do you think you can threaten the Sarkaz like this?"

"It seems you are not only arrogant but also very foolish. Ruthlessness and brainlessness are now displayed by you, Ursus."

However, Theresis's eyes slightly chilled upon hearing this. At this moment, the atmosphere, which had just eased a little, immediately became tense again.

Ablana hastily moved the Deep Pool team back. She knew very well that if a major battle broke out here, the overall quality of the Deep Pool would not be able to compete with the ferocious Sarkaz legions.

It would be better to find another opportunity. After they had fought each other to a near standstill, she could make her move, use her Originium Arts to strike at the morale of the Ursus legions, and try to snatch Chen Qi amidst the chaos.

"Everyone, react according to the situation, and be prepared to deal with the Imperial Guard's attack first."

Kal'tsit also reacted immediately. She had grasped the situation now; the Sarkaz race and Chen Qi were now bound together, whether she acknowledged it or not.

Instead of being enemies with Chen Qi and demoralizing the current Sarkaz pillars of Rhodes Island, it was better to form a temporary united front with the Sarkaz... Kal'tsit had no other way to act against Chen Qi.

"Oh, everyone, it seems we've arrived a bit late. I didn't expect such a grand ceremony to be taking place here?"

"But now is not the time to make a move, why not give us some face and temporarily lay down your weapons?"

But at this moment, a teasing female voice suddenly sounded in everyone's ears. Then, in a moment of mental haze, a Sarkaz with black halo on her head, clearly a "Fallen Angel," and a red-haired Liberi appeared at the center of the impending eruption.

"Laterano's Envoy of Nations, Mostima."

"Acting member of the Laterano Notary Office, Fiamma."

"In the name of the Lord, cease your conflict. We have not come to participate in war, but to stop the war. We are not enemies to any of you; we are merely here to announce the grace of Laterano's sacred doctrine."

Under the declaration of the Liberi calling herself "Fiamma," the two representatives of Laterano appeared at the center of the place that was about to become a battlefield. With the authorization of Laterano, they were here solely to announce an important decision by Laterano.

"...Why are people from Laterano appearing here?" Kal'tsit also didn't know why the Laterano people were present at this occasion. She instinctively turned to Outcast, who was also of the Sarkaz race, and asked:

"Outcast, I remember your Sarkaz race has the ability of 'Empathy.' Can you sense the thoughts of that Fallen Angel Sarkaz?"

"...I can't. The Fallen Angel doesn't have the effect of 'Empathy,' I can't read her thoughts."

"But... I can vaguely guess that the feelings of other Sarkaz are being transmitted. I roughly know the decision from the Pontiff."

Outcast immediately activated "Empathy" at this moment, but after hearing the feelings of the other Sarkaz who knew about it, she showed an extremely shocked expression and muttered:

"Does the Papal Hall really know what they are doing? If they had arrived earlier, it would have been fine, but now Director Chen Qi has already accepted the token of the Sarkaz race..."

"If they really do this, then... from now on, who on this land can stop him?"

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Two Races Incompatible as Fire and Water, A Common Friend?

"...Why are the Sarkaz from Laterano appearing here for no reason?"

However, upon seeing Mostima and Fiamma, who represented Laterano, Theresis, as a Sarkaz, immediately suppressed the almost innate aggression of his soldiers towards the Sarkaz and asked faintly:

"This is not a place for you to spread your doctrine; this is a battlefield about to erupt. Are you here to stir up trouble as well?"

If one were to ask who the Sarkaz race hated the most, the first would undoubtedly be the "monster" calling herself "Kal'tsit" standing before them; the others would be the Sarkaz, who were naturally at odds with them, those with halos on their heads and wings on their backs.

However, even Theresis didn't know why the Sarkaz and Sarkaz were so hostile. This was something that even some of the older Royal Court kings couldn't explain, as if it were an innate aversion. Although the territories of the two races were located on the east and west sides of the continent of Terra, they simply couldn't stand each other from birth.

As is well known, Laterano strictly prohibits the sale and outflow of firearms. Apart from the guardian firearms that almost every Sarkaz possessed, and even Exusiai, who dreamed of having eight submachine guns, other races could only use small-caliber firearms unless officially approved by Laterano.

For example, the grenade launcher in Fiamma's hand was specially approved. However, this rule had no effect on the Sarkaz.

The Sarkaz mercenaries, due to their need to survive in harsh environments, have a habit of collecting useful weapons, especially firearms.

This has led to many Sarkaz possessing numerous firearms of unknown origin, most of which are not small caliber. And from whom were these weapons taken? It seems to be only from the Sarkaz themselves.

This is also one of the reasons for the mutual animosity between the Sarkaz and the Sarkaz. The Sarkaz never take the so-called "laws" or "doctrines" seriously. The two races have a long-standing feud, and even if many Sarkaz are encountering Sarkaz for the first time, they still have a deep-seated, almost innate "hatred."

"Don't be so hot-tempered, Regent of the Sarkaz."

As a "Fallen Angel" Sarkaz and a messenger to all nations, Mostima did not harbor much hostility towards the Sarkaz and spoke with a smile:

"We are merely representing Laterano to announce two new laws—rest assured, they will have no impact on you or the Sarkaz. After we finish announcing, if you still wish to continue fighting, please feel free."

"The Sarkaz are forever unbound by the laws of any nation or race." Theresis immediately stated his position upon hearing this. He had no intention of offending Laterano for the moment, but he would not lose to the Sarkaz in terms of demeanor; this was a necessity for a Sarkaz monarch.

"Don't be like that. One of these laws is related to your friend, the Sarkaz."

However, Mostima smiled slightly and glanced at Chen Qi, who was standing nearby. For a moment, everyone's gaze unconsciously shifted to Chen Qi, including Chen Qi himself, who asked with some surprise:

"Related to me? But I don't recall having any ties with Laterano."

While Chen Qi and Exusiai had a decent relationship due to "The Godfather," Exusiai shouldn't have met Mostima yet. Moreover, Exusiai was just an ordinary Sarkaz in Laterano, holding no special status.

"Well... you'll find out later, Director Chen Qi."

Mostima smiled slightly, then took a scroll from Fiamma. However, this time, she first turned towards Vina. After confirming Vina's race and appearance, she then addressed everyone and began her announcement:

"To everyone in Victoria, Evangelista XI sends her regards. Just yesterday, after several meetings in the Papal Hall, we made a difficult decision."

"A few days ago, I watched a segment of 'Yes, Minister.' The entire Laterano populace, along with all the cardinals serving in office, and I myself, were greatly impressed by the series. However, the parts concerning Laterano's diocese in Victoria sparked our contemplation."

"We spent several days specifically investigating our dioceses in other nations, as well as the diocese in Victoria. It is with great regret that I must inform you that within our diocese in Victoria, I could not see the salvation that the doctrines brought to believers, nor could I see piety or faith. All I saw was the stench of money manipulated by politics."

"Such doctrines are a violation of Laterano's creed, and it pains me deeply."

"The people of Laterano once worked tirelessly for the war that swept across the continent. Messengers who traversed the wilderness and the Royal Court earned Laterano credit and reputation. And now, all of this has been corrupted by politics, turning devout believers into profit-seeking political animals."