[So this was the standing we mortals held in the eyes of the gods.]
A line of shocking text slowly appeared across the Sky Screen.
In that instant, it was as though a boulder weighing thousands of tons had crashed into a tranquil lake, stirring towering waves and shattering Tang San's previously calm state of mind.
He finally understood what the Asura God's words had meant.
In the eyes of the Divine Realm's gods, so-called mortals were nothing more than tools to command at will.
Their faith, their lives, and even the lands and homes they depended on for survival were merely bargaining chips the gods could trade as they pleased.
As for the supposed love the gods bore humanity, it seemed more like an elaborately woven deception.
Yet even as raging waves surged through his heart, Tang San still wore that gentle, composed smile.
He bowed slightly and cast an admiring look toward the Asura God, as though what this God Realm Enforcer had just said was not a cold, heartless declaration, but a profound truth that could benefit all living beings.
"Well said, Lord Asura God!"
No sooner had Tang San finished than Yu Xiaogang, standing beside him, eagerly chimed in.
"The Divine Realm governs all things, and naturally has its reasons. Those mortals are merely shortsighted fools. How could they understand the greatness of the gods?"
Yu Xiaogang straightened his back, his face full of righteous certainty.
Once upon a time, he had styled himself a grandmaster of theory, hoping to make a name for himself in the Soul Master World.
But now, before the Asura God, he humbled himself completely, as though all the principles he had once upheld could be casually discarded so long as he gained the Divine Realm's approval.
And Yu Xiaogang's words were like the sounding of a signal.
The kings and nobles around them, who had still been somewhat hesitant, immediately came to their senses.
They exchanged glances, then scrambled to step forward, afraid that a moment's delay would cost them their chance to curry favor with a god.
"Exactly! Lord Asura God is absolutely right!"
"Those lowborn wretches don't understand gratitude at all. Give them a few benefits, and they start taking everything for granted!"
"Hmph! Without nobles like us, what right would they have to live peaceful lives? Now they even dream of improving their livelihoods. What a fool's fantasy!"
A king dressed in luxurious robes snorted, undisguised contempt filling his eyes.
Another noble stepped forward outright, his face dripping with flattery as he said, "In my opinion, those mortals aren't worth all this trouble. So long as our interests are protected, why should the lives of mere commoners matter?"
"Exactly!"
"Feed and clothe them, and all you do is nurture ideas they have no business having!"
"If you ask me, the world would be far quieter without those lowborn wretches!"
One vicious remark after another spilled from the mouths of these impeccably dressed princes and nobles.
They spoke as though they were discussing not living beings who shared their world, but livestock to be driven and discarded at will.
More laughably still, none of them ever realized that countless eyes beneath the Sky Screen were watching their words.
In their eyes, commoners had value only as laborers, taxpayers, and providers of an endless stream of wealth for the nobility.
What lives those people actually led, or whether they could even survive, had never entered their considerations.
Faced with these nobles' unabashed flattery, the Asura God finally revealed a satisfied smile.
These were precisely the people he wanted!
People who placed their own interests above everything, who would sacrifice commoners without hesitation and even destroy an entire planet's economic foundations to preserve the power in their hands!
Only such people would remain unfettered by so-called livelihoods, equality, and development.
And only such people could become the Divine Realm's pawns against Huaxia Star.
After all, in the Asura God's view, what truly made Huaxia Star frightening was not merely its powerful armies and incredible soul guidance technology.
It was that planet's system!
A system that regarded ordinary people as an important force, could unite countless mortals, and could even drive the entire planet steadily forward!
If the people of Douluo Star began embracing those same ideals, how long could the Divine Realm rule he had painstakingly established endure?
At that thought, the Asura God's gaze grew even more unfathomable.
"Very good!"
He spoke slowly, his voice carrying the distinctive majesty of a god.
"Since you all understand the Divine Realm's painstaking intentions, from this day forth, you shall be core members of the Divine Realm Alliance."
"I can promise you that, so long as you follow the Divine Realm with unwavering loyalty, all of Douluo Star's resources, wealth, and everything those mortals possess can become yours for the taking!"
At those words, the kings and nobles around him began breathing rapidly.
All of Douluo Star!
That was an entire planet!
Even if each of them received only a small share, it would give their families enough wealth to enjoy for hundreds, even thousands, of years.
Besides, the Asura God had already made himself perfectly clear.
All they needed to offer was loyalty to the Divine Realm and an endless supply of faith.
As for whether ordinary people lived or died?
Who would care!
"Thank you, Lord Asura God!"
"We shall follow the Divine Realm and never betray it!"
"With the Divine Realm here, what does Huaxia Star amount to?"
For a time, kings and nobles bowed in salute one after another.
They looked as though they wished they could drop to their knees at the Asura God's feet on the spot to prove their loyalty.
They had even begun imagining how much they would gain once the Divine Realm took complete control of Douluo Star.
Some wanted to expand their territories, some coveted more mines, and others were already calculating how to bring ordinary Soul Masters and commoners completely under their control.
In their eyes, the whole of Douluo Star seemed to have become a fat piece of meat waiting to be carved up.
And Tang San finally finished adjusting his own mindset.
Watching those excited kings and nobles, he suddenly experienced an unprecedented moment of clarity.
Why should I care about those commoners?
And why should I consider people who could barely benefit me at all, for the sake of so-called livelihoods?
I was Tang San!
The former Sea God, and now one of the heirs chosen by the Asura God!
Whether in strength, standing, or status, I already stood at the pinnacle of Douluo Star.
Those ordinary people and I never belonged to the same world!
Since that was the case, why should I defy the Divine Realm's will for them?
At that thought, Tang San's smile grew increasingly sincere.
At least in his own eyes, he had finally made the most correct choice this time.
"Lord Asura God, please rest assured!"
Tang San stepped forward and spoke firmly.
"So long as I am here, Huaxia Star's ideals will never take root on Douluo Star!"
"As for livelihoods and equality, those are merely excuses the weak use to restrain the strong. What Douluo Star truly needs is absolute power, mighty individuals capable of crushing all resistance!"
"Those mortals need only obey their arrangements and contribute their strength!"
As his words fell, the admiration in the Asura God's eyes deepened.
Truly worthy of being the heir I chose!
So long as he kept Tang San firmly under his control, the Divine Realm would possess an important pawn capable of influencing the situation on Douluo Star.
Beside Tang San, Xiao Wu revealed a look of adoration without the slightest hesitation.
In her eyes, whatever decision Tang San made, he surely had his reasons.
Since San had chosen to stand with the Divine Realm, she would naturally support him without wavering.
As for what anyone else thought?
What did that matter!
Yet in stark contrast to Tang San and Xiao Wu, Tang Hao, standing behind them, felt a bone-deep chill.
He watched his son speak with such assurance, and the last trace of hope in his eyes gradually faded.
[Had it come to this in the end?]
Tang Hao clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles whitening slightly from the force.
He had once placed great hopes in Tang San, believing that his son could forge his own path through talent and willpower.
But now, even after seeing the Divine Realm's true face, Tang San still chose to stand with gods who regarded mortals as worthless weeds.
He even willingly trampled whatever conscience he might once have possessed beneath his feet to gain a higher position.
How could Tang Hao accept this?
Yet however much his heart ached, there was nothing he could do.
Because Yu Xiaogang had already stepped to Tang San's side.
"Exactly! San is right!"
Yu Xiaogang looked excited, as though he had found the truth he had pursued all his life.
"A world's development has never been driven by the weak! Only those who command power have the right to decide this world's future!"
"Douluo Star doesn't need those fragile things. What we need is absolute strength!"
Tang San and his master echoed one another, actually treating the Asura God's theories as their sacred guiding principles.
The other members of the Shrek Seven Devils, meanwhile, fell silent at that moment.
Dai Mubai knitted his brows tightly. Ma Hongjun opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
Oscar lowered his head, his gaze conflicted.
Even Xiao Wu, who had always staunchly supported Tang San, failed to notice that the others beside her no longer agreed with him as they once had.
It was not that they had never witnessed cruelty.
On the contrary, the Soul Master World had always followed the law of the strong devouring the weak.
But when that rule was imposed upon the entire world without restraint, when ordinary people's lives became things to discard at will, even the companions who had once fought shoulder to shoulder with Tang San could not help feeling an indescribable sense of estrangement.
However, the Sky Screen did not stop because of their silence.
Just as Tang San and his master gradually sank into corruption alongside the Divine Realm, an entirely different scene slowly unfolded within the Sky Screen.
This time, the Sky Screen showed neither a battle between Soul Masters nor the earth-shaking power of some mighty individual.
Instead, it showed an issue that was far more easily overlooked, yet could determine the fate of an entire planet.
The economy!
More precisely, Douluo Star's economic system, which appeared capable of functioning but was actually fragile in the extreme!
[For the many merchants of the Douluo World, doing business was a lifetime of suffering.]
The instant the Sky Screen's voice rang out, countless people on Douluo Star instinctively raised their heads.
Merchants? The economy?
On the Douluo Continent, where people were accustomed to the supremacy of Soul Masters, such things had seemingly never been worth taking seriously.
In the eyes of the vast majority of Soul Masters, a sufficiently powerful martial soul and enough soul power could secure anything they wanted.
As for merchants without strength, even if they amassed enormous fortunes, they were merely objects Soul Masters could manipulate at will.
Yet what the Sky Screen showed next made everyone realize exactly what they had overlooked in the past.
[Exploitation, whether by the state or the nobility, would push them to the brink of bankruptcy.]
In the scene, a prosperous city came into view.
Shops lined both sides of the streets, and pedestrians flowed past without end. At first glance, it seemed little different from Huaxia Star's commercial cities.
However, as the view gradually drew closer, everyone finally discovered the cruel truth hidden within.
A merchant had just completed a transaction and had not yet had time to count his earnings when a squad of armored soldiers burst into his shop.
"By order of the city lord, this month's business tax is doubled!"
The soldier at their head spoke coldly, while his subordinates were already rummaging through chests and cupboards.
The merchant's expression changed drastically.
"My lord! Didn't I just pay the business tax? Why must I pay again?"
"How dare you!"
The soldier kicked over the table before him and sneered, "Who are you to question the city lord's orders? If you can't produce the money, all your goods will be confiscated!"
The merchant went deathly pale and nearly collapsed to the floor.
But that was not the end.
Not long after the soldiers left, several nobles in fine clothes entered the shop with their guards.
"I hear you've made quite a bit of money lately?"
The noble at their head casually surveyed the goods in the shop, then held up two fingers.
"Hand over twenty percent as your protection fee for doing business here."
The merchant's eyes widened, his lips trembling incessantly.
He had toiled at his business for years, finally managing to accumulate some wealth, only to have more than half of it stripped away in successive blows within mere moments!
"But... my lord, I can barely keep going..."
"Can't keep going?"
The noble seemed to have heard the most ridiculous joke imaginable.
"Then shut your doors and get out! Plenty of people in this city want to do business. You think we'd miss you?"
Before he had even finished speaking, the guards had already carried away a batch of the shop's goods.
Staring at his empty shop, the merchant finally lost the strength to stand and slumped to the floor.
And scenes like this were far from isolated.
Across Douluo Star's kingdoms and cities, countless merchants suffered the same fate.
They had to pay taxes to the state, pay so-called protection fees to nobles, and endure arbitrary extortion from Soul Masters.
If they offended a powerful Soul Master, businesses they had painstakingly built over many years could even vanish overnight.
[Not to mention that, in such a brutal business environment, even when they made money, they still had to hand over sufficient protection fees.]
[Without the protection of powerful Soul Masters, they were nothing but pigs waiting to be slaughtered!]
The Sky Screen's voice grew ever colder.
And with each revelation of the truth, the expressions of the Huaxia Star citizens grew increasingly grim.
They could not understand why a planet that had already developed a Soul Master civilization could lag so far behind in even the most basic commercial order.
"Is this even a planet anymore? Are these even human beings?"
In the Virtual World Exchange Forum, one Huaxia Star citizen could not help demanding answers.
"Merchants run legitimate businesses and create wealth, only for the state and the nobles to take turns showing up to reap the harvest? How is this developing the economy? They're clearly killing the hen to get at her eggs!"
"It's utterly beyond reason!"
"No wonder people's livelihoods on Douluo Star are so precarious! In a place that can't even guarantee basic property security, who would dare invest with peace of mind? Who would risk losing everything to develop an industry?"
"The money you work so hard to earn today could be stolen tomorrow. In an environment like that, who would still think about expanding their business?"
"This isn't commerce at all. It's plunder dressed in the cloak of commerce!"
Comments refreshed at a furious pace.
The Huaxia Star citizens grew more impassioned as they spoke, while the people of Douluo Star gradually lost the confidence to argue back.
They knew perfectly well that, however hard the images shown by the Sky Screen were to accept, they had not been fabricated out of thin air.
Nobles oppressed merchants, Soul Masters used their power to bully others, and kingdoms raised taxes at will.
Such things had long been commonplace on the Douluo Continent.
In the past, they had simply thought this was how the world was.
But now, as the people of another planet examined their lives through entirely different eyes, those things they had taken for granted suddenly seemed so absurd.
What unsettled the people of Douluo Star even more was that the Sky Screen's next display pointed straight to the most fundamental problem in the entire planet's economic system.
Currency itself!
While Huaxia Star's commercial system had already developed a more comprehensive financial framework, Douluo Star still relied heavily on metal currency for transactions.
Gold Soul Coins, Silver Soul Coins, Copper Soul Coins.
This system was not entirely unworkable, but without sound commercial rules and financial safeguards, it was especially fragile.
Once nobles began hoarding metal currency on a large scale, or a kingdom suddenly changed its tax policies, ordinary merchants and commoners would immediately suffer the impact.
And when the state and the nobles themselves became the ones breaking the rules, so-called economic stability became nothing more than a hopelessly distant joke.
At that moment, beneath the Sky Screen, countless merchants on Douluo Star were utterly dumbfounded.
They had originally believed that their poorly run businesses and dwindling wealth were merely the result of their own lack of ability or bad luck.
Only now did they begin to realize that the environment they lived in had enormous problems at its very foundation.
Even more frighteningly, these problems did not affect just one person or one city.
They were eating away at the commercial foundations of all of Douluo Star!
And as the Sky Screen began a comprehensive assessment of Douluo Star's economic system, the merchants who had still been clinging to the hope that they might escape unscathed could finally no longer remain calm.