Aside from the Norton Crisis, the Human Federation now faces another crisis.
Those were the ancient sages.
President Marshall of the Human Federation sat on the sofa, sipping his tea. He looked at an elderly man with a full head of white hair on the opposite sofa with a slight headache, his eyes shifting as if he were deep in thought.
"Times have changed, Mr. Duoxia."
You were once hailed as a leader, guiding humanity into the process of modernization, which was indeed a manifestation of advanced will. However, it is undeniable that today, your so-called advanced will and forward-thinking vision are actually far behind the times.
You cannot understand what thought suggestion is, you cannot understand what mind manipulation is, and you certainly cannot understand what AI or the internet is.
The Pale God's actions today are completely different from those of ten thousand years ago; he has been spiritually corrupted and will continue to be so.
Furthermore, I cannot understand why, after ten thousand years, your thinking has changed again, given that we learned from Jacob that you advocated Pale God ruling the world to achieve true justice. Isn't this a contradiction?
Marshall looked at Duoxia sitting on the sofa in front of him with a deep headache.
That's right, the legendary, resilient King Duoxia once again escaped the Great Hibernation event in the Southern Continent many years ago, escaping the decay of ten thousand years, returning to modern society, and still retaining his rebellious spirit.
The situation today is vastly different from what it used to be.
With this advancement, Duoxia has fully recovered to a normal human physique.
However, his strength is no longer comparable to what it used to be, which is why Jacob, Queen Maria, and even Alexander are still locked in laboratories, while Duoxia is able to sit here.
They can transform at will into gigantic monsters over a hundred meters tall that are almost immortal; this level of power is far beyond what the Human Federation can easily conquer.
Just like Abraham back then, after taking a hit from a space-based weapon in the underground palace, he was completely unharmed and recovered in the blink of an eye.
In terms of its destructive power, mobility, and even resilience, taking down such a behemoth would inevitably require the use of an army, and the battle would likely destroy cities and result in countless deaths and injuries.
Such consequences are not Human Federation Government can easily bear, and even then, they might not be able to defeat him.
Such powerful beings, if it weren't for the existence of that Pale God who could keep them firmly under control, would probably have already caused the environment within the Human Federation to spiral out of control long ago.
It has to be said that Norton's credentials are truly prestigious.
As long as Norton exists, no matter what level of superhuman strength you have or what level of Vampire are, you will all have to lie obediently on the ground and wait to be disciplined.
Look how obedient the Vampire and Blood Progenitor are now. Those twenty-odd giant monsters, each a hundred meters tall, are still sitting obediently as stone statues around the Pale Holy See. If the Pale God were not here, these terrifying creatures would probably have already run rampant!
Even so, the Human Federation still finds these creatures a headache.
Because modern laws are clearly incapable of restricting them, or even have feasible measures.
"In ancient times, before the Pale God ascended to the highest place, Jonah, God, Shenyin, was still a great mountain suspended above his head. With the pressure of such a mountain pressing down on him, he naturally shone with holiness and maintained his dignity."
Just like Duoxia, the Blood Progenitor Abraham, and all sorts of beings who have now gained extraordinary power, with Norton hanging high above them, no one dares to go too far.
But things are completely different now.
Norton seems to have ascended to the highest realm, capable of tearing apart the river of time with his actions, and of being able to die and be resurrected. Such a form suggests that he may already be on par with God.
There was no more pressure on his head!
Human nature tends to indulge in excess, a fact we all know. Just look at the current state of the high-ranking Human Federation, and you'll see the extent to which people's minds will become distorted under such a mentality.
And that is why I hold this attitude today.
There is nothing left to oppress the Pale God. He now appears dignified and human-like, but as time goes on, his unrestrained desires and personal thoughts will inevitably become distorted. At that point, even killing for pleasure would not be enough to describe this distortion.
Just like the current high-ranking Human Federation, who use tools made from human bones and eat the flesh and blood of their own kind, yet consider themselves superior and think they have transcended the human race!
By then, Norton will have no more restrictions, and it will be too late to regret it!
Duoxia sighed deeply, feeling utterly helpless.
In reality, the current leadership of the Human Federation, compared to Norton, is like choosing between two turds to swallow.
The only difference is that one is smaller, and perhaps we can find a way to change it, thus restoring humanity to a new order. The other, however, is a mountain of excrement, which is utterly irresistible.
This is also why Duoxia has once again acted out of character, going from supporting Norton's rule ten thousand years ago to not supporting it now.
The former high-ranking officials of the Papal State have already set an example.
You're overthinking it.
President Marshall's simple remark regarding Duoxia's concerns and debates was enough to drain Duoxia of all her strength.
"Leaving aside how advanced our current research in the spiritual realm is, the Human Federation simply doesn't have the strength to confront that Pale God. All your ideas would be invalid under this premise. Not to mention that he is now deeply entrenched in the world of modern technology and human spirit, unable to extricate himself."
"By learning from history, we can understand the rise and fall of dynasties. Back then, you couldn't even handle the Pale God before he had advanced to the next level. Why do you insist on forcing us to handle the real god we have now?"
"But I don't even dare to think about it now. If things come to this later, I'll really be in dire straits..."
"You needn't say any more, Mr. Duoxia. The Human Federation welcomes you, an ancient sage, but only as an ancient sage." Marshall waved his hand, his words clearly indicating that he was to be seen off.
Duoxia sat on the sofa in silence for a long time before sighing softly, "So be it. History is a cycle. Perhaps the one who will truly punish him Holy Lord Church, his destined enemy."
Mr. Marshall, I won't bother you any longer. But before I leave, please release my student.
Some things, there just have to be done by someone.