Just as the top leaders were fantasizing about what kind of Amber Lord gifts they would receive, they suddenly realized that there was a message they hadn't read yet.
"Strange, it wasn't from Topaz, but from... a disconnected number? And there are two segments?"
Before they could finish speaking, a video sent by an unknown user started playing automatically on the screen.
At the Ever-Flame Mansion, Grand Duke Afrit of the Duke Inferno summoned his children, to proclaim something:
"[ Planet of Festivities ] Penacony. The cradle of dreams lost, the resting place of cowards."
" The Family sets up a banquet, and guests are invited to attend. The golden blood of [ Destruction ] will flow together, offering a grand sacrifice to Him."
"Children of Flame... this is your coming-of-age ceremony."
Afrit flicked a spark from his fingertip and then said:
" Akash, my most sensitive child. I ignite your eyes, teach you to pluck the strings, and you shall play the banquet music on the four-stringed instrument, silencing the hymns of the Harmony."
"That's exactly what I was thinking, Father." Akash closed his eyes and plucked the strings, a ghostly blue flame flowing into his fingertips with the notes, as if he were rehearsing a funeral dirge.
" Dubra, my wisest child. I set your body ablaze, I give you knives, saws, axes, and halberds; you must temper your iron sickle with sulfur, bestow upon [ Elation ] pain, and let the actor's blood and tears flow into the River of Souls."
" Katrina, my bravest child. I ignite your heart, I bestow upon you boiling blood, you shall use your fury to break open the treasury of [ the Preservation ], melt down their gold, and create an image for our benefactor."
"No need for further explanation, old man." Katrina ran her fingertips over the warhammer, a silent, sinister grin spreading across her lips.
Afrit stepped down from the throne and gazed at Constance was dressed in magnificent attire.
" Constance, my most ambitious child, my best child."
"I have nothing more to teach you, just remember... let the midnight of Penacony wither and die, take away everything you love, and leave only the grave of [ Remembrance ]."
"Enjoy Penacony, embrace her invitation. Prepare this beautiful dream to welcome her new master from Tophet."
Afrit raised his arms high, his voice echoing throughout the mansion's dome.
"Finally, I have gathered you here... not merely to attend the rendezvous with the Planet of Festivities, but to tear the authority of Eternity from the lifeless fingers of Yite! To drag His corpse into the abyss..."
" Akash, your strings are the prelude to the funeral dirge [ Eternity ]! Dubra, your scythe will be the abyss of [ Eternity ]'s Path! Katrina, your furnace will be the coffin of [ Eternity ]'s divine remains!"
"And Constance —the midnight you withered with your own hands—has become the shroud covering the [ Eternity ] throne!"
"When the stars tremble before the flames of Tophet, only [ Destruction ] will sit atop the throne forged from the ashes of entropy!"
"As for a way out? As always, there never is! Remember our purpose: all things in this world will ultimately perish in [ Destruction ]..."
Beep beep!
The first video ended there; the company executives exchanged glances and fell silent again.
" The Annihilation Gang..."
These high-ranking officials had naturally heard of this faction; not all fanatics who advocated the path of [ Destruction ] could be incorporated into the Antimatter Legion.
Many bloodthirsty races roam the universe, indulging in burning and looting, yet lacking the special ability to systematically practice the will of [ Destruction ].
The scum of the Annihilation Gang, dreaming of one day becoming the forerunners of [ Destruction ], are unaware that their own depravity only earns them Nanook's contempt.
The reason for this is that their initial intention to Destruction was not pure enough; chaotic desires were mixed in with it.
Some find pleasure in slaughter, deriving the Elation of flesh and blood; some use plunder as a pretext to mask their vengeful intentions; some simply seek to quell their inner madness through endless destruction.
He prides himself on being a loyal servant of [ Destruction ], yet he can never escape the enslavement of his own desires. I really like a quote from Dr. Primitive in [ Genius Society ] #64:
The value Nanook saw in the so-called " Annihilation Gang " was perhaps far less than that of an infant who deliberately broke a vase, or even less than that of the " Church of Eternity," which He loathed most.
I think they're focusing on the wrong thing... The company was just getting humiliated and mocked by the Church, and while we were still angry, some arrogant guy from the " Annihilation Gang " jumped out.
Hmm... looks like I've found a scapegoat...
"Ahem... To uphold the dignity of the Amber Lord, our company cannot stand idly by. Let's send someone to resolve this."
Read it before drawing conclusions.
The higher-ups still held differing opinions on this. They considered the "Annihilation Gang " completely insignificant; hadn't they seen that Afrit's main goal was " Eternity "?
Everyone has their own expertise; this kind of thing should be left to the Church. Don't they understand the difference between a small business and a global giant?
If they reacted so strongly to a provocation, wouldn't that make the company seem petty? They are practicing the Path " Preservation," proactively providing shelter for others and saving those planets that have been " Destruction " and persecuted.
"Let's watch the second video..."
It's still the Ever-Flame Mansion, a familiar location, seemingly picking up where the previous video left off.
The ghostly fire within Afrit's skull flickered, as if chewing on some secret joke. Suddenly, it raised a hand, scooped up a handful of ashes, and let them slip softly from between the bones—
"Before we head to [ Planet of Festivities ]..."
The ashes coalesced in Afrit's palm into a comical mask stretched to his ears, with tears of flame dripping from its eye sockets.
"The messenger of [ Elation ] has brought us... sweet bad news."
"My children, have you heard... that the seemingly invincible manager of [the company]... has been attacked?"
Afrit smiled faintly and stretched out his arms, the entire mansion trembling with his penetrating laughter.
"How ironic! The supposedly indestructible ' Preservation ' has been attacked! The balance of power is tipping in our favor! All because of the culprit—"
"It was [ Eternity's ] loyal hound!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a beam of light shot straight up the dome of the official residence, reflecting Ye Yan's figure!
[pause]
Two bombshell announcements in quick succession caused the company's top executives to freeze, their eyes all fixed on Ye Yan was dressed in black.
Who is this guy?! The hidden third [ Eternity ] Emanator?
But it must be said, Afrit is quite a character. Your Tophet is quite honest, directly revealing the Masked Fools.
[ Elation ] messenger... Mourning Actors and the Church, so eliminate them first, and that leaves only the Masked Fools.
There were too many events piling up at once. Before they could recover from the rejection of the Jarilo-VI debt project, the [ Annihilation Gang ] and the [ Eternity ] Emanator appeared.
Ah... I think there's also the [ Penacony ] thing.
After a unanimous internal decision, the company's top management opted for strategic amnesia and all joined the company, [ Cremators ].
Jarilo-VI, Mechanical Settlement
Topaz's fingertip hovered over the projection button, the image of the Duke Inferno's declaration still frozen on the screen.
"Two... two of you?" She turned around shakily, looking at Fulisina and Blake, whose faces had darkened.
Hmm... If I remember correctly, wasn't the snow supposed to have melted away? Why does it feel so much colder...?