As far as the eye could see, the colossal spatial portal to the base, like a celestial beast, dominated the vision of all the powerful figures. The Pioneer Island was initially deathly silent, but then the gazes of many faction leaders began to turn strange as they looked toward the figure standing at the very front.
Radiance Anthony's face was extremely gloomy, his pupils seemed to be filled with black clouds, and a strong sense of crisis was like a venomous snake, gnawing at his soul.
In his mind, two images floated up simultaneously: one was a spatial portal hanging high, with Lancelot stuffing the entire Crimson Continent into it.
Another scene depicts the dark demonic mist from the Planet Guta corroding planets and turning countless beings into demonic servants, transforming what was once a land of life into a purgatory.
As the Gate of Space opened, the entire Elven Plane received a message from the Gendaya Royal Court. Logo revealed his sanctuary plan in detail, without mentioning the Golden Star or the cosmic storm belt, only stating that he was confident he could protect the races and Transcendent individuals who followed him.
Logo didn't specify what price would be paid, but anyone with a brain knew that the key to entering the sanctuary was loyalty.
No one helps others without a reason, especially a powerful figure like Logo who can influence the entire plane's situation; every word and action has a deeper meaning.
Then, an awkward scene unfolded on Planet Oklo.
The already isolated Radiant Empire now has no way out.
They only have two choices.
First, the high-ranking powerful figures, along with elites from a minority group, immediately left the Elven Plane. Due to the existence of the Spellcaster Association, the Desolate Lord Pontoriel dared not go too far, and their chances of survival were not small.
Secondly, if they completely surrender to Logo and pledge allegiance to their mortal enemy, the Three-Eyed People, allowing Logo to take whatever he wants, ordinary Geya People would likely survive. However, they would inevitably be subjected to various forms of brainwashing and education, losing their sovereignty. Moreover, top figures like Pope Anthony would certainly not survive; they would be exploited to the fullest extent of their usefulness and die a miserable death.
Don't expect the God of Radiance to perform miracles. The Astral Realm of the Third Age are no longer the era when gods ruled everything. Moreover, are the followers of the Radiant Empire truly devout? Are they worthy of this god's intervention against two Primordial God?
Pope Anthony, upon careful consideration, was filled with boundless despair. He had not expected the Primordial Evil God to revive so quickly. In fact, many powerful figures, including the Pope, had previously doubted whether the Primordial Evil God could truly break free from its seal.
To this day, conspiracy theories about the existence of evil gods continue to circulate, with many believing that these are fabrications by various empires to redivide their territories and achieve some ulterior motive.
That's just how people are; unless they see and experience disaster firsthand, they'll always harbor a sense of wishful thinking.
So, what should the Radiant Empire choose now?
Should they abandon their ordinary people and Escape the plane with a select few elites, or sacrifice themselves for the sake of their nation and people?
This is a problem that not only the Radiance Pope needs to consider, but also that the Tia Empire, the Corte Alliance, and other nations need to think about carefully.
Although other forces are not the mortal enemies of the Gendaya People, once they enter that sanctuary where everything is uncertain, it is tantamount to voluntarily handing over everything, including their lives, to Logo, which naturally includes loyalty.
"I have made my decision. I will lead the Winter Empire into the Sanctuary!"
The Orc King stepped forward first, his thick fur flying in the wind, and his rugged face, having shed all hesitation, radiated an astonishing brilliance.
Pope Anthony turned his head with a complicated expression, looking at his old rival. A strange look flashed deep in his eyes, perhaps disdain, or perhaps... envy.
I've mocked the orcs' stupidity and rudeness more than once, so why are these barbaric creatures always able to make the right choices at crucial moments?
Yes!
The right choice!
This was Pope Anthony's true thought. Although he didn't want to admit it, deep down he had long believed that Logo's sanctuary plan was most likely to save Planet Oklo and his followers. At least for now, it was the most reliable plan.
Perhaps, in the entire Elven Plane, besides Logo himself and Lancelot, Pope Anthony was one of the people who understood him best.
The Pope had reviewed this young man's information countless times, and finally came to a startling conclusion—this young man was no less talented and fortunate than Elven, and perhaps even more so.
From the various clues left by Logo's past actions, Pope Anthony deduced that this young man had an extreme understanding of the evil god, and had even been leading the evil god by the nose.
Every step the evil god took was suppressed by Logo's precise responses. If it weren't for this young man, the Elven Plane might have already fallen into the evil god's clutches.
Of course, the Pope never mentioned this in public, not even in front of his confidants, including the faint, unspoken admiration buried deep in his heart, which he did not want to admit but which was real.
The Orc King's words were like Thunderclap, resounding in the ears of the bigwigs on the Pioneer Island.
Just then, the last corner of the Crimson Continent was also stuffed into the spatial gate. Lancelot, transformed into a towering giant, lowered his head slightly, his eyes, as large as stars and the moon, casting a deep and unsettling gaze, causing the atmosphere on the Pioneer Island to freeze abruptly.
After staring for more than ten seconds, Lancelot slowly turned around, bent down, and his right arm descended from the sky, passing through the clouds and accompanied by lightning.
Electromagnetic energy converged at the tips of the five fingers, forming a sharp blade, and gently slashed towards a corner of the southern part of the Radiant Continent.
A large area of territory, including the southern coast, was forcibly cut off. As the arranged Rune Array took effect, it slowly rose like a spaceship, carrying the followers of the four lords into the spatial gate.
Xiya Archipelago, South Pole Island (formerly Dragon Island)...
As Lancelot stuffed island after island into the spatial portal, the feelings of the powerful figures on the Pioneer Island grew increasingly complex. Finally, following the Winter Empire, the Giant Race of the Corte Alliance also agreed to enter the sanctuary.
This seems to be a signal.
The Elf Race, Dwarf Race, and Barbarian Race all agreed to enter the sanctuary, which meant they pledged allegiance to Logo in exchange for his protection.
Then, the two imperial powers Far North and the Southeast Trade City-State, also spoke up.
As time went on, only the Tia Empire and the Radiant Empire remained unconvinced on the Pioneer Island.
After a long sigh, the Prime Minister of the Tia Empire, under pressure from the major magical families, finally agreed to pledge complete allegiance to Logo.
From then on, only the Radiant Empire remained on the Pioneer Island, still undecided.
One by one, the powerful figures who had completely pledged allegiance to Logo were eager to try their luck, their auras locking onto a group of Radiance powerhouses, including Pope Anthony. The Orc King's targeting was particularly obvious; he grinned and drew his weapon, seemingly ready to strike at any moment.
"Your Majesty, what should we do?"
"We can't enter the shelter. Who knows if it's even real? And even if it is, we can't go. Given the hatred between the Geya People and the Three-Eyed People, the consequences would be dire!"
"But if we don't enter the sanctuary, how can we resist the corruption of the evil god? Are we to abandon our people and live a life of ignominy? I can't do that!"
"Does entering a shelter guarantee our safety? How can we trust the enemy?!"
"Ha, what are ordinary people? As long as we take the Transcendent individuals away, given enough time and encouragement of reproduction, we can restore our population size to normal within a few hundred years. The strong are everything; nothing else matters!"
"Don't forget, there's a Primordial God lurking beyond this plane, watching us with predatory eyes. Can you guarantee the Spellcaster Association will intervene? What if we walk right into their trap?"
"That's better than becoming a slave to the Three-Eyed People. Rather than have my child become a slave to Three-Eyed People in the future, I'd rather kill him with my own hands and end it all!"
A heated debate erupted among the high-ranking officials of the Radiant Empire. Some favored joining Logo, others believed that elite talent was paramount, and still others argued that the race itself was of utmost importance, for which they were willing to sacrifice everything...
Throughout this process, Pope Anthony remained silent, simply watching blankly as continents teeming with life were sent through the spatial portal.
"The world's gloom will eventually dissipate under the light of dawn, and daybreak will once again descend upon the earth after thirty-three thousand nights..."
For some reason, certain passages from the Dawn Bible, which he had personally abolished, suddenly surfaced in Pope Anthony's mind.
"Dawn, sunrise, a new beginning... Our people need sacrifices to achieve redemption, why can't it start with me?"
At that moment, Pope Anthony seemed to be relieved. A pure white holy flame suddenly rose from his body, instantly attracting the attention of the entire Planet Oklo.
"His Majesty!!"
The high command of the Radiant Empire was stunned. They recognized the flames burning on the Pope's body as the Fire of Martyrdom and the Fire of Redemption. They burned not only the flesh but also the soul and will. If one could not withstand them, one would be reduced to ashes without leaving a trace. If one could withstand them, one would immediately become a saint, ascend to heaven, and be with God.
Only Demigod from the divine realm can ignite the Fire of Martyrdom.
However, out of ten million Demigod, not one could withstand the scorching flames. In other words, Pope Anthony chose suicide to save his people.
Two pairs of eyes descended from the sky, one filled with admiration, the other with indifference.
The pope, whose form began to fade into the unreal, met one of the gazes with remarkable composure, and silently walked toward death.
With a probability of one in ten million, he didn't live to see it; it vanished in silence.
This plunged the other high-ranking members of the Radiance Society, who still harbored a glimmer of hope, especially the Pope's die-hard followers, into utter despair.
"Heh, Your Majesty, is this your answer?"
"Coward, coward, you would rather commit suicide than resist, Anthony, you are not worthy to be Pope."
"Follow me! We must leave Planet Oklo immediately!"
After Pope Anthony's death, the Radiant Empire's leadership completely fell into disarray.
Some powerful figures, including the foreign minister, chose to follow their pope and committed suicide on the spot.
Some Radiance individuals also chose to pledge allegiance to Logo, immediately kneeling down to show their loyalty. Most of these individuals were non-divine Transcendent; some were Mage, and others were from other professions.
Of course, there were also many die-hard resisters who cursed the suicidal pope while trying to break out of Planet Oklo. The result was predictable; without Logo even having to lift a finger, the powerful figures who were eager to curry favor with him dealt with these guys.
Throughout the entire process, Logo remained silent, yet his imposing presence, like the omnipresent air, permeated every corner, inspiring awe in all who beheld him.
"Send the Radiant Continent to the Golden Star!"
After transmitting his voice to Lancelot, Logo's will slowly dissipated.
With a slight nod, Lancelot walked to the Radiant Continent, skillfully hoisted it onto his back, and flew towards the spatial gate.
Pioneer Island.
Prime Minister Tia arrived at the spot where Pope Anthony had just stood, looked up, and sighed, "The Geya People should thank their leader."
"Yes, if Anthony had insisted on resisting, it would have caused significant losses to all the major powers. In that case, even if the Geya People were reinstated by His Majesty, they would certainly face various forms of suppression, both overt and covert. By choosing suicide, the Geya People have actually found a wider path."
"Your Majesty Campbell will not let this enormous force escape. The Geya People, having lost their leader, need a new leader."
"Excellent tactics, impressive courage!"
Several powerful figures standing on the Planet Oklo, or even at the top of the plane, sighed with emotion, pondering deeply whether they would be willing to go to such lengths for their people if they were in their shoes.
Nobody dares to make that guarantee.
Even the orc king, who hated Pope Anthony the most, fell silent at this moment. He made no comment on his nemesis, his eyes calm and solemn, as if mourning a deceased old friend.
The hatred of the past has faded away with the wind.
The arrival of Destruction, ironically, gave birth to the seeds of new life.
While a massive continental transport operation was underway on the Planet Oklo.
On other planets, the Allied forces collapsed after realizing that the evil god had fully revived and was eroding the entire plane at an alarming rate.
Order was completely disrupted.
Because the end of the world has truly come.
Meanwhile, the top talents who obtained the Royal Court Space Badge finally understood that the purpose of this badge was to connect to that unknown and mysterious sanctuary.
"So, His Majesty Campbell was prepared all along."
Inside the room, Keleisuni fiddled with the spatial badge in his hand, his initial fear caused by the resurgence of the evil god gradually subsiding.
The shelter was only one aspect; what reassured him even more was His Majesty Campbell's meticulous and far-sighted planning.
He knew that only by following such a shrewd and calculating leader could he survive the apocalyptic frenzy.
"Taniya, how about it? Want to come with me? Bring your family; the space badge can teleport a considerable number of people at once." Keleisuni looked at his friend beside him, whose expression was conflicted.
"But what about my people?"
"Stop thinking so much. Can you really deal with an evil god? Or are you still pinning your hopes on that arrogant Prince Gelong? Leave now, at least preserve the Weiyin People bloodline as much as possible. Sooner or later, they'll have a chance to rise again!"
"... All right!"
Ultimately, Taniya was persuaded by her friend and followed Keleisuni into the passage opened by the space badge.
Most people made the same choice as Keleisuni and Taniya; after all, when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken, Logo gave them a reason they couldn't refuse.