Bai Cha had seen various types of succubi in books and anime, and even live-action portrayals, so she had a general impression of them.
The moment Bai Cha first saw Asmodeus, she connected her with the species of succubi, and if Asmodeus were a succubus, she would undoubtedly be of queenly caliber.
Her fox-like eyes were large and deeply set. Even without an expression, she appeared to be smiling. Her seductive gaze was laced with a natural hint of playfulness and provocation. Bai Cha had never seen such harmoniously beautiful fox eyes before.
Her skin was as lustrous as jade, and her two dark red horns curved into an attractive arc. Her voluptuous figure made Bai Cha pause, and any person, regardless of gender, with less than formidable mental fortitude would likely blush and have their heart race at first glance, or worse, feel as though they were consumed by flames.
"Heh, it is my honor." Asmodeus bowed to show politeness, but even a simple bow exuded an extremely captivating aura. Her lips were perfectly colored, and with every movement, they seemed to draw people in. "I never expected that I, a dragon, could discuss important matters with everyone like this."
"Since it is the power of the nation, there is no high or low, so why speak of honor." Bai Cha understood implicitly. Generally, the host is the one who devises strategies, while the dragon is the warrior who charges into battle. It seemed that Brahma's pair was the opposite.
Regardless of Brahma's actual combat prowess, his intelligence was clearly lacking. If he were truly the leader, he wouldn't even know how he was being manipulated. Judging from Asmodeus's speech and tone, although she was a dragon, she seemed to be the one making the actual decisions.
As expected, when Bai Cha conveyed her and Athena's decision, Asmodeus immediately agreed.
"You two are right. The more people know about this matter, the more it will hinder us." Asmodeus picked up a wine glass from the side and said seriously, "Have either of you heard of the 'Technocracy Supremacy Theory'?"
The Technocracy Supremacy Theory was proposed by a scientist hundreds of years ago. At that time, various supernatural abilities had become prevalent in the world, and humans had found ways to enhance the powers of ability users. Those with powerful abilities gradually increased and became an indispensable part of the world.
However, this person instead proposed the Technocracy Supremacy Theory, claiming that technological development was much faster than the growth of ability users and that anything could be achieved with technology.
This theory was met with mixed reviews, but the majority of people agreed with it.
With the development of Earth, air purifiers, guns and rockets, spaceships, then teleportation capsules that allowed for space travel, life capsules that accelerated wound healing dozens to hundreds of times, then portable air conditioners, flying cars, shape-shifting bracelets, and storage bracelets—everything that people had only dared to write in novels was now commonplace.
The cost of cultivating an ability user was high. It was not easy to resonate with a dragon, and waiting for a child to grow up took a long time. If surgery was performed, there was also the risk of mortality.
However, despite the many supporters of the theory, all countries still continued to use ability users as secret forces.
No matter how stealthily technology was hidden, it could be detected. Even the most precise instruments could not escape the use of ores and metals. Nowadays, with the advancement of technology, detectors had become incredibly sophisticated. However, ability users could directly possess immense power and move among crowds as if they were ordinary people.
Furthermore, the weight and portability of equipment had never been perfectly resolved, including accuracy. Although the average accuracy of humans might be inferior to machines, when their spirits were highly concentrated or in critical moments, both their flexibility and precision could even surpass machines.
"Of course, I've heard of it. When it was predicted, many people at the higher levels discussed it, and many speculated about this possibility." Athena agreed. "Some even wanted to try it directly."
When everyone began searching for the prophesied child, this Technocracy Supremacy Theory was brought up and debated repeatedly.
First, someone proposed that since the improved atomic bombs they possessed were sufficient to destroy Earth multiple times over, destroying an alien galaxy would surely be a simple matter.
Why not pool the world's power and concentrate the shells to destroy the alien galaxy? This way, there would be no need to expend effort searching for the prophesied child.
Of course, this suggestion was ultimately rejected. The prophets themselves would not agree; if it could truly be blown up, wouldn't they have predicted it?
The knowledgeable Dragon Knights disagreed even more strongly. The so-called alien galaxy they spoke of was far more powerful than the Earth they currently inhabited. How could it be blown up? They were unaware of the Dragon Mother's situation, but they knew how powerful the Dragon Mother was.
Their Earth was merely a branch of a world tree, while the Dragon Mother, even as a demi-plane, was far stronger than a mere branch. Scholars specializing in Dragon Knights had come forward and presented clear data and diagrams to illustrate the situation, which finally suppressed those who supported this theory.
"Ignorance breeds fearlessness. You are all leaders, and you must have all seen the World Tree." Bai Cha snorted coldly. "Since that's the case, everyone should know that the Earth we currently inhabit is just a branch of a plane. If it's broken, there are countless others. Does that Dragon Mother galaxy only have one branch?"
As a demi-plane that dared to devour the World Tree plane of Earth, Bai Cha truly didn't believe it possessed the power of only one branch. She feared that those people, in their cleverness, would be outsmarted. If they failed to find all the prophesied children and launched a barrage of artillery shells, it might not even make a splash.
Vultures are always patient when waiting for their prey to die. They wait for the prey to tire before slowly tearing into its body and devouring it. Now, it remained to be seen whether they would become wolves fighting back in their death throes or geckos shedding their tails to survive.
Of course, it would be best not to provoke it, otherwise, they too could become defenseless lambs, their throats pierced by the vulture's sharp talons.
"Although we know this, it is ultimately beyond their comprehension." Athena sighed worriedly. "I once attempted to submit a report hoping my superiors would understand the gravity of the situation, but before a crisis arrives, human nature always carries a sense of complacency and unleashes its greedy instincts."
"It's not much better when it arrives," Bai Cha remarked casually with a cold snort.
"If I'm not mistaken, your situation within your respective countries is not very optimistic, is it?" Asmodeus smiled, raising her wine glass. The pale golden wine within sloshed, as if inviting them to clink glasses.
Athena pursed her lips. She and Bai Cha had both noticed that there were likely external factors affecting their situations domestically, but they were both probing each other without revealing it. They hadn't expected Asmodeus to be so direct, immediately addressing their most pressing concerns.
However, what Athena hadn't expected was that Bai Cha, who had just been subtly and smoothly deflecting her with a game of tai chi, would speak just as straightforwardly in the face of Asmodeus's directness.
"Of course. After all, with our professions, it's only a matter of time before something happens, isn't it?" Bai Cha raised her wine glass, but showed no intention of clinking it with Asmodeus. The corners of her lips curled up with a hint of arrogance. She looked at Brahma, who was oblivious to the situation, and smiled with deep meaning, "Sometimes, being too naive and unprepared can be fatal."
"...Indeed." Asmodeus smiled.
Having failed to gain the initiative, this subtle deflection was indeed skillful. Asmodeus glanced at the bewildered Brahma beside her and paused.
"Alright, let's be frank. Since we are all chosen individuals who once gathered in the universe, I believe our personalities should be decent. I look forward to a pleasant cooperation." Asmodeus raised her glass again. She had a premonition that speaking indirectly to intelligent people would only lead to trouble.
Moreover, Bai Cha gave her a very dangerous feeling.
"Let's gather the leaders of the six teams to discuss this matter carefully. This is a matter of Earth's survival. Let's maintain strict confidentiality among ourselves, shall we?" Asmodeus looked up again, this time with a touch more sincerity. "We all possess the strength to be kings in our own right, yet we still remain to protect our own countries. I believe everyone knows how to choose."
"Certainly." Bai Cha didn't say much this time, agreeing with a smile.
"That's a good idea." Athena also agreed.
The three glasses clinked, and the initial alliance was formed. The three of them took a sip of their wine and dispersed, having reached a consensus without further discussion, to find the other two leaders.
As it turned out, Bai Cha's guess was correct. The World Tree did not select people based on strength alone. The remaining two leaders immediately agreed after hearing what the three had to say. The private small alliance was smoother than expected.
Everyone acted decisively, without any detours or attempts at internal strife. After the banquet ended, the five of them successfully convened in Bai Cha's room.
As for why it was Bai Cha's room, it was purely because Brahma had casually said, "Since you took the lead when the universe was delaying the Dragon Mother back then, let's go to your room this time."
Brahma was very simple; he just thought that everyone could find any place to discuss matters.
No one objected, but everyone felt a bit helpless.
Fortunately, they had no ulterior motives. If they had, choosing whose room to meet in would have implicitly meant claiming territory, equivalent to implicitly acknowledging who had the most initiative or whose word carried the most weight. If they had had any ulterior motives or if this were in the political or business world, Bai Cha would have already won half the battle.
Inside the room, the atmosphere was a little awkward. Although they chatted enthusiastically in the "Green Bubble" group chat, that was online interaction. Meeting in person to discuss such an important matter made everyone a bit fidgety.
"Ahem, it's like this. After all, our goals are the same." Jupiter finished another cup of tea, his expression serious, though his little finger couldn't stop trembling. "Before we exchange cooperation, I think we should first establish trust."
"That's right. Although we come from different countries, since we are all going to fight against that foreign invader together, we must work together." Gaby nodded in agreement. "In fact, everyone knows that this operation is nine deaths and one life. There's no need for mutual suspicion."
The words were pleasant, but the possibility of opening up to each other like old acquaintances on their second meeting was slim. No matter how good the words were, they were useless; everyone understood this.
Moreover, the most critical point now was that their only common ground might be limited to the final confrontation with the Dragon Mother galaxy. After that, whether in life or work, there might not be much contact, as everyone was quite busy.
"Nine deaths and one life is an exaggeration. I don't think it's that dramatic." Bai Cha shrugged. "The World Tree has dozens of world core crystals combined, and I think the World Tree has a clear understanding of things."
"Besides, since we all understand the reasoning, let's stop pretending." Bai Cha leaned back on the sofa, tossed her cigarette case onto the coffee table, and took out a cigarette, placing it between her lips. "You want trust? Simple, lay your cards on the table."