Chapter 86: Establishing the Hermit Union's Status with One Bold Move

Duan Wenxuan spent two days at Margate Castle, not only dealing with individuals seeking backdoor favors but also astonished by the overwhelming number of frantic applicants eager to become license holders.

If he didn’t possess genuine influence, Duan Wenxuan feared he might have crumbled under the pressure. His single lie had set the entire world abuzz.

Realizing the magnitude of the situation, Duan Wenxuan decided to capitalize on it further, aiming to solidify the Hermit Union’s position once and for all. This would also deter any lingering skepticism behind closed doors. With this resolve, Duan Wenxuan instructed Winter to temporarily distribute information packets to global leaders and influential patrons who had significantly supported the Hermit Union.

Jindar Empire, Otlan.

Emperor Lyndon, clad in his strict military uniform, sat amidst a gathering of Jindar Empire’s top politicians. Naturally, this included experts from various fields such as geography, humanities, and cultural studies.

The expressions of those present were solemn, with hints of disbelief.

Before them, screens displayed images of a completely unfamiliar world. This was not a movie or computer-generated content; it showcased a genuinely new realm.

Throughout human history, there has been a persistent search for extraterrestrial life, yet never had they received any definitive evidence. Now, this information lay indisputably before their eyes.

The Hermit Union had sent these documents just a day prior, revealing a world named ‘Monster Medieval’. The entrance to this small world is controlled exclusively by the Hermit Union. During the era when mysticism faded from public knowledge, apart from ordinary scientists, members of the Hermit Union who possessed mystical abilities sought refuge in such small worlds to escape the troubles of declining mystery.

According to the Western Alliance’s perspective, if this were described by the Southeast Alliance, such a world would be termed a ‘Paradise Grotto’, essentially a small blessed land.

This small world has its own progression of civilization, but secretly, the Hermit Union maintains control, constantly guiding and influencing the development of its culture and events.

To draw an analogy, it’s somewhat akin to how some humans enjoy keeping an entire ant colony in a large glass enclosure, observing the ants build their dwellings and establish their community. Occasionally, they would provide food, watching as generations of ants thrive, treating the glass box as their entire world.

This information was provided by the Hermit Union to the Western Alliance. It has been three days since the week-long selection process for license holders began. In four more days, a total of 300 individuals will enter this ‘Monster Medieval’ world to complete tasks set by the Hermit Union. The top nine performers will become the new license holders.

Rumor has it that the Southeast Alliance also received materials, but not about this ‘Monster Medieval’ small world; instead, they were given access to a realm called ‘The Restaurant Philosophers’.

The exact level of civilization development in ‘The Restaurant Philosophers’ world is unknown. However, based on observations from ‘Monster Medieval’, appearances can be deceiving—what seems tranquil may actually teem with bizarre creatures. While staying cautious might suffice initially, engaging with the diverse tasks assigned by the Hermit Union inevitably involves encountering these monsters, making survival uncertain.

“Ladies and gentlemen… please settle down…” As the footage played, the meeting room gradually became increasingly noisy.

Some radical individuals even proposed conquering this small world. Imagine if they completely dominated it and vigorously exploited its resources, the potential gains for the Jindar Empire would be unimaginable.

However, most people displayed expressions of concern.

Seeing is believing. As they genuinely witnessed a world with an entirely different civilization, whether it be a new planet or a parallel dimension, their minds filled with apprehension and fear.

Lyndon slammed his hand on the table forcefully, then, after composing himself, frowned and said, “Quiet down! The most important matter now isn’t discussing these possibilities. In four days, we will have our people entering this world.”

The Hermit Union had already informed them that they controlled two small worlds, which were conveniently being used for the license holders’ assessments. Their willingness to openly open the gates to these small worlds clearly indicated their lack of fear.

Truthfully, incidents like the Li Kingdom’s sea spirits and Suvalle’s hundred ghosts had made Lyndon and others realize that their prized conventional weapons could indeed fail.

With nearly a thousand years of studying the mysterious, the extent of powerful occult forces the Hermit Union possessed was unfathomable. At that moment, feelings of helplessness and fear began to surface within Lyndon.

“We don’t have time to conquer another world. The second spiritual tide is only half a year away, and our priority should be rebuilding the ‘Ark’. Of course, the most crucial task is to study and master the mysteries!” Lyndon’s words resonated with those present, making them recognize reality—the immediate concerns were paramount.

“Let me reiterate: For this occasion, the Western Alliance has allocated 300 slots. Among these, we’ve been assigned 150 slots. Those who attended the Global Building meeting collectively received 50 slots, and the remaining 100 will be randomly distributed among ordinary citizens across all Western Alliance nations.

The Hermit Union has made it clear that the 100 random slots cannot be contested. Through negotiations, we managed to secure an additional 10 from the fifty allotted spots, bringing our total to 160 slots.

Now, our most important task is to allocate these 160 slots and, based on available information, maximize their survival efficiency during the Monster-infested Medieval Age,” Lyndon explained clearly.

After his speech, there was a brief two-second silence before intense debates erupted throughout the hall.

Compared to earlier discussions, the stakes were now significantly higher, involving substantial benefits. No one displayed any humility.

Yes, the rampant monster poses great danger to the world, but alongside this danger lies immense potential for benefit. The individuals present would never willingly relinquish their allocated quotas.

They fully understood how rare it was to master the mysterious forces.

Hanming Country, vast and resource-rich, still only had two or three truly powerful mystics in each major city, at most. Otherwise, Li Dong wouldn’t have persistently relied on Mao Qisheng, despite his relative weakness. Although Mao Qisheng himself was not strong, the pen he wielded was immensely potent, especially when unleashed to its full extent. Unfortunately, Mao Qisheng had yet to fully grasp the capabilities of the ancestral pen passed down to him.

Similarly, the situation within the Western Alliance was no different.

The worst part was their limited population base. With only one mystic emerging from a large number of people, their low overall population resulted in significantly fewer mystics compared to Hanming Country, by roughly ten or more.

Of course, they couldn’t compare themselves to the enigmatic Yuantuo Kingdom either. Despite having the seventh-largest land area globally, its arable land ranked first worldwide, coupled with favorable climate conditions. This led to its population being among the top three globally.

Initially, they should have led other countries in mastering mysticism, but since the resurgence of Xuanlan Star’s profound spirit, many of their mystics had already perished.

The religious practices within the Yuantuo Kingdom were both brutal and rigidly adherent to outdated traditions. Despite favorable conditions, this steadfast adherence kept them consistently lagging behind other nations, even with natural advantages.

This situation persisted once again.

Despite playing their trump card, internal turmoil, religious trials, and a series of issues resulted in numerous self-inflicted losses among their ranks.

Yuantuo Kingdom seemed beyond saving; even Lyndon showed little interest in engaging with them. However, the Kinda Empire was determined to seize this opportunity. With nine mystics at once, vast mystical knowledge from the Hermit Union, and the unknown small world, everything pointed to the immense importance of this chance.

Under such great temptation, individuals who were usually composed or solemn now behaved like street vendors haggling over deals. They fiercely debated each other from their positions, some even resorting to heated arguments. The discussions continued until late afternoon, without pausing for lunch, before finally agreeing on the allocation of all 160 slots.

Lyndon sat wearied in his chair.

“Sir…would you like something to eat?” Sharni looked at him with concern.

Even the once spirited and ambitious Emperor now appeared visibly worn down within a short span of time.

Lyndon glanced at the attendant, “No need for tea, just bring me a cup of coffee. By the way, what did you mention earlier this morning?”

A steaming cup of coffee was promptly handed to him.

“The Hermit Union has disseminated the information about the final assessment location and confirmed slots. Now, leaders from various countries have called, hoping you will share the obtained data.”

While the Hermit Union had spread details such as the final assessment’s location and allocated spots, only the Jindar Empire and Hanming Country received the specific data related to both worlds.

Without saying a word, Lyndon let out a derisive laugh.

After reviewing the list of calls, most individuals predictably continued their debates, emphasizing that such challenges were global and could only be overcome through mutual aid.

“Yes, yes, your points are valid, but let’s discuss this at the next global conference. I’m quite busy right now.”

For a smaller group on the list, Lyndon instructed Sharni to take notes; these people required direct attention rather than being left to diplomatic wrangling. For instance, the Prime Minister of Hanming Country also sought information from ‘The Restaurant Philosophers’ world. With shared interest, there might be potential for an exchange.

As for An Gaoyang, given his connection with the Mountain God, it was best not to offend him unnecessarily, despite having no fear of doing so. After all, a divine presence stood behind him.

Skipping past the Li Kingdom, Lyndon noticed a familiar name - Gale Yevich. Just seeing this name made him want to laugh, not for any particular reason, but because Wanqi Country’s situation was completely opposite to that of the Li Kingdom.

Wanqi Country had vast lands with sparse population, contrasting sharply with the densely populated Li Kingdom. The only similarity between them was their abundance of gods, though these deities seemed rather unconventional and low-tier. Apparently, anything peculiar could be worshipped as a deity there.

Interestingly, Wanqi Country’s pantheon was largely plundered by invaders who destroyed many of their original gods. It is said that now they’re making efforts to revive their traditional beliefs, organizing grand ceremonies and even buying back various ancient religious artifacts, including those ugly idols, which were once sold off as curiosities.

In contrast, the Li Kingdom appeared to have a harmonious relationship with their gods.

Gale Yevich, known for his imposing stature and somewhat brusque mannerisms, had always been a source of amusement for Lyndon. Perhaps karma has finally caught up with him? Despite the humor, a meeting was still necessary.

While the Western Alliance buzzed over the groundbreaking news from the Hermit Union, Hanming Country found itself equally stirred.