Qi Yuan's eyes shifted to a golden hue as he activated his reconstruction vision, focusing intently on the monsters before him.
His suspicions were confirmed.
Then...
He turned his gaze to Linda, who was isolated from the group.
This woman had indeed been assimilated as an extension of the monsters. She now existed in a state between monster and human.
Monsters with transformation abilities weren't limited to just the Corpse-Eating Queen Bee. Unfortunately, the wealthier and more powerful humans were, the more they clung to their worldly power and possessions.
He made a mental note to warn Director Yu that individuals like Linda might appear in Dragon Country as well.
Qi Yuan certainly didn't want to be constantly working overtime because outbreaks kept occurring in various locations before he could even formulate a plan. Other countries were one thing, but if it happened to the people of Dragon Country...
Wait—
Something wasn't right!
He suddenly realized that his passive ability required widespread human acknowledgment. With a limited global population, each human death meant one less layer for his passive ability.
Even the passing of an elderly person meant the permanent loss of a layer, a complete and utter loss for him.
Newborn babies who couldn't even recognize their parents wouldn't be able to truly acknowledge him.
He could wait for babies to grow up, but monsters wouldn't.
Decision made. The mission of the mysterious organization would be to protect the world and safeguard humanity (and their wealth).
As for why they needed to remain hidden... well... when in doubt, blame it on dark forces!
That felt right. A sinister power had its eye on them, forcing the mysterious organization to conceal its identity.
Now, with humanity facing an insurmountable crisis against SSS-Level Monsters, they would step forward. They had intended to fade into obscurity once the deed was done, but unexpectedly, their cover was blown.
As for the dark forces...
Their goal would naturally be in opposition to the mysterious organization. It's normal for villains to want to destroy the world, right?
But where would he find a dark organization...
The black market? No, that wouldn't do. The caliber was too low and would diminish the prestige of the mysterious organization.
He'd have to create another one, then he could orchestrate events as he pleased.
As the outline of his plan for godhood took shape in his mind, his thoughts flowed like a spring, conjuring numerous plausible scenarios in an instant.
Qi Yuan forcefully suppressed the flood of ideas. Now wasn't the time for detailed planning; if he didn't act soon, the Corpse-Eating Queen Bee would evolve to the next level.
Analyzing the monsters' inner thoughts, he deduced that the Corpse-Eating Queen Bee still had a hidden trump card against them.
These S-level monsters were already terrified. From the beginning, they had only been planning how to delay their inevitable demise for as long as possible. They harbored no killing intent towards him whatsoever.
So...
He needed to create a grand spectacle to catch the attention of the Corpse-Eating Queen Bee deep in the forest.
Only then could he gain even greater power.
And he had the perfect excuse ready...
He halted his steps, and everyone immediately noticed, stopping their advance.
The monsters' hearts skipped a beat. Had he discovered them?
All eyes were on Qi Yuan as he lowered his gaze slightly, unleashing his full aura. His divine domain manifested without any attempt at concealment, instantly enveloping all the monsters and humans present.
Rolling clouds, a supreme divine palace, mysterious mists, and a dazzling yet soothing holy light appeared...
Where the light touched, countless trees dissolved like sand paintings blown by the wind, disappearing into the radiance.
The palace stood imposingly amidst the sea of trees, with surging clouds swallowing vast swathes of the forest in the blink of an eye.
Qi Yuan controlled the domain at will. With a mere thought, the mist and clouds firmly locked the monsters in place, rendering them unable to move even a finger.
And among these monsters, Linda stood out conspicuously.
Smith, Jeanna, and the others could scarcely believe their eyes. The majestic palace and the spectacular scene before them left them wide-eyed and speechless, momentarily robbed of their ability to speak as they gazed in awe at the sight before them.
By the time they regained their senses, Qi Yuan was already seated on the divine throne, looking down upon the scene in the hall from on high.
He truly resembled a deity.
Smith looked up at the throne, marveling at the realism of the illusion and Qi Yuan's power.
If Qi Yuan had decided to attack everyone just now, he would have had no chance of evading it.
"Is this his true power?" Smith heard Jeanna murmur beside him.
The group, having weathered many storms, managed to regain their composure and ability to think clearly within a matter of seconds. Three of them had already witnessed something similar on Sakura Island.
Smith's gaze towards Linda was complex. Faced with her tear-filled eyes and pleading look, his heart remained calm. He didn't question Qi Yuan's intentions.
He merely let out a sigh, as if mourning a former comrade.
Jeanna and the others showed no concern. They had previously wondered how the Bitterford Nation could have such an incompetent high-level superhuman on their team. Now that she was trapped by Qi Yuan, they finally understood.
Qi Yuan casually rested his hands on the armrests of the divine throne. He sensed that the Corpse-Eating Queen Bee had taken notice, just as he had hoped. Like last time, it observed silently, like a predator analyzing its prey's combat ability.
"These useless fools!" he thought to himself.
He appeared unhurried, as if in no rush to deal with the Corpse-Eating Queen Bee.
His next words confirmed the Queen Bee's suspicions, instantly raising its wariness to the highest level.
Qi Yuan's power suddenly surged several dozen times over.
Within this divine palace, he felt that he could create superpowers with a mere thought.
Although the energy consumption remained the same, the speed had increased significantly.
This domain truly complemented his ability to create and strip away superpowers.
With the intended audience in place, Qi Yuan decided not to drag things out any longer.
"I don't particularly care whether that little bug evolves or not. However, when we humans deal with traitors, I'd prefer not to have monsters involved. Do you understand?"
He spoke at a measured pace, without emphasizing any particular point, as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
But the most important spectator had different thoughts, its indignant inner voice reaching him.
"Mere inferior beings dare to call themselves human! We are born with wisdom and abilities far superior to these lesser creatures!"
Smith gritted his teeth. No wonder New York City had fallen so thoroughly.
Jeanna and the others wore equally grim expressions.
When you see a cockroach in broad daylight, it means there are already too many to count in the shadows.
Once this matter was resolved, they would immediately demand that the higher-ups conduct a thorough internal investigation. Otherwise, they would make sure the leadership understood the consequences of not cooperating with SS-level Superhumans.
Although she had vaguely sensed it, having Qi Yuan lay it bare caused Linda's heart to sink to the depths.
She made muffled "woo woo" sounds, as if trying to explain herself.
Qi Yuan flicked a finger, releasing the restraint on Linda's mouth.
Linda felt as if she had been granted a great mercy. Just as she was about to spout some unconvincing nonsense to muddy the waters—perhaps something like "Is Dragon Country planning to break the alliance?" or "You're slandering me! Show your evidence!"—Qi Yuan's next words completely shattered that notion, leaving her feeling as if she'd been plunged into an icy abyss, her whole body trembling.
He let out a light chuckle and said, "Go ahead, speak. I'd like to hear what jokes this little clown has to tell."