Chapter 28 Authorization

If Leina’s explanation merely described the process of events, then Ge Xiaolun’s summary struck directly at the heart of the problem.

A civilization—the diplomacy of a sovereign civilization—was actually being quietly managed by another? What was this supposed to mean? And how could an extraterrestrial god be held accountable for the affairs of Earth?

The cruel reality hit Elder Huang like a heavy blow to the head. In this moment, previously complex problems suddenly became crystal clear.

Silence. The conference room fell into a terrifying silence.

Except for Ge Xiaolun, who remained as relaxed as ever, Du Kao, Lian Feng, and Jie Si were all taut with tension. They knew they absolutely could not speak carelessly now; they could only watch with extreme caution as Elder Huang’s expression soured and his fists clenched until they trembled. They understood the magnitude of the shock currently hitting this old man, who had always struggled to maintain a balance between the mortal and the divine, striving to uphold the dignity of his civilization.

"Uncle Huang, I truly meant no harm..." Leina was on the verge of tears. She had never imagined that a casual dismissal of Angel Yan yesterday would lead her into such an embarrassing predicament today. She looked at Elder Huang with remorse—this kind old man from Earth who had been so amiable before—desperately hoping he could feel her apology. "Power of the Galaxy, I’m sorry. I really didn't think that much at the time." As she spoke, she quickly turned to Ge Xiaolun beside her, explaining with a face full of apology.

Ge Xiaolun shrugged noncommittally, indicating that he was not angry about it. In fact, he wasn't angry at all; after all, this matter wasn't his responsibility yet. He was simply commenting on the situation as it stood.

However, Leina’s apology to Ge Xiaolun immediately brought the indignant Elder Huang back to his senses. His deep, piercing eyes looked at Leina, then at Ge Xiaolun, as if he had realized something in an instant.

"So, Old Du, is it true that for the so-called gods in the universe, when it comes to Earth, they only care about Xiaolun’s opinion?" Elder Huang asked in a low, serious voice, looking at Du Kao.

Although he had been furious a moment ago, and remained so, that did not stop him from noticing a problem immediately. Even in such a heavy atmosphere, Leina had not only apologized to him but had also felt compelled to apologize specifically to Ge Xiaolun. Furthermore, she hadn't called him by his name, but by his title: Power of the Galaxy. This so-called rule was, once again, invisibly asserting its existence.

Du Kao looked helpless and nodded at Elder Huang. "Essentially, yes." Although he was not a cosmic activist and the Deno system had not had such explicit rules regarding gods, he was very clear about these conventions today.

Elder Huang nodded thoughtfully. It wasn't that he didn't understand these principles, but this was the first time he had perceived them so clearly. He looked at Du Kao again and said in a deep voice, "Then, in the eyes of other gods, as long as Xiaolun does not have sufficient support, can they intentionally ignore the opinions of the Earth civilization, or even deliberately violate our rights?"

He kept his sharp gaze fixed on Du Kao, ignoring Leina’s complex and conflicted expression. Du Kao felt a chill at the sharpness of the question, but could only bite the bullet and reply, "That is indeed a possibility."

A god, after all, is not just a child with powers; having power does not mean one represents everything. But if a civilization lacks a main god, one cannot complain when other civilizations choose to bully them.

"Hmm..." Elder Huang took a deep breath and sighed, "I have been taught."

In this moment, he finally realized the nature of these so-called divine rules. "Xiaolun, you have truly given me a lesson," he said, looking at Ge Xiaolun with aged eyes filled with emotion.

Not long ago, he had indeed been observing Ge Xiaolun with a critical eye. They knew certain things and had seen possibilities for the future. But before the future and war actually arrived, they could not truly accept the concept of a god, nor could they easily hand over the fate of their civilization to a twenty-something-year-old. Moreover, this child had displayed considerable arrogance and human desire. Regardless of what the future held, they had to observe, understand, communicate, or let war and time be the judge. After all, when a young man holds the fate of a civilization, the greatest possibilities are loss of control over one's desires and becoming a tyrant. Even setting aside the question of willingness, being so reckless would be the height of irresponsibility.

But no one expected that in this first attempt at communication, Ge Xiaolun would teach him such a profound lesson. The boy hadn't shown any sharpness; he had simply stated the facts plainly, objectively, justly, and with polite restraint. Yet, it felt as if a heavy club had struck them on the head. Or rather, three clubs: one for him, one for Old Du and his team, and one for Leina. Each blow had landed squarely.

"As long as you understand what I mean, that is enough," Ge Xiaolun nodded indifferently.

In truth, if he really wanted to make the people of Earth understand the rules of the gods, the advantages of gods in cosmic warfare, and the inevitability of gods in the super-god universe, he could have cited many more arguments. Beyond the basic principle that power equals authority, there was the supreme security forged by the gods' ultimate power and secrecy, as well as the gods' vantage point, the gap in thinking between gods and mortals, the difference in intellectual capacity, and the disparity in survival capabilities.

However, a man like Elder Huang should have known these things already. It was just that, limited by the complexity of the situation, they naturally needed careful examination and validation through time. Yet, the fastest way for Elder Huang to grasp these truths was the reality placed right before his eyes. Principles do not teach people how to act, but cruel reality does.

As for Leina, who was almost in tears, while he understood the kindness and intentions of this "little sun," he didn't feel she was wronged. In the super-god world, many things look completely different depending on the perspective. Especially now that he was the Power of the Galaxy. Take, for example, the negotiations between Leina and Angel Yan—both in the original timeline and this recent one. To put it bluntly, this was Leina overstepping her authority. Or perhaps, she subconsciously felt that she had the right to manage Earth's affairs.

They didn't have the Power of the Galaxy in their eyes. Initially, he felt that since he had just awakened, there was no need to highlight this issue and appear too sharp when he shouldn't yet have such high visibility. But since the conversation had been brought to his doorstep, he had to let them know what it meant to be the Power of the Galaxy. His words would not be spoken in vain.

"Yes, I truly understand now," Elder Huang nodded earnestly. He had to! Just this once, their sovereignty had been seriously violated. And it wasn't just a matter of sovereignty; there was also the way Leina had casually dismissed Angel Yan. Who knew what great opportunities Earth might have lost because of those few lighthearted words? With interstellar war imminent, a civilization that wanted to help Earth—regardless of their sincerity—had been turned away by an external god!

"In any case, I do not want there to be a next time." Elder Huang looked deeply at Leina and swept a glance over Du Kao and the others. His deep eyes held a rare hint of warning. Yet, he did not use this incident to lash out. Although he was angry, he understood from the many reports Old Du had given him that Earth indeed needed the help of the Lieyang civilization and could not afford to offend a god-level civilization.

"I’m sorry, Uncle Huang. I promise it won’t happen again." Leina finally let out a long breath and quickly offered her guarantee. Although she was the main god of Lieyang and did not fear the Earth civilization—and certainly not an ordinary old man from Earth—she knew clearly how serious her mistake was once Ge Xiaolun had brought it to light.

Du Kao and the others also nodded quickly.

Watching this scene, seeing the page turned after just a few words from Elder Huang, Ge Xiaolun nodded lightly to himself. Aside from making them realize certain truths, he had no hostility toward the old man, and his words had carried no sharp edges. After all, he could understand that for a mortal, maintaining the interests and dignity of one's civilization in the face of gods and super-soldiers—without appearing arrogant or cowardly, and striving to balance a position that was neither servile nor overbearing—was an arduous task. It was just like now, where the elder chose to downplay the conflict with Lieyang.

"Then, Xiaolun." After moving past Leina’s issue, Elder Huang looked at Ge Xiaolun again. His expression was gentle, but his tone was serious and earnest. "Once I return, we will discuss today’s topics in earnest and actively think about how to support you."

As he finished speaking, Du Kao, Lian Feng, and the others couldn't help but feel a jolt of spirit. Looking at the exceptionally serious Elder Huang and then at the young Ge Xiaolun, they understood that Ge Xiaolun’s performance today had won over this rigorous old man.

Ge Xiaolun nodded calmly; the result was in line with his expectations.

"Also, Xiaolun," Elder Huang continued, looking at him, "I can now authorize you, in the name of the Power of the Galaxy, to act as the diplomatic representative for the Daxia civilization to the Angel civilization."