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When facing an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, choosing to evade is not an unreasonable option.
That was the current predicament of World Serpent.
Following Xia Chen's simulation yesterday, members of World Serpent were also subjected to it. Before Finality could arrive, virtually all forces of World Serpent were annihilated.
The atmosphere of despair lingered heavily upon everyone involved.
As a result, the leaders of World Serpent gathered unusually for a meeting.
Raven observed Hare, noting this was their first encounter since she joined World Serpent.
Chen Tianwu sat next to Gray Serpent, his gaze still filled with vigilance.
Jackal, being away from the base, participated via video link. Apart from them, other high-ranking officials of World Serpent attended, such as the president of Mikoyan Company and representatives from Divine City Pharmaceuticals worldwide.
For the first time, Kevin appeared as their leader.
He declared unequivocally, "From now on, Project Stigma is canceled. All resources allocated to Project Stigma will be redirected to the New Ark initiative, and all related materials must be transferred to Schicksal."
This was an incredibly arbitrary command.
Project Stigma had been underway by World Serpent for many years, and canceling it would mean that most of the invested effort and resources were wasted.
Yet, no one questioned the decision.
Rather than attributing it to Kevin's authority, it was more accurate to say it stemmed from people's fear of the vision seen in their dreams.
Just as Xia Chen had simulated the final Honkai, they too had 'dreamt' of it. Even holders of Stigmata could not survive amidst the vast army of Honkai Beasts.
Such magnitude of Honkai was beyond human capability to resist.
Therefore, Kevin decided to utilize the construction of stigma spaces to activate a new subspace, naming it Fort Ark.
If the future depicted is real, then Fort Ark will preserve the kindling of humanity.
If the future is false, transferring Project Stigma to Schicksal merely delays things at worst.
It seemed like there was no other viable option.
"If there are no objections, let us proceed with these tasks."
"To sustain a glorious civilization, we need at least 50,000 individuals. Therefore, Fort Ark must accommodate supplies for 50,000 people lasting twenty years; this is your top priority. As for the subspace layer, I will handle it myself."
It was evident that Kevin had some knowledge about the stigma spaces; otherwise, he wouldn't have made such remarks.
The group exchanged glances before departing in batches.
Securing resources for 50,000 people over twenty years wasn't particularly challenging. The true difficulty lay in determining who would be among those 50,000 individuals.
While this number seemed large at first glance, it was actually quite small, especially considering Mikoyan's chairman could quickly perceive the immense economic benefits involved.
Despite knowing it wasn't the right time to calculate such matters, his instinct as a businessman led him to think along these lines.
Chen Tianwu paused and turned to Raven, saying, "I'd like to visit Schicksal."
Raven slightly narrowed her eyes. "Why tell me? It's not like I can stop you anyway."
However, Chen Tianwu continued unprompted, "I can't leave my sister behind, apologies."
Members of the World Serpent were not entirely free; they needed to report their intended movements beforehand. Clearly wanting to avoid Gray Serpent or Jackal, Chen Tianwu straightforwardly asked Raven, "Please inform Jackal on my behalf."
"Hey, you..." Before Raven could finish her sentence, she noticed Chen Tianwu had already left.
"Sigh, I don't want to deal with Jackal either." She couldn't help but shake her head.
Upon receiving information about World Serpent's Stigmata and plans for Fort Ark, Schicksal inevitably plunged into intense debates within its ranks.
Some insisted on Entropy Reduction, arguing that the future might not necessarily come true. Others believed they should change their approach.
Durandal and Anti-Entropy did not keep this matter secret, intending to gather insights from everyone before making a decision.
However, it backfired spectacularly.
Compared to the uncertain success of Project Stigma, naturally, the Ark Project held greater appeal. After influential figures caught wind of it, they urged Durandal to contribute to Fort Ark's construction as well.
Little did they know, Kevin had virtually no emotional attachment to people of this era and never intended to expand Fort Ark's capacity.
Durandal wouldn't agree either. She understood that if Schicksal pursued World Serpent's plan, humanity would lose its resolve to resist Honkai. Instead, they'd engage in ruthless battles over spots within the fortress.
As evidenced now, numerous entities were already expressing interest in purchasing slots for two hundred million dollars each.
Both Durandal and Amber found themselves bewildered. In truth, having been detached from mainstream human society for too long, they had misjudged human nature.
Most people inherently prioritize their self-interest, which is why virtues are celebrated by society. Those willing to fight like Valkyries are actually few and far between.
This world does not lack heroes, but they have always been exceedingly rare.
Fortunately, Durandal was no longer an inexperienced leader. With unwavering resolve, she declared that Fort Ark's allocation of slots was final and non-negotiable.
At this time, Schicksal was at its zenith. Even if Durandal lacked certain skills or experience, her firm stance commanded respect from all.
Moreover, the general public remained unaware of these developments, carrying on with their daily lives as usual.
Schicksal and Anti-Entropy began operating discreetly, and after two weeks, it seemed as though the incident had faded from memory, as if nothing ever happened.
Life appeared to return to normal until both Schicksal and Anti-Entropy received a communication message:
"My dear old friends, you've done quite well during my absence."
Otto Apocalypse sat smiling in a room, his table adorned with fine wine and exquisite cuisine, resembling a traveler just back from vacation.
In the video, he greeted everyone warmly, "I must admit, the world seems better without me around—at least humanity has never been this united before."
At Schicksal Headquarters, Durandal's gaze sharpened. "Finally showing yourself, Bishop Otto?"
She no longer addressed him as 'Lord Bishop.'
Einstein and Theresa from Anti-Entropy exchanged glances, sensing an ominous foreboding.
"Oh, I know you're all thinking, 'Why is he back again?' Well, there's nothing to be done; I'm aware everyone misses me dearly, and truth be told, I miss you too."
"So, I've decided to bid farewell one last time."
"From today onwards, I resign as the Schicksal Archbishop, with Bianka Durandal Atagina temporarily succeeding me. The transfer ceremony will take place at Schicksal's old headquarters in Klostern, allowing Schicksal to acquire the true resources needed to combat Honkai. This represents humanity's final reserve."
"I welcome everyone to attend the ceremony in Klostern."
He gently sipped his red wine, continuing, "Similarly, I have something important to convey to my dear little Theresa, but it must be shared face-to-face."
"Those seeking to understand Honkai will find their answers in Klostern."