Chapter 708: Alliance

"Go find out what's going on?"

Holden asked his secretary: "It seems to be a Child of Slaanesh, but how did it come to this?"

His secretary didn't need to investigate, because the security manager of the company headquarters had already walked over with a pale face.

"I'm sorry, Chairman, and all directors. That was Ivan Drop, the deputy financial director. No one expected him to be a Child of Slaanesh, and a senior one at that. He almost evaded all our newly installed monitoring measures, but His Majesty's divine emblem worked and finally identified him. However, his power had reached the demigod level, and we were caught off guard, so we suffered some unnecessary losses. Four dead, twenty-seven injured—"

Before the security manager finished speaking, everyone present changed color. They hadn't expected such a dangerous figure to be lurking within the company. Several of them shuddered at the thought that they had attended meetings with him just days ago and had been in close contact.

Even though they each had protective artifacts and personal security details, it was still terrifying.

Karl Holden was silent for a moment before speaking again a minute later: "Let it go this time. Submit a review report. Then inform the security and information departments to continue intensifying the cleanup operations, but on that basis, also raise the security level for all company units."

After that, he returned to his seat at the head of the conference table as if nothing had happened.

But today's expanded board meeting was destined not to go smoothly. Just seven minutes later, a call to his encrypted phone forced Karl Holden to return to his office.

"What is it, Mr. Payton?"

On the other end of the line was his patron, Dwight Payton, former chairman of Nathan Military-Industrial Complex, current Speaker of the House, and member of the Conservative National Committee.

—Twenty years ago, no one could have foreseen this. Just as Karl Holden, who had always been Dwight Payton's assistant, never imagined he would become chairman of Nathan Military-Industrial Complex and hold that position for seven years.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're probably discussing how to expand production right now, aren't you?"

Payton's voice now carried a hint of helplessness: "It's important, concerning the future of Nathan Military. But the immediate priority is to start the plan to isolate the factory zones as soon as possible."

"Isolate the factory zones?"

Karl Holden frowned slightly. This was an epidemic prevention plan under pressure from the Church of Heavenly Destiny. Nathan Military would invest heavily to build twelve independent factory zones.

In the event of an outbreak, these zones would become independent small cities. All workers and their families would live inside the zones and not go out, with supplies of daily necessities and production materials delivered through absolutely safe quarantine channels.

This would ensure that Nathan Military could maintain sufficient production capacity even during a global pandemic.

But so far, limited by manpower and funds, only seven of the twelve independent zones had been completed.

"So it's confirmed that an outbreak has occurred? And the situation is severe?"

"As severe as His Majesty anticipated. You'll see it in the news later, or you can request relevant intelligence from your information department. This happened in the last three hours; everyone was caught off guard."

Payton sighed: "In any case, speed up as much as possible. At this rate of transmission, it may already be too late. By the way, the Church suggests that before lockdown, everyone should undergo at least ten days of individual quarantine. We're not sure if this virus has already infected your employees."

Karl Holden had already accessed the company intranet with his authority and found the relevant information.

The deputy information director, who hadn't attended the meeting, had prepared a report, but Payton was faster.

From the information the company had gathered so far, this unnamed virus was indeed very dangerous, with an exceptionally strong infection capability.

Fortunately, under pressure from His Majesty, the nations of the Heavenly Destiny Alliance had not only established a comprehensive epidemic monitoring mechanism in recent years but also maintained a high alert level.

The outbreak first occurred in a small town in Australia. When the number of infected cases reached twenty, their health system had already noticed this dangerous super-virus.

It was a mutated Yersinia pestis, highly contagious. Initially transmitted mainly through rat and mosquito bites, it was later found that bodily fluids and infected animals could also spread it. Symptoms included severe coughing, pneumonia, fever, swollen lymph nodes, internal bleeding, and so on.

Its survival ability was also formidable; it could survive on various surfaces such as air, packages, elevator handrails, doorknobs, toilet seats, and shoe soles for ten to twenty hours, which was horrifying.

It also had a long incubation period; after infection, it could remain dormant in the human body for ten to twenty days before breaking out.

Karl shuddered: "I saw some information about this virus. Is it true, Mr. Payton?"

"It's true. Several microbiologists confirmed it together, and the God of Viruses and the God of Medicine also personally verified it. Even if there are errors, it will certainly be worse."

Payton gave a bitter laugh: "We're in trouble, Karl. This will be a worldwide disaster. Anyway, you must take a serious attitude and not be negligent in the slightest. Alright, I have to go to the White House. Ms. Drew just asked to meet me to discuss bipartisan cooperation."

The phone went dead with a dial tone. Karl turned on the nearby projection TV and switched to the Rising Sun News channel.

Then he saw that the person appearing on TV was none other than the current president, Nanette Drew. This was an emergency national television address.

"Due to a sudden emergency, I declare that from now on, all of America is in a state of emergency to deal with a possible large-scale epidemic in the country. I call on all citizens to comply with the hygiene regulations set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and from today, refrain from gatherings of more than five people—"

※※※※

Before Nanette Drew's television address had fully ended, Dwight Payton had already met Ms. Drew in the Oval Office of the White House.

"I admire you, dear lady!"

Dwight raised his glass of red wine in a toast to the elegant middle-aged woman behind the desk: "The courage and responsibility you have shown are rare even among men."

He knew that she had known about the possible outbreak for over a year, yet this president, hailed as the best since World War II, had still risked ruin and chosen to run for re-election.

During her first term, she had led the repair and reconstruction of domestic infrastructure, improved the national employment rate, and dealt a heavy blow to vested interests in medical insurance, achieving universal healthcare with relatively light fiscal burden.

Nanette Drew could have stepped down with everyone's praise, but now she might end up infamous amid public complaints and criticism.

"Dwight, I'm not as noble as you imagine."

Nanette Drew smiled wryly: "As His Majesty's chosen one, I care only about the interests of the Heavenly Destiny Pantheon and His Majesty. As long as His Majesty approves of my work, what does it matter how people outside this office view me, whether with contempt or praise? I am ultimately different from you, Dwight."

Ms. Drew spread her hands: "Besides, at this time, facing this crisis, who is more suitable than me? A new president wouldn't have my prestige to suppress Congress and coordinate all aspects of the government. I believe only I can help His Majesty stabilize the social situation in America."

"So, your courage is unmatched!"

Dwight laughed: "If it were only for His Majesty, there would have been no medical bill. You know, Rising Sun Pharmaceutical Group accounts for at least twenty percent of all drug sales in America. But now, His Majesty's money bag has suffered a major blow because of you. Without a doubt, Ms. Drew, you have realized your ambitions."

"But that is exactly what His Majesty expects. He believes that the clearer and fairer the politics in this society, the less room there is for chaotic forces. We need order, and I am merely executing His Majesty's will. As for you, Dwight, with your friendship with His Majesty, it would be easy for you to become a chosen one or even become a god with His Majesty's power. Yet you still insist on remaining mortal. That is truly admirable."

Nanette Drew paused here: "Tell me, what conditions has the Conservative Party brought?"

Dwight leaned forward and got straight to the point: "I heard that you have been preparing a 'Weapons Ban Act' to prohibit private ownership of assault weapons, and you plan to amend the Constitution, is that right?"

"Tch!" Ms. Drew smiled disdainfully: "A bunch of insatiable gluttons. Can't the twelve billion soul gold coins in military orders from the Asera people satisfy you?"

"It's not entirely about arms sales. America's six-hundred-year history has formed a tradition that many people value."

Dwight disagreed: "Many people genuinely like firearms, and some are driven by practical needs. The world we live in is not safe, is it? Especially the Blood Feast Worms; we have never been able to completely eradicate these damned bugs on American soil, and their power is even growing—"

Rationally, he knew that the proliferation of firearms and various equipment in American society posed a great threat to public safety. But the reason Dwight Payton could become the highest authority in the Conservative Party was precisely because of the support from the forces behind him.

This stemmed from the Lord of Fate's unparalleled prestige and authority in America, to the extent that no senator or representative was willing to openly oppose His Majesty's will.

Thus, conservative lawmakers and supporters looked to him with hope, expecting Dwight to use his old friendship with the Lord of Fate to block or improve bills and decisions unfavorable to them in Congress.

Dwight Payton knew this clearly and skillfully exploited these people's psychology to seize the greatest power within the Conservative Party.

But Dwight also knew that if he achieved nothing in safeguarding the interests of his supporters, his friendship with the Lord of Fate alone would not keep him secure in this position.

This was also for the stability of the country. He could guarantee that if the president insisted on ignoring the opinions of the right wing and forcibly pushed through the 'Weapons Ban Act,' some people might even be insane enough to allow the spread of the Blood Feast Worms to undermine the foundation of the act.

"I know! But I must put firearms and equipment in a cage, Dwight! Only then can we effectively reduce security pressure. You say the world is unstable, but when a true demonic disaster strikes, how much use are ordinary people and their weapons?"

Ms. Drew walked out from behind the desk: "But I don't actually plan a complete ban. Alongside the 'Weapons Ban Act,' I will also promote another 'Comprehensive Reserve Training Act.'"

Dwight's eyes flickered: "Could you elaborate?"

"The general idea is that all citizens are obliged to purchase two to three firearms in their lifetime, along with a set of magical equipment and artifacts commensurate with their financial means. The state will provide certain tax rebates and subsidies based on their equipment."

Ms. Drew explained succinctly: "But these firearms and magical equipment must be stored in local shelters and shooting centers, monitored by local militia organizations. Additionally, the government will build 13,000 shooting centers with commercial complexes nationwide, and stipulate that every citizen is obliged to undergo five or ten shooting training sessions and magical armor driving training each year at these centers. In certain emergencies, these shooting centers can also serve as shelters. Dwight, what do you think of this idea?"

"Build 13,000 shooting centers with commercial complexes? Wow, real estate developers will love you. The mandatory five to ten training sessions per year will ensure sufficient foot traffic for these commercial complexes. I think many businessmen will be interested."

Dwight narrowed his eyes: "This is undoubtedly a genius business plan that will significantly boost the national economy. All parties can benefit, and the country will gain a nationwide reserve force."

"This is Princess Eliza's idea. My own business acumen is very limited."

Nanette Drew sat down on the opposite sofa: "So, do you think this can exchange for the full support of your Conservative caucus during the epidemic? Dwight, you know the situation. I must use strong measures during the epidemic. I don't like being hindered, and His Majesty doesn't either."

"I understand."

Dwight smiled bitterly: "I need to think it over carefully, but it shouldn't be a big problem. Give me two hours, Nanette. With this plan of yours, I can try to convince them."

He was a man of action and knew that every minute was precious. After saying this, he hurriedly got up and left the White House.

As he walked out the door and got into the bulletproof car waiting outside, Dwight deliberately turned his head to look at the statue of the Lord of Fate in front of the gate.

His mood was a bit complicated. He still couldn't accept how the young man he had once trained as a sports star had suddenly become the most powerful god in this world.

When that sense of unreality and the feeling that things had changed faded, Dwight's gaze gradually regained its firmness and coldness.

They had to get through this epidemic no matter what. He truly hoped that his old friend would overcome this crisis and truly reach the pinnacle of this world.

You must win—

※※※※

"Theoretically, with the current level of lockdown, the possibility of a large-scale outbreak is minimal. Even if it breaks out, we can get through it. But the problem is, since this is a man-made virus, its spread will certainly be artificially amplified."

On the 28th floor of the Magic Tower in Destiny Township, Patrick, the God of Surgery, Medicine, Modern Medicine, and Healing, looked grim. He hadn't expected Nurgle's attack to come so quickly.

"The only good news now is that all believers in His Majesty and the Heavenly Destiny Gods have shown extraordinary resistance. His Majesty's newly acquired mythical equipment is quite effective against viruses. Your vitality and life have improved their physical fitness and given them stronger immunity. So the expected infection mortality rate won't be too high; with our medical conditions, it's estimated to be around three percent, mostly among the elderly and infants."

Li Mochen had also worked hard over the past three months, raising divine powers like 'Evil Repelling,' 'Breaking Curses,' and 'Purification' to the ultimate level.

As for 'Life' and 'Vitality,' he had raised them to the pseudo-truth level long ago. Other divine powers like 'Healing' and 'Immunity,' which could directly combat plagues, had also reached the ultimate level early on.

"Three percent—under normal circumstances, it's not much, but now it's enough for Chaos to spread panic. People's fear of plague and death can give Nurgle tremendous power. Moreover, temporarily enhancing the physical fitness of tens of billions of people—how much mana will that consume?"

Prometheus rubbed his forehead: "We must strictly control the media. Minimize the publication of epidemic data and related photos."

"But if we do that, many people will have insufficient awareness of the epidemic and become careless, which will further increase the number of infections. And if we let patients harbor unrealistic hopes, it will increase Tzeentch's power."

Athena shook her head disapprovingly: "The media must be controlled, but the degree must be grasped. The key is still the virus itself. How much longer will it take for our vaccine to come out?"

Carlson frowned: "Under normal circumstances, it would take a year. With the divine power of Your Majesty and myself, we can shorten the time to three months."

He mainly had to rely on his sovereign. In recent years, he had seen this Lord of Fate point the way for research on bio-augmentations that had reached a dead end more than once. That should be the power of Wish and Fate. Carlson had also experienced its might at some point. But in the past two years, the gains from using Wish had become smaller and smaller, so he had to rely on Li Mochen.

"The problem is that this plague bacillus can undergo large-scale mutations at any time. So I can't guarantee anything now; I can only say I'll do my best."

"What about specific drugs?"

"None for now." Patrick, the God of Medicine, smiled bitterly: "There are several directions at present, but all require extensive clinical trials. Also, I am carefully studying the materials provided by the Aserans—"

As they were discussing, a hoarse, cold voice suddenly interjected: "Forgive my frankness, but Nurgle is after all a Truth Lord of the Creation level. I believe that fighting him solely through the disease itself will never end this plague. The only feasible way, I think, is to eliminate the person or thing spreading the virus."

Li Mochen looked over and saw that it was 'Abaddon, the Plague King, Dark Angel of Death' whom he had summoned to the meeting.

This man, a few years ago, had been instigated by Lucifer to commit massacres in the Middle East, causing hundreds of millions to die from plagues. He was truly steeped in sin. But now, Li Mochen had no choice but to rely on his power.

"You can elaborate, Lord Abaddon."

"I can see that these viruses are powerful partly because their genes have indeed broken through the human immune system, but also because of the influence of divine power. So—"

Abaddon placed his right hand on his chest and bowed slightly: "As long as we eliminate the source of divine power, I think no matter how powerful these viruses are, they cannot cause large-scale casualties under Your Majesty's suppression."

"That makes sense, but how do I find him or it?"

Li Mochen asked noncommittally: "You must know that in the past few months, my subordinate gods and I have been searching the world for clues about the Chaos Gods, but so far we have found nothing."

"When they deliberately hide, of course you cannot find them. But now, they have appeared, haven't they? I think Lord Nurgle's intervention in the virus must have some kind of support."

Abaddon smiled: "Of course, I know Nurgle's power is subtle, but when he uses more power, too frequently, he will still leave some traces."

"So we're back to square one."

Athena looked at him coldly; she had no liking for this demon king who had killed hundreds of millions: "The outcome of this confrontation ultimately depends on the results of our anti-epidemic efforts."

Abaddon smiled and did not reply, because in theory, that was the case.

Li Mochen frowned, lost in thought.

"Your Majesty seems to have another idea?"

Prometheus noticed his unusual demeanor: "Let me guess. You must be thinking about how to attack?"

Everyone knew his character; he was never willing to sit and wait for death. Before being attacked by the enemy, he would often strike first, beat the opponent's face into a pulp, and do his utmost to reduce pressure on his own side.

In fact, in the three months since this Lord of Fate returned, he had been doing exactly that.

They could not find the Chaos Gods, but they repeatedly gathered large forces to aid the Lord of Light, even attacking the Dark Abyss, slaying seven Abominations and twelve Asa gods.

"You guessed right."

Li Mochen rubbed his chin: "I was thinking, could we attack the Pantheon? Or Mount Olympus?"

Those present looked at each other in bewilderment. Finally, Athena shook her head slightly: "That's too risky, Your Majesty! Or perhaps that's exactly what they want you to do."

Li Mochen sighed softly; he himself felt it was risky and had little confidence.

Neither Zeus nor Gaia were comparable to the small fry he had encountered outside.

The forces on the surface had been mostly swept away by him; what remained were all hard nuts, the kind that would break a tooth even if you could bite them.

He trusted the judgment of Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Since even she said so, it meant the possibility of success was really not great.

"But let's change the target. That Truth Lord, Ahura!"

Athena's words stunned everyone present, and the goddess of wisdom's eyes were gleaming: "I believe our strength should be enough to take him down."

Prometheus was about to say that Ahura's Heaven of Light was no weaker than the Pantheon or Mount Olympus, and might even be stronger. Ahura Mazda's dual nature of good and evil was also very difficult to deal with; as long as one part continued to exist, the other could be resurrected indefinitely.

But then Prometheus's expression shifted: "Are you planning to join forces with the Lord of Light?"

"The Lord of Light is under attack from both sides. I think he must hope to eliminate one enemy first. He cannot refuse our proposal."

Athena nodded first, then said: "Also, if we strike at this time, it will definitely catch Ahura off guard."

Li Mochen's expression also shifted as he weighed the options in his mind.

First, Ahura's existence was indeed a great hindrance to him; the sooner he was eliminated, the better. It would help him change the strategic environment and reduce his opponents.

Second, if he joined forces with Horus, they indeed had the ability to deal with this Truth Lord and break through the Heaven of Light.

Finally, in the coming decades, Horus would need his power to stabilize the laws of light in the dark world. With shared interests and divine constraints, even with Tzeentch lurking nearby, he could give Horus a certain degree of trust.

With that thought, Li Mochen no longer hesitated: "Good idea. Athena, make a rough plan. Prometheus, contact Isis. If possible, we will set out in five minutes."

Deciding to annihilate a powerful pantheon in five minutes was undoubtedly very frivolous.

But at this moment, Li Mochen did not intend to delay.

The more plans and preparations made now, the longer the time, the greater the possibility of variables.

It was better to keep it simple; after making a decision, just charge straight in, which would more likely deceive their enemies, especially that self-proclaimed 'Lord of Hope'.

※※※※

Prometheus's contact with Isis went without a hitch. The feedback from that Mother of Holy Light, the Egyptian Harvest Goddess, was even more eager than theirs, clearly showing that she had long suffered under Ahura and that this suited her perfectly.

She also agreed with Li Mochen's decision: strike as soon as decided, without any prior planning. Both sides would directly mobilize the maximum military force and attack Ahura's Heaven of Light.

Li Mochen spent a little time preparing, pushing his forty-eight-story magic tower out of the Fate Divine Kingdom. This time, he needed the power of this magic tower.

The unprecedented forty-eight-story magic tower, thanks to Li Mochen's progress in various divine authorities, had allowed him to draw parallels in magic. Its forty-ninth floor was already planned for construction. According to his idea, when the tower reached fifty-two floors, it could probe into the Gate of Truth, becoming an extremely powerful strategic weapon with more than a dozen Truth powers.

But Zhuanxu had a different view, believing that after the forty-ninth floor, this magic tower might be able to touch the 'One that Escapes'. After all, magic and divine authority were quite different.

But even now, the power of the Fate Township magic tower was enough to make gods change color; its own power was already no less than the Pantheon or the Heaven of Light.

The only drawback was its movement speed, which had decreased rather than increased since its completion.

Of course, this was not really a weakness for Li Mochen; he could easily carry 'Fate Township' across the entire star domain.

After all, inside 'Fate Township', there was an inexhaustible source of powerful energy. It would not only not hinder Li Mochen but would become a great help to him.

About twenty minutes later, Li Mochen's army joined forces with the Lord of Light's army in the outer realm.

The Fate Pantheon side included 170 starships, twenty sub-legions of the Divine Wing Knights, nineteen Divine Will Legions; part of the Blue Blood Legion that had arrived in the Light World, and the 'Mercury Grand Legion' and 'Jupiter Grand Legion' under the 'Mother of Stars'—it must be noted that the combat power of these two alone was equivalent to thirty-seven Angel Legions.

Their military might was like mountains and seas, angels and knights blotting out the sky, causing Isis, who commanded twenty-four Angel Legions, to pale in comparison.

What was even more exaggerated was that the Fate Pantheon had left at least half of their forces in the main material plane to clean up the Blood Feast Maggots and guard against accidents.

And when she arrived at the twenty-eighth floor of the Fate Township magic tower in person, seeing the many P20 and P19 gods, numerous archons and angel kings arrayed beside Li Mochen, and the dazzling light of countless divine artifacts illuminating the entire conference hall, the Holy Mother of Light's face became even more grim.

Especially a young woman sitting beside Li Mochen, which made Isis's mind tense.

—That was another foreign deity, holding the authority of Life and War, and had reached P20!

"May I ask, Your Majesty Wiltonstein, are you trying to intimidate me?"

"How could that be?"

Li Mochen was actually surprised that this Holy Mother of Light dared to enter his magic tower in person. It showed that his reputation for fairness and trustworthiness had been recognized by many gods.

So it was only natural that recently, mortal commercial companies would engrave the divine emblem of the Lord of Fate on their contracts.

"A lion uses its full strength even against a rabbit—that's an Eastern proverb. Shouldn't I go all out at a time like this?"

Li Mochen was indeed showing off his strength; he had to make certain people recognize the gap and abandon unrealistic illusions.

The divinity of the Lord of Light was still trustworthy, but those standing behind him might not be.

But on the surface, Li Mochen certainly couldn't say that. He said with great sincerity: "Please believe me, I have no intention of targeting Your Highness."

Isis laughed angrily but did not intend to argue with Li Mochen about this. The key was that even though she knew he was flaunting his military might, she was helpless.

"Let's get to the point. How should we fight?"

Mainly, how to coordinate, since the two sides had been enemies not long ago, with deep rifts and a lack of trust.

"First, I must thank Your Highness Isis for her trust in me, and I will repay it in kind."

Li Mochen signaled to Athena, who handed a scroll to Isis: "This is a preliminary battle plan drawn up by Athena. You can modify it as you see fit."

Isis took the scroll but was filled with doubt: "Your Majesty, do you mean?"

"This time, I would trouble Your Highness to stay in Fate Township and command the entire army!"

Li Mochen's lips curled slightly: "Everyone below me, including my friend, the 'Goddess of Life and War' of seventeen worlds, Her Highness Isabel, will obey your command."

Isis sneered. He said it nicely, but keeping her in the Fate Township magic tower was ultimately taking her hostage.

But she had to admit that this was indeed a good way to solve the trust problem between the two sides. Even Tzeentch, at this moment, would probably be powerless.

※※※※

The Fate-Light Alliance's attack began with the bombardment of tens of thousands of heavy particle beam cannons.

Since this Heaven of Light was not far from the main material plane, Li Mochen could easily tear through space-time, allowing the tens of thousands of 'heavy particle beam cannons' under his control to bombard this place without obstruction.

But most of them were twisted midway, forming extremely exaggerated deflections. Then the remaining part, when hitting the Heaven of Light, had its energy depleted to the point of being formless.

This situation could not be changed even by Michael and Apollo, two quasi-god-kings who held the Truth of Light.

After all, this was Ahura's divine domain, where his authority was almost equivalent to that of a Supreme God.

Next came the forbidden spells cast by mages. These had a slight effect, tearing a small crack in the outer barrier of the Heaven of Light. But in an instant, the crack healed.

So after these two waves of attacks, Li Mochen's forty-eight-story magic tower directly crashed into the opponent's divine domain.

This was undoubtedly permitted by Li Mochen himself; in fact, it was part of the first version of the battle plan drawn up by Athena.

Without 'Fate Township', they would have no possibility of breaking through the Heaven of Light.

As this magic tower crashed into Ahura's divine domain, stirring up a huge wave of magic and shockwaves, the power of light lingering in the surrounding world was instantly reduced by more than half.

Two completely different webs of laws clashed and collided in this airspace, tearing the surrounding void to pieces.

And as Ahura's power of light was suppressed, the tens of millions of troops of the Fate-Light Alliance swarmed into the interior of the Heaven of Light. They were like a huge tide, surging forward, crushing everything, tearing everything apart!