Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Rio Center.
The bright overhead lights illuminated the venue. People moved about constantly, wearing clothes of various styles, representing different races and skin tones. Upon arriving, each guest was guided by receptionists to the area designated for their country.
"Thank you."
Mike smiled, his tall, powerful figure exuding polite courtesy as he thanked the beautiful receptionist. Then he straightened his spine and sat down slowly.
"You're welcome."
The receptionist, dressed in a red ceremonial uniform, gave a charming smile, told him he could call on her if needed, and politely left the area.
Ten years had passed, yet he hadn't changed much. His face showed no signs of aging. He had neatly trimmed his once-rough features. His presence exuded quiet authority, naturally emanating the aura of a leader.
His towering physique appeared even sturdier than before. The chest of his suit bulged prominently with power.
As the national representative of the Kingdom of Tegus, he had come to attend the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held at the Rio Center in Brazil.
Representatives from over 180 countries and regions, delegates from more than 60 international organizations, and over 100 heads of state or government had gathered to speak at the conference, calling on governments and citizens alike to take active measures to cooperate and coordinate in preventing environmental pollution and ecological deterioration. It was a joint effort to protect humanity's living environment.
His fingertips lightly tapped the brown table surface in front of him. The table featured beautiful wood grain under soft lighting. In the upper left corner sat a bottle of natural mineral water bearing the Ω symbol, which stirred thoughts in his heart.
The immense changes brought about by Bardi were truly earth-shaking. His homeland had become a stable, peaceful nation, and he had become its representative. The country had steadily grown stronger.
Ten years ago, he was just a wandering mercenary. Now, as a national delegate, he even held a degree of political power in his home country.
It was… incredible.
Knock... knock... knock... knock.
He lightly tapped the table, eyes drifting away from the water bottle logo. He smiled calmly, scanning the venue with gentle eyes. Whenever another representative met his gaze, he would nod politely with a composed smile, demonstrating the etiquette of the Kingdom of Tegus, even though the nation had only been renamed and reestablished a few years ago.
Here, he saw several other nations that had also recently stabilized after years of war.
These were all countries he was familiar with. Nations directly controlled by Bardi. There were even rumors that Bardi controlled more than seven others—details Mike did not fully understand.
Even as one of the first people to follow Bardi, Mike couldn't grasp the full scope of Bardi's plans.
Now, these nations flourished like his own homeland.
Mike smiled at their representatives, or in some cases, presidents. They returned the same kind of knowing smile and nodded back in acknowledgment.
These countries were widely known to be under Bardi's control.
On the surface, his influence appeared financial. In reality, Bardi had a country named after him, where he ruled as emperor.
Bardi was like a parasite, or a cancerous cell of the Earth, infiltrating and consuming every nation. The world remained in awe of his influence, his abilities, his wealth, and his technology.
The United States, fearful of his power, had designated Metropolis as a special administrative zone and established Project Skyeye, an organization meant solely to monitor him—symbolizing that Bardi was constantly under America's watch.
Then, Mike's eyes lit up with excitement. A short distance ahead stood a man in a brown trench coat, with a large golden Ω symbol on the back. He was well-built, not as exaggeratedly muscular as Mike, but certainly stronger than the average man. His bald head gleamed under the lights.
That was the representative of the Barmulodi Group, Lex, attending on behalf of the American-based conglomerate—the largest corporation in the world—at this global environmental protection summit.
As for the Nation of Barmulodi, due to its prior shift to an autocratic monarchy, over 100 countries in the United Nations had angrily condemned it as hegemonic and authoritarian.
But such boycotts were laughable.
In today's world, the Ω logo had spread to every corner. It was embedded into everything. Every nation had something marked with it.
Lex seemed to sense someone watching him. He turned, glanced at Mike, and then coldly turned away, sitting upright again.
"Lex… this brat…"
Mike muttered in dissatisfaction. Lex, that kid, had grown up under his watch. Why didn't he know how to respect his elders?
What Mike truly coveted wasn't Lex himself, but the golden Ω logo on his back. As the representative of the Kingdom of Tegus, he wasn't authorized to wear clothing bearing the emblem of Barmulodi's glory. That made him itch with envy.
Damn it. One day, I'm going to beat this brat.
In the end, Mike could only keep a composed expression, glaring at Lex as the conference gradually began. As representatives from various countries arrived, the host nation Brazil began the opening speech.
There's a story behind this. Why does Brazil always open the United Nations General Assembly?
It stems from an incident at the first-ever assembly, where no head of state was willing to go first. The countries agreed that whoever volunteered would forever be granted the right to deliver the opening speech.
The President of Brazil volunteered back then, so for over 70 years, Brazil has always spoken first at every UN General Assembly.
…
While the United Nations meeting continued inside, outside on the cleared streets, Brazilian army soldiers stood guard.
However…
Two individuals strolled past the elite soldiers with ease, walking down the cordoned streets toward the center of Rio.
It was as if no one else existed. No one could see them.
"Are such weak surface dwellers really worth coexisting with?"
The speaker was a man with murky eyes, a gloomy face, and a faintly cruel demeanor. He sneered, lifted his head, exhaled through narrow cheeks, and held a magical trident, casting a concealment spell.
He was tall, with a strangely fluid motion—like a fish in water. Especially dressed in a black fish-scale bodysuit and flowing black cloak, he carried the dark presence of a deep-sea creature.
"It is Amazon's duty to protect humanity."
The voice was firm and unyielding, classic Amazonian warrior resolve.
Antiope wore a deep green cloak. Her powerful, muscular figure radiated the beauty of a warrior. She was clad in Amazonian armor, silver bracelets, and iron boots. Her slightly dark skin made her look exceptionally fierce and commanding.
She cast a cold glance at the man beside her, Ocean Master Orm, younger brother to the King of Atlantis. Then she turned her gaze away, offering no response or argument.
Antiope was the Queen of the Amazons, sister to Hippolyta.
Now, both appeared before the world as official representatives of their long-hidden nations.
Orm glanced sideways one last time, eyes flashing with cruelty, but said nothing more.
The two walked the cleared streets. Due to Orm's magic, the soldiers on guard didn't detect anything unusual.
At last, the pair entered the Rio Center, approached the United Nations venue, and dropped their stealth enchantment.
Orm stepped boldly onto the podium, gazing coldly at the stunned representatives from every nation.
"All nations, please listen to me."
(To be continued.)
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