The Imperium council hall was silent.
The more than two hundred representatives from various countries present seemed to be frozen in that second, their expressions filled with shock, fear, and—… ahem.
This included the three Western Council representatives who had initially stood up and consistently voiced opposition.
The politicians who could sit here were all carefully selected, one in ten thousand intelligent individuals, and skills like observing expressions and nuances were merely their most basic abilities.
But precisely because of this.
They could sense an unshakeable, indestructible resolve, like gold and stone, in the tone, demeanor, and eyes of the 'Fourth Wallfacer'!
He was serious!
"Destroying more than half of humanity." The U.S. representative was momentarily dazed, slumping back into his chair, as if his soul had left his body, his gaze hollow and vacant as he stared at that figure, muttering, "Daemon, daemon, daemon…"
Although the council hall was large.
His murmurs still carried.
And the U.S. representative's dazed murmuring also articulated their shared thought.
Yes, the 'Fourth Wallfacer' before them was not humanity's 'savior' at all, but a daemon struggling out of purgatory and crawling into the human world!
What he brought was by no means hope.
But war, slaughter, despair, and annihilation!
Among the silent council members, only Rey Diaz, who had recently been broken, showed intense interest in Emrys' plan.
This decisive madman, who could conceive of a "Mutual destruction" plan, not only felt no fear but even appeared fanatical.
Rey Diaz's bloodshot eyes fixed tightly on Emrys, his voice hoarse but extremely excited.
"How do you intend to do it? Disbanding the power structures of various countries and unifying humanity is just the first step. You must have other plans, right?!"
"Are you very curious?"
Emrys tilted his head, observing him.
To be honest, among these three, the Wallfacer he admired most was Manuel Rey Diaz.
The reason was actually very simple.
Among the plans of the four Wallfacers, only two dared to conceive of "Mutual destruction."
To some extent, Rey Diaz and Luo Ji were actually the same type of person.
And the outcomes for both were remarkably similar.
Just as humanity would not thank Luo Ji, after his plan was revealed, Rey Diaz's end was to be stoned to death by his enraged people.
In the Warhammer Universe, kindness does not exist.
If one doesn't even have the courage for "Mutual destruction," how can one deal with so many monsters and daemons?
This is why Emrys greatly admired Rey Diaz; when humanity loses everything, it must not—
Lose the courage for mutual destruction!
"Of course!" Rey Diaz nodded without hesitation, clenching his fists, his white hair and his ferocious, tyrannical expression forming a stark contrast, like a cruel beast with fierce eyes.
"I approve of your plan. Humanity doesn't need cowardly leaders, nor does it need so-called Wallfacers. What humanity needs is a tough, iron-blooded ruler. Only you, and it must be you, are qualified to mend the entire human society!"
His plan had failed.
However, Rey Diaz saw a glimmer of hope and a chance for survival for humanity in Emrys.
Given this, why should he dwell on a plan that was destined to fail?
"I hope I can join your plan."
In the depths of Rey Diaz's pupils, burning fighting spirit and fire leaped out, and he looked at the person on the stage like a fanatical believer.
"I can do anything, whether it's helping you identify gaps or helping you disguise the plan. As long as humanity can win, I don't mind giving my all!"
He didn't care how much humanity would lose.
As long as the outcome was humanity's victory.
Even if the cost of this victory was so painful that all of humanity could barely bear it, it was still worth it!
This principle is simple: because only a civilization that survives has the right to remember pain and to mourn those who have passed away.
"Then, welcome to the team—Mr. Manuel Rey Diaz."
Emrys naturally wouldn't lady the opportunity to have such a determined person join his team.
After all, after he left, someone would still be needed to help with management, and Rey Diaz and Wade were excellent candidates.
Shi Ensi's face was pale as he looked at Rey Diaz, opening his mouth, but ultimately closing it and shutting his eyes, as if sighing in despair.
"Wait."
Suddenly, Tyler, the former U.S. Department of Defense official, after chain-smoking, seemed to have figured something out, his eyes showing a hint of sharpness.
"I'll join too. I can do anything, not because I approve of your plan, but because I want to see for myself—that slim 'hope'."
"Mr. Tyler, even you—…"
Tyler's declaration of his stance surprised not only Shi Ensi but also the U.S. representative on stage.
One must know that Tyler, as the former U.S. Department of Defense Secretary, wielded considerable political influence, and his active support was already sending a clear signal to the outside world!
"I don't understand—"
Shi Ensi painfully clutched his hair, his fingers deeply embedded in his scalp, completely enveloped by despair.
Could it be that humanity really could only, as Emrys said, enter a terrifying era?
No, if this was humanity's future, it would be dozens, even hundreds of times more terrifying than the First and Second world Wars combined. The number of deaths at that time might be the highest since humanity entered a new era!
Even if humanity ultimately won in such a terrifying future, what then?
He was a staunch pacifist.
However, at this moment, Shi Ensi desperately hoped that all his life's learning could find a way out for humanity.
Rey Diaz, the elderly President of South America, like a terrifying lion king, scanned the entire hall with frightening eyes, roaring in a low voice.
"Perhaps you've forgotten that humanity—the reason it evolved from monkeys who ate raw meat to the Master of this world—relied not on morality, ethics, or social order, but on the fighting spirit etched into our genes."
"We are beasts!"
"And beasts never yield their territory. Now is the time to let those who think they are superior, the advanced Trisolarans, witness the might of the beast!"
Zzzzz!
Suddenly, a piercing electric sound came.
The large screen in the council hall seemed to be hacked, displaying digital garble composed of zeros and ones, flickering at a very high frequency, and finally arranging into a line of text that appeared before everyone's eyes.
"You are bugs."
"Trisolaran Civilization will not fear bugs."
It was Sophon!
Sophon had intruded into the council.
Or, it had been there from the beginning, only choosing to appear before everyone at this moment.
"Is that so?"
Emrys chuckled, looking at the garbled text on the screen.
"Then—what am I in your eyes?"
"You are too."
"Are you longing for 'war'?"
"As you wish, but—unlike the war situation you imagine, we will make you clearly realize how vast the gap between civilizations is."
"War between civilizations never relies on the strength of individuals."
"We are very curious."
"Under your leadership, what kind of future will humanity's Civilization embark upon?"
"Well said, I think so too."
Emrys said meaningfully.
"Perhaps the future war situation will also be different from what you imagine?"