Chapter 1044: The Shadow Council
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In the realm that was hidden from the public eyes, creatures living in the shadows were living in violence where the cruel demon hunters were killing everyone that left the sanctuary. Killing and suppression had been maintaining the status quo for a long time. In the beginning, human beings were weak. They survived only because the demon hunters and the unusual creatures were busy killing each other. Later, when human beings became more powerful, the demon hunting went underground but remained the key to maintaining the balance.
But now the demon hunters were no longer able to continue with this kind of killing as they had lost the reason and motivation to do so. So a new ‘authority’ was needed to maintain the world order.
This was not only to protect humanity, but also the old unusual creature families. These ancient families, which were sensible and cunning, were well aware of this as this would also lay the foundation for their benefits.
“Before discussing the new world order, I would like to introduce a person,” Hao Ren got to his feet and said. He opened up his Dimensional Pocket next to the conference table. “Some of you may recognize him,” he said.
Then, Mimir appeared.
A silent exclamation of shock was heard in the room. There was a commotion among the meeting partic.i.p.ants when they saw the giant skull. Obviously, most people born after the Mythological era did not know this ancient. But Mimir still had an old acquaintance in the room. “Mimir?” A voice was heard in the corner of the room.
It was a woman in black, who looked depressed. After carefully rummaging in his memory, Hao Ren finally recognized her; she was Hel, one of the only survivors of the Norse G.o.ds.
“Long time no see, Loki’s little girl.” Mimir did not open his mouth, but his voice echoed in the head of everyone. His eyes swept across the room. “Not many familiar faces,” he said.
“You are…” Hel was a bit shocked, but her reaction had somewhat neutralized her cold temperament. “You’re still alive? I thought you and Yggdrasil had fallen into the Ginnungagap.
Mimir smiled. “I am alive, of course. I have spent 2,000 years in the headquarters of the demon hunters. I was their advisor.”
Everyone was stunned.
“I should have let him come out to meet with you all just now,” Hao Ren grabbed his hair, “but I was carried away by my speech just now.”
Mimir’s words knocked the socks off the otherworldling leaders in the room. Nevertheless, they accepted it. After all, Vivian could be the 14th sage, there was nothing more they could not believe in.
“I heard your discussions,” Mimir said slowly. “Vivian and Lily are only leaders of the demon hunters in name only. Their voices in the Council of Elders are limited. On the contrary, I have been their advisor for more than 2,000 years and responsible for the matter of their inheritance, so I do have a say. I can speak on their behalf,” he said.
As the giant of wisdom and the counselor of the Norse G.o.ds had puzzled everyone. But come to think of it, if a sage could reincarnate into a dog, why not Mimir represented the demon hunters?
Tedious elaboration, debate, supplementation, and discussion ensued for the next two hours.
In those two hours, the outline of a new world order began to take shape.
Vivian’s envisagement of the world after the demon hunters was that the unusual creatures would not have to continue huddling in the sanctuary. They were free to live in human society. The demon hunters would not kill them as both sides would come to a truce. The unusual creatures would live the way of life that they learned from modern human society and eventually integrate peacefully as well as steadily into life on Earth. They would gain the most precious thing in life, which was freedom and security.
Vivian pressed her hands on the table and said, “We have to consider that there are still many people who are not friendly enough to human society. In the absence of the demon hunters, the otherworldlings will attack the humans. So in the initial stage, we will only allow those who have pa.s.sed the a.s.sessment and taken the oath to leave the sanctuary. The existing ancients would be the leaders, and the highly-respected big family leaders would be the backbone to form an organization that is similar to a supervisory committee. This organization will control the population movement of each sanctuary and monitor the movement of supernatural creatures who are in the outside world. I know that quite a few of you have had contact with human society before and therefore you should be familiar with it. What we need to do next is to let those who have never left the sanctuary adapt to the outside world, just like you.”
During the demon-hunting days, there were still unusual creatures active in the outside world. The bunch of demons and monsters in Hao Ren’s family aside, the most obvious example was the business empire under the control of the Hessianite Family. Hessiana often got out of the sanctuary going around visiting her businesses. However, due to the ongoing killing, these supernatural creatures living in human society must live discreetly and not get too involved. There were thousands of members in the Hessianite Family, but only a few hundred of them could partic.i.p.ate in the businesses in the human world. The rest of them had not left the sanctuary for at least a thousand years.
But starting today, these ‘people’ would be able to move around safely outside the sanctuary, as long as they did not disturb the social order of Earth.
They would become a huge community.
And this community needed an organization with sufficient authority and strength to oversee it.
“The idea is good, but it’s not easy to form this kind of supervisory organization,” Zeon Lucas scratched his chin while saying. “Though the innate hostility has disappeared, the gap between the various races is not so easy to bridge. Since the high-level leaders of each race will sit in this supervisory organization, our own unity will become the first hurdle,” he said.
“This is the problem that you have to find a solution for,” Hao Ren said. “And I believe that you will be able to solve this problem. I think you might have discussed the feasibility of establis.h.i.+ng a similar ‘joint organization’ before.”
The representatives of different forces in the room exchanged a look with each other. Though no one spoke a word, the tacit understanding between them was apparent.
“Maybe we should give this new supervisory organization a name.” Hessiana, who had been silent all this while, finally spoke. Scratching her chin while thinking, her body language was exactly the same as Vivian. “How about calling it the Shadow Council?” she asked.
“This name sounds ominous,” Hao Ren said with cold sweat trickling down his forehead. He was not the only one objecting though. Many family representatives also felt that the name did not sound good enough as not all otherworldlings belonged to the shadowy camp. The name Shadow Council was deemed biased.
The family representatives had proposed several alternative names, but they were obviously not very popular.
Lily poked Hao Ren in the arm and said, “Mr. Landlord, please come up with a name.”
Hao Ren cleared his throat and was about to show off his naming talent, but Nangong Wuyue quickly coiled her tail around Hao Ren’s head, looking horrified. “Don’t! Please calm down!” she said.
“There is nothing to discuss.” Vivian suddenly slammed the table and said, “It’s just a name. If you can’t come up with one, just call it the Neighborhood Committee…”
Before Vivian’s voice trailed off, everyone suddenly rose up. They gave the name “Shadow Council” a big thumbs-up and agreed that Hessiana had thought of a good name. This was despite going against it just a while ago.
So the new supervisory organization was named the Shadow Council.
“Since there is a council now, we must first elect a chairperson,” Hessiana said. Appearing lackadaisical during the entire discussion, Hessiana suddenly showed great enthusiasm in the New World Order that Vivian had proposed. The little bat could not wait to give her piece of opinion. “We all know what we have done, and don’t even let me begin with the bad blood between the otherworldling families. Now, even if there is no innate hostility, it is also unpractical for all of you to come to the council every day. So there must be a group of highly respected and powerful ancients, and a chairperson who is the most respected, powerful, qualified, beautiful, charming, perfect, greatest—”
“Ahem. We all know that.” Zeon Lucas, who was mature and steady but zombie-faced, could not stand Hessiana’s overzealousness. “But I disagree,” he said.
Hessiana’s eyebrows arched. “You think you are qualified?” she said.
“It’s not a matter of qualification,” said Zeon Lucas, glancing at Vivian. He appeared a little anxious, one hand above the other, his face sincere. “The countess is no doubt much respected because many dynasties have been destroyed by her. Though I believe she would be fair and honest, there are things that she can’t control. I—”
Hessiana slammed the table and snapped, “Cut the cackle and get straight to the point!”
Hogwarf the old werewolf said with a stolid face, “My family is poor, and we cannot afford the trouble.”
The night demoness’ face was just as vacant. “She is forgetful, and she may not be able to remember that there’s a council here.”
Zeon Lucas’ face was also impa.s.sive. “She will kill everyone before and during her sleep!”
Vivian was dumbstruck.