System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)-Chapter 341: The Truth of the Union
Ethan refocused his vision and everything returned to normal, but he now felt a strange sense of satiety. It was like a person who had never eaten until feeling full and did not know what true fulfillment was; once they eat their fill, they realize they had lived their entire life in hunger. It is easy to move forward into that state, but returning to the old emptiness is impossible. Ethan now understood that the condition he had lived in was truly pitiful.
"Do you see the difference now? This is also the reason why Lord Truth Seeker thought this was a prison, since the world has very thin spiritual energy, yet the ground still generates spirit stones like any part of the main continent" said she. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Ethan nodded, beginning to grasp the intentions behind the formation.
"Would it be possible to meet him?" said Ethan.
"It is almost impossible since all forces are occupied with this at the moment. In the past, a stranger might enter once every ten or twenty years; sometimes fifty years would pass without one appearing. However, during the last five years, something truly strange has happened. In the first year, three people entered, which was odd. The next year, fifteen entered. The year after that, forty. This year alone, more than fifty outsiders have entered, and we aren’t even halfway through the year. No one can withdraw from the arrival zones because the people entering now seem different. Before, they were all strangers with no connection, but the latest ones wear the same clothing. We haven’t been able to confirm their relationship because they are powerful and determined; when they are about to die, they unleash suicide techniques and take others with them. Not a single one has been captured alive" said she.
She looked at Ethan with a piercing gaze, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
"Now do you understand why, despite having offended them, more powerful people have not come in person to finish you off? They cannot afford the luxury. To them, you are just a child showing off to the world, which is normal and natural. Fresh blood is needed to keep humanity alive, and they are not so ruthless as to crush every seed. However, you have crossed every possible limit. You declared war on two top-level organizations, killed their envoys, destroyed their headquarters, sabotaged their operations, annihilated their common folk, and as far as I know, you gravely wounded a high-ranking soldier named Boris. Your actions are a slap in the face to powerful organizations, and declaring war on the Union is unprecedented. Nevertheless, they cannot seek you out to settle scores because they risk a conflict on two fronts" said she.
"I understand, Matriarch, but why are you telling me all this? I don’t think this is something everyone knows" said Ethan.
"I do not want you to overestimate yourself. It is not your power that keeps them at bay, but rather that the outsiders represent an even more terrifying danger. If that threat is ever resolved and you feel too full of yourself, that would be the day they assassinate you" said she.
"You are right, Matriarch. I have been reckless. I appreciate and will take your advice" said Ethan.
"For the moment, you must maintain a low profile. Parthenon agreed with me not to pursue you; they will move past the attack on Boris and the facilities you destroyed in northern Canada" said she.
"Matriarch, do you know what was in those places I destroyed?" said Ethan.
"I know... unfortunately, I know. I am not against what you did; I truly think you were right in your actions, but unfortunately, this is not a fair world" said she.
"But..." said Ethan, but the Matriarch interrupted him.
"Justice exists between powers of the same level. When speaking of two such disparate forces, justice does not exist. It is mercy that they do not destroy you immediately" said she.
"But the Union and their damn words about maintaining balance..." said Ethan.
She interrupted him again.
"I understand your frustration. Thinking the world is fair is what makes you young; you have not yet been contaminated with the truth of the world. However, you must know that things are not as easy as they seem. The Union is not a charity organization. They do not go around the world seeking peace, stopping injustices, or bringing justice to the helpless" said she.
Ethan listened in silence as the image he had of the world’s authorities crumbled.
"The Union was created with the sole purpose of facing external threats. Before them, the wars between all the groups in the world were very bloody, even more so than now. However, with the attacks from the outsiders, continuing to attack each other was simply giving the victory to the enemy. So they signed a pact. The Union is a group of powerful people representing the strongest organizations, but they are not an organization themselves; they are only a council designed to prevent conflicts from escalating to the point where one of the two involved must die and they can no longer live under the same sky" said she.
Ethan remained speechless as the weight of her words settled over him. She was right; looking at it from their perspective, the powerful gained nothing by defending those they considered insects. It would only mean losing manpower, and besides, every organization had its own hidden interests.
"I understand. It won’t happen again, Matriarch" said Ethan.
"You are still young and have room to grow; just make sure to move calmly. The last thing I wanted to tell you is that the situation could escalate, and they are preparing an ark to escape this place. If everything fails, they will flee. I want you to know this so you understand the gravity of the situation" said she.
Ethan looked at her, surprised by the scale of their contingency plan.
"And you, Matriarch? Will you go with them?" said Ethan.
"After being betrayed and now being at war with some factions of the Union, it is impossible that they would allow me. So no, I will not go with them. However, I am also preparing to leave on my own" said she.
She paused, looking at Ethan with a calculating but sincere expression.
"When the time comes for me to attempt my escape, I want you to follow me. I am offering you a place by my side" said she.
"Can I bring other people with me?" said Ethan, immediately thinking of his women, Jason, and all his loyal friends and trusted men.
She shook her head slowly, her expression turning somber.
"No. At most, you could bring a couple of people" said she.
Ethan did not hesitate for a second. His gaze hardened with a resolve that even the Matriarch found daunting.
"Then I thank you, but I must decline. I do not abandon my loved ones. We either live together, or we die together" said Ethan.
The Matriarch stared at him, her eyes widening in genuine disbelief. In a world where cultivators frequently sacrificed their own kin for a chance at immortality or survival, Ethan’s immediate refusal was almost alien to her.
"Do you truly understand what you are saying, Ethan? We are talking about the end of this world as we know it. Facing death is never an easy choice, and staying behind with a crowd of weaklings is a death sentence" said she.
"My people are not just a crowd. They are the reason I fight to become stronger. If I save myself by leaving them to rot, then I have already lost everything that makes my strength worth having" said Ethan.
"Loyalty is a noble sentiment, but it is a luxury for the living. When the sky begins to fall and the formation collapses, your ’loved ones’ will be nothing more than anchors dragging you into the abyss. Wouldn’t they want you to survive, even if they cannot?" said she.
"Perhaps they would, but I would never be able to look at my own reflection again. A life bought with the betrayal of those who trust me is not a life I am interested in living" said Ethan.
The Matriarch stood up, pacing the small room as she tried to wrap her mind around his stubbornness. She had seen countless heroes crumble when faced with the cold reality of their own extinction, yet this young man didn’t even blink.
"You are being a fool, Ethan. A talented, powerful fool. You have the potential to reach the main continent and perhaps even rival the Truth Seeker himself one day. Why throw it all away for people who cannot help you reach the top?" said she.
"Because the top is a very lonely place if you have to step on the corpses of your friends to get there" said Ethan.
She stopped pacing and sighed, a mixture of frustration and a hidden, growing respect dancing in her eyes. She realized that no amount of logic or fear would bend the iron will of the man standing before her.
"There is still time left before the final hour. The Ark is not yet ready, and my own path is still being prepared. If the pressure of the world becomes too much or if you find yourself watching everything you love burn, remember my offer" said she.
She reached into her robe and produced a small, silver card with a series of engraved numbers that glowed with a faint blue light.
"If you change your mind, contact me. I do not give my number to many, so do not lose it. But if you do call, make sure it is because you are ready to leave the dead behind" said she.
Ethan took the card, his expression remaining unchanged, showing no sign of wavering.
"I will keep it, Matriarch. But don’t expect that call to be for an escape for one" said Ethan.
