Chapter Ninety-Two: Kneel Down

The hall fell silent.

Under everyone’s gaze, Lin Fan stroked the sharp blade at his waist, the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, and said lightly, “Today, the Great Xia Empire draws its sword.”

The words sent the entire room into uproar.

The Great Xia Empire draws its sword.

Great Xia had always been known for its gentleness. Even when dealing with other nations, it had always taken a conciliatory approach, as though it had no temper at all, as though it never truly grew angry.

And today, Great Xia had drawn its sword for all to see.

More than that, it had chosen to do so at the very press conference where it would make first contact with the gods.

This was not only for the whole world to see, but for the gods themselves.

“Has Great Xia gone mad?”

“My God, this is our first contact with the gods. Can’t we just talk to them properly?”

A foreign reporter interrupted. “If the gods really do exist, and if they truly came in goodwill, but then discovered that Great Xia’s attitude was so hard-line...”

Lin Fan smiled. “There is an old saying in Great Xia: when friends come from afar, is it not a joy?”

“If they have truly come in goodwill, then Great Xia will certainly extend the hospitality of the host.”

“But if...” He paused. “Whether gods, or certain other people, should they come to Great Xia with hostility...”

He did not finish.

Instead, he rested his hand on the gleaming, razor-edged blade at his waist.

At that moment, everyone understood Great Xia’s stance.

“All right, enough of that.” Lin Fan smiled and slowly stepped up to the small black box. “Everyone came here to witness the first communication with the gods.”

“In that case, let us begin.”

Under the gaze of the entire world, Lin Fan pressed the button on the box.

A red light began to flash. One shrill tone after another sounded in irregular bursts, the device constantly adjusting and calibrating its frequency.

At last, the red light turned green, and the shrill sounds ceased.

“Frequency locked.”

“Communication link established.”

A mechanical prompt came from within the black box.

In that instant, the entire hall held its breath.

Everyone, including viewers around the globe watching the broadcast, was silent.

This was the first communication with the gods.

If the gods truly existed... then this would become humanity’s first contact with a higher form of life.

Many eyes were filled with anxiety. After all, according to the Great Xia government, those gods seemed to have arrived with hostile intent.

But many others showed no fear at all. Instead, they were abnormally excited and full of expectation. They felt that the Great Xia authorities were being overly alarmist. After all, these were gods—why could they not be peaceful and benevolent beings?

In their view, this first contact with the gods should be harmonious: the gods would arrive with immense goodwill, help humanity, bring more advanced technology, end human wars, provide means to cure all diseases, and in the end everyone would live together in love and peace...

And now.

All speculation, good or bad, would be settled.

In the silence, a cold voice seemed to notice something and slowly spoke.

“Are you the ones hidden behind the door, listening?”

The whole hall erupted at once.

“Someone really answered!”

“It’s the gods! The gods!”

“The gods really exist!”

But the next moment, with a small wave of Lin Fan’s hand, silence descended again.

Everyone looked at him with anticipation, waiting for his first conversation with the gods.

This would be a dialogue recorded in the annals of all human history.

Lin Fan took out the prepared script that Elder Chen had written for him. Leaning toward the microphone extending from the black box, he cleared his throat and spoke in a cordial, neither arrogant nor deferential tone.

“Hello. We are the human beings who live on Planet Blue.”

“Please allow us to address you as gods.”

“We know that you possess great power, power beyond that of beings like us. Here, on behalf of the Great Xia Empire on Planet Blue, and on behalf of all the people of Great Xia, I would like to welcome your arrival, and we look forward to your friendly and benevolent...”

It was a very polite exchange.

The script, written by Elder Chen, was formal in tone and carried a very proper attitude. One could even say that Great Xia had placed itself in the correct position from the very beginning: we know you are formidable, and we welcome your arrival.

After all, the gods had not yet replied. Humanity certainly could not simply burst out cursing, “Damn it, so you’re the gods? Heard you’re pretty arrogant. Want to try me?”

That would be no different from deliberately stirring trouble.

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of those in the venue visibly relaxed. They had even feared that Lin Fan, with the Green Dragon Blade at his waist, would say something like, “Great Xia draws its sword today!”

Now that they saw nothing wrong with his words and heard that his tone and manner were both gentle, everyone let out a breath of relief.

“Maybe we really can establish diplomatic ties with the gods,” Bai Zhan said thoughtfully. “Perhaps we were overthinking things before. With this friendly exchange, maybe there won’t be any war when the gods descend. What Lin Fan said about a war might just be a misunderstanding...”

Elder Jin’s expression also loosened slightly.

Not just Elder Jin, not just the people in the hall. At that moment, listening to Lin Fan’s harmonious tone, the entire people of Great Xia seemed to relax a little.

Great Xia might be making full national preparations against a divine invasion.

But in truth, if one asked who least wanted war, it was the people of Great Xia.

Great Xia was a peace-loving nation.

And although the construction of the Steel Great Wall had only just begun, it had already begun to affect the daily lives of the people. Everyone understood the necessity of it, but if war could be avoided, how wonderful would that be?

But...

Just as Lin Fan had only spoken halfway through, the voice from the black box interrupted him.

“Knelt.”

The two words came out with startling abruptness.

There was no intention of conversation at all, only the coldness of command, utterly indifferent.

Lin Fan stood frozen for a long moment. Holding the script, he said, “If you bear ill will toward Great Xia, then we have also prepared for every possibility. Great Xia fears no enemy, not even gods. When—”

“Knelt.”

The voice interrupted again.

Lin Fan was silent for a moment, then lowered the script.

“Can we talk?” he asked, frowning.

“Knelt.”

Still those two words.

“Heh.” Lin Fan sighed. “So this is your attitude?”

“We sincerely wish to communicate with you.”

“But if this is how you choose to act...”

Before he could finish, the voice came coldly once more: “Knelt.”

It was like an order from the gods themselves.

“Knelt, and then what?” Lin Fan said slowly.

This time, the reply was no longer just two words.

“Knelt, and proclaim our divine name. Offer up your souls, and you shall become our faithful believers.”

“Your lands will become our divine realm.”