Yama Rising

With all these thoughts flashing through Qin Ye's mind, he was barely able to contain his own excitement, but he had to keep calm here. Anubis was walking at the forefront of the three pillars' representatives, and he smiled as he extended a paw toward Qin Ye. "Long time no see, Yanluo Qin."

"Indeed, long time no see," Qin Ye replied with a genuine smile. In the instant that the two of them shook hands, there should've been some faint chatter at the back, but instead, there was an eerie silence on this occasion.

The nameless god of death and Peter the Great were seated on their chairs, looking at the handshake with complex expressions.

Similarly, all of the other ruler death gods were also looking on from their chairs, and no one even offered any applause for the arrival of the three pillars. Heavenly Pillar City was like a giant rock weighing down directly on all of their hearts, and the only sound in the hall came from the flashing image capture crystals as the journalists frantically took photographs of the handshake.

Right as the two of them were about to withdraw their hands, a hint of surprise appeared in Anubis's eyes as he exclaimed in a low voice, "You're already a mid Yama-King?"

"Indeed, but it was all down to luck," Qin Ye replied with a modest smile.

Anubis's pupils contracted slightly as he nodded and withdrew his hand.

It had only taken him 10 years to progress from a nascent Yama-King to a mid Yama-King... What kind of insane cultivation speed was this?!

Once all of the underworld emissaries present had sat down, the toll of a bell rang out on the main stage, heralding the official commencement of the first session of discussion for the international trade conference. Thus, a gust of Yin wind blew onto the stage before forming a humanoid figure.

It was an elderly man with a head of white hair, holding a cane in one hand, and he extended a deep bow to everyone present.

This man was the president of the GTO and the world's first-ever trade commissioner, Camross.

Behind him were the three directors of the GTO, Perkins, Lisa, and Erwin.

Despite his elderly appearance, Camross was full of energy and vigor as he smiled and said, "After 50 years, we've all gathered again here today. This is a good thing. It shows that our world has been abiding by the ethos of peaceful development, and we haven't seen any war or unnecessary, widespread bloodshed. In a peaceful era like ours, world trade becomes an extremely important subject of discussion, and that's why our GTO arose to serve the entire world. Today, I am honored to announce the official commencement of yet another international trade conference!"

A round of applause immediately rang out across the entire hall, led by Perkins, but everyone failed to notice the slightly complex look in Perkins's eyes.

Everyone else aside from him was still oblivious to the storm that was coming.

Camross was most likely still under the opinion that this was just going to be a normal international trade conference, with the only difference being the unique conference venue, which was this city constructed on the back of one of the six kings.

He cast a sympathetic gaze toward all of the underworld emissaries present, and his gaze rested momentarily on the representatives of the three pillars before he quickly looked away.

Ignorance was bliss, but their bliss wasn't going to last long. Everyone was about to witness one of the most significant turning points in history, yet they were still completely oblivious. Did they think that Heavenly Pillar City was the only thing that the Cathayan Underworld had to show to the rest of the world? If so, then they were far too naive. The true trump card of the Cathayan Underworld was going to blow everyone out of the water!

Camross continued, "According to past convention, the first order of business is to deliver the report on the trade data for the past 50 years. The GTO has kept detailed records of which nations have experienced increases in imports and exports, and we'll begin with Asia..."

This was nothing more than a routine report, and virtually no one was listening. Everyone was well aware of the trade figures of their own underworld and their important trade partners, so there wasn't much point in listening to the report.

One gaze after another swept over the representatives of the three pillars, and even Thanatos felt as if he were sitting on a bed of nails.

Their allies were waiting for their retaliation, which was planned to take place right after the conclusion of the report!

However, Thanatos was suddenly beginning to have second thoughts.

It definitely wasn't ideal to be revealing their trump card from the get-go...

With that in mind, he cast his gaze toward Anubis and Yamaraja, only to find that they were also looking back at him.

I see, so you two feel just as uneasy as I do.

Thanatos gave them a faint smile before withdrawing his gaze.

Then let's do it!

He cast his gaze toward Qin Ye, who just so happened to be looking at him as well. As Yama-Kings, both of them had a vague sense of premonition for the storm that was about to come.

Let me see what trump card you have up your sleeve that's given you so much confidence!

The only sound ringing out across the entire hall was Camross's voice, and around an hour later, the report finally concluded.

At this point, an eerie silence had settled over the entire room. Prior to this, the faint sound of breathing could still have been heard, but even that had long since faded.

Everyone was staring intently at the four figures at the very front of the hall, waiting with bated breath for what was about to come. Amid the silence, Camross cleared his throat as he said, "According to normal procedure, it's now time for all of the national representatives to state their nation's needs for the next 50 years. The four pillars are the leaders of the world's economy, so let's invite them to give their addresses first."

Thanatos cast his gaze toward Qin Ye and made an inviting hand gesture in a graceful manner.

A faint smile appeared on Qin Ye's face as he said, "It is a tradition in the Cathayan Underworld to respect one's seniors. I'm still a relative novice in my position, and as my senior, it's only right for you to go first."

If you don't go before me, it won't be as satisfying when I crush your hopes and dreams!

Thanatos raised an eyebrow in response. "In that case, please pardon me."

Amid the tense and expectant silence, Thanatos and Archimedes rose to their feet. Countless pairs of eyes instantly focused on them, then on the box that Archimedes was holding.

Is it about to begin?

Anko unconsciously sat up straighter in her seat, while the expressions of the 10 consortium chairmen also changed ever so slightly. Every single Yin spirit present could sense that a storm was about to arrive.

Everyone looked on as Thanatos stepped onto the main stage, then acknowledged everyone in the hall with a calm nod and a faint smile.

His voice was as elegant as music played by an ancient Argosian harp as he said, "As the four pillars, we have a duty to lead the rest of the world forward. We enjoy privileges above all other nations, and as such, it's only right that we take on more duty and responsibility as well. During the past several thousand years, the economic development of the underworld has already reached a peak, or, in other words, a bottleneck. I've constantly been thinking about what could possibly help the world break through that bottleneck to usher in a new era."

He smiled as he turned toward Qin Ye, but his words were directed at all of the Yin spirits in the hall. "Around a decade ago, the Cathayan Underworld provided me with an answer to that question."

Deathly silence.

In the next instant, a string of loud gasps rang out, and everyone turned to stare at Thanatos with stunned expressions.

Anko had almost sprung to her feet, and she wasn't the only one! In that instant, all of the Yin spirits in the hall, regardless of whether they were ruler death gods, consortium representatives, or journalists, reflexively began to spring to their feet before catching themselves at the last second.

"My god..." Anko clapped a hand over her own mouth as she murmured to herself, "Is he talking about a new energy resource?! Is that their trump card?!"

There was definitely no way he would make a joke about something like this on an occasion like this!

At the very least, they had to have made a significant breakthrough!

"Have they gotten there ahead of the Cathayan Underworld?!" a ruler death god murmured to himself with an incredulous expression.

"Has the Prometheus plan already succeeded?!"

"I haven't heard anything about that, but the fact that Death God Thanatos is mentioning this subject now means that they had to have made a significant breakthrough!"

"Does that mean that they've come from behind and beaten the Cathayan Underworld? Did they manage to catch up, after all?"

"Do you still believe in the Cathayan Underworld's new energy resource at this point? They've gone over 10 years without releasing a single report! It's clearly all a sham!"

After a brief flurry of chatter, everyone quickly fell silent again.

Under different circumstances, the entire hall would've definitely erupted into a raucous frenzy, but at this moment, everyone wanted to hear what Thanatos had to say next.

The 10 consortium chairmen were holding the armrests of their chairs in a white-knuckled grip as they stared intently at Thanatos.

After a brief pause, Thanatos's voice abruptly sprang up an octave as he declared, "On behalf of the Heavenly Fire Research Center, I hereby announce that we are the first research organization to have discovered both electron and proton Yin runes! The new era is already beckoning to us! In two to three more years, the new energy resource will be developed, and a new chapter in history will be written!"

Some of the death gods present had already risen to their feet upon hearing this.

All of the death gods' mouths had gaped open slightly, and they were staring at the box being held by Archimedes with slack-jawed expressions.

Even the breathing of the 10 consortium chairmen had become extremely ragged. No one had anticipated that the three pillars would drop such a massive bombshell from the get-go, not affording anyone the opportunity to mentally prepare themselves!

"They did it! The three pillars really did manage to come from behind and beat the Cathayan Underworld!" a death god murmured to himself in a stunned manner.

Everyone was still reeling as Thanatos continued, "At the same time, the Heavenly Fire Research Center is going to be applying for patents during this international trade conference! On top of that, the electron and proton Yin runes will be released to the international energy resource market!"

Boom!!

Everyone erupted into a raucous frenzy upon hearing this.

This announcement entailed that the international energy resource market was going to undergo a massive overhaul, and the GTO was also going to experience significant changes as a result!

The most important thing was that the Cathayan Underworld played no role in any of this!

Countless death gods cast their eyes toward Qin Ye in unison. In this race to open the gates to the new era, the Cathayan Underworld had been beaten by the three pillars!

For the next few centuries, perhaps even the next 1,000 years, the Cathayan Underworld was going to be completely at the three pillars' mercy! They would have to constantly be playing catch-up, but it would be very difficult for them to actually catch up as the three pillars were the dictators of the rules!

It only took no more than a second for the entire hall to erupt into raucous chatter. Everyone was so stunned by this announcement that they no longer cared that they were attending an international trade conference held on the Cathayan Underworld's territory. Small underworlds could see an opportunity to catch up to medium-sized underworlds, medium-sized underworlds were eyeing the pedestal of first-rate underworlds, while first-rate underworlds already had their eyes on the Cathayan Underworld!

A new era was about to arrive, bringing countless opportunities to those who were ready to grab them!

Camross was completely rooted to the spot upon hearing this. He had completely failed to anticipate that such an astonishing announcement would be made to kick off this edition of the international trade conference!

All of the ruler death gods still had the self-control and restraint required to maintain a shred of calmness, but the same couldn't be said about all of the journalists in the hall!

The new era was coming!

Light was flashing incessantly from the image capture crystals, and questions were being frantically yelled from all directions.

"Lord Thanatos, are you certain that you've already discovered the two fundamental Yin runes required to create the new energy resource?"

"Lord Thanatos, how is your new energy resource going to enter the global energy resource market? How will the price be set? What prerequisites must be satisfied before a nation can purchase the patent for the energy resource?"

"Never did I think that I would get to see the emergence of a new energy resource before entering the cycle of reincarnation!"

"They've managed to overtake the Cathayan Underworld! The new energy resource was initially proposed by the Cathayan Underworld, but they've lost the race!"

"My god, this is the most incredible international conference I've ever attended by far!"

No one could've anticipated such a stunning turn of events, and amid the chaotic frenzy, Thanatos cast a meaningful gaze toward Qin Ye.

How are you going to respond? In the wake of this announcement, I can dictate the course that the entirety of this international trade conference takes! During the next few days, everyone is going to be discussing nothing but the new energy resource! This is the biggest trump card possible, and nothing can beat it. In comparison, your trump card is already redundant.

However, to his surprise, he discovered that Qin Ye wasn't panicked or flustered in the slightest.

Why was he so calm? Could it be that he really did hold a trump card superior to the new energy resource? What could that trump card possibly be?