168: Chapter 168 The Strategic Game Between East and West (Part 2) and [The Man of Kingship]

While the underground conference room of the Eastern Command Center was still arguing over the details of "Guardian Project 2.0," the Capitol Hill conference hall on the North American continent had fallen into a strange silence—not the peace of consensus, but the helpless obedience suppressed by power, or more accurately, by [Royal Power].

A crimson carpet stretched from the entrance of the Capitol Hill conference hall to the front of the main podium. Ryan Rockefeller, the eldest young master of the Rockefeller Family, was standing on the main podium, looking down at all the high-ranking officials of the Western nations, including the President.

Ryan tapped his fingertips continuously on the tabletop, producing a series of "tap-tap" sounds that struck everyone's heart like heavy hammers.

This heir to the Rockefeller conglomerate, who controlled the life and death of the entire Western nation from behind the scenes, was dressed in a privately tailored white suit with a dark gold Family emblem on his chest. In his right hand, he held a crystal scepter topped with a sapphire lion's head, which was his Dream Spirit, [Monarch].

As Ryan activated his Rank A Talent, [Person of Royal Power], he felt a natural sense of control over all the participants in the conference hall, and arguably, over the entire Western nation.

Unlike the Rank B Talent [Leadership Charisma], which merely deepened others' approval and his own affinity, the Rank A Talent [Person of Royal Power] allowed Ryan to control the life and death of everyone present, just as a monarch held the power of life and death over their subjects.

As Ryan immersed himself in the pleasure of controlling the lives and deaths of others, his level of connection to the [Root] of [Royal Power] was also deepening bit by bit.

Whether it was the President, members of the Senate and House of Representatives, high-ranking officials of the Supreme Court, or personnel from the [Supernatural Phenomenon Response Agency (DPRA)], no one dared to disturb Ryan.

Ryan planted his Dream Spirit [Monarch] on the floor, rubbed the blue crystal lion's head with his right hand, and leaned against the podium. With the cold gaze of a superior looking down at subordinates, he said irrefutably, "I don't want to know any of your thoughts! Your existence is merely a tool for my Rockefeller Family. Tools only need to execute their master's orders! They don't need to have thoughts! If they don't work well, just replace them! I don't care if you are corrupt, taking bribes, or committing murder and arson; I just need you to manage this country well!"

Ryan sat back in the only chair on the podium and then called a beautiful young woman up to the stage. She was [Clara], the head of [DPRA].

With a nod from Ryan, Clara began to speak: "I will now convey Lord Ryan's thoughts. Everyone, please look."

A beam of light shot from the center of the main podium, forming a huge holographic projection in the air, with dense data, text, and images appearing one by one.

Clara reached out her right hand and pulled a small spider with a black background and white markings from her chest pocket. The little creature quickly crawled up her right arm onto her shoulder and affectionately rubbed against her cheek.

"Rose, it's time to work," Clara said, gently tapping the head of the Dream Spirit [Rose] with her right index finger.

"Perhaps you don't know me very well, so please allow me to introduce myself. I am Clara, the head of the DPRA, the owner of the Rank B Talent [Child of Memory], and a Host whose connection level to the [Root] of [Memory] has reached [Root Cognition]. This little spider is my Dream Spirit, [Rose]. My Talent basically has no attack capability; its main ability is to peek into memories. In other words, to all you big shots present, your memories are equivalent to an opened safe to me, with absolutely no protection, oh~" Clara said, speaking threats in the gentlest of tones.

"First, I want to emphasize the most important thing: Lord Ryan's will is the will of the Rockefeller Family! It is the will of our country! I hope everyone does not forget this. Please do not attempt to provoke Lord Ryan's authority!"

The young woman looked at Ryan with fanatical, worshipful eyes. Only when Ryan gave her a charitable, approving glance did her face instantly flush with excitement.

The holographic projection screen switched instantly, popping up three documents: "Non-Human Host Value Assessment Report," "Feasibility of Mass-Producing Forced Slave Contract Items," and "National Grading System."

Clara raised her hand and pointed to the documents in the air, saying, "Based on currently known information, we have learned from the Raccoon-Person Hosts who signed slave contracts that Non-Human Hosts do not have the diverse Talents and Dream Spirits like us; they only have their own humanoid bodies. According to our researchers' tests, the bodies of these Non-Human Hosts are currently 2 to 3 times stronger than ordinary adult males in terms of attack, defense, speed, and self-healing. Given that Non-Human Hosts who have just acquired humanoid bodies generally do not have high intelligence, our DPRA research team's suggestion is to sign slave contracts and forcibly enslave Non-Human Hosts. Currently, my research team has already produced [Forced Slave Contract (Specialized for Non-Human Hosts)], and we are in the process of mass-producing this item."

"Currently, in the Amazon basin, there are three Parrot-Person Hosts who refuse to sign slave contracts and have been located by our 'Hunter Squad.' They possess artistic Talent; such 'high-quality slaves' must absolutely not be left at large!"

A Democratic congressman from California suddenly stood up, his voice filled with uncontrollable excitement, "Enslaving non-human intelligent creatures is inhumane. I strongly recommend establishing the 'Non-Human Intelligent Creature Rights Act'!"

Clara looked at the congressman with a cold gaze. After activating her Talent [Child of Memory], she let out a disdainful laugh and then looked at him playfully, saying, "Heh heh~ This congressman's cat is actually a Non-Human Host who completed the trial task~ And your Family actually treats him like your own child~ Hahaha."

The flush-faced congressman was just about to rebuke Clara for the unethical act of peeking into others' memories when he was struck by a blue beam of light shot from the podium. It was Ryan, who had activated his Talent [Person of Royal Power] and fired it through the lion's mouth embedded at the top of the scepter of his Dream Spirit, [Monarch].

Amidst a strange cracking sound, the congressman actually twisted his own neck. Ryan said, with a hint of anger, "I said, if a tool doesn't obey, just replace it!"

Clara continued gently: "According to Lord Ryan's philosophy, Hosts are higher in status than ordinary humans. Among Hosts, national Rank is distinguished based on Rank E to Rank A Talents, while ordinary humans are the lowest, Rank F. All registered Hosts will receive regular funding based on their Talent Rank, obtain extremely high social welfare and rights, and be granted the right to kill ordinary humans when provoked. After the meeting, the DPRA will use internet public opinion to build momentum and announce our country's decision to revere the status of Hosts to the world, thereby attracting Hosts from other countries to join us. Furthermore, we will notify the undercover agents lurking in the Great Eastern Nation to incite high-quality Hosts to change their nationality and to assassinate stubborn Hosts."

The entire room fell silent, not knowing whether to be shocked by the congressman's suicide or worried about their own status as non-Host ordinary humans.

Clara saw the worry in the hearts of most participants through her Talent and smiled, saying, "Congressmen and officials who are still ordinary humans, do not worry. Our great Lord Ryan has obtained the authority to create [dreamscape system invitation letter] through a Dream Task, which can allow ordinary humans to obtain Host status. Any of you big shots who want to become a Host, please contact me after the meeting."

With Clara's words, 80% of the people in the conference hall looked at Ryan with fiery eyes.

Clara pointed to the screen that had just switched in the holographic projection and said, "Currently, the DPRA has deployed 2,000 soldiers through multiple [Dream Gate]s and has established multiple small strongholds in the [Dream World]. Our side will obtain as much research material as possible through the violent extraction of dream plants, dream minerals, and the hunting of dream creatures, providing technical and resource support for our country's territory to expand into the [Dream World]!"

Next, Clara continued to issue directives on Ryan's behalf. As this young woman who could peek into memories constantly incited the emotions of the participants, the atmosphere in the entire conference hall rapidly shifted from cold fear to fanaticism and restlessness. Every department of the entire Western major power would begin to operate frantically after the meeting ended, all because this was the command of their [Royal Power]—Ryan Rockefeller.