217: The farce is over

During their few months on Earth, the five Angel smugglers could be said to have taken the art of "playing god" to its absolute limit.

Relying on his deceptive angelic appearance, rudimentary psychic tricks that seemed like miracles to ordinary people, and a silver tongue that could talk the dead back to life, Gabriel successfully harvested a massive number of followers on Earth.

He frequently appeared on talk shows of major television stations, using obscure and difficult-to-understand "oracles" to answer people's life dilemmas.

He attended high-society banquets, exchanging ordinary crystals injected with a tiny bit of psychic energy for immense wealth; some radical religious groups even proclaimed him the second coming of the Messiah, attempting to elevate him to a pedestal of divinity.

Although the scientific community and rationalists were full of doubts about the behavior of these aliens, the voices of reason seemed insignificant in the face of massive traffic and blind worship.

"God loves the world, but God also needs... well, some material offerings to repair the ladder to the Heavenly Kingdom."

At a globally broadcast sermon, Gabriel, wearing a robe encrusted with diamonds, floated in mid-air and spoke with a face full of compassion to the tens of thousands of fanatical believers below.

"Recently, the radiance of the Divine Kingdom has dimmed slightly; we need more rare metals and high-purity energy blocks."

In the backstage, Sarah and the other crew members were grinning from ear to ear, thinking of the high-value goods that would soon be continuously transported onto their ship.

"The boss is a genius!" Sarah laughed wildly through the mental link. "These Earthlings are too easy to fool! We've earned more in these few months than we did in fifty years of smuggling along the border!"

"Keep it low profile," Gabriel said, though he was also smiling, maintaining his outward solemnity. "We'll make one last big haul and then pull out. I've been feeling uneasy; the way that guy named Lei Wen looked at me before made me feel like I was being stripped bare."

However, Gabriel's premonition came true, and it arrived faster and more violently than he had imagined... Just as the sermon reached its climax and Gabriel was preparing to perform his signature "Holy Light Radiance" (which was actually a large-scale psychic flash), the Babel Space Station welcomed a group of special visitors.

An incredibly massive warship arrived in the vicinity of the space station.

If Gabriel's golden feather was a delicate white dove, then this newly appeared warship was a Golden-winged Peng that blotted out the sky.

It was over ten kilometers long, its entire body covered in platinum armor that emitted a holy aura. On each side of the hull, three pairs of massive energy wings flapped slowly in the void, each flap stirring space ripples visible to the naked eye.

At the bow was a giant statue of an Angel, holding high a holy sword burning with golden flames.

That was the Sacred Judgment, the royal diplomatic vessel of the Angel Theocracy Empire.

And surrounding it were twelve heavy cruisers, each emitting a pressure that made the starry sky tremble.

"This... what is this?!"

On Earth, people watching the live broadcast were all stunned by the satellite footage that suddenly broke into the screen.

Gabriel, who was in the middle of "casting his spell," suddenly stiffened, and his body floating in mid-air almost fell straight down.

His golden pupils, which were originally full of "divinity," had now completely lost their composure.

"The... Royal Fleet?!"

He let out a scream like a stuck pig through the mental link. "Why? Why are they here? Is it to catch us? Is it worth it? To deploy a main fleet squadron for a few smugglers?!"

"Boss! Run!" Sarah was already crying from fear. "That's the Sacred Judgment! It's Princess Filula's personal ship! She is famously impartial and strict!"

"Run? Run where?" Gabriel looked at the sky in despair. "Under the psychic lock of the Royal Guard, we can't even move a finger!"

...Lei Wen, who was chuckling, had white flower cut all television, internet, and radio signals, switching everything to broadcast the footage of the Angel delegation.

On the screen, a noble and cold female Angel person wearing a magnificent court dress, with three pairs of large wings on her back, stood on a pristine white bridge.

She was the Ninth Princess of the Angel Empire, and the Chief of Logistics and Trade, Filura Radiance.

"I am Filura Radiance, and on behalf of the Angel Theocracy Empire and the great Emperor Radiance XIII, I extend the highest greetings to the Human Federation."

Although Filura's voice was polite, the innate aura of a superior made everyone who heard it feel a sense of awe.

"At the same time, I also represent the Empire to cleanse our ranks."

"The sinner Gabriel and his accomplices."

Filura's voice was like a thunder of judgment.

"You have impersonated the clergy, desecrated the glory of the True God, violated the Empire's Interstellar Trade Law, and conducted fraudulent activities in unauthorized civilized sectors... you shall be sentenced for your multiple crimes!"

"Now, kneel! Accept your judgment!"

Boom!

With Filura's sharp command, a visible golden beam of light shot out from the Sacred Judgment in space, accurately hitting the site of the sermon.

The beam transformed into a massive golden cage, firmly imprisoning Gabriel and his four accomplices within.

Under the powerful psychic suppression, the "special effects" on Gabriel's body vanished instantly. The wings on his back were twisted as if forcibly broken by an invisible force, and he was pressed to the ground like a dead dog, unable to move.

"This..."

The tens of thousands of believers at the scene were completely dumbfounded.

One second he was a high-and-mighty "divine messenger," and the next he had become a wanted criminal?

"My God... is this real or fake?"

"Who is that woman? A real Angel?"

"We were tricked? This guy is a fraud?"

Anger, confusion, shame... various emotions erupted among the crowd... the farce ended in the most dramatic way possible.

For Lei Wen, this was a perfect PR performance.

He didn't need to expose the frauds himself, avoiding the triggering of religious conflicts, and he used the hand of the Angel Empire to teach all of humanity a harsh lesson: do not be superstitious about aliens, and even less about so-called gods; in the interstellar era, only strength and law are the hard truths.

After dealing with those unlucky fellows, Princess Filula's delegation officially landed at the Babel Space Station under the guidance of the Human Federation.

This time, there was no playing god, only a formal, solemn, and equal meeting between two civilizations.

In the spacious and bright meeting room, on either side of the long negotiation table, sat the representatives of the Human Federation in deep blue uniforms, led by Lei Wen himself, with the current Federation Chairman and other high-ranking officials beside him.

On the other side was the Angel Empire delegation in platinum formal wear, with Princess Filula sitting in the primary seat, followed by several senior diplomats and scholars with two pairs of wings.

Although the average height and looks of the Angel people were overwhelming to humans, the humans did not lose in terms of presence.

Because Lei Wen was sitting there.

The moment Filura saw Lei Wen, her body uncontrollably leaned forward slightly, her golden eyes flashing with a complex light.

Before coming, her younger sister Amira Radiance had emphasized the special status of this "the guide" multiple times and instructed her that she must maintain absolute respect, even treating him as she would the Emperor.

Although Filura had doubts about whether the leader of a "primitive civilization" deserved such treatment, when she actually faced Lei Wen, her intuition from the psychic level told her—this man was dangerous and unfathomable.

He had no psychic fluctuations, like a black hole devouring all probes. But beneath this calm surface, there seemed to be a power hidden that could move the entire Milky Way.

"Welcome to the Solar System, Your Highness Filula," Lei Wen spoke with a smile, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant. "Regarding the little interlude just now, on behalf of the Human Federation, I must say... well, it was quite enjoyable to watch."

Filura's cheeks flushed slightly. She stood up and actually performed a half-kneeling salute to Lei Wen, a gesture used only when facing elders or superiors.

"Forgive us for the disgrace, Lord Lei Wen," Filura's voice was sincere. "That was a shame for the Empire. Thank you for your tolerance in not letting those scoundrels continue to tarnish the friendship between our two civilizations."

This action took the human representatives present by surprise.

The princess of this supposedly powerful alien empire was actually so respectful to Director Lei?

"Sit," Lei Wen waved his hand. "We are here to talk about the future, not to dwell on the past."

The meeting officially began.

"According to the instructions of Prime Minister Amira, to express the Angel Empire's friendship toward the Human Federation, we will open up some Star Map data of the Perseus Arm to your side, as well as three safe commercial trade routes."

Filura's opening offer was a grand gesture.

"Furthermore, we are willing to establish a long-term trade partnership with the Human Federation."

"We understand that the Human Federation possesses amazing industrial manufacturing capabilities and antimatter energy technology," a hint of longing flashed in Filura's eyes. "While the Angel Empire... although we have a long history, we do face some difficulties in the mass production of material technology and energy efficiency."

This was the honest truth.

The Angel Empire's industrial system had been shattered in the war, and their production method, which relied on psychic craftsmen hand-crafting items, was extremely inefficient. In contrast, humans, with the support of Faleim technology, were already complete "industrial monsters."

Assembly-line produced ships, cheap synthetic food, standardized construction modules... these things that seemed ordinary to humans were urgently needed life-saving supplies for the current Angel Empire.

"We need antimatter batteries, automated mining machines, and even your synthetic food," Filura said candidly. "In exchange, we can provide..."

She paused, seemingly thinking about what humans might need.

"We can provide psychic crystals, which are the most efficient energy conductors in the universe."

"We can provide rare biological gene samples; the biodiversity of the Perseus Arm far exceeds that of Orion."

"We can also provide... artworks, and basic education on psychic theory."

"Of course, we will also open tourist visas to humans, welcoming them to visit the various holy sites of the Angel Empire."

Lei Wen listened to Filura's offer, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

This could be considered a complementary industrial chain.

Humans provide production capacity, industrial goods, and energy; Angels provide raw materials, luxury goods, and specialized technology.

More importantly, through this deep economic binding, the Human Federation could quietly infiltrate every corner of Angel Empire society, just as the Faleim People had once done to them.

"It sounds fair," Lei Wen nodded. "But I have one more condition."

"Please, go ahead."

"Regarding those five smugglers," Lei Wen pointed out the window. "I don't want them taken back to the Empire to be imprisoned."

"Ah?" Filura was stunned for a moment. "Then what do you mean?"

"Leave them on Earth," a hint of slyness flashed in Lei Wen's eyes. "As special consultants."

"Humans are very curious about psychic power; we need some living samples... oh no, teachers, to instruct us on how to understand this power."

"Moreover, having them atone for their crimes through labor on Earth is very meaningful, isn't it?"

Filura looked at Lei Wen's smiling face, feeling a bit at a loss.

"As you wish," she could only reply.