Chapter 1407: Cooperation?

Majestic, rugged, magnificent.

Under the guidance of several mutated humans, Lin An quickly arrived inside a majestic hall.

Compared to his size, to highlight the important core structure, the height here is even more grandiose than other buildings.

The height of nearly a kilometer gives the illusion of walking on the heavenly steps of the divine realm.

The hall built of yellowish rock, each brick stone a hundred meters in size, makes the whole hall look as if a mountain has been hollowed out.

Rows of four-hundred-meter-tall Fourth Stage mutated guards stand at the sides of the hall; on the highest throne sits a super mutated being clad in War Armor.

Looking up, at this moment, under the enormous difference in size between them, it seems as if an ant is gazing up at a deity.

However, Lin An of normal size is not even as tall as the sole of the other's war boots.

"Does the size of mutants keep growing as their strength increases..."

Simply soaring up, Lin An, unaccustomed to looking up, continually raised his altitude, flying into midair.

For some reason, he suddenly recalled that planet-devouring beast.

That Fifth Stage monster likewise seemed to devour everything, eventually becoming planet-sized and swallowing that star.

Mutants and that monster actually share many similarities in essence.

"Is it the path of bodily strengthening? First continually increasing mass, then at higher stages compressing? Like a planet to a star, then to a red dwarf, supernova, neutron star?"

"If Fourth Stage beings following the regular path master various natural laws and wondrous combinations of laws, then pure bodily strengthening beings turn themselves into celestial bodies? Walking the pure material path?"

Silently gathering useful information.

After suppressing his emotions just now, Lin An could only give up pondering the truth behind it.

His immediate priority now is how to survive, and... to be more cautious.

No matter what, even if there are many problems between mutants and alien species, at least they now appear hostile to each other. And the battle is real.

Alien species can sneak into the mutants' area to carry out operations, indicating that the war within this space remains fierce.

He does not expect the mutants to cooperate with him, nor to help him in any way.

But at least fighting alongside them should be fine, right?

As long as he is allowed to kill a batch of Overlords, his strength will increase at an unimaginable speed!

Give him a little time, and he might yet be qualified to continue negotiating with the mutants!

Having reached this thought, Lin An decided to speak first.

But before he could speak, the mutant general seated on the huge throne, as if just finished a battle, somewhat fatigued, spoke first.

"Lin An? Earth? Humans?"

"Are you the suspected Perfect One?"

"Do you seek our aid to save your civilization?"

Hearing the voice, he was stunned.

Lin An, hearing the other's such direct words, his prepared opening remarks stalled. But there was nothing to worry about; since the other laid out the topic plainly, he wouldn't waste words.

"Correct."

"I represent our civilization, hoping to receive aid from the mutant civilization."

"As fellow humans, our common enemy is the alien species. I think we can cooperate."

"As for the Perfect One..."

"Sorry, I don't know if I am. But I am indeed among the strongest Fourth Stage of our civilization."

Without refuting the general's words asking them to save Earth, Lin An realizes that his strength, and even the entirety of Earth's civilization, is indeed not worth mentioning in the other's eyes.

Not caring about him, treating him as weak, is quite normal.

In fact, Lin An suspects that if it weren't for his suspected Perfect One identity, he would not have been granted an audience.

As for not admitting to being a Perfect One, Lin An asks himself that he hasn't lied.

Frankly, he isn't sure which side's Perfect One he is. Chu An back then might have deceived him, or perhaps tacitly accepted him as such?

"Don't know?"

"Your strength is not bad."

On the great throne, the one called General 77, whose strength is at least advanced Fourth Stage mutant, leans forward slightly, observing Lin An as carefully as one would examine an ant.

With a light chuckle, he completely disregards Lin An's earlier words, seemingly caring only whether Lin An is a Perfect One.

"How many have died in your civilization?"

"I mean after the Apocalypse broke out."

He asked bluntly.

Faced with the general's inquiry, Lin An's heart paused, hesitating a moment before speaking in a low voice:

"Before the Apocalypse, the global population was in the hundreds of billions; under the virus outbreak, deaths were about 70%, and now the figure is roughly 85%."

I don't know why the general specifically asked about post-Apocalypse deaths.

Lin An can only guess that, as the place where Perfect Ones were once born, mutants obviously understand better the criteria for their appearance.

However, as his words fell, the general's eyes flashed with a hint of disappointment.

"Around 15%..."

"That is to say, you haven't actually experienced the Apocalypse for long? And haven't reached the moment of extinction?"

By habitually judging based on his own civilization's progress, the general evidently assumed that humanity is still at the elementary stage of the Apocalypse.

All that could be seen was him shaking his head, as if his interest in Lin An vanished instantly.

"Then it seems you may not be a Perfect One. Perhaps you are merely a temporary extraordinary being that appeared in your civilization."

"Perfect Ones, they wouldn't appear so simply..."

He chuckled, the general seemingly with a hint of mockery, indifferent to revealing his thoughts.

Lin An heard, and a flash of strange color suddenly flickered in the depths of his eyes.

"Transcendent existence?"

"Do Perfect Beings have no standard? Perhaps I am one?"

He retorted.

Noticing that the other party momentarily disregarded him, Lin An could only barely reclaim part of his own value.

Perfect Beings must be of the highest value! Such existence represents the total potential of a civilization!

He probably also realized that the Alien Species kept his identity highly secret; this group of Mutants had no idea why the Alien Species suddenly mobilized massive forces to come to Earth and hunt him down.

Therefore, being cautious, he could not confirm his identity as a Perfect Being, yet he could only rely on this to keep his identity valuable in the other's eyes.

But facing Lin An's retort, the General merely chuckled and shook his head:

"Transcendent existence is a prerequisite for Perfect Beings."

"Sometimes, although a civilization has reached a crisis point and enough people have died, the gathered 'power' at that moment is still insufficient to give birth to a Perfect Being. Yet some Transcendent Existence still emerges."

"They are like a fleeting flash of fire in a disaster, appearing like hope, but actually just a brief flicker that vanishes instantly."

"Civilization's apocalypse, the stars shine. But the stars shining is nothing more than stars."

"Only that sun can save everything...."

"If your civilization has not reached its final moment, not reached true desperation, then it is unlikely that a Perfect Being will appear."

"Moreover, not every civilization can produce a Perfect Being."

Perhaps because they placed great importance on the existence of Perfect Beings, even when facing Lin An, who was like an ant, the General still spoke at length.

Having said that, he glanced at Lin An with some boredom, as if wanting to end this meeting.

Noticing the General losing interest, Lin An immediately realized his displayed value was too low!

Having no choice, Lin An took a deep breath and released the news:

"If I say, I think I might very well be one? And I can restrain the Alien Species, and they would spare no cost to kill me?!"

"The Emperor of the Alien Species is now on Earth!"

He said nothing more.

Lin An believed this news would be enough to draw the other's attention!

With Fourth Stage cognitive ability, one would surely realize how important he is to the Alien Species!

Given that the two sides are enemies, the Mutants might very well help him!

As expected, upon hearing Lin An's news, the General stared in shock, then involuntarily exclaimed, utterly astonished.

His voice thundered, unable to conceal the shock in his heart.

"The Emperor of the Alien Species is in your world?!"

"Did he open that door?! Does he want to kill you?!"