Chapter 333: Gate Organization

"What? A secret organization behind the world? I'm member number three? And my number's South Heaven Gate?"

Fiestrion didn't seem to treat it as any great secret; perhaps a vow or similar supernatural constraint limited him, yet he still revealed much in his own way.

The seat, number three, South Heaven Gate, and the biggest clue—the very word "Gate"—already revealed considerable information.

"If it's 'Gate,' then a world defense organization?"

Fiestrion smiled, not denying it; evidently, the "Secrecy Pact" had very limited power.

"I cannot say." This too was a hint: "What you deduced was not said by me."

Li En easily guessed because the title and organization name both bore Li Ensu's style, plus the hint of seat three.

"Li Ensu, the Thousand-Faced Dragon, was one of the founders. Even a high-up?"

Fiestrion first nodded, then shook his head.

"He was a founder, but not a high-up."

Again, he nodded first, then shook his head.

"You're not saying he isn't a high-up—you're saying this organization has no high-ups at all?"

This time, he acknowledged with a smile.

Li En pondered, then nodded. Though the conspiracy theory of "an organization ruling the entire world" was popular, reality made it unlikely.

This wasn't about organizational depth or shadow power—it was that the world's structure was inherently diverse, with too many high-ups meaning too many factions and ethnic interests.

There were far too many ethnic groups, far too many conflicting interests, and with powerful individuals constantly rising, if any supreme being existed, he would be the private asset and bound by interests to some clan, nation, or even family. This was the world's "inherent belief," a product of intensified individual transcendence and ethnic competition.

Truly solitary transcenders barely existed; every strong one's growth was deeply entangled with their ethnic group, race, or nation.

Everyone fought for survival, for their group's living space—not merely land and resources, but more importantly, "powerful transcendental resources": divine authority, plane control, sources of transcendental energy, rights to harvest transcendental materials, and more.

With resource plundering and concentration, the strong grew stronger, while the weak could only flee to some small plane to barely cling to life.

Against this backdrop, unless they betrayed their own ethnic group and fundamental interests, they could hardly form a true "secret organization." And if they did, they would inevitably be overthrown by rising lower tiers.

Another hint might be "seat." Seats might have hierarchy, but if everyone sat at the same table, absolute superior-subordinate relationships were unlikely; the table was for deliberation.

"A scattered defense organization, perhaps even just a communication body, whose core members are ancient ones who rarely die."

At that moment, Li En unexpectedly thought of the "United Nations"—equally powerless, each member representing only their own ethnic group or nation's interests, its primary value merely providing a platform for members to argue.

"United Nations?" Li En asked outright.

Fiestrion's smiling silence was already an acknowledgment.

A council-style communication body, calling itself "Gate of Guardians," was probably putting on a face—it might even be that members spent their days brawling like dogs.

The United Nations' greatest value beyond arguing was forming some consensus and preventing genocide—but now, even that function seemed unreliable; its only value was "arguing," "I oppose your proposal, I oppose your opposition."

But here, there seemed to be a difference: this organization appeared to take no overt action, remaining unusually low-key.

"A shadowy communication body, mostly composed of ancient ones, spending most of their time arguing."

Li En stated one point; Fiestrion silently approved each one.

"It can be treated as non-existent."

But at this moment, Fiestrion shook his head.

"It can be treated as non-existent only until you reach a certain strength—like Lex—then you'll encounter it, and it may not be a good thing."

This time, Fiestrion nodded with a smile.

Such an organization, seemingly useless, still held value—such as responding to "external enemies" or facing existential crises capable of destroying everything.

At that moment, Li En recalled something.

"Outer Gods?"

"Not just that." Fiestrion gave his first clear response, confirming that this disaster-plagued world might face not only elusive, unpredictable Outer Gods.