Elo shook his head, trying to shake off the chaotic thoughts swirling in his mind.

  He took a deep breath, composed himself, and refocused his attention on the present reality.

  His tone was calm, yet it could not conceal the underlying concern:

  "I sincerely hope that we can uphold non-interference, respect for sovereignty, and peaceful coexistence.

  But what about reality? In practice, we will encounter countless problems—just like the issue of religion."

  His voice lowered slightly, hoping everyone would recognize the gravity of the situation:

  "If our intelligence leaks, there will inevitably be individuals in other nations acting in my name, doing as they please.

  By then, this wave of fanaticism will spread like a wildfire.

  It will ultimately evolve into a religious upheaval sweeping through society, leaving families shattered and countless lives lost."

  He lifted his head, his deep gaze piercing through the void, as if looking directly at every citizen beyond the barriers:

  "In such a situation, should we intervene, or should we stand by and do nothing?"

  This question was not only directed at everyone but also a self-examination for Elo himself.

  He sought a solution that could be accepted by all while staying true to his own principles.

  "Of course, we can exert influence through culture, economy, and diplomacy.

  But will these methods be effective? Will they work in time? Will other nations cooperate?"

  His brows furrowed even tighter, and his tone grew heavier:

  "Especially since this matter concerns Life Sharing.

  Health, youth, immortality, transcendent power—who wouldn’t want them?

  If we attempt to influence other nations, would they use this as leverage to blackmail us?

  So then—when the time comes, do we give, or not?"

  His voice carried not the slightest hesitation, like an iron decree falling into place:

  "No! Absolutely not! This is not up for discussion!"

  In that instant, the air in the room seemed to freeze, turning oppressively still.

  "Even if they make the most extreme concessions to us, willingly discard all interest-driven transactions, and decisively crack down on religious organizations.

  But the question is—can they really prevent the situation from further deteriorating within a short time?

  Low levels of development, weak governance capacity, and limited social control—these are real problems we cannot ignore.

  What’s more, once Life Sharing is involved, the entire society may be swept into a surging tide of religious zealotry.

  Under such circumstances, even government officials might become zealots.

  Can we truly rely on them to take swift and effective measures? That is highly unlikely.

  So even if their governments are willing to act, the question is—how long will it take them to quell the turmoil?

  And during this time, how many people will fall victim to persecution?

  Will the death toll rise to thousands, or even tens of thousands, each day?"

  His palm clenched and then loosened again, as if weighing the pros and cons.

  "Of course, we can also adopt 'limited intervention.'

  For example—intelligence warfare, diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions, and supporting opposition groups, rather than military intervention.

  Perhaps 'limited intervention' is the optimal solution, but in practice, problems will still arise one after another."

  He seemed to be deep in thought, yet at the same time, as if trying to dispel the exhaustion brought by his own thoughts.

  "If we do not intervene, that means standing by as they commit atrocities in my name—and I cannot accept that.

  Moreover, if we do not intervene, would that not be allowing the crisis to escalate unchecked?

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  More importantly, can we truly afford to remain indifferent?"

  He took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening.

  "Why have these religious forces managed to gain such immense influence in such a short period?

  The answer is simple—because of us.

  Our existence has made transcendence, eternal youth, and resurrection a reality.

  What they worship is not an empty myth but tangible miracles.

  Because of this, they have been able to rise so rapidly in such a short time."

  His gaze grew profound, like a blade piercing through reality.

  "Under such circumstances, our very existence has already become an original sin in the eyes of some.

  No matter what we do, we will always be seen as the root of the problem.

  Intervention means violating sovereignty, interfering in internal affairs, imperialism, and colonialism.

  Non-intervention means being cold and indifferent, turning a blind eye, allowing religious expansion, condoning them to harm others in my name, and letting more people die because of faith-based conflicts."

  For a moment, the room fell into silence.

  After a brief pause, Vian spoke, her tone laced with sarcasm:

  "You don’t want to be a savior, and you don’t want to be the big villain—so what’s your plan? Play dead?

  This isn’t a multiple-choice question; it’s a death trap.

  So no matter what you choose, in the end, they’ll curse you anyway."

  Elo couldn’t be bothered to argue with Vian. Instead, he turned his gaze directly to the Prime Minister, silently waiting for his response.

  The Prime Minister's gaze was resolute, his voice steady and firm.

  "Your Majesty, we stand at the watershed of an era.

  Behind us lies an international order woven from countless nations, systems, and ideologies.

  And ahead of us, whether they are allies or adversaries, they are all forced to confront one undeniable fact—

  our existence has profoundly reshaped the operating rules of the international community."

  He paused slightly, allowing His Majesty ample time to absorb the deeper implications of his words.

  "We have never actively sought to stand at the center of the world stage, yet the tides of history have thrust us into the spotlight.

  In such a situation, every choice we make is no longer just about ourselves.

  It now pulls the strings of the entire world, shaping the future trajectory of all nations and peoples.

  So then, how should we respond to all of this?"

  His tone was unwavering, his voice steady and powerful.

  "We can shrink back, pretend we have no right to intervene, and deceive ourselves into believing we bear no responsibility.

  But if the world falls into chaos because of our retreat, can we truly stand by with a clear conscience?

  We can choose to remain detached, but those who place their trust in us, those who have entrusted their hopes to us—will they really allow us to stay uninvolved?"

  His voice remained steady and resolute, carrying an unshakable conviction.

  "Some believe that bearing responsibility means sacrificing oneself, but that is not the truth.

  True responsibility is about preserving order to the greatest extent, protecting our people to the greatest extent, and ensuring that the world does not collapse to the greatest extent.

  This is not just a commitment to ourselves, but a commitment to everyone—especially to those who have placed their hopes in us.

  Empires of the past sought security through expansion.

  Hegemons of the past sought authority through war.

  But we must prove to the world—

  order is the path to hope."

  His tone grew even firmer, as if conveying an unmistakably clear message to everyone—

  This is not only a critical moment in determining the Federation’s future direction but also a watershed in shaping the future landscape of the international community.

  "Your Majesty, we do not need to become an empire that rules the world, but neither can we allow the world to fall into disorder and chaos.

  Our responsibility is not to dominate, but to guide.

  Our responsibility is not expansion, but order.

  Only in this way can we live up to the mission entrusted to us by this era."

  Elo’s expression remained unchanged as he fell silent, neither showing approval nor raising objections to the Prime Minister’s words.

  In fact, a hint of disappointment lingered in his heart, for the Prime Minister had not offered any substantial solutions.

  However, he did not fail to understand the reason behind this—

  It was not that the Prime Minister had no countermeasures, but that he had already seen through Elo and knew that Elo had long since made up his mind.

  The Prime Minister’s words were not meant to propose specific solutions, but to make Elo realize—

  When intervention becomes unavoidable, decisive action must be taken, or else we will let the world slip into an uncontrollable abyss.

  Vian clearly did not perceive the Prime Minister's intention, or perhaps she did, but simply did not care.

  She rolled her eyes, making no effort to conceal her dissatisfaction with the Prime Minister’s stance, her tone laced with sarcasm.

  "Oh, I see.

  So the current situation is—has the world already defaulted to seeing us as saviors?

  They expect us to take responsibility, to maintain international order, to prevent the world from spiraling out of control.

  And because of that, we are supposed to accept it all without question and live up to their expectations?"

  Vian lifted her gaze toward Elo, a cold smirk curling at the corner of her lips. Her tone was even sharper than before.

  "But here’s the real problem—how exactly do you plan to solve this?

  When it comes down to it, you’re not actually hesitating over ‘whether to intervene.’

  What you’re really hesitating over is how to intervene without being cursed.

  But are you seriously na?ve enough to believe that the world will offer you a choice where ‘everyone is satisfied’?"

  Her voice grew stronger, laced with unmistakable impatience.

  "So stop deluding yourself with the idea of a ‘perfect solution.’

  Many things simply have no such thing as a flawless answer—there’s only the choice that gets you cursed the least.

  You don’t need to care what others think. The only thing you should be concerned about is what you want.

  Our decision doesn’t meet their expectations? Then let them curse us!

  Because no matter how much they curse—

  it won’t change one undeniable fact—

  We are the ultimate victors!"

  The Prime Minister let out a soft chuckle, clearly agreeing with Vian’s words.

  In truth, this was exactly what he thought, yet he could never say it aloud.

  It did not align with his position, and besides, his personal relationship with the Emperor was far from close enough to speak so bluntly.

  Turning to Elo, his gaze remained steady, and his tone grew slightly heavier.

  "Your Majesty, the world will not offer us a choice that satisfies everyone.

  Many issues simply have no such thing as an ‘optimal solution’—one way or another, we must make a decision.

  Delaying will not make the problem disappear; it will only allow the situation to continue deteriorating.

  We must take action, even if that decision does not align with the expectations of the majority.

  No matter what the final choice is, in the end, this decision can only be made by you."

  Both those present in the room and the citizens watching through the live broadcast awaited the Emperor’s final judgment.