"You!!!"
The old man, upon hearing Zhang Chen's words, felt a surge of anger that lodged itself in his throat, making it impossible to either spit out or swallow, leaving him in an unspeakable state of discomfort.
"Hmph, since you don't remember, then let me help you recall!"
The old man said, slowly raising his left hand. A golden ring adorned his finger.
"You wouldn't have thought, five hundred years, I've lived again!"
"I have found a way to prolong life and prevent falling into reincarnation!"
"As long as a person is alive, then their strength, status, and wealth from this life will be preserved forever."
"But once a person dies and enters reincarnation, then everything is lost; they become an entirely different person."
"The ultimate outcome is to live another life in a daze, then repeatedly cycle, with no end in sight."
"This is all thanks to the Spider Queen; I learned the true essence of consciousness from her!"
"The consciousness of all people and creatures does not arise from nothing; it only transfers, from one shell to another."
"Some people die, and their consciousness does not disappear; instead, it transfers to new lives in parallel worlds, potentially humans, or even insects..."
"But the Spider Queen is different. Each of her reincarnations only happens within herself. She is the only species that cannot reincarnate. You could say she's pitiable, or you could say she's incredibly powerful."
"She made me realize the truth of reincarnation!"
"The progressives were once scientists closest to the truth of reincarnation, but unfortunately, they took the wrong path, choosing to end what they called the apocalypse..."
"In reality, as long as the gate to reincarnation is opened, then everything else becomes insignificant!"
As he spoke, the old man stomped his foot forcefully.
The platform beneath them was covered in various symbols and characters, as if suppressing something.
A continuous flow of energy descended from the pink crystal, seeping into the massive platform below.
"Uh... so... who exactly are you?"
Zhang Chen asked again, bewildered.
"Were you even listening to me?!"
"Didn't I show you my ring? I am Wang Hai'an, the eternal nightmare of all Zhang Chens!"
"I am the true master of this world. I was, I am, and I will be forever!"
Wang Hai'an roared in fury, his eyes red and his anger uncontainable!
"Wang Hai'an? I don't recall anyone by that name. If you are the master of this world, why create so many Soul-Lost, instigate conflicts between nations, and form the Black-Tailed Swallow Legion? Are you playing games with yourself?"
Zhang Chen asked, confused.
"Ha, this is precisely what differentiates me from foolish people like you!"
"Do you think your formidable strength allows you to control humanity? Humans, in reality, can never be controlled."
"You can eliminate monsters, but you cannot forever dictate human consciousness."
"To ensure these humans survive and develop, the best method is to keep them constantly aware of danger."
"Humans only unite when they face strong enemies. Otherwise, they will forever be in conflict over their own interests until they completely destroy themselves."
"Therefore, the Soul-Lost have been the external threat to humanity that I have preserved since ancient times!"
"Whenever I want humanity to unite, I simply release a powerful army of Soul-Lost."
"As for the Black-Tailed Swallow Legion, they are there to compensate for human fragility."
"Sometimes, even when facing a formidable army of Soul-Lost, humans struggle to unite and even retreat. To prevent humanity's extinction, I deploy the Black-Tailed Swallow Legion to eliminate the Soul-Lost."
"It is precisely because of this that humanity has achieved prosperity for five hundred years, created diverse civilizations, and developed their own cultures and customs."
"This world is blooming with diversity, and it is all my masterpiece!"
"Zhang Chen, you can choose to join me and enjoy this world together. How about it? This is my most sincere invitation!"
Wang Hai'an said, his face beaming with an enthusiastic smile, and extended his hand towards Zhang Chen.
"Really?"
Zhang Chen said, and slowly extended his own hand towards Wang Hai'an.
"Of course, for our world!"
Wang Hai'an's hand met Zhang Chen's, and they slowly clasped.
Then, a powerful force sent Wang Hai'an flying far away.
"I don't believe you for a second. If you were willing to share the world with others, would the world be like this now?"
Zhang Chen slowly raised his left index finger, and a strong beam of light gradually gathered at his fingertip...