Chapter 417 Mommy! Those people look so scary...
William enjoys reading books, not just for the thrill of curiosity, but more so to understand the thoughts of ordinary people.
In his view, there is no absolute good or evil in the world. n0vELB1n
However, the reality is that deities view ordinary humans much like humans view ants.
Perhaps they were once ordinary humans too, but as their powers reached a certain level and they became so-called deities, their mental states naturally underwent some changes.
They might not deliberately commit evil acts, but a casual action on their part could cause unimaginable harm to ordinary people.
Even if a higher civilization bears no ill will towards a lower one, and even if the higher civilization is benevolent, the disparity in civilization levels can still be extremely dangerous for the lower one.
For example, when humans build a dam, they certainly don't notify the ants.
When humans test nuclear weapons, they don't inform dragonflies, beetles, or mosquitoes.
For a higher civilization, your destruction is of no concern to them.
Do ants understand what a boot is?
Do they comprehend the terror of a boot?
Yet, the boot doesn't intentionally step on ants.
The relationship between higher and lower civilizations is just like this.
A higher civilization might accidentally kill you with a couple of steps and then say, "Killing you was purely accidental!"
Similarly, William never considers himself a guardian deity for humanity, but the reality is that William enjoys his current life.
It's simply because he likes it.
What if he didn't?
If he didn't like it, when that parallel dimension descended last time, given William's character, it's highly likely he wouldn't have intervened, and humanity would have already faced a great calamity.
The law of the survival of the fittest is indeed the rule of this world.
Therefore, showing friendliness or expecting friendliness from others is futile. Only by being strong can one achieve true peace.
This is much like the fall of the Western Roman Empire over a thousand years ago.
The weak have no say!
William briefly explained this to Steven, who quickly grasped the concept. Yet, Steven couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Johnson, may I inquire what level of power you possess?"
"What level of power?" William smiled.
These patrol officers were armed, but they couldn't help feeling intimidated facing such a group of odd characters.
"Stop for a check?!" One of the Shapeshifter lords coldly stared at the two police officers, incredulous that these ant-like humans dared to speak to them in such a tone.
The Shapeshifter lords were nearly driven to murderous intent.
If they wished, they could massacre the entire street in less than a minute.
"Hold on! My lords, please stay calm!" Thanarok, terrified, quickly stepped in front of them, nervously saying, "My lords, remember, we must not break the law or kill anyone!"
"Kill anyone? Are you thinking of committing a crime?" a police officer warned sternly. "Everyone, against the wall and present any form of identification you have!"
The other officer had already started to call for backup on his radio: "Headquarters! We have a group of suspicious individuals on Lexington Avenue, requesting supp..."
Before he could finish saying 'support,' the group had already turned into streams of black smoke and disappeared.
The two police officers were stunned, but with the public now accustomed to super-powered individuals, the once secretive 13th Bureau had established connections with various national units.
Everyone knew about the existence of the 13th Bureau.
If a Soulmancer or a person with special abilities committed a crime, it was standard procedure to report it directly to the 13th Bureau.
"They... turned into black smoke and escaped. We should report this to the 13th Bureau," said one officer, swallowing hard. "I have a bad feeling about these people."
"On Lexington Avenue, right? We're pulling up the surveillance footage now."
With advanced technology, surveillance cameras were everywhere, and the police had already sent the footage of the incident to the 13th Bureau.
"Damn it! If it weren't for... I would have devoured those two ordinary humans," growled one of the Shapeshifter lords, seething with anger.
Thanarok took a deep breath and said, "My lords, please refrain from acting rashly. Mr. Johnson has warned me against breaking the law. As far as I know, the current legal system states that murderers face severe punishments, including life imprisonment, lifelong incarceration, and even the death penalty in some states..."
Silence fell upon the Shapeshifter lords at Thanarok's words.
The murderer will be imprisoned for life or even face the death penalty!
Even in the void of the netherworld, might made right, and the death of the weak was inconsequential. But here in Prime World, they were subject to the rule of law!
Regardless of what the Shapeshifter lords thought, the events at the Bronx Zoo had instilled a deep-seated fear of William in them.
Kill anyone? They really dared not commit it now.
Eventually, the group of Shapeshifter lords arrived at the entrance of the CLOUD9 club.
To avoid further trouble, they decided to let Thanarok go in first to inquire, as he appeared the most human among them.
Thanarok, though reluctant, entered the club apprehensively.
"Hello, how can I help you?" The receptionist at CLOUD9 was a young girl. Seeing Thanarok, she greeted him with a smile, as he was quite handsome, clean-cut, and exuded an air of refined and amiable charm.
Thanarok nervously asked, "Hello, I'm here to inquire if Mr. Johnson is available?"