Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 1301: Chapter 1300: We Can Resolve This Peacefully

A tall humanoid creature with purple skin stepped out of the space tunnel, standing there, his small eyes fixated on Fang Zheng.

”Do you have the remaining two Infinite Gems?”

”That’s right.”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng nodded, then glanced at the golden glove on the other’s left hand, along with the four Infinite Gems on it.

”It seems like the remaining four Infinite Gems are with you. Are you Thanos?”

”That’s right.”

Thanos nodded, then glanced at the half-submerged wreckage not far away.

”It seems all my subordinates have died. This is indeed a heavy loss, but regardless...”

As he spoke, Thanos looked towards Fang Zheng.

”At least, these two gems have come before me.”

”I’ve heard of you.”

Fang Zheng shrugged.

”I’m quite interested in your idea. Can you tell me, how did you come up with this interesting notion? I mean...”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng snapped his fingers.

”Killing half, yet leaving the other half?”

”......”

Hearing Fang Zheng’s question, Thanos fell silent for a moment, then opened his mouth to speak.

”My homeland used to be a beautiful and prosperous planet, but like other planetary civilizations, we faced a crisis of resource depletion. What we produced was far from enough for what we needed. If it continued like this, we’d be on a dead end, so I proposed a suggestion...”

”Kill half? Then leave half?”

”That’s right.”

Thanos nodded.

”But at random, justly, without distinction between rich and poor, but they said I was crazy... yet the result was just as I prophesied. Our homeland was destroyed, I was just one of the survivors, as long as I gather six gems, as long as I snap my fingers, then half of the creatures in this universe would turn to ash... I believe this is mercy. I will save all civilizations in this universe, that is balance...”

”Hehehehe...”

”Hahaha...”

However, to Thanos’ surprise, before he could finish speaking, Aika and Fang Zheng burst into laughter.

”Hahaha... how interesting... so that’s how you see it?”

”Of course.”

Hearing Fang Zheng’s inquiry, Thanos responded with a grim expression, raising his left hand.

”Now, I have gathered four gems, I... am the Heavenly Mandate, no one can defeat me. I will obtain the last two gems, and then... become this universe’s Savior.”

”Hahahahaha...”

But this time, Fang Zheng and Aika couldn’t help but laugh even harder.

”Father Master, I’ve never seen such a foolish person... hehehe...”

”No, no, no, I’ve seen people more foolish than this, but he’s the first to be so unquestioningly convinced. My stomach hurts... wait, let me catch my breath...”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng rubbed his stomach. Then, he coughed softly, forcing himself to be serious, once again looking at Thanos.

”So... um, you think... your species’ extinction was due to limited resources, so to maintain balance, you need to eliminate half of life... pfft, hahaha... sorry, sorry, let me start over... I really can’t help it...”

”Is it really that funny?”

Although Thanos’ expression was calm, his tone carried a faint, barely detectable anger.

”Sorry, it really is funny. I think you don’t even understand what balance means.”

”......what do you mean?”

Hearing this, Thanos frowned, looking at Fang Zheng, who shrugged his shoulders.

”It’s simple, in this universe, all life, all civilizations, since the moment of their birth, will encounter various trials. Just like humans, at first, they were naked, surviving in the harsh cold. If they didn’t find a way to combat the cold of nature, they would face extinction. And to survive and continue, humans learned to make fire.”

As he spoke, Fang Zheng spread his hands.

”Next, humans faced floods, and attacks from wild beasts. They didn’t have fangs, or claws, incapable of fighting fierce creatures like mammoths or saber-toothed tigers. But humans also needed resources, needed food. So they learned to make and use weapons... Facing rampant floods, people learned to build dams. To ensure a stable and sufficient food supply, humans learned to herd and farm, and to resist other civilizations, to protect their tribes, civilizations, countries, humans began to gradually develop. You see, this is the process of civilization development. Almost every civilization is like this, they face various problems, both natural calamities and human disasters. They must find solutions, if they can’t, then they can only meet a dead end.”

Saying this, Fang Zheng pursed his lips.

”You see, if they don’t know how to build dams, then everyone in this tribe would drown. If they don’t know how to make weapons, then humans would always be prey and food for other beasts. If they don’t know how to build structures, then humans would never be able to build a large civilization gathering place. If they don’t learn to farm and herd, then perhaps humans would have starved to death long ago. Each civilization, along the way, encounters problems one by one, which are the test papers given to us by nature. We can only move to the next stage by completing these test papers, by answering them correctly.”

Fang Zheng once again looked at Thanos.

”It’s like the college entrance exam. Only if you score above the cutoff can you attend the university of your choice. If you don’t pass, sorry, then you can only be held back. And if you keep failing, then you can only give up on this idea. It’s the same with your civilization. Resource depletion and population increase is a problem every civilization will face. Humans are no different. If they don’t solve this problem, they will also perish. If they solve it, if they answer this test paper correctly, then humans can move to the next stage.”

”..........”

Facing Fang Zheng’s speech, both Thanos and the Avengers had changes in their expressions, while Fang Zheng continued to speak to Thanos.

”Your civilization also faced this test paper, but unfortunately, your civilization didn’t answer it correctly, so you were eliminated.”

”That’s why I’m doing this, because only by doing this can I save other civilizations in this universe!”

”You’re just escaping.”

However, Fang Zheng interrupted Thanos’ rebuttal with just one sentence.

”The test paper is right here, each civilization will eventually face it. You’re helping them avoid the exam now, but you can’t help them avoid it forever. You see, this world is actually quite fair. Civilizations that answer the test paper correctly will progress further, while those who answer it incorrectly will pay the price, or go extinct. That is balance, do you understand?”

Watching Thanos’ increasingly grim face with interest, Fang Zheng could barely hold back his laughter.

”Balance? You don’t even understand what balance is. All things have balance, but artificially created balance is not real balance. What’s more amusing is that you still think you’ve obtained the truth, becoming the Heavenly Mandate... hehe, do you even deserve to be called Zhao?”

”You...........”

”Alright, let’s end this discussion now.”

Fang Zheng had already lost interest in discussing this topic. Thanos was just like a fool, his actions essentially no different from Americans today. They firmly believe that democracy and freedom are the miracle cures for everything, so if your country is neither democratic nor free, they will destroy your country for the sake of democracy and freedom, then tell you, it’s for you and your country’s own good.

The same foolishness.

”If possible, I’d still like to resolve this in a peaceful way. I suggest you hand over the four gems in your hand obediently, otherwise...”

”Otherwise, what do you intend to do?”

Hearing this, Thanos coldly stared at Fang Zheng, while Fang Zheng calmly gave his response.

”Otherwise, I will destroy all civilizations in the universe except humankind.”