"E-even if I can't kill you, I can put you in a prison, or better yet, take you hostage and tell all your 'followers' to back off in exchange for your safety."
"They wouldn't care." As if he was waiting just for her to finish, Cartel says so without batting an eye. "They wouldn't care that I have been taken hostage or anything. In fact, they would look at it as an opportunity to replace me as the leader and so they will go even wilder, just to showcase how capable every single one of them is."
One of the most terrifying things about a man like Cartel Hopkins is that he knows how weak he is and how worthless his life is in the grander scale of things. While some people can go into depression after realizing things like these, this man knows how to use it to his advantage.
"So, the only thing you can do now to stop me – is to put all your faith in Danny and Roswaisa's ability to apprehend me while you focus all your resources on stopping the incoming incursions by my men throughout this planet."
Originally, we were about to take it slowly and stealthily. While I was to cause chaos everywhere I pass by, Cartel's men would handle other places that I wouldn't come across myself. That would have yielded much better results. However, since it seems like our cover is blown, we are going on the full offensive.
There's just thing one thing I have been curious about –
"If Cartel was deliberately blocking Deus' Scrying on me, then it was only a matter of time before she comes to check out what's going on. He basically made her come here."
So, did things really not go as Cartel had planned? Or, is he manipulating not just Deus but me too?
"Hah!" He turns to me and says, "I can practically feel the doubts in your mind."
While what I said was nothing more than a whisper that no one could have heard (except me of course) but it seems like Cartel still was able to feel the doubts forming in my mind.
"What can I say, Irium?" Cartel replies in a muffled smile, "Whatever answer I give, you'll be suspicious and end up leaning to other answer, wouldn't you?"
That – is highly likely to happen.
"You – don't actually think I'll let you walk out of here, do you?"
"It's not your bloody choice." As soon as Deus musters up a threatening voice, Cartel refutes – completely unaffected by her demeanor.
"You-"
"Will safely walk out of here." Cartel interrupts her and adds mockingly, "And the reason for that is that you can't possibly let the whole planet of Frost see you as Goddess who doesn't care about the lives of the people."
To the real God, life and death of humans would probably be irrelevant. But, to a fake God who cares about what people think of her, the bomb-switch-like-thingy that Cartel brings out is the biggest threatening device.
If he blows this place up, as he seems to be implying that he would do if Deus tries anything, it won't take very long for people to come to know about this. Sure, she can try to control the spread of rumors but she is not that capable to completely erase it from the minds of every single person who knows about this, especially as this is something Cartel's men would make sure to spread themselves.
In other words, Deus can't do anything to Cartel right now. In the face of this 'God', the birdie has made himself invincible.
"You know, I am actually a bit thankful to you." He says. "If we had gone about my original plan, sure, the results would have been better but it just wouldn't feel very satisfactory to me to win like that. Now that I am forced to switch to my plan B, I think things are going to be much more fun."
Well, considering the bombastic nature of his 'plan B', I also think things are going to be much more fun.
*****
A tall wizard bows to me as I step in front of him and then opens a portal near the entrance.
"You just need your army to step through here and they'll be in Frost."
As I hear that, I glance at Roswaisa and she nods, before stepping into the portal to check if it's safe or not. She comes back immediately and nods – as an indication that it's safe to go through.
And so, I turn to the general of my army and tell him to lead the troops through.
It doesn't take long after that for all of us to arrive on the cold planet named Frost. The place we arrive at seems to be a camp in the middle of an icy road.
"We have set up camp here." The wizard tells me and leads the way as we follow behind.
Even though we have come this far, I can't help but feel nervous. Being the king of an entire planet, making a decision like this – it's all just so much above my level. Kaylith probably only chose me as the king because there was no one else around who was willing to do it. Not that I was particularly willing to do it either but I just didn't deny in time.
In any case, I am the king now and I need to make these decisions as well as own up to them if anything goes wrong.
"Don't worry so damn much!" Roswaisa says with a deadpan expression. "Your army is far superior to anything this planet can throw at you. Each soldier in your army can take down at least 50 Cyclops. Even if the tables turn around for Cartel's men and they start being annihilated, we and Glice's army will be completely fine."
That's true. This army is pretty powerful. And if the tables turn around, all we need to do is retreat. That's right. It should be completely fine … right?
*****