Villain: Ultimate Mutation System in the Alternate World - Chapter 578

Chapter 578: The Darkness Hidden by Light
In the heart of Central City, the president stood in her office, her face filled with worry and exhaustion as she stared at the holographic screens in front of her.

Each screen displayed one of her top officials, their faces a mixture of relief and unease. The air in the room was heavy, but not with fear—rather, with confusion over what was unfolding.

“President,” General Hum began, “I’ll be honest. The angels are making progress. They’ve already pushed back most of the devils’ forces near the southern regions. It’s… extraordinary. These battles were unwinnable for us, but they’re handling it like it’s nothing.”

Kline, another high-ranking general, leaned forward in his frame.

“Good news, sure, but there’s a problem,” he interjected, his tone sharper. “The angels aren’t just fighting the devils—they’re controlling our people. I got reports that instead of working, most of our citizens are spending their time praying. It’s worse than that, though. Our researchers have found something disturbing—the angels are drawing some kind of energy from everyone.”

The president’s brows furrowed as she processed his words. “Energy? What kind of energy?”

Kline shook his head. “We’re not entirely sure yet. It’s not physical, like heat or electricity. Whatever it is, the more people pray, the stronger the angels seem to become. ”

Her jaw tightened. “So, they’re feeding off us. Is it harmful?”

Lin, the Secretary of Research and Development, chimed in. “We don’t know if it’s physically harmful yet, but mentally? It’s dangerous. People are too focused on prayer to do anything else. Productivity in key sectors has plummeted, and many aren’t even aware of how drastically their lives have changed.”

The president leaned back in her chair, her face a mix of anger and disbelief. “And the people don’t see this as a problem?”

Lin sighed. “No. To them, this is salvation. The angels saved them from the devils, brought sunlight back to the world, and now ask for nothing but devotion. To the masses, this is a small price to pay for peace.”

“But it’s not real peace,” Kline said firmly. “It’s total control. If this continues, how long before humanity becomes entirely powerless to resist them? How long until we all become puppets?”

General Hum chimed in. “President, this could become a bigger issue than the devils. We need to act carefully, or we’ll risk turning the people against us. Right now, they see the angels as saviors. If we openly challenge them, the people will turn on us. Plus, there are many in the Chamber of Commerce who are furious about the current situation.”

She tapped her desk to calm herself. The situation felt like a no-win scenario—either face death at the hands of the devils or fall under the control of the angels.

In a way, the demons were a far better alternative. At least they allowed humans to keep their autonomy. It was ironic that beings born from negative energy now appeared as heroes in her eyes.

As for the human side, the Meta, their last hope, were nowhere to be found. Their advanced technology had also been proven useless against the devils.

Her fingers continued tapping the desk.. After a moment, she asked the question that had been weighing on her mind.

“Do you have any news about that primordial demon?”

The room went quiet. The holographic screens flickered, showing her officials different expression.

General Hum finally broke the silence. “No clear updates, Madam President. But we did manage to speak with Hunter Quill . According to him, after that massive explosion, the primordial demon vanished without a trace.”

She paused for a moment, her eyes closing as she processed the information. She had already heard the news about Quill turning into a demon. It wasn’t shocking because it was impossible, but because the success rate of demonizing a human was so low.

In addition, most attempts resulted in weak, bloodthirsty demons, driven mad by their transformation. Because of that, humanity had never taken the process seriously.

But Quill was different. He had somehow managed to become a demon with the primordial demon’s help.

And judging by his combat abilities, the hunter was now far above the level of even a demon god, which was nothing short of astonishing.

She really wanted to ask Quill about how he had pulled it off, to learn the method behind his transformation. If there was a way to turn more powerful hunters into demons, it could give them the edge they desperately needed.

Unfortunately, Quill too had disappeared after the angels attempted to kill him.

‘What’s happening in this world?’ she sighed deeply, feeling like the events of the past few days had aged her by decades.

Just as she was about to speak again, the room began beeping, signaling that her connection had been cut off. She tensed—this place was supposed to be impenetrable.

Before she could react, a man with golden hair appeared beside her.

“Don’t move, I’m here to talk,” the man’s voice echoed. It was warm and charming, yet just his presence alone made her tremble.

When she got a better look at him, she saw he was wearing a white robe with silver and golden patterns.

On his head was a halo, but unlike others that were just round, his had sharp tips surrounding the edges, giving it a unique and more imposing appearance.

She mustered all her courage to speak.

“So you’re already targeting me, huh?” she asked, maintaining a calm expression. As the leader of the human race, she knew she couldn’t show even a hint of fear.

“Targeting you?” The man let out a chuckle. “You’re misunderstanding it.”

“Misunderstanding?” She narrowed her eyes, skepticism filled her gaze. “You angels say you’re here to save humanity, but all I see is a plan to turn us into your mindless followers.”

The man’s smile remained calm, but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes. He stepped closer, his presence almost overwhelming.

“You’re quick to judge,” he said, his tone soft and melodic. “But you’re wrong about our intentions. We don’t seek control, only guidance. What you call ‘mindless followers’ is simply unity—something your world has lacked for too long.”