I, a Mental Patient, Was Chosen to Participate in AnalogHorror-Chapter 657 - 618: Deep Diver High Priest

"Indeed, we have made mistakes, but destruction is not the way to solve the problem."

The Commander's voice remained as calm as possible, but his heart was turbulent.

"We are willing to learn, willing to listen, willing to understand. If you are willing, we can be friends."

A strange glint flashed in the High Priest's eyes.

Was it interest in this proposal?

Or disdain for this weak human species?

No one could tell.

It fell silent once more, then slowly stepped down from the altar, each step leaving a deep mark in the sediment of ocean time.

"Friends?"

The High Priest's voice carried a peculiar rhythm, as if mocking the impotence of this word.

"Is not human history a history of betrayal and deceit? How can you prove that you will not betray us again?"

"From the perspective of your human history, the only lesson you have learned is to never learn from history."

The Commander took a deep breath, knowing this was a critical moment, and any wrong decision could lead to catastrophic consequences.

"We are willing to provide anything you need. Whatever we have can be considered compensation for this incident."

His words echoed within the submarine, and all the crew members held their breath, staring at the High Priest's reaction.

Everyone knew this was a gamble, a bet on whether they could obtain the forgiveness of this powerful being.

The High Priest's eyes narrowed slightly, as if scrutinizing the Commander's sincerity.

At this moment, its gaze was profound, seeming to see into the human heart, leaving no place to hide.

After a moment, it spoke slowly.

"Do you have what it takes to meet our demands?"

The Commander did not hesitate and answered firmly,

"Yes, we are willing to share our knowledge, technology, resources... anything you need that we can provide, we will not hold back."

The High Priest remained silent, turned around, and walked back to the center of the altar, seemingly deep in thought.

The crew members in the submarine exchanged glances, with anticipation and trepidation in their eyes.

After a long while, the High Priest finally spoke, with a deep and powerful voice.

"I need your promise, you must ensure that no harmful substances will be dumped into the ocean henceforth!"

The Commander immediately responded.

"We promise that from now on, humanity will respect your domain, and there will be no more infringements."

The High Priest nodded slowly, its gaze sweeping over each face in the submarine, as if confirming their commitment.

"And, I need land from you."

What?

Everyone was stunned.

The Commander's eyes widened instantly, a disbelieving hum escaping his throat.

This demand was beyond everyone's expectations, even absurd to the extreme.

Land, for the deep sea dwellers, should be so distant and unfamiliar, why would they be interested in it?

The atmosphere in the submarine was tense to the extreme, and everyone held their breath, waiting for the Commander's reaction.

The Commander took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions.

His mind raced, trying to find a rational explanation for this absurd demand. But no matter what, he had to face this situation.

"High Priest, your demand... is truly incomprehensible to us."

The Commander's voice remained as peaceful as possible, but his heartbeat was uncontrollably accelerating.

"Land should be useless to you, may I ask why you need our land?"

A barely perceptible smile flashed in the High Priest's eyes as if it was enjoying this feeling of manipulating the situation.

"Land, indeed, is of little use to us."

Its voice flowed slowly.

"But this is an exchange, a proof. If you can make such a sacrifice, then perhaps your promise is worth believing."

Indeed.

Though the deep dwellers prefer living in the ocean, it does not mean they cannot survive on land.

The Commander's brows furrowed, knowing this demand was almost impossible to fulfill.

Land for humans is the foundation of survival, the cradle of civilization, how can it be given up lightly?

"High Priest, please understand, we cannot make such a decision."

The Commander's voice carried a hint of pleading.

"We can offer other compensations, we can sign agreements to protect the ocean, reduce pollution, but please withdraw this request."

The High Priest fell silent for a moment, its gaze sweeping over everyone in the submarine again.

"This is the bottom line of our deep sea tribe. If you cannot comply, then you may continue to enjoy the blessings of the gods!"

Its voice echoed within the submarine, its words like a cold knife, piercing into everyone's heart.

The Commander's face darkened, knowing this was no longer an ordinary negotiation, but a game concerning the future of humanity.

"Please give us time, we need to communicate with the higher-ups."

He tried to buy time, hoping to find a solution acceptable to both parties.

The High Priest did not respond immediately, its gaze profound, as if contemplating something.

The crew members in the submarine waited nervously, knowing this decision could change everything.

Finally, the High Priest spoke slowly.