The year when the gates first appeared on Earth matched the memories he saw from Zhang Haoran, who had been swallowed by one of those gates. He was thrown into another realm and forced to survive there as a mortal.

That realm, filled with countless beasts, was also the same place where devils had spread their influence. Fate had truly brought him there. Tarius had most likely noticed him by chance during that time.

After turning the entire First Heaven into his domain, Aldrian understood just how fragile the outer realm truly was. With that as a clue, he could piece together what had happened back then, including the events that took place behind the scenes.

The heavenly laws in the outer realm were already far weaker than those in the inner realm due to the invasion. As a result, Tarius could extend far more of his divine sense there, something he could not do within the inner realm. With his divine sense slipping into the outer realm, he could observe everything that was happening.

Tarius saw potential in Zhang Haoran, given his situation at the time, and decided to turn him into an apostle. Once Zhang Haoran became his apostle, the karmic link between them strengthened to the point that Tarius could move him to the higher heavens.

After completing his so-called "training" in the higher heavens, Tarius, who had comprehended the samsara laws, sent Zhang Haoran’s soul into the body of a dying man in the former devil territory of the Barisan Continent.

What followed after that became history.

To carry out such a complex method, Tarius needed another god to help weaken the heavenly laws of the First Heaven, especially within the inner realm.

Aldrian had already guessed this long ago, even before he made the First Heaven as his domain. Only recently did he learn the identity of the god who had been assisting Tarius.

With that god aiding Tarius, everything that had happened made sense.

Who else could it be, if not Arvegis?

Why did he think that?

It was because only one god could infiltrate his own apostle into the First Heaven without Tarius realizing it. And the only one capable of doing that had to be someone Tarius worked with.

Arvegis had taken advantage of the moment when the heavenly laws of the First Heaven were weakened by their actions, using it to carry out his own agenda.

Aldrian could imagine how furious Tarius would be when he realized that Arvegis had been acting behind his back within the First Heaven, something that had clearly broken those invaders’ covenant.

Aldrian could not help but smirk as he leaned against his seat at the thought. From the nature of Tarius’s followers, he could already picture what kind of god he was. The type who was easily offended, easily provoked, quick to show his fury.

It made him wonder how Arvegis would slip away from this mess after pushing them into conflict with each other. Arvegis might want to explain himself, but he would not get the chance. Tarius would be far too consumed by his own anger to listen.

Aldrian shook his head and looked out the window, taking in the earth’s scenery outside. Moments later, a man in a soldier’s uniform entered after knocking on the door. With a respectful gesture, he bowed. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Excuse me, Sir Aldrian and ladies, for disturbing your time, but your IDs are ready."

He then took out four bracelets.

"These bracelets contain your IDs, but they can also be used for various functions such as communication and as a wallet to store money. Inside, there are already a few numbers that can be contacted if Sir Aldrian and the ladies need assistance." He paused for a moment as he handed the four black bracelets, each with a small screen, to Aldrian and his wives.

"Please wear these at all times while you are on Earth. And as a gesture of goodwill from General Ruan, each bracelet already contains some money for Sir Aldrian and the ladies to spend. She hopes that you will enjoy your time on Earth."

Aldrian put the bracelet on his right wrist and checked his ID. The soldier was about to guide him on how to use it, but it seemed Aldrian already knew. He had seen how Baek Jimin and Angelica used this kind of bracelet earlier.

A hologram displaying his ID appeared. It showed his serial number, his photo, and his name. Beneath it was a barcode that could be scanned by anyone who wanted to view more detailed information.

After checking his ID, he opened the wallet function. This time, it did not appear as a hologram, only on the small screen, displaying the total amount.

It made him raise his eyebrows.

’Two billion yuan?’

He did not know the current value of the money, but in his past life on Earth, that amount would have already placed him among the rich people in China.

Now, he did not know if things were still the same. If the value had not changed much, then General Ruan was truly generous. And if his wives had received the same amount, then that would be eight billion yuan in total.

He accepted the gesture and gave a small nod.

"Alright," he said, but then a knowing expression appeared on his face.

"I could sense a kind of signal from the bracelet, so I assume it also functions as a device to track our movements, right?" His tone was friendly, and his question carried no ill intent. He was simply curious.

But for the soldier, his heart turned cold. He thought this man might take offense at having his and his wives’ locations constantly tracked.

He quickly bowed.

"My apologies, Sir Aldrian, if you find it offensive. All bracelets worn by those who come from outside this world have the same function. It is only a safety measure against anyone who might disturb Earth’s order. This is not something directed specifically at your esteemed self."

He did not even dare to use the term otherworlders in front of Aldrian, afraid it might offend him.

Aldrian was slightly taken aback when he sensed the man’s fear and the way he tried to explain himself. He smiled.

"I know, I know. I was just asking. I don’t find it strange. In fact, it’s a good measure. Monitoring the movements of otherworlders is one way to make sure they are not doing anything stupid. I understand, so you don’t need to worry."

The soldier straightened his body and forced a rigid smile, though he sighed inwardly. Thankfully, Aldrian was not offended. He was one of the few who had witnessed the scanning process earlier, and he knew just how terrifying the beings before him were.

General Ruan had also instructed him to treat them with the utmost respect. He had been worried they might be like some other otherworlders, arrogant and unreasonable.

Fortunately, these people were not.

After releasing a quiet breath, the soldier continued, "Sir Aldrian, all the procedures for your visit are complete. We hope you have a pleasant stay on Earth."

Aldrian nodded. "Alright. Thank you."

"General Ruan has sent her apologies for not being able to escort you out of the facility. She has some matters to attend to at the moment. However, she asked whether Sir Aldrian would like transportation to the Earth’s surface, or if you would prefer a guide during your time on Earth."

Aldrian smiled. "No need. We would like to learn about the current life on Earth ourselves. Please convey my gratitude to General Ruan."

The man nodded. "Alright, if Sir Aldrian says so. I will relay your gratitude to General Ruan."

Aldrian nodded and then looked at his wives, who seemed ready to leave.

"Alright, it seems it’s time to go. Thank you for your help."

As soon as he finished speaking, he and his wives suddenly disappeared from the room. The man was stunned by their sudden disappearance, but after a few seconds passed with no sign of them returning, he released a sigh of relief.

Even though Aldrian appeared amicable and did not release any aura, simply standing in front of him already created a kind of pressure. He could not shake the feeling that he had been standing before a higher being. Even more so when he remembered Sylphia’s aura.

He sighed once more.

’I hope there will be no problems as long as these monsters remain on Earth.’

----------------------------------

Aldrian and his wives appeared floating above the shoreline, where a massive city stretched out beneath them. It was still daylight, allowing them to see everything clearly.

Modern skyscrapers rose high into the clouds. Screens of various sizes displayed countless videos across the city. Lights of different colors decorated the city, accompanied by the distant hum of activity, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

Everything about it felt different from the cities of the inner realm.

Aldrian and his wives found it fascinating. They could not help but feel the urge to explore it further. For Aldrian and Sylphia, the sight of the city was drastically different from what they remembered from their past life.

"Truly amazing. It’s completely different from our past life, dear," Sylphia said.

Aldrian nodded. "Yes, the change is so drastic that it almost feels like we are not on Earth."

"So do you know where this is?" Angelica asked, her gaze fixed on the city, curiosity clear in her eyes.

"Well, I teleported us to a place I remember as China, specifically the city of Shanghai. This is where Sylphia and I lived in our past life on Earth," Aldrian replied.

A moment after he spoke, something could be seen flying toward them from the distance.