Death... and me

Everyone liked the idea. However, they also had another problem. "That's good and all. However, wouldn't your sect be privy to our conversations? If we enter a war against some other country, couldn't our enemies pay your sect to have access to our conversations?"

Rean nodded straight away, answering, "I won't lie. Such a thing is possible. As much as I want to say that our sect won't do such a thing, I don't know what will happen in the future. It's not like we will live forever, after all. However, this shouldn't be that big of a problem."

"How come it's not a problem? It's a huge problem!" Obviously, that's what everyone thought.

Rean shook his head in response, though. "Do you have rocks for brains? Even if someone else has access to your messages, can't you simply use codes? As long as you do that, what will be the point in being able to hear what you're saying? No one will understand anyway. Not only that, if you find out that the enemy is listening to your conversations, can't you prepare a trap with that knowledge?" Rean shrugged his shoulders. "Simply put, there are many ways to work around this problem. So, yeah. It's not a big issue."

Everyone went silent after hearing Rean's reasoning. Sure enough, as long as they used codes or perhaps create a language that only they would understand, that problem would be resolved. Also, while no war was happening, the communication system would be pivotal to their own new countries' development. Just how good would it be if all cities could talk to each other with almost no cost?

"Once again, this is a step that my sect has to do for the sake of the human world. Also, let's be honest here. With our Freedom Sect's power, do we even need to use such underhanded methods? We can simply invade your territories and take them away from you through raw strength alone. Can any of your countries stop us?" Rean asked that with a serious expression.

Eventually, one of the representatives stepped forward before making the request. "My Oscleri Country wishes to have the new communication systems. When can you install it around our cities?"

As if starting a chain reaction, the other representatives began to ask for the same thing.

"My Wespol Country wants to install it as well."

"The same goes for our Zemup Country."

"We also..."

Sure enough, no one wanted to be a country without an instant and cheap communication method. That would delay them way too much and would be even worse if they began to be attacked by a country with a communication system on their side.

However, Rean lifted his hand, telling them, "Not so fast. We'll obviously install the antennas in your country, but that doesn't mean you will have access to it. As cheap as it is compared to Thoughts Transmission Talismans, our sect will be the one responsible for keeping the system working. Naturally, there'll be a price behind it."

No one was surprised by Rean's request. They were talking about a system that would encompass the entire continent. It would be ridiculous to expect the Freedom Sect to pay for everything while they simply used it.

"That's not a problem. As long as the price isn't unreasonable, our Ditrio Country will pay for the rights to use it."

The Ditrio representative wasn't the only one, as all the other representatives soon followed suit. They were only afraid that Rean might ask for too much.

"That's good. The price will vary accordingly to the countries' size and the number of antennas we will need to install. As for the Nokias, they will be sold separately since that's how we will make our profit. In the future, new versions with more options will be added to the market as well." It was then that Rean remembered. "Oh, right. The communication system will be operating under a company managed by our sect. Its name is Freedom Telecommunications LTD."

Someone couldn't help but ask, "Is there really a need to put another name or create a company for that? We all know it's part of the Freedom Sect anyway."

"There is," Rean replied in confirmation. "That's because the Nokias and future versions of the Spiritual Smartphones will be sold in shops all around the continent. In the end, this is a business, not a sect's type of work. The sect will be responsible for its protection but will be separated from everything else."

"Shops?" Another guy immediately understood Rean's meaning. "Do you mean that anyone with money will be able to buy and use your Nokias to talk to each other?"

Rean nodded as he replied, "Exactly! At the moment, the price for each Nokia is more or less what a Core Formation Realm cultivator would consider tolerable. But we will create cheaper versions in the future for the common people. For ordinary humans, gold, silver, and copper are worth a lot more than spirit stones, so we have to provide them with options for that as well. Of course, their smartphones wouldn't be nearly as good and resistant as yours."

Some didn't like the idea since they wanted to monopolize communications inside their own countries. Simply put, that would be a way to keep the power in their hands. However, Rean had no intention of letting that happen. Such countries would eventually fall behind in development due to the oppression of their leaders. That's not what Rean wanted.

"Now then, let's start with the discussion of places where we need to install the antennas. Well, my Freedom Sect already obtained all the information about your territories, so we're just telling you in advance where the antennas will be built."

Rean also added one last piece, telling them, "Last but not least, there are the fines."

"Fines?"

Rean nodded, explaining, "Any country that has an antenna destroyed for whatever reason will have to pay ten times the price of the materials used for it. That's an absolute rule."

Everyone was taken aback after that. "Wait! What if some enemy comes and destroys it instead? Isn't that unfair?"

Rean laughed in response, saying, "Then, you better protect the antennas like your lives depend on it."