Faced with such stances from both sides, Queen Bee reluctantly cast her vote in favor.
At present, both the Witch Boy and Lex Luthor had agreed, and Savage was a given. Even if the Ninja Master and she herself voted against it, it would still pass with a three-to-two majority, rendering her vote insignificant.
The Ninja Master stated, "I don't care. Be it demons or devils, as long as they can aid our cause, I welcome them."
Finally, Savage announced the final result: "With five members participating, five votes in favor, and zero against, starting today, the Lord of the Underworld is officially a member of the Illuminati."
Savage then turned to the Lord of the Underworld and said, "As a new member, you may make one request to the Illuminati. Provided it does not harm other members, the Illuminati will help you achieve it."
Bai Qi, without a moment's hesitation, declared, "I want to establish a kingdom, a kingdom of my own."
Bai Qi's words plunged everyone into silence. After a long pause, Savage said, "We are aware of your kingdom. However, you must understand that it is no longer your era, your kingdom no longer exists, and it is also not a good time to enter China."
From Savage's words, it seemed he had misunderstood Bai Qi's intention.
After reorganizing his thoughts, Bai Qi spoke again, "I do not want the kingdom I once had. I want a kingdom that truly exists."
This time, the members of the Illuminati understood. In essence, he wanted to become a dictatorial king of a country, just like Queen Bee.
This was easily achievable. There were countless nameless small countries in the world, some of which were undergoing the baptism of war. While Bai Qi's current status might present some minor complications, these could be quickly overcome through the operations of the Illuminati.
"No problem. The Illuminati will fulfill your request."
On the third day after becoming a formal member of the Illuminati, Savage, accompanied by the Witch Boy, approached Bai Qi again, holding several maps.
"It's done so quickly?"
Bai Qi was truly surprised by the Illuminati's capabilities, having accomplished this in just three days.
Savage nodded and laid out the maps one by one.
There were three maps, each corresponding to a different country.
The first was a landlocked country bordering Queen Bee's territory. It was the largest of the three in terms of land area, but a significant portion of it was desert, making the environment quite harsh.
The second was an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, the smallest of the three, only about the size of one county in China. More importantly, due to its distance from the mainland, the economy on the island was extremely backward, with many indigenous people living in tribal forms.
The third was also an island nation, but this one comprised three islands of varying sizes, forming a triangular pattern. Its area was slightly smaller than the first, and the islands were relatively rich in natural resources. The only issue was that, being an archipelago, this country had been ruled by three major warlords and seven to eight minor warlords for over a decade. These warlords were constantly fighting each other, leading to extreme poverty among the island's population.
Looking at the three islands collectively, each had its own problems, whether it was internal conflict or backwardness and poverty.
The only one that was somewhat better was too close to Queen Bee.
However, it made sense. Why would a prosperous and economically developing country willingly allow a demon to be their king?
"So, have you chosen which one?"
Savage suggested, "The first country is probably the best. Queen Bee can provide you with some assistance then."
Bai Qi shook his head after hearing this.
The first option was precisely what he least desired, solely because it was too close to Queen Bee, leaving him with no sense of security.
No matter how he developed, the neighboring country of Byllia would inevitably be affected, and negotiations with Queen Bee would be troublesome.
"I'll take this one. I want the third."
After a brief hesitation, Bai Qi chose the third country, the archipelago that formed a triangular pattern, Kutor.
Bai Qi was drawn to Kutor for several reasons. Firstly, the country was far from the mainland. Both the United States and other major powers would be unable to reach it easily. Even if they wanted to impose sanctions or launch attacks, Bai Qi would have some time to react.
Secondly, this location was far from the territories of other Illuminati members, thus avoiding potential conflicts of interest or territory.
Thirdly, and most importantly, Kutor was currently engulfed in prolonged warfare, with various warlords fiercely clashing.
What might appear as a drawback to ordinary people was an opportunity in Bai Qi's eyes.
Consider the people who lived in constant war, their lives hanging precariously on the edge of death every day. What would they desire the most? Human rights? No. Freedom? Perhaps not. Respect? Forget it, that couldn't buy them food.
These people wouldn't want trivial things. What they desired was simply to survive, to no longer worry about seeing the sunrise the next day, to have enough to eat at every meal, and to have a roof over their heads.
These seemingly minor matters for ordinary people were precisely what the people of Kutor needed most.
Could the warlords provide them with these things?
No, those dirty parasites would only leech off them, draining the last of Kutor's people's value to satisfy their own selfish desires.
When a person is on the verge of dying of thirst, they will drink poison without hesitation if it appears before them.
The people of Kutor were like that thirsty person. Rather than worrying about survival, what was wrong with letting a demon lead them? After all, it couldn't possibly get any worse.
"Are you sure you want this one?"
"Why, is it not possible?"
"No," Savage shook his head, "it's not that. It's just that this country is too far from our sphere of influence, and interfering there would be a bit troublesome."
"You don't need to intervene too much," Bai Qi said. "I will take this country by my own strength. Your task is to stabilize the high-level politicians in the United States and speak out for me internationally."
After hearing Bai Qi's words, Savage nodded and said, "Alright. I, Lex Luthor, and Queen Bee will do our best to buy you time."
A demon aspiring to be the king of a country would undoubtedly cause a significant international stir. Some major powers, for their own interests, would strongly oppose it, and at this point, the Illuminati would need to intervene.
Savage, Lex Luthor, and Queen Bee, as prominent figures on the international stage, could effectively counter public opinion and even exert influence on the international community to legitimize and even justify Bai Qi's actions.
What Bai Qi needed to do was to conquer Kutor as quickly as possible and stabilize the internal situation.
Once the deed was done, with the support of the people of Kutor, the international community would be powerless to stop him.