Chapter 276: Simulated Universe·Universal Locust Plague (Eleven)

"In short, the fall of Tai Zi Yu Luo Si seems directly tied to Preservation; I think only that god‑power‑bound great hammer could possibly pierce another deity's body. Yet the whole of history must be far beyond this, and I truly cannot determine how Star Deities clash..."

——

"Seeking an encounter in the dungeon—did I get something wrong?"

"In the dim church basement, He Si Ti Ya swayed her pale legs, perched on a wooden crate and muttered, "Did the Preservation Star Deity use the hammer in his hand to hammer another Star Deity to death?" She tilted her head, her black double ponytails hanging over her shoulders, "Isn't that a bit too plain?""

"Bei Er sat cross‑legged on the ground, looking at the girl beside her: "What does the Supreme Deity think a battle between Star Deities should be like?""

""Um…" the goddess puffed out her cheeks, lifted a finger and traced in the air, "They're Star Deities! The battle should be grand, right? For example, a single hammer strike would, just from the aftershocks, blow apart countless billions of star systems!""

""Huh? Then what exactly did it preserve…?""

"Bei Er scratched her head, "I think the battles between Star Deities might not be spectacular; they each represent their own destiny. Just as Propagation's ascension is only a fleeting instant, I believe its fall might also be just a moment.""

"He Si Ti Ya rested her chin and pondered, "You mean Ke Li Po might settle a battle with a single hammer, smashing the very concept of 'Propagation' away?""

""I can't say for certain…" Bei Er looked up, gazing at the endless wall in the heavens, "The concept of Propagation must still exist, just as after a Star Deity's fall there are still rapidly breeding insect swarms in the universe—but perhaps they've been sealed by the Preservation Star Deity? Like hammering its flesh to pieces and then sealing them one by one…""

""That method isn't very stable, is it? What if someone finds fragments of a Propagation corpse and tries to exploit the lingering power for wrongdoing—what then?""

""Supreme Deity, there's no guarantee anyone will even pick them up…" Bei Er muttered softly, "If someone does, we can only hope they're a good person.""

——

"A strange scent permeated the tavern."

"Xing sat on a wooden stool in the corner, staring at the mug of beer infused with a glowing beetle; the insect's wings slowly unfurled in the amber liquid, like some bizarre artwork."

"Beyond that mug, others were studying how to brew wine with insects spawned by the locust plague—at the counter, a scholar wearing a monocle rolled up his sleeve, lifted a young true cicada that had been steeped in the wine vat for ages, then casually poured a cup of insect wine and handed it to Xing: "Hey, buddy, trust me… this stuff is truly nourishing.""

""…Thanks." Xing silently pushed the cup a little farther away."

""You're now a member of the Masked Fools." Hei Ta's voice sounded beside her, and Xing turned to see Hei Ta's holographic projection fiddling with the beetle soaked in wine. She pursed her lips: "According to records, Joy also took part in this war of the gods, so its followers, the Masked Fools, naturally wouldn't miss this cosmic‑scale fun.""

""This is also related to A Ha? Did it also strike at Propagation?""

"Hei Ta shrugged: "I don't know that, but you can glean some truth from the Masked Fools' actions.""

"As they spoke, Xing noticed something odd in the mug before her: a murky ripple rose in the liquid. Not only her cup, but the other Fools' cups showed the same image."

"Some claimed the ripple meant "add more cumin when grilling the insects," while others said it was a silent indictment from Propagation… In short, the tavern's patrons argued over it for three days and three nights, finally concluding it was A Ha's revelation—'Stop drinking, go help the gods!'"

"But how to get there is another issue; fortunately, Idea King suggested they could steal the Mourning Lamenter's Gondola."

""It's all Joy's destiny; isn't 'steal' the wrong word?" Xing corrected, speaking earnestly, "It's clearly 'borrow'! We're all family; calling it 'steal' feels distant, doesn't it?""

""Oh, oh, oh! This guy's got insight!" the leading Masked Fool showed an approving grin, waved a big hand, "Alright! Let's go borrow their Gondola!""

""Xing… I've noticed you have potential to be a Masked Fool," Hei Ta quietly brushed his forehead, "But these Masked Fools are really lax.""

"In the blink of an eye, Xing found herself aboard an interstellar vessel—this must be the Gondola the Fools spoke of."

"The ship was bustling; on the road to aiding the Star Deities, it gathered many enthusiastic followers of various Star Deity factions, even some nameless guests. Yet Xing counted them all and found that no Masked Fool was present."

"—Those guys left early, taking the whole ship with them."

——

Black Robe Riot Squad.

"These Masked Fools are fucking cowards; I do appreciate their taste in booze, but pulling a stunt like this, they're damn despicable."

The soldier boy raised a glass of whiskey, coldly watching the bustling crowd aboard the ship.

Bu Che Er held a cigarette between his lips, a smug grin tugging at his mouth: "Fine, I actually think these lunatics suit my taste." He exhaled a smoke ring, "Shepherding a bunch of self‑important idiots to their deaths while hiding behind the scenes—this tactic is brilliant! I'm practically falling in love with these bastards."

Deception… Bu Che Er glanced at the soldier boy beside him, suddenly realizing the Masked Fools' script could also apply to him and the soldier boy.

His smile deepened.

"But back to it, even if these guys want to help the Star Deities, what can they do with their power? Feed those insects as snack? Or be casually crushed by the Amber King's hammer?" the soldier boy said.

"Who knows? Maybe they serve as 'war correspondents'?"

"Oh, now I get it… that's actually important. Back in Normandy, when I fought bravely against the Nazis… it was these war correspondents who preserved the footage of my combat."

"Oh…"

Bu Che Er massaged his temples, feeling the celestial canopy throb. This bastard was about to start babbling again, brandishing a forged macho‑show résumé as if it were true history—still a talent. The point is, it's not convenient to expose him now; we still need him to deal with that bastard of our compatriots…