Chapter 546: Night's Temptation (Part 2)
The Nature of the Gods and the Amazons
Diana was extremely embarrassed by the question of reproduction and didn't know how to answer.
Luke didn't seem to notice, continuing to talk to himself.
"Themyscira felt very strange to me—full of young, strong female warriors. No old people, no children. It's truly puzzling. How do you all continue the line?"
Diana didn't want to answer, but driven by Luke's curiosity, she whispered,
"Due to certain reasons, the Amazons living on the island do not die. There is no need for children."
Luke clicked his tongue and shook his head, sighing while drinking.
"Immortality? No children? A difficult choice, indeed!"
Immortality wasn't as wonderful as people imagined; it was more like a curse.
A person's mindset is fixed. Once formed, it's hard to change, which is why people from one generation often clash with the next. The elderly inevitably become disconnected from society, living in their own small circles. Just like Diana, even after decades off the island, she couldn't fully integrate into the human world, mostly working with relics and avoiding high-tech products if possible.
The progress of civilization is the progress of thought and understanding. Children represent new ideas, new hope, and a new future.
In this regard, the Amazonian race was blank. Thousands of years of life, repeating every single day—the thought of it was terrifying.
Diana swirled her wine glass, unwilling to discuss the topic.
Luke didn't press the issue and changed the subject.
"Can you tell me about the Olympian Gods?"
Diana looked surprised. "You're interested in myths and legends too?"
Luke shook his head. "I'm asking about the gods that actually exist, not the stories passed down in books."
"The history of Earth's civilization is much longer than we imagine. Based on the information I've gathered, there have been four major civilized systems over the past ten thousand years. Each civilization has its gods, and Olympus, represented by ancient Greek civilization, is one of them. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Ares, and so on are all real figures."
"Diana, I'd really like to know, how were these gods born?"
Diana thought for a moment, then shook her head slightly.
"My mother once mentioned that the history before the Gods is blank. Then, for unknown reasons, the Earth Goddess appeared. She nurtured the Sky God and, by combining with him, bore many children. These children and their descendants became gods. But how she was born, I do not know."
Luke smiled. "So, the Gods are all products of the unknown."
Diana shrugged. "You could say that."
"Well, let's toast to the unknown."
The glasses clinked together with a crisp sound. With the wine flowing, Diana became more talkative.
"Themyscira has an underground palace that records the history of the Gods. If you're interested, you can go and see it."
Luke's heart stirred. He said casually, "I look forward to that day. I'll be sure to ask you to be my guide."
"No problem."
Diana slapped her chest, saying with great confidence,
"With me there, no one can harm you."
The Night's End
The night deepened, but the laughter in the room did not stop. Subtly, their conversation moved from the window sill to the bedroom. Six bottles of red wine were emptied, and a rosy-cheeked Diana's eyes were filled with a hazy glaze.
The wine wasn't the cause; they were intoxicated by themselves.
Luke kicked a bottle aside, walked up to her, and gently kissed her.
Diana pushed back twice but gave up when she couldn't break free. Luke lifted her onto the bed, staring intently at her flushed, delicate face.
"Look at me."
Their eyes met. In an instant, Diana felt her soul seemed to leave her body, fusing with Luke's soul. It was a feeling she had never experienced before.
Suppressed sounds echoed in the room.
The two were like dry wood and raging fire, burning madly under the stimulation of alcohol—a combination of flesh and flesh, a fusion of spirit and spirit. Their panting was sometimes loud, sometimes muffled.
A robot vacuum cleaner stopped at the bedroom door, looking confusedly at the scene. Its blinking electronic eyes showed curiosity and bewilderment until the sounds finally ceased, and it moved on.
The night silently slipped away. Before they knew it, the sun rose and hung high in the sky.
On the messy bed, a deeply sleeping Diana opened her eyes. Remembering something, she quickly pulled back the covers. When she saw the scene underneath, she froze.
"By the Gods, what did I do?"
She clutched her forehead, feeling awkwardness, anger, and shame. Cautiously, she glanced to the side. Seeing no one there, she sighed in relief.
"Thank goodness, it was just a dream."
"Yes, just a dream, it was all a dream. Nothing happened."
Diana constantly comforted and warned herself. Yet, inexplicably, the images of their passionate entanglement surfaced like a kaleidoscope. Her mind began to boil.
"It's over. It wasn't a dream."
Damn it, what exactly happened?
Diana was frantic. She couldn't understand the previous night's experience.
She liked mature men who were upright, brave, and devoted. She absolutely hated schemers and playboys, and Luke Shaw represented exactly that kind of person. The two should never have become friends. Yet, reality had smacked her hard.
A drunken mistake, or something else...
"No, I can't stay here."
Diana listened for sounds in the room. Once certain Luke wasn't around, she quickly got dressed, grabbed her weapons and medication, and rushed back to Washington. After arriving home, the more she thought about it, the more awkward she felt. The night's experience spun in her mind like a curse: the fusion of spirit and flesh, you in me, me in you—a feeling she had never known.
Inexplicably, her body felt hot.
Diana took a deep breath, forcefully pushing these thoughts away. She walked to the mirror, applied the hair growth supplement to her eyebrows and scalp. A cool sensation spread, and her hair and eyebrows began to grow outwards.
Half an hour later, the cool sensation faded. Her hair had grown more than twice its length, and her eyebrows regained their former spirit.
"What a powerful effect."
At this rate, she would return to her former appearance in just two days. Her only headache was her skin. She didn't like her current complexion at all, even though it was the kind of skin many women could only dream of having.
After resting at home for a day, Diana returned to work at the museum. To avoid drawing attention, she deliberately wore a hat. Even so, her friend Barbara Ann Minerva looked completely shocked.
"Did you... did you get a beauty treatment?"
"No, just a little accident."
Diana put on gloves and started her artifact restoration work. She was a master in this field; no matter how badly damaged a historical relic was, it would be restored to its original state by her hands.
Barbara Ann Minerva scrutinized her, even lifting her hat to look inside.
"You didn't just get laser skin resurfacing; you cut your hair, too. You haven't fallen in love, have you?"
"Alright, Barbara, stop distracting me from my work."
Barbara refused to give up, pressing her like a shadow.
"Tell me! Who is he? His looks, height, age, what does he do? I'll help you look him over."
Diana was somewhat exasperated but patiently explained,
"I can tell you seriously: I haven't fallen in love. The reason I look like this was an accident."
"Do you think I'm stupid?"
Barbara pouted. "You used to be so lifeless—nothing but work, work, work. Today is completely different. Look at you now: youthful, vibrant, glowing. The worry between your brows is gone. It's like you're a different person."
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