Chapter 120: How Could We Live Without You?
"Truly?!" The God of Pride instantly cast aside the previous quarrel, excitement written all over his face. "We're finally going to have a proper fight with the Sea God's faction? I've been waiting for this! This time we'll make sure they know our might!"
The God of Greed, however, appeared considerably more cautious. He mused aloud, "My Lord, your subordinate does not fear battle. Only... would moving at this moment not be somewhat hasty? Our preparations, as well as the timing..." He was accustomed to weighing pros and cons, always seeking the optimal course of action.
Even the God of Sloth seemed to rouse a little, mumbling, "Since it's our Lord's command... then even if it means sacrificing a bit of sleep, I'll do my utmost to complete it."
A peculiar gleam flickered through the God of Lust's eyes, her voice sultry yet carrying a clear objective: "Should it truly come to blows, would our Lord consider entrusting that Phoenix God to me to handle?"
She appeared to have quite the "interest" in Ma Hongjun.
Off to the side, the God of Wrath expressionlessly blew a large bubble of gum until it popped with a soft "pa," then stated curtly, "I have no objections."
The God of Gluttony smacked his lips, as if recalling some delicacy, and chuckled with simple-minded glee: "The Food God... makes delicious food."
Gazing upon his subordinates, each with their entirely distinct expressions, the God of Destruction spoke in a grave tone: "The timing may be more pressing than we anticipated. The Sea God's schemes are progressing faster than expected. If we continue to delay and allow matters to drift, it will not only be the Divine Realm—I fear that many of the lower planes, especially the Douluo Continent, will completely transform into the Tang family's private domain, a realm where only their voice holds sway."
He did not disclose all the specific, heinous acts he had learned concerning Tang San. This intelligence was his critical trump card; the fewer who knew of it, the lower the risk of it leaking. Especially with these Seven Deadly Sins, each so pronounced in character before him—who could guarantee that one of them (the God of Pride, for example) might not, in a fit of impulsiveness or carelessness, let something slip? That would alert Tang San, giving him ample time to patch any holes or spin fresh lies.
At this thought, the God of Destruction suddenly noted an absence: "Where is the God of Destruction?"
The God of Greed quickly responded, "In answer to our Lord, he is most likely... in his own temple once again, enjoying warm, tender moments with his several wives. Shall your subordinate go and summon him?"
A guarded look flickered through the God of Destruction's eyes. He stated decisively, "That will not be necessary. His absence is, in fact, opportune. Everything I have discussed with you today, as well as any and all subsequent related actions, must not be disclosed to the God of Destruction. You in particular, Pride—keep a tight rein on that mouth of yours. Speak no more than you must."
Though puzzled, the God of Pride held absolute obedience to the God of Destruction's commands. He immediately straightened his body and vowed, "Rest assured, my Lord! I shall seal my lips as tightly as a tomb and will not leak a single syllable!"
The God of Envy, on the other hand, let out a somewhat gleeful laugh: "No problem, my Lord. I've found that fellow an eyesore for ages. By what right does he get to enjoy multiple beautiful wives, basking in such domestic bliss, while still gliding effortlessly through the Divine Realm... truly, it grates on the nerves."
The God of Lust, however, revealed a trace of confusion: "My Lord, the God of Destruction is, after all, a First-Class Deity—his strength is formidable, and his loyalty to you has always been unwavering. Why deliberately keep this from him? Is one more source of strength not for the better?"
"This matter requires no further inquiry. You need only act upon my command." The God of Destruction's tone brooked no dissent. Immediately after, he shifted the topic, dropping an important piece of news: "Furthermore, let me inform you of something. Little Green and I have already located suitable candidates to inherit our divine seats."
"What?" The reactions among the gods varied.
The God of Pride was the first to cheer: "Wonderful! Congratulations, my Lord! Congratulations to Her Grace, the Goddess of Life! Finding inheritors is a cause for great celebration! Be at ease—we shall certainly take good 'care' of the two inheritors on your behalf!"
The "care" he spoke of was clearly loaded with ulterior meaning.
The God of Greed's face, however, fell dramatically. He lunged forward and wrapped himself around the God of Destruction's leg, wailing piteously: "My Lord! No! You cannot abandon us! The Divine Realm cannot be without you, and we certainly cannot be without you!" His reaction evidently stemmed from the mistaken belief that the God of Destruction intended to pass on his seat and depart immediately.
Enlightened by this outburst, the God of Pride also abruptly saw the light and hurriedly emulated him, clutching the other leg: "Yes, my Lord! If you were to leave, what would become of us? Wouldn't those hypocrites seize the chance to bully us to death? You cannot go!"
The other five Deadly Sins likewise revealed expressions of shock, reluctance, and even a touch of panic. The God of Sloth was no longer drowsy; the enchantment on the God of Lust's face was replaced by worry; the God of Wrath furrowed his brow; the God of Gluttony forgot all about fine food; and the God of Envy watched the scene with a complicated look in her eyes.
Watching his subordinates' genuine outpouring of emotion (though admittedly likely seasoned by their respective sinful natures), the God of Destruction felt a light pluck at that cold, steely chord in his heart.
He sighed, his tone softening slightly: "Get up, all of you—what kind of disgraceful conduct is this? Since when did I ever say I was leaving immediately?"
His gaze swept over the gods as he explained: "Rest assured, I will not be like the previous God of Kindness, God of Evil, or even the Asura God—finding an inheritor and immediately passing on the mantle, then carelessly casting the burden aside to wander off in leisurely freedom. The current situation in the Divine Realm is far from clear. The Sea God Tang San is profoundly cunning, his designs vast in scope. If Little Green and I were to depart now, leaving the Divine Realm in the hands of two newly appointed God Kings with insufficient experience—how could they possibly be a match for Tang San? When that time comes, I fear the Divine Realm will truly have to change its surname to Tang."
He paused, then continued: "Dealing with the Sea God is a task I must complete before passing on my position. This is not only for the balance of the Divine Realm, but also for your sake, and for the sake of its future. I shall require your full assistance."
Hearing that their Lord did not intend to leave immediately, the Seven Deadly Sins visibly relaxed, each straightening up and listening attentively to his instructions.
The God of Destruction continued his deployment: "For the present, there are several matters I need you to undertake. First, maintain close surveillance on all movements and developments in the lower Douluo Continent plane. Both my inheritor and Little Green's bear the destructive divine sense marks I left upon them, so locating them will not prove difficult."
"But what you must do is not limited to keeping an eye on them alone. You must also pay attention to two other critical targets. One is Xiao Qi's reincarnated form, regardless of whether she now goes by Wang Dong or Wang Dong'er. The other is that Auspicious Beast within the Great Star Dou Forest, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. Beyond this, you are to conduct comprehensive surveillance over the entire Douluo Continent. Any anomaly, any event or circumstance that deviates from the natural order—especially the faintest traces suggesting Divine Realm interference—must be documented and reported to me in a timely fashion."
The God of Greed keenly seized upon the key point: "My Lord, to lay such emphasis on surveilling the lower realm... could it be that the Sea God's hand has already extended there, and he is secretly carrying out some scheme?"
"Correct." A flash of violet light glinted in the God of Destruction's eyes. "According to the intelligence I have gathered, that hypocrite Tang San is orchestrating certain unsavory designs in the lower realm. You must exercise the utmost caution. Any situation you detect is to be reported to me, and to me alone. It is absolutely not to be disclosed to any other deity whatsoever. Understood?"
"Yes! We shall strictly obey our Lord's command!" The Seven Deadly Sins answered in unison. This time, their expressions were significantly more solemn, realizing that the matter was far more complex and grave than they had initially imagined.
The God of Destruction nodded slowly, his gaze seeming to pierce through the barrier of the Divine Realm and toward the distant lower plane, his heart filled with gelid intent: "Sea God Tang San... in this game, let us see how you continue to play your tricks right under my nose. I shall let you savor your smugness for a moment longer. When I finally seize upon your fatal misstep, that will be the moment your sanctimonious facade comes crashing down for all to see!"
He reined in his thoughts and gave his subordinates a final order: "Go now, each of you, and make your preparations. Remember my words. As for me, I go now to find Little Green—to share with her the good tidings that an inheritor has been found for her, and also... to ensure she is prepared for the coming storm."
As his voice faded, the God of Destruction's form transformed into a streak of deep, dark violet light, hurtling swiftly toward the direction of the Goddess of Life's temple. Left in place, the Seven Deadly Sins exchanged bewildered glances. Shortly thereafter, they too transformed into streams of light and dispersed, setting out to execute the covert tasks their Lord had entrusted to them—missions that concerned the very future of the Divine Realm. Beneath the seemingly placid void of the Divine Realm, invisible ripples had quietly begun to spread.