Chapter 6

The car slowly pulled away from the police station, the two of them seated across from each other.

The girl before him was strikingly beautiful, her face illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the window, an ethereal beauty that took his breath away.

Jiang Suliu came from a prominent family and had seen his share of beautiful women. Some were alluring, others pure, yet none could match the unique grace and ethereal charm of Yue Yin. She was like a silver moon, captivating his gaze and making it difficult for him to look away.

After a pause, Jiang Suliu finally asked, “Are you really a god?”

“Why do you look so surprised? I told you this already, didn’t I?” Yueyin turned her head to look at him, puzzled.

Her answer left him momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected her words to be true.

Coming from a top family, the Jiangs knew things that ordinary people could never imagine. They were aware of mysterious powers and the departments that dealt with them. His family even employed feng shui masters for their business and his own protection, keeping him safe with an amulet.

But these masters were always dignified, professional, and reliable.

Yue Yin, on the other hand, would casually pass out flyers claiming she was a god, talking about destroying the world as if it were some grand game. It was hard to reconcile this playful girl with the image of a mystical being. Up until that night, Jiang Suliu had thought she was just some anime-obsessed teenager.

Now, he was coming to terms with the fact that he had grossly underestimated her.

He had assumed she was some poor, homeless girl with a vivid imagination. But instead, she’d proven she was something entirely different—something real.

For her part, Yue Yin was equally exasperated. She’d been telling the truth all along, but no one had believed her.

Jiang Suliu had a thousand questions swirling in his mind, but he knew he couldn’t talk to anyone about it.

Finally, he asked, “If I were to become your follower, what would you ask of me?”

Bored, Yue Yin replied offhandedly, “It’s simple. If I tell you to jump into fire, you do it. If I get tired of this world and decide to destroy it, you help me bring it down.”

She spoke these outrageous demands so casually, as if unaware of how blasphemous and beyond ordinary comprehension they were.

Yue Yin figured Jiang Suliu might hesitate. After all, he’d always seemed kind and polite, the epitome of a model student. He was exactly the kind of guy people would hold up as an example, well-mannered and morally upright.

But, to her surprise, he nodded without any hint of reluctance. “Okay.”

When he made this promise to an unpredictable deity, his eyes were steady, devoid of any inner conflict.

Yue Yin smiled slightly, finding this turn of events interesting.

Jiang Suliu noticed her surprise and understood her reaction, but he stayed silent, replaying the events of the night in his mind.

The horrific monster, the darkness that covered the sky, the cries and wails that filled the world.

And then, Yue Yin arrived, bathed in moonlight, a long sword in hand, and she’d said to him, “Stand back. I’m just getting started.”

In that terrifying place, her cheerful tone made it sound like they were at some kind of amusement park.

Faith is a pure concept, sometimes, it’s born from prolonged struggle, other times from a moment of revelation.

In that instant, Jiang Suliu had made the most important decision of his life.

He would follow her, holding her as his lifelong aspiration.

Unaware of his thoughts, Yue Yin couldn’t see the fanaticism and determination in his downcast eyes. Or perhaps, even if she did, she wouldn’t have cared.

For deities, there is never a shortage of fervent followers.

After a moment’s thought, Yue Yin pulled out her phone. “I have a task for you right now.”

Jiang Suliu looked up, and Yueyin asked, “Do you play Valley Wars?”

He frowned. “Occasionally.”

“Good, then add this guy named ‘No-Kids-Gaming,’” she instructed.

Under Jiang Suliu’s bewildered gaze, she said, with utter seriousness, “He called me a noob, and I couldn’t win the argument. You go argue with him for me.”

Jiang Suliu: …?

He was momentarily speechless. Here he was, ready to aid a deity in the destruction of worlds, and instead, she was dragging him into an argument with a kid.

…

After parting ways with the bewildered Jiang Suliu, Yue Yin returned home and found her bedroom door open. She assumed it was the Shen family’s servants again, as they had been careless a few times before.

As she walked toward the bathroom, she stopped abruptly.

She turned her head toward the window.

It was open, with the curtain swaying in the evening breeze. On the desk by the balcony lay a letter.

Her pale fingers picked up the card inside, which bore a single line written in beautiful calligraphy:

—“Come back, return to us.”

There was no other message, no sender, and no recipient. Just the image of an eye stamped on the envelope.

Yue Yin stared at the symbol, feeling a vague sense of familiarity.

She leaned out the window, taking in the Shen family’s garden and the neighborhood beyond.

After a moment’s thought, she casually tore the letter in half.

“Ugh, such ugly handwriting—I can’t even read it.”

…

The next morning, Yue Yin was awoken by the sound of Shen Xiaodi screaming.

“Yue Yin!! Are you okay? Do you know what happened yesterday in the city?!”

The TV was playing a breaking news report, covering an explosion due to a gas leak, which had resulted in several casualties. Toxic gas residues had forced the area to be cordoned off, and the heavy rain and impending typhoon hadn’t led the school to call off the holiday.

Yue Yin sat calmly, drinking yogurt with Shen Xiaodi and watching the news report on the gas leak.

He sighed with relief. “Sis, it’s a good thing you didn’t go all the way out there yesterday.”

She glanced at the TV, picked up a bag of chips, and casually said, “I did go.”

Shen Xiaodi’s heart skipped a beat as he stared at her.

Seeing his shock, she puffed up her chest, proud. “I saved those people.”

After a moment of silence, he replied, “Sis, I think you’re a little…not quite right in the head.”

Too busy with her game, she didn’t bother to argue with him. “You have no idea how incredible your sister really is!”

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Jiang Suliu stood at the door, looking at the maid. “I’m here to see Yue Yin.”

As soon as he saw her laughing on the sofa, he felt his breath catch. He’d wondered if last night had been a dream.

She looked over and waved, “Jiang Suliu, you’re here?”

Humans are fragile creatures, she thought. He’d barely survived last night, and here he was, not even taking a day to rest.

She wouldn’t ask why he hadn’t taken the time to recover; she didn’t care.

Why should a deity care about the lives of insects?

Jiang Suliu found a way to send Shen Xiaodi off before turning to Yue Yin. “Yesterday, the authorities had everyone sign a confidentiality agreement, one that can even alter memories. Today, the media and witnesses are all saying it was an accidental gas leak.”

He continued, “Some people with strong wills won’t forget even after signing it, but their voices won’t make much noise online.”

Yue Yin nodded absentmindedly, focused on her game. She’d already predicted this would happen.

Just as Jiang Suliu was about to say more, she slammed her hand on the table. “Unbelievable!”

He raised an eyebrow as she opened voice chat and passionately shouted, “How dare you call me a noob? I’m struggling just to finish my homework, and now you won’t even let me play a game in peace?”

“What, I fed eight kills, so you think I’m trolling? Why aren’t you complaining about Ma Chao feeding six?”

Jiang Suliu nearly choked on his drink when he caught sight of her 0/9 score on the screen.

Shen Xiaodi had snuck over and couldn’t help but sneer. He knew it—she was terrible at games, and it was a relief he hadn’t agreed to play ranked with her.

Amid her teammates’ insults calling her a “noob,” Yueyin angrily quit the game.

Clutching her chest, she lamented, “People are so rude these days. Just because I’m bad at a game, they have to insult me! As a deity who cherishes the cosmos and loves peace, I’m heartbroken and disillusioned with this world!”

Jiang Suliu: …

Is this really the god I’m destined to follow?