Gone, Gone

Seven years have passed, and people have fully accepted the fact that the Gods have returned to power.

The Star Network has many prayer guides, God Compendium, and various related products that claim to "bless the Gods."

Even Landon Star, once a drab, remote industrial planet, has now become a popular pilgrimage destination.

Every day, groups of devotees of the Goddess of Beauty devoutly offer flowers and tributes outside the protected area designated by the Jade Qilin Clan.

Hopefully, they can absorb some of the lingering Divine Power of the Goddess of Beauty from that planet.

However, the chasm of desire can never be filled.

When people discover that the Gods do not easily bestow blessings upon them simply because of a few sticks of incense or a basket of fruit, their initial piety begins to sour.

Some people complained that their prayers went unanswered.

Some people question whether the Gods truly care about their believers.

Some audacious individuals even started plotting more dangerous schemes.

Since the Gods won't give it to us willingly, we should find a way to get it ourselves.

In recent years, cases of poaching Divine Scion, stealing Divine Relics, and even attempting to steal Divine Blood through forbidden rituals have emerged one after another in various Star Region of the Federation.

The Federation Military Department established Special Action Group for this purpose, personally led by General Yang Zhi.

Even so, those driven by greed still flock to anything that might be associated with the Gods, like moths to a flame.

The system finished explaining the events of the past seven years to Wuma Xiu.

The densely packed reports on the screen were flipped through page after page, each page filled with greed, overstepping boundaries, and insatiable desires.

Wuma Xiu sighed silently in his heart.

In this era, some weapons are so destructive that some Divine Scion with diluted Divine Blood simply cannot withstand such attacks.

If this continues, the Gods will want to destroy the world again.

Such a thing was not unprecedented in the age of Age of the Gods.

When mortal desires swell to the point of daring to covet the power of the Gods themselves, there will always be Deities will step forward and use the most decisive method to reduce everything to zero, and then start all over again.

However, something still doesn't seem right.

[System, how could it have developed like this in just seven years?]

From the resurgence of the Gods to the large-scale poaching of Divine Blood by mortals, there needs to be at least a fermentation period of several decades.

Seven years is too short.

It was so short it felt like someone had secretly pressed the fast-forward button.

What should have been a slowly growing ambition was prematurely ripened into a mad fruit.

[Host, do you mean someone's causing trouble behind this?]

The system's tone also became more serious.

[Perhaps there is a God.]

A rare hint of coldness appeared in Wuma Xiu's eyes.

The Evil God Faction —those guys are no pushovers.

Just think about the Evil Gods of the past.

Before meeting the Goddess of Beauty, that guy was autocratic, cruel, and cold-blooded, acting entirely on his whims. Destroying a planet was as insignificant as stepping on a nest of ants.

If it weren't for his confidante, the Goddess of Beauty, punching the other party and bringing him to his senses...

Who knows what the Evil Gods are like now?

Within the Evil God Faction, there are more than one beings like the former Evil Gods.

Those Evil Gods who have not yet awakened, or who have awakened but are lurking in the shadows.

Who knows if they might take the opportunity to do something?

Perhaps, this current situation is the result of their manipulation.

"My friend, why do you look so serious?"

The voice of the God of Fire came from beside him, interrupting his thoughts.

As he spoke, his eyes seemingly casually glanced at the neatly stacked pile of empty wine jars beside him. He placed the "Reunion" jar on the bottom layer, with several other wine jars stacked on top of it.

Logically speaking, it should be completely concealed, and absolutely no one should be able to tell.

But then his friend suddenly put on a stern face. Could it be that he discovered he had drunk all of his "Reunion" drink?

Wuma Xiu turned his head to look and saw that God of Fire was casually withdrawing his gaze, and the direction that gaze fell was precisely where the rows of empty wine jars were piled up.

He glanced in that direction suspiciously, following his gaze.

God of Fire immediately turned his head away, picked up the wine bowl beside him, and took a swig.

Stay calm, stay calm, your friend definitely didn't see it.

Knowing his friend as he did, if he were to discover that the jar of "Reunion" had been completely drunk, he would be in serious trouble.

He certainly doesn't have that calm expression now.

However, to be fair, he did have some regrets at the time.

That jar of wine was brewed by a close friend; from selecting the ingredients to sealing the jar, it was all made with his own heartfelt dedication.

He enjoyed drinking it, but afterwards, he always felt a little uneasy about it.

It's like owing a debt you don't know how to repay.

But it's too late to say anything now; the alcohol has already been consumed.

"My friend, things have changed a lot over the years. You need to be careful and not let yourself be led by the nose."

A rare solemn expression appeared on Wuma Xiu's face.

Upon hearing this, God of Fire was taken aback at first, then put down his wine bowl, a hint of arrogant fire flashing in his dark red eyes.

He wasn't good at figuring out those intricate schemes and plots, but being bad at it didn't mean he cared.

"My friend, you're really overthinking it."

A rare smile appeared on his lips.

That was the confidence of the God of Fire, a confidence that looked down upon everything.

If any fool dares to scheme against him, he will make them suffer a severe beating from head to toe.

What is true anger?

"Also, my friend, if anything bullies you, just call me. I'll fight it for you."

Wuma Xiu raised one hand.

Seeing his state, God of Fire placed the wine bowl on his lap and reached out to press down Wuma Xiu's raised hand.

"Mind your own business. Fighting is none of your concern. But since you said it, I'll remember it."

God of Fire didn't take those words to heart.

He had known God of Wine for so long, and he had never actually seen his friend get into a serious fight with anyone.

In his view, not a single word in his friend's Divine Office was related to combat.

Brewing and tasting wine, and making friends over drinks, is what his family's friends should be doing. As for fighting, he should handle that.

God of Fire left the God of Wine Palace.

My friend's seemingly random warning.

If it were someone else, he'd probably let it go in one ear and out the other, but this person never speaks without reason. Perhaps there really is something brewing in the shadows that he's unaware of.

He should also go back and check if there's anything unusual at the God of Fire Hall.

Wuma Xiu watched the crimson figure disappear into the horizon of the sea of clouds. He rose into the air, intending to leave as well, when his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a pile of empty wine jars in the courtyard below.

He raised his hand, and hundreds of empty wine jars on the wooden shelf floated up at the same time, spinning around him.

He rested his chin on his hand, his eyes reflecting the empty jars spinning in the air, and began to seriously consider the recipe for the new brew.

What's the best ingredient to use for brewing this time?

Wuma Xiu rested his chin on his hand, pondering the recipe for the new wine.

Is it Drunken Begonia?

Or should we use those wild grapes, sweetened by the dew?

Or perhaps...

Hundreds of empty wine jars slowly rotated around him.

Wuma Xiu casually pointed to a few celadon jars, intending to use them to test the first batch of brewing, and beckoned with his finger.

Then, he suddenly noticed several empty wine jars.

It was this "Reunion" that he had unearthed from under the Ancient Tree seven years ago when he was drinking with the God of Fire.

The moment Wuma Xiu realized that his "Reunion" had been drunk up by God of Fire, his eyes turned into two fried eggs.

It's gone, it's gone.

His wine is gone.

God of Fire had already flown quite a distance when he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck and inexplicably sneezed.

Could it be that a friend found out?