The Story of the Three Gods of Sun, Moon, and Stars

"Today, we're going to talk about the three gods of sun, moon, and stars."

"The three gods of the sun, moon, and stars were brothers in the ancient mythological pantheon. During the Age of the Gods, when the gods still walked between the earth and the heavens, the Sun God, the Moon God, and the Star God were three siblings who shared a deep bond."

"Ancient texts recorded that the three gods often descended together."

"At the first light of dawn, the Solar Disc, the crescent moon, and the morning star shone together. That was how they appeared when they watched over the mortal world side by side."

"When the ancients saw this celestial sight, they knew that the three gods were together."

Below the podium were rows of young faces, each person wearing a wrist-mounted Lightbrain connected to the interstellar network. The classroom walls were made of temperature-controlled metal, and streams of hovercars coursed past the windows like rivers of light.

"Here's the most interesting part."

The teacher at the podium raised one finger, a smile appearing in his eyes.

"According to legend, the Sun God once personally gave half of his authority to the Moon God. A supreme god willingly surrendered half the power to illuminate the entire world and placed it in his brother's hands."

A faint stir ran through the classroom.

Half the sun's authority.

Even across hundreds of thousands of years, even though myths had long since faded amid the torrent of steel that was interstellar civilization, the weight of that gift was still enough to make anyone who heard of it hold their breath.

"That wasn't all. Ancient texts clearly recorded that, as the Sun God shared his authority, he also said something to the Moon God."

"Yet what he said was missing from every text. No stone stele from the Age of the Gods ever bore its inscription, and no manuscript of the myths ever recorded it. From ancient times to the present, no one has ever known what he said."

"So, today's class discussion topic is..."

The teacher gently tapped the light screen.

A line of text appeared before everyone.

"If you were the Sun God, what would you say when you gave half your authority to the Moon God?"

Someone raised a hand and said it should be "From this day forward, you shall shine alongside me," with a touch of the romanticism peculiar to youth.

Someone else disagreed, arguing that the Sun God should have said, "Light up the night for me," because the Moon God was the one who took the sun's place at night.

Another person gave a very practical answer.

"I'll leave the daytime to you. I'm going to rest," he said, drawing a burst of laughter.

The teacher couldn't help smiling too.

"Anyone else? Don't feel bound by the solemnity of the myth. Speak freely."

A girl stood up:

"I think the Sun God said, 'You were always meant to shine as brightly as I do.'"

There was a quiet gentleness to the answer that made the joking atmosphere settle a little.

The teacher nodded and was about to comment when his gaze suddenly fell on a seat by the classroom window.

A silver-haired youth sat there.

A spring breeze blew past the window.

The teacher blinked, and when he looked again, the youth was gone.

Huh? Could he have imagined the whole thing?

[Host, we're doomed, doomed, doomed. I don't know what the Sun God actually said to the Moon God back then either. If he asks and we can't answer a single word, won't we be completely finished? ŏ̥ㅁŏ̥]

The system's voice in his mind was as frantic as an ant on a hot pan, with none of the imposing air it had when it first bound itself to Wuma Xiu.

But Wuma Xiu wasn't surprised in the least. He seemed to have known all along that this was what the system was really like.

[There's no need to panic.]

Wuma Xiu replied calmly in his heart.

Of course he knew what his elder brother, the Sun God, had said to the Moon God back then.

He knew those words perfectly well.

He remembered every single one without the slightest error.

But it was precisely because he remembered that his scalp went numb.

The way these gods talked was even more over the top than the sweet nothings between young lovers. It was... disgustingly sappy. Those words, those tones—just recalling them made Wuma Xiu feel as if ants were crawling all over him.

He could only say that gods truly lived up to their name.

Wuma Xiu walked unhurriedly down the street.

Canghai Star was an unremarkable little planet, with no rare minerals to speak of and little strategic value. Its only redeeming feature was probably its pleasant climate and comfortable way of life.

Several youngsters chased and played in the street.

Crowds of pedestrians brushed past Wuma Xiu, yet not one of them looked at him, as though he were merely a breeze passing through the street, a shadow cast upon the ground.

"Darling, don't you think the sun's a little too strong today?"

Beside him, a young couple passed by, arm in arm.

The girl raised a hand to shield her forehead.

She squinted up at the dazzling sun overhead, her voice carrying a hint of playful complaint.

The boy quickly picked up the conversation and eagerly replied:

"I think so too. It's hot enough to make me dizzy. How about we go get a Star Cup later? The place on the corner—I hear their new flavor is pretty good."

The girl smiled, her eyes curving, and softly agreed.

Wuma Xiu paused.

He raised his head and glanced at the brilliantly shining star in the sky.

Too strong?

Of course it was.

The sun's light had always been scorching.

It wasn't cool and clear like moonlight, nor was it delicate and subtle like starlight. It was fervent and overbearing, as if it held nothing back, as if it meant to pour all its light and heat onto you at once.

And the reason it was a little hotter than usual today

was because he was here.

He looked away and continued down the street.

Wuma Xiu was enjoying his stroll.

The era he came from was much more backward than this one—he had no idea by how much. He had seen these bustling streets, these towering buildings, and these hovercars darting to and fro in games... but a game was only a game. No matter how beautiful the images on a screen were, how could they compare to the impact of stepping into it all himself?

The aroma of food drifting through the air, the warmth of sunlight on his skin, the chatter and laughter of people passing by... no game of his time could have given him these vivid sensations.

Suddenly, a piercing alarm tore through the peaceful surface of the little planet.

[Warning! Attention, all Starfolk of Canghai Star: a large number of Zerg are flying toward Canghai Star!]

[Warning! Attention, all Starfolk of Canghai Star: a large number of Zerg are flying toward Canghai Star!!]

[Warning! Attention, all Starfolk of Canghai Star: a large number of Zerg are flying toward Canghai Star!!!]

Each warning was shriller and more urgent than the last.