Cang Yue's scarlet eyes were fixed on Li Chen.
His control over the Black Mist seemed unsurprising, even taken for granted.
Li Chen sat on the throne and said, "Speak, what is your purpose?"
The reason he came here was because the Cult of the God-Slaying Cult approached him; otherwise, he wouldn't have come here to negotiate. Because of Sinful City, their relationship is delicate, and at least for now, they can avoid a war.
Previously, Zai had told him about the God-Slaying Cult, and naturally there was hostility, but it was worth considering how the God-Slaying Cult would treat him. When Yu thought he was a member of the God-Slaying Cult, Li Chen had thought a lot about it.
Because he didn't know if this force would be like those two Evil Cults, he couldn't make a judgment and could only try to make contact.
Cang Yue seemed to have guessed Li Chen's thoughts at this moment, and smiled, "Purpose? My purpose is you!"
Li Chen frowned and remained silent.
Every Evil Cult says the same thing; it's nothing new.
Cang Yue continued, "I am the current Holy Maiden of the God-Slaying Cult, and also the sacrifice they want for the descent of God in a few days. I guided you here to rescue me."
Her words were very direct, without any beating around the bush, as if she had Li Chen completely under her thumb.
Gods?
Li Chen fell into thought.
Could it be Great Old Ones that the disaster mentioned before?
If such a creature were to be summoned here, he felt that not only the world, but even the entire universe would be crushed, because he understood just how terrifying Gods could be.
Let alone those Evil Gods from the past?
I fear that this world would have already vanished before it even came into being.
Without hesitation, Li Chen replied, "The old days?"
Cang Yue replied, "No, 'old days' is just a name. The Gods worshipped by the God-Slaying Cult cannot be called directly; they are unknown, frightening, indescribable, and beyond suspicion."
Li Chen frowned.
Indescribable, beyond comprehension.
How did this Evil Cult come to connect with God?
Could it be that they have glimpsed the God?
This God-Slaying Cult is very strange; he felt an inexplicable sense of disgust.
At this moment, Cang Yue interrupted his thoughts, her voice somewhat cold, and asked, "Li Chen, do you believe that this world has Gods?"
Is the world we know really as it appears to be?
"Does something even more terrifying exist beyond the Starry Sky, beyond the Black Mist...? Perhaps they haven't yet detected us, and this Black Mist is our only protection."
Do you think it's possible?
Li Chen's pupils contracted slightly.
He naturally knew that Gods existed, but Cang Yue's metaphor about the Black Mist made Li Chen's hair stand on end. In his mind, the Black Mist was the true culprit that destroyed the world and the cause of the world becoming what it is today.
But if we put ourselves in their shoes, is the Black Mist a protective shield?
The planet's outer perimeter has long been occupied by powerful, unseen monsters. The Black Mist serves as a shield, a barrier that keeps these monsters from noticing. While humans within this barrier are constantly attacked by the Black Mist, they at least have enough time to grow and attempt to fight Black Mist. They don't have to worry about the Eerie Monsters from beyond the Starry Sky. But what if one day the Black Mist is cleared away, and those beings from beyond the planet notice?
Is humanity destined to face a universe full of Eerie Monsters?
This hypothesis reminded Li Chen that the Black Mist was created by Li Chen, who intended to use this power to rapidly improve the remaining humans so that they could eliminate the Eerie Monsters.
But perhaps he didn't consider what if the Black Mist invaded more than just this planet?
But the entire universe? What terrifying monsters would that create?
If humanity becomes extinct and he ascends to godhood, will he be able to escape this prison?
Which old man once said he had seen the future?
And oneself is hope; but which one hope is being referred to?
Is it the hope to save humanity? Or the hope for the world? Or perhaps neither?
All the thoughts that had been shattered in his mind seemed to have been broken. He had to repeatedly recall those mysteries that had already been solved, all because of this one hypothesis.
This universe is like a prison.
It doesn't just imprison humans, but also countless monsters.
They are merely beings born into this world, whether human or monster, like newborns among criminals in Sinful City. What could they possibly understand?
Cang Yue stood up and walked slowly to Li Chen, leaning against the throne beside him, almost sitting on Li Chen lap. She smiled and said, "It seems you've guessed something."
"Actually, when I first proposed this hypothesis, I thought about it and had doubts, because it seemed too unrealistic. After all, who would imagine the world they live in to be so terrible? But when a deity appeared within me, everything finally had a complete answer."
"That is... this world is an illusion."
"Humans are nothing but dogs cowering in the corner, too afraid to utter a sound; Eerie Monsters are the true creatures of this world."
"We are the intruders."
She paused for a second, then continued, "If I'm not mistaken, you also possess a God within you, but that God is now completely corrupted."
"The truth, as we all know it, is known only to him."
Only he can answer that.
Li Chen fell silent... This was a fabricated world; his worldview was shattering. If it was truly like this, then why bother trying so hard to live?
Humans are merely invaders, so where did they come from?
Was the world 16 years ago a lie?
Where did those destroyed countries, this planet, the Black Mist, the Eerie Monsters —all of it come from?
Was it created by the Gods?
Create?
Li Chen looked at Cang Yue in disbelief, because in her previous words, Cang Yue had mentioned that she also possessed a God within her.
A sickly smile flashed across Cang Yue's face as she said, "The answer lies within you. That's precisely my purpose this time. I need you, and I even want to merge with you, because the God within me has fallen into a deep slumber. Only by going into your body might she have a chance to awaken."
"We have a symbiotic relationship; if one dies, the other cannot escape. Only by waking her can I perhaps survive. Moreover, there are many answers you want to know, and she might be able to provide them for you after she wakes up."
Confusion and bewilderment filled Li Chen's mind.
He didn't receive much information, but it seemed to conflict with his own past ideas. For example, when your ideas are questioned by others, you have to think about where you went wrong, but in fact there is no "wrong" at all, because the two ideas are just different ways of looking at the world.
But precisely because of this, as the absolute eye of the storm, Li Chen must find the right answer.