"Their souls have been corrupted."
Evergreen's voice doused the anger blazing in the Water God's head.
"Anger and punishment won't solve the root of the problem. Even if you beat them, they'll only feel more exhausted and want to lie down even more."
The Water God had sensed that strange energy too. He just couldn't contain his anger.
"Then what do we do? Watch them waste away?" The Water God raked a hand through his hair. "Sister Ji's side is thriving, and Ye Ge's Holy Spirits could practically form an army. Meanwhile, our home is turning into a retirement village!"
Amina and Kyle listened nearby, their faces full of worry and helplessness.
They couldn't interrupt a conversation between gods, but they could feel the Land of Promise, the place they depended on to survive, slowly dying.
"Come with me."
Evergreen offered no further explanation. He turned and walked toward the temple at the center of the square.
The Water God snorted and followed him.
Inside the temple, the two sat facing each other.
"Season Star motivates people through self-interest," Evergreen began. "She's built a system around Contribution Points. Work hard and you grow stronger; put in effort and you're rewarded. She's using humanity's most basic instinct to seek gain against the despair outside."
"Night Cherry Tangle binds people through faith," he continued. "Give up your sense of self, join his Divine Kingdom, and gain eternal life and power. It's a shortcut with a steep price, but for people with nothing left, the temptation is just as great."
The Water God sat cross-legged on the floor, his chin propped on one hand. For once, he didn't interrupt. He listened closely.
"We can't copy either approach." Evergreen shook his head. "Our people don't have the desperation driving Season Star's survivors. We pulled