The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate

"The Astronomical Society has probably activated the Earth-Moon defense system by now, right? Maybe some super sci-fi weapon is already aimed here, and then—"

In the illusory temple, Tong Ji made a finger-gun gesture and said "Bang." "Then there'll be nothing left."

Zeus raised his eyes to look at her. "You really don't care if your contractor is reduced to pieces? Or are you actually planning to send him down a dead end?"

"No, if anything, I have more faith in that bunch of conservative bureaucrats at the Unified Bureau."

Tong Ji shrugged. "Unless things reach the most critical point, they'll never resort to irreversible measures. Right now, they might still be waiting and watching."

"Heh. Mortals, in the end."

Zeus sneered disdainfully. "What are they waiting for? A miracle to descend?"

"You can't put it like that." Resting her chin on her hand, Tong Ji blinked and smiled. "'Waiting' and 'hope' are the most wonderful things in the world, aren't they?"

"Mortals pray for miracles, but miracles have never worked on gods." Zeus remained indifferent. "Even if a miracle stands on their side, it will be useless."

As a source of power, Stigmata were essentially the manifestation of "miracles."

Yet miracles were useless against gods, and gods had never expected miracles to appear at their side.

Because miracles were merely their reflections upon the earth. The essence of gods was already an existence above miracles, beloved children favored by the Present Realm!

Using such things to fight gods was no different from hoping a shadow on the ground could defeat the body that cast it.

It was simply laughable.

Publius needed no other power, because even though he now possessed only an empty Divine Seat, he was still in an invincible mode as though he had activated cheats.

Only