Theus's eyes widened. He had indeed stockpiled Pollution, but that had only been because he wanted to find a new fuel source. He could accept being misunderstood over that.
But summoning an evil god?
When had he ever summoned an evil god? Clearly, it was this bunch from Moth Chasing Flame who had summoned one, wasn't it?
Chloe said nothing. Her expression plainly said, "If you say you didn't summon one, then you didn't."
Theus took a deep breath and calmed himself before asking, "When did you see me summoning an evil god?"
"A few days ago, in the eastern district. I remember you held a group of people there and wouldn't let them leave. I almost thought you'd sacrificed them."
A few days ago? Held a group of people?
Theus tried to recall it, and his expression gradually turned grave.
Could that have been the day of the Type II Engine's trial run?
That day, he and the trainees had spent the entire day assembling the Type II Engine. That evening, they had eagerly lit it up. Back then, the Steam Engine couldn't curse at people yet; it had merely operated normally.
Then—
Then Pollution had inexplicably erupted inside his body.
Even now, he had no idea what had happened. It seemed he had done nothing, yet Pollution had appeared for no reason.
And it had appeared inside his body.
Wait, an evil god?
Hadn't he experienced something like an evil god descending upon him before?
When he had first descended into the body of the dead worker Theus, he had discovered a massive amount of tangible Pollution inside that body. It had even solidified into strange things. He had needed half a day, with his purification ability at full power, to cleanse it all.
Could an evil god's