What Was I Supposed to Do After Reincarnating as an Evil God?

A vast, blindingly white expanse. Noven slowly regained consciousness.

"Did I... really get reincarnated like in those legends?"

Noven still remembered clearly what had happened in his previous life.

He'd once risked his life to save a little boy who was about to be hit by a truck, shoving him out of harm's way. In return, Noven spent over half a month in the ICU. Though he'd miraculously survived, he'd lost the ability to move for good.

Severe brain damage, combined with a central nervous system infection caused by his physical injuries, had left Noven in a near-vegetative state. All that remained was a barely sustained, intermittent consciousness.

Unable to think coherently, Noven had no idea how long he'd been lying in that hospital bed. Then, at some point, he faintly "heard" a voice coming from beyond.

"Noven, are you ready to depart?"

"What was that?" Noven suddenly realized his consciousness had cleared. He still couldn't control his body, but at least he could think again. Hearing the voice, he thought of the legendary River Styx. Could it be that some ferryman has come to guide me to reincarnation?

"Noven, are you ready to depart?"

The distant, disembodied voice sounded again.

"Depart? Wait, where am I supposed to go? You can't just say that without any context. Could you at least give me a hint?" Noven couldn't help growing anxious.

"You may remain as you are, or answer the call from another world."

"Noven, are you ready to depart?"

The voice sounded for the third time. For some reason, Noven had a feeling that if he didn't make a choice, he might not get another chance.

He needed only a second to decide.

There was nothing left for him in this world. He'd grown up in an orphanage, with no parents and no one to support but himself. Now, because he'd heroically saved someone, he might spend the rest of his life paralyzed in a vegetative state. Rather than go on barely clinging to life, he might as well seize the opportunity offered by some unknown being.

"If there really is a chance for me to live a second life, then... of course I'll go!"

Noven tried to take in his surroundings, and a stream of information suddenly surfaced in his mind.

The place he was in was called the Divine Kingdom. Just as the name suggested, it was a realm where gods dwelled. Noven had indeed arrived in a new world whose rules were completely different from those of the one he'd lived in.

The so-called "gods" had existed in this world long before civilization arose. The myths about gods creating the world and shaping humans from clay weren't fanciful legends—they were backed by records and evidence. The development of civilization was also inseparable from the many gods who wielded extraordinary power.

The gods here weren't merely objects of spiritual devotion. More importantly, all living beings could sincerely pray to them and offer their faith, and in return might receive a god's favor and protection, or even transcend their mortal nature and step into the supernatural.

After learning how this world worked, Noven was thrilled.

"Wow. I thought I'd landed in a classic hero's journey, where I'd go on adventures and level up. Turns out I'm a god who can make plans behind the scenes."

"Gather followers, build a religion, gradually increase my divine power, and eventually dominate the gods? I know exactly how that works!"

Noven instantly came up with a whole slew of plans. He might not have eaten pork, but he'd seen pigs run. Even in his previous world, where gods and immortals existed only in legend, they'd attracted countless believers. And in this world, gods wielded genuine power and authority, and could directly bless their followers.

"Let's see. How many followers do I have right now? What authorities do I possess?"

After spending an unknown amount of time paralyzed in bed, Noven now had a "second life"—and he was a god, no less. He was bursting with energy, and immediately got into character.

The information he'd received had taught him the basic rules of this world. It had also given him an instinctive grasp of the gods' most fundamental abilities.

Gods could rarely leave their Divine Kingdoms in person and descend into the mortal world. Instead, they had to use the living beings who offered them their faith as intermediaries, borrowing their perspective to observe the world and even perform miracles.

Noven named this ability the [Eye of God]. It went without saying that the more followers he had, the more sources of information he'd gain.

Noven quieted his mind. Before long, he sensed a prayer that seemed to be directed at him.

A dark, damp underground cavern. Flickering green candlelight. A grotesque altar, surrounded by a heap of meat, bones, entrails, and blood from some unknown animal. A few suspicious figures in black robes sat cross-legged beneath it, their forms concealed and faces impossible to make out, murmuring a prayer.

This was the first scene Noven saw when he opened his [Eye of God].

"Yikes..."

Though Noven had no fixed form as a god, he'd instinctively fashioned a human appearance for himself. Even so, he couldn't help sucking in a breath at the sinister sight.

"What's going on?! Could these people... actually be my followers?"

Noven was dumbfounded.

He'd thought he'd be a righteous, benevolent deity who spread justice and granted his followers new lives. But judging by what he was seeing...

"I think I've reincarnated as an evil god, oh my god!"

The black-robed figures chanting beneath his [Eye of God] seemed to sense Noven's "gaze." Their leader grew excited, and a hoarse, low voice came from beneath his oversized hood.

"Excellent, truly excellent... Brothers and sisters, the almighty, supreme, undying, ineffable Father of Omniscience, Lord of Enlightenment, has accepted our offering... He is about to bestow upon us the precious forbidden knowledge. The gates to the real world are about to open!"

"Great Lord! Please grant us the Hunger Power of Hada!"

The black-robed man's voice grew louder. The others joined in, chanting in unison. Fresh blood still dripped from the carcass of an unknown animal on the altar. The whole scene was deeply sinister—it looked exactly like a ritual performed by some terrifying cult.

Noven felt his vision go dark.

That settled it. He'd indeed been reincarnated as a god—but the problem was that the people who prayed to him and offered him their faith were clearly no good. In the novels and movies he'd seen, he'd be the evil god whom the righteous heroes hunted down and destroyed on their adventures. The kind who constantly committed evil, harmed the innocent, and lurked in the shadows, plotting one scheme after another to destroy the world.

"Can someone tell me what I'm supposed to do now that I've reincarnated as an evil god?!"