The Fallen Angel Legion

Li Lin had never tested the limits of his body. After all, this body, formed entirely of Magic Power, had virtually no boundaries, and he could handle even the God of Justice with ease. But this time, Li Lin finally realized that his new body was not without limits; it also had its own boundaries, though these limits were not manifested on the battlefield, but in bed.

When Li Lin opened his eyes and awoke from his deep sleep, the scene around him was a complete mess. The events of the previous day had left the Arcane Mage somewhat dazed. After conquering Gabriel, Li Lin had faced Angela's "counterattack," and the impatient Catherine and Nalu had eagerly joined in. Even Nia appeared at the end; although Li Lin didn't know how she had broken his sealing spell, Nia was clearly quite unhappy about being excluded, so Li Lin had to express his apology through his actions.

Now, on this soft, large bed, naked young girls are fast asleep. Nia lies on Li Lin's left, tightly embracing Angela, while Catherine lies on her right, holding Na. Gabriel, though not among them, has found a comfortable spot in a corner, enjoying a peaceful slumber. A certain unspeakable scent still lingers in the air. Any man who sees this scene would likely abandon all reason, perhaps even offering his soul to the devil for a moment's pleasure. Even dying in this haven of tenderness would be without complaint.

However, Li Lin clearly did not have such an impulse.

Gently freeing himself from the arms of Angela, Nia, and Catherine, Li Lin got out of bed. He looked helplessly at the sleeping girls, then cast a spell to cover them with sheets before leaving the room—where Suoxiate was already waiting, with a robe in her hand.

"You've worked hard, Master. How are you feeling?"

"Although I think there's a lot of sarcasm in your question, I still have to tell you, it's very bad."

Li Lin took the robe from Suoxiate and used it to cover his naked body.

"I feel like my lower body is completely numb. I can't even feel it anymore, even though it's right here... Damn it, I don't know where Nia learned that damn spell. Well, maybe I need to find a priest to heal me. If it's necrotic, I'll probably have to cut it off and start over. Maybe next time I rebuild my body, I should consider durability."

The bathwater is ready.

Faced with Li Lin's self-deprecating humor, Suoxiate didn't say anything more. She simply lowered her head and continued doing her work.

"I think it's time to take a break."

Li Lin looked out the window at the night sky.

"This time, I want to rest alone."

By the time everyone had regained consciousness, it was already noon the next day. Catherine and Nalu didn't linger, as the United Kingdom still had many matters for Catherine to attend to, so they quickly took their leave. Nia was clearly very satisfied with Li Lin's "sincere" apology, so she quickly returned to her post. Only Angela and Gabriel remained by his side. Now, the Archangel, who had changed his stance, was making a new suggestion to Li Lin.

"The Angel Legion?"

Li Lin stroked the little guy's hair, looking with slight surprise at the archangel standing in front of him, who had regained his former radiance.

"That's right, Mr. Arcane Mage."

Gabriel's expression was serious, yet also carried a hint of triumph.

"I cannot stand by and watch my sisters, deceived by evil gods, continue to fall into this depravity. They must see the truth before them and make the right choices. I cannot allow them to sacrifice themselves for evil purposes; this is something I cannot tolerate."

"... While your idea isn't bad, however..."

At this point, Li Lin spread his hands.

"You don't have that power right now, and I'm also worried about how you'll persuade those angels."

"..."

Faced with Li Lin's question, Gabriel fell silent. Indeed, she currently possessed no power. Unlike Catherine, Gabriel hadn't abandoned the kindness and justice deep within her heart; she had merely shifted her stance. Therefore, she couldn't become an angel like Catherine. Falling into Hell was also not within her options. So, currently, Gabriel was practically powerless, and she had no way to acquire or replenish her power—this was precisely her weakness. She had no way to return to the Upper Planes. Even if Li Lin could open a passage to the Upper Planes for her, Gabriel would still be utterly helpless upon returning. After all, Mount Celestia was completely under the control of the God of Justice of Justice. Whether he truly believed in justice or not, the power he wielded was undeniable. Although the God of God of Justice become considerably weaker after his battle with Li Lin, he still didn't need to personally intervene to deal with a powerless archangel.

"I can go to Hell."

Clearly, Gabriel had already devised a plan.

"To be honest, esteemed Arcane Mage, our Angel Legion has expended considerable resources establishing outposts in Hell. However, almost all of our sisters doubt the feasibility of this operation. After all, the war between the Upper Planes and Lower Planes is long-standing, and we cannot expand our territory much further inward. Both demons and monsters are our enemies; Hell is their stronghold, and they can launch a continuous barrage of attacks. But for us angels, the long journey through dimensional portals to attack Hell is an extremely painful undertaking. We cannot replenish our supplies there; it is a place where even light cannot reach. Because of this, many of our sisters have already been killed or corrupted by those evil demons. In fact, many of our sisters have begun to have doubts, but out of trust in the gods, they have not chosen to retreat. However..."

Although Gabriel didn't continue, Li Lin understood her meaning. For angels, what was unbearable was not only the attacks and deaths from demons, but also the oppressive influence of different planes. If a demon were transported to Mount Celestia, it would be weakened by the light of goodness and abundant positive energy there, even without the angels' intervention. Conversely, when angels entered Lower Planes, they would experience the same pain and oppression.

Although, according to Gabriel, the angels did initially drive the devils and demons away in terror, the nature of the plane did not change because of their victory. Hell still teemed with the aura of death and destruction, and the blood-red sky remained unchanged, soaked in the blood of countless devils, demons, and other creatures. The dark earth did not change in the slightest because of the angels' white feathers; on the contrary, it waited with predatory eyes, yearning for their blood to become part of its own, just like the other corpses.

This was certainly not something the angels would welcome.

In fact, after Gabriel was summoned back from Hell by the God of Justice, she originally intended to talk to the God of Justice about this matter. After all, if things continued like this, the Angel Legion of Hell would suffer heavy losses. However, because the matter of the Magic Empire was more urgent at that time, Gabriel could only put this matter aside for the time being. Now, she has brought it up again, clearly intending to rely on Li Lin's power.

According to Gabriel, the Angel Legion fighting in Hell numbers a total of 200,000, far exceeding the number currently stationed on Mount Celestia. Of course, this number may be slightly reduced due to casualties in battle, but with their assistance, dealing with the minions of the God of Justice would be a piece of cake.

If paying this price is enough to summon back an Angel Legion of 200,000, then Li Lin would definitely be willing to do it. However, he is not without his concerns at the moment.

After all, angels are all rather stubborn, like Gabriel. Although she seems clever and quick-witted, her nature is still very pure. If it weren't for the many setbacks she had suffered, coupled with the collusion between the God of Justice and the Godspawn, and the loss of her power, Gabriel would never have believed Li Lin's words. But even so, what about the other angels? Are they the kind of people who understand just because they're told? Li Lin couldn't use force against angels; otherwise, either those angels would rather die than submit, ultimately becoming piles of useless corpses, or they would completely fall and become one of the demons—that's how succubi came to be.

Going to extremes can also be dangerous.

Even if these angels accepted Gabriel's suggestion, what if the God of Justice withdrew their power? Two hundred thousand powerless angels? In the Lower Realms? Li Lin could almost imagine the devil sincerely praising the "great god" this time.

However, abandoning these angels would be an unwise choice, but before that, finding someone to rely on is quite necessary.

"That's why I summoned you."

Standing in the summoning hall, after explaining the whole story, Li Lin patted his head and pushed Gabriel forward. Gabriel, staring at the six-winged archangel before her, tensed up, her gaze fixed on the being. She could sense a light and divine power emanating from this angel, different from the God of Justice but equally warm and gentle, making the archangel feel for a moment as if she had returned to Mount Celestia, enjoying that peaceful life...

"Relax, messenger of kindness."

Noticing Gabriel's nervousness, the God of Light gave a reassuring smile. She stepped forward and gently stroked Gabriel's hair, instantly enveloped in God of Light. Then, seemingly understanding something, she glanced at Gabriel's slightly flushed face, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Li Lin with a hint of displeasure. Faced with the God of Light's silent protest, Li Lin remained silent and spread his hands—after all, he'd had relationships with more than just one or two angels.

"She does indeed possess a kind heart and yearns for the light."

The God of Light clearly didn't intend to dwell on the "private life of Arcane Mage," as it wasn't within her jurisdiction anyway. Believing in the light didn't mean you couldn't be promiscuous—although the two certainly didn't always go hand in hand.

"I can sense that deep down she remains upright and kind. Although she has experienced many hardships, her commitment to light and justice has not changed."

With that, the God of Light released his grip and returned to his original position. Behind Gabriel, wings that had previously lost all their feathers suddenly sprouted from his back, and soon, feathers grew back, forming new wings. Divine radiance once more shone upon the Archangel, but this time, her power did not come from the God of Justice.

"I have not granted you divine power, benevolent guardian."

The God of Light gazed at Gabriel, who had regained his angelic form, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"I merely guided your dormant power and allowed it to grow and sprout. Your power does not come from any deity, but from the light and justice deep within your heart. Believe in the path you have chosen, even though it may be long and painful. You may doubt, hesitate, and stop moving forward, but I believe that your strong spirit will overcome all obstacles and achieve everything you desire."

"Thank you for your blessing, great God of Light."

Gabriel bowed to her with great reverence.

"I will always remember these words and take them as a guiding principle in my life. Although evil may be powerful, the power of justice also exists... I will continue to strive until justice and hope return to this world."

In response to Gabriel's answer, the God of Light nodded, then looked at Li Lin.

"Arcane Mage, then I shall take my leave... I hope things go smoothly for both of us."

Have a safe journey, I won't see you off any further.

Li Lin shrugged, and then the phantom of the God of Light turned into a pile of light particles and disappeared into the air.

"That woman seemed quite happy."

However, this doesn't mean Angela saw anything in her expression.

"Of course she's happy."

Li Lin sighed helplessly.

"If Gabriel succeeds, she could very well gain hundreds of thousands more angels out of thin air. I'm sure that would be a considerable fortune for the God of Light. The other gods would surely be green with envy."

It was Li Lin's idea to seek out the God of Light to help Gabriel. Since Gabriel couldn't become Catherine, he at least wanted her to be a loyal ally. Among the existing gods, racial gods like the Elf Goddess and Archangels were definitely not compatible, and the Goddess of Theft and the Lady of Secrets were also out of the question. Therefore, the only remaining options were the God of Light and the Goddess of Dawn. However, due to personal reasons, Li Lin skipped the Goddess of Dawn. After all, her divine authority was too ambiguous, and the so-called hope always gave people a sense of illusion and unease. In addition, the Goddess of Dawn was only Intermediate God; she didn't have the ambition or ability to "nurture" an army of hundreds of thousands of angels. The God of Light was different; she had a firm stance while also being flexible. Compared to "hope," the word "light" certainly had a positive meaning, but it could be interpreted and changed in many ways. Fanatics were already a headache for Li Lin; he didn't want those on his side to be a bunch of people who clung to concepts and couldn't adapt to change.

According to the agreement between Li Lin and the God of Light, once Gabriel persuades the angels to "abandon darkness and embrace light," she can intervene and take over the God of Justice's control over the angels' energy. After all, the divine powers of light and justice are very similar, and if luck is on her side, the God of Light could even possess a complete and elite angelic fighting legion without expending too much of her own power.

Of course, this is meant for Li Lin to use in order to deal with the possible invasion from the Prime Material Plane, but that still doesn't change the fact that they belong to this plane.

This is why the God of Light so generously granted Li Lin's request and replenished the forces of former enemies.

"That is, if she succeeds."

Gazing at Gabriel's newly grown, pristine white wings, Angela's crimson eyes gleamed with cunning and wickedness. She had initially thought the glowing chick had lost all its charm, but now it seemed Angela had rediscovered her former amusement. While she was unlikely to pluck its wings for some kind of human art performance, that didn't mean the little guy would be so kind as to let her go—especially while she was still within her sight.

"Master, are you really planning to send her to Hell alone? I can assure you, if you let her go alone, it will be like throwing good money after bad. You should have a plan for this by now."

"No matter how powerful the Archangel is, she cannot act alone in Hell. Moreover, the demons of Hell are extremely cunning, and this cannot be dealt with simply by having unwavering faith. Therefore, I certainly do not intend to let her go alone, and I think Gabriel understands this as well, which is why he asked me."

Li Lin sighed, which was a way of agreeing with the little guy.

"It seems I need to give a heads-up to a friend I'll be interacting with in the future."