The battlefield on Death God Island was clearly divided.
He Li stood on the beach, gazing at the distant battle, his lips curling into a smile. His plan had deviated slightly, but ultimately, he had killed a god and obtained divine essence. It wasn't a loss.
He then looked far into the distance, in the direction Niffita had fled, watching coldly. Run, flee. The next time they met, it would be your turn. I hope you can still find allies, find scapegoats.
He Li retreated, landing beside Susan in a few leaps. He picked up the long saber stuck in the sand, wiped it with his sleeve, and after confirming there were no chips or damage, he sheathed it with satisfaction and re-hung it at his waist.
Susan stared at He Li blankly. She had watched the entire battle and was utterly shocked by He Li's power, finding it hard to believe. Had the young man who worked in a bookstore and rejoiced at her giving him a ride reached this point?
How much time had passed?
He Li's wounds were still bleeding. The injuries were hidden beneath his clothes, his khaki shirt stained crimson. Every torn opening revealed a sword wound within.
He Li saw that the divine envoy of Hoes was gradually weakening under the siege of the Hunter team, seemingly about to be defeated. He turned to Susan and grinned, "Captain Susan, it seems you have something very interesting on you."
Susan froze, her mind immediately recalling the "God-Slaying Nuclear Bomb" remote launch button in her pocket. She looked at He Li, her peripheral vision catching sight of her teammates in the distant battle. A possibility immediately dawned on her: He Li intended to use the God-Slaying Nuclear Bomb to kill them all!
He Li met Susan's gaze, smiled, and shook his head, saying softly, "Don't be foolish, Captain Susan. How could I possibly kill you? After all, you provided me shelter when I was at my weakest, helping me escape the surveillance of the Spirit Management Council."
He Li's gaze fell on Susan's pocket. He reached into it. His eyes on Susan were piercing, yet he continued to smile. "Captain Susan, the most crucial element for becoming a god is divine essence. Fortunately, I have it. But you still lack the power, the beastly nature, and the humanity required for godhood. Without these, you can never become a god. You saw it just now, didn't you? The battles between gods were merely when we were not fully awakened. Therefore, to reach that level, you need to possess even greater power. Seek out your beastly nature, seek out your humanity. As for divine essence, the most important condition, I can provide it for you."
As he spoke, He Li took the "God-Slaying Nuclear Bomb" remote launch button from Susan's pocket.
Susan snapped back to reality, looking at the launch button in He Li's hand. Her back was drenched in cold sweat, her face and palms clammy, her complexion growing paler. "He Li, what are you doing?"
He Li replied naturally, "Of course, I'm helping you gain status and power. Isn't that how you can become a god?"
He Li scanned his surroundings, finally squinting at the distant sea, and smiled, "Look, your Spirit Management Council ship is still waiting there to welcome the heroes who slew a god. How nice."
As his words fell, He Li pressed the "God-Slaying Nuclear Bomb" remote launch button in his hand.
"Sometimes, the situations we face are truly despairing. But in despair, there is a glimmer of hope. Yet, when you desperately strive towards that hope, you will find..."
He Li grinned, turned, and leaped up, flying close to the sea. From behind the distant sand dunes, a blue lightning bolt flashed, chasing He Li across the surging waves.
He Li stood on Xiao Lan's head, heading towards Nova Scotia. He looked back at Death God Island, which had become a tiny black dot, and squinted, "You will find... there is no damn hope at all."
Immediately after, a missile flew from the direction of Nova Scotia, tracing a huge arc in the sky. The rapidly flying missile left rings of sonic booms in the air, its target directly aimed at Death God Island.
He Li fumbled for his phone, finally pulling out his cracked screen phone from his pants pocket. He took a photo of the missile in the air, then another of Death God Island. When faced with a situation, don't rush, take a photo first.
...
In a coffee shop in Nova Scotia, He Li, dressed in a black suit, sat at a small table. Two steaming cups of coffee were placed on the table. He stared out the window at the passing crowd, saying nothing.
A Canadian man sat opposite him, engrossed in his laptop.
He Li sighed, looking at the man, and asked, "Is it ready?"
"It is, but are you sure you want to send it?"
The Canadian man still had doubts. He looked at He Li, his heart filled with apprehension. He said, "I'm not sure about the authenticity of this matter. I dare not send it."
He Li smiled, but inwardly cursed. You internet trolls still care about the authenticity of events? If you truly cared, there wouldn't be so many people who suffered from cyberbullying and committed suicide. Damn it!
He Li took out a stack of Canadian dollars from his jacket pocket and pushed it towards the man. "You should trust me, shouldn't you? After all, everyone saw it."
A flicker of greed flashed in the Canadian man's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He wanted more. "I'm sorry, sir, I cannot deceive the world. This world is filled with too much deception, and I must be true to my conscience."
He Li pursed his lips, remaining silent. Instead, he took out another stack of Canadian dollars from his pocket.
The Canadian man looked at the two stacks of money on the table, which should have been twenty thousand dollars, perhaps more. He looked at He Li and realized he wasn't going to take out any more money. He sighed inwardly. He knew he had to stop while he was ahead. Greed could get him a lot, but it could also kill a person's patience. He immediately changed his tune, "But how can something that everyone has witnessed be fake?"
He Li picked up his coffee and took a sip. It was bitter and unpleasant. "Then I'll leave the rest to you. Keep the money. After all, it's getting harder to earn money in this world. This money should be enough to cover your bills for a year."
He Li walked away, strolling along the streets of Nova Scotia. He looked at the leisurely Canadians. The people of this country were truly relaxed and lazy, even though they had to work hard for a living. Compared to He Li's state of mind before, he would have liked such a city. After all, his previous life was also leisurely. Although he didn't have much money, he never went hungry or froze. It truly fit the saying: the more you gain, the more you lose.
He reached the end of the street, lowered his head, turned right, and continued walking along the street.
Bang!
Suddenly, he bumped into a wall. It didn't hurt. He looked up and was stunned. Three seconds later...
"Holy shit! Snow Lotus, what are you doing here!"
Kohl, with a dark expression and fire in his eyes, grabbed He Li's shoulders. With seemingly little effort, he lifted He Li up. He Li's feet left the ground, and like a chick, he was carried by Kohl into an alley between two buildings.
"Damn it, can't you just stay put?" Kohl spoke in his native dialect.
He Li was still stunned. How did he get here?
...