The gods greeted Lin Xiang with enthusiasm, nodding in acknowledgment. Lin Xiang’s power surpassed that of all the deities present, and power was the root of gaining respect; the old gods understood this clearly.
Queen of Sheba’s brown silk dress swayed, creating ripples as she began a conversation with Lin Xiang, using the silk as a topic. Lin Xiang responded to her talk, while Tianyushoumaimi, recognizing the situation, dutifully accompanied the two more powerful deities. The collection in the House on the Rock came from all over the world, and Lin Xiang, visiting for the first time, couldn’t help but be drawn to the exquisite objects.
The House on the Rock was furnished and decorated in an old-fashioned manner, with faint traces of mold visible in inconspicuous corners. Yet, upon closer inspection, these aged items exuded a divine aura, subconsciously drawing the gaze.
Tianyushoumaimi led Lin Xiang to the display case housing the Luban lock and said softly, "You will definitely like this."
Lin Xiang carefully observed the box, entirely assembled from mortise and tenon joints, and marveled at it. The reddish-brown wood still emitted a faint fragrance, possessing a subtle and delicate beauty from the East that had endured for countless years.
After touring the premises, the three goddesses returned to the carousel’s luck machine.
Lin Xiang gazed thoughtfully at the female figurine in the glass display case. It was the remnant of a goddess of fate, who, despite having lost her followers, still preserved her vitality in this form.
Sweeney, Laura, Shadow, and Odin arrived fashionably late. The peculiar atmosphere between them was palpable to everyone, but none of the gods present paid it any mind.
Odin, having just returned victorious, proudly recounted the plight of the new gods to the old ones. Except for Anansi, who applauded enthusiastically, the other gods watched with cold indifference, offering no comment.
Odin was unfazed. He spread his palm, inviting the gods to each take a gold coin and deposit it into the luck machine. The withered hair of the goddess of fate stirred. The gold coins, imbued with divine power, awakened her. The luck machine then returned a card with a prophetic message to each god who had deposited a coin.
To no surprise, Lin Xiang’s card bore a mess of ink. Gazing at the Nord goddess in the display case, who resembled a walking corpse, Lin Xiang crumpled the card and chuckled.
The gods gathered before the carousel. The silent carousel lit up, and the gods mounted their preferred horses. Humans, with the exception of Shadow, were barred from entry.
The carousel spun rapidly, its resplendent lights stretching into a nebula. The lifeless mounts suddenly came alive, spreading their wings and carrying the gods into the magnificent celestial expanse.
A sea breeze carrying the scent of the ocean blew, and Lin Xiang found herself on a desolate coast. The aurora dancing in the sky felt familiar, and she stood on the barren shore, gazing into the distance.
Queen of Sheba approached Lin Xiang, looking towards the end of the sea with a complex expression. The desert that existed in her memory was now beyond reach.
Shadow opened his eyes, the sensation of碎石 and the chill of the seawater awakening him from his slumber.
"Where are we?" Shadow murmured incredulously, looking at the desolate world before him. "Are we in Odin's memory?"
"Yes and no," Queen of Sheba replied, turning towards the majestic divine palace on the rocky cliff. "If I were hosting, it would be in a warm desert, on soft beds covered with silk."
The roof of Valhalla had developed cracks, and mottled sunlight streamed through the gaps, lending it a somewhat dilapidated appearance. However, the grandeur of the stone pillars and sculptures still hinted at the former majesty of the Hall of Heroes.
The gods shed their mortal disguises, revealing their glorious true forms. They gathered around a bonfire, listening to Odin’s pre-battle mobilization.
Lin Xiang could tell that Odin’s impassioned speech had not moved them. None of the gods present, except for Anansi, had any desire to fight.
Kali, the goddess of destruction, couldn't help but interrupt Odin’s speech. "Time erodes all new things. We only need to wait for the new gods to lose faith and be forgotten, just like us. This war is meaningless!"
The worldview in Hinduism is one of change and cycles, much like tides that recede and rise again. Destruction is followed by rebirth, and all things constantly cycle through recurring periods.
Queen of Sheba stepped forward to oppose Kali’s opinion. "If we do not wage war against the new gods now, they will continuously absorb faith and grow stronger through technological products, while we will only lose followers and slowly fade away."
Before Kali could retort, Shadow suddenly interjected, "Technology has made life convenient, but it has caused humanity to lose its faith."
"Even a mortal like me can stand in the Hall of Heroes, where gods gather, to participate in a meeting. Revered deities, what reason do you have to be more timid than a mere mortal?"
The gods remained silent, but the bonfire in the center blazed fiercely, undoubtedly signifying their support for Odin’s proposal.
After leaving the Hall of Heroes, the gods went to the car restaurant where Kali, in her mortal guise, worked. The goddess of destruction had opened a chain of restaurants, clearly having integrated into the country.
Just as the gods were enjoying their meal, an accident occurred.
With the sound of shattering glass, bullets, crafted by the hand of the deceased god of forging, Vulcan, whizzed through the air. Caught off guard, the gods were unable to withstand these divinely empowered weapons and scrambled to overturn tables for cover.
The incident happened so suddenly that Lin Xiang only had time to erect her divine power to protect herself and Tianyushoumaimi beside her. She watched as Mirstar goddess Tuoya was shot in the chest and fell powerlessly to the ground.
After a volley of shots, the assailants outside the restaurant quickly departed. The gods were furious at Tuoya’s death, but only Shadow rushed out through a side door in pursuit of the attackers.
Tuoya closed her eyes forever. Cernobog collapsed beside the goddess, weeping in grief. Laura asked in confusion, "Don't you gods regenerate from faith?"
Lin Xiang closed her eyes and sighed, "No one in this land believes in Tuoya anymore. Her last follower has died. This death will be the final end."
Cernobog’s eyes welled with tears, and he swore vengeance for Tuoya with rage. "No matter who orchestrated Tuoya’s death, I will make them pay a terrible price!"
The gods who had survived the attack felt a surge of anger in their eyes. At this moment, they wholeheartedly agreed with Odin’s proposal to go to war.
Odin then realized that Shadow, who had pursued the attackers, had not returned and immediately went out to search for him. Laura also realized this and followed Odin to find Shadow.
Laura’s resurrection was due to Shadow placing the gold coin he had lost to Sweeney into her chest. The owner of the coin was still Shadow. In Laura’s black and white vision after her death, a golden light emanated from Shadow, reaching towards the sky. No matter where Shadow was, Laura would be able to find him.
Lin Xiang looked at the chaotic restaurant. While comforting Tianyushoumaimi, she couldn’t help but cast a suspicious glance at Odin, who wore a pained expression.
After leaving the House on the Rock, Odin had arranged a banquet. How could Kali’s restaurant be so quickly located by the new gods? The unusualness of this made her suspect Odin’s involvement.
Tuoya’s death enraged the gods, and their hostility towards the new gods was almost a foregone conclusion. This was precisely the purpose of Odin’s gathering, and he had played a dishonorable role in it!