But things are different now. Queen Keisha is still alive, and the original world-line will not unfold.
Even if she has become the crown princess, there is no longer that helpless suppression of love described in the memory copy.
"What about you?"
Brandon White looked at Angel Yan and said evenly, "I don't know what data Holy Keisha input into the Sacred Treasury relating to me, but if there's a match, it can't only have paired me with Angel Zhixin."
"How high is my match score with you?"
"Me?"
Angel Yan blinked, tilting her head slightly.
This was something Queen Keisha truly hadn't told her, but it certainly wouldn't be higher than Zhixin's.
"What, did you take a liking to me?"
She didn't know the number, but that didn't stop Angel Yan from teasing Brandon.
Looking at the calm face of this still-youthful male god, she found the occasional bit of teasing had its own peculiar charm.
"I'm just curious, that's all."
Whether it was Angel Yan or Angel Zhixin, Brandon White could not produce an emotion like "love." Even if there was something like "fondness," it would only be based on the personalities and qualities they showed in the anime; the more superficial kind of liking would be purely physical desire.
Exquisite features; a noble, sanctified grace; a figure with every curve in place.
He had neither severed love nor shunned women; naturally, he couldn't claim to have no thoughts at all—but it was only a thought, nothing more.
"I have no objection to Angel Zhixin coming here, but in this world her strength will find no tempering."
"In the battles between humans and mutant wild beasts, she cannot intervene at will."
Whether it was the way the angelic civilization was depicted in the anime or his own exchanges with Angel Yan, he held a certain goodwill toward them.
Holy Keisha's order of justice—they had upheld it for nearly thirty thousand years. With their own lives, they composed an epic that belonged to the angelic civilization—an epic of the order of justice.
Compared with the demon civilization that exalts freedom, or even the Lieyang civilization with its peace and prosperity…
The angel civilization treated those weak civilizations far, far better.
Were it not for the angels to counterbalance them, the demon civilization, spreading evil and depravity as they pleased, would never have put any life in their eyes.
As for the Lieyang civilization, though one speaks of peace and prosperity, a thousand years ago in the world of Xiong Bing Lian, they descended upon Huaxia, blew up several cities, and the death toll was no less than a million.
Compared with them—compared with the other civilizations—the angelic civilization can not only be called kind; one might even say it is great.
That is also the reason Brandon White allowed Zhixin to come to this world.
Whatever her intentions might be, his impression of the angel civilization, on the level of feeling, was favorable.
Moreover, even if Angel Zhixin tried something against him, he still had the power to suppress her.
For no other reason than this: because this is Earth!
"I understand—development within the civilization."
"Even if you're partial toward your own civilization, a change in vantage point brings a change in how you view things."
"There are some things you have no choice but to do—and must do."
Angel Yan naturally understood why Brandon White had chosen this course. Pressure, anger, fear, dread—these emotions are the raw materials for the progress of a person, and even a civilization.
If Brandon were merely a soldier, then of course he would need consider nothing; he would only obey the orders of his nation.
But he was not.
His abilities destined him to become the god of this planet—the god of this civilization.
Naturally, he could not, like a soldier, rescue his nation's people without limit, even if he had the ability.
It is like Queen Keisha herself—bearer of the Fourth-Generation Divine Body, the Sacred Physique. If she were to act every time, then among the angels, no warrior would ever die.
But accordingly, if they lost Queen Keisha—what would become of the angel civilization?
It would likely be even more fragile than what the original work depicted—harder still to withstand or accept.
As for Brandon White, he never wished for the civilization he belonged to, to be one that merely clung to his existence.
Just as the two of them were speaking, the mechanical, icy voice from the chat group sounded in their ears.
"Ding. Group member [Lin Fengjiao] has joined the chat group."
"Ding. Group member [Wuxia King] has joined the chat group."
"Ding. Group member [The Oldest God-slayer] has joined the chat group."
After such a long time, were there newcomers joining now?
Angel Yan and Brandon White both lifted their eyebrows in near-identical fashion. Exchanging a glance, they tacitly ended the video call.
Compared to the matter of Zhixin, the new members joining were clearly more important.
At this moment, within the chat group—
Richest Man: "Welcome, newcomers. Incidentally, I'm first."
Just-an-Ordinary Admin: "Such childishness—competing over even this. But I was so fast and still didn't snag first."
Just-an-Ordinary Admin: "Welcome, newcomers."
Deadbeat Little Sister Umaru: "Welcome, newcomers! The chat group's information should appear in your mind. If you don't believe it, don't go picking fights at random—that could provoke some of the big names in here. If you're skeptical, you can check the memory copy."
Deadbeat Little Sister Umaru: "Even though it's all in the form of anime or TV drama, they really are records from other worlds."
Worst Spirit: "Umaru's done a good job inheriting my previous role."
Worst Spirit: "Well done."
Deadbeat Little Sister Umaru: "Scratches head.jpg"
Deadbeat Little Sister Umaru: "Hehe, it's not that great."
Lin Fengjiao: "Um… Fellow Daoists, may I ask—is this an illusion?"
In the zombie world, Ninth Uncle stared at the virtual screen only he could see, while Wen Cai and Qiu Sheng beside him wondered whether he'd lost his mind.
"Can you truly not see this?"
Ninth Uncle asked once again.
"Master, did you get possessed?"
"There's nothing there at all…"
Wen Cai and Qiu Sheng looked at Ninth Uncle in worry. He'd been perfectly fine in the morning—so how had he suddenly become possessed after lunch, and started asking questions like this? Could there have been a problem with their lunch?
At that thought, both faces changed. They hooked their fingers into their throats, trying to vomit up whatever they'd eaten at noon.
Ninth Uncle had no mind to deal with the two of them right now. He did exactly as the person named "Umaru" on the screen had said and checked the information within his mind. Sure enough, there really was additional information concerning the chat group.
"A platform that crosses the myriad worlds, a chat group that allows you to communicate with people from other worlds."
A look of shock surfaced on Ninth Uncle's face.
"Spiritual energy, magic, chakra, Devil Fruits… entirely different energy systems."
In the God-slayer world, Marquis Voban examined the information that had appeared in his mind; his expression grew more and more exhilarated.
"A path distinct from martial arts, arcane arts, magic, and the God-slayer system—how very interesting. Truly, how interesting!"
Atop Mount Lu, a faint smile tugged at the lips of Patriarch Luo Hao.
The God-slayer's path, which had been nearing its end, seemed at this instant to open up a road forward.
(End of this chapter)
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