"Funding the enemy? Bah!"
Vermilion Bird kicked the metal table leg, leaving a dented imprint that sent a violent ripple through the entire Holographic Sand Table.
"This piece of junk you made is nothing but a camping simulator! My soldiers have been on a forced march from start to finish, and they've all starved to death on the road without even touching a single enemy hair!"
He pointed at the Sand Table, his voice nearly shaking the ceiling of the hall.
"You call this a game? This is a logistics simulator! The numerical balance is absolute crap!"
"The attacking side works themselves to death, yet they'd be better off AFKing and sleeping to get a higher score? This is an insult to all the passionate players!"
"You're just stupid!"
White Tiger jumped onto a chair without backing down, trying to use the height to make up for his lack of momentum.
"Who told you to go All-in at the start? If you don't understand management, don't touch strategy games! Go back to playing your hack-and-slash!"
Azure Dragon tapped the table with the end of her Runic Pen, producing a crisp sound. Her expression was also quite grim.
"Though Vermilion Bird's words are crude, his reasoning is sound. If a game of strategy loses the art of confrontation and degenerates into a pure contest of resources and camping, how is that any different from the petty squabbles of street vendors?"
"The art of war has been reduced by you to cold numbers; this is a profanation of intelligence! It lacks any aesthetic value whatsoever."
"Can aesthetics put food on the table?"
White Tiger stood with hands on his hips, the twin ponytails atop his head trembling with rage.
"Logical consistency, a closed numerical loop, this is the true truth of the world! You emotional fools completely misunderstand the weight of 'perfection'!"
He pointed abruptly at Azure Dragon.
"And you, you old coin! You filled the entire map with wards, knowing Vermilion Bird's movements better than anyone, yet chose the most utilitarian counter-attack, watching her throw herself against Black Tortoise's AFK wall. Where is your so-called 'aesthetic sense' now?"
The Main Hall of the Temple had completely degenerated into a squabble among the game planning department.
The three Celestial Gods centered around the Sand Table, their words like spears and swords, spittle flying.
The Special Effects Director furiously denounced the core gameplay as boring, the Narrative and Art Director criticized the tactics for lacking aesthetic value, and the Lead Designer himself was frantically trying to explain the brilliance of numerical balance to two laymen.
Lin Qingyue and her three companions were like mortals who had stumbled into a fight between gods, covered in the "Law Spittle" spewed by the three Celestial Gods, and could only huddle silently in the corner.
Lin Xiyue's facial expression management had completely failed; she covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she struggled to hold back her laughter.
Su Wan also turned her head, using the sleeve of her deep blue Mage robe to hide her curved smile.
Only Xia Lian was truly embarrassed; looking at the three Celestial Gods who had completely lost their dignity, she felt her toes were digging a villa into the smooth floor.
"Qingyue," Su Wan lowered her voice, leaning close to Lin Qingyue's ear.
"What do we do now? Go up and break up the fight? I'm afraid the Vermilion Bird Celestial God will slap me into a photo and hang it on the wall."
"Break up what?"
Lin Qingyue's eyes sparkled as she watched with great interest.
"This is a Celestial God-level project review meeting, a free public class. Learn well, watch well."
This game test, which could be described as Hell Difficulty, ended in an extremely farcical manner.
Vermilion Bird's elite forces starved to death.
Azure Dragon's late-game lineup couldn't break through the defenses, no matter how much they calculated.
White Tiger and Lin Qingyue's perfect operational combination had hoarded a full set of divine gear but had nowhere to unleash it.
The sole winner was the Black Tortoise, who hadn't moved a single muscle from beginning to end.
With zero operations, zero casualties, and zero investment, He became the biggest winner of the first test round of "War of the Gods."
This outcome made White Tiger's faith in perfectionism crumble halfway.
"No way! Absolutely not!"
White Tiger waved his hand violently, disrupting the data stream of the entire Sand Table.
"AFK players must be sanctioned! A 'Sloth Penalty' must be added! For prolonged inactivity, 10% of resources and unit HP will be automatically deducted each turn!"
"I object,"
Black Tortoise's voice remained lazy, yet carried an unquestionable tone.
"Why punish those who know how to exploit the rules? I think they should be rewarded. AFK for one turn, City Defense doubles; AFK for ten turns, a Damage-Reflection Barrier is automatically generated. That's what you call a reward for wisdom."
"Do you call that wisdom? You're just being a rogue!"
"If you can win, it is wisdom."
Seeing the two Celestial Gods about to fight again over the philosophical question of whether AFKing was shameful, Lin Qingyue quietly backed away from the storm.
Her gaze fell on the golden quest panel.
[Fulfill the heart's desire of the Celestial God·Black Tortoise], the progress bar was still a stark 0%.
Simply "winning by lying down" was clearly not enough.
Lin Qingyue fell into deep thought.
Fulfill His wish? Sleep comfortably?
This sounded simple, but the rules of the Dungeon were never just surface-level.
White Tiger's "Envy" was rooted in an extreme demand for perfection.
So what was hidden behind Black Tortoise's "Sloth"?
Simply letting Him sleep more comfortably would probably only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.
"However..."
A curve formed at the corner of Lin Qingyue's lips.
"Before finding the root of the problem, it never hurts to run a test in the most direct way and collect some data."
She quietly moved to the side, and with a thought, retrieved several materials from her Storage Space.
A bundle of flexible "Mind-Calming Vine" that emitted a soothing aroma, several bundles of "Ice Jade Bamboo Strips" as thin as cicada wings, a bag of soft and fluffy "Cloud Cotton," and the sleep-aiding herbs given by Ilanier.
Lin Qingyue did not use any magic. She simply sat cross-legged and brought the vine-weaving skills she had acquired earlier to their absolute peak.
Her fingers were nimble, using the bamboo strips as the frame and the Mind-Calming Vine as the main body, weaving rapidly.
The crushed herbs were then evenly filled into the pillow core woven from Cloud Cotton.
She did not pursue luxury; all her energy was focused on functionality.
The shape, height, and curvature of the pillow were custom-made based on the gap between Black Tortoise's neck and the lounge chair when He was lying down just now.
Every curve had been precisely calculated, aiming to perfectly fit the cervical spine and provide the most appropriate support.
Soon, a pillow that looked plain but contained surprising ingenuity and precious materials was created in Lin Qingyue's hands.
The surface of the pillow emitted the fresh, elegant fragrance of vine and herbs. Just smelling it calmed one's mind and spirit.
Lin Qingyue held the pillow and walked to Black Tortoise's side.
The other three Celestial Gods were still arguing fiercely over whether "self-destructing units should have an elaborate exit animation," completely oblivious to the activity on this side.
"Lord Black Tortoise."
Lin Qingyue called out softly.
Black Tortoise's long eyelashes fluttered, as if a trace of consciousness had been forcibly pulled back from deep sleep.
He struggled to open one eye, his gaze falling on the pillow. His nose twitched slightly, catching the scent that made Him feel comfortable.
"For me?" His voice was still soft and sticky, as if He hadn't woken up yet.
"I see You aren't sleeping very soundly. Perhaps this will help You."
Lin Qingyue gently tucked the pillow from her hands under His neck.
Black Tortoise's usually half-squinted black eyes lit up with a rare brightness.
A just-right coolness spread from the back of His neck, and the perfectly fitting curve supported His cervical spine, allowing every muscle to relax completely.
The woody scent of the Spirit-Calming Vine, like a gentle lullaby, quietly smoothed away that faint, almost imperceptible restlessness deep within His soul.
Black Tortoise's languid body stretched almost imperceptibly.
"Mmm..."
A satisfied sigh, heavy with nasal tones, escaped His lips.
This satisfaction was more genuine than when He had won the game just now.
His sweet and soft voice even carried a rare hint of praise.
"You mortal... your skill is good. You have a future."
After speaking, His head tilted, and He sank completely into an even deeper slumber, even emitting soft and steady snores.