If anyone truly understood the bitterness in Zhu Yulu's mind, it was Qinghong, for she now possessed all of "its" memories.
However, understanding the past did not mean condoning "its" actions. After all, Qinghong and the others deceased like fancy rats were merely innocent victims, dragged in after that accident to serve as outlets for "its" vent and amusement.
Qinghong didn't care for abstract concepts of right or wrong; she only knew who had caused her pain—pain so absolute that even living became a luxury, and her final dream of a painless death was a fantasy.
Qinghong had achieved her goal for today's stream and was preparing to log off and rest. She was truly exhausted; maintaining the persona of the "Rain and Dew" Messenger had required a significant amount of forced effort.
Yet, during her interaction with the audience, she had actually managed to forget those dark days for a while—if only for a fleeting moment. She thought to herself: Did my Great Beast God see through everything? Is that why She made me became "Rain and Dew"?
At that thought, an unstoppable warmth flooded her body. It wasn't an infusion of Divine Power, but a sense of belonging and gentle acceptance she had never felt before. It turned out the title of "Rain and Dew" given by the Great Beast God wasn't just a blessing for the masses; it was the thread sewing her shattered soul back together.
"Alright, family, I'm heading off to rest now."
Qinghong waved, appearing ready to disconnect. The chat was filled with "Goodnight" messages, and the few who tried to beg her to stay were quickly shushed by others.
—[Host, Host, chat with us a bit longer! (Heart)]
—[@CuriousBaby The Host is tired and needs rest, don't be inconsiderate! Be good...]
Suddenly, as if remembering something vital, Qinghong leaned back into the camera with a serious expression. "Oh, oh, oh! One more thing, family!"
The viewers, who were mostly anxious to see this "Little Ancestor" off safely, thought: Grandmother, what now? Can't you say it all at once?
Fortunately, Qinghong really did want to finish. She said quickly, "Let's make a pinky promise. Regarding the secrets of the 'orange light orbs' and the 'Gratitude List', you must absolutely, absolutely not tell those annoying people over in Livestream Room A! Do you hear me?"
This move stunned the audience: Or else what? Tell us, Host! Will lightning strike them? Or will you disqualify us?
Qinghong puffed out her cheeks and let out a childish huff. "Or else... I'll start hating you guys, too! Hmph!"
With that, the screen plunged into darkness.
Billions of viewers stared at the black screen, frozen in place. It took a long while before the chat erupted like a boiling pot, with comments flying faster than they had during the judgment of the sinners:
—[Holy crap... that's it? She—she told me she'd 'hate me' if I didn't listen?]
—[My goodness, who can withstand that! My heart of steel just melted into a puddle. This is too much! (manly tears)]
—[If the people in Room A find out, they'll die of envy: they face "kill, kill, kill", while we face the Host... acting cute?]
—[Listen up, everyone! If anyone leaks this, you won't need the Host to hate you—the rest of humanity will bury you in insults!]
The heavy, suffocating divine pressure that had loomed over the Blue Planet was mostly swept away by that single "Hmph". People suddenly realized that the little Messenger sent by the Deity wasn't some unreachable judge.
She was just a little cutie who had crawled out of hell, hadn't even dried her tears yet, but was trying her best to be gentle to the world.
That night, for the first time, billions of people across the Blue Planet didn't worry about tomorrow's judgment. Instead, they all shared one thought: We have to spoil this Little Ancestor at all costs!
Inside the Blue Phoenix's space.
With the livestream disconnected, Qinghong's "Divine Messenger" majesty instantly collapsed. Like a child finally released from school, she eagerly lunged toward the Blue Phoenix, her face practically screaming, "Praise me, praise me!"
"Lord Blue Phoenix! Did you see? I didn't make a single mistake all day!"
Her eyes were sparkling as she gestured wildly. "The distribution went right, the broadcast went right, and even the final emotional appeal and bribery—I mean, guidance—was handled perfectly! Am I great? Don't I deserve an apple as a reward?"
The Blue Phoenix watched the girl spinning circles, jumping, and chirping around her. It imagined that if the girl still had a tail, it would be wagging right up into the sky.
The Blue Phoenix thought to h
Itself: Just like that other fellow.
Meanwhile, that "other fellow"—the DivineBeast currently being badmouthed—let out another "Achoo!" Thud! Another colossal gold ingot fell in.
The Wealth Devourer was starting to get angry, grumbling, "Which bastard keeps talking behind my back? When I catch you, you're dead meat."
While cursing, the Wealth Devourer continued dumping those gold ingots—treasures to humans, but trash to It—into the Karmic Pool with a loud clatter.
Seeing that the pool was nearly full, It stopped pouring gold and began sprinting excitedly toward Its master to report Its success.
As It ran, It wagged Its tail and panted; gone was Its majestic aura, replaced by the likeness of a giant Golden Retriever looking for its owner.
The Blue Phoenix, existing in a different dimension of the Divine Realm, had no idea what that "fellow" was up to. It simply stared at the girl before It—tiny by comparison—who was begging for praise. It elegantly turned Its head away, Its long wings giving a gentle sweep.
"Not making mistakes..." The BluePhoenix's cold, clear voice echoed in the space. "Isn't that the most basic requirement for the 'Rain and Dew' Messenger specially appointed by The Great One? Besides, who was the one clutching a self-written script and studying it right up until the broadcast started last night?"
Despite Its words, the Blue Phoenix's slightly lifted head and a massive apple suddenly materializing in the void completely betrayed Its true mood.
"However, I must admit, it was quite convincing. Here is your reward."
Not wanting the girl to get too carried away, she opened her beak and added, "Do not forget what you promised me. The bucket is already by the well; go fetch the water!"
Qinghong let out a cheer and hugged the apple like a real squirrel. Her eyes crinkled into happy slits as she chirped, "Mm-hmm, Qinghong knows! I'll go right now. Thank you, Lord Blue Phoenix!"
Clutching the apple—which was just the right size for her to carry—she sprinted off. Her hair fluttered in the wind, every strand expressing the sheer joy of its owner.
Inside the Long Nation underground command center, the Chief looked at the screen which had switched back to Livestream Room A. He reached for the glowing orb floating beside him and let out a sigh. "What a pity..."
He was lamenting that this orb could only benefit an old man like himself. He couldn't help but wonder: Could our laboratories or the Academy of Sciences replicate this? Even a low-spec version would do.
Unknowingly, he spoke his thoughts aloud: "It seems I'll have to find time to visit the lab."
Upon hearing this, the Dean of the Academy of Sciences, standing nearby, had eyes that instantly lit up. He had been eyeing that light orb with greed for a long time.
Unfortunately, during the previous "Two-Choice" event, everyone had been ordered not to participate. Absolute discipline was a requirement for anyone entering this underground fortress.
Consequently, no one in the entire command center except the Chief had taken part. To get data, the Dean had to rely on research results sent by his students outside—the efficiency was far too low.
Now that the Chief had come around on his own, the Dean was overjoyed; if not for the Chief's status, he would have dragged him to the experimental base right then and there.
"Report!"
A thunderous shout erupted from the encrypted communications desk in the command hall. This vigorous roar startled everyone into sitting upright. Even the Dean, who had been lost in thought about dismantling the light orb, snapped out of his reverie.
It was the Field Mission Command Leader. His expression was grim, hands pressed firmly against the console, eyes locked onto a newly popped-up, red-labeled encrypted message. "Captain Chen Haoran of the Blue Tiger Commando Unit, First SWAT Brigade, has sent word regarding the target, 'Sato'! According to the report—"
The air in the hall instantly chilled. The Chief stopped rubbing the light orb and fixed a torch-like gaze on the main screen.
"The crisis at the southwest mountain border has been resolved. The enemy's remaining splinter groups are fleeing for their lives. Based on intelligence analysis, we are 87.99% certain they are the B.E.N. CIA special unit—'Medusa'. The First Squadron is in full pursuit!"
The Leader's voice trembled slightly with excitement. "Most importantly: the human shell of the target 'Sato' collapsed in front of everyone. It has reverted to its original rat form. According to field intel, it is currently following some kind of 'red thread' toward the center of Ribi City. Destination locked—Ribi City People's Hospital!"
At the mention of "original form", the Dean of the Academy of Sciences bolted upright. "What? It can revert to its original form? That kind of life-form transformation is beyond the human scope! Quick, did Captain Chen's team capture the energy pulse data during the transformation?"
"Sit down! Please."
The Chief's low bark silenced the Dean's fervor before he issued calm, decisive orders: "By my command! The target is no longer a 'specimen' or a 'suspect'. It is a being under the watch of the Goddess."
"Furthermore, prepare to engage with the Green Pheasant Country. Take note: this is not a negotiation; it is a notification. Inform them that this being is now the focus of Divine attention and Long Nation is willing to assume responsibility for its guardianship. This is an act of saving their lives. From this moment on, he will be considered a subject of Long Nation and, more importantly, a family member of a legal Long Nation citizen!"
He paused. "Have the diplomatic department prepare; I suspect B.E.N. will not let this rest easily. Also, task the intelligence department with tracking B.E.N.'s movements. Any findings are to be handled as Grade-S intel and reported immediately."
The Chief stood, his spine as straight as a spear, radiating the suffocating pressure of a veteran iron-blooded general. He didn't just give orders; he dictated reality.
"First," he barked, his voice echoing through the silent command center.
"Deploy the backup satellite, Firmament No. 3. I want a total lock on Tian Shuangxin. Mobilize every available asset in Ribi City—protect her at all costs and ensure our little target makes it home safely!"
He paused, his eyes turning cold enough to freeze blood.
"Second, tell Captain Chen of the Blue Tiger Commandos that 'Priority' is no longer enough. I am upgrading this to MaximumPriority Escort. If those CIA scumbags even think about doubling back... Blue Tiger is authorized to go loud. Use all heavy firepower. Kill them on sight. I want zero survivors."
Finally, he turned to the logistics officer.
"Third, the People's Hospital. Clear a top-tier ICU suite immediately. I want our best medical team on-site before she even arrives. And, make sure Tian Shuangxin's mother receives the highest standard of treatment—no excuses."
The orders descended like thunderbolts, and the gears of the command hall began to spin at high speed once more.
The Dean of the Academy of Sciences stared at the blurry surveillance footage of the scene, muttering, "This is no longer within the realm of scientific explanation... this is the dawn of a new era."
Across the ocean, the President of B.E.N. had recovered under the treatment of the orange light orb. Even he had to admit it was a marvelous thing.
Unlike Long Nation, he wasn't the only one in his circle with an orb, so he immediately ordered the Strategic Center to head to the labs and have scientists decode the orb's essence as quickly as possible.
He also commanded his subordinates to contact Green Pheasant Country officials immediately. They were to use "Sato's" human identity as a point of contention to pressure Long Nation into handing "Sato" over, ostensibly to "preserve the spark of human civilization".
Meanwhile, in Ribi City—where the residents had fled to seek shelter from the "Rods from God"—the streetlamps seemed to receive a sacred command as the two figures, one large and one small, walked through.
One by one, the lights flickered on following their footsteps, paving a golden path of hope.