Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
The pitch-black night was like an endless, thick ink smeared across the sky, wiping away even the faintest starlight.
This was exactly how a few players, including “Nobody Does Human Things,” felt at the moment.
After they had painstakingly transported the Dragon Beast’s belongings back to Winter Fort, they immediately received their reward from the generous, broad-minded Lord of Eagle Territory.
A total of 500 Experience Points, five Copper Coins, and one point of Favorability.
The Players were moved to tears.
Xi Wei waved his hand, indicating there was no need for thanks, and turned to leave, not taking a single cloud with him.
As a qualified Lord, it was normal for him to make his subordinates feel warmth and happiness.
It was basic operation, low-key.
Xi Wei did not look at the grateful gazes of the Players.
He had already arrived near the Fountain with the Sea God statue.
After Xing Hai awakened, she had already recovered. Ruo Yi, fearing she would be bored, had placed her back in the Fountain to keep Sark company.
From afar, Xi Wei could hear their conversation:
“…Fiery rock, does your homeland often have wars…”
“Roar! Damn it! This is the 278th time you’ve asked me this question. Yes, war, that’s right!”
“Then can you tell me again and again and again?” Xing Hai asked Sark with a beaming smile, her eyes as bright as stars showing boundless curiosity.
“Damn it! Sark’s brain is going to break! Sargeras above, alright, alright… it all started in a place called Azeroth… So, we need to purify the world, bugs! Do you understand? Cut off the source of corruption from its roots…”
“Destruction is also for new beginnings.”
Sark’s tone was strangely numb, like a repeating recording. Xi Wei could see the cyan flames above its head were somewhat droopy.
It was quite a hardship for him, as he clearly preferred peace and quiet.
He might as well hand those eight or nine adorable little radishes over to Sark to look after. That way, he would surely be healed.
Xi Wei nodded silently, deciding to arrange it for Sark immediately after he finished his business.
“Xing Hai, good evening.”
Xi Wei no longer called the Mermaid “Bubble”; she had already remembered her name.
“Lord, hello~” Xing Hai swam from Sark’s pedestal to the edge of the Fountain, appearing to be in good spirits.
“Esteemed Lord, Sark greets you…”
“Hello, Sark.”
He actually pronounced it correctly. Xi Wei looked at the Hellfire Lord in surprise. It seemed that through the Mermaid’s training, Sark’s spoken language skills had improved dramatically.
With that thought, Xi Wei cast a look of approval at Xing Hai, causing her some confusion.
“How do you feel after awakening?”
Hearing Xi Wei’s question, Xing Hai happily swished her tail, beating the water surface and splashing a few crystal-clear droplets. She giggled and said,
“I feel much better now. I can’t remember many of the scenes I saw before, but I remember my name, and other memories are slowly returning.”
Xi Wei nodded, looking at the girl before him with a complicated expression. But when he thought of Ruo Yi and Loli, he gritted his teeth and took out the Sea God statue.
He hoped nothing would go wrong.
“Xing Hai, this is a statue I found in the Dragon Beast’s nest today. See if this thing has any connection to you.”
As Xi Wei spoke, he took out the Sea God statue from his package, only to find that it was now emitting a soft glow and struggling slightly, as if trying to break free from his grasp.
Xing Hai, in the Fountain, also felt a tremor from the depths of her soul. Her gaze was somewhat lost as she looked at the Sea God statue in the Lord’s hand, feeling a bit helpless.
It seemed there was a power within this statue that belonged to her, yet there was also a sense of incongruity, as if this belonging was temporary and would not always follow her.
It was as if she were just a substitute.
“Lord, can you let me take a look at it?”
Xi Wei looked at Xing Hai’s pleading eyes, pondered for a moment, and hesitantly placed the Sea God statue into her outstretched small hand.
“Buzz—”
The moment the Sea God statue touched Xing Hai, a vast oppressive aura spread out from her. Xi Wei struggled to maintain his balance, vaguely seeing a man holding a trident, sitting high on a throne in the deep sea.
That was Poseidon, the Sea God.
The oppressive aura came and went quickly, vanishing without a trace within a single breath.
Xi Wei let out a sigh of relief and found Xing Hai holding the Sea God statue, scrutinizing it intently, her small face full of curiosity and doubt.
It seemed there were no problems. Xing Hai had not turned into a muscular man with six arms, nor had she frantically cried out “Conquest is endless.”
The previous situation was likely just a phenomenon produced after the divinity was guided out by Xing Hai.
Focusing, Xi Wei checked Xing Hai’s panel and found that her information had changed:
[Name: Xing Hai]
[Identity: Ritualist of the Mercury Palace of the Demi-human Royal Court (Decommissioned)]
[Strength: Demi-human Stage One Awakening Level 51 (51-60)]
[Skills: Advanced Water Element Affinity (Passive), Raging Tide Tsunami, Thunderstorm, Siphon Vortex, Memory Imprint (Unsealing)]
[Equipment: None]
[Demi-human Faction Reputation: 238 (The ritualist of the Mercury Palace, though few people know of it now)]
[Kolon Empire Reputation: 78 (Many people in Winter Fort have seen this beautiful Mermaid)]
Although Xing Hai, having absorbed the divinity, was still in the Demi-human Stage One Awakening, her level had reached 51.
Her skills, Tsunami Guidance Technique and Storm Guidance Technique, had changed to Raging Tide Tsunami and Thunderstorm, respectively.
Xi Wei speculated that so-called Guidance Techniques required a medium to be activated, meaning Xing Hai could guide existing waves and storms.
Now that the skills had become Raging Tide Tsunami and Thunderstorm, she should be able to directly summon tsunamis and storms.
This was the template of a top-tier Legion Mage, and a force that Winter Fort currently lacked the most.
“Xing Hai, do you still recognize who I am?” Xi Wei asked, looking at the innocent-eyed little Mermaid with some unease.
“I do, you’re the Lord! Why do you ask such a strange question?” Xing Hai looked at Xi Wei in confusion, worried that the Lord might have a fever and was disoriented.
Hearing the little Mermaid’s reply, Xi Wei still felt a bit uneasy, so he repeatedly confirmed:
“Do you feel any discomfort anywhere? Is there someone else in your mind talking to you?”
“No, Lord, can you lean your head over so Xing Hai can touch it? Xing Hai can’t reach!”
Well, Xi Wei was now convinced.
Ordinary divine artifacts did indeed enhance the power of awakened Demi-humans. Although they were anchored by various slumbering gods for unknown reasons, divine substances without the will of a god would not accelerate the awakening of slumbering gods.
Xi Wei speculated that if the trident containing the remnant soul of Poseidon had been brought here today, the outcome might have been completely different.
In that case, he would have to quickly start collecting intelligence on artifacts from all over the world and gather these divine artifacts. He would use them to enhance the strength of awakened Demi-humans like Loli and Ruo Yi.
Gods needed vessels to awaken. If this vessel was powerful enough, it could also obliterate those weak divine wills. Only then could Loli and Ruo Yi live happily as their true selves.
Even if the revival of gods was an unavoidable trend in the world, he would still go against the current and be prepared to face the entire world.
