Chapter Thirty-Seven: Angel Versus Angel

Dark clouds gathered over the Goblin Air Force Base. On the ground, a centipede-like monster crawled, glancing warily around. Beside it lay a toppled goblin war puppet.

High above, a black dot drifted slowly through the sky.

It was an angel, clad in a black monk’s robe with a hood that shrouded her face. Long, jet-black hair spilled from either side, flowing in the wind like the tresses of an elf. Though her true features were hidden, her devilish figure, paired with pale gray wings unfurled behind, radiated a beguiling allure.

A heavy chain of obsidian beads adorned her chest, glimmering with a magical sheen as waves of power rippled outward.

This was Jiel, the Archangel dispatched by the God of Schemes.

In this world, every deity commanded their own angelic legions. The angels’ appearance, strength, and attire all reflected the preferences of their patron god. When a soul ascended to the heavens, it entered the divine realm of its chosen deity, becoming an angel and enjoying eternal life.

Normally, gods rarely sent their angels to the mortal plane. That Jiel had come herself was testament to the God of Schemes’ interest—or perhaps, to His ulterior motives.

Having received prior notice from the God of Wind, the monsters here made no rash moves, only shrinking away and leaving a clear space on the ground.

The bodies of slain monsters had long since been devoured, leaving only two battered war puppets and three arcane cannons scattered about.

Jiel beat her wings and descended slowly. With a wave of her right hand, a bolt of lightning suddenly lashed down from the sky, coiling like a chain to bind a centipede monster fast.

Under the terrified gaze of its companions, the struggling creature was drawn before the angel. Jiel reached out and gripped its head.

She began to chant. A glow enveloped them, and gradually, the monster’s eyes lost their light, its body sagging limp.

“So that’s how it is. How interesting.”

Having extracted the information she desired from the beast’s mind, Jiel smiled, then casually flung the corpse far away, sending the other monsters scuttling back a few more steps.

She approached one of the scorched arcane cannons, her brow furrowing as she drew a vial of holy water from her robes.

“The stench of dark energy is thick here. Who would be so extravagant as to use such potent dark crystals as ammunition?”

Smoke hissed up as the holy water sizzled and boiled on the cannon’s surface, eroded by the residue—much to the archangel’s surprise.

Moving to a war puppet, she used magic to flip it over, exposing its chest, which had been severely corroded by dark energy.

“Could those fiends from the Infernal Realm have invaded?”

After inspecting five war puppets and all the arcane cannons, Jiel grew increasingly uneasy.

The infernal forces of this world were indeed powerful, but rarely did they run rampant on the prime material plane; more often, they were summoned. Yet the concentration of dark energy here clearly exceeded the norm, stirring her vigilance.

Jiel made her way to the first airship that Sun Licheng had visited. The monsters hastily cleared a path for her, trembling as they retreated.

She paused before the gaping hole a monster had smashed through the hull, then stooped and slipped inside.

Within the wreckage of the ship, traces of dark energy were even stronger. The small cannon by the breach, the war puppet, and several control rooms all filled the archangel with deep revulsion.

By the time she emerged from the remains of the supply ship, the sun had already begun to set. Her thorough investigation left her more confused than before.

“It’s probably not the infernal fiends themselves—otherwise, these scraps would have been wiped out long ago. Still, they must be involved. The sheer amount of dark energy and the quantity of dark crystals used are beyond the means of ordinary folk. It seems I must investigate further.”

With that, Jiel spread her wings and, after a few powerful beats, soared off in the direction Sun Licheng and his group had gone.

…

At the bellow of the mammoth herd’s lead bull, the mammoths lowered the logs from their trunks and lumbered toward the foot of the mountain.

There, Sun Licheng had just finished preparing a great wooden trough full of food.

In the days that followed, the mammoth herd had become Sun Licheng’s labor force, their wage being the delicacy he prepared—Pearl Leaf Salad.

Pearl leaves were a type of shrub leaf Sun Licheng had discovered in the forest behind the mountain. Tiny yet intensely flavored, they were reminiscent of wasabi back on Earth, delivering a sharp, nose-tingling zest.

One day, a greedy calf had devoured Sun Licheng’s lunch while his back was turned, savoring the little leaves as a seasoning.

Afterwards, the young mammoth sneezed repeatedly, and far from being deterred, grew rather fond of the sensation. It began pestering Sun Licheng for more, soon drawing the attention of its mother.

The rest was simple. The entire mammoth herd soon learned of this new treat and insisted Sun Licheng prepare it for them—refusal was met with threats.

Helpless, Sun Licheng had to lay aside his work and become the elephants’ cook. Yet he had no intention of enduring this loss for nothing; after all, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Through negotiation with the lead bull, they struck a bargain: the mammoths would work for Sun Licheng, helping him build a new camp—hauling logs, moving stones, and more—in exchange for two meals a day, one of which must include a platter of greens with pearl leaves, which he later named Pearl Leaf Salad.

Thus, the good-natured mammoths became laborers under the “wicked capitalist” Sun Licheng, dining daily on Pearl Leaf Salad. The valley rang with the thunder of elephantine sneezing, a scene of lively chaos.

People are the core of productivity, and with the mammoths’ help, plus the dexterous Mister Skillful, Sun Licheng’s camp was transformed.

First, he built a small stone fortress on the mountain, enclosing his dwelling cave securely within. Then he erected watchtowers at the valley’s exit and strategic points, mounting newly crafted bed crossbows so the entire valley was within range. Finally, he constructed a mech hangar, where the mech was parked, awaiting repairs when time allowed.

Thanks to everyone’s efforts, the valley now resembled a true fortress; save for the unfinished main gate, all major structures were complete.

Through long collaboration, Sun Licheng and the mammoths forged a deep friendship.

Of course, Sun Licheng also hoped to recruit these mammoths using his hero’s power. But facing the lead bull—so much stronger than himself—he saw only scorn in the creature’s gaze.

“Looks like I’d better try recruiting the rats instead. Weak and powerless—no rights at all!” Sun Licheng sighed.

…

Late at night, Archangel Jiel finally located Sun Licheng’s valley.

She hadn’t anticipated finding so many mammoths here, especially the lead bull, whose formidable strength gave even her pause.

Still, it was the mech, not yet stowed in the hangar, that drew her attention. Though it lacked the foul taint of dark energy, its design and battle scars marked it as coming from the Goblin Empire’s air base.

Just then, Sun Licheng emerged from the fortress, catching Jiel’s eye at once.

“A goblin. And a chosen one, no less—how odd. What god would need a goblin as their chosen vessel for resurrection? They can’t even ascend to higher levels. Still, a quick read of his memories will answer everything.”

With that, Jiel prepared to storm the valley. The mammoths were formidable, but not to the point of deterring her.

Within the valley, Sun Licheng was playfully tussling with a persistent young mammoth, oblivious to the approaching danger.

Just as Jiel was about to beat her wings and swoop in, she suddenly paused, alertly glancing behind her.

A streak of azure light flashed across the heavens, quickly halting before her.

It was a masculine angel, clad in full plate armor. His striking features could drive mortal women mad, golden hair rippling in the breeze, and two pairs of great white wings quivering behind him.

“Lord Shnarde, what brings you here?” Jiel immediately recognized the newcomer—the Archangel of the Water God’s court, Shnarde.

“Heh, just passing by,” Shnarde replied with a light laugh, casually patting the longsword at his hip, which shimmered with a blue gleam—a clear warning.

“Passing by? I doubt that,” Jiel retorted coldly. The obsidian spell-chain at her chest pulsed with light as she readied herself.

“The Water God sent me to take a look around the mortal world. I happened to see you here, so I thought I’d say hello. Ah, and there’s a goblin—a chosen one, at that. How curious. Surely, Lady Jiel, you’re not planning anything? You know the rules: gods and angels cannot act directly against the chosen. That’s the divine law—no one is permitted to break it!”

As he finished, Shnarde’s expression grew stern, unaffected by Jiel’s seductive figure.

“Lord Shnarde, you jest. I’m merely curious. I’m here by command of my Lord to investigate the events at the forbidden site, and my search led me here. I only wished to take a look,” Jiel replied, invoking the name of the God of Schemes.

“Haha. By all means, look—but should anything else be required, I suggest your Lord Himself decide. That would be safest, don’t you think? Especially when it involves a chosen one; many gods would not allow harm to come to theirs.”

Shnarde made it clear he had no intention of deferring to the God of Schemes.

“Haha… Lord Shnarde, there’s no need to be so severe. My investigation is nearly complete—I was just about to return,” Jiel said, quickly adopting a lighter tone upon realizing she had lost her chance.

“Splendid. Why not travel together? You can share your findings along the way; I’m quite curious myself,” Shnarde replied, determined not to let Jiel slip away.

“You… Very well, let us return together,” Jiel began to bristle, but one look at Shnarde’s frosty gaze made her swallow her anger.

“Excellent. Let’s be off then—I can hardly wait,” Shnarde replied, eyeing her with a hint of amusement.

“Very well. I’ll lead the way,” Jiel said, forcing a smile as she spread her wings and, with Shnarde beside her, flew off into the night.

…

In the divine realm, within the Stormsea Temple, the god Manannan mac Lir, majestic and imposing, sat upon his throne. Below him, the gods of the Oceanic Pantheon were assembled.

“Lord Manannan, I have received word from my archangel Shnarde—he has driven off the God of Schemes’ angel. The strange little fellow remains unharmed,” spoke the Water Goddess Stasha.

“Good. That God of Schemes is too cunning by half; you must all be wary,” the Stormsea God nodded in satisfaction.

“Your Majesty, may I ask—why must we protect that little fellow? He may be a chosen one, but he seems unremarkable. In doing so, we risk offending both the God of Schemes and the Lord of Light.”

Though the Water God had sent the archangel to protect Sun Licheng, she was still wary of the God of Schemes, a deity of intermediate power, and the Lord of Light, whose might was supreme.

“Are you afraid?” asked the Sea God.

“No, Your Majesty, I only…”

“Haha, there’s no need to deny it—I understand. This matter is special. Thousands of years ago, the Earth God led us in defiance of the Lord of Light, seeking to restore equality and peace to the divine realm. Alas, he fell. With the passing of the Earth God and many others, the Lord of Light’s power has swelled, and the heavens have grown ever more corrupt. Now, a curious little fellow has appeared in the Godforsaken Lands, and at his mere arrival, the powers converge. I even sense a hint of fate’s intervention. To protect our interests and curtail the Lord of Light, we must shield this little fellow—at least, we must not allow them to use divine power to eliminate him outright.”

The Stormsea God cut her off, explaining his reasons.

“But we cannot guard him constantly—that would break the rules,” the Water Goddess protested.

“Of course not. Our main focus remains the interests of our pantheon. If the little fellow dies on the path of divine resurrection, then so be it—such is fate. Yet, I believe he will surprise us. Fellow gods, the critical hour is upon us; unity is vital. Victory belongs to the Oceanic Pantheon!” declared the Stormsea God.

“To victory for the Oceanic Pantheon!” echoed the assembled gods in unison.