Chapter 160: A Doomed Scenario?

Chapter 160: A Doomed Scenario?

The Dragon Factory bustled with its usual fervor.

Outside the factory, the open space had long transformed into Willis’s bustling snack street. Inside, the roar of machinery was ceaseless, steam billowed, and carts shuttled back and forth. The incident of the propaganda leaflets raining from the sky days ago seemed to have left no trace here, as if it had never happened.

At this moment, within the restricted area of the factory—Ajef’s private residence—a meeting was in full swing!

Those in attendance were the high-ranking members of the Internet divine system.

At an exotic ten-meter-long table, Yu Sheng'an sat at the head. To his right were the Music God Aphnora and the Prophecy God Phoebus. Opposite them, on Yu Sheng'an’s left, sat the de facto rulers of the Keville Empire—the Saint Magus Dandell, Saint Magus Qimoer, and Saint Magus Beixi, seated side by side.

In the Keville Empire, the right side was traditionally the seat of honor.

This was because mages feared assassination by warriors the most, and the right side made it easier to draw a blade for such attacks. Thus, those seated on the right were considered the most trusted by the host, hence the tradition of honoring the right.

“I’ve gathered everyone today primarily to discuss the reason behind the God of Death’s retreat and to share thoughts on our future development strategy!” Yu Sheng'an opened the meeting, setting the tone for discussion.

“Before we officially begin, let me say one thing.”

“Although the God of Death’s sudden madness disrupted our development rhythm, it ultimately brought more benefits than harm. I’ve long wanted to expand the Source Essence spring but never found the opportunity. Now, with the expansion of the Dark Web, the number of Internet users has surpassed ten billion, and this number continues to rise.”

This figure left everyone in the meeting room exchanging glances, utterly astonished!

Aphnora and Phoebus were exhilarated. As beneficiaries of the Internet, the expansion of its user base meant the Source Essence they could share would multiply exponentially. How could this not excite them? How could it not bring them immense joy?

The three Saint Magus of Keville, however, were both thrilled and horrified, their emotions a tangled mix.

The power of gods stemmed from their godhood, and driving that godhood required Source Essence.

Theoretically, the more abundant a god’s Source Essence, the more formidable their combat prowess.

Now, with the Internet boasting ten billion users, the Source Essence spring had grown to an unimaginable scale—likely rivaling, if not surpassing, that of the Five Great Righteous Gods.

Such vast Source Essence would allow the Internet God to unleash terrifying combat power.

Recalling the annihilation strike displayed by the Internet God in the divine war months ago, the three Saint Magus felt even greater awe.

They sighed inwardly, realizing that the Keville Empire would likely soon fall entirely under the Internet God’s dominion.

Yet, no sooner had this thought crossed their minds than the Internet God’s next words left them stunned, their hearts shaken.

Their eyes even gleamed with undisguised greed.

Yu Sheng'an raised his right hand, and an indescribable, blinding light blossomed in his palm.

He looked at the three Saint Magus and said:

“This is a portion of the virtual light domain authority. Wielding it not only grants power surpassing the pinnacle of Light Magic but also bestows endless Lifespan. In the coming struggle for supremacy, barring unforeseen circumstances, it will be a contest between me and the God of Death. Would the three of you be willing to lend me your strength?”

As the words fell, the crowd was stunned!

Aphnora and Phoebus exchanged a glance, their hearts roaring with realization—the Internet God indeed wielded other divine sparks.

This had been hinted at during the Felix opening ceremony when Yu Sheng'an demonstrated Light Magic. They had suspected it back then, but now it was finally confirmed.

The three Saint Magus of Keville, however, were utterly shaken by Yu Sheng'an's actions.

Creating subordinate gods with a virtual divine spark and constructing a divine system framework was hardly an ingenious tactic among the gods of the multiverse.

For one, no matter how the authority of the virtual divine spark was divided, gifting it to subordinates always increased the risk of the divine spark's authority being exposed.

If a subordinate leaked the secret, the holder of the divine spark could easily be cornered.

Secondly, the authority of a weak divine spark held limited appeal for demi-god-level beings.

Any race, regardless of lifespan, would see a dramatic increase in longevity upon reaching demi-god level, with countless means to extend their lives further.

It could be said that the fall of demi-god-level beings was almost always due to conflicts of interest, not natural death.

As for those below demi-god level, there was no need to offer a virtual divine spark as an incentive.

Thus, if a virtual divine spark was to be used as a reward, its authority absolutely could not be weak.

Therefore, constructing a divine system was something only gods wielding powerful divine sparks could afford to do—and even then, they had to bear the risks.

As for weak divine sparks, they were already fragile and dangerous. Using them as bait would be nothing short of suicide.

After all, the strongest fortresses were often breached from within.

Now, Yu Sheng'an had presented the light domain authority. Combined with his demonstration at the opening ceremony, the might of this virtual divine spark was beyond doubt.

The three Saint Magus of Keville were tempted.

Their future paths were limited to two:

Either advance toward higher realms of magic,

Or seize a divine spark and ascend to godhood.

In either case, possessing a powerful virtual divine spark would bring more benefits than drawbacks.

Most importantly, their family assets were all within the Keville Empire, which was deeply intertwined with the Internet. Refusal would be tantamount to betrayal—would the Internet God let them off?

Even if they escaped with their lives thanks to their Saint Magus cultivation, what about their families and assets?

"The emergence of the Internet is nothing short of a world-shaking boon for the people—a blessing for the multiverse. To follow Mr. Ajef is our greatest glory..."

Saint Magus Dandell was the first to stand and voice his stance, but before he could finish, his expression abruptly changed!

No—

To be precise, every high-ranking member of the Internet God's divine system present at the meeting was struck with horror!

They exchanged glances, faces pale, before teleporting away from the conference room and appearing atop the walls of Willis City.

From the watchtowers on the city walls, they looked out and saw portals lighting up across the magical plantations and farmlands within the Magic Tower's domain.

Dense and endless, stretching for thousands of miles, they resembled eerie eyes—or perhaps sinister flowers—blooming across the land of Keville!

Countless laborers fled in terror toward the city.

An endless undead legion poured forth, yet unlike traditional undead legions that slaughtered indiscriminately, these forces organized into regiments, forming battle formations.

Over a dozen subordinate gods, along with hundreds of high-ranking lords, hovered in the air, wary of a potential preemptive strike from the Keville Empire!

"The God of Death's target is us!" Aphnora exclaimed, her face drained of color.

Not just Aphnora—everyone present wore grim expressions.

The God of Death’s sudden strategic retreat had already sparked speculation among the gods of the multiverse. Most assumed he was regrouping to pick off his enemies one by one.

The only question was: Who would be the first unlucky sacrifice?

Yet, no one had expected the God of Death’s first target to be the Keville Empire—a place where he had once suffered defeat!

This was, after all, the Internet God’s preaching zone!

The Internet God’s power was beyond doubt.

To strike at him first was utterly inconceivable!

"Ajef, should we strike while his forces are still crossing, catching them off guard?" Phoebus suddenly turned to Yu Sheng'an, urgency in his voice.

The Prophecy Godhood told him this was the best moment to attack!

With the God of Death’s main forces still mid-transit, their combined destructive power could easily dismantle the portals and annihilate the vanguard!

"No. These are the Fifth Calamity. Killing them would only waste our energy."

Yu Sheng'an shook his head.

This Undead Legion was far too agile. Though their formations were chaotic and bloated, they were leagues ahead of traditional undead armies.

This could only mean one thing: these were the unkillable Fifth Calamity.

"But—"

Phoebus grew frantic, yet after that single word, he fell speechless.

Because he, too, had no solution.

Or rather, even with the Prophecy Godhood in his grasp, he could see no path to victory at this moment.

"Internet God! The Dark Web and the Internet cannot coexist. Rather than a future battle, let us settle this now!"

A majestic voice boomed from the God of Death’s camp.

"Dandell, Qimoer, Beixi! This time, I bring five hundred million Fifth Calamity—an undying legion! You know full well what that means!"

Cloaked entirely in white robes, the God of Death Sawyer rose slowly from the ranks of the Fifth Calamity like a spectral apparition.

With arrogance and audacity, he extended an olive branch to the three Saint Magus of the Keville Empire.

"In recognition of your hard-earned cultivation, I offer you a chance to rectify your allegiance! Surrender to me, and I shall grant you virtual divine sparks, elevating you as my subordinate gods, commanding trillions of believers!"

"I give you one day to decide. If you submit, lower your magical shields, and allow the Dark Web to fully replace the Internet, your wealth and status will remain untouched—no, they shall grow even greater!"

Before his words could fade, the God of Death Sawyer’s tone turned icy:

"Otherwise, the entire Keville Empire shall perish with you!"

This carrot-and-stick declaration sent shockwaves through the empire.

Upon the city walls, the three Saint Magus paled, exchanging uneasy glances.

Aphnora and Phoebus were both furious and horrified!

The God of Death had lost his mind!

Five hundred million Fifth Calamity—by their estimates, this was likely the entirety of his forces!

Such a colossal army could overrun any small or medium domain with ease.

Yet instead of consolidating his gains, he was throwing everything at the Internet God.

If this wasn’t madness, what was?

However, this also indirectly proves that the Internet God is his true nemesis.

But right now, Aphnora and Phoebus couldn’t feel the slightest bit of triumph.

Because five hundred million Fifth Calamity was too terrifying—a number nearly seven or eight times the population of the Keville Empire!

To put it bluntly, with such an overwhelming force, even if each of them spat once, they could drown Willis City!

So, how could they possibly fight this war?

Admittedly, the internet had spread across the multiverse alongside the Dark Web, boasting billions of users.

But the number of Fourth Calamity hadn’t surged accordingly.

Because the elemental puppets controlled by Fourth Calamity players were created through Magic.

The production capacity of puppet-making pools was limited, and mana was even scarcer, making mass production impossible. Thus, the Fourth Calamity numbered only ten million at most!

This meager force would only dwindle further with each battle, as mana reserves were simply too finite.

So, how could they contend with the God of Death?

What infuriated them most was that the God of Death had immediately resorted to psychological warfare!

No—this was nothing short of a Heart-Piercing Scheme!

Whether the three Saint Magus of Keville harbored thoughts of betrayal or not, the Internet God had no choice but to suspect them!

Because the Internet God couldn’t afford to gamble!

Because they were at an absolute disadvantage!

And because human nature had always favored those already thriving, not those in desperate need!

With internal trust already shattered by doubt, how could they possibly fight this war?

‘It’s over!’

The Prophecy God Phoebus turned deathly pale.

He had backed the wrong side!

No—judging by how the God of Death would rather poach the Saint Magus than them, it was clear he would never accept gods like them unless they willingly surrendered their godhood.

This had nothing to do with choosing the wrong side.

It was simply a matter of ill fortune.

After toiling for thousands of years, waiting for this once-in-a-century upheaval, who could have imagined it would end almost as soon as it began?

How bitterly unfair!

Despair spread through the Prophecy God Phoebus’s heart. Instinctively, he looked toward Yu Sheng’an, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes.

He prayed that the Internet God could turn the tide, propping up the collapsing heavens!

But deep down, he knew it was nearly impossible.

This was the conclusion of rational thought—and the deduction of his Prophecy Godhood.

At this moment, Aphnora was equally ashen-faced.

She had never harbored much ambition.

Her greatest aspiration had merely been to spread her faith in secret and discover uncharted domains!

Who could have foreseen that Yu Sheng’an would find her, offering hope and revealing the extraordinary power of the Music Godhood?

She had thought she’d finally met her savior, someone to rely on after escaping the nightmares of her childhood. Yet now, everything was crumbling so abruptly!

“Haa…”

Aphnora exhaled softly, forcing her mind to claw its way out of despair.

She had endured too much pain and hopelessness—she was used to it.

But she worried that he might not be.

Though he seemed carefree, she could sense how hard he had always strived.

Unable to help herself, Aphnora turned to Yu Sheng’an, her gaze filled with concern.

Yu Sheng’an seemed to notice and glanced back.

“Do you think I’ll fail?” he asked calmly.

Suddenly, he recalled a classic line from Joker—What is courage? Courage is grace under pressure.

He had always loved that quote.

So the more critical the moment, the more he couldn’t afford to break.

"No matter the outcome, I'll always follow you!" Aphnora didn't answer directly, but her response was clear.

She forced a faint smile, hoping to offer him some comfort—it was all she could do.

In truth, she wanted to say: 'It's alright, we still have a chance. We still have the Vilia domain.'

But she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She didn’t want to expose his greatest secret.

She believed he would understand her smile.

Yu Sheng'an laughed.

He lowered his head, letting out a twisted, guttural chuckle—was it madness or mockery?

Then, abruptly, he turned his gaze toward the three Saint Magus of Keville!

His stare sent shivers down their spines, their minds racing through countless contingencies.

"Relax! That damn God of Death—his Dark Web copied mine, his propaganda tactics copied mine, even his Heart-Piercing Scheme copied mine. Do you really think I’d fall for their tricks? Mr. Dandell?"

Yu Sheng'an shrugged, spreading his hands with an air of nonchalance.

Yet, in this dire situation, his casual demeanor only made him seem more unhinged—

Like a madman.

Dandell, Qimoer, and Beixi exchanged glances, wanting to respond lightly but finding it impossible.

They couldn’t even muster a perfunctory smile.

Because this was the Heart-Piercing Scheme—an open recruitment ploy!

If the God of Death made such a public declaration, he couldn’t possibly renege. Otherwise, no one would ever trust him again.

"Don’t be so serious!"

Yu Sheng'an rolled his eyes.

"Fine, fine! Since you’re all so tense, I’ll be blunt. If you leave me, I won’t blame you. Really. People seek higher ground, water flows downhill—it’s the natural order. No one can defy it!"

"But as an old friend, I have one piece of advice you should hear."

"No ruler likes a traitor. Even if they’re buying loyalty with gold, if you want a good life after defecting, you’d better prove your worth. Otherwise, you’ll always be a minor player on the sidelines."

His words left the three Saint Magus of Keville stunned.

They instantly grasped Yu Sheng'an’s implication—

Even if you kneel, you’d better fight first and prove your worth before kneeling!

Before they could speak, Yu Sheng'an added, "Give me one day. Believe it or not, I’ll send these ragtag forces back where they came from."

Silence fell.

Not just the three Saint Magus—even Aphnora and Phoebus were speechless.

How could he possibly turn around this hopeless situation?