Chapter 47: The Final Blow

Chapter 47: The Final Blow

The so-called final blow naturally meant the Overlord personally descending into this world to destroy this depleted "battery." When he destroys this world, he can extract one last wave of energy from fear and despair.

Maintaining the slaughterhouse requires constant energy expenditure. Continuing to create slaughterhouses in this world is not worthwhile because the effort does not match the reward.

Actually, the Overlord doesn't necessarily need to destroy the world; he could simply withdraw the slaughterhouse's power, allowing the world to recover its vitality. But why would he do that? Delivering the final blow, extracting the last bit of energy, and then ending it all is his usual approach.

He could indeed allow this world occasional periods of rest and recovery, making it a sustainable battery. However, he lacks the patience for such a long-term plan. Simply put, he grows tired of old things and desires new ones. Why use an old battery when there are so many new ones available? It just doesn't look appealing.

But he is a lazy person with a tendency to procrastinate. With these thoughts in mind, he merely turned over and decided to wait until he felt like doing it. After all, there's no rush.

...

Days passed, and the world grew increasingly chaotic. Conflicts between believers, anti-deities, and neutrals never ceased. In the overt and covert wars, cards continued to emerge from the card pool, falling into the hands of humans. The disappearance of the slaughterhouse was no longer a concern.

Within S Country, the war intensified rapidly due to the influence of the cards. Led by Lisa and her sister, women seized control of the territory once held by the Greedy Wolf Organization, establishing their own government and army. They trained and strengthened their bodies daily, with firm muscles gradually covering their slender arms. Their frail frames became sturdy and strong, exuding a compelling sense of power.

On this land enveloped by the reversed magnetic field, countless men experienced the pain of childbirth. They had never known how difficult, painful, and terrifying pregnancy and childbirth could be. Their physical strength weakened significantly, and many developed a natural fear of this land, desiring to leave the country to avoid the threat of pregnancy and childbirth.

However, escaping was difficult because S Country was their home. Many began to see this as divine punishment, feeling demoralized and disheartened, which affected their morale in battle.

Under these circumstances, women gained the upper hand, and winning the war was only a matter of time.

Influenced by S Country and the cards, other chaotic countries also erupted into wars. Men in those countries feared the Overlord's appearance, terrified that he might give their women reversal cards. Even without reversal cards, they obtained other cards, giving them the means to resist.

Fear of reversal cards wasn't limited to the chaotic countries that treated women as mere reproductive tools. In fact, men worldwide shared this fear. Unconsciously, workplaces and other venues that previously discriminated against women due to their reproductive roles became more tolerant, perhaps fearing that angering all women might lead to the creation of reversal cards, shifting the burden of childbirth onto them.

Jiang Xingzhuo and her cards changed the world. The future remained shrouded in a fog of chaos, and no one knew what the world would ultimately become.

Days passed, and Jiang Xingzhuo looked down from the All-Seeing Eye, feeling that everything was ready. The chessboard of the world was fully laid out, and all pieces were in place. It was time to move forward.

...

Outside the funeral parlor, many believers dressed in red cloaks gathered, including Xiang Qin. They were there to kill Baiyu with their eyes. Unfortunately, their glares lacked the necessary power, and Baiyu even opened the doors wide, leisurely brewing tea inside, seemingly enjoying the situation.

Cao Wen and Zhao Lan came every day to monitor, finding it tedious but necessary.

However, Baiyu wasn't as relaxed as he appeared. He tried to provoke the Overlord, but received no response, as if his defiance was insignificant. His attempts to locate Jiang Xingzhuo's magnetic field using machines failed; despite being close, he couldn't reach her location. This showed that his previous encounter with the Overlord was only possible because the Overlord wanted to meet him. When the Overlord didn't want to, humans remained mere humans.

Veins bulged on his hand holding the teacup, revealing his displeasure.

Suddenly, he noticed a peculiar figure among the believers. The girl wore a red hooded cloak, similar to others around her, but something about her was different. The hooded cloak bore golden patterns and text, mysterious and identical to those on the Overlord's cards.

This was unusual. Many had tried to replicate the patterns and text on the cards, either for clothing or to understand their meaning. If these were divine symbols, they held immense research value. Yet, no one could draw them; the pen would stop at the first stroke, unable to complete the task. These patterns and texts appeared only on the cards, never on human paper or clothing.

Divine symbols were beyond human comprehension and replication.

Yet, this girl's cloak bore those forbidden divine symbols, suggesting she was special and possibly had a unique connection to the Overlord.

Baiyu stood up abruptly.

At the same moment, Xiang Qin noticed her too, immediately jealous upon seeing the patterns on her cloak. As a devout believer, she believed she should have tolerance.

"What card did you draw?" she asked. How she wished her cloak had such patterns, feeling as if she were enveloped in the Overlord's presence!

Jiang Ying held her sword, her face cold and indifferent, glancing at Xiang Qin briefly before looking away.

"Why aren't you answering?" The others, unaware of the significance of the patterns, were annoyed by her attitude. "This is Miss Xiang Qin; her cloak was given by the Overlord! She is practically a messenger!"

"A messenger?" Jiang Ying finally reacted, looking down at the girl disdainfully. "How laughable."

Xiang Qin's face darkened, and shadows rippled beneath her feet. "Say that again."

"I said, you're all laughable," Jiang Ying replied fearlessly, her gaze sweeping from Xiang Qin to Baiyu. "Do you not have your own deity? Why covet someone else's?"

Baiyu was taken aback.

Xiang Qin hadn't yet grasped the hidden message, interpreting it as a claim of ownership over the Overlord. Unable to tolerate it, her shadow suddenly expanded, and everyone quickly retreated, even opening the safety room door to hide inside.

Originally designed as a shelter during slaughterhouse appearances, it now served as a refuge during sudden conflicts between cardholders.

Cao Wen and Zhao Lan cursed and drove farther away.

"I feel like I've seen that girl somewhere before," Zhao Lan said, scratching his chin. "She's carrying a sword... a sword..."

Cao Wen added, "The only believers who carry swords are Zhang Huailin and S Country's Lisa." Especially Lisa's sword, which was highly enviable.

At that moment, Xiang Qin's shadow struck Jiang Ying.

Jiang Ying stood still, her black hair and cloak fluttering. Without any fear, she slowly drew her sword.

Suddenly, she paused, and everyone felt an eerie sensation.

The Overlord!

Xiang Qin was delighted, searching for the Overlord but found nothing.

Jiang Ying immediately sheathed her sword and vanished. The sensation disappeared, as if it had only appeared to recall Jiang Ying.

The impending battle subsided with the sudden disappearance of the opponent.

"I remember!" Zhao Lan exclaimed, slapping his thigh. "It was that!"

"Who?"

"When the Qin family threw in the towel to obtain city governance, it was that girl who suddenly appeared and split the giant monster with a single sword!"

Almost no one remembered that girl anymore. Her sudden appearance had indeed shocked the nation, but she vanished without a trace, appearing as abruptly as she disappeared. Satellite surveillance couldn't even capture her face clearly; all they knew was that she wore a red cloak.

Later, the Overlord and the cards emerged, shifting everyone's attention. Those who occasionally recalled her assumed she must have drawn a card, which made her powerful, so naturally, no one paid much attention to her anymore.

Zhao Lan immediately contacted his superior, Jiang Yinghao, who then contacted the higher department's Su Nai.

Su Nai pulled up the video from back then. After advanced technical processing, they continuously magnified the cloak she wore, and sure enough, there were fine golden patterns on it.

At this moment, people realized the information they had initially overlooked: this girl appeared simultaneously with the Overlord. If the Overlord's first descent into this world did indeed occur during the attack on the leeches' base, then...

Now that this girl reappeared, saying less than five sentences, she brought a massive amount of information. The question "Don't you have your own god? Why do you covet someone else's god?" was likely not just the possessiveness of a fanatic towards their deity.

Su Nai sighed, holding her forehead. Their god, someone else's god? Damn, could this world...

The government originally thought that with the gods descending to earth, the slaughterhouse crisis was resolved, and the subsequent crises would be brought by the cards. However, with the Overlord overseeing everything, it provided some comfort. Unexpectedly, new problems arose, and these problems were terrifying upon closer inspection.

A meeting was quickly convened at the Parliament Building, where they meticulously listed several unresolved questions.

1. Why has the Overlord not appeared once in these 20 years?

2. Was the slaughterhouse truly an alien invasion plot?

3. What is the reason for the Overlord using transactions and card draws to give humans cards?

4. Why does the Overlord give them cards? If Su Nai's speculation that the Overlord accepts anyone who draws cards is true, why is this so?

When these questions were listed out and combined with what the girl said, answers suddenly emerged, logically coherent.

—If there is more than one god, and each god governs their own world, perhaps the Overlord giving them cards is not their world's god. Because it is not their world's god, it cannot interfere recklessly and can only provide help through card draws.

Then, imagine if Baiyu's statement about the slaughterhouse's magnetic field being almost identical to the Overlord's is true. Then the slaughterhouse is not an alien invasion but a divine punishment from another god, who is their true god.

"But why..." The president's voice was hoarse, barely audible.

Did they do something wrong to deserve punishment? Before sentencing someone, doesn't the judge need to list the charges and make people aware of their mistakes? In the past 20 years, countless disasters occurred, yet the deity never appeared to tell humanity of its existence or guide them onto the right path.

Is it really a god's deed to silently send the slaughterhouse to massacre innocent humans?

They couldn't help but wonder, why? Why does It control their lives and deaths? Does human existence depend on It? If not, why does It control them? Just because It possesses superhuman strength?

Volcanoes erupted beneath Su Nai's calm exterior, but he had to remain composed. Taking a deep breath, he said, "There is now a crucial question. This girl appeared alongside the Overlord. Assuming she is a true divine messenger, her reappearance might mean the Overlord is about to leave."

"What!"

"How can this be? We need It..."

Panic spread. If their bold assumptions were close to the truth, the Overlord was undoubtedly benevolent, here to help them. Giving them cards was to enable them to resist an evil god, not just the slaughterhouse. Under the power of the cards, the slaughterhouse was insignificant.

Moreover, from Jiang Xingzhuo giving them cards, they seemed to understand that when someone gives another something for self-defense, it means the protector will leave, so the protected must have the power to defend themselves!

They began to panic, sensing impending danger. Jiang Xingzhuo was not their god; It would leave them, leaving them in a world without divine protection, facing an evil god intent on destroying them.

The president stood up, his gaze grave and sharp. "Clearly, we must figure out what is happening. If our enemy is an evil god, we need another god to help us!"

Su Nai: "We need to meet with It, requiring cooperation from other governments."

"Then let's contact them."

The Overlord's personal appearances to give humans cards were becoming rarer, and no one knew where It would appear next. At such times, cooperation from other governments was necessary, especially since they had teleportation devices to arrive instantly.

At this moment, regardless of language or skin color, they were a community of shared destiny.

...

Humans in this world are rebellious. They may not necessarily believe in a god that descends, but if told that the god is here to kill them, they would certainly resist rather than submit.

The intelligent among them always remained vigilant, even as governments sought to ally with the Overlord out of necessity. After all, non-human entities are inherently suspicious. Her appearance raised many questions, making it hard to entrust their fate to her.

Moreover, many harbored resentment like Baiyu's anti-god movement, wondering why she only appeared now and questioning her qualifications as a deity.

Now, everything changed. They should resent someone else; she was merely a passerby who saw their suffering and helped them gain self-defense capabilities. She would leave, having no responsibility or obligation towards them.

And these conclusions were their own, not explicitly told by her, eliminating any suspicion of manipulation.

The most convincing lie is seven parts truth and three parts falsehood.

Jiang Xingzhuo absorbed another wave of fresh energy, fear. They feared her departure.

Her beautiful eyes narrowed comfortably. But it wasn't enough; she needed more.

...

Su Nai returned to his office, sitting motionless with his head bowed. His assistant, carrying tea, saw him and was startled, silently leaving.

His clenched fist on the desk tightened gradually. Su Nai's breathing grew heavier, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

He had been enduring and suppressing his emotions, almost believing he was calm. But clearly, Baiyu saw through him, recognizing him as a kindred spirit.

He was not without anger and resentment towards this tardy deity.

Baiyu: [Can you honestly say you don't feel any hatred? Don't you remember why you lost your most important and only family member?]

The previous head of the National Security Threat Elimination Department, Division 0, was his father.

He was the country's hidden eye, observing every corner in the shadows, like a rat shunning light, bearing the burden of darkness to bring light. Even though some within the organization looked down on him, in Su Nai's heart, his father was a deserving hero. He aspired to take over his mantle and become a new pair of eyes.

But the appearance of the slaughterhouse changed this world, altering every single person in it.

The ancient martial arts families acted tyrannically, and the government endured in silence for the greater good. His father's eyes witnessed a hundredfold more darkness and danger than before, yet he could not erase it.

No one can resist the ravages of time. When someone stays in the same position for too long, their behavior patterns become fixed, making change difficult to accept. So he secretly did what was once right. At that time, he became another Baiyu—he helped those persecuted by the ancient martial arts families retaliate or colluded with some criminals, using his power as the leader of Division 0. He effortlessly knew all their movements and easily devised plans to eliminate those tumors.

This wasn't merely helping the victims; he was also using them and the criminals to remove what he deemed hazardous to the country.

At that time, although Su Nai was only in her teens, she had already gained the president's recognition and became the successor of Division 0. Her tasks were different from her father's, almost making them competitors. Her father's actions led to the ancient martial arts families being less proactive in dealing with the slaughterhouse. She was tasked with finding this mastermind and eliminating him.

She thought she had encountered an unprecedented opponent. They clashed several times, and she always came out worse. But she was a genius, growing stronger with each defeat. Eventually, she turned the tide and won once.

To this day, she still harbors resentment over her father's final gaze and the words left unsaid, which is why she often dreams about it. What did he want to tell her then? Did he regret raising her so big? How did he feel when killed by his own daughter?

If the Overlord had appeared earlier, things wouldn't have developed this way. She wouldn't be sitting alone in this office; she would be fighting alongside her father, occasionally teasing each other—one urging the other to find a new wife, the other pushing the other to get a girlfriend.

Jiang Xingzhuo arrived too late; she was an Overlord unfit.

But sitting in this position, she must set aside personal emotions, so she showed no sign of it. Now, however, the real culprit was someone else. She hadn't arrived too late; she didn't even need to come. They had wronged her.

She took several deep breaths, turned to face the computer, and began typing.

[Baiyu, you already know, don't you.]

[Shall we cooperate? We need to talk to the Master.]

...

Inside the funeral home.

Baiyu lay in a coffin, his face pale and ghastly, looking like a corpse.

His subordinates stood nearby, exchanging glances, too afraid to make a sound. They never imagined their "boss" would be such a young pretty boy, but they were well aware of his unpredictable nature.

The coffin was cold, and Baiyu tried to use it to calm down, but his mind was feverish, unable to settle.

During this period, he felt like a joke. He had blamed the wrong person, hated the wrong person. What did she think? Did she have human emotions? Was she speechless? Amused? Or perhaps, he was just air to her, not worth her attention?