Chapter 62: Chapter 58: Plucking Athena Bald?
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Here it comes, the deadly challenge is here!
The three gold divine prophecies on the bronze altar in his mind flickered in and out of existence as Luo En felt a strong sense of crisis welling up inside him.
As previously mentioned, the gold divine prophecies correspond to high-difficulty challenges that exceed his current abilities, filled with extreme danger.
The "Battle of the Cyclops" and the "Chase of Okeanos" from version 1.0 were close calls that nearly cost him his life. In the end, he had to exploit the special environment of the Formless Island, using a sleight of hand and muddying the waters to successfully trap the Atlantean Guard that had been on his tail across half the Sea of Okeanos.
Otherwise, the grass on his grave would probably be a meter tall by now.
Now, even before the 2.0 version of the event officially started, it immediately brought forth Goddess Athena and God of the Sea Poseidon, both among the leading fighters of the Twelve Olympians. It doesn't take a genius to know that the trouble and danger this time are likely to surpass the previous occasion by far.
Besides...
What do you mean my actions have triggered a crisis for the Minosians? Don't falsely accuse a good person!
Athena and Poseidon are throwing down, and the Atlanteans and Minosians are at each other's throats, but what does that have to do with me?
With a black pot of blame inexplicably dumped on his head, Luo En felt a bit depressed and hurriedly tried to clear his name in his mind.
However, when he thought about what he had done on the Sea of Okeanos and the changes he brought to Knossos City, he couldn't help but feel so guilty he was at a loss for words.
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Okay, maybe there's a little bit of a connection.
A little bit...
Luo En tried hard to distance himself from the title of Greece's "bad guy" and "troublemaker of divine eras," but the brilliant gold prophecies in his mind undoubtedly told him he couldn't wash his hands of this matter.
Even if he wasn't the chief culprit, he was almost certainly the fuse to the powder keg.
Through prolonged trial and error and with faint guesses in his heart, Luo En gradually came to understand how the gold divine prophecies' version updates and workings came to fruition.
The answer was simple.
While completing his Daily and Weekly Chapters, he would inevitably incorporate "chance," as represented by the "dice," into the "inevitability" of "fate," causing the two to clash and diverge to varying degrees.
Once this aberration, which goes against the "constant," escalates to a certain level, it would surely provoke a backlash from "fate," thereby triggering a series of crises attempting to erase him, the "variable."
This, presumably, is the so-called cause of the "version event."
So, it looks like I can't avoid the trouble at hand.
As for how to choose...
Luo En's thoughts raced, weighing the first and second options.
Without a doubt, siding with the God of the Sea Poseidon and the powerful Atlanteans is equivalent to easy mode. He could even just watch the situation unfold to win without effort.
However, true to the dice's usual character, the more seemingly straightforward it appears, the more dangerous it actually is.
Even if unbound by any sense of morality and without considering the factors of emotions, if he were to blindly follow Poseidon and bring about the downfall of the Minoan civilization, gaining a portion of Athena's divinity...
What then?
Once Poseidon is freed from this commitment, who's to say he won't dispose of me as well?
By then, Athena won't be there to shield me from the storm anymore.
Therefore, the only choice is the first one, to firmly team up with this dear sister, which might give me a chance at a happy ending for everyone.
As for the third path suggested by the dice, Luo En chose to ignore it outright.
The malice within the writing was almost overflowing off the altar.
For a Demigod like me to directly challenge two Chief Gods like Athena and Poseidon?
Even if I were out of my mind, I wouldn't choose such a suicidal method.
In the span of lightning-fast thoughts, just a moment's time, he made up his mind, took a deep breath, and looked helplessly at Athena, whose complexion was growing worse.
"I'll do whatever I can..."
Luo En paused, turned back to look at Little Medusa, Hestia, and the distant Knossos City, gradually swallowed by the cold fog and night, his normally inscrutable eyes revealing a rare glimpse of true emotions.
"After all, the place I just got used to living in, I have no plans of moving out."
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Athena, upon hearing this, had the gloomy expression on her face vanish, and couldn't help but crack a smile.
"Once this matter is resolved, you can stay as long as you like," she said.
For Athena, Luo En's indirect response made her more at ease.
When promises are made too readily, they are often nothing but lip service.
The more cautious the promise, the more it shows that he is seriously considering the matter.
After a moment's silence, Luo En looked at Athena and voiced a doubt that lingered in his heart.
"Why me? There should be stronger individuals on Crete Island, like... King Minos, for example?"
As the future chief among the three judges of the Netherworld, a divine son of Chief God Zeus and Divine Consort Europa, that older brother by blood, though not almighty, was definitely a formidable figure.
"Strength is not only measured by one's martial prowess but also by the scale of one's wisdom," she replied calmly, her gaze deep and piercing as she looked into the vast night sky.
"Compared to the former, I hold greater faith in the power of the latter. And I see in you, the potential to change the whole game."
Luo En nodded noncommittally and, standing shoulder to shoulder with Athena, gazed out into the pitch-black Sea of Okeanos, speaking with a profound tone.
"So, you mean to say that in this competition, Crete Island is at an absolute disadvantage in terms of strength, and to safely get through this crisis, we can only rely on our wits, right?"
During the conversation, Luo En raised his hand to his forehead, turning to look at Athena beside him.
"I'm having second thoughts now. Is it possible for me to back out?"
"..."
Athena's enigmatic smile froze for a moment, and she clenched her teeth in secret, feeling an itching desire to punch someone rise from the fist hidden in her sleeve.
Alright, she liked smart people, but not those who were too smart for their own good.
"The authority of war!"
Athena gave a sidelong glance at a certain mischievous scamp, uttering a soft, cold humph.
"As long as you can protect the entire Crete Island, I will let you see what true war authority is like and help you ascend to godhood!"
"It's a deal!"
Suddenly, Luo En's face cleared of earlier troubles and indecisiveness, and he smiled brightly as he high-fived the Goddess of Wisdom in a vow.
That smooth transition darkened Athena's expression even more.
"I have other matters to attend to, I need to see King Minos!"
The Goddess of Wisdom spoke stiffly as she turned her head to beckon Nike outside, transforming into a ray of light and vanishing into the thick night.
"Lady Goddess, have a good journey," Luo En called out from the woods, waving goodbye with a warm and enthusiastic smile on his face.
After all, if he was fortunate enough to save Crete Island this time, not only could he pluck a few 'wool strands' from Ares, the War God, who was closely related to his own divine bloodline with the help of Athena, but he would also receive a promise from the Goddess of Wisdom and the Baptism of the God of the Sea's divine authority as a reward from the oracle of gold, essentially hitting three birds with one stone—what a jackpot!
Moreover, this seemed like a new train of thought.
Who decreed he could only follow that unlucky dice and scrape a living? If he intensified the conflicts between the Twelve Olympians, taking the role of bookmaker, siding with some, opposing others, and muddying the waters, wouldn't he be able to play both ends against the middle?
Then, he could choose whose gold coins to burst!
The more Luo En thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and his mood became increasingly buoyant.
However, as he was about to leave the secluded dense forest, he suddenly remembered a problem.
Wait a moment, if I'm to help protect Crete Island during the great disaster, shouldn't they give me some sort of credential?
Luo En looked at his empty hands and then back at the vanished silhouette in the night sky, his mouth twitching slightly.
It seemed he might have overplayed his hand a bit.
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