"That's why, I'm begging you….."
The voice trembles with a noticeable plea to its tone. Within this space where the sound of a single voice seems to magnify in volume. This level of desperation could move the hearts of many receivers by tone alone.
However, what came back as a reply was merely a flying cup filled with anger and splashing liquid. The crack of splitting ceramic rang out in the chamber surrounded by white walls on all sides.
"You think I'm freaking crazy!? Why would I help you seduce someone I don't even know!?" A pitch much higher than the previous voice expressed their distaste to the ludicrous request of the other.
Obsidian strands of hair waver in mid-air from the erratic movement of each gesture. Flickering embers of fury swirl within the pupils of the young woman as her chest heaves in heavy pants. Glares as sharp as knives flew towards the direction of the kneeling figure before her as if willing them to stab through.
While huffing in displeasure, a dainty foot lifted to stomp at the hem of their clothes.
What is happening you might be wondering?
Ask this shameless dog on the floor.
Three hours ago, Xin Yue was chatting happily with a few friends on the streets when a flower pot miraculously fell from the skies. It was too sudden and fast to comprehend this chain of unfolding events. Either way, the end result was the doctor in charge of her case regretfully signing the death certificate while muttering.
"First time seeing someone so unfortunate as to die from a pot falling from the sky… Tsk. Tsk. There are many unlucky people in this world, good thing I'm not one of them."
Did you hear clearly? A flower pot killed her, what an embarrassing way to die!
Okay… fine.. what happened, happened. She was just about to move onto reincarnation when The Old Man On The Moon (Chinese god of love between a man and woman) came and snatched her out of nowhere.
Following that, like the founder of a cult he started to preach with arms wide open as if trying to embrace the world. "Oh! The one chosen by god! The savior of humanity! The one who will rise to the top! Take my hand and we will shower love all over the world!"
Xin Yue: "... ..."
Old Man On The Moon: "... ..."
A cold wind seems to be blowing within the space filled with apparent silence between the two.
But only I heard the sound of crumbling of faith in that fraction of a moment.
"What do you want?" Xin asked with suspicion, "I'm an atheist." As if supporting that statement the young lady took a step back. Almond eyes narrow in alert akin to a homeowner opening the door to a salesman with distrust.
The old man twitched his stiff lips in an attempt to form a smile he thought was similar to the blooming of a lily. Unaware that in Xin Yue's eyes, it was even more unbecoming than the time she stepped on dog shit.
"Please help me…" the old man whispered in a pitiful voice, the amiable expression on his face unable to hold up another second. Glistening tears swirl at the corner of his wrinkly eyes as he puckered his thin lips.
Ugh, how ugly.
An old man… trying to act cute at this age? It's not working.
"Sorry, can't help. I'm scheduled for my next reincarnation. Don't want to be late." Xin Yue responded in a dispassionate tone, eyes empty without thought as she began to turn around.
"Please! Wuwuwuwu~" The god of love covered his face with both sleeves of his long robe in a fit of tears. Peeking out from the corner of his eyes, the deity cried even louder when seeing the young lady's icy face. "This old man's life is on the line! How can you be so cold?! So-!"
Words of accusations came to an abrupt halt with a sudden glare fired his way. The fierceness of those almond eyes gave an aura of arrows shooting to kill. Immediately silencing the words that were about to be said. "… …"
The clamor of loud noises caused the girl's head to pound terribly. Furrowing her willow brows, Xin Yue convinced herself to be calm.
This is a god, a respected god of Chinese mythology. Even if he is an annoying old man that you want to beat up. You must remember what your parents and society taught you. Be nice to children, elderly and the handicapped.
Clearly, this is an elderly with brain deficiency.
That's why, with the gentlest of tone and softest of expressions the young lady smiled. "Old man, if you have to fart then fart. Quit wasting my precious time."
The Old Man On The Moon expressed his extreme distress by the attitude of his descendants. Where is the respect and worship he as an honorable deity should receive?
But seeing another frosty glance sent his way, the old man slumped in defeat before telling her his intentions.
One month ago….
The Jade Palace hosted a banquet inviting guests from other religions to participate in a friendly cultural exchange. Naturally, deities with similar jobs would group together and gossip. Cup after bottles of wine led them into drunk boldness.
"Hey, why don't we have a simple contest between us?" Ishtar slurred with half closed eyes. The breathtaking Mesopotamian goddess of love lifted the wine cup to her soft lips. Sly eyes peering out from behind slender fingers hovering over her mouth.
"Hm? What kind?" Eros murmured while trying to pour wine that wouldn't fill his cup. Shaky hands aimed for a pour only to miss and wet the ground instead.
"Of course the type that we are good at!"
"And that is…?" Hathor, the only one who seemed sober continued while swirling the wine in her cup. Intricate makeup paints the delicate contours of her face as the sharp horns on her head glint with a golden glow.
"Let's have a representative from each of us seduce someone to see who can put that person onto the throne first! Let's rule the world with love!" Spilling the wine bottle in her hand, Ishtar laughed like a child.
"Bullshit!" The Old Man On The Moon scowled while wiping the alcohol off his face. "This contest doesn't even make sense."
"Oh?" Eros hiccuped with a sly grin, "old man, you scared?" A red flush colored the pale skin of the youth into a beautiful pink. Paired by the shimmering gold of his sun-like hair gave people the image of a sunrise at dawn.
"Ah?" The respected Chinese god pulled his lips back, moving them like a llama expecting to spit. "Who's scared of a small game!"
"Then shall we try?" Interest sparkled in Hathor's bright eyes as she tried to fan the flames," just playing is no fun, how about a prize? Whoever wins will get to keep this." A turquoise the size of a chicken egg appeared in her lithe hands shining like a star plucked from the sky despite its opaque disposition. Unlike the ones found in the mortal world this gem swirls with energy absorbed through decades of being by the goddesses side. It might not seem much in front of other gods but this prize is enough for such a simple bet.
Seeing someone being so proactive, Ishtar also contributed. "My prize is this necklace!" Yanking the jeweled necklace around her neck, the goddess slapped it onto the table to show her support before glancing at the other two.
Given up on pouring, Eros took a swig from the bottle itself. Breathing out a breath of drunk air, he mocked, "how about it old man? Are you playing?"
"Hmph!" The immortal snatched a bottle for himself, " I don't see you doing anything."
Peering at the deity, the Greek god smirked before placing a bundle of golden arrows on the table.
"Wow." Both of the female goddesses exclaimed with a light gasp. The very arrows used to bind the love between mortals were placed as one of the prizes of this gamble. Stakes have risen to the next level, they wonder what would be the final prize.
"I wouldn't expect much from him if I was you." Suddenly a childish voice rang out beside them. Nehza the mischievous child appeared chewing on a plump peach. Cute cheeks bulge while continuing without paying mind to his comrade's paling face. "All of his savings is in the hands of his wife. There's not even a secret stash, how can he offer anything as a prize."
"You-"
The Old Man On The Moon is angry, very angry. It's fine if gods and goddesses from other religions laugh at him. He'll just let it pass and go on with his life since it won't affect him much anyways. But this is different, how can this snotty brat not help him and instead create a subject for others to gossip about? If you don't want to help me then at least shut your trap! What's wrong with leaving everything to my wife? Huh?! Are you my wife or is my wife, my wife?!! How can a brat who hasn't fully grown all his hair understand the dangers- the, the, the wonders of his perfect wife!! Roll somewhere else if you're so free!!
"Phff!" Eros chuckled while scanning the old man from head to toe. He didn't say anything but this expression of his is already meaningful enough.
"You-!'
Feeling the crisis of his failing dignity a sudden urge too quick to contain bursts out from the interior of his mouth. "Who says I have nothing to bet!!" The Old Man On The Moon slammed both hands on the table in a loud declaration. Combined with the influence of alcohol, this idiot made the worst decision of his immortal life.
"I'm betting my wife!!"
—————
"That's why, please help me…" the kneeling god sobbed while dripping mucus and saliva, "I'm dead if my wife finds out…"
The young woman stares wordlessly at the piece of scum, "you're the worst." Before turning to leave.
"Wait!!" The shameless deity pounced and wrapped his arms around her legs with desperate cries. "You can't leave! You're unable to!"
"What?" The young lady stopped in her tracks in an attempt to register the strange sentence.
"Your death is considered unnatural, it's not recorded in the books. That's why you can't reincarnate immediately," the old man sniffled.
As if realizing something, the young lady's dark irises constrict as they narrow with a dangerous light. "The flower pot…"
The old man shivers involuntarily.
"No wonder a pot suddenly fell from the sky in the middle of a busy commercial street..." Grabbing a fistful of white hair, the young woman gave a low laugh full of murderous rage, "so it's because of you!"
"Ouch! Ouch!… It's like this…. Haha… hear me out… please?" The respected deity raised his body half way from the floor while grasping onto Xin's hand.
This old man is going to lose all his hair if this continues.
The girl didn't answer but almond eyes narrowed with a wordless, "proceed."
"That… you know how I need someone to represent me in the competition? This old man didn't know who to pick so abruptly and I can't send other deities since that would be cheating… Coincidentally I was grooming the plants in my garden, when… a sudden thought flashed in my head. You know those ingenious ideas that always come at the most unexpected of times? So… throwing down a pot of plant… it chose you. Haha… congratulations, were you surprised?"
"Ah!?" The grip on her slender fingers tighten with veins threatening to burst, "you think this is funny? Why me out of everyone on the street?!" She was the shortest out of all her friends walking on the road. But out of the tallest that pot could pick it acted like a tetris piece and completed the row of blocks with her life! This isn't funny!
Pulling harder at the hair in her hand, she growled through her teeth with eyes that look like a mad dog about to bite.
"It wasn't my intention either!" Feeling the approachment of danger, The Old Man On The Moon wailed, "how would I know it'll hit you?! Plus..." Roaming his sight over her body until it stopped on her chest, the deity mumbled under his breath, "who would have known you'd be so lacking…"
"What did you say?"
"Nothing…."
_____
"So, I just need to put someone on this so-called throne?" Taking a sip of fragrant tea, Xin Yue's boiling emotions calmed after minutes of silent thinking. Since she can't return or reincarnate, might as well accept the situation. "What happens if I don't win?"
Pressing on his left eye with a boiled egg, the purple bruise on the deity's face makes it hard for anyone to treat him seriously. "This contest is to determine who is the best out of love entities. Putting someone, anyone you want on the throne successfully will win you first place. After that, the rankings are determined by worship points earned by your hard work. The more you earn, the higher your ranking is after the game ends."
Wincing from the heat of the egg wrapped in a cloth, the immortal made a momentary expression that is a mix of pitiful menace. Almost like a cat that's about to be forced into a bath before calming down to explain some more.
"But you also have to be aware, worship points or more accurately, divinity points are just as important. If by chance a player has more points than the representative that sat on the throne, then that person would be the winner instead."
To explain in a less confusing way, just collect as many points as possible while winning the race.
"... …"
Fog from the cup blurs the young girl's sight as she asks the way to earn those points, thoughts distracted by the flow of information.
"It's easy." He answered in a chirpy tone, "you just need to *** and *** when you have the chance!"
"Excuse me?" Black irises shook from surprise, "can you say that again? I think my ears just censored you." Fingers gripped around the cup whitens due to gradual increase of strength while holding it in her hands.
Unable to detect the strangeness of her tone, the deity continued to explain, "to increase worship points, all you need to do is bed the man you chose whenever possible to build up points. Points are based on how much fluids you take in." Raking his fingers through his white beard, the old man put on an understanding expression while nodding his head. "No need to be so surprised. Copulating is all just a natural process that requires-"
Bam!
A porcelain teacup abruptly flew past his head to crash onto the floor a few feet away.
"Re, re, re, requires….... did I say something wrong?" Shaken by the sudden attack, the old man stuttered in fear while clutching onto the edges of his long sleeves.
"Fuck your natural progress!! I'm not an animal!" The young woman cursed with veins popping out her forehead. As a civil person of society, the young lady is usually not a person that releases her anger out on other people like this. But this immortal here is really gyrating near the border of her bottom line.
Biting on his lower lip with a pout The Old Man On The Moon weakly refutes that humans are also mammals and mammals are a species of animals. Copulating is only a process of natural order with the goal of increasing numbers.
Merely to receive another death glare..
Old Man On The Moon: Feeling so wronged…
It was Istar that suggested it, why are you yelling at me…
"What's in it for me? You get prizes when I win, but what about me?" The young lady expresses that she refuses to work for free.
"That…" He hadn't planned up to that point yet. Truthfully, he doesn't have much hope pinned on the person he'd chose. It was only in a fit of anger and drunkness that caused him to do such idiotic actions. But this is the reality that has happened, responsibility must be taken, "how about this. If you win, I'll grant you a wish within the bounds of my abilities." Seeing her look of distrust, he quickly added, "it's true, although this mess is caused by me. But never have I once lied to you."
Rolling her eyes in contemplation, Xin Yue did believe what this wimpy god was saying. In the first place, she doesn't have much of a say in this situation and him being patient enough to explain and repay her is already good enough to calm the flames in her heart. Only a small fraction though. "Fine."
Sensing her softening mood, the old man quickly proceeds through the conversation, "I will send you to a place unrecorded by the passage of history. There, all you need to do is find someone that strikes your fancy and have se- Putooh! Pu, pu, put him on the throne! That's right! Don't worry about the worship points, just do whatever you want. Haha…" Wiping a droplet of sweat from his forehead, he continues, "each contestant is given two things. One, a weapon and two, skills related to the god you are representing that you can use during times of danger."
Why during danger? It's because the world that she will be sent to is one filled with unimaginable danger. A mysterious continent surrounded by war's wage between humans and demons. One wrong step will be the result of death to normal people.
"Of course death won't apply to you. In order to protect our contestants, we each took a piece of a soul fragment from you guys and kept it with us. Even if you turn into a pile of ash, your body will regenerate after a while. However!" The deity spoke sternly, "you will still feel the pain of death and other small injuries. This is to prevent anyone from abusing this privilege."
"Last of all, you cannot tell anyone the real purpose as to why you are there." Handing over a small intricate mirror, the Old Man On The Moon explains that this mirror can allow the two of them to communicate at all times.
Receiving the reflector, Xin Yue looked over the item in curiosity, failing to notice the growing black hole behind her.
Giving her a tender smile, the male god lifted his foot to gently send her down without preparation. As if recalling something important, a hand instantly reached into the depths of his sleeve to pull out a thick book. Looking over to make sure this is the right item, the immortal then threw it in after the young lady. "Make sure to read over this when you have the chance!"
Xin Yue: "?!"
"Take care, we'll all be watching your moves!" With tears gleaming on the corner of his wrinkled eyes, the immortal waved in motherly affection.
Xin Yue: "... …"
Towards the shameless god who kicked her down this hole, she only has two words for him, "fuck you!"