I Have a God Simulator

When Song Shiyi regained consciousness, she found her surroundings completely transformed.

Under the dim lights, seven craters of varying sizes scarred the stadium floor and stands. The turf was torn up and scattered everywhere. The nearest goalpost had been ripped out by its roots, now a twisted mass of steel tubing.

The white-haired boy, Yao Che, lay unconscious on the ground.

Mingzai, meanwhile, had burrowed into one of the lights and was slowly recovering by absorbing its electricity and heat.

The sealed space had returned to normal.

Only the Ten Directions White Elephant was still chewing on the turf, as if it hadn’t eaten its fill.

Isabel stood with her hands in her hoodie pockets, maintaining her usual silent, cool demeanor.

"Miss Mary, where is Lianzhen Star Monarch?" Song Shiyi asked.

"I don’t know. He just suddenly left."

Song Shiyi hurried over to check on Yao Che. She breathed a sigh of relief only after confirming the boy’s vitals were normal.

She suddenly remembered. "Right before He immobilized me, I remember other Apostles arriving to intercept Lianzhen Star Monarch. They weren’t from the Security Bureau or the Execution Bureau."

"My colleagues."

Isabel gave the reply Luh Yao had prepared for her. "I sent out a request for aid, and they came."

"So they’re the ones who knocked back Lianzhen Star Monarch?"

"No."

Isabel insisted, "He vanished on His own. It’s also possible His power consumption was too high, and He left temporarily because He wasn’t certain of victory."

Her answer was somewhat credible.

Song Shiyi didn’t press the matter. "In any case, I owe you for this one. If it weren’t for you and your colleagues, I would have been in real trouble."

"By the way, earlier, when I was about to use the Moon Arrow, you told me to wait. Was that also because your colleagues were on their way?"

"Correct."

Luh Yao had given this specific point some thought.

’Since I’ve decided to intervene, I might as well see it through to the end. There’s no need for Song Shiyi to expend her own power. Once the Apostle Corps arrives, her contribution won’t be necessary.’

’That Lianzhen Star Monarch not only wanted to hold Song Shiyi captive, but also tried to seize Isabel. That’s unacceptable.’

’Once a fight starts, you fight to the death.’

This had always been Luh Yao’s attitude. He tried to stay restrained and low-key, but when a fight was unavoidable, he would strike with overwhelming force. Within the scope of his abilities, he would never give an opponent the chance to settle scores or seek revenge later.

In truth, Luh Yao’s biggest concern during this team fight wasn’t Lianzhen Star Monarch.

Although He was one of the Beidou’s Titled Deities, He was in a state of Weakness and sealed by the Ancient God Curse. If not for His troublesome Drawing Ground as Prison ability, they would have dealt with Him long ago.

As long as Lianzhen Star Monarch had no stronger abilities up His sleeve, the victory of the elite Apostle Corps was all but guaranteed.

What concerned Luh Yao more was the fact that the Committee’s reinforcements had yet to arrive.

’Something’s off.’

"...The Committee has always been short-staffed."

Song Shiyi explained apologetically, "Tracking the White Elephant is just one of many tasks for the Security Bureau and the Execution Bureau. Because this incident didn’t directly harm anyone, it only got a Class-E rating. If we’d known a Wish Species was involved, its threat level would have been at least Class-C."

"Besides, my situation is unique. It’s not easy for me to end up in danger. Even if Lianzhen Star Monarch had me under control, it would be very difficult for Him to actually harm me."

She spoke vaguely, as if she couldn’t elaborate on the details.

Luh Yao understood.

In the Committee’s eyes, Song Shiyi was the Moon God. She was a powerful Combat Power in her own right. If she were ever in real danger, she could simply awaken the Moon God and have a chance to turn the tables. Her survival wasn’t a concern.

Isabel asked her, "Lianzhen Star Monarch is one of the Beidou. Why is He looking for a Nandou?"

"Well..."

Song Shiyi hesitated. "The Nandou govern life, while the Beidou govern death. The Traits and abilities of these two Pioneers are diametrically opposed."

"Lianzhen Star Monarch was probably looking for a Nandou because He needs their power to separate Himself from Yao Che."

She glanced at the unconscious boy on the ground. "Unlike the Beidou, the Nandou don’t rely on human bodies as their Substitute Bodies. That’s one of their inherent Traits."

Luh Yao had learned one thing, at least: Yao Che was the key to Lianzhen Star Monarch’s ability to manifest in this world. He just didn’t know if the Star Monarch could truly resurrect after being killed, as He had boasted.

Isabel said, "Lianzhen Star Monarch claimed to be Undying during the fight. If He comes after us, it’ll be a problem. Can the Committee handle Him?"

Song Shiyi cleared up her confusion.

"Even though the Beidou is made up of six Star Monarchs, they are still categorized as Titled Deities. If He were to fall, it would actually be a good thing. This particular Lianzhen Star Monarch seems to have become radical and uncontrollable due to some past incident."

She said with conviction, "The Beidou are under the Committee’s control. It’s just that this Lianzhen Star Monarch had some kind of accident for unknown reasons, possibly related to the boy, Yao Che. The condition of the Substitute Body can affect the Star Monarch’s personality and inclinations... The next Lianzhen Star Monarch will be normal."

"If you do run into Lianzhen Star Monarch, please contact me or call the Committee for help immediately. Even in His state of Weakness, He’s still extremely dangerous."

Luh Yao picked up on a few things.

’It seems this Lianzhen Star Monarch is similar to Cancong, but He needs a Substitute Body to manifest. After merging with the Substitute Body, the Star Monarch’s behavior is influenced by it.’

"Understood. I’ll be going then," Isabel said, taking her leave.

"I know you don’t want to see anyone else from the Committee."

Song Shiyi pulled a phone out of her pocket and handed it to her. "If you need to contact me in the future, use this phone. It has my number. It’ll be more convenient for us to stay in touch this way."

"And this card. It’s in my name. The PIN is six ones. The intelligence stipend is paid on the morning of the 10th of each month—that’s tomorrow. Any special subsidies and reimbursements for this month will be delayed by one month."

Isabel pocketed the phone and the bank card, then turned and vanished down a stadium tunnel.

Having finished refueling, Mingzai flew back and landed on Song Shiyi’s shoulder.

The Xing Bird’s small eyes stared in the direction Isabel had disappeared. "By the time I came to, it was all over. But the Eye of Insight can still see some residual traces... Lianzhen Star Monarch’s Fire of Faith was burned, which means He encountered a powerful enemy and was forced to fight for His life."

"I even suspect Lianzhen Star Monarch might have been killed."

Mingzai shivered. "Master, that woman is dangerous. Extremely dangerous."

"Mingzai, it was Miss Mary and her friends who helped us this time."

Song Shiyi poked the bird’s head. "She even specifically warned me not to use the Moon Arrow. Time and again, Miss Mary has shown through her actions that she means me no harm. Actions speak louder than words."

"..."

This time, Mingzai didn’t argue.

Still, it couldn’t help but tilt its head and ask, "But why? With that kind of power, why would she insist on being your informant, Master?"

"Maybe it’s just a hobby. Kind of like how I enjoy taking walks everywhere. Life is full of endless trouble; you have to find your own fun." Song Shiyi looked down at the unconscious boy.

A short while later, the Committee’s reinforcements finally arrived.

By the time she finished going through all the procedures with her colleagues from the Security Bureau and the Execution Bureau, it was already three in the morning.

The stadium buzzed with activity as investigators used various devices to survey the scene, attempting to reconstruct what had happened. However, because of Drawing Ground as Prison, the site only held some crude signs of a fight and the residual reactions from a burned Fire of Faith.

The Ten Directions White Elephant was also brought under control. It was covered with a tarp, loaded onto a large truck, and hauled back to the Committee.

The investigators’ conclusion was largely consistent with Mingzai’s judgment: individuals suspected of being Apostles had appeared near the stadium and engaged in a fierce battle with Lianzhen Star Monarch.

But there was no way of knowing whether either party was alive or dead.

Half an hour later, Song Shiyi received an order from headquarters: she was to take the first available flight overnight and report to the Committee’s main headquarters.

She knew it had to be about the Beidou.

With no time to spare, Song Shiyi immediately rushed to the capital.

...

Meanwhile, Luh Yao sent all the Apostles back to the Pixel World.

He had been on edge throughout the operation. After all, it was the first time he had mobilized his Apostles for a team battle in the real world, and the whole thing had happened so suddenly.

Fortunately, relying on the High-Level Disguise of the Ghost White Horse, he was able to have his Apostles infiltrate one by one. Under the cover of darkness, the towering Divine Descendant Giant and the Guest Monk smoothly entered the "trap" Lianzhen Star Monarch had laid.

Traveling late at night with a laptop on his back, he also carried the Identity Card to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

He had done everything he could.

The outcome was satisfactory.

Luh Yao immediately deposited the phone from Song Shiyi into the Blessing inventory in Sand City, leaving it in Slime Mod’s care to avoid being tracked in real time.

Next up was inventorying the spoils of war.

Luh Yao looked at the two items in his hands.

...

[Divine Format]: Faith +10/hour.

An insignia of authority left by a Pioneer in the name of a Main God. The bearer becomes a Divine Being, gaining the qualification to enter the Multi-Dimensional World.

...

Luh Yao finally understood. A Divine Format could only be created or condensed at the level of a Main God. No wonder he had never gotten one before, despite having defeated a whole host of Apprentice Deities and other Gods.

He looked at the other artifact.

It was a white paper doll. It had a topknot on its head, its eyes and mouth were cut out, and its body was covered in creases, making it look like some kind of talisman.

The paper doll looked like a single figure, but it felt like a whole stack in his hand.

...

[Paper Servant Dao Soldiers LV7]: Faith +1/hour (14/49).

The Paper Servants can perfectly transmit the will and abilities of their controller and can control one willing target. The Daoist Soldiers will slowly replenish themselves; the effect is dependent on their level.

...