Chapter 283: Changes Brought By Death
Humans may be special in His Majesty the God King’s heart, but perhaps only a little special.
Prometheus resolutely decided in his heart: No! This simply won’t do; relying solely on His Majesty’s vague attitude cannot protect humans!
Humans must be made extraordinary in the gods’ hearts!
Make most gods willing to shelter humans!
As long as most gods are willing to shelter humans, then a small portion of gods, to avoid offending the majority, will not casually bring destruction and death to humans.
And among these, the most important is still His Majesty the God King’s attitude!
Only if His Majesty the God King speaks will no god dare to destroy humans!
But how exactly can His Majesty be made to formally declare his willingness to shelter humans?
Exactly how should humans treat the gods to earn the gods’ special regard?
Prometheus fell into deep thought over this.
But it did not let him immerse in this thought for too long.
A few days later, accompanied by a piercing, incomparably sharp eagle cry that split the clouds and cracked stones, a giant eagle shining with lightning tore through the oppressive air, flying in from the horizon.
It was the Messenger of Thunder, Queen of All Birds—Kalaunia arrived.
The lightning on her body was specially granted by her Creator; as long as she traveled with lightning on her, it meant she was carrying the God King’s will to a certain place.
She landed and transformed into her divine form, still as coldly proud and radiantly beautiful, with a sharp and striking demeanor.
Her face bore a solemnity that inspired respect, without a trace of personal emotion.
As soon as she landed, she proclaimed in a voice utterly devoid of emotion, purely official: “Son of Iapetus, Prometheus, the Supreme God King, God Above Gods, the Great Eternal Master commands!”
Prometheus hurriedly composed his mind, bowed in salute, and said gravely: “Salutations to His Greatness. Please, Respected Messenger of Thunder, proclaim the decree.”
Kalaunia raised her head and chest, her posture even more upright and solemn, her voice clear and forceful: “Prometheus, much time has passed. ‘How humans should treat the respected gods’—this matter should already have a definite answer.”
Prometheus’s mood grew even heavier.
He replied in a muffled voice: “Please, Respected Messenger of Thunder, reply to His Greatness the God King that Prometheus has understood. In a few days, I will return to Olympus to report to His Majesty in person.”
Kalaunia nodded lightly, her expression no longer so coldly serious, but she said nothing more and turned to leave.
“Kalaunia, please wait a moment.” Prometheus called out to her in time.
Kalaunia’s sword-sharp brows furrowed ever so slightly.
She turned her posture, nodded, and asked: “Respected Prometheus, is there anything else?”
A bitter smile appeared on Prometheus’s face, his tone carrying a touch of helpless closeness: “Kalaunia, we’re old friends too; why be so cold?”
Kalaunia inwardly complained: ‘You have the nerve to ask? Precisely because we’re old friends, I understand you even better! Ever since you started creating humans, you’ve become increasingly disrespectful.’
Her face remained impassive, her expression softening slightly as she replied softly: “My old friend, it’s not that I wish to be cold to you. His Majesty sent me to urge you, and since you’ve given your reply, I need to return to report as soon as possible.”
Her sharp eyes gazed meaningfully at Prometheus: “His Majesty’s will is supreme and must be absolutely obeyed.”
Prometheus nodded: “Naturally, His Majesty’s will is everything.”
Kalaunia also nodded and said: “Since there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first.”
She paused for an instant, ultimately unable to hold back, and as a friend, reminded him:
“Prometheus, as your friend, I offer you a small piece of advice. Please take His Majesty’s commands seriously, and carefully consider His Majesty’s true intentions.”
Prometheus nodded and said: “Kalaunia, thank you for your advice; I will.”
Then, he asked again: “You are His Majesty’s messenger, always at His Majesty’s side. I’d like to ask you: how do you think His Majesty wants to treat humans? And how does he want humans to respect the gods?”
Kalaunia’s face immediately grew cold again.
Clearly, she had just given advice, but Prometheus hadn’t taken it in—at least, not seriously.
She said solemnly: “Prometheus! This is not a question I should ponder, nor one I can ponder!”
“Even this is not a question you should ponder! The task His Majesty has given you now is only one: teach humans how to respect the gods.”
At this point, her tone softened slightly again.
She paused for an instant, then continued: “Prometheus, you are the God of Foresight; your wisdom and shrewdness are known to all gods.”
“Your wisdom far surpasses mine. You are a god who is undeniably intelligent. But precisely because of this, perhaps you sometimes think too much.”
“Rather than pondering too much what shouldn’t be pondered, or what doesn’t need to be pondered, why not truly calm your mind and think about what truly aligns with His Majesty’s Sacred Justice Order.”
“You once personally taught humans that His Majesty the God King’s Sacred Justice Order centers on possessing compassion, mercy, friendliness, affection, tolerance, respect, bravery, and a wise heart.”
“You are completely right; you understand His Majesty’s Sacred Justice Order very well, and also understand His Majesty’s great heart.”
“So, as the God of Foresight, as His Greatness’s advisor at his side, shouldn’t you also possess these hearts?”
“Whether it’s what you want to do, or what you teach humans to do, doing so with these hearts will always be right.”
“I believe the answer to ‘how humans should treat the gods’ lies within that.”
Kalaunia’s gaze was filled with the helplessness and advice of an old friend:
“Prometheus, please set aside that disregard and self-centeredness of a ‘Creator’ and think carefully and seriously.”
“Farewell.”
Before “farewell” had fully faded, Kalaunia’s figure had already transformed back into a streak of lightning and flown away.
Leaving Prometheus alone atop the mountain peak, pondering silently in the mountain wind for a long time.
This time, Prometheus truly took his old friend’s words to heart.
He stayed in place, thinking for a long time, and finally “understood.”
He felt that Kalaunia was indeed right!
His Majesty’s will clearly embraces “compassion, mercy, friendliness, affection, tolerance, respect, bravery, and wisdom.”
Kalaunia was reminding him not to forget His Majesty the God King’s benevolent true heart just because of “death’s” arrival!
Because His Majesty is a god of compassion, tolerance, generosity, and benevolence!
Therefore, making humans’ survival conditions a bit better is truly what the merciful His Majesty most wants to see!
In self-deception, he had made up his mind!
Several months later, human society finally barely restored order from the massive disorder and panic brought by “death” and the departure of many goddesses.
Humans finally learned to face death and continue living even more earnestly.
Surviving on their own.
Because life has its own resilience.
Life without this resilience has no qualification to survive in the cruel universe.
Prometheus was gratified by this; it was a rare scene in this period that pleased his heart.
Immediately after, Prometheus set off to return to Olympus.
He dared not delay any longer, also to implement the new great plan as soon as possible!
Prometheus, full of newfound “enlightenment” and concerns in his heart, did not notice that among those humans still alive, “death’s” arrival had quietly brought about a change that was not yet obvious.
That was the inevitable change brought by “death.”
Fear of death and reluctance to part indeed make the living cherish every day more.
Making them live more diligently and earnestly in their limited lives.
To live “better” and “more meaningfully.”
But this “better living” also simultaneously awakened deeper, greater, and vaster desires in human souls.
Before death truly descended upon them, humans were united and loving.
At that time, there was no irrepressible jealousy, no uncontrollable greed.
Because, in humans’ eyes, everyone was much the same.
Because, in their “immortal” time, they were always “gaining,” not “losing.”
But now…
The situation is different.
When gathering wild fruits, eating something one shouldn’t leads to death; when hunting outside, encountering a powerful beast’s attack leads to death; fishing in water, or even just slipping and choking on a few mouthfuls, leads to drowning.
Overexertion leads to death; extreme hunger leads to death; extreme fatigue still leads to death.
Injury leads to death, illness leads to death, aging also leads to death.
Things that were once “insignificant” have now become terrifying things to avoid.
Time once deemed meaningless has become the most terrifying existence madly chasing from behind.
When life becomes so vulnerable, this world becomes too dangerous for humans.
On a seemingly tranquil night, in what should have been a sweet sleep, perhaps just a tiny insect carrying venom needs to bite lightly once.
And a person can no longer see the sun of the next day.
When “eternity” is replaced by “form,” “composure” is devoured by “anxiety.”
From then on, every day of living is magnified, becoming wealth worth striving for with all one’s might.
And the magnified value of life gives rise to competition and calculation.
Life is so vulnerable and so brief.
Naturally, it is worth cherishing everything, naturally requiring even greater effort to obtain what one wants.
The boundary between “mine” and “yours” becomes important for the first time.
The viper of “jealousy” probes its head from the fear of “scarcity” for the first time.
The seed of “greed” finally buries into the soil under the urging of “sense of insecurity.”
For what one cherishes, values, and wants, it is worth giving full effort!
Even, at all costs.
Even, by any means necessary.
“Want” or “not want” are both desire.
Some lead to light; some lurk in darkness.
From the beginning of creation, humans’ chests harbored the creations’ “good” and “evil,” “good” and “bad,” “pure” and “turbid,” “true” and “false,” “right” and “wrong.”
They have many advantages of creations, naturally also many flaws.
In the gods’ day-and-night companionship, there was no soil for bad existence; but when sense of urgency appears, when gods depart and no longer accompany day and night, the other side of the dual nature revives.
Now, true “sin” has not yet had time to appear.
But the seeds of “desire” have already been deeply planted.
And since the seeds are planted, how far away is the day it flowers and bears fruit?
Different seeds will bloom different flowers and bear different fruits.
Some fragrant, some foul-smelling; some sweet, some poisonous.
But this universe, precisely because of this, becomes multifaceted and diverse.
A more complex era is already approaching quietly with unstoppable steps.
