Chapter 292: Humans, You’ve Truly Put Your Heart Into It
Prometheus called out again: “A million thanks for Your Majesty’s grace!”
Only then did he slowly stand up, then soar into the air, flying to the clouds, arriving before Zeus’s divine seat, bowing and standing, not daring the slightest overstep.
Meanwhile, the humans on the ground, amid hesitation and bewilderment, tremblingly stood up.
Although permitted to rise, they still all bent their waists, lowered their heads, maintaining an extremely reverent posture, standing in place, not daring any superfluous actions.
Their extraordinary flesh and blood bodies were, at this moment, already trembling uncontrollably.
Either trembling in fear, sweating profusely; or shuddering in terror, not even daring to sweat.
Even now, not a single human dared to lift their head to glimpse the God King’s figure.
In their eyes, there was only a blaze of intense radiance.
The God King and the gods’ excessively brilliant and dazzling sacred radiance had illuminated the entire heaven and earth into a realm of pure light.
Besides endless brightness, nothing else could be seen.
No gods descended from the clouds.
The God King led the gods, always residing high in the highest heaven, overlooking everything below.
All there was, was radiance pouring down from heaven.
In the sky, that sacred sun which ought to shine upon all things had its light thoroughly overshadowed.
Before the God King and the gods’ radiance, it was like a firefly compared to the bright moon, utterly insignificant.
Powerful as the giant god Helios with the brilliance of stars, at this moment, he did not even qualify to stand in the first two rows behind the God King.
This time, almost all the prominent great gods of heaven and earth had turned out in full force.
But no matter how many gods had come, no matter how noble their status, no matter how formidable their power, at this moment, the only one truly seated was one.
That was, seated at the forefront center of the ranks—the God King Zeus!
Half a step behind him, at his right hand first position, was the eternal sacred Goddess Queen Rhea Mother Goddess; and at his left hand first position, was the Mother Goddess of All Things Gaia, who wanted to keep a low profile but could not.
Right hand second position, was the dignified and elegant Goddess of Night Nyx; left hand second position, was his first wife, the bright-eyed Goddess of Wisdom Metis.
Behind these four supremely esteemed mother goddesses were the other Primal Titan Gods, as well as the wives the God King had publicly announced, and several of the God King’s blood relatives.
Further back in the ranks were those powerful Second Generation Titan Gods.
As for the even younger Third Generation Titan Gods, they were scattered like stars behind the various great gods, each displaying their own radiance in the vast sky, together adding endless brilliance to the God King’s this outing!
The God King’s gaze merely swept slightly over Prometheus before him, then lowered, looking toward the mortal world earth below.
Under his omniscient and omnipotent, incomparably sharp gaze, even humans tiny to the point of invisibility from the highest heavens had every detail clearly reflected in his golden eyes.
That temple, though crude, which had condensed all of humanity’s heartfelt effort; that towering altar; those one hundred pure white sacrificial bulls.
And those over three thousand human representatives arranged neatly, all bowing their heads in utmost reverence…
All entered his gaze.
He did not deliberately exert any divine power.
Yet, merely the God King’s scrutinizing gaze naturally brought to all mortals an unimaginable immense pressure.
The gods also followed the God King’s gaze, all looking downward.
In their gazes, there was expectation, curiosity, scrutiny, loving-kindness, gentleness, and of course, displeasure.
For this newborn wise race of humans, the gods more or less knew something about them.
After all, when humans were created back then, the commotion was truly enormous, completely different from creating ordinary mortal spirits.
His Majesty the God King had also shown them extraordinary regard.
Even though they had usurped the gods’ sacred form, His Majesty still did not destroy them, and even publicly commended and rewarded Prometheus.
Moreover, the Muses had all descended to teach them.
Including those several closest and most exalted great goddesses by His Majesty the God King’s side, who had also shown clear fondness for humans.
Now, His Majesty had personally led the Olympus Gods, deigning to descend to the mortal world, to establish the so-called “covenant” with these insignificant mortals.
Who knew how many gods were secretly thinking: His Majesty the God King was still too merciful and generous.
They were just a group of insignificant mortal spirits.
Even if regarded highly, even if they might bring some different color to the universe.
But… ultimately, they were still just mortal spirits.
It would suffice to casually assign a few gods or a few nymphs to manage them.
Why need His Majesty the God King to personally lead the gods in such a grand mobilization?
And that Prometheus had really gotten addicted to playing house.
He even dared to suggest to His Majesty making humans “children of God”!
Yet His Majesty actually agreed!
Utterly inconceivable!
Many gods’ gazes had already drifted several times subtly toward that one standing gracefully and nobly by the God King’s throne, the “Head Steward”.
This couldn’t be Clymene whispering some pillow talk in His Majesty’s ear, could it?
Ahem… this kind of gossip always spreads the fastest and widest in the divine realm.
But Prometheus, busy below, was temporarily unaware of this; he currently had no mind for gossip.
But there wasn’t much the Olympus Gods didn’t know.
After all, for immortal gods with eternal life, these amusing matters were more worth attention, bringing great joy to their long, dull divine lives.
Although the gods also knew this reason was unlikely.
After all, this gossip was very recent.
Moreover, His Majesty the God King was never the type to let private matters interfere with public duty.
At least… not to this extent… right?
Besides, there were so many unignorable, exalted great goddesses who had publicly expressed fondness for humans.
This proved that this newborn race, though mere mortal spirits, indeed had unique merits.
Inevitably different from ordinary mortal spirits.
Along with the God King’s descending gaze, at this moment, the gazes of the Olympus Gods in the highest heaven also fell upon the tiny humans below.
Fell upon that crude temple and altar that had condensed all of humanity’s heartfelt effort.
Even those gods who previously cared little about humans or even disliked them, upon personally seeing humanity’s preparations, couldn’t help but nod inwardly.
These mortal spirits had indeed put in sincere effort.
That temple, that altar, were crude and insignificant in the gods’ eyes.
But the gods’ perception, transcending all, could clearly “smell” that every polished stone was imbued with the scorching “blood and sweat” aura of mortals.
They not only “saw” this piety, but “smelled” the unique tangy sweetness of “sacrifice” mingled within the piety.
And those goddesses who already favored humans were even more satisfied, their eyes showing greater tenderness and reluctance.
But they too knew that all the sacrifices and efforts seen here were necessary.
For insignificant mortal spirits to gain the gods’ favor, could it be an easy matter?
All this blood and sweat were necessary trials and expressions.
The structures humans built and the offerings prepared were, for great deities, naturally barely adequate.
But this did not mean the gods could not see the immense difficulties and heavy costs humans faced and paid to achieve all this.
It was precisely from these unimaginable hardships and costs that humanity’s unreserved sincerity and deference could be clearly seen.
Too many things in this world are never merely spoken in empty words, but must be done with real actions.
Words can embellish and deceive, but the costs paid in actions and sacrifices, and the final outcomes presented, cannot be easily faked.
For humans to claim the so-called “child of God” position was in itself an extreme overreach, even a delusional extravagance.
Were it not for Prometheus’s strenuous mediation, were it not for many exalted great goddesses explicitly approving, and most importantly—were it not for His Majesty the God King being merciful at heart and ultimately generously agreeing…
Then, this idea itself would be the greatest blasphemy and joke against the sacred order.
Even, merely daring to voice this thought would already set them on the path to self-destruction.
To make the gods recognize humans, at least most gods.
Then, humans must show unreserved sincerity and respect, must truly move the gods.
And this must be put into action, at heavy cost.
Moreover, many gods were very clear on one reason: if grace were granted too easily, mortal spirits would certainly not cherish it, and would even push their luck, breeding undue greed.
Even if the gods acknowledged humans as “children of God”.
But between gods and humans, there remained distinction of status, essential differences.
Mortal spirits must forever maintain this reverence.
Nor delusionally think they could easily obtain anything from gods.
Gods are not tools for humans to take at will.
Gods are humanity’s eternal masters.
To exchange for the gods no longer “willfully” treating them—this alone was already their greatest luck.
As for seeking any extra mercy or bounty, that could only rely on pious prayers and their own efforts.
At this moment, most gods’ first impression of humans was overall extremely good.
Prometheus’s seemingly ruthless persistence was correct and worthwhile.
