Chapter 628 Dandy

"In the Age of Sail, all oceangoing merchant ships carried some vegetable oil on board. It was used for ballast and food, and when a storm came, sailors would pour it on the sea to calm the waves and make the surface as smooth as possible—this was called 'storm oil.' Whaling ships, when crossing deep waters, would also hang whale blubber on the ship to oil the sea surface. In modern times, governments required rescue ships to carry oil cans of storm oil when performing rescue missions, a rule only abolished after World War II. If you're interested, Hela, you can do an experiment: pour ordinary cooking oil into a pond, and the entire pond will become mirror-like, with no ripples even in strong winds or violent shaking."

At the southern end of the Pacific Ocean, Li Mochen stood at the bow of a ship. Beside him stood the sea goddess Thetis, the magic goddess Diana, and the freshly minted winter goddess Hela.

The first two were well-traveled and knowledgeable; Thetis, in particular, was a goddess who had protected many medieval merchant ships and was no stranger to storm oil.

Thus, Li Mochen's explanation was directed solely at the winter goddess Hela. The latter's eyes also showed a look of relief: "So, this oil can reduce the impact force of the shocks, right?"

"That's roughly the idea, but the actual operation is much more complicated. The oil I'm using this time is also high-quality damping oil, far more effective than vegetable oil or whale oil. Over the next few days, nearly nine million tons of damping oil will be poured here—that's the entire stockpile that Light Magic Industry has been frantically producing this year. Before the impact occurs, I will use divine power and forbidden spells to combine the water and oil here, forming a total of ninety-nine layers of giant water shields, fifty kilometers wide and five kilometers high, to absorb the shockwaves layer by layer. I've named this self-created 'Supreme Law' the 'Oil-Water Divine Shield.'"

Since it was a spell only suitable for this occasion and would be used only once, Li Mochen named it casually.

"Oil-Water Divine Shield?"

Hela almost laughed out loud at the name, but then she composed herself and asked seriously: "I suspect the three divine kings will likely fan the flames. I'm not sure about Zeus and Ahura, but Odin will definitely do it. There are too many humans in this world—so many that they can influence the归属 of the future 'God Above Gods.' So it's best to reduce their numbers first, then split your faith with the Lord of Radiance."

"I guessed that. The Third World has been accelerating all along, clearly Odin has no mercy for his followers in the Beast World either."

Li Mochen sneered with sarcasm: "But you can rest assured that I've always considered the power of all three divine kings in my preparations. Besides, no matter how hard they try, they can't push the shockwaves above level fifteen, can they? They are divine kings, not the God Above Gods."

He gazed into the distance: "According to Angela's calculations, these ninety-nine shields can absorb at least 1.66 billion megatons of TNT equivalent impact. The remaining part, I will also try to redirect to the southern end of the world."

After removing 1.66 billion megatons of TNT equivalent, the remaining impact would still be equivalent to a magnitude 13 earthquake wave. But this could already change the fate of most people in this world.

"Among all the magic I've seen, your so-called 'Oil-Water Divine Shield' is the stupidest. The only thing worth praising is its clever use of physics and its adaptation to local conditions, maximizing the environment."

The magic goddess Diana commented without emotion: "But it has three irreparable flaws, and I can only fix one."

"Fear of fire, fear of ice!"

Li Mochen sighed: "So this time, we have to rely on luck and bet that the few won't—"

He was saying this when his expression suddenly shifted: "It seems I don't have to worry about that!"

The next moment, an angel king appeared before him, bearing three pairs of purple-gold wings, armor condensed from holy light, a golden crown, and a scepter in hand.

It was Gabriel, the divine appointed sheriff of the Lord of Radiance, and formerly the goddess of justice 'Themis.'

She had no interest in conversing with Li Mochen. Holding a small conch, she gently inhaled, and a large amount of white vapor from the area rushed into it.

Hela and Thetis both raised their eyebrows slightly, knowing that this was the Lord of Radiance exercising His authority, temporarily extracting the concept of 'ice' from here.

Li Mochen also smiled slightly: "It seems we share common interests, don't we?"

"Then there remains the last flaw."

Diana looked at Li Mochen: "Even weakened by these oil-mixed water shields, it will still be a magnitude 13 shockwave, close to the rank of the God Above Gods. Except for a divine king who has truly reached the Truth level, no one can resist such an impact, nor can they sustain spellcasting in that environment. You will eventually be torn apart by the shockwave."

She pondered: "I experienced something similar thousands of years ago. It was the conjunction of another world with the Bright World, which also gave rise to the Dark World. Although there was no earthquake, it triggered the so-called Great Flood, the source of the Noah's Ark legend."

Li Mochen knew about the Great Flood, a deluge that had covered almost the entire world, occurring between 10,000 and 16,000 years ago, and recorded in various places.

For example, in the East—the 'Huainanzi: Lanming Xun': 'In ancient times, the four poles collapsed, the nine provinces split, the sky did not cover completely, the earth did not support fully. Fire blazed without ceasing, water surged without end. Ferocious beasts devoured the innocent, birds of prey seized the old and weak. Then Nüwa smelted five-colored stones to mend the azure sky.'

For example, in ancient Babylon—the 'Epic of Gilgamesh': 'The flood came with the storm, and in one night it submerged all the mountains on the continent. Only those who lived on mountains or fled to them survived.'

In ancient Mexico—the 'Codex Chimalpopoca': 'The sky approached the earth, and in one day, all people perished, and the mountains were hidden in the flood.'

Also recorded in Greek texts, the Atlantis supposedly destroyed by the Great Flood in 10,000 BC.

There are over 600 known legends of the Great Flood in this world, and many ancient occult texts detail what happened when the Dark World and the Bright World conjoined.

Additionally, legend has it that before the Dark World, this world experienced a massive impact that nearly wiped out the dragon race, the rulers of sky and land, which also gave rise to the three Mist Continents.

"Having experienced it firsthand, I know that no one can stop this disaster, Andre."

Diana offered sincere advice: "You will be shattered to pieces under this impact!"

"It is very dangerous, but I have a countermeasure."

Li Mochen did not explain further this time: "You'll see when the time comes. I'll keep the specific method a secret for now. Whether it succeeds or not, I have to try."

This was a merit almost equivalent to mending the heavens; he could not miss this opportunity.

As he had told Conshuri and others, even if only for himself, even if only for profit, he had to mitigate or even stop this disaster.

...

At a small Destiny Church in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, Dandy Granger hesitantly took a divine amulet from the white-robed priest opposite him.

The amulet sold for 1,500 gold shields, claimed to be at cost. On it was an astrolabe, a symbol of the Lord of Destiny, and below it, a maiden holding a giant shield—the Earth Angel Kristin, recently canonized by the Destiny Church, meaning 'follower of God.' It was said she also had a Chinese name, Moon Rabbit, an angel assisting the Lord of Destiny in governing the earth and protecting all beings.

Flanking the Earth Angel Kristin were the Battle Angel Robert and the Calamity Dragon Angel Hazel.

Dandy Granger was somewhat skeptical of the Destiny Church's claim to believers that it was 'at cost.' But when he took the amulet, he found its material was indeed very good.

Although Dandy had been an ordinary office worker before, since the great chaos that swept Australia half a year ago, he had been longing day and night for a protective artifact of his own and had done some research on the subject.

The divine amulet in his hand emanated magical fluctuations close to a level-9 artifact. In this era of soaring magical material prices, the cost of this amulet might well exceed 1,500 gold shields.

"Actually, it's fine if you don't buy this amulet. The Lord is the protector of all believers. He will not withdraw His protection just because you didn't purchase the amulet."

The white-robed priest smiled: "This amulet is actually for dealing with the aftermath of the great catastrophe. It's expected that some very troublesome dark creatures will emerge, and social order may be somewhat disrupted. I must also remind you that this item can be used five times, protecting twenty people in disasters at the high Extra-Legal level. The Lord hopes His followers will help each other, and hopes that wealthier believers like you will do your utmost to extend a helping hand to the poor and those without self-defense capabilities."

"Of course, I will."

Dandy's expression turned serious as he solemnly promised, but his eyes still held a hint of hesitation: "Father Carol, I've heard many bad things lately, all about the Lord."

"Has someone been preaching to you?"

Father Carol's gaze was gentle and clear as water: "They proclaim that this world is about to be destroyed, that the great catastrophe in a few days is just the beginning. Only by returning to the old faiths of this world can one be saved? There have been many such things recently."

"There's the sun god Apollo, and also the Norse Dawn Lord, the priests of the guardian god Heimdall. They've organized several preaching sessions in my community."

Dandy realized there was no need to hide this, so he spoke openly: "There are also some experts on TV with the same argument. They even say that the Lord and the Lord of Radiance have merely stolen the honors and authority of the old gods, and that the Lord will soon face destruction. And we foolish believers will go down with the Lord—"

"Blasphemy!"

Father Carol snorted coldly, interrupting Dandy. A sharp look flashed in his eyes, but then he calmed down: "And what do you think yourself, Mr. Granger? I recall you used to believe in the Norse god of peace, Freyr. I imagine someone like you can better recognize the Lord's compassion."

Dandy Granger fell silent. Indeed, as Carol said, the Lord of Destiny's attention and protection for believers were palpable to anyone who wasn't blind.

He had always believed that the Lord of Destiny was a benevolent deity—that was beyond doubt. What he doubted was the Lord of Destiny's power.

This made Dandy ashamed, yet he had to doubt, had to understand. If, because of his own faith, his family was shattered or even destroyed in the disaster, it would be too late for regret.

"I was very angry at the time, wanting to tear their mouths apart, but I didn't have the strength."

Dandy Granger's expression was complex: "They said this great catastrophe is the old gods' revenge on this world, to make mortals recognize their supreme majesty. Others said it was the punishment of the Goddess of Liberty, that the people of this country had betrayed her, forgotten who founded this nation. So the people here are doomed to destruction; only those who repent sincerely might survive."

"Then do you still trust the Lord?"

Father Carol asked back, and he saw Dandy's expression struggle. After a full ten seconds, the man's eyes still hadn't calmed.

Carol shook his head: "You must understand one thing: faith is not a transaction, and the Lord does not need believers. You should know, Dandy, that He is the only ancient god of the new century, and a great Law God. This is not recorded in the scriptures, but I'm sure you've heard of it, right? The Lord's rewards and protection for believers are not in exchange for their faith. Rather, because as a human who became a god, He believes He has a responsibility to the race and the world. So He will fairly use the divine power He gains from you on every believer."

He didn't let Dandy Granger continue, but pointed to the astrolabe-shaped divine emblem on the man's chest.

"If you still doubt, you can abandon His divine emblem. And if you still believe in your God, then take it, take your family, and go to the locations announced by the church. There, your God and the church will provide you with safe shelter. But Dandy, the glory and authority of a god also need to be defended by believers—"

...

After much hesitation, Dandy Granger decided to drive with his family and ten days' worth of food to the gathering place announced by the Destiny Church.

According to his understanding, it was a large farm south of Melbourne, covering about thirty square kilometers, surrounded by endless plains and on high ground.

It was said that the entire surrounding land had been purchased by the Destiny Church as a sanctuary and hiding place for believers.

If they took refuge here, they wouldn't have to worry about building collapses or flash floods.

When Dandy Granger arrived, he found that the gathering place was surrounded by three layers of walls, twenty-five meters high and fifty meters thick, like ancient fortress walls encircling the land within.

On top of those walls were numerous fortresses, cannons, and magical armored vehicles, with teams of elite soldiers patrolling vigilantly.

This sight immediately calmed Dandy's anxious family members.

"This is like a fortress! When was it built? It looks so impressive—I feel it could withstand a magnitude 10 earthquake."

That was Dandy Granger's wife, Eunice Granger, who then worried: "Speaking of earthquakes, what about our house? We don't have any more savings, Dandy."

Dandy also frowned; this was exactly what he was worried about, but staying at home now would only be more dangerous.

"Don't worry too much, you two."

A young woman in a white robe came to their car: "Our Lord gave a prophecy long ago: as long as buildings can withstand earthquakes above magnitude 7 and have been recently reinforced, there's no need to worry. The church asks you to come to the shelter just to prevent accidents. The great catastrophe will indeed happen, but our Lord will do His utmost to calm and block it. He will do everything possible to prevent His people from suffering."

Dandy was silent. He recognized that the young woman was not a priest but a volunteer recruited by the Destiny Church.

However, he was reserved about her words. He had learned of the Lord of Destiny's prophecy twenty days ago.

But recently, experts on TV had explained that it would be a magnitude 14 earthquake. In ancient times, it was this level of seismic wave that caused the mass death of dragons. Only because the Bright World is now larger can it withstand more force.

However, by the time the shockwaves from the collision of the two worlds reached Australia, the earthquake magnitude would still be as high as 10.4—enough to destroy all buildings in the country.

They had also revealed the truth of the Great Flood: it was not that the Lord of Radiance saw the earth filled with corruption, violence, and lawlessness and planned to destroy the wicked with a flood, but simply a disaster caused by the conjunction of two worlds.

"I know many fellow believers are worried, but what if you think of it this way? All the gods have abandoned this country; only our Lord is still trying to save it."

The girl by the window had already entered work mode: "Please show me your driver's licenses and divine emblems, OK? One of you is not a member of our church, right, a follower of the Dance and Song God MJ? And another joined the church less than a month ago! Then please pay 1,300 Australian shields, here it's 100 gold shields per person per day, new members get a 20% discount, believers of His Majesty the God, if you're a senior believer of over three years, you can get a 50% discount. As you can see, our church has invested a huge amount of manpower and resources for this shelter. Although the government has also allocated funds, the vast majority of the funds were raised by our church itself. This place was designed for only 100,000 camping spots, and your arrival might take up spots meant for other believers. Um, your camp is in Zone E12, please follow the signs, and someone there will arrange things for you."

Dandy Grantham had long been prepared for the fees here, and without hesitation, he paid 1,300 Australian shields to the girl by the window.

At the exchange rate, that was about 900 gold shields, equivalent to nearly half a month's wages for the couple. But Dandy Grantham knew the church had indeed invested heavily. Just looking at this fortress-like camp, the cost was no less than a billion gold shields, and with the armed forces and equipment, it might have cost even more.

Although followers of the Church of Fate would donate to the church whenever possible, and several tycoons in Australia had donated billions of funds to the Church of Fate in recent years.

Yet the Church of Fate had established no fewer than a hundred such camps across Australia.

"Damn it! You two, Loah, cost us over a thousand gold shields!"

Mrs. Grantham was extremely annoyed: "Going to believe in MJ? Can he save your life or make you money?"

"I just like Jackson!"

Loah, the couple's eldest son, replied rebelliously from the back seat: "Do you believe in gods just to get benefits from them, AH? Besides, MJ is a subordinate god of the Lord of Fate."

His sister Clemmy said weakly: "Mom and Dad, you told me to take my time converting. I actually really like the Lord of Fate; I wanted to convert a long time ago."

"If you lose your life, can you still dance and sing?"

Mrs. Grantham continued scolding her children, then exclaimed in admiration: "Wow! So many people. Are there already this many followers of the Lord of Fate?"

This was because their pickup truck had already driven inside the city gates, and then countless tents appeared before their eyes.

Mrs. Grantham couldn't count the number; at a glance, it seemed endless. All were large tents two people high, neatly arranged on both sides of the road.

Then she was pleasantly surprised to find that the ground seemed to have undergone preliminary hardening, and there even seemed to be water and electricity. This lifted the spirits of everyone in the car, knowing that the next few days might not be as hard as they had imagined.

But at this moment, Mrs. Grantham also noticed that her husband, while driving, seemed a bit dazed and absent-minded.

"Dear, watch the road, we seem to have passed it. Zone E12, we should have turned left at the previous intersection."

As she reminded him, she also looked puzzled: "Is something on your mind, Dandy?"

"I'm thinking about that girl, what she said earlier."

After snapping out of it, Dandy Grantham sighed: "I think she was right. If you look at Australia's current situation from another angle, aren't the gods just standing by indifferently, with only our Lord striving to save this country?"