MTLNOVEL Chapter 658 - 658: 658
Chapter 658: 658
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The second seven-star Divine Card, Ancient City, is something I am reluctant to use. To be precise, although it’s of high value, it’s somewhat redundant for me to just use it like this.
The function of this Gemini God Card is to allow one-tenth of the offspring born to all clans within the Divine Realm to be twins, similar to a Breeding Card.
This card does not qualitatively enhance the Ancient City’s main clan of mutation-rich dwarves, but for those children of the Divine Realm belonging to species that are immensely powerful yet have extremely low reproduction rates, it’s unquestionably divine—such as dragons, giants, and certain high elves.
The one in ten chance of giving birth to twins does not simply mean a ten percent increase in birth rates. After a series of reproductive boosts, the accumulated growth over generations for powerful species can be strikingly exaggerated.
Just think about how pitifully low the birth rate of the Dragon Clan is. If occasionally an egg yields a double yolk, just imagine how many new dragons would accumulate over generations.
Ancient City planned to take this Gemini God Card back to the auction house to see if it could fetch a good price.
However, ever since he obtained it, he’s been dealing with an invasion by the God of Purification and hasn’t had the chance to return, naturally preventing any sale.
He is only a God Level 2 with Weak Divine Power and has just a single Incarnation of Courage; he simply doesn’t have the capacity to attend to other matters.
Yet, the current situation has, after more than a decade of buildup, reached a critical stage. The long war has consumed vast numbers of devout followers from both sides, and losses have been tremendous. He had anticipated this; neither he nor the God of Purification wished to continue the stalemate, and it was highly likely that there would be some change in the divine battle in the coming years.
Both he and the God of Purification would seek to bolster their strength or find external aid.
It is impossible to increase power in a short time. Over the past decades, almost all of the legendary warriors available for hire on the plane have been recruited by both sides. The majority of followers who could potentially rise to legend have also mostly been promoted through warfare, leaving virtually no one who could ascend to legend any time soon.
So, the only way to break the deadlock is to hire experts from the Outpost Base.
Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Ɲ0νǤ0.сο
But he is currently unable to leave. His sole incarnation must hold position here to confront the Incarnation of God of Purification, and his True Body cannot venture from its hiding spot. Both he and the God of Purification know each other’s True Body locations and would seize any opportunity to attack should he leave his lair that he’s maintained for over a hundred years.
“It can only be this way.”
He dispatched a Messenger to leave Alington City.
Before long, someone arrived quietly in Alington City to see Ancient City. He handed over two cards to the beautiful woman before him and said,
“Sell these items as quickly as possible, then please… hire the garrison from the Outpost Base to take action.”
The beautiful woman was Dai Lingtong. She took the two cards, nodded, and asked,
“Hire one or two individuals, or a whole squad?”
Gu Cheng said,
“Play it safe, a whole squad. The Gemini God Card, to someone in need, is a true Divine Card. It will definitely fetch a good price. It’s possible to hire a middle-sized squad with the money in a short period of time.”
Dai Lingtong had no objections. She secured the two Divine Cards and was about to leave when she paused and added another question:
“There are currently two battle teams at the outpost base, one being the temporarily stationed two-star Split Claw Dragon Battle Team, and the other is the Giant God Combat Team, which is in charge of taking over this Crystal Wall Universe. I’ve heard they’re recently reorganized and don’t even have a full battalion yet. Which one should we hire?”
Gu Cheng pondered for a moment, then replied,
“Go with the Giant God Combat Team. We only need to hire a small squad, so it doesn’t really matter which one.”
“Besides, the Split Claw Dragon Battle Team is here temporarily, whereas the Giant God Combat Team is going to be here long term. If they eventually conquer this Crystal Wall System, it’ll be theirs, so we’re bound to establish some sort of relationship with them since we’re operating in their territory. Spending a good amount to hire them and getting in touch with influential military officers from within the Giant God Combat Team will make things easier for us in the future.”
“Oh, right…”
Gu Cheng fell silent for a moment, then continued,
“Lin Xiao is currently a junior officer at the Outpost Base. When you go back, you might try contacting him to see his current situation and if he can assist us.”
Dai Lingtong looked up, surprised, her eyes revealing a hint of astonishment.
She was well aware that Gu Cheng had always harbored a slight grudge against Lin Xiao. In over two hundred years in this world, Gu Cheng had never once initiated contact with Lin Xiao on his own volition, harboring the desire to surpass his rival. What prompted the change?
Seeing her expression, Gu Cheng understood what she was thinking and spoke without emotion:
“I know what’s on your mind, but that was just youthful arrogance. Now, we’ve both grown. Reflecting on harping over things he probably doesn’t even remember just seems ridiculous.”
There were things Gu Cheng left unsaid: now that his incarnation had achieved divine enthronement in this world for the first time, he had decided to openly establish a diocese in this Crystal Wall System and formally enthrone his True Body.
Although this fell short of his initial aspiration to venture into deeper Outland territories to establish a diocese and ascend to godhood, and the feedback from the Main World after his divine enthronement would likely be weak, for Gu Cheng, who had weathered so much, to succeed at this stage was already quite an accomplishment.
In his youth, he considered himself a favored child of heaven, dreaming of future prospects bright with the promise of top colleges.
However, once delving into the deeper Outland, he came to understand the arduities of divine ascension. Even though he was still in college and under the protection of the Main World, his primary task was to continue to accumulate without hurrying for divine ascension. But he was very clear that opportunities for such ascent were fleeting.
He wouldn’t miss the chance that came while on vacation in the realm his clan was trying to conquer, where an opportunity for divine ascension presented itself.
Now that his incarnation had achieved enthronement, all he needed was to stabilize his diocese. Once back in his True Body, he could then proceed with divine ascension.
But he was not content with just that— he aimed to gain more benefits from this world.
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He now had two long-term plans, one was to unify all the faiths within this large plane and then ascend to medium divine power within it.
Although it was difficult, relying on the main world wasn’t without chances of success, after all this wasn’t the primary material plane, and the entire plane lacked a medium divine power.
The other plan was to help his few companions become gods in this world and then establish a small team with himself as the leader.
As for establishing a divine system, he did not dare to dream that far; it was both remote and too troublesome. He simply wished to establish a small team where everyone could help each other.
And all these premises were based on the condition of being able to defeat the God of Purification.
Compared with his own future, how could he still hold on to some youthful discontent, after all, there was no enmity between them.
On the other side, Dai Lingtong quietly left the plane with two divine cards, the nearby incarnation of the God of Purification was aware but could not stop her. He himself was too busy, and his subordinates couldn’t possibly stop a demigod; he could only watch helplessly as she left the plane and returned to the outpost base.
Upon entering the base, she didn’t hurry back to the main world but instead went to find the base’s supply department to see if the outpost base had any need for the two divine cards. If so, she wouldn’t need to spend several months traveling back to the main world.
The supply department was where the base specifically purchased all sorts of materials from civilian adventurers; it was also where the stationed combat teams accepted hiring… if that function was available.
The Giant God Combat Team was short on personnel, and so it had not enabled the hiring function for the time being, but there was a place for purchasing materials.
Soon, Lin Xiao, an incarnation of a god permanently stationed at the base, received information about the two seven-star god cards. As the outpost base’s commanding officer, he had the priority to use anything suitable for him that was purchased below. Only if it was not needed by him, would it be distributed below according to military rank and position.
This was the effect of power and status. As the leader of the Giant God Combat Team and the highest official of the outpost base, he had the priority choice of the finest treasures sold by the descenders within the range of this outpost base.
Soon, Dai Lingtong heard the soldier in charge of purchasing say to her:
“Our combat team leader is quite interested in this Gemini God Card. Do you want to sell it directly or exchange it for military supplies?”
Her eyes lit up as she said:
“Can I use this to hire one of your squads?”
The soldier hesitated for a moment and then shook his head:
“I’m sorry, but the base isn’t currently offering this function. You might exchange it for some valuable materials or a batch of Godforce Crystals, which you could use to hire mercenaries.”
“But it’s tough to get real powerhouses to act for Godforce Crystals!”
Dai Lingtong hesitated for a moment and then shook her head:
“Then I’ll go back to the main world and auction it instead.”
As she was about to turn around and leave, the soldier quickly said:
“Wait a moment, you might want to tell me the reason why you need to hire, to see if there’s an alternative solution.”
Dai Lingtong nodded and explained her situation and that of her squad in detail.
She wasn’t worried about the impact of speaking out since the plane they were on was not the primary material plane, and it wouldn’t conflict with the Giant God Combat Team’s strategies.
After explaining everything, the soldier was about to make a report when she asked:
“By the way, do you know someone named Lin Xiao? He’s now a junior military officer within the outpost base, commanding a few dozen men.”
The soldier looked surprised, looked her up and down, and asked more seriously than before:
“Of course I know him, may I ask what is your relationship with… him?”
“I am his… friend….”
Dai Lingtong said somewhat awkwardly since they weren’t that close.
However, the soldier clearly misunderstood, noting the young woman’s delicate beauty and her voluptuous figure. He thought of something from his imagination and became enthusiastic, saying:
“Then wait a moment, I’ll also report this on your behalf.”
“Thank you, brother!”
“Not at all, not at all!”
She was completely unaware of the soldier’s shift in attitude.
“You mean, her name is Dai Lingtong? Her captain’s name is Gu Cheng?”
As Lin Xiao listened to the report from his subordinate, he rubbed his chin, his face full of surprise.
“They’ve already started divine enthronement, who would have thought!”
His impression of Gu Cheng had remained that of the proud yet stunningly handsome young man with snow-like hair. It was surprising that after two hundred years, he too had become a god, this was quite astonishing to him.
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