novelraw Chapter 72 : Descent Beneath the Neon Lights
Chapter 72 : Descent Beneath the Neon Lights
Chapter 72: Descent Beneath the Neon Lights
Yun Ge wore comfortable loungewear, holding a cup of freshly brewed Blue Mountain coffee in his hand, its fragrance curling upward.
Yun Ge took a light sip of coffee, then his fingers gently slid through the void, and the Morningstar chart before him rotated accordingly.
His gaze crossed the vast Pacific Ocean, crossed towering snow-capped mountains, and cast itself toward even broader stages.
“Longxi’s stage is too small, and far too monotonous.”
“A single culture, a single political system—too easily makes the show dull.”
“A god’s game should be diverse, inclusive, a global carnival.”
His finger tapped down on the superpower across the ocean, known as the world’s beacon—the Stellar Ring United States.
“Here lies the most developed financial system, a culture that worships individual heroism the most, and the most deeply entrenched racial and class conflicts.”
“If a game descends here, granting the oppressed the authority of ‘revenge’.”
“Presumably, that scene would be extraordinarily spectacular.”
Thus, one red light after another began to light up on the map of the Stellar Ring United States.
Then his finger slid eastward, toward that long and narrow island nation—the Sakurajima Shinto Nation.
“Twisted social repression, a thriving urban-legend culture, a night parade of a hundred demons beneath neon lights……”
“This place is simply a natural stage.”
“Tear apart this hypocritical illusion, and let mythology revive here.”
Next, points of light began to flicker across Sakurajima.
“And there’s also the Western City-State Alliance, the Northern Steel Empire, the Brahma Federation……”
Yun Ge looked at the light points gradually igniting on Morningstar’s projection, as if watching sparks kindle a prairie fire.
This was his authority as a god, and also the pleasure of being the mastermind behind the scenes.
He slowly stood up, a soul-piercing light flashing in his eyes, spreading his arms as if embracing this azure planet.
“The stage is set, the actors are in position.”
“This time, I will make the entire world dance along.”
“Game Start.”
……
Longxi Republic, a certain military base.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dull impact sounds echoed through the training room.
Chen Mo was bare-chested, sweat flowing down the lines of his well-built muscles.
The specially made sandbag before him had already been badly deformed under his iron fists.
Two months had passed since the Hai City incident.
During these two months, he had not slept a single peaceful night.
Every time he closed his eyes, that world-destroying Demon God replayed itself in his mind.
As a “player” chosen by Bureau 869, what he bore was not only his own life, but also the nation’s expectations.
Thus, during these two months, having been selected as a “player,” he was like a tireless machine, madly squeezing out every last bit of his potential.
“Huff……”
Exhausted, Chen Mo finally stopped, picked up the towel hanging around his neck, and wiped his face.
Then he walked to the bench in the rest area and took out the silver card he had kept close to his body all along—【Game of Gods Invitation】.
“When exactly will it begin……”
Before the words fell, an intense sensation of weightlessness struck instantly.
The walls of the training room before his eyes began to twist and stretch, the lights turning into countless motley blocks of color.
Chen Mo felt as though he had been stuffed into a high-speed spinning drum of a washing machine.
Weightlessness.
A sense of falling.
When Chen Mo opened his eyes again, what reached his ears was no longer the silence of the training room, but a roaring, tide-like wave of noise.
……
“Welcome!”
“A new batch of hostess girls just arrived, sir, would you like a look?”
“Tonight in Kabukicho, there’s nothing you can’t imagine, and nothing we can’t do~”
“Jackpot! Jackpot!”
Blinding neon lights instantly flooded his retinas.
Red, green, purple…… countless gigantic electronic billboards flickered in the night sky, illuminating the darkness as if it were daytime.
The air was filled with the scorched aroma of takoyaki, the pungent stench of car exhaust, and the decadent odor of cheap perfume mixed with alcohol.
Chen Mo abruptly straightened his body, his muscles instantly tensing as he entered a combat-ready state.
He scanned his surroundings, his pupils slightly contracting.
“This is……”
Giant holographic billboards floated midair, playing virtual idol concerts;
On both sides of the narrow streets, densely packed signboards jutted outward like tumors;
Office workers in suits, biker gangs with brightly dyed hair, and hostess girls in short skirts……
The crowded throng was like a sardine can, everyone moving in haste.
Very quickly, Chen Mo recognized this place as the capital of the Sakurajima Shinto Nation—the Neon Metropolis.
At that moment, the grand and indifferent divine oracle in Chen Mo’s mind sounded right on time:
【Welcome to ‘Game of Gods’】
【Matching player identity and faction】
【Identity match complete】
【Faction match complete】
【Player: Chen Mo】
【Identity: Judge】
【Faction: Shadow】
【Order is dead, sin runs rampant; your eyes are the scales, your blade is the verdict】
【Current map: Neon Metropolis】
【……】
【Victory conditions: ……】
【Personal victory: If a player can kill more than half of the players, they may obtain personal victory and will no longer be bound by faction victory conditions】
……
“Shadow faction……”
“Personal victory?!”
Chen Mo’s heart tightened.
Although most of the game rules were similar to what he already knew, he had not expected this game to introduce an entirely new rule!
“Even though it’s still four against eight right now.”
Chen Mo calmly analyzed the situation. “Not only am I at an absolute disadvantage in numbers, but my teammates are no longer something I can fully trust.”
“This is a completely new variable. All the contingency plans previously formulated by the top experts of the Longxi Republic based on the game rules are no longer applicable.”
“I must find a way to contact home as soon as possible and obtain help from Bureau 869.”
“Judge……”
Next, Chen Mo looked at his identity card and murmured softly.
He looked at the pimps around him, grinning as they solicited customers; the office workers drunk out of their minds; the girls in sailor uniforms with hollow eyes……
Then he activated his ability, and suddenly, something different appeared in his vision.
He saw faint black qi entwining around certain people.
“Sin?”
Chen Mo muttered quietly, then merged into the bustling crowd, his figure quickly disappearing.
……
Neon Metropolis, Chiyoda District, Hie Shrine.
This ancient shrine sat in a corner of the bustling city, surrounded by lush old trees. The vermilion torii gates were like a barrier, isolating it from worldly dust.
On the stone steps deep in the night, cherry blossom petals lay scattered.
Tsuchimikado Rin wore a red-and-white shrine maiden outfit, holding a bamboo broom, quietly sweeping fallen leaves along the approach path.
She had long, straight black hair like a waterfall, fair and bright skin, and eyes that were clear yet carried a deathly stillness unfitting for her age.
As the sole heir of the Tsuchimikado family of this generation, she had been strictly trained since childhood.
But only she herself knew that what this surname brought her was not glory, but heavy shackles.
No childhood, no friends—only endless etiquette training and tedious scripture recitation.
And the family’s decline, her father’s alcoholism, and the sticky, nauseating looks those politicians and wealthy businessmen cast at her all made her feel suffocated.
“If you’re not obedient, the shrine’s land will be taken away, Rin-chan.”
Yesterday, that obese councilor had said this while his hand had been anything but well-behaved, trying to touch her face.
“Rin, once you finish sweeping, go to the rear hall. The family head has honored guests tonight and needs you to attend them.”
Suddenly, an older priest came over and coldly tossed out those words.
“Yes.”
Tsuchimikado Rin slightly bent forward, her voice gentle and compliant.
Only after the priest had gone far away did she straighten her back and look at the rain-soaked stone path.
Within her field of vision, a line of pale golden text was shining.
【Welcome to ‘Game of Gods’】
【Matching player identity and faction】
【Identity match complete】
【Faction match complete】
【Player: Tsuchimikado Rin】
【Identity: Shrine Maiden】
【Faction: Shadow】
【A mortal vessel can bear divine radiance; dance amid the kagura melodies】
She extended her slender fingers and caught a drifting red maple leaf.
With a slight movement of her fingertips, that maple leaf instantly became hard as iron, its edges sharp as a blade.
“Gods……”
For the first time, ripples appeared in the girl’s dead eyes.
It was a madness and longing suppressed for eighteen years.
“Gods, have you finally heard Rin’s prayers?”
She looked at the retreating back of that priest, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly, revealing a smile that was exceedingly pure—yet spine-chilling.
“Then, let’s first use this rotten family as the sacrificial banner.”
“And then cleanse this disgusting world completely.”
As Rin’s words fell, a wind suddenly rose.
The ema plaques in the shrine collided wildly in the wind, producing crackling sounds, as if countless ghosts were clapping and cheering.