I write obituaries for the gods.

Chapter 11 The Noon of the Assassin God

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the live broadcast of the Optimus Prime Awards Ceremony! I'm your host, Jason!"

"It's 15:28 PM now, and as you can see, the scene is packed with people. But the weather isn't cooperating. They said it would just drizzle and then clear up, but why is it still raining?"

"However, no amount of rain can dampen the enthusiasm of the fans at the scene! Let's turn the camera over here—"

"..."

Lin Chen parked his electric scooter on the outskirts of the square and then began to walk through the crowd.

The entire Iron Corner Plaza was packed with people, with fans holding up large banners and light boards with various messages of support for the team.

"Qing Xiaotian is mighty and domineering! Qing Xiaotian is cool and arrogant!"

"Look at those abs! Look at those abs!"

"Supporting the collapsing edifice, turning the tide in a desperate situation—that's what it means to be a pillar of strength!"

"..."

Lin Chen walked through the frenzied atmosphere, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

The music was very loud, and the trailer for Qingtian's new movie "Turning the Tide" was playing on the main stage.

"Ha, they all say my fists aren't hard enough... but justice will ultimately prevail over evil!"

As Lin Chen strolled through the white mist, he felt the surrounding sounds gradually fade away.

He recalled his carefree student days, when he and his roommates would watch the movies starring the demigods, following their efforts to solve one sudden and unusual disaster after another and maintain world peace.

On the nights Lin Chen helped Huihui with her homework, the little girl recommended a whole bunch of entertainment works about Qingtian.

There are movies, games, and even novels.

These works portray a resilient and powerful superhero who can go anywhere, and is righteous and awe-inspiring.

Lin Chen has passed the age of idolizing heroes, but in his subconscious, demigods are beings who bear heavy responsibilities and are the embodiment of order, shaped from childhood.

Qingtian is merely a microcosm of a demigod.

If he is so hypocritical, what about the other demigods?

As Lin Chen walked among the crowd, he felt his hands trembling slightly.

He suddenly realized that killing Qingtian might not solve the problem; the rain in Yudu was too heavy, and even the brief clearing couldn't take away the dampness.

But Lin Chen knew he had to do something.

From a personal perspective, he must eliminate Optimus Prime in order to disrupt the Foundation's operations.

From a broader perspective, someone always has to step forward and unveil the false gods.

There will always be successors...

For some reason, Lin Chen thought of Jiang Zhengge and Li Zhanyi.

The people from the Bureau of Investigation seem to be trying to deal with the demigods as well; perhaps they will be able to complete the subsequent tasks.

As for Lin Chen...

He only holds one card in his hand that can rival the foundation: "Mirage City".

That city gave Lin Chen the means to resist the demigods.

"But to be honest, I don't even know what the purpose of the 'Mirage City' is."

Lin Chen chuckled self-deprecatingly: For a nobody like him, even the hope of resistance was given by an unknown entity.

The hopes placed upon it are just like the name "City of Mirages".

It's like a mirage, ethereal and unreal.

"..."

As Lin Chen walked, he suddenly realized that everything around him was blurry. The outline of the city was soaked by the rain, and the colors dissolved and eventually turned into a thick white liquid that flowed down.

And within that pure white expanse, only one thing is clear:

That was a god descending from the sky—

"boom!"

As Qingtian landed in the very center of the main stage, the entire Iron Point Plaza greeted him with a grand cheer the moment he raised his head.

"Sky-high! Sky-high! Sky-high!"

Amidst the overwhelming cheers, Qingtian spread his arms wide, revealing a wild and arrogant smile on the lower half of his face.

He waved in all directions, his strong and imposing body circling the stage, each step exuding an earth-shaking momentum.

"Optimus Prime! A Gamma-level demigod from the Foundation! His personal film grossed 45 billion! He has played a major role in numerous major anti-anomaly operations!"

"During the Iron Horn Bridge disaster, Optimus Prime stepped forward, not only saving a large number of civilians who were about to fall into the sea, but also using his body as a load-bearing pillar to temporarily stabilize the bridge structure, giving the rescue team time to repair the bridge and prevent further collapse!"

"Therefore, the Yudu City Government has decided to award Qingtian the 'Disaster Hero Medal'!"

"Let's cheer for Optimus Prime!"

"..."

In a high-floor room of the hotel, Li Zhanyi watched the awards ceremony below, gently rubbing his temples.

Jiang Zhengge noticed her unusual behavior and frowned:

"Zhanyi, did you see anything?"

"Something's not right... I can't see clearly." Li Zhanyi shook his head slightly.

"Can't see clearly?" Louis frowned. "I don't recall ever seeing this before. Your 'predictions' are always very accurate."

"Logically, that's how it should be..."

Li Zhanyi rubbed her temples again. In her eyes, the square below was filled with chaotic lines that intersected but could never be unified.

"There is one factor, a factor that I cannot observe," Li Zhanyi said softly.

"Factors you can't observe?" Jiang Zhengge's expression finally turned serious. "That's interesting..."

"..."

After a long and arduous journey, Lin Chen finally managed to squeeze past a few enthusiastic fans and arrive at the blockade.

From afar, he watched as Qingtian received the medal from a staff member in a black suit and held it high.

"Thank you to the city government of Yudu for this honor," he said loudly in a booming voice. "As a member of the foundation, we have always been committed to protecting the peace of Yudu. It is our duty and my heartfelt wish to hold up an umbrella for everyone in this rainy city..."

Qingtian pinned the medal to his chest, slowly walked off the stage, and smiled as he approached the crowd.

"I love you all," he shouted. "You are the true protagonists of Rain City, and protecting you is merely my duty as a public servant!"

The crowd cheered, raising their hands and chanting Qingtian's name like believers worshipping a god.

Qingtian walked to the blockade line, paused briefly, and listened to the voice in his earpiece:

"At three o'clock, the little girl, take the flowers from her hand."

Qingtian turned his head and saw a little girl being lifted up by the crowd. In her hands she held a bouquet of roses, which shone like flames in the rain.

Qingtian stepped forward, extended his large hand, and accepted the rose amidst cheers.

"I saved a girl as lovely as you by the bridge!" Qingtian shouted with a laugh. "Child, she is the tomorrow of Rain City, the future of humanity!"

The flashbulbs started flashing as reporters began capturing this divine scene: a deity receiving a flower from a young girl in the pouring rain.

This image reminds people of the day the bridge collapsed, when Skyscraper saved a girl who had fallen into the sea.

They had forgotten the girl's name, but to them, she was just a symbol, a sign.

"..."

Through the rain, Lin Chen gazed at the crowd's adoration for Qingtian, silently tightening his mask.

He took a deep breath and began to approach Qingtian.

......