Chapter 335: Special Existence

The disaster had fully erupted, yet in an unimaginable form. It wasn't an enemy from another world, but a local monarch who had initiated this great extinction. "Weep," he declared calmly, "for there is no right or wrong, only your weakness." He walked silently across the land.

A human kingdom quickly perished, resulting in countless casualties. Though a small border nation, its destruction created a massive ripple effect. It was rumored that "Emperor Black Prison" had sustained minor injuries and was already on his way to the next kingdom.

Panic seized the entire land as blood stained the earth.

"We are doomed! All nations will be destroyed!" people wailed and wept. "Not a single monarch has come forward; they all remain silent!" "We don't want to die!" "Oh, great God we worship!"

Meanwhile, countless followers of the Church of Light cried out, wailing and praying for the great God of Wisdom, Hermes, to save them. This unfolded in Dandis, the City of Holy Light.

The spiral fountain square was surrounded by pale white buildings. In the center, a reconstructed statue of the God of Wisdom stood within the fountain's pool. The statue depicted the God of Wisdom holding a book in one hand, gazing slightly towards the sky, and emanated a faint, soft yellow glow. Nearby, several children played, wielding short grey wooden swords as they acted out a game of kings and heroes. White-robed believers rustled quietly as they moved past.

The fountain surged, and bird-like white doves pecked at the stone ground, preening their clean feathers.

Unseen by anyone, their sole deity, Hermes, sat on the edge of the fountain pool. He quietly held a book, dressed in a snow-white, perfectly tailored, long divine robe, with a delicate white crystal necklace around his neck. The man's beauty was ethereal, more akin to a celestial being than a mortal.

"He's exactly like the scholar, still fond of reading, always with a book," Hu Haihan remarked, seated on a distant park bench in the fountain square.

"Because he was that person all along," replied Meng Mei. Meng Mei sat nearby, occasionally checking the forums. She had found a rhythm, quickly typing and returning, allowing her to communicate efficiently without missing much time.

"He's different now. He possesses wisdom, he's mysterious and profound, making you want to submit to him. When I spoke with him, I felt I understood so much," said Little Fox Hu Haihan, gazing with longing. "He's terrifying, truly terrifying! How can he have such astonishing wisdom? He's constantly deducing and integrating all the knowledge in his mind!"

"Because he *is* the God of Wisdom!" Meng Mei explained softly. "According to the supreme doctrine of the Church of Light, ancient humans were like beasts, initially devoid of the ability to think. It was Hermes, the God of Wisdom, who granted humanity the power of 'thought,' bestowing 'wisdom' upon them. Only then could people think, create civilization, and rise above their bestial state. This enhanced version of Hundred Scholars is now truly complete! The wisdom and thoughts of all beings converge upon him."

Only she truly understood how terrifying this unique being was. The omniscience of Hundred Scholars' mirror image, combined with the wisdom projected onto him by all beings, and an overwhelming amount of incense offerings, all converged. These three elements united to give birth to this extraordinary entity.

In the Potion World, among orcs, humans, and the undead empire, there were only just over sixty million people in total. On average, one in every three individuals was a follower of the Church of Light. Some families had been devoted to the Church of Light for generations, attending church every weekend to pray. He commanded a staggering forty million devout followers! The quality of their faith was three times stronger than that of the people in the Primordial World, equating to the belief of 120 million beings! For all these reasons, he had coalesced into a unique existence.

"He's deducing furiously. Can Emperor Qi, the Heavenly Emperor of ancient times, compare to him?" Hu Haihan exclaimed. "It's said that ancient Emperor Qi was also exceptionally skilled at deduction, learning others' ultimate techniques and even seeing through them at a glance."

Meng Mei considered this seriously, hesitating for a long time. "No, he can't compare. After all, he's not a living being. While his deduction abilities are formidable, he lacks a certain intellectual quality. In other words, he's like a supercomputer formed from the collective thoughts of all beings—excellent at integration, but incapable of pioneering innovation."

The terrifying aspect of that monster, Emperor Qi, wasn't merely his ability to secretly learn; after all, mastering something only makes it similar to the original. What made him truly formidable was that, after learning, he would innovate and surpass the original, then turn around and defeat you with your own improved techniques. This was his truly extraordinary quality.

"Emperor Qi, with his Great Luo Heavenly Scripture, would innovate and integrate comprehensively. While Hermes also integrates knowledge, at most, it's a weakened version of the Great Luo Heavenly Scripture," Meng Mei mused. "Alas, in the end, he's a being without his own inherent logic. Although he's lifelike, can speak, and communicate, he isn't truly human. If he possessed his own thoughts and creativity, his deduction ability—which is comparable to a supercomputer—would undoubtedly rival the true Emperor Qi." His inferiority to Emperor Qi stemmed solely from the fact that he was not a true living being, even though his computational and deduction abilities were entirely comparable. Nevertheless, he remained incredibly formidable.

"Indeed, this is the true God of Wisdom. But my dear apprentice, don't let yourself become infatuated with him," Meng Mei said with a serious expression. "He is a perfect being because he is the God of Wisdom as conceived by all beings. He is the culmination of their expectations, and thus he perfectly aligns with their perception. His logic, wisdom, and speech are all derived from the collective consciousness of humanity."

"But... but I feel like he *is* a real person," Hu Haihan couldn't help but interject.

"He is not a living being," Meng Mei explained, her gaze fixed on Hermes. "A real person's mindset changes with environment, time, and experience; they grow through setbacks. The human heart is unfathomable, but he is different. He is the perfect existence as imagined by all beings; he will never disappoint them."

"But I think such a being is what a *true* living being should be," Hu Haihan countered after a moment's thought. "He lacks human depravity; he is a wholesome existence beyond human comprehension. All the beautiful ideals and fantasies of humanity converge within him. Who could possibly dislike such a man?"

Meng Mei paused, then patted her head and chuckled, "Who knows? But we're still the trio from back then. Hundred Scholars is still the bookworm, just in a different guise!"

Suddenly, Meng Mei sensed something and looked towards Hermes. "They've arrived," she murmured.

Hermes nodded, set down his book, stood, and vanished from his spot, calmly stating, "My people, all who believe in me shall be spared from this peril. I shall go meet Emperor Black Prison Birke." As a being born from concentrated incense, he naturally flowed swiftly toward a certain location, following the earth's ley lines.