Chapter 34

The locust swarm pressed down on the borders.

The brownish-yellow insect cloud blotted out the light of the sky, like a sandstorm swept up from the ends of the great earth.

Wherever they passed, the sky dimmed, and the great earth lost its color.

Cecrops stood on the city walls, his serpent's tail coiled restlessly.

The numbers were simply too many!

He didn't know if their preparations would be enough.

Within Athens.

Fu Li directed the citizens as they pulled the equipment forged by Hephaestus.

This was based on the theories Fu Li had provided, then forged by Hephaestus.

The top had an enormous net pouch. The refined iron curtain was spread open. The body of the equipment had many spraying devices.

The equipment was pushed near the farmlands, unfolding the defensive lines.

Dionysus sprinkled his precious wine in a circle around the outer perimeter of the farmlands.

His wine had a bewitching, alluring sweetness. Although it wasn't clear whether locusts could be attracted,

once attracted, the flying swarm would have to land. Seizing that opportunity to deal with them would absolutely be easier than when they were airborne.

What was more, the alcohol could be ignited by the God of Fire's released divine power.

In addition to this, pits large and small had been dug.

Artemis took some of the residents skilled at hunting and urgently went hunting.

They couldn't put all their eggs in one basket.

The remaining residents in the city, even the children, held net pouches in their hands.

Ares paced back and forth somewhat agitatedly, making Zeus annoyed.

When had they ever faced such an enemy?

All their divine power was unusable.

They could only use physical methods to drive them away.

"Hey, I'm saying, can't we just burn something pungent and smoke those bugs out?"

Ares scratched his short red hair.

This was a method his followers had told him.

"It won't have much effect."

Fu Li tried hard to recall knowledge he had once seen.

Once locusts took flight and became a plague, they were very hard to interfere with.

"Tsk. Damned bugs!"

Ares was even more agitated.

The sharp sword in his hand transformed into an enormous net pouch.

Although he had a muscle brain, he wasn't completely without a brain.

Fu Li gazed at the insect swarm in the distance.

They had already flown into Athenian territory.

The very front edge of the insect cloud scraped across the lush olive groves like a razor.

In merely the span of a few breaths, the originally verdant tree canopies became mottled.

The tender leaves were gnawed away completely, leaving only bare branches trembling in the wind.

This speed was too fast!

Fu Li's heart jolted in alarm. The feeling of truly witnessing it with his own eyes was completely different. He subconsciously turned back to look at the equipment.

Time was far too tight. The equipment Hephaestus had forged could only bring most of the farmlands within the protective range.

As for how much could be defended, it was all unknown.

At this speed, it wouldn't be long before the locust swarm reached the most fertile plains of the city-state.

That was where the vast majority of Athens's wheat fields and vegetable plots were this year!

"Apollo!" Fu Li suddenly turned his head. "Can your arrows slow them down? You don't need to eliminate them. Just make them slow down!"

Could drastic changes in light affect the insect swarm?!

Apollo didn't answer. He responded directly with action.

He released Fu Li, retreated three steps, drew his bow, and nocked an arrow.

A dazzling radiance left the bowstring and exploded in the sky into myriad points of light, like a small flashbang erupting before the insect cloud.

The locust swarm stirred for an instant.

The intense light interfered with their flight direction.

The locusts in the front rows fell into chaos, crashing into each other. Their speed slowed slightly.

Before they could even feel happy, the insect swarm recovered once more.

The effect was limited.

Fu Li bit his lip.

The insect swarm was too massive.

"Not enough!" Athena immediately frowned. She judged, "Apollo, your light can only throw the swarm into chaos for a moment."

"Then let's add a little more."

Apollo furrowed his brows.

But just as they were speaking.

The locusts flew in.

"The bugs are here——!"

The citizens madly swung the net pouches in their hands. Every swing brought a bountiful harvest.

One step further for these bugs and it would be their fields!

They couldn't allow it!

Just as the worst-case projection had foretold, the main force of the locusts continuously pressed closer to the farmlands.

Their mouthparts vibrated. The craving for food spurred them on without any scruples.

"It's time!"

Fu Li and Apollo shouted.

Together, they went to one of the pieces of equipment. The other people also activated the equipment according to their previous instructions.

The equipment emitted a muffled hum. The enormous net pouches suddenly opened upward, forming barrier after barrier of interwoven ropes.

The mesh was fine and dense. The spraying devices activated at full force.

The insecticide Fu Li had led the farmers in brewing day and night turned into a murky rain of mist, splashing head-on toward the insect swarm!

The medicinal mist touched the vanguard of the insect swarm, instantly causing enormous chaos.

The locusts directly struck by the liquid tilted and plummeted like drunkards, struggling as they fell into the trenches that had long been dug below.

Dionysus seized the right moment. The wine was poured into the earthen pits along with them.

The God of Fire, with quick eyes and swift hands, tossed a flame in.

The flames blazed up with a roar, igniting the locusts in the trenches.

"Smells so good..."

Ares muttered.

One more swing of the net pouch caught quite a few more locusts.

The aroma of roasting protein enticed the gluttons among the people present.

Everyone exchanged a glance for a second.

There was actually food with such a wonderful flavor!

How could it not count as winter reserves?

The children received instructions from the adults and jogged home. Very quickly, they returned with burlap sacks.

The locusts caught by the net pouches were all stuffed into the burlap sacks.

"Good heavens!"

Hermes was dumbstruck.

The moment he turned his head, he discovered his good brother Ares directly eating locusts raw.

Hermes: ...

This brother couldn't be kept anymore.

Ares frowned and spat a few times.

Didn't taste good!

This stuff only smelled good!

After witnessing Ares's food channel, everyone involuntarily stepped several paces away from him.

Zeus's eyes were complex.

Ares, so you had pica.

Apollo wished he hadn't seen it.

He watched with his own eyes as the bug burst with juice. He only felt his mysophobia act up.

Fu Li, because he was a mortal, escaped watching a god swallow a bug in high definition and kept his own appetite.

The God of Wine, who loved to watch the world burn, exchanged a few words with the God of Fire.

Under the God of Fire's expression that said "city folks really know how to play," he conjured a bunch of wooden skewers and casually skewered a bunch through the insect swarm.

A skewer of locusts, perfectly arranged.

Hephaestus roasted them with flames.

The familiar fragrance of bursting, roasting protein wafted out.

Ares's eyes lit up. The God of Wine handed him the skewer.

"Truly fragrant! Thanks, Dionysus. You're a really great god!"

Ares tasted the delicacy amidst the insect swarm.

"This tastes great!"

Ares felt he now had strength.

He was going to eat all of these locusts!

"Hephaestus, help me out. I want to fix up some locusts to eat."

Ares gave a hearty laugh.

The locusts in the net pouch were still constantly wriggling.

Hephaestus: ...

Ares truly was the God of War.

He was in awe.

The God of Fire lent him a flame, as he pleased.

And so Ares began catching them on one hand and blasting fire on the other.

For a moment, he was actually the most efficient among the gods.

Witnessing this, Zeus felt he had lost all face.

Hermes also fell silent.

Athena sank into contemplation.

Dionysus was laughing uproariously, then accidentally ate a locust, bent over, and dug at his mouth, wanting to vomit.

The honest god Hephaestus, sandwiched between his two brothers, was very bewildered.

Apollo only wanted to explain to Fu Li that he and Ares were not the same species.

Fu Li was currently pondering the feasibility of barbecue locust.

The Athenian citizens' perception of the God of War was refreshed.

As expected of the God of War. Truly fierce and valiant.

Fu Li came back to his senses.

This struggle against the locust plague had only just begun.

The medicinal mist, the flames, and the locusts Ares had eaten were nothing but the vanguard of the main force.

More locusts passed unhindered through the thinning smoke, utterly indifferent to the deaths of their companions.

Their compound eyes reflected the enticing wheat waves below. Their dense mouthparts opened and closed, emitting an even louder "rustling" sound.

The net pouches quickly became overburdened.

Countless locusts crashed into the nets, stuck to them, madly tearing at the ropes with their sharp mouthparts and barbed legs.

The locusts behind trampled over the corpses of their own kind and continued to surge forward.

Very soon, several of the net pouches let out ominous groans. The ropes snapped.

Hephaestus flashed to the side of the equipment and swiftly repaired it.

Fu Li looked at the still terrifying insect swarm.

This wouldn't do. At this rate, sooner or later the crops would be eaten bare.

He rapidly thought of the treatment methods available in the modern world.

Eliminating those that relied on scientific technology,

the one most likely to succeed was borrowing the power of nature!

"King of Gods, can you send down a rainstorm? The larger the area, the better. The fiercer the rain, the better!"

Zeus raised an eyebrow. "A rainstorm? Mortal, do you know that this requires—"

"A rainstorm can beat down the flying locusts. The rain will make their wings heavy, unable to fly!"

Fu Li poured out all his knowledge. He no longer had the presence of mind to hear Zeus's words clearly. His ears were filled with the hum of insects.

"If possible, please bring low temperatures along with it. A sudden drop in temperature will make them sluggish, even stiff!"

A flicker of surprise passed through Zeus's eyes, which then turned into appreciation.

This mortal's wisdom was not weak.

He didn't dislike sages.

"Hermes, notify Boreas, the North Wind God, to bring a cold current from the far north. Notus, the South Wind God, have him cooperate with me to bring rain, then immediately reverse the wind direction and assist the North Wind God."

"At your command, Father God!"

Hermes disappeared in a flash of silver light.

Zeus raised his scepter high. Dark clouds began to gather in the sky.

This was a storm cloud personally summoned by the King of Gods.

Lightning streaked through the clouds. The rumbling thunder drowned out the beating of the locusts' wings.

"The range needs to cover the entire Athenian plain." Fu Li added.

"Clever little one."

Zeus grinned. His scepter swung down.

Notus gazed down from the distant edge of the clouds. He and the cloud nymphs worked together.

The rainstorm rapidly took shape.

With their help, the storm arrived.

The first bolt of lightning split the sky. Immediately after, the rainstorm poured down as if the celestial river was overflowing.

Raindrops the size of beans pelted the ground, splashing up a mist of water.

The rain curtain was so dense one could barely see ten steps ahead.

The children were taken to shelter from the rain. Only the adults remained, still catching insects.

The insect cloud charged into the rain zone.

The effect was immediate.

The locusts were struck head-on by the raindrops.

Their wings were quickly soaked and became unbearably heavy.

Swathes of locusts plummeted from the sky like dumplings, struggling on the muddy ground.

They still refused to give up. At this moment, the north wind arrived.

The wind carried a bone-chilling cold.

The warmth of late summer and early autumn rapidly receded. The air turned crisp and cold.

The raindrops falling on the body could already feel ice-cold.

The locusts that had fallen to the ground thrashed in the muddy water. Their movements slowed.

The low temperature slowed their metabolism. Their agile, segmented legs became stiff.

"It's working."

Fu Li's eyes lit up.

"Not enough." Apollo squeezed Fu Li's fingers, pulling him back from blind joy. "The rainstorm and low temperature can only temporarily rob them of their ability to fly. When the rain stops and the temperature rises, they'll still crawl toward the farmlands."

Fu Li blinked. "Then we can let the experts come in and clean them up."

Apollo: "Such as?"

"Animals that feed on insects!"

This was Greece, where even gods existed.

With gods present, any animal could be an expert in prevention and control.

"That would absolutely have to be fighting cocks."

Ares walked over, hugging a large rooster.

The large rooster's eyes were sharp and fierce. One look and you could tell it was a battle-hardened fine cock.

"Lord Ares...?"

Since when were you hugging the rooster that symbolizes victory in your arms?!

"Go. Show them. What it means to be the God of War and his cock." Ares set it down.

The large rooster began to eat with an imposing, aggressive air.

Ares's followers ran over, panting. Each of them had a fighting cock in hand.

The large roosters joined the battlefield.

But this was far from enough.

"Apollo, can you get the birds to come and eat the bugs together?"

Fu Li looked at Apollo expectantly.

Apollo raised an eyebrow smugly.

"Naturally."

He let out a whistle.

A flock of swans suddenly flew out from the forest. They called out.

There's food! Come quickly——!

Thousands upon thousands of birds answered the call. They charged into the rain curtain and pounced on the locusts struggling in the mud.

If they didn't eat now, who knew when there'd be this much food again!

The birds ate and pooped at the same time. They mainly targeted the locusts exposed in the open areas.

The locusts sensed their situation was dire.

One after another, they burrowed into narrow, cramped places.

At this moment, someone realized their own domestic ducks could also come and eat.

They could even save quite a bit of feed!

Very soon, the duck army also made their entrance.

The Athenian citizens followed suit. If they weren't holding ducks, they were holding geese.

The fighting cocks were still the fiercest.

"Let them loose in the eastern clearing! Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

"Let the ducks in! Ducks aren't afraid of water!"

"Chase the chickens into the underbrush!"

The poultry pecked excitedly. Driven by instinct, they, along with the flock of birds, ignored the gradually ceasing heavy rain.

What was a little rain compared to the importance of eating!

They continuously caught the hidden locusts. One after another entered their bellies and became a fine meal.

"Eat! Eat with all your might!" An old farmer waved his straw hat and shouted excitedly, "Eat more! Today, you eat your fill!"

How many silver coins would this save!

The Athenian citizens who held this thought revealed sincere, heartfelt smiles.

The locusts met with utter catastrophe.

In the sky, the bird flocks swept through. On the ground, the domestic fowl encircled and annihilated them.

Zeus slowly lowered his scepter. The dark clouds in the sky dispersed, revealing a corner of the crimson evening glow.

The North Wind God reduced the intensity of the cold current. The temperature began to slowly rise again.

The battlefield gradually quieted down.

The plain was covered in a thick layer of locust corpses.

The bird flocks began to disperse. They had eaten until their bellies were round and returned to the mountain forests with satisfaction.

The domestic fowl were also called back by their owners.

Many chickens, ducks, and geese waddled and swayed as they walked.

The crops had been preserved for the most part.

Athens surviving the winter wouldn't be a problem now.

Fu Li breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the outcome was good, that was enough.

He was utterly exhausted.

His nerves had been taut the entire time.

The insect plague had been overcome.

Athena stepped forward. "Thank you, everyone, for your efforts on behalf of Athens. Please, you absolutely must attend Athens's victory banquet."

Night descended.

When Artemis returned with the hunting party, she saw the mess all over the ground and the relaxed smiles on everyone's faces and immediately understood they had held out.

This fresh meat became the main course of the feast.

Countless bonfires were lit in the square. The aroma of roasting meat permeated the air.

Zeus sat high in the main seat, accepting the toasts and praises of his subjects, in an excellent mood.

What the King of Gods liked most was this kind of scene.

He had presided over a great salvation. He was the savior in the eyes of his subjects.

Zeus swept his gaze over the crowd and finally settled on Fu Li, who was drinking with Apollo.

For once, he did not monopolize all the credit.

The other gods also each found their own enjoyment.

Ares competed with others in drinking and boasted about how many locusts he had caught in his net today, and how many he had eaten along the way.

Hephaestus was surrounded by craftsmen, discussing improvement plans for the equipment.

The God of Wine was already dead drunk and unconscious.

Hermes shuttled between the various wine tables, collecting the latest gossip.

Ah. A god really did need to hear a bit of this to get by.

Athena and Cecrops discussed the post-disaster grain allocation plan in a low voice in the corner.

Artemis leaned against a pillar, quietly drinking, watching the lively crowd.

Apollo and Fu Li sat in a slightly out-of-the-way corner.

"Tired?"

Apollo asked softly.

His fingers gently combed through Fu Li's half-dry golden-red hair.

"A little." Fu Li leaned against his shoulder. The exhaustion washed over him belatedly. "How much did we save?"

"Seventy percent." Apollo reported the number. "Athena just finished tallying. The outer farmlands suffered heavier losses. The core areas are all normal. Counting the reserve grain, no one in Athens will starve to death."

Fu Li breathed a sigh of relief. That was truly wonderful.

"As long as we get through the winter, we can recover next year."

Apollo leaned close to Fu Li, his voice low:

"After the banquet ends, we'll go home. This time, no one will disturb us."

The banquet went on deep into the night.

Apollo quietly sneaked away with Fu Li.

The moonlight was just right, spilling over the Athenian plain that had survived the calamity.

In the distant farmlands, the surviving crops swayed gently in the night breeze.

Fu Li and Apollo walked home in the evening breeze.

The moment they opened the door,

all the worthies had arrived.

The drunk gods had occupied their home.

Too lazy to return to the Divine Mountain, the gods lay sprawled this way and that.

Apollo felt his sanity burning.

Looking at the gods on his floor, veins throbbed at his forehead.

Why was it that whenever something good was about to happen between him and Fu Li, there was always some god interrupting it!

Zeus barely managed to crack his eyes open. "Apollo, you're back..."

As he spoke, he fell asleep.

Fu Li asked the most practical question.

"Apollo, where are we sleeping tonight?"

Apollo: .

He was going to throw all these meddlesome gods out right this instant!

Apollo's gaze swept over Ares again, who lay sprawled on his back, sleeping without the slightest care for appearances.

Still clutched in his arms was a fighting cock that had fainted.

"The temple."

Apollo scooped up Fu Li. In the blink of an eye, they were back in Apollo's temple.

Fu Li lay on the large, warm bed.

"No one's here."

Apollo lowered his head. His lips brushed and rubbed against the crook of Fu Li's neck.

Fu Li hummed a few times.

Apollo left red marks on his fair skin. Fu Li's breathing grew increasingly steady.

Exhaustion surged over him like a tide.

Ah. He couldn't fall asleep at a time like this...

But his eyelids were fighting each other.

Before his consciousness sank into darkness, he thought dazedly:

Apollo, just go ahead.

He'd sleep for a bit first.

Just as Apollo was about to proceed to the next step, he was amused to find that Fu Li had already entered dreamland.

Today, Fu Li was utterly exhausted.

The priest was caught off guard when summoned by Apollo.

"Help me prepare some clothing."

The priest nodded and withdrew.

Apollo dotingly tapped Fu Li's nose and helped him undo his clothing.

Sleeping like this wouldn't be comfortable.

He was going to collect the next round of interest.

The next day, sunlight streamed through the window and fell upon the faces of the two sleeping intertwined.

Fu Li slowly awoke.

The first thing he felt was a fiery, burning pain on the inner sides of his thighs.

Ah. It was only there?

No, wait!

What was he thinking!

Fu Li blushed and buried his face into Apollo's chest, coincidentally meeting his eyes.

"Awake?"

His voice was hoarse. His tone carried intense dissatisfaction.

"Mm..."

Fu Li said, blushing.

"Sleep a little longer. You were tired last night."

The implication in Apollo's words made Fu Li's gaze drift about.

Fu Li buried himself in the blankets like an ostrich.

Apollo was amused to the point of laughter.

This shy at just this level? If they truly consummated it, would Fu Li's waist even survive?

Imagining the expression Fu Li would show upon learning that,

Apollo felt he seemed to have a reaction.

No. He truly did have a reaction.

Fu Li suddenly widened his eyes.

Something was poking him!

"...Fu Li. I'll just rub a little."

Apollo looked at Fu Li innocently.

The priest brought up breakfast and accidentally became a third wheel.

Fu Li: .

At least check if there's anyone else around!

The priest was also very anxious.

As one of the newly joined priests, the High Priest had sent him to deliver breakfast. How did he end up seeing this?!

Should he pretend not to see?

Very anxious!

The priest, not knowing what to do, decided to make a sound.

"My Lord, breakfast."

Apollo: ...

You could have chosen to set it down and silently leave.

Fu Li poked Apollo with his elbow. Bear with it a little, Lord God of Light.

Apollo: .

A miscalculation. Even in the temple, there were still disturbances.

But, oh well. At least he'd gotten halfway.

Now they had to return to Athens to see what kind of disaster the gods had wreaked upon their little home.

The vast majority of the gods had already woken up.

They rubbed their heads and leaned against each other, indifferent.

Ares's fighting cock was trying hard to escape from the God of War's embrace.

The God of War slept like the dead.

The fighting cock had no choice. It let out the loudest crow in history.

Apollo, walking outside the door, covered Fu Li's ears.

"Ares! Control your cock!"

Hermes casually picked up some small object and threw it at Ares.

When Fu Li pushed open the door, he saw Ares with bleary, drowsy eyes. The large rooster was finally rescued. Without looking back, it charged out the door and never looked back again.

Fu Li clicked his tongue in wonder. Just how long had this fighting cock been trapped by Ares to explode with such force?

"Awake?" Apollo stood beside Fu Li with his arms crossed.

His tone was extremely displeased. Toward the fellows who had occupied their little nest, there was no need to be too easygoing. "If you're awake, then go back to your respective homes. Or is it that the palaces of Olympus can't compare to the comfort of our little mortal dwelling?"

"Ah. How heartless. Use and then discard."

Hermes wiped his face. After a night of revelry, he had little energy. Even his speech was considerably softer than usual.

Of course, compared to his usual self.

"My dear son, it's perfectly normal for your Father God to sleep in your house."

Zeus was more righteous and confident than Hermes.

He was the King of Gods, after all. Sleeping anywhere was normal.

"Ahem. Yesterday, I rejoiced together with all my subjects, went deep among the people, observed their hardships, and was utterly exhausted."

Translated, it meant: Tired. Couldn't be bothered to go back.

As Zeus spoke, his gaze drifted toward the nearly empty wine jars in the corner.

Hephaestus silently retracted his presence.

Let the thick-skinned brothers and the even more shameless Father God bear the brunt of the firepower.

Ares paid Apollo no mind.

His mind was filled with one thought: Where was his cock?!

"Hermes! Did you steal and eat my cock?!"

Ares questioned furiously.

Hermes: ...

Just what kind of reputation did I have in your eyes?!

"You were sleeping like a fool, Ares. Your cock ran away."

Apollo reluctantly spoke up for Hermes.

"My cock abandoned me?!"

Clearly, Ares couldn't accept this outcome even more.

He chose to shut himself away.

In the end, all the gods were chased away by Apollo.

The little home welcomed back its masters.

*

The post-disaster affairs of Athens proceeded in an orderly manner under the charge of Cecrops and Athena.

Citizens who had participated in the fight against the disaster were given commendations and rewards.

Fu Li's name was formally recorded in Athens's book of merits.

He received the compensation he deserved.

The harvest officially began.

The harvested wheat was exceptionally plump. The vegetable garden was filled with all kinds of vegetables. Together, they filled the little house's storage room to the brim, brimming with an abundance that put the mind at ease.

Apollo became busy again.

In the midst of his busyness, he would take time out to help Fu Li with the farming.

The existence of the telepathic link made even the separations less hard to endure.

"Apollo, I want to return to the Underworld ahead of time."

Fu Li said to Apollo, who had just finished his work.

"Mm? The four-month deadline isn't up yet."

Apollo instinctively resisted.

Fu Li: "If I use up all four months of vacation time, I'll miss the New Year."

He didn't want to miss this holiday.

There was something he wanted to give Apollo at that time.

Apollo was silent for an instant and finally nodded.

Charon's ferry boat appeared on time at the shore of the Styx.

The ferryman watched the two walking over hand in hand, smiled knowingly, and didn't ask much.

Midway across the river, Fu Li turned back to look. Apollo's golden figure gradually blurred on the shore.

The pomegranate seed Hades had given was a one-time pass.

When Apollo left the Underworld, it turned to dust.

"Wait for me."

Fu Li mouthed.

What was even more effective was the telepathic link.

Apollo responded to Fu Li with his fervent heart.

After returning to the Underworld, everything went on as usual.

Hades nodded at him, which counted as a greeting.

Thanatos silently handed him a cup of tea, which counted as a welcome back.

Hypnos was the same as ever, yawning while working hard.

The people of the Blissful Fields were even more enthusiastic.

Adonis pounced and gave him a big hug. Orpheus smiled and handed over the recent profits.

The residents surrounded Fu Li and pressed him for stories of the surface world.

When he reached the exciting parts, they cooperated perfectly, letting out exclamations of wonder.

During this time, he once again went to Tartarus.

After listening, Tartarus gave him an affirmative answer.

Only the length of time needed to be met. As for the rest, anything was fine.

When Fu Li once again stepped onto the land of Athens via Charon's ferry boat, the season had already passed from deep autumn into harsh winter.

Apollo was right there on the shore. In his hand, he held a thick white fur cloak.

The moment he saw Fu Li, a radiance even more blazing than sunlight burst from his eyes. He strode forward and wrapped the white fur cloak around Fu Li.

"Cold?"

Apollo used his divine power to warm Fu Li's body.

Fu Li shook his head, hugged him, and dropped a kiss on his lips.

"I'm back!"

"Welcome home."

Apollo and Fu Li held hands.

While Fu Li was away, the little house had been swept perfectly clean.

Winter had arrived. A warm flame burned in the fireplace, driving away the winter chill.

On the wooden table were placed laurel branches, perfectly preserved with divine power.

"This year, let's celebrate the New Year properly."

Apollo wrapped his arms around Fu Li from behind. The memory of the last New Year had grown distant. He wanted to fill his memory with new, beautiful ones.

This New Year, Apollo took the lead.

He began preparing excitedly in advance.

The doorway of the little house was pasted with blessings simply fired from red clay.

Apollo made a special trip back to Delphi. From the temple's offerings, he took some fine honey, olive oil, and rare spices.

Fu Li had tried making some wine from the grapes he'd harvested in autumn. The taste was not bad.

Evening.

A table of incomparably sumptuous dishes was prepared.

In the center were dumplings in the style of Fu Li's homeland. Surrounding them were a whole fish fried golden brown, mutton stewed until tender and soft, various crisp, refreshing vegetables as embellishments, and finally, flatbread supervised by Apollo.

Fu Li brought out the homemade wine. Upon opening the jar, the fragrance surged out.

He poured a little out to taste the fresh brew.

Mm! The taste was very good!

"What a fragrant smell of wine."

This was the voice of the God of Wine.

"My dear son, don't enjoy it all by yourself."

This was the voice of Zeus.

The smile on Apollo's face instantly froze.

A burst of violent noise rang out.

The empty living room was swiftly filled to capacity by gods.

"Apollo, you're eating this well?"

Zeus saw the dishes on the table and raised an eyebrow.

He hadn't come alone this time. Hera, to make sure he wasn't going out on a date, had followed him specially.

"Not bad."

Hera nodded.

"How about some locusts?"

Ares conjured up several skewers of roasted locusts from who knows where.

Hermes pulled the God of Fire along to watch the show.

The mastermind was Zeus. It had nothing to do with him.

The God of Wine drunkenly sniffed at the scent of wine in the air. His appearance made Athena extremely disdainful.

Artemis's expression was helpless.

The gods hadn't come empty-handed.

Zeus was carrying a jar of honey wine. Hera at his side had a peaceful expression. In her hands, she held an exquisite jewelry box.

Hermes darted over the fastest and handed over a small package tied with a silver ribbon. His eyes darted about rapidly:

"It was all Father God's idea. We were forced."

The blame had to be thrown out.

Zeus accepted the big blame.

Hephaestus shyly handed over a cleverly crafted copper hand warmer, engraved with grapevine patterns:

"It'll be useful in this cold weather."

Ares brandished the roasted locust skewers in his hand.

"Here! I roasted them myself. Personally made by the God of War. Incredibly fragrant. I guarantee you've never had them before!"

Ares was full of pride.

"...Ares's latest hobby. Don't take it the wrong way." Zeus wiped his face.

Dionysus directly shoved over two large barrels of red wine of the finest quality. The fragrance of the wine could be smelled even through the wooden barrels.

What Athena gave were copies on clay tablets. They were life experiences she had summarized over time.

Teaching you how to live wisely.

Artemis had hunted down a great deal of game. Fu Li busied himself with processing the fresh meat.

The little house was suddenly bustling with noise and excitement.

Forget it.

Fu Li and Apollo exchanged a glance.

If it was lively, then so be it.

Apollo raised his wine cup and clinked it against Fu Li's, making a crisp sound.

"Happy New Year, Fu Li."

In Apollo's eyes, there was only Fu Li.

The others could go be background props.

"Happy New Year, Apollo."

Fu Li smiled back.

"So sappy."

Hermes ate a bite of food and felt like he himself was a super-sized light source.

Ares was eating voraciously. He looked up once, then quickly lowered his head again.

Athena and Artemis exchanged a glance and also raised their cups to each other.

A rare moment of idleness. Better to savor the present.

Hera was somewhat moved. The warm atmosphere even lessened her grievances toward Zeus.

The New Year passed in lively bustle.

Under Apollo's death glare, the gods returned to the Divine Mountain.

Fu Li caught a handful of snow outside.

He gave the snowman dot eyes and a cartoon mouth, and adorned it with laurel leaves.

The mini Apollo was complete!

"Things in pairs are good."

Apollo also scooped up snow and piled it up. He piled a new snowman next to the mini Apollo. Finishing the final details, the mini Fu Li was born!

"This way, neither will be lonely and alone."

Fu Li looked at Apollo. Apollo curved his lips.

Snowflakes drifted down, swirling in mid-air. Fu Li felt the time was right.

He lightly stepped behind Apollo and placed a laurel crown upon his head.

The laurel crown was Apollo's symbol.

Fu Li thought, Apollo had given him a crown. He also wanted to give Apollo one.

It was truly wonderful.

Meeting each other was truly wonderful.

Apollo froze in place.

He didn't dare move, afraid the laurel crown would fall off.

The laurel crown represented victory.

A victory personally awarded to him by Fu Li. Apollo treasured it very much. "What's wrong? Not moving at all."

Fu Li teased.

Apollo's eyes were bright. "Fu Li, meeting you was truly wonderful."

Fu Li paused briefly. A blush drifted onto his face. "Me too."

"I want to spend year after year together with you."

Apollo said earnestly.

Fu Li shyly said, "We won't be separated."

He still wasn't very good at expressing himself directly.

Apollo wanted eternity.

This thought was incomparably clear in his mind.

He stepped forward a few paces and reached out to brush the stray hairs by Fu Li's ear behind it.

Fu Li looked at him. Their two lips overlapped, glistening with moisture.

Apollo made his decision.

He was going to share his divine essence with Fu Li.

Only in this way could there be eternity.