Gamble

After Wang Bert transformed, Annie and the other two Avenging Angels let out soft cries at the same time. Dazzling white flames lit up around them, and with a swish, a pair of huge white wings sprang out from each of their backs.

That was not all. As the flames flickered, their office uniforms rapidly vanished, replaced by exquisite armor, armored skirts, high-heeled combat boots, bracers, and three different weapons.

Golden hair, snow-white wings, silver-white armor, and holy flames—the three Avenging Angels looked as heroic and valiant as could be.

Even Michelle, renowned as the most beautiful, felt somewhat inferior at that moment. Remembering how she had looked down on them before, Michelle wanted nothing more than to crawl into a crack in the ground.

"They’re… angels?"

Only then did Michelle notice Annie and the others’ wings, and she was stunned—Sovereign mythology had angels. Their naming the Artificial Gods Adam and Eve had not been a mere coincidence.

Sensing the immense pressure from the other side of the portal, all twelve Elders of the Universe secretly swallowed. Quite a few of them glared fiercely at the Grandmaster. Look at the mess you caused.

The Grandmaster was both angry and aggrieved. I only wanted to gamble with him. How was I supposed to know that guy was such a lunatic?

Once the transformation was complete, Wang Bert was about to lead the three Avenging Angels through the portal when the Astronomer, an Elder of the Universe with white hair, a white beard, and an immortal air about him, said, "Blood God, don’t misunderstand. We didn’t come here to start a war with you."

"Whether I want to or not, I have to gamble with you. If that isn’t starting a war, what is?"

Wang Bert sneered. "Who do you think I am? And who do you think you are?"

The Elders of the Universe looked somewhat embarrassed. The stern-faced Law Enforcer turned to the Grandmaster and said, "Grandmaster, apologize."

"Apologize to that brat? Whose side are you people on?"

The Grandmaster shouted angrily, "That bastard destroyed my arena."

The Runner, whose legs were incredibly thick, said coldly, "You have two choices. Either apologize to the Blood God now, or we leave and you apologize to the Blood God alone."

The Grandmaster glared at the Runner, only to discover that all the other Elders of the Universe shared the same view. He curled his lips in displeasure.

"I’m doing this for your sake."

The Grandmaster snorted and shouted reluctantly at Wang Bert, "Blood God, I’m sorry. My attitude just now was inappropriate."

Wang Bert ignored the Grandmaster and asked the other Elders of the Universe, "What exactly do you mean?"

"Our goal is to protect the universe. There’s no need for conflict."

The Astronomer said, "Blood God, let’s make a wager and settle all our grudges. Don’t be angry. Whether you accept this wager is entirely up to you. That fool, the Grandmaster, doesn’t really mean any harm. He simply likes gambling too much."

The Grandmaster curled his lips unhappily but did not deny it. As mentioned before, every Elder had a special hobby to help pass the endless years. For example, the Runner liked running, while the Collector liked collecting.

As for the Grandmaster, he loved gambling. He was practically the universe’s oldest gambling addict.

Wang Bert thought for a moment, then withdrew the spatial glow around him and asked, "What are we betting on? And what are the stakes?"

The Astronomer said, "Whether you can protect Sovereign for three months."

High Priestess Ayesha, who had hurried over, asked in dissatisfaction, "What does your conflict have to do with our Sovereign?"

"Your Sovereign intends to create gods, and we Elders of the Universe cannot allow that. This wager is the perfect opportunity to settle the matter."

The Astronomer glanced at High Priestess Ayesha and said, "Blood God, Eve is in your hands. This matter already concerns you."

High Priestess Ayesha turned to Wang Bert in shock and fury. "Blood God, you stole Eve from our Sovereign?"

"Wrong. Eve is a trophy I obtained from the Collector."

Wang Bert snorted. "What are the stakes?"

"If you win, the Elders of the Universe will never trouble you again."

The Astronomer said, "If you lose, hand over Tivan and one Infinity Stone. No single place may hold more than three Infinity Stones."

"Don’t you think that’s extremely unfair to me?"

Wang Bert sneered. "I’ve never been afraid of you coming after me. At worst, I’ll spend some time slaughtering every last one of you."

The Grandmaster shouted in dissatisfaction, "Blood God, don’t get too arrogant. Forget whether you can kill us or not—even if you can, Earth will be destroyed by us."

"So what? At worst, I’ll use the Time Stone to reverse time."

Wang Bert said, "Or I’ll gather all the Infinity Stones and resurrect Earth."

The Astronomer frowned and asked, "Blood God, what do you want?"

"If you lose, the Elders of the Universe will act for me three times without conditions."

Wang Bert said, "Without conditions. Even if I ask you to deal with a Creator God, you will have to act."

The Astronomer was stunned. "A Creator God? Blood God, what are you worried about?"

"Are you taking the bet or not? The stakes are fair now."

Wang Bert said. Before the Astronomer could answer, the Grandmaster shouted loudly, "Bet! Why wouldn’t we? Blood God, this time, I’ll definitely make you regret it."

The Elders of the Universe looked at the Grandmaster speechlessly. This guy really was an old gambling addict.

The Astronomer sighed and said, "Then let us wager. However, if we encounter a situation where death is certain, we have the right to retreat."

"Fine."

Wang Bert nodded and agreed, making the wager with the Elders of the Universe. High Priestess Ayesha grew even more dissatisfied and shouted, "What right do you have to use our Sovereign as a wager?"

The Elders of the Universe and Wang Bert both gave High Priestess Ayesha disdainful looks. What right? Because we are stronger than you. Isn’t that enough? "Three months. The clock starts now."

Wang Bert looked at the Elders of the Universe and raised a hand. Below, a female drunkard who kept pouring liquor into her mouth flew toward the portal.

The Grandmaster shouted angrily, "Blood God, what do you mean by this?"

"Isn’t it only natural to bring back some local specialties when you go out? Grandmaster, don’t be so stingy."

Wang Bert said indifferently. Once the female drunkard flew through the portal, he waved his hand, and the portal swiftly vanished.

"Bastard!"

The Grandmaster cursed through gritted teeth. That bastard had not only razed his arena to the ground, but had also stolen Scavenger 142 from him. He was going too far.

"Stop yelling. We cannot lose this wager."

The Astronomer said, "If we lose, we may have to face a Creator God in the future."

The Elders of the Universe all looked grim. The Grandmaster said arrogantly, "We won’t lose. When it comes to gambling, if I, the Grandmaster, call myself second, no one would dare call themselves first."

"You just gamble a lot. It doesn’t mean you win every time."

The Architect said, "Enough nonsense. Start moving already. Three months isn’t much time. Astronomer, what do we do next?"

"First, we’ll go to Hell and help an unlucky Demon King regain his intelligence. To be honest, that guy has suffered so badly that even I can barely stand to watch."

The Astronomer shook his head. "The Blood God really is exceptionally underhanded."

"Hell? That’s a fine place."

The Grandmaster’s eyes flashed. Looking at his arena, which had almost been flattened, he gritted his teeth. The Blood God had to pay the price.

On Sovereign, countless spaceships surrounded Wang Bert’s group of four. At the same time, High Priestess Ayesha led Michelle far off to the side.

Annie and the other two Avenging Angels sneered. These rabble did not even require their master to act; they could destroy everything themselves.

Wang Bert ignored the Sovereign. Looking at the drunkard on the ground, he covered his nose and said, "The smell on you is truly unbearable."

"I didn’t ask you to smell me."

The female drunkard—Valkyrie—belched and replied carelessly. Then her nose twitched. She abruptly raised her head to stare at Wang Bert and asked, "Wait, why do you have Hela’s scent on you?"

"Let someone else explain it to you."

Wang Bert could not be bothered to waste words on the female drunkard. With a wave of his hand, a portal enveloped her and carried her back to Earth.

On Earth, at a Stinky Tofu Shop near Blood God Manor, Valkyrie shook her somewhat dizzy head and warily surveyed her surroundings. She spotted a white-bearded old man walking toward her with something in his hand.

Valkyrie reached toward her waist while looking at the old man. The moment she did, she froze in shock, her mouth unable to close.

The one walking toward Valkyrie was Odin. But he was not the majestic Odin from her memories. He was a kindly Odin dressed in a tank top, shorts, and slippers, looking like a rustic old man.

To be honest, Valkyrie had never seen Odin like this before. She was beginning to wonder whether she was dreaming.

Looking at this last surviving Valkyrie, Odin sighed and sincerely apologized, "I never expected you to still be alive. I wronged all of you back then."

"Huh?"

Valkyrie was even more dumbfounded. Odin was apologizing to her? Was the end of the world coming? Shouldn’t Odin be killing her to silence her?

Valkyrie’s expression made Odin somewhat awkward. He raised the skewer of stinky tofu in his hand and asked, "Want some stinky tofu? I fried it myself. It tastes quite good."

"I really am dreaming."

Odin’s words made Valkyrie fully understand her situation. She picked up her wine bottle, infused it with divine power, then smashed herself unconscious with it.

Such a boring, nonsensical dream was not worth having.

Odin was speechless. He sighed, hoping Hela had not destroyed the Valkyries’ souls. Otherwise, his debt would only grow larger.

On Sovereign, Wang Bert looked at the army of spaceships surrounding him and sneered, "High Priestess Ayesha, it seems I need to take back my assessment of you. Is your brain full of water?"

High Priestess Ayesha roared, "Blood God, cancel this wager, and return Eve to us."

Wang Bert reached out through the air, and High Priestess Ayesha flew helplessly to his side, where he seized her tightly by the throat.

High Priestess Ayesha looked at Wang Bert in terror and pain, filled with regret. I shouldn’t have come here personally. My life is far too precious.

"Blood God, release the High Priest."

Michelle shouted in shock and fury, while every spaceship simultaneously aimed its cannons at Wang Bert.

Wang Bert clenched his hand, and all the spaceships in the sky were crushed flat. Then he released his grip, and every spaceship fell from the sky, slamming into the ground with loud booms and leaving crater after crater.

Wang Bert said coldly, "Do not test my patience. Otherwise, Sovereign will perish today."

High Priestess Ayesha and Michelle both looked terrified. The Blood God’s power far exceeded their imagination.

He truly could destroy this planet.

Wang Bert threw High Priestess Ayesha to the ground and asked, "Are you clear-headed now? Whether Sovereign lives or dies is entirely up to me."

High Priestess Ayesha roared unwillingly, "Blood God, what right do you have to gamble with us?"

"Leaving aside the fact that you brought this upon yourselves."

Wang Bert sneered. "Even if you had done nothing wrong, so what if I used you as a wager? Does a wolf need to ask a sheep whether it wishes to be eaten? Has Sovereign never done such things before? The strong rule over the weak, and the weak are prey to the strong. That is the truth everywhere."

High Priestess Ayesha had no answer. Just as she was about to say something else, Wang Bert looked at her coldly and said, "Think carefully about your next words, because they will determine Sovereign’s fate."

Wang Bert’s icy gaze rapidly calmed High Priestess Ayesha. She gave a bitter smile and lowered her head in thought.

Sovereign now had only two paths before it. The first was to fight the Blood God to the death, force him to abandon this wager, and make him hand over Eve.

The problem was that this was utterly unrealistic. Everyone knew the Space Stone was in the Blood God’s hands. If he wanted to leave, no one could stop him. Worse still, he did not need to leave.

With the Blood God’s strength, he might even be able to tear Sovereign apart.

The other path was naturally to bow to the Blood God and beg him to protect Sovereign.

However, being bullied and then having to beg the one who had bullied them was undoubtedly an extreme humiliation for the proud Sovereign.

After hesitating for a moment, High Priestess Ayesha stood up. She did not state her position immediately. Instead, she first had her attendants tidy her appearance, then said to Wang Bert with her usual pride, "Blood God, Sovereign is willing to do everything in its power to help you win this wager."

"You really do have a human side. I’m starting to like you a little."

Wang Bert gently lifted High Priestess Ayesha’s chin with his hand and said, "I will help Sovereign survive this calamity, but I want Adam."

"That’s impossible. Adam was cultivated by Sovereign at tremendous cost. We will never hand him over to anyone."

High Priestess Ayesha shouted angrily. It was not enough that this man had stolen her Eve; now he wanted Adam as well. He was simply going too far.

"Do you think I’m asking for your opinion?"

Wang Bert sneered. He withdrew his hand and pointed ahead. A portal appeared out of thin air, revealing the High Priest’s palace before everyone’s eyes.

Wang Bert had never been there, but he could sense Adam’s energy, which allowed him to open the portal.

A large number of guards stood beside Adam. They were all shocked when they saw the portal and hurriedly went on alert. High Priestess Ayesha clenched her fists and shouted, "Stand down."

"Yes, High Priest."

The guards all retreated. Wang Bert nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand, storing Adam in his space. Then he opened another portal and summoned Lizard Doctor and Eve over together.