Why can't humans do it too?

wrong.

Even though he couldn't give a perfectly closed-loop answer, Sue remained convinced that what Ronnie said was wrong—the meaning of failure shouldn't be limited to that.

However, he was not good at speaking or debating and did not know how to refute Ronnie, nor was he a scholar who studied philosophy.

"...You've started discussing things on your own, huh?" Xin Ke's cold voice interrupted their conversation. Although she was laughing, the forest elf had already entered an unavoidable state of rage when she realized that she had been left aside.

The most direct manifestation was the meteor shower that streaked across the sky, covering a large area of ​​the industrial zone. Since this groundhog liked to run away so much, why not just include this entire area in the attack range? That was Xin Ke's plan.

"Huh? Is that all? That's hardly something—"

boom!

Ronnie's casual words were immediately proven wrong. If he had reacted any slower, Xin Ke's surprise attack hidden in the rain of light would have taken not just a hair from him, but half of his head.

"My hair!!!"

The heart-wrenching screams were probably the worst injury Ronnie had ever suffered since birth. According to the knowledge Xinke had previously shared... this could be considered an injury to the male gophers' dignity.

Ronnie's eyes, which were already glowing with a scarlet light, became even more terrifying when he became enraged. He swung his small hammer down at the ground beneath him, treating the relatively intact building as its building material.

From a whole piece to fragments, and then from fragments to spirit armor, in the blink of an eye, Ronnie held a spirit armor that resembled the greatsword he had initially carried. The man was glaring fiercely at Xin Ke, who was floating in the distance, wearing a cloak and grinning maliciously.

"Pfft, Ronnie?", unable to contain his laughter, "Where's your hair? Hahahaha!"

Finally, after causing such a commotion in the industrial area above, other goblins rushed back, though they immediately mocked Ronnie upon arrival.

"Damn it! What are you looking at me for!" Ronnie glared at the goblin who was mocking him before turning his gaze back to Xinke. "There's another monkey over there. Go and catch him intact. I'll deal with this long-eared one."

"Heh, is the mole's strength all talk? If you can do it, then come and try it! But this time, you won't be as lucky as before," Xin Ke said with a sneer, refusing to back down.

No more harsh words were needed. The next moment, Ronnie grinned and disappeared from the spot.

Bah! !

No longer caring about the two people fighting again, Suer was nervously watching the goblin who had noticed his presence after listening to Ronnie's orders. He was the only goblin that had flown up from the lower area to check the situation. The fact that Ronnie was here was enough to reassure the other goblins to focus all their attention on the audacious runaway slaves at the bottom.

Completely unable to distinguish these furry balls that hadn't had their body hair shaved, Sull could only tell from the voices they were speaking that this goblin was probably the one who had a good relationship with Ronnie and had helped him get materials before... Was his name Varo?

Ruined.

Xin Ke clearly couldn't care less about herself, and if things dragged on any longer, after dealing with the escaped forest elves below, the remaining goblins would all return to the upper area.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as Su'er watched the goblin cautiously approaching him, avoiding the dangerously glowing battlefield in the center. He quickly pondered—what else could he do?! Think!

With his frail body alone, he couldn't even push the divine marrow beneath him to roll down... Yes, it was his blood and flesh.

The burning pain on his back hadn't subsided yet. Su Er had only temporarily gotten used to the pain earlier. Now, just by looking down, he could see that a considerable amount of blood had trickled down his clothes and onto the surface of his marrow.

Taking a deep breath, Suer quickly took off his outer clothes, and except for putting the blood-stained side on the marrow, he simply lay down on the marrow with his back facing down.

"...Huh?" The one who asked this question was the goblin who had already flown to the side of the Divine Essence. Suer's crazy and confusing behavior really baffled him, and he didn't even make a move rashly out of caution.

Ignoring him, his caution was actually a good thing for Suer. Suer simply closed his eyes tightly and desperately tried to feel in his heart, trying to find that strange feeling—but to no avail.

Nothing at all.

Why is there nothing there?!

The earth was tilting—no, it wasn't the earth that was tilting, but the ground he was standing on, the divine essence itself!

The creaking and twisting sound of steel deforming and breaking was heard. This huge robot was only in the early stages of construction. Except for the right shoulder and head, the rest of the body was a large frame supported by an elevated structure. At this moment, it was accidentally swept away and broken due to the battle between Xin Ke and Ronnie.

come down.

A head-down fall.

Suer barely managed to grab the edge of the still-intact iron chain binding his divine essence with one hand to avoid being flung aside during the fall.

"Xin Ke!!!"

The sound was forced out of his lungs, his wide-open mouth filled with the strong wind that was forced in as he fell. Suer could no longer breathe fresh air. He was calling out the name of the person who was most likely to come to his rescue at this moment. The divine essence he was tightly holding was constantly colliding in this fall, a collision that would make anyone tremble with fear.

Light was approaching him, some were emerald green, some shimmered with seven colors, and some were like the most intense flames, even burning to a bright white, but his body did not feel any burning pain.

The world was turning upside down and twisting, but in the next moment, Suer felt in a daze that he was not falling downwards, but sitting quietly in place. Everything that had happened to him was just an illusion. The inactive divine essence had not been knocked off and was still sitting safely on the shoulder of the giant robot.

He appeared to be sitting at his dining table at home, a cup with rough decorations being steadily pushed in front of him, accompanied by a deep male voice.

"Come on, drink up."

Chapter Seventy-Seven Okan

The miracle did not happen.

The resonance he had hoped for between the inactive divine essence and himself existed only in his imagination. Su'er's mind seemed to be stuck in that moment, everything was frozen, even the pain in his back disappeared in a daze... really disappeared?

Suren belatedly reached back and touched her back. It was the familiar feel of clothing; the silk pajamas clung to her skin, a smooth and silky touch she had almost forgotten.

It was a hazy dream, as if I were having a lucid dream, one that I would not forget even after waking up. The connection between body and soul was separated by a thin layer of foam, filled with tranquility and peace.

The diffusing pupils converged, overlapping the surrounding world of multiple images. Sul moved his submerged body in the illusory swamp, teetering on the verge of collapse.

It was his home, on the eighth floor, a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment. It was the perfect time of day, and the sunlight streaming into the room at an angle perfectly divided the white-painted dining table in front of Suer into two halves, even illuminating the willow-leaf pattern on it.

The faint sounds of car horns from the city could be heard outside the window, and it sounded like someone was making a ruckus—it was so close, yet it felt so far away.

Suer had long since given up on the fantasy of returning to this home, not that dark, gloomy cave where he could barely see by the light, but his real home. He wasn't dreaming; in fact, faint memories of the past still lingered in his mind... He should be in the goblin city with that forest elf.

Without bursting into tears or shouting wildly, Suer remained calmly seated in his chair, his heart as still as a lake.

"Why not give it a try? It's one of my best works, even if you don't think it's the best one."

The deep male voice wasn't in a hurry; he simply reached out and pushed the cup in front of Suer a little further.

"Don't be shy, drink up."

“…Ah, thank you,” even Suer himself was a little surprised that he would so easily obey this unfamiliar voice, pick up the cup in front of him, and drink the bubbling liquid in one gulp.

A refreshing feeling permeated my entire body, from my internal organs to my skin, as if all impurities and filth within me had been cleansed away, and every organ was groaning with pleasure—it was too much to bear…

Even every cell is clamoring for satisfaction, filled with power from the smallest molecules.

"Another one!!"

Sul slammed the cup on the table, astonished to hear those words come out of his own mouth.

"Hahaha!" A deep male voice laughed heartily with joy. "That's right! That's it!"

As they spoke, the golden liquid flowed from the air, transforming from formless to tangible, until it completely filled the glass decorated with glass flowers, bubbling and gurgling in Suer's sight.

It's somewhat like beer, but the beer I've drunk in the past isn't even worthy of carrying its shoes.

Suer made his judgment in his mind.

As if his delayed brain had finally caught up, he finally came to his senses and lightly turned his head to look at one side of his body.

His father used to sit in that seat at the dining table, but now sat an unfamiliar old man he had never seen before. His silver hair showed no signs of aging, and his well-tailored suit and tie, along with the black glasses perched on his nose, fit him perfectly... a gentleman. Although Su Er had never met a real gentleman, he truly felt that only such a word could be used to describe this old man.

As his consciousness spread outwards, Suer was surprised to find Xinke sitting opposite him—wait, when did this woman sit there?!

Like Suer, Xinke also had an exquisite glass in front of her. The 'beer' that Suer had just drunk in one gulp was bubbling in Xinke's glass, but the woman showed no intention of drinking it. Instead, she gripped the glass tightly with both hands and glared at Suer.

Those beautiful hands were gripping tightly, as if they were forcefully prying open Suer's head rather than a cup, which sent chills down Suer's spine. But more than that, Suer suddenly realized that once his gaze left the old man, he completely forgot what the old man looked like.

All that remained in my mind was that feeling of déjà vu, as if I could see it everywhere, yet I couldn't find it anywhere, which only added to my confusion.

"The God of Forging...?" Suer murmured to himself as if suddenly realizing something, "Okan..."

All the anomalies were explained, and even the current illogical environment and reality became reasonable after the words "divine species" were added.

It's easy to guess, after all, this person... let's call him an old man for now, and he makes no attempt to hide it.

"Ah, he's still quite lucid? He adapted very quickly. I knew I wasn't wrong..." Okan sighed unhurriedly. There was also a glass in front of him. He didn't continue speaking, but instead raised his own drink and gestured to Suer.

There was no point in saying more. When Suer came to his senses, he found himself already drinking his glass in one gulp under Xin Ke's murderous gaze.

full.

Every cell let out a powerful cry.

He became increasingly dizzy, his consciousness both hazy and clear, these two completely opposite states occurring simultaneously within him.

He could feel his limbs again; his shinbone was aching, but the sensation was not very clear through the thin membrane of consciousness—Suer finally felt something kicking his shin under the table.

Without a doubt, the only one who would do that is the forest elf sitting right across from him... At least Suer has no doubt that the God of Forging, Okan, would be wearing a suit and kicking his shin under the table.

Suer couldn't help but shudder.

I'm actually drinking at the same table as a god?!

He was surprised to discover this fact.

Riku must be absolutely shocked!

The translucent liquid once again meandered through the air and fell into the two people's glasses.

"Don't worry, there's absolutely no alcohol or anything like that added. This is my own brewed spirit oil... It might be a bit too much for you, but it's not bad, is it?" As if sensing some concern in Sul's heart, Okan said slowly in his unique and deep voice, "Would you like another cup?"

"No, thank you, I think I need to rest," Sue groaned, leaning on the table with one hand to support her forehead. "—What's going on?"

He felt like he had forgotten something, or missed something... Had he just said something?

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Exposure