Godlike: From Fake to Real, Lord of the Gods

……

In an instant, immense fear gripped Su Xiaoli's heart. Looking at Soton's mouthful of sharp teeth and huge claws, tears welled up in her eyes, her body trembled uncontrollably, and she couldn't even utter a word.

When Soton saw Su Xiaoli's terrified appearance and felt the cold gaze from Si Yao beside him, even though it wasn't very bright, it knew that its "boss" was not happy.

It quickly swallowed the "smells delicious" that was about to be eaten, obediently lowered its head, and continued to gnaw on its roasted lamb, pretending that it was just a harmless... large pet?

Si Yao stared at the scene before him, a vein throbbing in his temple. He rubbed his temples and explained to Su Xiaoli, who was nearly fainting from fright:

"His name is Thornton, and he's... kind of my pet."

"A pet...?" Su Xiaoli looked at him pleadingly, her eyes filled with hope that he wouldn't feed her to the crocodiles. She would do anything for him!

"Don't worry, he usually doesn't bite when he's not hungry."

Su Xiaoli: "..."

They don't usually bite?! What about when they're hungry?!

Ignoring her terrified look, Si Yao continued, "Your job is simple. For the next period of time, you will stay here and be responsible for his meals."

"When he's hungry, order takeout for him. Large portions, mostly meat dishes. I'll send you the detailed list. Make sure he's full and doesn't bother me all the time."

Su Xiaoli listened blankly, still a little confused.

So... "feeding fish" really means feeding "fish," except that this "fish" is a big crocodile?

Her job... is a crocodile keeper?

A crocodile keeper who is specifically responsible for taking out takeout orders?

This job... isn't it a bit too far beyond my imagination?

She glanced furtively at the terrifying crocodile that seemed preoccupied with its food, then looked at Si Yao beside her, who was expressionless as if saying, "The weather is nice today." Suddenly, she realized that getting that million wasn't so easy after all.

This employer and "pet" relationship doesn't seem quite right at all!

"Did you understand?" Si Yao asked when she didn't speak.

Su Xiaoli jumped up and nodded frantically, "Y-I understand, boss! I guarantee I'll complete the mission! I'll make sure Brother Soton... is well-fed!"

No matter what, saving my life is the priority! Feeding the crocodiles is better than being eaten by them!

Si Yao nodded, said no more, and turned to go back to the living room.

Su Xiaoli was left standing alone in the backyard, facing Soton who was happily munching on a sheep, looking utterly bewildered.

She looked at Thornton, who occasionally glanced at her before continuing to work diligently.

Su Xiaoli took a deep breath, forced out what she thought was her friendliest and most harmless smile, and whispered to Soton, "Um... Brother Soton? Do you... would you like something else to eat? I... I'll order some for you?"

Thorton paused in his munching on the sheep, tilted his large head, and looked at her, seemingly deep in thought. Then he nodded and mumbled, "Hmm... another twenty roast chickens and a hundred pounds of braised beef, to tide me over."

Su Xiaoli: "!!!"

Just something to tide me over?!

Looking at the mountain of bones at Thornton's feet, she finally had a clear and terrifying understanding of what "a huge amount" meant.

This million is indeed hard-earned money!

……

Si Yao's act of taking Su Xiaoli away clearly touched a nerve at the Super God Academy.

Upon receiving the news, Lianfeng, who had originally planned to make more thorough preparations before visiting, could no longer afford to worry about that and immediately drove to the suburban villa.

She knew very well that both her previous observations and Rose's contact with Siyao showed that this ancient god was quite averse to formal contact with an official stance.

However, if it is merely out of curiosity and communication in a "personal" capacity, Si Yao's cold attitude is still within an acceptable range.

When we arrived at the villa, it was already close to evening.

Lianfeng took a moment to gather her thoughts before ringing the doorbell.

The door slid open silently, and a medley of food aromas wafted out.

The scene in the living room startled Lianfeng slightly.

Two large tables laden with sumptuous dishes were laid out in the living room, indicating that dinner was in progress.

The enormous Thornton occupied a table all to himself, with various meat skeletons piled up in front of him, and was engrossed in his work.

Si Yao, on the other hand, sat at the head of a smaller dining table, looking relaxed.

Beside him, Su Xiaoli, now dressed in a black and white maid outfit, sat obediently beside Si Yao, carefully picking the bones out of his steamed fish and placing them on his plate. She also occasionally got up to refill his drink. Although her movements were still a little clumsy, her attitude was extremely earnest, even bordering on ingratiating.

Seeing Lianfeng enter, Siyao raised his eyelids, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before casually asking, "Have you eaten? Want to grab something to eat together?"

Lianfeng suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and put on a polite smile: "Then I'll have to bother you."

She sat down opposite Si Yao as instructed, and Su Xiaoli immediately and cleverly provided her with a bowl and chopsticks.

Dinner took place in a subtle atmosphere.

Si Yao ate little and spoke very little.

Su Xiaoli dutifully played her role as a "maid," serving her with utmost care.

Thornton, on the other hand, was eating at an astonishing speed, but surprisingly quietly.

Lianfeng would occasionally bring up topics about food or the weather, and Siyao would only respond with a brief sentence or two.

The dinner lasted for almost an hour.

During this time, Lianfeng carefully observed Su Xiaoli.

She noticed that although the girl still had a hint of unease in her eyes, she seemed to have adapted to the environment and her fear of Si Yao and Suo Dun had lessened considerably.

This gave her a slight sense of relief; at least Si Yao hadn't hurt her.

After dinner, Su Xiaoli took the initiative to clear the dishes and chopsticks, and her movements were quick and efficient.

Thornton let out a burp, patted his belly, and contentedly lay back down on the grass in the backyard for a nap.

Lianfeng knew it was time to get down to business.

She looked at Si Yao, who was sitting on the sofa with his usual indifferent expression, and carefully said, "Mr. Si Yao, my visit this time is mainly due to some personal curiosity."

She paused, then continued, "On one hand, I am personally very interested in the Pangu civilization you represent, an ancient era completely unfamiliar to us. On the other hand..."

Her gaze inadvertently swept over Su Xiaoli's back as she busied herself in the kitchen. "I'm also very curious about why you brought Su Xiaoli here. Her genetic condition is rather unique, and we've been observing and evaluating her."

Following her gaze, Si Yao also glanced at Su Xiaoli, who was clumsily wiping the stove. Her maid outfit looked somewhat out of place under the kitchen light.

"pet."

Lianfeng: "...A pet?"

She wondered if she had misheard. Su Xiaoli… a living, breathing person, a potential warrior with special super genes, was, in his eyes,… a pet?

Si Yao seemed to sense Lian Feng's shock and confusion. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked in a calm tone:

"To provide a little fox whose life can be described as rugged and precarious, with a safe, stable, and worry-free living environment. She puts in some insignificant labor in exchange for the security she might never have had in her entire life."

He put down his teacup and looked calmly at Lianfeng: "Is there a problem with this consensual arrangement?"

His logic sounds cold and direct, as if he were stating a simple principle of transaction, completely bypassing the moral and ethical framework of modern society.

After saying that, he seemed to feel the need to verify it, and without turning around, he asked towards the kitchen, "Su Xiaoli, you tell me, do you have any objections?"

Su Xiaoli, who was battling greasy dishes in the kitchen, immediately leaned out when she heard the question, holding a plate covered in foam. She forced a fawning smile and quickly shook her head.

"No problem! No problem! The boss is so good to me! He provides food and lodging and even pays me, it's much better than me working outside!"

She spoke quickly and urgently, afraid that a slow answer would displease Si Yao. For her, although she had to serve a boss with a strange temper and a crocodile with an enormous appetite, compared to the days when she was pointed at and talked about, had to deal with all kinds of harassment during live broadcasts, and was full of uncertainty about the future, this "sugar baby" life was like falling into a honey pot.

At least, she no longer has to worry about next month's rent and food expenses.

Lianfeng was completely dumbfounded when she saw Su Xiaoli's fearful expression of being returned and then looked at Si Yao's matter-of-fact expression.

She opened her mouth, but found herself speechless for a moment.

From Si Yao's and Su Xiaoli's respective perspectives, this deal seems... to be without any problems?

Si Yao provided Su Xiaoli with the survival resources and sense of security she desperately needed, while Su Xiaoli gave up her freedom and labor in exchange.

One is willing to hit, and the other is willing to be hit.

As for the huge impact of the concept of treating people as "pets," it seems pale and powerless in the face of Si Yao's values, which originated from an unknown ancient civilization.

He may genuinely believe that this is a "proper resettlement" for vulnerable individuals.

Lianfeng felt a deep sense of powerlessness. She realized that trying to measure and persuade an "old god" with the moral standards of modern civilization was futile.