I write obituaries for the gods

“In fact, it’s hard not to have.” Jiang Zhengge shook his head.

He picked up a photo and posted it on the information board.

Lin Chen looked at the photo: it showed a broken mountain.

"On the night of Operation Black Morning Star, an entire mountain peak rose from the ground on the outskirts of St. Peter's town, lifted into space by some terrifying force."

Hua Molan described the extremely terrifying scene in a calm tone.

"It was later proven that after the mountain was uprooted, it flew directly towards Black Star VI..."

“A…mountain?” Lin Chen was stunned.

Is this Chinese?

“There is only one person who can do this,” Jiang Zhengge said in a low voice, “and that is tide Lena, who killed and became Katrina.”

“To mobilize such a powerful force over such a long distance, this is no longer Alpha-level, this is near-Omega-level,” Hua Molan said with her eyes closed. “A near-Omega-level demigod, able to mobilize power over such a large range, yet choosing to mobilize a mountain outside St. Peter’s Town, what else could be the reason?”

"The launch site is in that mountain," Lin Chen said.

It has to be said that tide Leina has paved the way too clearly, as if she's afraid that others won't be able to find it.

"Has anyone investigated that site?" Li Zhanyi asked.

“Yes,” Hua Molan nodded, “but there is no relevant information.”

"why?"

“Because no one came back alive,” Jiang Zhengge said.

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

“No wonder the Foundation, having run out of options, chose to deal with Rain City in the most extreme way,” Lin Chen exhaled. “They couldn’t overcome the obstacle set up by a quasi-Omega demigod.”

“This means that Xileina is still fighting,” Jiang Zhengge said in a low voice.

"Ugh——"

As the horn sounded, Lin Chen looked out the window and saw the ocean liner leaving the port and heading onto the turbulent canal.

Helicopters followed the Ocean Cruiser, escorting the research vessel onto the river and heading towards the North Sea.

"The ocean liner has set sail again," Lin Chen heard Jiang Zhengge murmur.

......

A location in Baiyin District.

Deep inside the factory, Louis stood before a blue crystal tank, watching the deep blue liquid flow from the pipes and drip into the mold.

The liquid is molded into a thin layer of crystals in the mold, then bounced onto a conveyor belt and transported toward the grooves on the side.

"How was it? Wasn't our craftsmanship...impressive?"

Louis turned his head and saw Mr. Z walking slowly towards him.

The executive committee member was wearing a fine custom-made vest with a black haute couture trench coat over it, looking like a leader who had come to inspect the area.

After a brief moment of eye contact with Mr. Z, Louis looked away.

"Therefore, once this crystal is forged, the rain will be destroyed."

“After all, what matters is never the city, but only the land,” Mr. Z said. “Of course, this is just the price… We must block all pathways to low Earth orbit, especially the one left behind by Sirena Boswell.”

"Isn't there any way to destroy that launch site?" Louis asked.

"If there were a way, we would have succeeded long ago. What stands in our way is, after all, the Mother of Fear. Although her power has been controlled, that part was part of her pre-planned strategy, and we cannot interfere..."

"So, just for such a simple reason, you're going to abandon all the plans you've made in this city over the years?" Louis frowned. "Isn't that a bit too low a return on investment?"

“After all, our enemies are ruthless enough,” Mr. Z smiled. “You’ve witnessed the power of ghosts, haven’t you?”

"Um..."

Louis clenched his fist slightly.

Mr. Z clearly noticed this detail; he took two steps forward and patted Louis on the shoulder:

"The rain is beyond saving. I know you'll feel regret and miss it. After all, you haven't been up here long enough to have... a good enough view."

"Since you chose to forgo evacuating from the port and come here to assist us in the defense, I might as well assume that you are of one mind with us?"

“Of course.” Louis took a deep breath.

“That’s good, because we need your strength now,” Mr. Z said with a slight smile. “We’ve lost too many mental entities since the start of the Rain City War, and the remaining guys should look out for each other.”

He patted Louis on the shoulder again, then turned and left.

"Ms. J will arrange your work. We will finish our mission soon and get out of this damn snowy place."

"After that, your life has just begun, Mind Body."

"..."

Watching Mr. Z's departing figure, that familiar voice popped into Louis's mind again:

"Aren't you excited? Soon you'll be able to personally kill those incompetent beasts... Oh, they've turned Yudu into a den of demons, and now you'll destroy that den of demons..."

“Shut up…” Louis gritted his teeth.

"...And Lin Chen, the Lin Chen who has defeated you countless times, could he be on his way? Is it possible...you could destroy the entire Rain City in front of him and perish together with him?"

“I don’t need you to tell me what to do…” Louis choked himself hard.

"Oh, of course you don't need me to command you..." The voice in my mind chuckled awkwardly. "Bai Duozhi is long dead. I am you... you are me, and I am you! We are one! What? Now that things have come to this, do you still want to use 'the demigod in your mind controlling you' as an excuse? Or... does this at least make you feel guilty about your actions?"

"I did the right thing...!"

Louis suddenly raised his head, his expression so fierce it looked like he was about to tear someone apart.

But when he looked in front of him, all he saw was an empty factory filling room.

......

It's getting colder and colder.

After sailing into Beihai from the canal estuary, the sky and sea seemed to be nothing but deep blue. Goose feather snowflakes drifted wildly on the sea, sticking to the portholes and forming a thin layer of ice.

At the ship's side, Li Zhanyi stood on tiptoe and wrapped a beige cashmere scarf around Lin Chen's neck.

"Make sure you keep warm," Li Zhanyi said earnestly. "I doubt the conditions there will be very good."

"Don't worry, this mission won't take more than a few days," Lin Chen chuckled. "We'll meet again soon."

"Huh? Don't make such predictions," Li Zhanyi quickly shut Lin Chen up, "Stop saying things like that. I think you're becoming more and more like Old Jiang..."

"Do you have to say this about me too..." Jiang Zhengge, who was not far away, was inexplicably hit by an arrow.

Lin Chen turned to look at the small boat hanging on the side of the ship. Oswald had already disguised himself as a fisherman and sat on it.

"Then I'm leaving," Lin Chen said to Li Zhanyi.

"Keep in touch." Li Zhanyi nodded vigorously.

"Ah."

......

Chapter 41 Snow in St. Peter's Town (6000 words)

"Oh!"

The speedboat plunged into the icy sea and sped through the frigid waters.

Lin Chen gripped the handle on the edge of the speedboat, feeling the cold wind gusts against his face, like knives.

"Why is it so cold in Baiyin District!" Lin Chen shouted in the sea breeze.

“A major subspace disaster happened here before!” Jiang Zhengge shouted. “That incident was quite significant; reality and subspace briefly overlapped, which is why it always snows here!”

"Such a thing is possible!"

"That's why most people don't like to go to the Silver District! Even tourists from the city usually just hike in the snow-capped mountains and see the frozen lakes, they wouldn't bother going to St. Peter's town for no reason, that place is too chaotic!"

"Buzzing..."

As the speedboat sailed across the sea, Lin Chen could occasionally see floating ice on the surface. The speedboat made a teeth-grinding crunching sound as it scraped over the ice.

After traveling for a long time in the light darkness, gradually, a patch of pitch black emerged from the horizon.

That was a black coastline.

"..."

After reaching the shore, Oswald towed the speedboat into the pine forest and hid it in a secluded spot.

Lin Chen and Jiang Zhengge tidied themselves up, putting on sunglasses and top hats.

"What are our identities?" Jiang Zhengge asked Lin Chen.

“A businessman from the US came to inquire about security services,” Lin Chen said.

“By the way,” Jiang Zhengge nodded, “our mission is to find someone in charge and pry the factory’s location out of him.”

As he spoke, Jiang Zhengge took out a small card and handed it to Lin Chen:

"Our informant has already booked rooms for us. If anything happens, we'll meet at this safe house."

"Another safe house..."

Lin Chen took the card and glanced at the address: 36 Santa Monica Avenue, Vodka Hostel, Room 307.

That's a cool name.

At that moment, Oswald emerged from the forest and waved to the two of them.

He had become an ordinary woodcutter, with a cigarette dangling from his lips.

“Come on,” he said in a muffled voice, “we need to get into St. Peter’s under cover of darkness.”

Led by Oswald, the three entered the forest and traversed muddy paths.

Lin Chen felt as if he had traveled through an entire season. Everything in front of him was covered in silver. His boots crunched as they stepped on the snow, sending a fresh scent mixed with the strange smell of grass and trees into Lin Chen's nose.

After walking a long way through the forest, Lin Chen saw a small hut.

The cottage is located next to the main road, surrounded by a fence, and is lit with warm yellow light.

Hearing footsteps outside, the door opened, and a man who looked like a guard with a hunting rifle slung over his shoulder came out.

"Hey, where did you come from so late?" The guard gestured with his chin toward Oswald.

“What’s the question? I’m a woodcutter, can’t you see this broken axe covered in rust?” Oswald said in a strange tone.

"I know you're a woodcutter, but what are those two behind you?" the guard said impatiently. "Gentlemen dressed so well, coming out of the pine forest? Could they be illegal immigrants?"

“This is Lavasis’s guest!” Oswald suddenly said.

Upon hearing this, the guard's eyes visibly widened in surprise.

The next second, Oswald pulled a silenced pistol from his coat and pulled the trigger toward his head:

"Oh!"

The guard's body fell to the ground and immediately fell silent.

“The Mercury Society,” Oswald said, walking to the body and crouching down. “He never expected a woodcutter to call out Lavasis’s name; his eyes gave him away.”

"So decisive," Lin Chen said.

He really didn't react in time. Oswald's motive for firing was almost impossible to discern—the conversation was only halfway through, and the topic hadn't even been fully discussed yet.

The guard probably thought the same thing; he was probably wondering why a woodcutter would know the name of the Mercury Society leader.

The name both aroused his suspicion and lowered his guard.

Oswald seized upon this weakness without hesitation.

“Buzzing….”

Gray flames engulfed Oswald's body, gradually burning his face into the likeness of a guard.

He slung the old hunting rifle over his shoulder, stood up, and waved his hand:

"Help me out, we need to bury his body."

"I come."