Swearing upon his most treasured bezoar, the ox demon dared wager that in all his life, he had never witnessed such a spectacle — since when could electrical appliances cultivate into spirits?
Yet this was hardly the moment to delve into the metaphysical mechanics of monsters.
Seizing the brief lull in the wind as Guoguo spoke, the ox demon roared fiercely and hurled his fist toward the seemingly frail Nuonuo—
"Why me?!" Nuonuo yelped in terror, hastily flipping open his cover and spewing a stream of incoherent nonsense.
Curiously, although the volume was not high, the sound was piercingly sharp.
Just as the ox demon's punch was about to land, he grimaced in pain, clutched his ears, and stumbled backward in panic.
Sensing an opportunity, Cheche immediately accelerated and charged forward.
With a resounding crash, the several-hundred-pound ox demon was sent flying, soaring more than a dozen meters before slamming into the ground, raising clouds of dust and debris.
Fortunately, his thick hide and sturdy flesh spared him any serious injury; he sprang back to his feet before Cheche could strike again, lowering his twin horns with a bellow and charging anew.
In the ensuing impact, the two hulking figures collided with an earth-shaking boom, kicking up another billowing cloud of dust.
Amid the chaotic inertia, the unlucky Benben was flung through the air, landing squarely in Chen Mo's arms.
"Boss, what are you planning?!" Before Benben could even rejoice at avoiding repairs, the ominous glint in Chen Mo's eyes filled him with dread.
Seconds later, Benben shrieked, as if realizing his fate: "No! Don't! I'm a laptop, not a divine talisman! Why must I—"
Before he could finish, Chen Mo had already seized him, infused him with a green radiance, and hurled him with force.
The ox demon, locked in a brutal standoff with Cheche, blinked in surprise as Benben came hurtling towards him, shrieking wildly.
In an instant, Benben's body swelled, glowing with an intense green light, transforming into an enormous metallic slab several meters across, and crashed down with a deafening roar.
A violent shockwave pulsed outward. The ox demon, struck squarely on the head, managed only a grunt before collapsing like a broken puppet, his silver horns shattering.
"I never said you were a divine talisman. You're just a brick," Chen Mo said leisurely, clapping the dust from his hands. Meeting Benben's pitiful gaze, he even had the mood to snap his fingers with a flourish.
"Relax — nowadays, bricks have a brighter future than laptops. Ever considered a career change?"
"And you lot," he added cheerfully, turning to the others, "stop standing around — I officially permit a group beating!"
"Yeah!" Not waiting for a second command, Guoguo and the others pounced, gleefully raining blows upon the fallen ox demon.
The courtyard erupted in a cacophony of chaos, so brutal it was almost unbearable to watch.
Outside the melee, Nuonuo leapt and shouted, unable to squeeze in: "Damn it! Make some room! Don't beat him to death — I haven't had my turn yet! Guoguo, watch your aim! You nearly hit me!"
A few minutes later, the ox demon lay unconscious, twitching faintly to prove he was still alive.
Seeing it was enough, Chen Mo quickly called an end to the brawl, although he was left pondering the next step.
Other than his few enchanted companions, this was the first living demon he had encountered. Was it here by accident, or seeking vengeance? Then again, would an avenger really sneak into the kitchen just to gnaw on cabbage? Most likely, it had mistaken the restaurant for a free buffet.
"Boss, why don't we sell him to the zoo?" Guoguo suggested brightly, instantly gaining the others' enthusiastic support.
"Excellent idea! And while we're at it, I'll sell you lot too," Chen Mo said with a sly grin. "No need to feed you — just recharge your batteries daily. Pure profit!"
At these words, the four little monsters immediately huddled into a corner, trembling.
Sighing in exasperation, Chen Mo knelt beside the still-unconscious Ye Rong — another headache. How was he going to explain all this? Surely, murder and cover-ups were out of the question.
At a loss, he could only sit and smoke, silently praying Ye Rong might suffer a bout of amnesia.
"Shall I hit her again?" Benben wobbled eagerly, clearly finding a hidden talent for being a brick.
Guoguo couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire: "Boss, maybe we should just come clean to Sister Rong? Worst case, I'll return all the lingerie I stole from her— Hey, that guy's getting away!"
No one had expected the ox demon to recover so quickly, resilient as a cockroach. Though still dazed, he had already fled several meters, clearly aiming to leap off the rooftop.
Chen Mo cursed, leading the charge to intercept, but the ox demon was too fast — he had already reached the edge and leapt without hesitation.
"Dammit!" Chen Mo shouted, but before the ox demon could vanish into the night, he smashed into an invisible barrier and was flung backward.
A pure, ethereal chant drifted through the night, and a pillar of golden light descended, enshrouding the rooftop.
Amid this sacred spectacle, a woman in white robes materialized, her face veiled by radiant golden light.
In her right hand, she held a gleaming golden staff; in her left, a round golden shield intricately engraved.
The cool night breeze caught her black hair, causing it to ripple like a divine tapestry — she seemed a goddess descended to the mortal realm.
In the eerie stillness, the ox demon roared defiantly and charged.
Yet the robed woman remained unmoving, simply raising her staff and murmuring incomprehensible words.
A burst of golden light erupted from the shield, expanding into a shimmering barrier.
Enveloped by the golden glow, the ox demon howled in agony, retreating under its burning force, his flesh blackening where the light touched.
"She's strong… but why does she seem so familiar?" Chen Mo murmured, adjusting his glasses in disbelief.
Before him, the robed woman, with her ancient beauty and sacred aura, stood proudly against the wind.
Benben rapidly scanned the network and projected a matching image — Guoguo and the others gasped in unison, "Athena!"
Silence reigned, the word "Athena" echoing faintly through the night.
Chen Mo stood dumbstruck, staring at the goddess who looked as though she had stepped straight from a Greek pantheon illustration, half-tempted to bite his own finger just to ensure he wasn't dreaming.
Moments later, however, an absurd thought crossed his mind: if Athena was here, then where were Seiya, Hyoga, and Shiryu?
Yet this Athena was no fragile maiden. As everyone watched, she elegantly lifted her staff and pointed at the struggling ox demon.
Sensing mortal peril, the demon dropped into a crouch and reverted to his original form, spewing black flames as he charged with earth-shaking force.
Still, the goddess remained impassive, a cold gleam flashing in her deep blue eyes.
"O Goddess of Wisdom, grant me the strength to wage a just war and cleanse this world of its sins and filth!"
At the final syllable, an icy beam of light exploded from the staff, sweeping across the rooftop at unimaginable speed.
The charging demon froze mid-stride, stiff as a statue. As he looked down in bewilderment at his chest, golden fire engulfed him, reducing him to ashes in an instant.
Only a faint, sorrowful wail lingered on the breeze, as the ashes were scattered into nothingness.
"Boss, maybe we should retreat… strategically?" the four little monsters suggested, shivering.
Before Chen Mo could decide, the goddess staggered suddenly, her staff and shield dissolving into golden light.
She swayed unsteadily, the glow around her face fading to reveal a pale, exhausted visage — and as she collapsed, Chen Mo instinctively caught her.
At that moment, they were so close that he could see the faint shimmer in her bright eyes. Embarrassed, he coughed lightly and turned his head aside.
In the profound silence, Jiadi — for it was she — smiled faintly and quipped, "Sorry, I didn't bring the Twelve Gold Saints. If you want autographs, maybe next time."
"Uh…" Chen Mo could only gape, utterly at a loss. Was Jiadi channeling Athena's power, or had she always been Athena?
For a wild second, he suspected Nuonuo had misdialed and connected them straight to Mount Olympus.
Yet within moments, Chen Mo made a firm resolution — no matter what, he must never let Jiadi discover the truth. Otherwise, he'd be lucky to even have a grave to rest in.
"Alright, stop looking so weird," Jiadi said, shaking her head with a wry smile. "China has its immortals and demons. We have our gods too. Isn't it only natural?"
"Of course!" Chen Mo managed a strained smile. "Honestly, I'm nothing special — just a guy raising a bunch of chaotic pets."
For a fleeting instant, they simply gazed at each other — and perhaps, in that shared secret, a silent bond was formed.
"Um, I didn't mean to interrupt your romantic moment," Guoguo said nervously, hopping closer. "But Boss… if you turn around right now… it looks like Sister Rong has woken up!"