Chapter 420: The God of War in the Age of Noble Wars
Chapter 420: The God of War in the Age of Noble Wars
"Why is the God of War such a wimp?" Qin Muye's face was twisted, his worldview severely shaken.
The God of War was effeminate, with makeup on his face, and his behavior and manners were... well, even a cross-dresser would be slightly more masculine than him.
He had never imagined that the God of War would turn out to be a third-rate deity.
But upon closer reflection, it was actually quite normal. War was inherently an unstable factor for deities, as they had already firmly grasped everything and no longer needed war to spread their faith. Instead, war could deal a blow to their churches.
However, war could not be completely eliminated, so it had to be distorted, much like etiquette, into what it is now—noble wars, or more bluntly, noble games.
"Damn, these people are really disgusting. I can accept a Goddess of War, but this God of War is just..." Qin Muye felt helpless, but the situation did indeed reflect the current state of noble wars: effeminate, weak, and like a farce, never having seen blood.
Is this even war? No, it's just a game, which is why the God of War has taken on this appearance.
"So, is it the faith that has influenced the God of War, or is it his inherent personality, or both?" Qin Muye narrowed his eyes, the difference was significant.
Because the God of War was from such an ancient era, most of the related texts had been so heavily modified by the Church of War that it was impossible to know the true situation back then.
Although the God of War was only a third-rate deity, he was far more widely worshipped than the God of Etiquette and Good Fortune, who relied heavily on support from other churches.
"Further experiments on the relationship between faith and deities can start with the concept of war," Qin Muye thought, considering whether the concept of war could be expanded.
In this realm of gods, whether it was nobles or clerics, their impression of war was vastly different from Qin Muye's.
The first step in war was to declare it, sending an official declaration of war to the enemy, detailing the reasons for the declaration, and specifying the time, place, and participants.
Then, at the agreed time and place, both sides would bring the agreed participants and set up their formations. After an extremely long and elaborate series of formalities, the nobles would sit aside to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves while preparing to watch the war.
Next, it was the knights' turn. Each knight would wear ornate armor and swords encrusted with jewels, which were more for decoration than for actual combat.
The battles between knights were not to the death but rather a display of elegance, with the winner determined by how well they performed.
As for the commoners? They had no place in noble wars; they were not refined enough, as nobles required elegance, and commoners and serfs were anything but.
How to determine the winner was simple: it was based on who performed better.
Noble wars embodied the words "elegant" and "noble."
Qin Muye had witnessed these noble wars and could only describe them as insane.
Is this even war? No, it's more like a stage play.
War is a bloody and brutal act of killing and plundering. This is why Qin Muye suspected that the effeminate God of War was not just a result of his own nature but also the concept of war itself.
"So, I need to find a way to correct the concept of war and see if I can restore the God of War's masculinity."
Honestly, changing the concept of war was far easier than changing etiquette. Noble wars were just stage plays, and a little bit of bloodshed could easily break the rules.
Etiquette was a fundamental part of the noble system, and it could not be completely removed without eliminating the nobility. However, war was different. War was born from the combination of interests and human nature, and the nobles' greed and shortsightedness could corrupt everything.
The reason noble wars had not been broken was that no one was willing to be the first to challenge the status quo, and there were also restrictions from the churches. These factors led to the current situation, and the gods ensured that the entire material plane remained stable, otherwise, such absurd wars would not have existed.
"Moreover, war doesn't have to be real combat. Trade wars, currency wars—these are also wars that kill without bloodshed."
“
‘Can these nobles really fight these conceptual wars?’
It wasn't that Qin Muye was discriminating against these nobles; there were indeed capable nobles, but the issue was that even the most capable needed a foundation. With currency chaos and a depressed economy, if Qin Muye were to have Xiao Mian take action, it would not be a war but a one-sided slaughter.
Nobles, starting from the rank of Count, had the right to mint currency, allowing them to produce their own coins within their territories. This led to many currencies losing significant value outside their territories. While coins made of gold, silver, or copper retained some value, unscrupulous nobles often abused iron coins, causing significant fluctuations in value.
This could lead to currency chaos within their territories, directly affecting the lives of the common people. However, this did not affect the nobles, as they controlled both the currency and the laws. If there were any issues, they would simply explain them away.
Therefore, for Qin Muye, if he were to wage a currency or trade war, it wasn't a question of when to kill the opposition but how he wanted these nobles to die.
‘A bloody war would be better. If faith really can influence deities, I don’t want a deity focused on currency wars.’
‘Moreover, more deaths would provide me with more laborers.’
‘Wait a moment. There is actually a type of war that would be very suitable for this world.’
Qin Muye couldn’t help but think of divine wars, or more bluntly, religious wars. While this might not be appropriate in other worlds, in this one, it was perfectly reasonable.
This way, not only would it stir the nerves of the nobles, but it would also get the deities involved, potentially causing a dramatic change in the current situation.
The world was currently a stagnant pool of water, and what Qin Muye needed to do was to make it flow, turning it into a living stream. This would allow him to fish in troubled waters.
As this wasn't a copy world, Qin Muye couldn't venture too far. If anything were to go wrong, he would be left with only a transfer voucher, and fleeing would render him powerless.
So, he needed to be cautious and not stir up the world too drastically all at once. However, just watching things unfold without taking action wasn’t satisfying either.
‘If I really want to do this, the Abyssal Preachers seem a bit insufficient. Although they are gradually growing stronger, they are still not enough.’
When causing trouble, it was best to do it on a grand scale. However, Qin Muye broke the task down into smaller steps, gradually increasing the scale, using a method akin to boiling a frog in warm water.
He was quite skilled at this, especially when it came to corruption and erosion.
‘Fortunately, the Abyssal Demon Network sandbox is now running smoothly and can serve as a stepping stone.’
‘It’s time to let those so-called mages, who are actually priests of the God of Magic, know what true magic is.’
Qin Muye’s target this time was not the small sparks at the bottom but the small group of ‘mages.’
This war was not just about the God of War; he also wanted the God of Magic. Although this deity was not particularly magical and more focused on divine spells, the title still held some value.
The God of War was the experimental group, and the God of Magic would be the control group.
Otherwise, relying solely on the God of War’s reaction would be an isolated case, and Qin Muye would need to verify it again. It was better to find a scapegoat to serve as the control group.
The God of Magic, like the God of War, was a third-rate deity. They might be incredibly powerful in other worlds, but in this realm of gods and the stagnant material plane, they were just that—third-rate and unchangeable.
Not all world settings were universal.
‘I need to select a few high-inspiration mages and test their sanity. Those who pass will receive a gift, and those who fail will receive a grand gift.’
Qin Muye was a good person, so when he gave gifts, he never did it half-heartedly. He always went all out, giving the best and the grandest.
If the recipients couldn’t handle it? That wasn’t Qin Muye’s problem. He only provided the gifts, not the after-sales service or repairs. Giving gifts was already a loss, so there was no way he would be responsible for the aftermath.
(End of Chapter)
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