Arcanum: Chaos Path

Chapter 301 Steam doesn't understand

If Russell had not fallen, and had become a Sequence 0 and embarked on a path of hostility towards the God of Steam and Machinery, becoming their complete enemy, then perhaps the rift between them would have gradually widened until the God of Steam and Machinery completely regarded the other as an enemy.

By that time, the God of Steam and Machinery would naturally no longer have any feelings for him. He would destroy all existences related to Roselle without hesitation and would no longer remember any old feelings.

But Russell fell. He fell when they became enemies but before the rift was deep enough. It was like a story that ended abruptly, leaving only melancholy and regret in people's hearts. Even the anger of being betrayed became insignificant in this abrupt end.

Why on earth did you betray me?
Don’t I value you enough?

For so many years, the God of Steam and Machinery has been thinking about these questions. He cannot understand Roselle's betrayal, even though he has given him everything he could.

He made Roselle's youngest son an angel, and made Gustav the most glorious angel family. He also turned a blind eye to Roselle's promotion to the Emperor of Knowledge, even though He knew very well that Roselle at this level had the potential to threaten His position.

Isn't this enough?
The God of Steam and Machinery didn't understand, and what He didn't understand even more was why Russell would rather go half-crazy to become the Black Emperor.

Is it because of the Outer Gods?

Is it because of pollution?

The God of Steam and Machinery felt that this might be the correct answer, but He often had a feeling that He would break with Russell not just because of the contamination of the Outer Gods.

But if it’s not pollution, what else could it be?

"Long time no see, Steam." Russell didn't think as much as the God of Steam and Machinery, but his expression was a little complicated at this moment. After all, to Russell, the God of Steam and Machinery was also a special existence, not some unimportant cat or dog.

This was his greatest supporter, and also the god he had single-handedly supported. Most of Russell's life after crossing over was mixed up with the Steam Church, the God of Steam and Machinery. Even if he really treated everything as a game, it didn't mean that Russell had no feelings about it.

People also invest real emotions in games. How can you not have feelings for a game you've played for decades? Even if it's just a paper figure, after pushing it for decades, it becomes an inseparable part of your life.

Russell once thought that he would be friends with the God of Steam and Machinery for life, and that even if he became independent in the future and no longer worked for the God of Steam and Machinery, the two sides could still be allies.

But the facts slapped Russell in the face. The God of Steam and Machinery did not want him to be independent. The incident of Bonois became a permanent rift between them, and the pollution of the Outer Gods became a force that pushed everything into the abyss. Russell finally broke with the God of Steam and Machinery, and the God of Steam and the Son of Steam went their separate ways.

So at this moment of reunion that finally arrived, Russell also had many emotions and melancholy in his heart.

"You two, don't you plan to continue talking?" Luo Lin looked at the two people who had fallen silent after greeting each other, raised an eyebrow and said, "If you feel it's difficult to speak in the presence of outsiders, I can temporarily step aside."

"There's nothing to be ashamed of." Russell was the first to break the silence. He sighed, then his gaze grew firm. He looked at the God of Steam and Machinery and said, "I don't bother to argue with you about the past. I'm here to see you for two reasons. The first is to introduce you to my current boss, Mr. Lucifer. He hopes to collaborate with you to jointly advance technology. Of course, there may be other details, but I'm not sure about that."

"Wait, what do you mean by 'I don't want to bother with you about the past'?" Before Russell could finish his words, the God of Steam and Machinery interrupted him with a dark face:
"Shouldn't I be the one to say this? You betrayed me! Before you betrayed me, I didn't do anything to offend you."

"Huh?" Upon hearing this, Russell burst into laughter. He looked at the God of Steam and Machinery and said sarcastically, "Do I need to remind you? How did you get Bonois to become your angel..."

As soon as these words came out, the God of Steam and Machinery's eyes widened, his face showing an expression of disbelief. He looked at Russell with a look that said, "What's wrong with you?" and raised his voice considerably:

"That's clearly a gift! Do you know how many people wish to become angels? Russell Gustav, don't be so ungrateful!"

"Pfft! I don't know what's good for me?" Russell laughed loudly and said to the God of Steam and Machinery:

"If Bonois were a normal angel, of course I'd be happy. But do you dare to say with all your heart that He is a normal angel? A divine angel without humanity, without self, completely loyal to you, do you dare to say that when you bestowed this so-called gift on me, you didn't have the slightest intention of using it to manipulate me?"

The God of Steam and Machinery was stuck for a moment. He wanted to refute, but he felt a little guilty - because the God of Steam and Machinery could not deny that the reason he made Bonois an angel was indeed to keep Russell.

The God of Steam and Machinery was not a dull guy, so he saw early on that Roselle was not someone who would yield to others. The God of Steam and Machinery did not want to lose Roselle, so when Roselle's youngest son was born and Roselle was ready to leave the Church of Steam, the God of Steam and Machinery chose to let Bonova become an angel.

In the God of Steam and Machinery's vision, Roselle would understand how much He values him because of this gift and give up the idea of leaving the Church of Steam.

However, the fact is that Russell did stay calm for a while, but that was not giving up but lying dormant.

"So you see, this is what you call a gift!" Russell said this with a sarcastic expression, but he didn't know who he was mocking.

The God of Steam and Machinery fell silent. After a few seconds, He spoke again, His voice slightly dry.
"This is a gift. Two angels can guarantee the eternal glory of the Gustav family. Isn't that great? I admit that I do hope to use this to dissuade you from leaving the Steam Church, but this is also the best thing I can give you."

"But I don't need this so-called best thing!"

At this moment, Russell seemed to have finally lost control and exploded. He looked at the God of Steam and Machinery with a mocking expression filled with anger and a hint of fatigue. He said:

"I never cared about the so-called glory of the Gustav family! I only care about my child. I only love my child, and you almost strangled him!"

(End of this chapter)