Million Gods' Wager depicted a pyramid-shaped society called Duat.

The technology in this place was extremely advanced, yet not everyone could enjoy its blessings. Only residents at the very top had access to natural sunlight and numerous social benefits. Those at the very bottom could only compete with machines for work, scraping by amidst an overflow of entertainment. Everyone scrambled to climb higher, even if it meant becoming a puppet for those above them.

The protagonist was a scavenger who fought in underground boxing matches at the very bottom of society.

One day, he returned to his tiny, run-down shack of barely a few square meters and discovered that a god had descended.

Duat's technology was extraordinarily advanced, but within its countless calculations, electronic ghosts with self-awareness would occasionally be born. These entities possess total access to Duat’s systems, like an inerasable bug in the system.

These electronic ghosts were called Gods.

 

[

"You may call me Min." The cyber god delivered its gospel through an electronic screen. "We're playing a very interesting game. Someone told me that money can't buy everything. What do you think?"

The nameless scavenger replied calmly, "Money is Duat's universal pass."

"Correct." Min snapped its fingers. "Then prove it for me, my believer."

A flood of deposit notifications poured into the nameless man's electronic account. Nameless was startled; a million in assets had just fallen from the sky. To a god, Duat's economy was nothing more than a string of numbers.

"Don't get too excited. You can't use this money to buy clothing, fine food, ad-skip services, or anything like that to improve your own life. These numbers don't belong to you," Min said. "You can only spend this money on other people."

A floating electronic panel suddenly appeared beside Nameless. It listed all sorts of data about him. The only decent stat was his physical strength, since, after all, he made his living through physical labor.

"These are the terms of my wager. We want to see how much a lowly scavenger can gain when he can only spend money on others.

Some say he could get cybernetic surgery and become the strongest. Some say he could win the genuine affection of those in need. Some say he could stand at the very peak of Duat. But I believe," Min leaned in close to Nameless.

"Money can buy everything.

Don't make me lose this wager, insignificant believer."

Nameless clenched his fists, knowing he had reached a crossroad in his destiny.

"I will prove you right."

 ]

 

Nameless received a million in funds but could only spend it on others, and he had to max out his reputation, power, combat strength, and favorability with others. Of course, the million wasn't the limit. As long as Nameless spent the money effectively, Min would provide an endless stream of funds.

Back on Earth, there was a name for this kind of story: the "Godly money-spending power fantasy".

Nameless was initially troubled over who to spend the money on, but opportunity came quickly. A fighter he had faced in the underground ring had passed out from hunger, so Nameless immediately treated him to a lavish feast.

The fighter came from the same impoverished background and fought against Nameless several times. He knew Nameless was also dirt poor, so this sudden extravagant meal left him both shocked and suspicious. But Nameless simply said he'd had a stroke of good fortune and told the man to eat without worry. The two sat in the fanciest restaurant on Black Street, eating while watching fireworks.

Nameless seemed to be getting the hang of spending money. On his way back to his shack, he found a young master from the upper levels being mugged. The young master was physically frail and had lost his ID, so he could only cry for help, but nobody cared. Nameless wanted to test the boundaries of his spending, so he directly paid the ransom for the young master. It wasn't his money anyway.

The young master was deeply moved and declared Nameless as the last shred of conscience left on the dark street.

Nameless returned to his shack and turned on his beat-up optical computer. The most extravagant place he could find at the moment was a livestreaming app.

Duat's livestreaming industry was thriving and chaotic, since it was an important channel for lower-class citizens to buy an entry ticket to the upper levels. All manner of livestreams kept dragging down people's moral floor, using honeyed words and sensory traps to goad people of every class into throwing away fortunes.

In Duat, live streamers had an activity called PK (player versus player battle). Two streamers would go head-to-head, each showcasing their talents while luring their respective fans into tipping. Whichever side received more tips won the PK. Because it incorporated competitive elements and the streamers' verbal provocations, a single session could rake in a substantial amount of money.

Nameless stumbled into a room where a PK was underway. One streamer was assembling cybernetic prosthetics, with barely any viewers, while the other was using explicit language to coax fans into tipping, and the PK total was skyrocketing. Nameless thought that the prosthetics streamer had real skill and might prove useful to him, so he dropped a barrage of massive tips. Nameless seemed to understand how the gods felt: money was nothing more than a string of numbers.

Ultimately, Nameless helped the streamer win the PK with an astronomical tip. After the PK ended, the streamer hesitated for a long time before sending a message:

"Would you like me to do a private full-sensory livestream…?"

Everyone who knew understood what that meant, but Nameless didn't. He simply left his contact info and said they'd chat next time.

Nameless needed to find the next opportunity to spend money…

Sinful money, excessive entertainment, and inflated emotions: these were the building blocks of the pyramid of Duat.

Plot-driven power fantasy novels have many ways to deliver satisfaction. The most common is having the protagonist encounter a problem, solve it, and achieve success. But what if the protagonist never encounters any real problems at all and just breezes to success effortlessly, with any setbacks being nothing more than scaring himself? Wouldn't that be even more satisfying?

The same applies to romance web novels. The protagonist meets their CP, they endure a series of major setbacks, and they finally win each other's hearts and walk into marriage; that's standard sweet satisfaction. But what if the protagonist doesn't put in any effort at all and directly wins the genuine affection of one, two, or three people, becoming irresistibly charming, and even effortlessly winning over the villain through some casual maneuver? Wouldn't that be even more satisfying?

The core of power fantasy web novels is getting something for nothing.

Nameless hadn't actually lost anything since the god's threat was nothing but a castle in the sky. Yet Nameless had genuinely gained a windfall, and through that windfall, he earned the genuine affection of various characters, enhanced his abilities across the board, and achieved class ascension. If that wasn't a power fantasy, what was?

And yet, this something-for-nothing fundamentally contradicts logic and morality.

Why does the protagonist succeed without putting in any effort, just because he's the protagonist?

Why does the protagonist receive so much love without taking relationships seriously, just because he's the protagonist?

In web novels, the meaning of people as individuals is often distorted to amplify the satisfaction factor. Some readers skim through and don't think much of it, but those who read carefully feel deeply uncomfortable. They feel the story has no morality, no logic, and that every character exists solely as a stepping stone for the protagonist's success.

Xun Ming, you're the person who wrote Chaos Gale, whose side characters were all fully fleshed out with their own lives. You wrote Starship Management APP, whose protagonist was hardworking, earnest, and ambitious, and wouldn't even raise prices. You also wrote House of Lies, whose protagonist started with nothing but a crowbar, and the rest was all deception, similarly relying on his own effort to play the whole world.

How could you write this stuff?

The moment Million Gods' Wager began serialization, it caused an uproar.

"I don't get it. Isn't the streamer's emotional shift way too abrupt? Just because Nameless gave him money, okay, a lot of money, he suddenly starts caring about Nameless? He even gets quietly heartbroken when Nameless tips other streamers? That emotional transition is way too fast!"

"Aside from the boxer at the very beginning in the underground ring, it seems like everyone only treats Nameless differently because he has money. Rationally speaking, I still trust Xun Ming. The boxer is probably Nameless's true friend, and everyone else is just a passerby."

"Why doesn't the god giving Nameless all this money cause inflation? And they just hand over resources, maps, and can even detect a target's favorability rating toward you? That's way too overpowered, isn't it?"

But these criticisms were a drop in the ocean.

The moral sensibility of this universe was remarkably weak.

Nobody cared about rampant space piracy. Nobody cared about unchecked corporate tyranny. Nobody cared about people getting assassinated at will. Nobody even cared that AI had devoured literature into its databases until it was practically extinct. So who was going to look for morality in a web novel?

The vast majority of readers were in a frenzy! Celebrating! Showering it with rave reviews!

This was the most satisfying web novel they had ever read!

"So satisfying! It's like having twenty octopus suckers stuck to my body; every nerve is tingling! Watching Nameless spend money nonstop, when is a cyber god going to come find me?!"

"I read it all in one sitting. I've truly never experienced anything like this from a web novel before. My six hundred feet are still soaking in the aftershock of the mental impact. Every other web novel is too hard to understand, and only this one could hook me all the way through."

"I think Xun Ming's technique for constructing new societies is excellent as always. This society seems to be what Blue Planet civilization calls a cyberpunk society. Let me think… I think I've actually encountered a galaxy like this. Xun Ming truly is well-read. Blue Planet is so fascinating."

"When's the next chapter updating? This is critical. Can we get more good-looking streamers? We need comprehensive development across politics, business, and the military!"

Million Gods' Wager had only released ten chapters so far, and each one introduced a new way of spending money. The readership data doubled with every chapter.

Just the first ten chapters alone had already far surpassed the total popularity of Xun Ming's Fairy Tale of a Life and Death Romance.

In the Flying Duck Novel Network's writing contest, Million Gods' Wager's data was leagues ahead of the competition. This wasn't just because of the data it had accumulated in an instant; it was also because the expert reviewers had unanimously given it the highest score.

In just a few swift moves, it had already claimed the champion's throne.

Seconds later, the novel site's homepage even displayed a promotional banner: "Highly recommended by the President of the Flying Duck Chamber of Commerce. The one web novel you must read in your lifetime: Million Gods' Wager!"

"I love it so much…" Yellow Duck Boss said, barely containing his excitement. "This novel perfectly embodies the spirit of our chamber of commerce. Be the master of money, then use money to make other beings our slaves. I never knew that the ideal I've been chasing was exactly this; not until I read Xun Ming's novel did it hit me. Isn't this precisely the motto of my duck life?

Money is the universal pass of the universe."

He spread his wings wide, and the shadow he cast resembled an angel descending on Earth. He announced to his underlings:

"Xun Ming is our Cyber God!"

"Quack quack! Cyber God!"

The little yellow ducks also raised their wings.

Seeing Million Gods' Wager sweep across the entire net, the Materialist Archive hastily called upon Yongye to counter-attack.

To be fair, Yongye's latest case, The Mirror Locked-Room Murder Case, was also quite interesting. Every reader who had read it gave it unanimously glowing reviews. Using identically arranged rooms to fabricate the victim's death location and create an alibi, this creative trick had detective fiction fans slapping the table in amazement.

In this case, Mr. Shi appeared in his true form for the first time, which also sparked some discussion. Previously, some readers had theorized that Mr. Shi was a second personality or a fabrication of the sheriff. Now they finally learned the truth.

But that discussion was like a creek flowing into the ocean, utterly dwarfed by the explosive popularity of Xun Ming's new pit.

Million Gods' Wager didn't just attract readers who already loved plot-driven power fantasy; it broke out of its niche and drew massive traffic from everywhere. Everyone wanted to see just how satisfying this novel that was being hyped to the heavens actually was.

After experiencing it firsthand, readers across the universe immediately went online with flushed skin to recommend it. Positive reviews snowballed bigger and bigger.

Word of Xun Ming and Yongye's literary duel also spread, but this time, the situation was completely different from before. Readers supporting Xun Ming outnumbered those supporting Yongye in a two-to-one ratio. Everything was arranged as precisely as if fate itself had orchestrated it.

On the other hand, the Flash Empire's writing contest had virtually zero discussion visibility. But they weren't in any rush this time, since physical publishing was always much slower. The Flash Clan was still happily building their theme park, completely oblivious to what was happening in the outside world.

The Flying Duck Chamber of Commerce decided to press the advantage.

"This is a boost from the stars for our chamber of commerce," Yellow Duck Boss immediately convened a meeting. "We missed our chance with Xun Ming last time. This time, we absolutely cannot let him slip away. We must court him properly and treat him as our honored guest!"

"Then we'll publish Xun Ming's books. He already has enough work to monopolize the publishing platform." Yellow Duck Boss laid out a series of follow-up plans. "Once we monopolize publishing, we can control most of the novelists in this galaxy. Without new works to offer, the Materialist Reading Society will naturally slink away. And the Flash Empire should go into hibernation, at that point, we'll seize the opportunity to monopolize other platforms too…"

"I swear on my title as the 33rd President of the Flying Duck Chamber of Commerce: I will prioritize the collective interests of the chamber of commerce and become the master of money."

The ducks below responded in a resounding chorus:

"Then use money to enslave everyone else!"

Big White Duck said respectfully from the side, "Mr. Xun Ming's works have already claimed the top four spots in the plot category. The prizes on our end are ready. What do you think?"

"Not enough," said Yellow Duck Boss as he recalled his earlier dismissiveness toward Xun Ming. "Besides the four works in the plot category, Xun Ming also has one work in the romance category. Give all five top prizes to Xun Ming!"

Big White Duck: "Yes, sir!"

A storm was brewing over the Pangshi Galaxy's literary world.

Only one place remained calm.

Aboard the Tidal Peace, Xi Yujin stopped writing and gazed quietly out the window. The commotion and excitement outside had nothing to do with him.

They were still docked at the port star system. Soon, a message came from the Flying Duck Chamber of Commerce saying the prizes had been sent ahead of schedule and asking Xun Ming to provide relay coordinates. Xi Yujin spent 20,000 Stardust commissioning ten transfer services, and finally, a delivery ship loaded with the Flying Duck Chamber of Commerce's gift package docked with the Tidal Peace.

The Flying Duck Chamber of Commerce was generous indeed. Crate after crate of prizes was carried aboard, seemingly without end.

Gano's expression turned serious. He finally understood where he'd been losing points. Yujinno's close friends may not be by Yujinno's side, but they could earn money!

He felt a twinge of frustration, but when he saw Yujinno walk out of his room, a light, floating happiness washed over him.

"Just leave them here. We'll unpack later." Xi Yujin sent the delivery ship away. The Tidal Peace's right cabin was already bursting with the Flying Duck Chamber of Commerce's prizes, and many more crates were stacked in the ship's spare rooms, waiting for Xi Yujin and Gano to sort through one by one.

They only took the time to replace all the ship's glass before piloting the Tidal Peace toward the Materialist Reading Society's coordinates.

On the way, Xi Yujin asked Gano, "Do you think Xun Ming's new book is good?"

Gano answered honestly, "Yujinno, I don't feel anything from it."

"But…" Gano hesitated. "Duat has similarities to the Zergs."

"Duat is the underworld in a certain Earth civilization's mythology," Xi Yujin explained. "A place with no air and no water; dark, deep, and boundless. The souls of the dead fly across Duat to face questioning by forty-two deities in the Hall of Judgment. Does that also seem similar?"

Gano replied, "I don't know. I've never seen the full scope of our species' territory. But when I left the Zergs, I did go through an extremely dangerous spatial storm. If I hadn't been piloting the Ers Royal Armor, I never would have made it out."

Xi Yujin's curiosity was piqued. "Does everyone in your species have armor like that?"

"Royal Armor is only awarded to the bravest warriors," Gano said. "But I wasn't one of them. I never received any commendation. I took the Royal Armor from a fellow Zerg by force before I left."

Behind him, the Ers Royal Armor floated silently, awaiting its next command.

Meanwhile, the armor core Xi Yujin had captured was stuck in a room, furiously typing away. Truly, same armor, different fates.

"We might need to flee in a hurry someday," Xi Yujin continued. "Gano, do you have any other destinations in mind, or anything important you haven't done yet?"

Gano: "I don't. Just call me, and I will take you away."

Seeing Yujinno smile, Gano felt his confidence soar.

As expected, Gano was the most suitable one to be his… well, temporary best friend. Major points for Gano!

Xi Yujin was touched by the words and couldn't help but hug Gano.

This universe might be absurd, full of incomprehensible crises at every turn, but he had found a pretty good travel companion.

Feeling the sudden embrace, Gano completely froze in place, his mind flooded with visions of planets exploding one after another.

—

Under the flood of reader comments, Xun Ming finally made his long-awaited appearance.

He was now a sensation across the Pangshi StarNet. It wasn't just the book fan forums discussing him; his name was practically everywhere.

He still remembered his competition with Yongye, and said with obvious implication: "Is a certain someone reading my novel? If you don't speak up, I'll take that as my win."

Yongye didn't appear, but Canghai showed up instead:

"I'm reading it. Yongye is probably still in his little black room. As for the final scoring, please ask this person @Yujin."

Xun Ming: So, is there any other Blue Planet novelist who wants to come challenge me? If nobody speaks up, I'm officially claiming the number one spot.

Canghai: Haha, I'll just watch the show.

Several minutes passed. Not a single other IP from Blue Planet paid Xun Ming any attention.

Xun Ming: I never imagined I'd reach the top of the Blue Planet literary world under these circumstances… How boring.

Readers raised their guard and commented: "What kind of fun are you looking for?! Spit it out! You are NOT allowed to abandon your new pits just because you're bored!"

Xun Ming: I want to stir up something big.

Readers: "I'm starting to get scared."

Xun Ming: I want to do something that will shock all of Blue Planet.

Other readers rushed in: "Shock Blue Planet, not the Pangshi Galaxy? Don't tell me you're going to write fanfiction of someone else's work! Did you lose a bet and have to write romance for the other guy?!"

Xun Ming: I challenge you.

Xun Ming: @Yujin.

Readers from across the universe suddenly saw this unfamiliar name and were confused.

Who was this Yujin?

Some readers found that he was the editor-in-chief of Reader's Digest, the one specifically responsible for locking meteorite spirits in little black rooms to squeeze out manuscripts. Xun Ming, Canghai, and Yongye had all fallen victim to his hand.

Other readers said that he was Blue Planet's public spokesperson, whose writing was grand, refined, and a pleasure to read.

While others said he was incredibly good-looking and probably the champion of Blue Planet's Beauty Pageant.

A number of IPs from Blue Planet suddenly chimed in. They had garbled guest usernames, so it was temporarily impossible to tell who was who. Moreover, readers from the universe couldn't understand their script.

It wasn't until much later, when Blue Planet's language became a dedicated field of study, that, looking back at today's spectacle, people would discover these guests had all been saying:

"Front row seats!"

"Someone's actually challenging Yujin?! Front row, watching the show."

"Can you do that thing again? You know, the please-don't-let-Yujin-write-novel.gif, the begging-Yujin-to-write-motivational-pieces-forever.jpg, the seal-his-pen-and-silence-him-warning.jpg."

Xun Ming: I hereby solemnly declare, under my pen name, that I am issuing a challenge to Blue Planet's Yujin.

This declaration blasted two people out of their little black rooms.

Yongye: …

Canghai: Uh. What.

Suddenly, the onlookers noticed that Blue Planet's official website, specifically the Blue Planet Citizen Affairs Public Bulletin, had a new update. Previously, only Yongye's certificate of innocence was posted there. Now, a new application has been filed.

 

[

"Blue Planet's Yujin hereby applies to lift his pen-sealing and speech-ban order.

Blue Planet's Yujin: Application approved. Ban lifted.

Time limit: 24 hours.

Signed: Yujin."

]