Chapter 609

Chapter 609: All Gods Gather, Offering Loyalty!

Recently, Barbatos received a steady stream of good news.

In addition to the positive updates from the Outer Predators, which allowed him to devise his latest strategies against the Giant God, more deities pledged allegiance to him.

The so-called "Core Statistical Bureau" also expanded.

These events were quite normal.

After the passage of the Emergency State Bill for Wartime, a large amount of resources concentrated around Barbatos; the First Demon God had the capability to support his own intelligence mechanism.

Moreover, he generously rewarded the Core Statistical Bureau with large sums and did not hesitate to elevate the status of the Outer Predators.

Once unwanted by the void and unaccepted by chaos, they suddenly gained high status overnight, even acting as envoys above many core councilors…

Their hearts filled with overwhelming joy.

With that joy, their rationality gradually evaporated.

The Outer Predators could even flaunt their power in front of core councilors and core councilors!

Watching the former core councilors, who once viewed them as beggars, dare not speak out in anger, the Outer Predators felt dignity for the first time and the pleasure of trampling on the dignity of deities.

Once like homeless dogs with nowhere to turn, they now felt like "gods above gods."

This pleasure and false sense of power were also reasons why Outer Predators kept flocking to Barbatos.

To enjoy this inescapable pleasure, they seized chances to issue orders to chaos councilors, which worsened the conflict between the chaos councilors and the Outer Predators.

Both sides even had several clashes.

And Barbatos never treated them fairly.

Apart from a few core councilors completely loyal to him, in each clash, the First Demon God always sided with the Outer Predators.

This made the Outer Predators more arrogant and fueled widespread dissatisfaction and resentment among most chaos councilors toward the Outer Predators.

But this was exactly what the First Demon God wanted.

After all, following the Emergency State Bill for Wartime, those core councilors were basically Barbatos’s "resource pool"; if a real fight broke out, these disobedient warlords would find ways to defy the First Demon God’s orders in secret.

He had long been displeased with these privileged ones.

On the other hand, since the Outer Predators offended the chaos councilors profoundly, they cut off their escape routes; in the entire Chaos Swamp Realm, apart from relying on Barbatos, they had no other way to survive.

Thus, the loyalty of the Outer Predators was completely reliable!

Generous rewards and noble status also attracted a steady stream of Outer Predators to pledge allegiance.

The size of the Core Statistical Bureau doubled within a short time since its start!

Currently, although its expansion slowed a bit, Outer Predators pledging allegiance to Barbatos still came continuously every day.

Now, another "heavyweight" Outer Predator came to pledge allegiance to the First Demon God.

"O great First Demon God!"

"I come from the ‘Outer Predator · Fang Tribe’ and am willing to serve you!"

In the Barbatos domain, a thin young man kneeled before Barbatos, bowing with utmost respect.

His attire differed greatly from that of other Outer Predators.

The attire and appearance of a deity could reflect certain attributes to some extent. In the domain of the First Demon God, most deities couldn’t endure Barbatos’s powerful pressure, often revealing their true attributes and forms through projections.

For instance, typical Outer Predators usually wore "leather" with flappable "membrane wings" on their backs—wings they desired but could never attain.

This deity, however, differed.

Though it also wore "leather," the material had a "furry" texture, setting it apart from other Outer Predators.

Its back bore no "membrane wings," but instead draped a cloak with an equally "furry" feel.

Clearly, it belonged to an entirely different "pantheon" than previous Outer Predators.

Perhaps they were grouped as "Outer Predators" solely due to similar habits.

"Oh?"

"An esteemed guest from the Fang Tribe! I’ve long heard of your reputation."

Barbatos was spouting nonsense.

Titles like "Outer Predator · Fang Tribe" were unheard of throughout his millennia-long existence.

Yet this was unsurprising.

The First Demon God was inherently pragmatic—he noticed only what served his purposes. For useless existences, Barbatos spared not half a glance.

Even usefulness had degrees.

For cannon fodder scattered like shards of divine rank, the First Demon God rarely bothered with details, knowing only the broad category of such "deities."

Thus, etheric serpents and etheric worms divided into countless subspecies, but Barbatos scarcely cared.

The "larval gods" swimming through the swamp-like ether of the Chaos Swamp Realm, and their "mature forms" as Outer Gods, held even more bewildering variety.

Their internal castes might number in the hundreds!

How could Barbatos possibly track them all?

Though time was plentiful, interest was nil.

The First Demon God ruled as sovereign, not a naturalist.

Selecting suitable tools from countless deities sufficed.

Moreover, the Chaos Swamp Realm teemed with reclusive deities detached from worldly affairs.

Barbatos only began valuing "Outer Predators" after Gimmerly seized the authority of the void and claimed dominion over the Outer Gods.

He could no longer afford indifference.

With Gimmerly opposing him, reliable intelligence on Outer Gods grew scarce.

The newly pledged "Outer Predators" thus pleased the First Demon God.

He mused contentedly…

"Behold!"

"Pantheons hidden for ages in the Chaos Swamp Realm now emerge to serve me."

"Does this not prove my renown—First Demon God Barbatos—has become unignorable to every deity here?!"

"Truly reminiscent of…"

"The majesty of all gods paying homage!"

At this thought, Barbatos swelled with pride.

"Excellent! Welcome!"

"Pledge your clan’s loyalty, and I shall reward you richly!"

"Here—a meeting gift!"

"Clatter…"

Shards of divine rank shaped like "gold coins" showered onto the Fang Tribe’s followers.

"Praise the generous First Demon God!"

The Outer Predator · Fang Tribe knelt, bowing their heads in deepest reverence to Barbatos.

Barbatos lifted his chin, accepting their offered "loyalty."

Unbeknownst to him, the Fang Tribe harbored only contempt for the First Demon God!

—-

While the First Demon God might not recognize the "Outer Predator · Fang Tribe," Trilobite knew these small creatures darting through the woods.

After modifying several more clients identically, Trilobite paused to watch them scurry among "treetops."

"Ah!"

"You lot must be native species, yes?"

"Seem to be called…"