He clasped his little hands behind his back and paced back and forth, like a child trying to mimic an adult. He slowly opened his mouth: "You... are the King of Gods, right?"
The King of Gods watched Lin Ke mimic adult-like pacing, but said nothing, only nodded slightly: "Yes, young man."
"Can you solve math problems? Help me with a math problem?" Lin Ke looked at the King of Gods with a hint of anticipation:
"My father gave me a problem, but I can't solve it! If you can solve it in five minutes, then you're really amazing! I'll believe in you!"
Math?
The King of Gods frowned.
The people who defeated and wished to kill Him created something called mathematics, which many nobles are now studying.
And as the King of Gods, naturally, He was aware of it. Although not necessarily proficient, solving a problem should be simple.
Thus, the King of Gods smiled and spoke: "Then, young man, if I solve the math problem for you within five minutes, you'll become my follower, is that so?"
Lin Ke smiled and nodded: "Yes, yes!"
Just as Lin Ke nodded, a mysterious force descended, connecting Lin Ke and the King of Gods.
Feeling this force, the King of Gods breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, although using his last wisp of strength, He, who had been rootless like duckweed, finally had a follower again!
As long as this follower begins to generate faith for Him, even a tiny amount of faith will allow Him to stage a comeback!
At that time, He must torment the pesky child in front of Him to death, even burning the soul for a thousand years, as punishment for this child's casual attitude towards Him, the dignified King of Gods.
And the entire Human Race must tremble under His rule as the King of Gods!
The Human Race betrayed Him, chose Andrew, so He would make the entire Human Race pay!
Also...
"Hey! Old man, you haven't helped me with the math problem yet?"
Just as the King of Gods was lost in infinite fantasies, Lin Ke spoke up.
The King of Gods immediately withdrew His thoughts and smiled at the young man in front of Him: "Young man, speak."
"Okay." Lin Ke nodded and then spoke: "Some numbers have the special property of not being representable as a product of two smaller integers, such as 2, 3, 5, 7, and so on. These numbers are called prime numbers..."
Lin Ke slowly narrated, then fully explained his math problem.
The King of Gods initially listened absentmindedly, his mind still pondering how to deal with the annoying young man once He regained His power.
But the more He listened, the more things seemed off.
Gradually, He descended from mid-air and frowned deeply, carefully listening to Lin Ke's math problem.
At first, the problem seemed easy, but as thoughts deepened, it became increasingly difficult to comprehend.
And after a while, Lin Ke also finally finished: "So... please tell me the answer."
The King of Gods frowned in thought, only feeling like His head, which wouldn't bruise even in a clash with the Star Beast King, was about to explode.
Meanwhile, Lin Ke had a face that was smiling with five parts anticipation, three parts admiration, and two parts doubt, looking at Him.
The question he just asked is one of the millennium problems that troubled countless mathematicians in his past life, the Riemann Hypothesis.
The King of Gods logically couldn't possibly solve it within five minutes.
Because Lin Ke had previously learned indirectly about this world's scientific level, which was roughly equivalent to that of the Xia Dynasty in his past life.
When it came to math, he asked many people, and they couldn't even manage basic arithmetic.
The King of Gods in front of him, if He were to solve the Riemann Hypothesis, would either have already studied and understood the solution process or could solve it Himself.
But now it seems...
Lin Ke stepped back slightly.
With time passing, five minutes soon approached.
The King of Gods didn't continue frowning and pondering but instead raised His head to stare at Lin Ke, fixing His gaze on him.
"I..." The King of Gods raised His hand, pointing at Lin Ke, eyes full of venom: "You're mocking Me! How could such a problem exist?!"
Lin Ke sensed the King of Gods' bravado and replied not as innocently as before: "How could that be? This is one of the problems that has always troubled me! Great deity!"
Feeling His exhausted vitality, the King of Gods' expression turned increasingly fierce, almost making threats with His tone: "You! Brat! Quickly worship Me! Or I'll kill you!"
Lin Ke remained motionless, silent.
Seeing this, despair began to fill the King of Gods' eyes.
He, the King of Gods Zelnytar, was ultimately exhausted to death by this boy!
The King of Gods looked at Lin Ke again, as though trying to see through him.
This boy! Unordinary!
Neither carrying the scent of His mortal enemies nor divine aura, seemingly just an ordinary human.
But how could a human child remain so calm in the face of the King of Gods?!
And that damned math problem!
Isn't a math problem just calculating two cows plus two cows equals five... no, equals four cows?!
With that, the desperate King of Gods uttered what He believed to be His most venomous curse:
"In the name of the King of Gods, Zelnytar... invoking the rules of the cornerstone... I curse you!"
"You shall become My heir, walking the earth as My embodiment..."
"You shall possess the last radiance of the gods, etched in your soul for eternity..."
"You shall become a budding star!"
"Go forth, as the offspring of gods, to struggle, to overthrow, to destroy!"
After speaking, the world showed no sign of change, as though it was just a simple verbal curse.
Yet Lin Ke felt an inexplicable tightness in his heart.
To inherit the King of Gods, wouldn't that mean inheriting all His enemies?!
Like inheriting wealth, wouldn't the debts be inherited too?!
No way, I refuse!
"...Haha, Andrew, may this math problem cross paths with you in the future!"
"This world... this world... cursed world... world... boo-hoo, such a wonderful world..."
In an instant, the King of Gods turned extremely deranged, starkly different from His previously kind demeanor.
Then His entire body staggered, suddenly collapsed to the ground, his figure gradually faded, lifeless.
"Thank Riemann, thank Desen, thank Kong Nie... thank the internet, thank friends... finally exhausted this Divine King..."
Lin Ke looked at the fading King of Gods, though in his heart he still pondered over the recent curses.
Now, he could only hope that the King of Gods' enemies won't notice him.
"Bang!!"
At this moment, in front of him, a soft sound.
The King of Gods, the master of life and destruction—Zelnytar was about to disappear.
After His death, the body suddenly transformed into a ball of light, floating and sinking in the air.
Lin Ke blinked, a few lines of text appeared in his vision:
[Mission Successful]
[The King of Gods has been exhausted to death by your outstanding verbal skills]
[Reward: To be claimed]
[Note: The King of Gods' curse will take effect in one year]
ps: New book in progress, please beg for recommendation votes and monthly tickets, please please (｡•́︿•̀｡)