Chapter 1: All Gods Devour Humans

"Praise the Steam!"

The factory owner, draped in a black robe, looked at his female secretary struggling within a large glass globe, and with a sinister smile, he prayed,

"You are the master of steel and machinery, the protector of craftsmen, the god who governs wealth, cities, and science!"

Hundreds of degrees of high-pressure steam surged into the glass globe. Amidst the secretary's harrowing screams, her delicate skin turned a bright red from the steam, then softened and disintegrated, peeling away from her flesh.

Then came the fat, the muscles, and the organs...

Within tens of seconds, only bones remained.

The interior wall of the glass globe turned pink. Upon opening the lid, a scent reminiscent of stewed broth wafted through.

"God of Steam, I offer you more flesh and blood, in exchange for greater wealth!"

The factory owner turned around, looking at Jeremy, who was bound hand and foot, and shouted with a sinister laugh.

Jeremy struggled desperately.

He was a fresh graduate from Whitmore University, hired as a consultant for the factory's public listing, with an annual salary of fifteen thousand silver libras offered by the factory owner!

How high was that salary?

A duplex villa in the suburbs of Star City cost only ten thousand silver libras, while a whole apartment in the downtown area cost twenty thousand silver libras.

Blinded by the high salary, young Jeremy joined the factory without much thought.

The factory owner was a believer in the God of Steam and had once been a monk in the Steam Church.

Jeremy didn't think much of it either. After all, the God of Steam was a righteous god, not an evil one. At least two-fifths of the citizens in Star City worshipped this God of Steam.

However, on the thirtieth night after joining, he was bound by the factory owner's henchmen to be sacrificed to the God of Steam!

"Have you been deceived by an evil god? How could the God of Steam possibly accept a living person as a sacrifice?"

Jeremy struggled and questioned the factory owner, hoping to buy some time.

"Ha ha ha. All gods devour humans!"

The factory owner laughed heartily, addressing the struggling Jeremy, "Evil gods are merely the losers of the last divine war, so their manner of consumption seems more unsightly. The so-called righteous gods are just those whose eating habits appear somewhat more palatable!"

He reached for a glass bottle filled with pink gas from the instrument beside the large glass globe; it was filled after the female secretary had been steamed to mush.

Unscrewing the sealed cap, the factory owner inhaled the steam that had once been part of the secretary's flesh and blood, visibly rejuvenating by many years.

"This is the divine gift. Join me in praising the Steam!"

"Praise your mother!"

Jeremy, using his struggle as a cover, cut the ropes with a small knife hidden in his boot, swiftly stood up, and plunged the knife into the neck of the henchman on his right, then yanked it with force!

Blood spurted out like wine from a punctured barrel.

Before the henchman on the left could draw his gun, Jeremy landed a hook punch on his diaphragm, causing him difficulty breathing and uncontrollable retching.

Though Jeremy appeared lean, he had been a champion in the combat club at Whitmore University. The reason he was captured was that he had been asleep in the factory dormitory.

Jeremy pulled out the left henchman's pistol and pulled the trigger at the factory owner!

"Bang!"

The factory owner screamed and fell backward to the ground.

Then, Jeremy dashed out of the workshop's secret room, picked up a chair, and smashed a corridor window, escaping through it to the outside of the factory.

Given the secrecy, the factory owner had only left two trusted henchmen in the secret room, providing Jeremy with a chance to escape.

However, the factory's night guards, totaling over thirty, were already following the sound of gunshots.

Therefore, Jeremy needed to escape quickly.

But where?

He couldn't go back to his rented apartment since the factory people knew where he lived.

Quickly, Jeremy thought of a suitable place—

Miss Annabelle's home.

Since Jeremy wasn't born in Whitmore and the school dormitories were too old, he had always rented outside the school during his studies.

Miss Annabelle's father had passed away early, and her mother was a seamstress. Their home included a sewing shop and a restaurant on the first floor, with bedrooms on the second floor, and Jeremy had rented their basement.

Later, having made some money as a stockbroker, Jeremy moved out of their basement.

Despite moving out, Jeremy often visited them because Miss Annabelle was sweet-looking and had a gentle personality.

"Jeremy?"

Miss Annabelle opened the door, surprised to see Jeremy covered in blood.

"Miss Annabelle, I... I was attacked by a gang of robbers, and they are chasing me!"

Jeremy pleaded with Miss Annabelle, "Can I hide at your place for a while?"

"Of course, come in quickly!"

Miss Annabelle ushered Jeremy into the sewing shop, then locked the door and had Jeremy help barricade it with heavy objects.

Then, they hid on the second floor, watching the outside.

The factory's henchmen didn't follow, which greatly relieved Jeremy.

"You look terrible, go take a shower."

Miss Annabelle patted Jeremy's shoulder, gently saying, "I'll find you something to eat in the restaurant."

"Thanks. By the way, where's your mom?" Jeremy asked.

"She went to visit my grandfather."

Jeremy entered the bathroom, removed his blood-stained clothes, and quickly rinsed his body with water.

What a crazy night it had been.

The pretty secretary, who had been flirting and laughing with him during the day, was steamed alive by the seemingly kind factory owner using high-pressure steam.

He took out the revolver tucked at his waist and checked it. This New World-made revolver still had five bullets left.

Because he had never used such a gun before, Jeremy didn't cock the hammer while escaping, only one shot was fired.

"I've placed the clothes you left in the shop at the door."

From outside the bathroom, Miss Annabelle's gentle voice came, "Dinner will be ready soon."

Jeremy dried off with a towel, also wiping down the pistol, then opened the door to bring in the basket of clothes, got dressed, and tucked the pistol into his waistband.

If the factory's henchmen came, he could use the gun to protect Miss Annabelle.

Walking into the dining room, Miss Annabelle had already prepared everything:

A large coarse porcelain plate held freshly fried bacon, sausages, soft-boiled eggs, and toast, all emitting a strong aroma. There were also canned tomatoes and beans heated in a bain-marie, looking very tangy and appetizing.

Another medium-sized plate contained sliced ham, chunks of fresh cheese, and pies filled with jam.

There was also a coarse porcelain bowl filled with heated onion soup, which included some leftover fried potatoes and fish pieces from the day.

Finally, there was a large cup of wine.

"Wow!"

Seeing the abundant food in front of him, Jeremy, exhausted from the escape, began devouring it with knife and fork.

Halfway through, Jeremy, feeling somewhat embarrassed, asked Miss Annabelle:

"Miss Annabelle, won't you eat something?"

"Today's food is delicious and plentiful enough."

Hearing Miss Annabelle say this, Jeremy thought she had eaten a feast during the day and continued to eat and drink while explaining to her:

"Actually, I escaped from the factory. My boss has gone mad, wanting to sacrifice me to the God of Steam."

"Lucky you escaped."

"Yeah, but my colleague who entered the factory with me was steamed alive by my boss."

"Such a waste."

" Miss...Annabelle?"

Hearing this, Jeremy looked up.

He noticed that Miss Annabelle had stood up at some point.

She was removing her clothes, revealing skin as white as milk, her well-developed breasts like round, peak-topped cream cakes.

Underneath the sparse black pubic hair is the pink labia, which makes Jeremy feel hot and dry all over.

"Jeremy, your soul and body are too delicious,"

Miss Annabelle looked at Jeremy with tender eyes.

"In the era before the gods descended, with your talent, you could have become a great sage above the twelfth rank, or even a demigod above the fifteenth rank.

I love you, Jeremy. I must eat you so that I can keep you with me forever.

The god of pleasure will bless our union. She is the unrestrained reveler, the ultimate incarnation of love and lust!"

Her mouth split along the corners of her lips, turning into a gaping maw!

Countless viscous, barbed, crimson tentacles secreted from the pink labia, rapidly lunging at Jeremy!