The lunatic wants to play
Ah! Somebody, help me! The lunatic is after me!" A woman's panicked cry echoed through the village as she sprinted in frantic circles, the wind whistling past her ears.
In pursuit, a man chased after her, his lips releasing a series of unsettling giggles. Stretching his arms out with a peculiar grace, he effortlessly caught her and brought her down to the ground. The young man wrapped his long legs around her, holding her close. In a voice both youthful and smooth, he declared, "I caught you! I caught you!" The woman in his strong embrace was delicate and seemingly incapable of resisting.
Rather than fear, she displayed frustration, yelling at him, "Xiao Ling, get off! I'm not in the mood for your games! Somebody help me already!"
The reason the men of the village refrained from chastising the lunatic named Xiao Ling was a knowledge that he harbored no malicious intent; he simply sought play.
However, unbeknownst to them, Xiao Ling was internally repulsed by his actions and the woman. It was a struggle beyond his control.
In this world, two types of gods exist: Born gods and selected gods. Born gods are celestial beings born in heaven by divine parentage, while selected gods are mortals who ascend to godhood. Naturally, born gods held greater inherent strength, but selected gods could reach their level after two hundred years or more following ascension. The two types were perpetual rivals, each attempting to prove superiority over the other.
The gods were essentially concubines vying for power, and their influence and strength grew with the number of devoted followers.
Two thousand years ago, Xiao Ling was a formidable selected God of War and Roses. He practiced demonic cultivation, a forbidden art in heaven. However, even the born gods were powerless against him. Xiao Ling ascended to become the Heavenly Emperor of heaven after defeating the corrupted ruler.
Despite his might, he fell victim to betrayal by the demons he controlled and a handful of born gods. Most selected gods were eradicated, while Xiao Ling was cursed to live as a lunatic in the mortal realm, subjected to humiliation as he observed his body engage in shameless acts.
Encounters with him were forgotten after fifteen years, leaving the lunatic with no lasting companionship. Yet, this particular village consistently treated him with kindness and compassion, despite their transient memories.
...
Several men pulled Xiao Ling away from the woman. "Oi, lunatic! Don't go hugging other men's wives!" a butcher scolded, smacking his back. Xiao Ling staggered, saved from falling by the grip of other men.
Turning to the butcher, Xiao Ling opened his mouth, prompting laughter from the butcher who placed a sweet in it. Xiao Ling crunched it before speaking, "Who married a 14-year-old!? She's not even a woman! She's a girl!" He swung back and forth.
While it was customary for girls to marry young, Xiao Ling, having once been a god, knew the challenges they faced. He had heard countless prayers from young girls trapped in early marriages, seeking help. Though no longer in control of his body, his thoughts and values still left their mark.
Xiao Ling's piercing green eyes shifted to the girl, who looked up at him not with anger or annoyance, but a fleeting hope that quickly vanished. What hope could she have from a lunatic?