I Reborn as a God Within a Statue, And You Ask Me to Enslave All Gods?
Chapter 181 -181-Divine Punishment

Chapter 181: Chapter181-Divine Punishment

"This time, the Illusionary Realm should bring great benefits to my territory."

Owen took a deep breath and infused three thousand strands of Caesar Empire’s Primal Faith into the Illusionary Realm.

In that moment, an invisible light shield surged from Owen’s palm, expanding rapidly and engulfing the vast reaches of his domain in one breath.

Gazing at the fully expanded realm, Owen’s eyes filled with anticipation.

He was genuinely curious to see what changes this considerable expenditure of divine points and Primal Faith would bring to his land.

He didn’t have to wait long before his attention shifted to a new object in his possession—the Whip of Divinity.

The whip was pitch black, entwined with thorn-like textures, wrapped in a smoky grey aura that seemed to exist somewhere between the physical and the illusory.

It was imbued with divine power, and only gods wielding a god mark could activate it. With this whip, a deity could punish their devotees—not directly, but by invoking the laws of heaven and earth upon uttering a target’s name while striking.

As Owen gripped the cold, biting handle of the whip, a figure immediately surfaced in his mind.

His name was Buck—a brawny man from a merchant family with modest wealth. Lazy, idle, and arrogant, he roamed the village as a local menace.

Just recently, Buck had set his eyes on a girl from the village—a peer of his age. He lured her into a secluded grove, where he violated and then murdered her, burying the body under an old tree.

Though the girl had died a tragic death, she hadn’t become a ghost. Her parents were still frantically searching, unaware that their daughter had already perished.

Buck’s actions were hidden so thoroughly that no one else had sensed anything wrong.

However, within Owen’s divine territory, every creature’s actions were meticulously recorded by the god mark. Every sin, every thought, every whisper—nothing escaped divine scrutiny.

So when Owen picked up the Whip of Divinity, intending to test it on a wrongdoer, Buck’s face had surfaced naturally.

His entire history—every detail—was laid bare before Owen’s eyes, recorded clearly by the god mark.

Such cruelty could not go unpunished.

Owen’s eyes narrowed coldly.

"There is no place for wickedness under my rule."

With that thought, Owen raised the whip and struck down upon Buck’s name with force.

Crack!

The air exploded with a sharp crack. Buck’s name, inscribed in divine light, instantly shattered into countless fragments.

"This man is guilty of grave sins. Let him be cast into the Eternal Purgatory—to suffer the torments of the eighteen levels of Hell!"

Infernos, frozen wastelands, mountains of blades, boiling oil pits...

Only those guilty of heinous crimes would be banished to such horrors—to endure unimaginable agony.

And Buck—he was the first to be cast into it by Owen’s hand.

Meanwhile, in Annasi Town...

Buck was currently in a bustling tavern, feasting and drinking rowdily with his friends.

"Drink, drink, drink! This is premium wine from Black Iron—we don’t get this kind of stuff often!"

Buck lifted his red wine glass, ready to clink glasses and party into the night.

But just as he spoke, his entire body suddenly felt as if it had been scorched by a wave of invisible fire. In the astonished eyes of his companions, the wine in his glass instantly evaporated, and the blood and energy within his body rapidly dissipated.

In mere moments, he shriveled up like a desiccated corpse. His skin cracked like aged bark, and his flesh was drained of moisture while a searing pain erupted from the depths of his soul.

He was in absolute agony, yet his frail body prevented him from making a sound. His mouth opened wide, eyes bulged, and only a hoarse groan barely escaped.

Those who were drinking with him were utterly dumbfounded. The festive atmosphere turned to sheer horror in a blink.

"Buck?!"

"What’s happening to you?!"

They rushed to support his failing body, pouring water into his mouth, splashing him, desperately trying to revive him.

But nothing worked. His body continued to wither, and the searing pain only intensified—as if thousands of red-hot needles were piercing through every nerve.

Before anyone could even react, a line of blood-red text formed in the air above Buck’s head, condensed from the blood vapor that had evaporated from his body.

"Buck. One month ago, abducted the village girl Zhu En. Judgment: fire sentence. Soul condemned to the Eighteen Hells. In his next life, reborn as a beast—stripped, hunted, and slaughtered."

Alongside this chilling decree, a solemn voice rang out.

Deus Initium!

At that moment, everyone present heard the familiar voice of Thomas in their minds.

As Owen’s missionary, Thomas’ voice was burned into the hearts of Annasi Town’s people.

This was Thomas enacting punishment in the name of the divine!

In fact, after Owen wielded the Whip of Divinity, he handed over the public execution to Thomas, ensuring that all would witness what awaited those who violated divine law.

Not just the patrons in that tavern—but every soul in Annasi Town—heard Thomas’ thunderous voice ring out.

Deus Initium was enacting justice.

Shock rippled through the hearts of all who listened.

Everyone had heard of Buck. They knew he was a loafer, a brute. But few had imagined he was capable of something so monstrous.

Zhu En had vanished two days after Buck’s attack. The entire town had searched high and low. No one imagined her end had been so horrific.

Some thought she had fallen into a river. No one had considered Buck as the culprit.

Annasi Town had become such a peaceful place—its prosperity envied by countless other villages.

"No one thought it was murder..."

"If not for Deus Initium’s divine sight, Zhu En’s disappearance might have remained an unsolved mystery forever!"

"Praise be to the great Deus Initium! He will punish all who do evil!"

The people of Annasi Town were first shocked, then overjoyed.

They understood just how hard-won their peace was. They cherished it deeply.

As for Zhu En’s grieving parents, relatives, and friends—they wept with sorrow and gratitude. Zhu En had been such a sweet, clever, and lively girl. No one had imagined her end would be so cruel.

But now, they were filled with boundless gratitude for Deus Initium.

Countless others who had once walked in the shadows—those who had dabbled in crime—felt a cold sweat drip down their backs. Their hearts pounded wildly.

They had known of Deus Initium’s might. But they had believed it was limited to divine combat—unimaginable strength, to be sure, but not surveillance.

Now they understood—every act of evil they had hidden was known.

Buck had not only suffered divine fire—his soul had been condemned to eternal torment. Even in his next life, he would be reborn as a pig, hunted and butchered again and again.

For those who had committed grave sins, death was no release—it was only the beginning of their nightmare.

In that moment, the local bullies and crime lords of Annasi Town turned pale and trembling. Without hesitation, they resolved to change their ways.

"Go! Settle the accounts with the shops we owe silver to—and no more usury! From now on, we run our business honestly. Even if the profits shrink, at least we’ll sleep at night!"

Orders that would have been ridiculed just a day ago were now met with unquestioning obedience. Even the gang’s thugs, once ruthless and bloodthirsty, scurried out to apologize to former victims.

After all, Deus Initium’s punishment didn’t end with death.

No matter how well they thought they had hidden their sins, they could not escape the eyes of a god.

And Buck’s fall was just the beginning. If they didn’t restrain themselves, they would be next.

Compared to divine law, the town’s laws were a joke. Divine punishment was a hundred times more severe.

No one dared to take the risk.

Besides, as long as they followed the divine path and served faithfully, with the protection of Deus Initium, they might even one day become gods themselves.

Anyone with a functioning brain knew what to choose.

All of these inner thoughts—every change of heart—flowed clearly into Owen’s awareness.

He nodded with satisfaction.

Though only Buck had been punished, the impact had rippled through all of Annasi Town.

In a single stroke, the town’s moral climate had risen by more than a notch.