Chapter 172: Kergos Autonomous District (4)
iuIAsWFortunately, there was an exit. As the taste of the air changed, they emerged onto a mid-tier level of the stepped altar.oLOnV
j3JyzC3The jungle of Toa Mountain sprawled beneath their feet.wBf
wRT9The forest, seen from 20 meters above sea level, was vast, with occasional glimpses of Kergos villages.eKn
rNWTurning to the opposite side of the altar, a golden palace came into view. It was the residence of Kergos’s chief. Upon entering the palace, a long hall with two rows of tables was laid out.8W2t1
Vb9Shirone sat at the head table, with Amy, Rian, Tess, Canis, and Arin seated to his right in that order.
On the left sat Chief Kadum and the elders. Hashid, who had blown the horn, was not present. At the end of the table, Mahatu’s presence indicated his high rank.o4TEprV
bF4MFMusic played, and traditional Kergos food was served. Before they could taste it, warriors entered in pairs, carrying large chests.WcH
3HKVThe warriors opened the chests, revealing an immense pile of gold coins and jewels.BV2TLkR
Jl8jY“What is this?” Shirone asked.94a
TG9“It’s a humble gift from Kergos. Please accept it.”l5KMfbh
EeoKPEwThe value exceeded countable amounts and had to be measured by weight. The combined weight of the five chests was at least a ton.H1k
T8YHeEAmy put down her food with a displeased expression.kAX
vfNThis was not income from the ruins. It was money earned from smuggling lupe. That amount of money could feed the entire tribe and more.Lssn9zs
wQmsg“Shirone, you’re not thinking of accepting this, are you?”5c7Xy
STp“We can’t accept such a large sum without knowing the reason. They wouldn’t just give it for nothing.”73kJWVF
b7hymAs Shirone demanded an explanation, Kadum’s expression changed.ehE
jGcHoEven a saint would be affected by seeing over a ton of gold coins. However, Shirone reacted as if the gold was just rocks.8Jny
f6tGN7Shirone was not indifferent to wealth, but he wasn’t foolish enough to covet something that wasn’t his.q5Oy
dguAMZgKadum did not appear flustered. Instead of explaining, he clapped, and a second tribute was brought in.AD2FFPU
pJBHe was confident that no one could refuse this.OfEy
AdWVEMen with white tattoos on their faces, like the one in the room of achievement and sacrifice, entered. Shirone assumed they were priests.T4gs
1MwoGWhen they stepped aside, a dozen young and beautiful Kergos women entered.wfVt4i
4gaECKThe boys, including Shirone, stared in shock. It was a sight they rarely encountered at their age.QBH6cz
IxicD1The nearly naked women approached, dancing sensually.z8LdmC
hEXVFrom a distance, the dance appeared elegant, but up close, it was intensely provocative. The women’s eyes were glazed, indicating they were in a trance.QsTKVN1
Pkdug“How do you like it? These are the most beautiful priestesses of Kergos. They are the second tribute for the messenger of the gods. I hope you are pleased.”zgA
BPjNShirone felt the heat from his side. Without turning, he knew what expression Amy had.jLV
hiFvThMKadum’s goodwill backfired.LAGaV7m
KRWNSThough the priestesses’ dance was enchanting, to Shirone, they seemed like women writhing under the influence of lupe.oaikQm
3DZUnprovoked kindness often felt like a threat, and Shirone’s mind grew cold as he analyzed Kadum’s intentions.n76
CP46ZKadum began to worry as Shirone’s reaction remained firm.EAE8GDP
FMwxazAn Unlocker’s spirit was superior to an ordinary person’s, but they were not saints. Immortal Function was a process towards enlightenment, not a state of nirvana.Mfn
jylKRKVSomeone truly free from the five desires and seven emotions wouldn’t have ventured into the room of achievement and sacrifice. Kadum couldn’t discern what Shirone wanted.UsmY
w34CST“I must have been mistaken. I thought you would be pleased. This is my first time welcoming a messenger of the gods, so I simply followed tradition.”UZCwrw
gJtiGShirone found his words even more distasteful. What kind of debauchery had Unlockers engaged in for such a tradition to exist?4aW
vbB“Did they enjoy such things?”9uD9
n18“According to records, they did not dislike them. But don’t misunderstand. There is no ulterior motive; it’s merely tradition. Kergos is a tribal society, but the priests hold great power. Priests are divided into sages and warriors, and among the sages, the women become priestesses. According to Kergos’s rules, priestesses must be beautiful and remain chaste throughout their lives. However, to conceive a child of an angel, they can sleep with someone once. These priestesses are prepared to give everything for Shirone, the descendant of an angel.”d3sE47
tLhh0VK“If I accept these women, what must I do?”KPTzaZ
JTZA chief wouldn’t make such a sacrifice without expecting something in return. Traditions arose from necessity.ViqW5K
LFpThe amount of gold could feed the entire tribe. Additionally, the women dancing for Shirone’s favor were potential future mothers who could increase Kergos’s population. Essentially, they were offering Shirone the tribe’s wealth and future.1hzD
i63ERQ“Kergosians are the children of the great Ra. The descendants of angels are the only ones who can connect the Kergos tribe with the gods. Please convey our faith to the gods.”Dtc
UCj“By gods, do you mean Aker?”IovQ
7ZOEJD“Aker, Ra. It means the eternal Ra. He has existed since the beginning and created us. With his great power, he still watches over us.”T7ad7
JM7JStripping away the religious context, it was a proposal of trade.CgBxT
876XqU9They would receive gold and women in exchange for delivering the tribe’s wishes to the gods. The method was unclear, but it was evidently linked to Immortal Function.lARCis
d2S5The mental channel buzzed with discussions about accepting the offer.aDtOS7
MtI2LTess was against it. Beyond the money, she couldn’t imagine Shirone sleeping with another woman while being with Amy.eUR
X1flJSurprisingly, Amy supported accepting the offer, and Shirone agreed.qik
tzdQ6xQ“Shirone! How could you? I trusted you, even though they say all men are beasts.”0Bay
mLqjU“Calm down. Shirone must have a reason. Amy agreed too.”vqq
24e“Ridiculous! Rian, are you siding with Shirone because you’re a man? I’ll never agree. Amy, say something. Aren’t you annoyed?”seINa
fbP“Of course, I’m annoyed. It’s upsetting that the tribe starves while they throw feasts. But Shirone can control that. What’s important is gathering more information, so we should agree.”Me8dOCJ
rC3c9KWhile Shirone’s group exchanged thoughts, an elderly man with white hair entered. It was Elder Hashid, who had blown the horn. His eyes, filled with veins, glared at the elders engrossed in the feast.u0fhE
azrzAPYMahatu stood up respectfully as Hashid approached.kDfGAr
bezSD15“You’re here, Elder.”LLgh
hVSJ2P“Such foolishness. What is this madness?”mdR
5GhAs the music stopped, the dancing girls collapsed in exhaustion.k3eY
9g0f8Hashid, leaning on his cane, approached Shirone.PLA
CeOVEWKadum spoke in a high-handed tone, blocking his path.gL2U
r7ME“What are you doing, Father? Ruining a sacred banquet?”mch4x
DxZ4“Sacred banquet? Our people are starving to death while you waste money on this nonsense. The tribe will perish if this continues!”4bdwDp8
38h“It’s astonishing to hear such heresy from a former chief and honorable elder. Can I quote your words at the council?”smccJb
oC2B“You mustn’t. The tribe is hopeful because of the arrival of the messenger, but that’s all. They seek happiness, not the messenger.”EEgoj
UrXt1“I’ve heard your opinion, Elder. Regardless, I am the chief. Kergos will be revived by the grace of the gods. We will restore the glory of our ancient civilization, not hide in the mountains fearing outsiders!”auPz
1jSU3MHashid clicked his tongue and turned away, twitching his beard.AUY
d94KejKadum was the chief, and escalating the conflict in front of the elders could lead to another civil war like the one 500 years ago.Nn2
YPBAs the atmosphere settled, the elders quietly left, and the banquet ended.cQw6O
9LGKadum led Shirone and his group to the top of the altar. The rooftop was spacious, with a 7-meter-high statue on the north side. The moonlit giant was imposing.WLq7
SxqKadum stood by the statue, gazing at the night sky.bhVh5n
5ZF3OPCountless stars twinkled.3iM
iwUxnBut he focused on one.pjv
pNuQN7“Do you see that cluster of stars in the northern sky? Connect them into an 8, then find the brightest star at the intersection of the two circles.”DpiIxxv
cI9R3They followed him, reluctantly spending time identifying the star Kadum pointed out.zqV6
Ot0ysbThen Kadum made a shocking statement.i2Gd
XQuhEW4“That star is Kergos’s homeland.”mdqim
LSEV9“What? Homeland?”Xlx7Z30
zOav7To Shirone, homeland meant the place of birth. It was not some distant point in the night sky.66nZ
s96Mb6“Kergonians know that the god who created us lives there. We are born and die here, but our souls fly to that star. We call it heaven.”Rsc
bt8howShirone felt puzzled.eDIuYrK
IrHnHeaven was an abstract place, not a tourist spot to be pointed out to a traveler.AhN
sn5“I don’t understand. Why is that star heaven?”Bh9jjzV
1tu9“You don’t believe in gods, do you, Shirone?”CD2V3Gv
YzEazVBShirone neither believed nor disbelieved in gods.HC8d4P1
G0vA mage’s thinking did not draw clear conclusions about the unprovable.aDs6
sWmKSHdTo Shirone, gods were beings whose existence could neither be confirmed nor denied.L9vRPcf
mLlf3b“Kergos’s creation myth includes this story. It’s a prehistorical myth. In the beginning, there was a giant, and humans were born from the giant’s flesh and blood. The first human was Garok, who lived for 782 years. His child Deris lived for 982 years, and his son Tessus lived for 1,320 years.”4PuY9G3
WGourRa’s creation myth wasn’t much different from other religious myths.c7B59QE
3RvcZSome scholars suggested that the lifespans in prehistorical stories represented the duration of a family’s rule.XgiTw
vyfvVYFor instance, if a family flourished for 13 generations, the myth would speak of a single figure living for a thousand years.4SngJ
EIAVesdIt was a plausible theory.k7GFe
SkIEven in the Kingdom of Thormia, the king’s name was passed down through generations. The current king was Adolph XII.Le7
VEUu44Kadum recited the lifespans of unfamiliar names as if showcasing his memorization skills.JUk5
VGXmlzXAfter the mythical era, he moved on to historical times.SrRMzn
23JC91o“Two thousand years ago, the sage Hannes established civilization here. From then on, we were embraced by Ra. You might wonder why we haven’t restored the Kergos ruins buried in volcanic ash.”VrfE
sLGvBoShirone recalled the thick barrier in the middle layer of the ruins that even Amy’s sniper mode couldn’t penetrate.Ns0N99
aFQ9“There are many ancient ruins worldwide, and this place is one of them. But there’s a hidden fact unknown to the public. Long ago, our ancestors seemed to travel freely between earth and heaven. The underground facilities of the ruins prove this.”Zbktqb
nVkKhrv“What exactly is underground?”mSZh
smaSE1nBy now, Shirone couldn’t bear not knowing.z5vHM
glofKadum stared into Shirone’s curious eyes and said,ZUF
Fwhp“Underground, there is a gate that leads to heaven.”nfQoN
vqEIt felt like being struck by a hammer. Heaven? Did he mean the star in the northern sky?W4qsI5
qVGkjSsThat place was in space.OD8
t6TgNIt was an unreachable distance for humans.WCj
OodnV“Are you saying there’s a way to reach where the gods are?”nZq
TquQtVg“Yes, exactly.”tdbtSMl
uMp3qQA thought struck Shirone. Was Kadum a madman, or was he telling the truth?mu8fWD
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