Chapter 286 “Will there be an answer?” (Part one)
Du Wei certainly won’t be unfamiliar with the word “angel”. It’s just that he would find it hard to believe the angels of this world would be the same as those from his previous world where wings grow out of their back.
Then again, it didn’t matter for the following recount from QQ would send chills down anyone’s heart if they listened!
“From that day forward, I gave up the last glimmer of illusion about the so-called Gods. Though I didn’t believe in God prior to that, I would not go out of my way to maliciously attack those divine beings… But after that day, I understood that the so-called gods never held any sort of kindness or mercy towards us! Regarding our worship and admiration, it’s merely our subjective and wishful thinking. For the gods, we humans are no more than cattle, merely ants under their feet. Herdsmen graze cattle in order to harvest their goods, how can benevolence come into play in the equation?”
“The angel you are talking about, what are they like? Elaborate for me please.” Du Wei scoffed a laugh: “Do they have wings growing out of their back….”
QQ suddenly smiled: “Your statement matches exactly like the one Aragon asked, hmm, beings with wings on the back, things weren’t like that.
After the dream that night, I awoke to see the stone under my pillow, that’s when I realized the seriousness of the matter. The usurpation of god plan we came up with before was merely a way for us to manipulate the religion of light, but the deity behind the religion seems to have materialized for real. No matter what, this occurrence wouldn’t be good for our ultimate goal. Imagine how difficult it would be for to weaken the influence of the religion of light if a real deity were to back them. So, I did not immediately tell anyone about my encounter, instead, I secretly went straight to Master Aragon to discuss the situation. We mused over the problem for a long time; finally, we decided to temporarily halt publicizing the information to the public until we figured out what’s happening. Aragon and I took to the mountains first in order to receive the miracle and see what that so called goddess wanted….
And so we went, concealing the news to everyone around us. As you can imagine, he being the emperor of the Empire, and I being the Pope of a whole religion, both of us can only briefly leave the public’s eye until someone figures we’re missing.
Following the instruction of the dream, we came up to the mountain at the predetermined time…. Hmm, how did the saying go with the story again? Ah yes, I bathed and fastened until the destined moment. With only my bare feet, I trekked up the rocky mountain terrain and reached my destination after my feet became mangled by sharp cuts…. Naturally, all of that is bullshit. What really happened is Aragon, with his sword in hand, came up to the mountain with me! Master seems to be very weary of that so called goddess, and from his demeanor that day, I can tell he came in the state of combat ready.
Exactly on the noon of that day, I came to the destined spot and saw a magic inscription etched along the ground of that rocky peak. Based on the linings and charred marks, this was clearly the work of lightning striking down from the sky. I confirmed this from the locals of the nearby village that was a storm the previous day.
Like instructed, I placed the stone in the middle of the magic circle, and immediately, the entire world around us changed. Exactly like the Temple’s canon, red radiance overtook the sky.
I originally thought the miracle from the goddess would be nothing more than an order of some kind, maybe prophecy if not, but never in my wildest dream did I expect her to send an angel!
I saw it with my own eyes as I stood there. Striking down from the sky, a beam of radiance distorted the very fabric of reality and created a pillar of light for that golden figure to descend.
Despite its contour looking similar to that of a human’s, that being wasn’t one of us, merely a mass of light without a true body.
By then I was directly in front of that thing, and from the very bottom of my soul, I instinctively became overwhelmed by fear and oppression. The experience is impossible to explain, I can only say it’s a direct impulse from our very core to want to want crawl down on the floor and worship. Luckily, I managed to refrain myself from doing just that by pure will.
Then it spoke to me and said, ‘Are you the servant chosen by the goddess?’
I said I was.
At my answer, the thing seemed a little dissatisfied and its voice grew very angry, ‘Why do you not kneel in front of the messenger of the goddess? Can it be you humble creatures have forgotten to revere the gods?’
I of course grew very angry after hearing this; nevertheless, I endured and asked it who you are.
I remember it telling me that it was the messenger of the goddess, ‘responsible for guiding us lost lambs in this world’.
Upon hearing this, I instinctively felt a bad omen!
Then it became a little impatient, ‘there’s not enough time to say anymore superfluous nonsense. Hurry and obediently offer up your body to me in the goddess’s name.’
I didn’t quite understand its meaning at first, but then I eventually understood!
When that golden light reached out its arm to me, I rapidly found my body being invaded at the subconscious level, almost like my very soul’s being devoured. I couldn’t move, I could only watch on as the hand slowly reached into my head.
Just as my mind was about to turn dark, images of all my life, fragments of my childhood, everything emerged little by little, faster and faster, everything flashed across my eyes. I felt my head breaking under the pressure, and then…. I suddenly felt very tired, as if trapped in my past and slowly being torn from existence.
I remember the last thing I heard the Angel say was, ‘This body is too weak…’ Hmm, I think it was very dissatisfied with me”
Speaking of this, QQ looks up at Du Wei: “Do you know what this means?”
Du Wei gulped heavily at the question. Nodding, he replied: “It… It wants to take away your body? The light angel being should be an existence without a body, so… it wants to take your body?”
“Yes.” QQ bellows out a laugh: “You are absolutely correct! See, this is the so called gods! The first thing the goddess does when sending her servants down to this world is to kill me and seize my body!”
“And then?”
“And then… I finally realized the danger. In the last moment before I fainted, I cried out ‘Aragon’ with all my strength, then I lost consciousness without knowing what happened afterwards.
When I woke up again, the time was already evening and Aragon was sitting by my side. Upon watching me open my eyes, Master Aragon’s first word to me was, ‘My dear brother, I almost lost you there,’ he was genuinely smiling the entire time.
Of course, I immediately asked him about ‘that angel’.
He brought out a crystal ball from his pocket at my question…. Hmm, let me tell you, that is no ordinary crystal ball, it’s made of the same rainbow colored stone on your storage ring! Master Du Wei, I know your stone is quite big, but compared to Master Aragon’s, it’s simply too small.
He brought out that rainbow crystal ball and said to me, ‘The guy’s been killed by me and I imprisoned the last remnants of its body inside this ball.’
I then knew while I was unconscious, Master Aragon that had been lying in wait nearby made his move and dealt with that accursed angel.”
The corner of Du Wei’s mouth twitched and twitched as he reluctantly squeezed out a bitter smile: “Killed… An angel?”
QQ’s voice became very low: “Yes… Though I fainted and didn’t witness the battle first hand, but when I awoke, I can tell Aragon was very tired. Master was almost invincible back then, but that day, I knew he was too tired to even stand up!
As for what the Temple’s canon talking about radiance overshadowing the sky and the earth trembling and so on, it’s all a lie. In actual fact, those were the results of the battle between Aragon and the Angel. That mountain used to be a very good mountain, but during the process of that battle, the middle section had been thoroughly flattened, thus separating it into two opposing slopes. Haha… Du Wei, you in fact went there yourself.”
His reminder quickly jolted Du Wei’s memory: “You… You can’t be mean flying horse hill. That’s where I met Green Robe Gandalf and….
“That’s where Miss Vivian waited for you!” The place that used to be called ‘Brokeback Mountain’, exactly dozens of miles away from the imperial capital.
Looking at Du Wei’s wordless appearance, QQ seems to be very proud of himself as he continued: “The commotion that day was simply too big, plus, we were still atop of the mountain when the rocks filled with the strange carvings descended.
Despite being unaware of what’s happening, we knew it be impossible to conceal anything at that point.
In particular was when we returned to the capital. Long before we even stepped into the imperial city, we kept hearing the passer-by preaching about the sacred carvings from the heavens. I was shocked by the news because I only divulged the goddess’s message to Aragon; no outsider should’ve known anything. Then as I returned to my residence, I learned from my followers of the divine skills bestowed upon the Temple that afternoon.
That’s when I finally understood everything. The goddess wanted me to go up that mountain in order to deceive me and reap me of my body. Then using her angel to replace me, she can then directly control the Temple using those despicable means.”
“I don’t understand.” Du Wei shook his head and frowned: “Even if she wanted to send an angel down, wouldn’t it be easier to reveal it to everyone. I’m sure that among her fanatical followers, there be bound to be one willing to offer up their body. Why go through so much trouble in sneaking around to harm you? This kind of plan can easily be done in the open.”
“That’s the point.” QQ laughs: “Master Du Wei, you need to understand, the era’s different! Back then the Roland Empire had just been established and the religion of light had barely warmed up to its dominant position on the mainland. Compared to today, that halo around the Temple was far from stable! In that era, there were many religions, many gods of varying beliefs. In particular are the methods used during the unification process. Taking advantage of their legitimate status granted by the Empire, the Temple swallowed many of the other religions in existance, and eradicated any dissident factors involved. This process of annexation cannot possibly wipe every opposing person out, for if they did, it’s likely there wouldn’t be many humans left alive afterwards. After all, in that time period, almost everyone believed in some kind of different god, not just the light goddess.
Therefore, with the exception of a few recalcitrant elements, many were forcefully forced to change their faith. As you can imagine, this type of knife bearing threat cannot truly change a person’s heart.
So, at that time, the Temple’s position was still far from stable, with the majority of their followers being forcibly added into their ranks.
Can you imagine the panic it would cause if all of a sudden the explosive news of the goddess wants to kill one of her believers in order to possess their body and come into this world? Its fine for those that truly believe, but for those that don’t, this would be a big threat.
In addition, after Aragon and I analyzed the situation, he told me the goddess is likely not planning anything good! Me being a non-believer and a spy inside the Temple, why would she choose me over her other faithful followers? If she can peer into my dreams, I’m sure she can tell what my heart’s thinking!
After that event, I truly believed in the existence of those whatever gods, just that they are not as benevolent as we thought.”
Regarding the last part, Du Wei fully agrees with QQ’s statement.