Chapter 501: Things That Happened After Leaving
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Countless people had witnessed the catastrophe in the Beinz area. News of the end-of-days scene and the violent First Born had spread uncontrollably throughout the world. But the truth behind the event, including how everything was turned back to normal, was only known to a small number of people. Only those few, who were present knew the complete story.
Among them were Marshal Ophra and Elson.
In the present, the Kingdom of Holletta had successfully blocked out information that was not suitable for public consumption. They carefully crafted parts, which could be disseminated, and sold by the national propaganda machine to the general public, who were eager to know facts. Admittedly this practice was for the benefit of the vast majority of people: the royals needed stability, the Church needed a faithful congregation, and everything would be business-as-usual as long as someone told the people that tomorrow was going to be just another day. Everyone just needed to know what they were supposed to know and the world would continue to be safe. The catastrophic truth would be dealt with by someone who had enough courage, such as a hero or a team of protagonists, or a twenty-five-person exploratory team... Well, pretty much someone like that.
Elson led Hao Ren and his entourage as they hustled across the rugged mountain path of Dragonspine Ridge to the nearest knight's garrison. While walking, he told them all the intel he knew. "The incident in the Beinz Diocese was a demonic invasion. Some ancient devil had incited the infidels to invade the most sacred place in the world and contaminate the Gnarled Grove, turning the life forms into monsters. But the devout Bishop Gelton and a group of enlightened missionaries received a revelation from the goddess, and innocent people were evacuated in a timely manner. The power of the goddess then descended in person to end the evil and its ugly servants. Bishop Gelton and all those who died in the incident were declared as saints or heroes of martyrdom. They fought bravely under the goddess' command and died. That's what happened."
"That's the official version," Vivian said. "Pretty much the same as what they did on Earth back then..."
"The people need a 'truth' that allows them to sleep soundly. Trust me, they'll like this version of the story better than the real one." The werewolf grinned hoarsely. "The king and the archbishop all know what really happened on that day. They've been discussing about the First Born the entire time in the Royal City. There are mountains of complaints every day in the magical messages sent from Ophra."
"I don't care. It's the politician's job to deal with it." Hao Ren shrugged. "But, how did you explain the crater? And the crystal jungle below it? A pit several kilometers wide is definitely not a natural phenomenon."
Elson nodded. "Of course it's not a natural phenomenon. It's a miracle. The goddess complimented the brave warriors who died on that day and gave her power to reward the mortals. She used her power to create a crystal jungle in a single breath. The crystals in the jungle are a whole new kind of magic ore. However, the magisters aren't quite sure if those ores are useful. But they do know the ore contains a lot of magical properties, so the Church's arguments are tenable. Now, the Takata School and the Academic School have sent out their best mages, and the kingdom as well as the Church have built large laboratories at the bottom of the crater to study the crystals and their uses. They're going to find out and they better find out."
"Looks like next time I can't simply shoot in your planet. You've attributed everything to the goddess." Hao Ren's expression was subtle. "They really are propaganda specialists. They can come out with narratives without even thinking. How do they explain the sacred lake not being sheltered but bombarded by the goddess herself? Hmm, needless to say, I know the explanation must have something to do with miracles."
Elson smiled in silence and pointed to the camp not far away. "This is the nearest knight's garrison to the main peak. In order to be able to sense you and meet you in the first instance, my troops and I have been staying here. Don't talk to the ordinary soldiers when you go in. They don't know about you."
"Has Ophra gone back a long time ago? What's Holletta's situation now? Are the Royal Knights and Church Knights guarding it here?" Lily asked next to him. Before her voice trailed off, Becky, Ophra's brain-dead fan, who would not hesitate to change her sexual orientation if Ophra ordered so, came up.
The elderly werewolf was very cautious as he spoke, "First thing's first, it's not that I don't want to tell you, but things are sensitive. Only Ophra can decide how much trust we can place in you. As for Ophra, upon returning to the Royal Capital, she and the surviving archbishops want to go and tell the king as well as the pope about what happened here. Two knights have been guarding Dragonspine Ridge since that day. Now it's not only a sacred land, but also a forbidden, dangerous area. There are some wandering rock monsters that occasionally appear on the mountain roads. We have to clean them up from time to time. The pope and the king have jointly issued an order prohibiting mercenaries as well as adventurers from entering the mountains. It's to protect the mountains' secrets, and..."
Vivian chimed in, "...and the crystal jungle, right? I know. That may have become a strategic resource."
Hao Ren was a little speechless when he heard this. "Isn't it just glass residue? If you will, I can help: find me a land so I can bombard it from the sky using 4/4-beat pattern and create and eight million square kilometres of mines..."
Before Hao Ren's voice trailed off, the MDT whispered in his mind. "Then you're not far from under the fire squad— creating a crystal jungle with just one shot is more by accident than design. It's not that every time you can trigger a chain reaction and not hurt the geology."
Hao Ren complained in his mind. "Yeah, I know the rules. I was just talking nonsense. Is it really necessary to be so serious with me?"
"Then why the heck you take a PDA so seriously?"
Hao Ren was speechless.
Hao Ren felt that arguing with his tablet computer all day was the greatest sadness in life, and the saddest thing was that he could not win the argument...
Apparently the elderly werewolf Elson did not take Hao Ren's words seriously. He just smiled and said, "It's better not to repeat what happened that day. I am old and I won't be able to take it."
"That depends on how easy the two First Borns could be dealt with," said Hao Ren. "Have the other two First Borns been found?"
"The entrance to the sanctum has already been found. The King is setting up a team to search for a way to securely open the inner door of the sanctum. However, there is not much progress at the moment," Elson nodded. "Ask Ophra for yourself when you meet her. I really can't disclose too much."
Elson was obviously worried when he mentioned the 'First Born'. Obviously, it was the kind of enemy as powerful a natural disaster which he was unwilling to face even though he had countless battle experience in the battlefield. And he also knew that even if this group of 'aliens' was willing to help, the price to pay would be too high: the complete destruction of Beinz Diocese was an example.
Seeing the gloomy expression on the elderly werewolf's face, Hao Ren kept silent.
He dared not tell him that the maturing First Born was even more terrible than what he saw that day: the tentacles in Beinz Diocese had been in a long slumber and was not completely awake judging from its physical size. Before it could reveal its soul hidden in the material world, it was already exterminated. On Planet Tannagost, there was only a full-grown First Born who had devoured the entire ecosystem, occupying the entire Planet Tannagost and its spiritual power had even enveloped the entire globe. If the sleeping First Born in the crust beneath Holletta was also such a monster, aside from asking Raven 12345's help, Hao Ren would have no other way to save the life on this planet.
Elson took them to a resting place and told the subsequent plan. "I'll send Ophra a message via magic messaging informing her about your arrival. How are you going to meet her? By way of dimensional magic... or should I arrange a carriage for you guys? It's better not to use the military's teleportation. You have to keep your head low before meeting Ophra."
When Becky heard the 'dimensional magic', she immediately jumped to her feet. "Please don't! Landlord's a rookie driver!"
Hao Ren was annoyed. "Is it necessary to nag all the times? How many times have you been teleported while on Earth?"
Becky stuck out her tongue and said, "Oh, it's hard not to nag when I'm here in my hometown. I just want to relive the good old day feeling."
"Do you have a high-precision map with altitude and precise scale?" Hao Ren pulled out his MDT from his pocket. "We can use the map to roughly calculate the coordinates for stealthy teleportation mode. Find a quieter place where we could approuch Ophra as we have some confidential matters to discuss."