[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-player-beyond-dimensions":3,"chapter-a-player-beyond-dimensions-a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-12":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","A Player Beyond Dimensions",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2254978,4399,"Chapter 12: Chapter Eleven: The Shift of Divine Authority","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-12",12,"\u003Cp>Hss! Pain!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken gritted his teeth from the pain but said nothing, like a cold, heartless warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch removed the arrow from his back, wiped away the blood, and bandaged it with herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her movements were gentle and skilled; when her slender fingers lightly brushed over Deng Ken’s broad, muscular back, she paused for just a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken sat by the campfire and asked, surprised: “You know medicine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris lifted her golden hair away from her face, added a dry log to the fire, and smiled: “I serve Diana, goddess of the moon and oaks, also the Roman goddess of forests.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Medicine and herbs are mandatory for every priest, though we are not as skilled as the Druids.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken perked up and asked: “Do all priests have magic like you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He noticed that people with supernatural power were still rare here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris shook her head slightly: “No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only those with unique talent or divine favor can wield witchcraft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that’s how it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew it—her spells felt more like sorcery, clearly not mage-style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having grown closer to this witch, Deng Ken wanted to learn more about supernatural power, so he asked curiously: “Where does your power come from? Talent? Or divine favor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris looked up, her blue eyes fixing on him for a moment, then whispered: “Both.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was born a witch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Long ago, I was chosen by the Trivia sect as chief priestess, but the sect was soon dissolved, and many died in the chaos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Romans abandoned their gods.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our power was taken back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trivia?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Power taken back? So she was stronger before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken asked, puzzled: “The Trivia sect? I’ve never heard of it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris spoke with a trace of sorrow: “Trivia refers to the Greek great goddess Hecate. After the Empire conquered Greece, the goddess Diana absorbed Hecate’s worship.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The sect originated on the Greek peninsula; before the Empire’s rise, priests served Hecate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Can secular wars affect gods?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the Roman Empire won, so Diana absorbed Hecate. Had Greek civilization won, Hecate would have absorbed Diana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Romans abandoned their gods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Crow Queen—Tris said this, her voice carried a complex emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken thought for a moment, hesitating: “Didn’t you ever consider resisting?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you had supernatural power, you shouldn’t just sit and wait to be crushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris gave a bitter smile and shook her head: “Resist? How?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We faced...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, the Crow Queen—Tris looked up at the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken fell silent instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If gods truly existed—or even something akin to them—then Roman deities were not on the same level. In secular terms, since the Edict of Milan, the Church’s growth had been astonishing, and to some extent, it had already begun influencing secular power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Church’s strength would only grow stronger over time; by the Middle Ages, it could even influence royal succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Excommunication warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken prodded the embers and said to the witch beside him: “Tell me about your sect’s history.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris stiffened for a moment, then spoke softly: “Do you know the story of the Golden Fleece?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken thought a moment: “I know a little.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris sighed: “Our sect originated from one of the figures in that story.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The witch—Medea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken instantly recalled something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris continued slowly: “Medea was the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis and the Oceanid Idyia, niece of the witch Circe of Aeaea, sister of Absyrtus, granddaughter of Helios and Perse, and priestess of the Dark Moon goddess Hecate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She was the sect’s first high priestess.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An age when gods and mortals dwelled together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seems the mythic era was bustling with activity here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crow Queen—Tris recounted how her sect began: originally priests serving Greek gods, then, after Rome rose and conquered Greece, the deities merged, and the priests combined into a new sect branch. The only deity unaffected was Apollo—the Sun God of both Greece and Rome—whose priests merged seamlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, no one knew whether the gods truly merged—or simply hedged their bets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the Crow Queen—Tris had never seen a true god; according to sect records, no priest had ever beheld a deity’s true form. Divine guidance and oracles appeared only in mythic times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The closest mortals ever came to the gods was centuries ago, when the Son of God walked among men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken gazed at the witch lying beside him, feigning sleep, sensing her deep despair: the Romans had abandoned their gods, and these priests had been abandoned by them too. The Church’s power had crushed their thousand-year-old faith. The dark Middle Ages were coming, and this land was growing too hostile for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Olympic flame died out, both Roman and Greek gods became history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken suddenly recalled something he’d read long ago: Attila the Scourge of God met Pope Leo I before besieging Rome; legend says he abandoned the attack because of it, and Leo I earned the title “Protector of Rome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even later, there remained a painting showing Saint Peter and Saint Paul protecting the Pope, warning barbarians not to invade the “Eternal City” of Rome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Church’s power exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During this period, it was essentially a process of unifying divine authority: all the gods of the mythic age were swept into history’s trash heap, sacrifices were gradually banned. Though Germanic barbarian gods died out a little later, Europe would ultimately face religious unification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Feels like there’s a lot more beneath the surface.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Deng Ken, if there were no supernatural forces, divine succession would merely be a secular choice. But with supernatural power involved, everything became deeply suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll go to Britain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can help the Irish, Welsh, and Scots resist the Anglo-Saxons, and gain some legend points along the way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t let the first mortal vessel die foolishly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I get the feeling the final achievements of the mortal vessel will affect everything I have in the dimensional space.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The legend of King Arthur involves the Lady of the Lake, maybe the mist-shrouded Avalon—but nothing that touches those terrifying entities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken knew exactly how much power he had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Romans themselves abandoned their gods. Why should an outsider like him meddle?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to kill more legendary monsters and see if I can steal their powers, becoming a supernatural force myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——“Master Archer [Divine Archer Title]: Your archery has reached divine mastery, earning you the title of Divine Archer among mortals. Enhanced rapid-fire, enemy intimidation, greatly increased accuracy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——“Riding Mastery: Your horsemanship rivals elite nomadic riders. You can nearly achieve unity with your mount.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——“Mounted Archery Mastery: Your mounted archery is deeply refined, matching Hun elite horse archers. Greatly enhanced mounted accuracy; you may now apply foot archery techniques while riding, including but not limited to rapid-fire, multiple shots, sniping, etc.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken glanced at the witch by the fire, his gaze lingering for a moment on her rounded, firm buttocks, swallowed hard, and pulled out his small notebook to tally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——“Day Four: 22 heads.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch can fight, can heal, and she’s got great curves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder, in the causal projection of the future, she drove the mortal vessel mad with desire. Had the Lady of the Lake not intervened, it might have been a sweet love story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Medea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken knew this mythic figure—a powerful, love-struck witch who turned dark after being betrayed and abandoned by her husband, launching a series of vengeful acts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overall, Medea truly earned her title as a witch, but she remained a tragic figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Alps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken didn’t know where they were, but it felt near Munich, since they could see snow-capped mountains directly ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After entering Gao Lu’s mountains, the Crow Queen—Tris led the way. They avoided populated areas, followed mountain trails for a day and night, and finally entered a dense, lush forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Traveling in this era is truly inconvenient.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday’s rain had left Deng Ken’s feet caked in mud; the Crow Queen—Tris wasn’t much better—her face dusty, no longer the elegant, breathtaking beauty she’d been at first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A person still needs attire; even the most beautiful woman, rolling in mud, becomes a country peasant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken now confirmed the Crow Queen—Tris had ordinary human physicality, at most slightly stronger—she slipped while entering the Alps, and had Deng Ken not grabbed her swiftly, she’d have suffered a minor injury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her clothes were still caked in mud; her golden hair soaked with sludge and rain, strands stuck to her forehead, revealing a smooth, bare brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your guide—does he live in the mountains?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light rain still fell, soaking them and bringing a chill. Deng Ken was somewhat better—he had the “Strength” talent taken from a barbarian—but Tris’s lips were turning pale from cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch, looking disheveled, replied: “He should be nearby.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken no longer cared to admire the witch’s wet clothes clinging to her curves. He stripped off the dead man’s coat and tossed it to her: “Put this on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s shelter ahead. Let’s rest before searching further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hundred meters away, a forty-five-degree slope offered no true cave—just enough space for the two to huddle beneath and avoid the rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because he’d taken the barbarian warrior’s talent, Deng Ken’s wounds healed faster than expected; perhaps because of the witch’s herbs; or perhaps she’d cast some spell on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Witches are still flesh and blood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the disheveled witch, Deng Ken had her sit inside, where his tall frame could shield her from the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No dry firewood could be found nearby. He glanced at the witch and said: “Rest here. I’ll go look for some.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>God’s-eye view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Open!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken found a spot with a clear view, meditated briefly, then entered the dimensional space; soon, a large map projected before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you enlarge the map?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his thought, a terrain map spanning over ten li appeared before him. He located a village marker, then spotted a wooden cabin several li away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It must be that place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Druids in seclusion still couldn’t stray far from human society—they still needed to eat, drink, and relieve themselves, and basic supplies had to be obtained nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is there a red marker too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken noticed a red dot flicker at the map’s edge, but before he could switch Shijiao  to observe, it vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human or monster?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He returned to their original spot, called the witch, and the two of them trudged toward the cabin through uneven terrain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cabin was empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But inside were basic supplies; Deng Ken didn’t hesitate—he gathered firewood, lit a fire, and the two warmed themselves by the flames. Deng Ken skewered dried meat on his longsword and held it over the fire; when the fat sizzled and dripped, he offered a piece to the witch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch took it carefully and whispered, “Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken picked up a piece of dried meat and chewed it. The Northern War Bow rested at his right side, ready for battle. He hadn’t eaten a proper meal since leaving—his last meal at the inn had barely sufficed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to hunt some wild game soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This must be the druid’s secluded spot: the cabin held many mysterious symbols and strange bone artifacts, likely ritual objects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know how long they’d waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint footstep sounded outside. The witch immediately turned to look at him; Deng Ken grabbed his war bow and stood behind the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Druid (Two-Star) 【Neutral】!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside stood a man with thick, root-like hair and beard, tall and burly, draped in animal pelts, wearing a stag-horned helmet, holding an oak shield in one hand and a one-handed hammer in the other, a dagger hanging at his waist. His legs appeared injured, with faint traces of blood seeping through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken sniffed—the air carried a distinct stench of decay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch signaled to Deng Ken that it was safe, then stepped out of the cabin and said, “Severus, you’re hurt?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The druid approached the cabin warily, but upon recognizing the witch’s face, his expression relaxed immediately. He bowed deeply and said, “High Priestess Tris.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Empire conquered Gao Lu, the worship of forest deities was absorbed into the cult devoted to Diana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though not formally subordinate, the two had historical ties, and later, druids began appearing within Diana’s cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two-star unit, but not marked silver-gray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less dangerous than the Eagle-Slayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably not an elite monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken had encountered only two individuals with unusual markers: the Hunter—George, with three glowing golden stars, and the Eagle-Slayer, with two silver-gray stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch murmured, “What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly druid set down his oak shield, strapped his one-handed hammer to his belt, and sighed, “Ghouls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These things used to appear only in Mesopotamia. I don’t know why they’ve turned up near the Alps.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A monster?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken’s ears perked up instantly—he was already eager.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch frowned and asked, “Did you kill it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The druid shook his head. “It got away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The village below asked me to find the monster digging up graves. I tracked it for days, but still lost it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, he drew his dagger, cut away the rotting flesh from his wound, then wrapped it in herbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said gravely, “I owe the village a debt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“High Priestess Tris, your matter must wait until I deal with this monster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Deng Ken, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke: “We’ll help you kill it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Monsters were far rarer than people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to act now—he wanted to know if slaying a monster would grant him any abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………………\u003C\u002Fp>",2281,"2026-06-19T13:13:01.402Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","f3f091bbd0399b48aaf8b56a1b15209e99eaa17f254357c8a1c93fad13c0dc29","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-13","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-11",195,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-player-beyond-dimensions-cover.jpg"]