Chapter 987: Weng Faluos 3.0 (33)

""Weng Faluos's history, and the Holy City Aohema, you have already heard of it. And now... I want to take you two to witness the journey of the Golden Descendants.""

"Dan Heng's eyes narrowed: 'Witness... how should we understand it?'"

""In ancient times, the Overflowing Cup, Fajina (the Ocean Titan) used waves to conceal the world's origin. Ancient ocean priests discovered it; they built barriers with spiritual water to keep foreign objects from disturbing it, but they also left a passage.""

"Aglaea slowly withdrew her gaze from afar and looked again at the vessel before them: '... This is the ritual water basin before you. Clear away stray thoughts, anoint your faces with the spiritual water in the basin, and when you open your eyes again, you will witness...'"

""The Genesis Vortex Core——a great sanctuary that houses the original divinity of the twelve Titans, and also the place promised in the oracle where creation will descend.""

""Is it really that miraculous?""

"Aglaea stepped closer to the two of them and said: 'As an initial attempt, I will lead you down into the water.'"

——

Marvel Universe.

""Wow, Logan, I'm not saying this, but doesn't the atmosphere seem a bit too ambiguous?""

"Wade sat on the railing of the rooftop, chattering nonstop: 'Again sending a top suite, again sending what \"Overflowing Cup\", and also taking them to that private place, the Genesis Vortex Core, tsk tsk... Logan, do you have feelings for Aglaea toward Xing? Or toward Dan Heng? Oh heavens, this gets even more interesting, the leader of the Golden Descendants for——'"

""Wade.""

""Huh?""

""Shut up." Logan's voice low, 'I suspect your head isn't filled with brains but with loose lubricant. Even if Aglaea had any personal affection, it would have long been burned away. If a leader of the Golden Descendants could be so easily swayed by personal feelings, then not even worth a fart's fire, the Holy City would have long been wiped out by the Titans in one pot.'"

""Alright, alright." Wade raised his hands in surrender: 'I admit you have a point, but seriously, if she wants to go on a date with me and asks me to go to the Genesis Vortex Core, I would absolutely help her kill a Titan or something.'"

""Can a date buy you off?""

"Wade heard in Logan's tone a mix of contempt and disbelief, the tone practically saying: 'You are absolutely the most useless person I know.'"

""Hey! This isn't bribery." Wade protested, 'This is equivalent exchange; in my experience, she is definitely one of the most beautiful women in Aohema, being able to go on a date with someone like her, Logan, you should be secretly pleased.'"

——

"Xing followed Aglaea's instructions and immersed himself in that bowl of warm water."

"Waiting for her to open her eyes again——"

""This is......""

"Xing looked around; this was a fairly empty hall, and her voice involuntarily lowered."

"Quite quiet."

"Quiet as the first second when heaven and earth first opened, quiet as if all sound had been sucked away. There was no wind, no footsteps; she even felt her own breathing become cautious, afraid to break the silence of this place."

"Above——no, that is not 'the sky,' but it is as boundless as a midsummer night sky. Countless points of light slowly rotate overhead, as if pulled by some unseen force, moving along some ancient trajectory. They flow like a river stretching across the universe."

""You have reached the heart of the world." Aglaea smiled as she brushed past them, "Now I need your 'honesty'."

"The change happened only in an instant——"

"One second ago, Xing was still gazing up at the twelve floating fire-seed marks in the air; the next second, two bundles of golden thread had already wound around her and Dan Heng's wrists, and before they could react, their hands were firmly locked by the golden thread."

"Then footsteps sounded behind them."

"Xiedie had somehow appeared not far behind them, lifted her skirt, and courteously performed a kneeling bow toward the two of them."

"Dan Heng tried to struggle a bit, but the golden thread was very tight; he lifted his head, his voice tinged with faint anger: '... What does this mean?'"

""This is no joke, but an interrogation." Aglaea said expressionlessly, "While you two were wandering the city, someone has always been watching your actions. Unfortunately... you have broken your promise."

"Dan Heng had no intention of hiding: 'You indeed already knew... but we did it to save someone.'"

""The fate of the Holy City is as fragile as a thin thread. To eliminate disaster, I must be prudent. I will give you two another chance to mend the tear in trust. The golden thread will decide for me; honesty brings life... deceit brings death."

——

Attack on Titan.

""Ah, Aglaea actually wants to act against Xing and them?! Wants to kill them?""

"Allen's eyes widened in shock; in his view, although Xing and Dan Heng had broken the agreement first, it was far from deserving death, the worst outcome would merely be expelling them from Aohema."

"Executing them... that's going too far, right?!"

""Allen, don't be nervous, at least we haven't reached the final moment yet." Armin whispered reassuringly, "Dan Heng hasn't transformed yet; if Aglaea truly intended to execute the two of them, Dan Heng would certainly not surrender meekly. Moreover, from Aglaea's demeanor, she does not seem to want to go that far."

""She doesn't want to? If she doesn't, why can't we sit down and talk properly? Why must we use such extreme measures? If I were Dan Heng or Xing, even if Aglaea ultimately did nothing, I could not help them accomplish anything like the 'Fire Pursuit Journey.'"

"Allen dislikes this feeling of distrust the most; no matter the outcome, the act of 'interrogation' is like a thorn stuck in the flesh, impossible to pull out."

——

""Xiedie will be your executioner."

"Dan Heng withdrew his gaze from Xiedie, took a deep breath, and said calmly: 'Ms. Aglaea, we broke the agreement through negligence; that cannot be denied. But you never explained the possible harm that leaking the Beyond the World could cause. I want to know just how great our crime is.'"

"Aglaea nodded: 'That is a reasonable request. My failure to inform you fully in time is my fault. Weng Faluos is not lacking those who yearn for the beyond. Once a group of tyrants exhausted the nation's strength to build the Heavenly Vessel, intending to break through the firmament and reach the starry skies... but when the Heavenly Vessel set sail, Aiger's divine punishment fell. An entire city-state, together with all its subjects, was reduced to ashes in an instant.'"