Chapter 144: Not All Believers Can Sit Together and Talk

As soon as Sara spoke, Feng Xue understood—no need to ask, it had to be someone from the Reide family chasing them.

But…

"Is your disguise this unreliable? Or does Feina have some kind of tracking device?" Feng Xue picked up his phone as if checking his balance, while his hand inside his pocket already grasped several jade talismans, ready for battle.

"Likely the Hunting God's power," Sara explained as she leaned close to Feina. "Legends say the Hunting God allows his devotees to sense the location of their prey, though my database has no concrete cases." In that fleeting moment, the black pearl version of Feina, who had looked like a mere vase, slightly straightened her posture.

"If possible, could you not notify me?" Feina sighed as she prepared for battle, but Sara sighed back:

"No!"

"Then protect me from attacks—even non-lethal ones!" Feina turned to glance at Feng Xue, who responded with indifference; his contract only required him to help within his means, and since she'd explicitly said she didn't need his help, he had no intention of forcing himself into it.

"What are you daydreaming about? Hand over the money!" Two hundred moonstone crystals were already piled before Feng Xue, the man bearing the Mau emblem sneering.

Using the Divine Sight technique, Feng Xue once again confirmed the surrounding faith conditions and compared them with some divine ore he'd previously collected—his mind immediately settled on a plan.

As he transferred the money, he casually asked:

"I just came back from Yana Island. Lately I've heard rumors that a group of foreign evil god believers are causing trouble. Any news on that, brother?"

Though his voice was low, the onlookers all paused slightly, but upon recalling the emblem on the extortionist's chest, most of them understood.

The extortionist, leveraging his clerical status, extorted money from lower-ranking clergy (though it wasn't quite extortion—just strong-arming at fair prices), and now the lower cleric was turning the tables, using the extortionist's own status to stir up trouble for him.

Yes, trouble.

In the Titan Chain, faith is complex. Though this region boasts thirty or forty named deities, they're all part of a single "pantheon"—even those originally unrelated have gradually merged over a thousand years of evolution. In short, they're all family.

Family members fighting over inheritance is common, but if outsiders try to meddle, they'll unite against them.

Thus, the Titan Chain—or the entire Cradle Archipelago—is deeply wary of foreign faiths. Even technology is viewed as the preaching of the "God of Technology" and thus rejected. It sounds absurd, but to native civilizations, no matter how much you explain principles or knowledge, they'll only see it as you spreading the doctrines of the God of Technology; all those complex theories are merely sacred texts and incantations of the God of Technology.

Lay believers have no power, but clerics must defend the divine realm. Upon hearing news of heretics, even if they resented it, these bearers of holy emblems had no choice but to investigate.

The well-dressed man who had drawn near had clearly heard Feng Xue's words and realized this might be a trap laid for them. He even suspected that every time Feng Xue arrived somewhere, he impersonated a local to spread such rumors.

But after thinking it through, he realized it didn't matter. The target was right in front of them. If they captured and removed him now, they could immediately flee the Titan Chain. But if they hesitated and let him escape, the rumor would spread, making their operation increasingly difficult.

In fact, in his mind, if Feng Xue could impersonate a Moon God devotee, he could just as easily impersonate a Hunting God devotee—and then, under the guise of a Hunting God follower, go on a rampage…

At this thought, the well-dressed middle-aged man—who had merely been considering pinning down the target and waiting for fewer people before acting—made his decision instantly and pressed the button on his wrist terminal.

Almost simultaneously, sixteen low, whistle-like sounds erupted, and Feng Xue's body was instantly riddled with tranquilizer darts and interference rounds.

But the attack clearly targeted more than just Feng Xue—most of the assault was directed at Sara and Feina.

Yet Sara, already prepared, had already snatched Feina and dashed far away the moment she confirmed the enemy fired, while the drenched-in-darts Feng Xue reappeared nearby beneath a beam of moonlight.

The moonlight was an illusion crafted by Feng Xue using divine power from the moonstone crystals, but guided through the ritual vessel, this divine technique felt even more real than the real thing!

As the "startled" Feng Xue reappeared, he shouted:

"Damned heretic god! You dare encroach upon the Hunting God's authority! And you dare attack the Moon God's faithful!"

At these words, the entire crowd erupted. Even the cleric who had just extorted him dropped his sly expression, waved his hand, and a squad of guards immediately raised their moon-blades.

It wasn't just Moon God devotees—when Feng Xue shouted "encroaching on Hunting authority," many others also drew their weapons.

Compared to the Jade Island Chain, where technology is advanced and hunting is no longer essential for food, hunting in the Cradle Archipelago is extremely, extremely, extremely vital. Just in the Titan Chain alone, three deities hold hunting as their domain, and most other gods also extend authority related to hunting.

Encroaching on hunting authority means threatening everyone's livelihood!

At that moment, a man clad in beast pelts, a palm-length fang hanging from his neck, suddenly raised his spear and roared:

"For the War God Zuzu!"

No sooner had he spoken than he leapt high into the air, his spear drenched in bloodlight—but the next instant, multiple bullets struck him down.

As blood sprayed, the once-reasonable locals instantly went berserk. Divine radiance surged everywhere, and Feng Xue quietly unsealed the 【Spirit-Bewitching Shackles】, leaving only a decoy behind.

Seeing the entire marketplace in chaos and his own fighters immediately surrounded, the well-dressed man wasn't surprised. He glanced at the red-robed man who had vanished—then muttered a low curse and charged toward the man who had been with the target.

…

"Natives are so easy to fool!" Feng Xue muttered contentedly, having gathered dozens of tons of ore and countless varieties of vow-crystals. He was in fused state, but Feina—who rarely retained her own consciousness—murmured softly:

"Why not finish off those people?"

Feng Xue normally wouldn't bother explaining, but knowing this one was a landmine who might deliberately get herself killed if not properly clarified, he sighed and said:

"Pointless. That guy who charged out was just a regular believer—he had no right to use divine arts. I used mental control plus the divine ore he sold me to fake him into acting. By the time they realize it, they'll probably come after us."

"I see!" Feina thought regretfully—but then both of them suddenly stopped.

Why? They saw the warship moored near the Dayun.

(End of Chapter)