Chapter 61: Yan Wang

The setting sun gradually sank into the valley, the town with curling smoke was swallowed by the night, leaving only sporadic lights on the street where the Adventurers' Guild was located.

The old farmer who had been busy all day was walking home from the fields, and those adventurers dragging their exhausted bodies also left the labyrinth in twos and threes.

Ever since the Thunder City branch raised the weight of the commission in Silver Pine Town, the number of adventurers active in the area suddenly increased like frogs by a pond after rain.

Old Abel, carrying a hoe, was listlessly killing time, calculating in his heart the time for the neighbors to eat.

It wasn't that he wanted to sponge a meal, purely because the incident of losing his shoes the day before yesterday made him a laughingstock, resulting in people laughing as soon as they saw him now, and he really didn't have the face to meet the eyes of the neighbors.

At this moment, he suddenly saw Captain Hebaer standing at the street corner waving at him.

Out of curiosity, Old Abel walked over.

Before he could open his mouth to ask what was the matter, Hebaer took the initiative to speak mysteriously.

"Want a drink?"

The wine worm in Old Abel's stomach was hooked out all at once, and he nodded without a second thought.

"Want, of course I want... but I don't have money in my pocket, don't hit me with your ideas."

"Hey, look at what you're saying, am I that kind of person?"

Hebaer chuckled, stuffed a stone necklace into his hand, and then taught the words the captain had taught him to this guy who looked honest but actually wasn't honest at all.

"I don't have money either, but those outsiders do... I'll teach you how to sponge a drink."

At the same time, on the other street across the street, the tavern that had been closed all day had just started business.

As soon as that tightly closed oak door was pushed open, the wind chime at the door rang non-stop.

The adventurers who had been busy in the labyrinth and the wild all day needed alcohol and enthusiastic girls to numb their tense nerves.

And the "Silver Pine Path" opened across from this Adventurers' Guild happened to possess both.

The man carrying a greatsword boasted loudly about his battle with the lizardmen in the labyrinth today, a chaotic encounter that was blown into something like fighting a dragon.

The middle-aged waitress, while dealing with the harassment of the adventurers, shuttled flexibly between the crowded tables, placing oak beer mugs with foam on the tables.

Occasionally, one or two young waitresses would be flushed by the tasteless jokes, drawing lewd laughter and whistles from a group of burly adventurers.

At this time, the wind chime at the door shook *ding-a-ling* again, and I saw an old farmer who was out of place with the surroundings walk in from outside.

Not all of them were outsiders here.

There were also local hunters who occasionally guest-starred as adventurers.

Lewenke, who lived on the north street, recognized him at a glance and joked from the adventurer beside him.

"This guy is that Old Abel who lost his shoes... the one who claimed to have bumped into a lich."

"Hahaha, is it him?"

"Sure enough, he looks like a loser, hahaha!"

Several adventurers burst into laughter, causing many people's gazes to focus on Old Abel.

Abel, who had intended to walk to the bar low-key, blushed and glared at the annoying hunter, then retorted.

"You only remember that I lost my shoes, but you don't remember what terrible thing I bumped into!"

"A lich, right?" Lewenke whistled and joked, "Then please tell us, Old Abel, what the legendary lich looks like... I've been hunting in Pine Song Town for 20 years and have never seen that thing!"

"That's because you have little experience!"

Old Abel retorted with a red face and a thick neck, and walked angrily to the bar and sat down.

Ignoring everyone's ridicule, he looked left and right as if looking for something, then breathed a sigh of relief as if he had found it, and then took out a stone cross pendant from his bosom, rubbing it in his hand while praying.

Lewenke raised his eyebrows strangely.

He had known this guy for so many years, and it was the first time he had seen this guy pray so devoutly.

This made him have a trace of curiosity.

However, just as he was about to open his mouth to ask, the militiaman sitting next to the bar grabbed the lead and spoke with interest.

"What is this pendant? It looks... a bit special?"

Special?

Lewenke was stunned and scratched the back of his head.

This is just a cross, and it's made of stone; it doesn't look special at all.

However, after hearing the militiaman's words, Old Abel proudly raised his chin and said proudly.

"This thing is incredible! A few days ago, didn't I bump into an undead? I couldn't sleep that night, so I went to Father Ma Te's place. After Father Ma Te finished listening to my troubles, he handed this amulet to me... guess what? I wore it on my neck to sleep, and the next day I slept until dawn, and no undead was nagging in my ears all night!"

Regardless of how true or false this was, it was indeed convincing coming from Old Abel's mouth, after all, everyone knew he had really seen an incredible undead recently.

Everyone exclaimed in wonder and discussed.

"So this is an amulet?" The militiaman sitting at the bar touched his chin and said with a provocative tone, "That doesn't seem like a big deal either."

"Amulet? How could it be as simple as you say!" Old Abel curled his lips in disdain and shouted loudly, "This thing is made by the famous Yan Wang himself, and not only is it blessed by the Son of God, but it has also been soaked in holy water for three days and three nights... It is said to have the same effect as holy water!"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone sitting near the bar showed a surprised expression, and the entire tavern hall was full of whispers, and even the waitress serving tea and water showed an interested expression.

Although they might not need it themselves, who doesn't have an old person at home?

Without holy water, or unable to afford the church's cemetery, they could only abandon the corpses of deceased relatives in the mass grave far from the town, and couldn't even worship the deceased.

If this cross really had this effect, they could bury the corpses of their relatives in their own backyard.

"Yan Wang?"

"Son of God?"

"What is that."

Lewenke, in particular, was frightened by this guy's boldness and hurriedly reprimanded.

"What do you mean by having the same effect as holy water? You can't talk nonsense!"

Looking at this group of ignorant guys, Old Abel said in a storytelling tone.

"Nonsense? This is what Father Ma Te told me! If you think there's a problem, go confront that old man!"

"As for the Son of God... I'm surprised you haven't heard of him! Okay, I won't sell it anymore; it's that person! That boy who received the blessing of Shengxisi and survived a disaster..."

Which one?

Lewenke, who was listening intently, was already confused, and even began to suspect that he was a fake local.

Seeing that everyone showed an interested expression, Old Abel, who had only said half of it, suddenly stopped talking, coughed, and continued.

"This story is quite long, and it can't be finished in a few words... However, if you are willing to treat me to something to moisten my throat, I can not only tell you the story behind this cross, but also tell you where to get it."

After saying this, Old Abel waited quietly for a while, and sure enough, someone took the bait.

"Get him a bottle of gin!" The adventurer sitting next to Lewenke beckoned to the waiter, and a bottle of wine was soon placed on Old Abel's table.

Lewenke was envious and couldn't help but sourly say.

"I suspect this guy is just here to sponge a drink... I think your money is going down the drain."

The adventurer didn't care, smiling cheekily.

"What does it matter, I just want to hear what fresh stories can come out of an old farmer's mouth."

Smelling the intoxicating aroma, Old Abel was excited and couldn't wait to grab the wine bottle and gulp it down.

Until he saw the militiaman beside him staring at him with a warning look, he restrained his unseemly performance, coughed, and continued to act out this play to the end.

"The story has to start from eighteen years ago..."

Eighteen years ago, a baby who survived a disaster was born, and only the erupting magma witnessed his birth.

Eighteen years later, Shengxisi descended a divine oracle upon him, teaching him to save all living beings and relieve the world.

Of course, this story wasn't compiled by Abel himself; how could an old farmer who faces the loess and backs the sky have such literary talent?

However, Sheriff Adelei, appointed by the Thunder City Security General Office, was a man of culture.

Although his literary talent wasn't enough to create any shocking classics, it wasn't a problem to learn the tone of a bard and compile a story that was about the same.

Driven by alcohol, Abel became more and more excited as he spoke, and as he spoke, he went off-script, from Yan Wang kneeling at the old priest's door to learn 270 kinds of magic, to Yan Wang fighting the lich for 300 rounds on Broken-Rock Peak, just to take the enchanted rock melted by the fire of the Holy Pillar to make that amulet to save all living beings.

This guy still couldn't forget the lich, and as he spoke, he talked about how the lich ate people and how he had boundless magic power.

The militiaman sitting on the side, although full of black lines, saw that the people around him were listening intently, so he didn't stop him from continuing to go off-script.

Whatever.

Anyway, the task assigned by Sheriff Adelei had been completed, and they would be able to collect the team and get off work in a while.

The tavern owner looked at Old Abel in surprise, and for a moment felt that this neighbor was a bit strange.

This guy who faces the loess and backs the sky... could it be that he actually has the talent to be a bard?

He even wanted to invite him here to work!

It wasn't just the tavern owner who thought so.

Even Lewenke, sitting in the corner of the tavern, was stunned by this guy's story.

This sounds like...

It's as if he had seen it with his own eyes!

Most people in the tavern were attracted by the story.

Of course, some people's attention was never on the story itself from beginning to end, but staring straight at the cross pendant hanging on Old Abel's chest.

A cross soaked in holy water for three days and three nights.

Everyone couldn't help but think, would this thing have the same healing effect as holy water?

Listening to that mysterious description, this thing seemed even more reliable than holy water.

If this thing was even cheaper than holy water, it would be even more incredible...

At the same time, in the deserted chapel, Father Ma Te was sitting quietly on the bench.

At this moment, the door of the chapel was gently pushed open, and Sheriff Adelei of Pine Song Town stepped in under the bright moonlight, sat beside Father Mate, and hung his hat on the armrest beside him.

"Everything is proceeding according to plan... even smoother than I expected."

That story was originally supposed to be told by Hebaer, but that kid couldn't bear to deceive his drinking buddies, so he went to the street and caught a familiar farmer.

As a result, no one expected that this farmer was unexpectedly capable, and even stirred up the tavern's business.

Now this guy is drunk like a puddle of mud.

To prevent him from saying anything he shouldn't say after drinking, Adelei had already instructed the captain under his command to drag that guy to the militia station to sober up.

"Not bad," Father Ma Te nodded lightly, "The Great Demon King will be happy."

Sheriff Adelei put his hand on his chest and said humbly.

"It is my honor to serve that Lord, the only thing I don't quite understand... why is a cross only sold for ten silver coins?"

He believed.

If that thing could really be confused with holy water, it would at least have to be 100 silver coins to be worthy of its noble status.

No.

One hundred silver coins would be too cheap; at least let those farmers hand over half a year's income, right?

Father Ma Te glanced at him, then moved his gaze away.

"The intention of the Great Demon King is not something that mortals like us can speculate at will. What you see is only secular money and power, while his gaze has long since crossed all of this, reaching the core source of all power in this world."

Adelei raised his eyebrows.

"What is that?"

"It is faith."

Ten silver coins, that is the brilliance of that Lord.

What he cares about is not secular coins, but to let everyone feel his grace.

The church doesn't care where the ants go after death, because that is neither trouble nor a problem.

And now, someone cares.

Father Ma Te looked at the Shengxisi statue standing in the shadows, and continued in a calm tone.

"Perhaps it won't be long before we can add another statue here."

The next day.

The church in Pine Song Town had just tolled the morning bell, and the threshold of the church was stepped over by a large wave of believers.

Looking at Father Ma Te standing at the door, the leading man asked impatiently.

"Father Ma Te, may I ask... is the matter of that Son of God true? It's that Son of God named Yan Wang!"

The story Abel told in the tavern yesterday had already spread, and everyone wanted to know if what that guy said was true or false.

Father Ma Te frowned slightly, looking at the man at the head and asking meticulously.

"Who told you this name?"

"It was Abel! That 'shoe loser'!" Lewenke raised his hand and sold his fellow villager without hesitation.

If this guy dared to impersonate the name of God, then it would be his own fault if he was punished.

On the contrary, he hoped that what this guy said was false!

However, Father Ma Te's reaction was beyond the expectations of most people present.

He was silent for a moment, then sighed as if he had unspeakable difficulties, and said slowly.

"I cannot speculate on the will of Lord Shengxisi... but that amulet is indeed somewhat useful."

This was enough.

As a servant of Shengxisi, he had no right to nod on behalf of the bishop, and saying too much would be gilding the lily.

This was the "way of the world" taught to him by Sheriff Adelei.

As an executive agency, they sometimes don't need to take a clear stand, just arrive two minutes early or late at a critical moment... this is stronger than anything.

Sure enough, as Sheriff Adelei expected, the believers present all showed excited expressions on their faces, as if witnessing the birth of some miracle.

Although some people showed suspicion, when everyone believed in the same thing, this bit of suspicion was insignificant.

A villager stepped forward, his voice trembling as he asked.

"Respected Father Ma Te, may I ask... how can we see that Son of God?"

Ma Te shook his head slowly, opening his mouth with a regretful tone.

"You cannot see him; he is in the depths of the Ten Thousand Swords Mountain Range, and only occasionally comes here."

Another villager asked immediately.

"Then the amulet he made... are there any more? Our father just passed away not long ago, and we are worried about whether to send his remains to the north... sorry, it's not that we are unwilling to buy holy water, we really cannot afford its price."

When he said half of it, the man had already lowered his head embarrassedly.

However, Father Ma Te didn't mean to criticize him, just saying in a gentle tone.

"That amulet is gone, but if you need it, I can help you ask when he comes next time."

Everyone looked at each other, and expressions of surprise appeared on their faces one after another.

"Is, is this really okay?"

"Thank you so much, Father Ma Te! Shengxisi is above, you... you are truly a good person!"

"When will that Son of God return? Can I see him?!"

Ma Te said in a gentle tone.

"He told me that when the residents of Pine Song Town need him, he will appear here."

"I think this day won't be long, and we will see him again soon." ===== CHAPTER 62 =====