Lolia trembled slightly on Shen Xiaochuan’s back, her breathing quickening.
He quickened his pace, his footsteps making a crisp sound on the gravel path.
Chen Yan walked at the back, looking back three times; the blue flames on the altar remained motionless.
“God, shall we run for a while?”
“Don’t run.”
Shen Xiaochuan responded in a low voice, “If it catches up, and we panic, we’ll all be finished.”
The group slowly retreated.
They walked twenty steps, then thirty steps, until they rounded the bend in the mountain pass and the eight stone pillars completely disappeared from sight.
Chen Yan breathed a sigh of relief: “It didn’t follow.”
“Set up camp.”
Shen Xiaochuan gently put Lolia down and let her lean against a tree.
“Start a fire and find a doctor.”
As darkness fell and the fire was lit, the doctor came over and placed his fingers on Lolia’s wrist.
“His body temperature is still high, and his heart rate hasn’t come down.”
What exactly is inside her?
“It’s not germs, nor toxins.
It’s more like some kind of energy has invaded the body.”
Shen Xiaochuan stared at her face.
Her lips were pale, her brows were furrowed, and she uttered two more words:
Don’t go.
He stood up, activated the Faith System, and his Divine Sense extended outwards, scanning the path he had just traversed.
The images gradually pieced together in his mind, and a clear route emerged.
He skillfully pulled up a map and, using the divine kingdom as the central starting point, marked the mining area, valley, and Azure Flame Altar one by one.
After pondering for a moment, he drew a red circle around the altar.
[Name]: Forbidden Land, the Evil God
[Risk Level ]: Unknown
[Note]: The guard’s combat power cannot be detected; it exhibits signs of mental interference or energy erosion.
Further exploration is recommended once your strength has increased.
After completing the marking, he closed the interface.
” Chen Yan “.
“exist.”
“Pass down the order: upgrade the mine’s defenses by one level.
Divide the two thousand new recruits into three shifts to patrol in rotation.
Without my order, no one is to approach the altar.”
“yes.”
Chen Yan turned and left to make arrangements.
Shen Xiaochuan returned to the campfire, picked up his water bag, and took a sip.
“Do you still believe me?” he asked softly.
Lolia didn’t open her eyes, but her fingertips twitched slightly, as if she wanted to grab something.
He stopped talking.
Late at night, her high fever subsided.
Her breathing became steady, and her complexion improved somewhat.
After examining her, the doctor said there was nothing to worry about for the time being and she only needed to rest for a few days.
As soon as it was light, the team set off.
After traveling for about an hour, a message came from the scout spirit ahead. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
“A flock of sheep has been spotted.”
“How many?”
“About thirty, grazing on the south slope.”
Shen Xiaochuan observed the terrain.
Low hills stretched on both sides, with a flat area in the middle where sheep were grazing.
“Set up the formation.”
He ordered, “One hundred men will flank from the left, one hundred men will go around to the right to cover the rear, and the rest will advance with me from the front.
No one is allowed to make a sound or cause any disturbance.”
The group quickly dispersed.
Shen Xiaochuan led three hundred men and silently approached.
When they were fifty meters away, he raised his hand.
Everyone stopped immediately.
He waited another ten seconds, then suddenly waved his hand: “Surround them!”
The soldiers rushed out.
The sheep were startled and scattered, but their escape route was blocked on both sides, and they were quickly driven into a corner.
The archers shot down several of the lead sheep, and the rest immediately dared not move.
In less than fifteen minutes, all thirty goats were brought under control.
“Tie their legs and lead them away.”
Shen Xiaochuan instructed, “Leave five people to guard the area, the rest of you continue forward.”
Before noon, they arrived at the border of the Kingdom of God.
As soon as I stepped through the gate, a strong smell of blood hit me.
Shen Xiaochuan frowned: “What’s going on?”
Chen Yan rushed over: “Three Demon Wolfs came half an hour ago and attacked the tents near the north wall.
I led some men to kill them and also took in a few refugee families.”
“Casualties?”
One person sustained minor injuries, but no one died.
Two houses were damaged and are currently under repair.
Shen Xiaochuan nodded: “Well done.
Where will the refugees be resettled?”
“Food has been distributed to the empty houses in the East District.”
“Call the Logistics Group over and have them slaughter ten sheep to make soup.
Tonight, everyone in the entire kingdom will have a bowl.”
“God, our food reserves…”
“I said, one bowl for each person.”
Chen Yan said no more and immediately went to make arrangements.
As the sun set, the stoves were set up.
A dozen large pots steamed, and the aroma of mutton soup filled the entire camp.
Believers lined up to receive their gifts.
Children squatted at the doorway, drinking from their bowls, women sat around the fire talking quietly, and soldiers gathered together to chat.
As Shen Xiaochuan walked through the crowd, he heard someone say, “Following the main god, at least you can eat your fill.”
Some people also said, “Yesterday, when Demon Wolf attacked, Captain Chen chopped one down with a single blow.”
“I’ll also sign up for the night watch tomorrow.”
He didn’t stop and continued on his way.
“The interlocking structure designed by the technical officer is much more stable than the original one.”
“I heard she fainted?”
“It was carried back by the God of God.”
“Now the mining progress is really going to be accelerated.”
Shen Xiaochuan walked to the central square.
The soup in the pot was still boiling, and wisps of steam rose upwards.
He raised his hand and struck the bronze bell three times.
The crowd quieted down.
“This bowl of soup is firstly to celebrate our safe return, and secondly to thank everyone who contributed—the miners, the night watchmen, the cooks, the healers, and so on.”
” The Demon Wolf will come again, and the enemy will not stop.
But as long as we follow the rules and distinguish between friend and foe, we have nothing to fear.”
“Starting today, meat broth will be distributed every three days.
Teams with outstanding performance will be given priority.”
People below cheered.
He jumped off the stage, walked to the pot, scooped out a bowl himself, and handed it to a child next to him.
The child took the bowl, looked up at him, and asked, “God, can I be a warrior?”
“Yes.
But you have to grow up first.”
“Then I want to drink ten bowls of soup.”
A burst of laughter erupted around them.
Shen Xiaochuan also smiled.
He turned and looked into the interior of God’s kingdom.
Lights were lit one by one, illuminating the newly built houses, the erected watchtowers, and the carts that carried ore back and forth.
In the distance, the Blacksmith Shop emitted a clanging sound, indicating that Lolia’s new machine was being tested.
He went into the kitchen and said to the cook, “The remaining sheep should be distributed to each team and kept safe.
Make soup from the bones again and distribute it tomorrow morning.”
“clear.”
Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard someone shouting outside:
“God!
That homeless man in the East District has collapsed!”
Shen Xiaochuan rushed out immediately.
The man lay on the ground, his face pale and foaming at the corners of his mouth.
What did you eat before?
“I only drank half a bowl of soup and ate a piece of bread.”
Shen Xiaochuan squatted down and lifted his eyelids.
His pupils were slightly dilated.
He reached into the man’s chest, his fingertips touching a hard object.
He quickly pulled a black stone from the man’s chest, its surface engraved with twisted and eerie symbols.
He stood up, his voice suddenly turning cold.
“Everyone, stop drinking the soup.”
“Immediately pour all the soup that was just divided out into the bucket.”
“Leave the bowl if you haven’t finished your drink.”
The crowd was stunned for a moment.
He stared at the stone, his expression changing.
The symbols on it were remarkably similar to those on the altar stele.