Chapter 51: Atlantis |
After the undersea city had been completed,
Luo Ya swam through the city.
She watched her people moving about and playing in their new home, their faces filled with joyful smiles.
This city was even more beautiful than she had imagined.
All kinds of structures with a strong oceanic style stood tall, their roofs formed from massive pearl shells.
Luminous pearls and various glowing marine plants adorned the spaces between them, illuminating the entire city like a starry sky beneath the sea.
Seaweed, like the softest silk, swayed gently with the currents, decorating both sides of the streets.
But as she looked at all of this,
Luo Ya faintly felt that something was missing in her heart.
She pondered, her gaze sweeping across her surroundings…
What exactly was still lacking?
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck her mind.
She remembered!
This city still lacked a name!
A name that could carry its destiny, symbolize its origin, and be remembered by all her people and passed down through the ages!
She swam alone toward the temple located at the center of the city.
This temple was constructed from multicolored coral and gigantic pearl shells, its exterior extraordinarily magnificent!
Inside, however, it was vast and solemn, with only a single divine statue standing at the center.
This statue had been carved by her with all her effort, based on the vague impression of the God in her memory.
Yet no matter how hard she tried, with the vision and skill of a mortal, the statue she created could not even approach one ten-thousandth of the God’s grandeur and vastness.
She stopped before the statue, placed her hands together over her chest, and bowed her head devoutly.
“God!”
Luo Ya called out.
The indifferent voice of God sounded within her mind.
“What is it?”
“God!”
Luo Ya respectfully requested.
“I wish to ask You to bestow a name upon this city.”
Even though she could name the city herself,
she still hoped that the God would…
name it.
Just as Apollo had spent his entire life yearning for the guidance of God,
now Luo Ya, having become Pisces, also longed for divine guidance.
At that moment, endless starlight suddenly poured down from an immeasurable height, illuminating the entire temple as though it were deep within the cosmos.
The vast starlight instantly gathered, forming a figure radiating eternal brilliance.
Luo Ya immediately lowered her head deeply, not daring to look directly upon that sacred visage, her heart filled with awe.
The God’s gaze swept across this miraculous city born beneath the sea.
“Luo Ya, why do you wish for me to name this city?”
The God’s voice sounded, neither sorrowful nor joyful.
Luo Ya was stunned.
She did not know how to answer the God’s question.
In her view, and in the understanding of most people of this era, seeking guidance from the divine was only natural.
Just like how people needed to breathe and eat.
There was no reason for it.
Within such a prevailing belief, people were accustomed to placing their hopes in divine salvation, yet often neglected the power within themselves.
On this point, Huang Xing rather appreciated Ze’s approach.
He did not require faith, so whether humans believed in Him held no meaning to Him.
Rather than constantly begging for His blessings, it was better to rely on oneself to make life better.
That was something He found more worthy of praise.
Ze was a qualified King.
Under his rule, the territory of the Solar Dynasty expanded to ten times what it had been during Apollo’s era.
Although this was also due to the Divine Grace Technique created by Ya, Ze’s governance ability was equally indispensable.
Unfortunately, with Ze’s passing, it seemed that the last trace of brilliance of the Solar Dynasty had also vanished.
The once-prosperous Solar Dynasty had now split into the three great duchies.
At this moment, Luo Ya finally answered,
though her tone was filled with confusion.
“God! I just feel that…”
“I am not qualified to name this city.”
The God let out a soft chuckle.
With just a single sentence, the stark difference between Luo Ya and Apollo’s personalities was revealed.
Apollo’s character was full of confidence and a pioneering spirit, while Luo Ya appeared more humble and dependent.
“Luo Ya.”
“You are the one chosen by me, the leader of the merfolk, and the incarnation of Pisces in the mortal world.”
“Do you truly think you are not qualified?”
The God’s voice carried a hint of guidance.
These words were like starlight illuminating the fog in Luo Ya’s heart. She felt the God’s affirmation, and a burst of excitement shone in her eyes.
“God! Luo Ya understands!”
She understood.
Just like Apollo of Leo,
she was someone chosen by God!
She must not tarnish the glory of God!
Therefore, she would let the world know
that God’s choice was correct!
Yet she still insisted on her original request.
“But I still hope that You can name this city!”
The God slightly nodded.
If Apollo was His eldest son, then Luo Ya was His eldest daughter, so for such a small matter, He naturally would not refuse.
The God’s voice sounded once more,
carrying a trace of emotion that seemed to pass through distant ages.
“Then let it be called Atlantis.”
Atlantis.
A city said to have been created by the child of God.
As the divine voice fell,
the entire undersea city seemed to be infused with a soul.
All the coral shone more brilliantly, the luster of the pearls became gentler, and the swaying of the seaweed gained a more rhythmic grace.
From this moment on, this undersea city possessed a name bestowed by God, and the right to echo eternally through history and legend.
Luo Ya’s eyes were filled with excitement and reverence as she softly repeated,
“Atlantis…”
“Our home, Atlantis.”
……
On a nearshore beach under the sunlight,
the sand was white and fine, and the waves gently caressed the shore.
Many merfolk played at the boundary between the shallow waters and the beach, their long blue hair shimmering in the sunlight, their fish tails splashing against the waves as they laughed joyfully.
When You followed Mo and arrived here…
what came into view was precisely this scene, full of vitality and exotic charm.
Since Lei had gone to pursue Shan and He and had not yet returned,
You took the opportunity to use your usual persuasive words to convince Mo, bringing him to the territory of the merfolk.
Under the pretense of:
“Representing the Theocratic State to establish friendship with the constellations.”
As for the three troublesome Cardinals,
since they had accidentally encountered You at night,
You could only deal with them silently.
However, allowing them to “return to the Sea of Stars” in advance
could also be considered a kind of “grace,” could it not?
You looked at those merfolk,
a trace of fervor flashing in your eyes.
“So this is the merfolk race?”
You sighed with emotion.
“Natural Recipients of Divine Grace, possessing the power of Divine Grace without needing the Divine Grace Technique…”
“How merciful the God is to them!”
Mo nodded, his face full of agreement. This period of interaction had also given him a rather favorable impression of You.
“Yes!”
“The greatness and mercy of God are everywhere.”
“His grace is something we must remember for all eternity.”
A flicker of light shimmered in Your eyes, but You did not respond.
God was indeed merciful, and also great.
It was just a pity…
the radiance of God had never shone upon you.
Yet this only made the fervor within your heart grow even more intense.