Chapter 60: Collapse |
Old Man Shan opened his mouth, his face pale.
He did not know how to answer the man’s questioning.
At this moment…
even his faith began to waver.
Could it be…
that this truly was the Mountain God’s punishment?!
Could it be…
that they were destined to never leave the mountains,
never reach the outside world?
“What Mountain God?!”
“There is only one god in this world!”
“And that is the great Lord of the Stars!”
The man who had spoken earlier had witnessed He casually killing a wild boar with a single ball of starlight.
So in the face of He’s rebuttal,
he did not dare to speak out in anger.
Yes, they acknowledged He’s identity as a divine envoy.
But because the god He believed in
was not the same as theirs,
their respect for him was only superficial.
If not for He’s power to heal injuries and instantly kill wild beasts,
they would have long driven him out.
It would have been impossible for them to send people to assist in digging the mountain.
At first, He did not mind.
This was normal.
After all, when the Theocratic State of the Stars first sent missionaries outward, most had experienced such situations.
But as long as a missionary stayed there for decades, educating and guiding the next generations of the tribe, they would gradually come to believe in the great Lord of the Stars.
After all, it was difficult for any tribe to reject the farming and animal husbandry techniques brought by the missionaries.
Because it meant they could escape the despair of hunger and cold.
As for whether there were tribes that killed missionaries to defend their own beliefs—
there certainly were.
But they would pay a heavy price for it.
Usually, Lei would personally take action, erasing them and their entire tribe from the world.
Perhaps thinking death was inevitable, another person’s courage grew. He spoke in a mocking tone.
“Hah! Since you say the Lord of the Stars is the only god in this world—”
“then why doesn’t He come to save us now?!”
He flew into a rage.
“Insolence!”
“How dare you question the might of the god?!”
“You are merely a mortal!”
“What right do you have to demand the god’s personal salvation?!”
The man was intimidated by He’s presence,
but his deeply rooted faith made him retort.
“Aren’t you someone who received the god’s grace?!”
“Won’t the god come to save you either?!”
These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the anger in He’s heart, plunging him into silence.
Yes…
he was a great Recipient of Divine Grace.
But his Divine Grace had not been granted directly by the god.
He was merely an ordinary person who had obtained the power of the constellation through the Divine Grace Technique.
Only someone like the first Solar King, Apollo—
chosen personally by the god—
that was true Divine Grace!
Only the great Leo Constellation, Apollo, would receive the god’s salvation…
As these thoughts arose,
despair also surged within He’s heart.
So be it.
He was merely a mortal bearing the title of “Recipient of Divine Grace.”
He often claimed to be the god’s spokesperson in the mortal world, and now it seemed he had deceived even himself.
Yet He’s silence caused panic to rise in the hearts of the five young men.
They had thought this “divine envoy” with Divine Grace would rebuke loudly, would use that radiant starlight to prove the existence and protection of the god.
But he had actually… acquiesced.
“You…”
“Didn’t you say you were a Recipient of Divine Grace?!”
“A person who possesses power bestowed by the god!”
The first young man to question He shouted, his voice trembling with a sob.
“Yes! I am a Recipient of Divine Grace!”
“And my power does indeed come from the god!”
He’s voice
carried a heart-wrenching sorrow.
“But this power was not granted to me directly by the god!”
“It was granted to the great Leo Constellation, Apollo!”
“I merely…”
“merely used the ‘Divine Grace Technique’ to share a trace of Apollo’s radiance…”
“just an ordinary person!”
He did not understand
why fate treated him so cruelly.
He had finally become a Recipient of Divine Grace.
Only to be hunted down by the Pope Lei, severely injured, and fall off a cliff.
By luck, he survived, only to inexplicably end up deep within the mountains.
Never again having the chance to return to his homeland.
At last… he had accepted his fate.
He only hoped that one day, his descendants could bring his remains back to the Theocratic State for burial.
But now…
even this final hope was about to be shattered.
He would rot together with this nameless mountain,
never to return to his roots.
Everyone fell silent. Though they did not fully understand his words, they could feel the deep sorrow and despair within him.
Just as they were about to calmly accept death, the sound of knocking rang out again, breaking the silence.
“Clang… dong…”
He was stunned. Using the last bit of Starlight Power within his body, a faint glow of starlight appeared in his hand, illuminating the cave.
There, Old Man Shan said nothing, once again raising his polished hoe.
Strike after strike…
he hammered at the earth and stone blocking the passage!
Sensing the light, Old Man Shan did not stop. Without turning his head, his voice was calm yet carried firm strength.
“What you said… makes sense.”
“Perhaps this truly is the Mountain God’s punishment.”
He paused.
The hoe fell again, breaking apart a massive rock.
“But!”
“The one who wants to leave is me!”
“The one who insisted on digging the mountain is also me!”
His voice rose, filled with resolve.
“If there is to be punishment—”
“then it should fall on me alone!”
“Not drag all of you down with me like this!”
He turned to face them.
His eyes seemed to shine.
Bright beyond measure!
“So I promise you!”
“As long as I am alive!”
“As long as I still have a breath left!”
“I will definitely…”
“bring all of you back safely!”
Old Man Shan had made up his mind.
Whether this was the Mountain God’s punishment or not—
he only wanted to bring them all back!
And then continue… his old routine.
Even if the passage collapsed again…
as long as he was alive,
he would never give up easily!
He would keep digging!
Until the end of his life!
This scene deeply shook He,
and also shook the five young tribesmen.
They had not expected that Old Man Shan would neither complain about fate’s injustice, nor regret his choices, nor give up.
He remained firm in his resolve!
He looked at Old Man Shan’s hunched yet mountain-bearing figure.
A long-lost warmth surged within his heart.
That’s right.
The ending had not yet been decided—
how could they give up so easily?!
He grabbed a hoe beside him, walked to Old Man Shan’s side, and fiercely struck it against the earth and stone!
“I’ll dig too!”
The five young men looked at one another, seeing the rekindled fire in each other’s eyes.
“Dig!”
“Let’s dig our way out!”
“And then… go home together!”