Chapter 38: The Investiture of the Gods (Part One)
July 31, 2015
Author: Floating Tower
The gentle sea breeze blew toward him.
George walked briskly toward the dock, where he could buy the freshest seafood every morning. Now that he had established himself in Modo City, he naturally needed to add some meat to his family’s meals from time to time. All seafood was quite cheap at Modo Harbor; a fist-sized lobster cost only three to five copper, and a fresh fish could last several days. George quickly picked out his goods and returned to his residence. It was still just dawn, and he had to report to the Defense Station immediately after returning.
The courtyard where George lived was on the east side of Modo City.
It was a two-bedroom, one-living-room independent brick and tile courtyard, with a dug drainage ditch outside, and a well beside it. The courtyard had some land, which he had cleaned up with his sister to plant some lettuce a couple of days ago. This way, they wouldn’t have to buy every vegetable from outside. As a professionist born into a common family, George knew how to be frugal, even if he sometimes spent money lavishly.
“I’m back.”
His sister’s gentle voice rang in his ears. She made a shushing gesture toward George and said softly, “Why did you buy so much again? What if we can’t finish it?”
His little nephew was sleeping inside.
The more George looked at the little guy, the more he liked him, especially those big, dark eyes that always seemed full of spirit.
George believed he would grow into an excellent young man in the future!
Although he had joined the Defense Squad of Modo City and received a generous salary, whenever George tried to persuade his sister not to go to work, but rather stay home to care for the kids, she always stubbornly shook her head. She had always been a strong woman; perhaps it was their family bloodline, as their mother had raised them the same way.
Breakfast was millet porridge, accompanied by salted fish, lettuce, and leftover seafood from yesterday.
The Defense Station provided lunch and dinner, and the training in Modo City was quite strict. As an elite selected member, George didn’t just patrol like others; instead, he underwent rigorous professional warrior training every day. This also caused him to have a large appetite, and his sister just smiled gently by his side, occasionally adding a little more food onto his plate.
Although he had been a militia before, George had never felt such a sense of responsibility for supporting his family as he did today.
This was a man’s responsibility!
And this responsibility made him stronger and more confident.
Their daily training tasks were double those of other soldiers, and aside from the harsh combat training, they also learned some basic knowledge in the afternoons.
Some said they were candidates for officers prepared by Lord Soren.
George didn’t know if this was true, but he knew that people were eliminated every day, and he absolutely did not want to be one of them.
He wanted to provide a better life for his sister.
He could hear the gentle sound of his sister praying nearby. To George, Lord Soren felt more like a powerful figure he admired rather than a deity of faith. So he only prayed once in words, as he was merely a casual believer. But for his sister, it was different; Lord Soren seemed to hold a very important place in her heart. She prayed earnestly before every meal, thanking Lord Soren for everything he bestowed upon her. Although it wasn’t a formal prayer ritual, every time his sister prayed, he would slightly bow his head.
Thank you, My Lord Soren.
It was he who brought George a new life, away from war, disease, and hunger. Here, he could have more opportunities and a better future.
And all of this was granted by Lord Soren!
George found it difficult to genuinely worship any deity. But that didn’t stop him from expressing his loyalty to Lord Soren.
Perhaps some people are just born unable to become devout zealots.
“Thank you, My Lord Soren, for granting us all of this!…”
“May My Lord be immortal in glory!…”
His sister stopped praying, gently sweeping her long hair back with her fair fingers. She looked tenderly at George and quietly said, “Once you’re full, you should go train. I’ve heard that those who are selected might become officers in the future. My little George might become a general one day!”
Faith is just a common part of life.
His sister prayed three times a day briefly and went to see a priest for a formal prayer once a week.
For her, the most important thing now was that her brother seized this opportunity to rise in the world. In Modo City, such habits were common, where people would say a few brief prayers before meals and then hold a formal prayer weekly. For ordinary people, the most important thing was still their livelihood; faith was just a common part of life.
“Don’t worry.”
George smiled and nodded, saying, “I will definitely work hard to pass the tests!”
After saying that, he turned and walked outside.
As a seed selected by the Defense Station of Modo City, George had already achieved his initial goal of having an independent little courtyard.
A home of his own.
Now he had greater ambitions, hoping to become a strong person!
The dreams of small figures always grow little by little. Some simple knowledge had taught him a lot, and he hoped that one day he could learn enough.
The outside was already getting busy.
Modo City was expanding every day; however, the most important task now was to build the temple of My Lord Soren. The best craftsmen from the Southern Coast had been invited here, and people were bustling every day to prepare because this would be My Lord Soren’s first temple in the mortal realm. Now that the temple foundation had been completed, George sometimes saw mysterious spellcasters who only needed to cast spells to turn soil into solid rock. This magical ability filled him with awe.
Though it wasn’t finished yet, the entire temple already had a unified feel!
Perhaps it wasn’t as resplendent as the Temple of Wealth or as majestic as the Ocean Temple, but anyone who saw it would feel a solemn and dignified presence, as if everything in front of them was orderly.
The number of pedestrians outside gradually increased.
People from Leaffall City quickly adapted to this city’s orderliness; they gradually accepted their new life and tried their best to integrate into it.
Because there was future and hope here!
Even the most humble commoners longed for a better life in the future.
George couldn’t help but quicken his pace; a rigorous training session awaited him today, and only by persevering to the end could he have a better future!
………………
Fury Sand Island.
The Half-Elf First Mate gazed at the documents in front of him, mumbling, “Are the Half-Orcs and Half-Elves in a standoff? It seems this Earthwalker is also quite a powerful legendary figure!…”
“Come here.”
“Immediately send this intelligence to Modo!”
Ever since Soren went to Treasure Island, he had temporarily taken over affairs on the Southern Coast. As a Half-Elf pirate rising from the bottom, he had always treaded cautiously. He wasn’t the most powerful among the pirate leaders but held the greatest power among them!
All along, he had been desperately improving himself.
He didn’t have the bloodline of a Giant; everything had to come from hard training. Every pirate leader was a competitor, and the Half-Elf First Mate was unwilling to easily relinquish the power he held, so he had to work harder.
Adele Isabella had been transferred.
But the other pirate leaders still weren’t willing to fall behind because they knew they had the potential to advance further.
Yes.
The Half-Elf First Mate thought that Lord Soren merely wanted to establish a maritime kingdom, but he never expected that Lord Soren was actually preparing for the Investiture of the Gods!
That was a deity!
If Lord Soren truly achieved divinity, their situations would be different.
Deities couldn’t personally handle everything, and in the future, Lord Soren might return to the Divine Kingdom. At that time, he would need an earthly spokesperson. Not a spokesperson like the church priests, but one who would help him rule and control these pirate armies. In this situation, there was no doubt that these pirate leaders could advance further!
The Half-Elf First Mate fell into contemplation.
As the smartest and most resourceful among the pirate leaders, he firmly believed he was more suited for this position than the others.
He had enough loyalty to Lord Soren; perhaps his combat power wasn’t the strongest, but in terms of overall abilities, he believed his competitiveness was far greater than anyone else’s.
Now!
The most important thing was to face Lord Soren directly.
The upcoming military parade was a significant opportunity. If he could make everything go smoothly and beautifully, undoubtedly, his position in Lord Soren’s eyes would rise further.
“Come here.”
The Half-Elf First Mate seemed to have thought of something, standing up and saying, “Prepare a warship! I need to go to the City of Wealth!”
………………
Taro Port, Ocean Temple.
The Naga Priestess stood in the pool behind the temple, motionless for a long time. After a while, she let out a soft sigh and slowly said, “The enchantment on the dragonbone warship should be completed, right?”
A faint voice replied, “It’s almost done.”
Magical sails, dragonbone rams, and reinforcement of the ship’s body.
The expression on the Naga Priestess’s face was quite complex at this moment. After staring blankly for a long while, she finally waved her hand and said, “Prepare to send someone over. It looks like he intends to showcase his military strength on the Southern Coast.”
She never imagined that Soren’s ambition would actually be the Investiture of the Gods!
Thinking back to when he had come before her, hoping to解除吸能术, that scene was still fresh in her mind; yet in the blink of an eye, he had become a being she had to look up to.
At this moment, the Naga Priestess was filled with countless thoughts!
………………
(PS: I couldn’t sleep at night, so I got up to write a chapter. There is another update today.) (To be continued ~^~)
