Chapter 62: A Time of Turmoil
Amber City.
Soren took less than a day to travel from Amber City back to White Horse City.
This once-thriving trade route has been completely abandoned. Leaffall City was devastated by the attacks of half-orcs, and the handcrafted goods from the Elf Kingdom and half-elves have lost all their markets. The roads to White Horse City are blocked by the Ancient Red Dragon, and the double blow has had a dire impact on the surrounding area. Especially the chaos caused by the migration of various monsters has led many villages and towns with insufficient defenses to migrate.
Although humans have a large population, they do not occupy an absolute advantage in nature.
Current productivity cannot support a population explosion; human settlements can only form near suitable farmland because many other species still inhabit the uncultivatable wilderness areas. Food is the key to restraining the massive reproduction of any organism. Given the transportation capabilities of this era, most food can only rely on self-production, and the proportion consumed by external transportation is quite large, with the possibility of being attacked by other species.
Unless a huge force completes a massive project similar to a grain transport system.
As it stands now.
This possibility is almost non-existent, so Soren saw many abandoned villages along the way. These migrations were largely due to frequent attacks from wilderness creatures, and the decrease in population and increase in danger made it impossible for them to continue farming peacefully. Without sufficient self-defense capabilities, many small to medium-sized villages and towns began to migrate or merge.
Jinxi Town.
This is a town that has rapidly risen during tumultuous times.
Soren passed through this town on his way to White Horse City. He and Vivian had also come to this town while following Gloria’s merchant caravan.
Moreover, it was here that he first met the Sword Saint.
Now, Jinxi Town has expanded threefold, with solid thick wooden walls outside, and its population has at least increased several times compared to the past. It looks like it has developed into a small city.
All these changes are due to external pressures. The threat of wilderness creatures has caused nearby villages and towns to migrate here. A large number of humans began to group together to build defenses and form armies to protect civilians. Jinxi Town already had strong location and manpower; under these circumstances, it quickly became the most important human gathering place in the vicinity.
Soren lingered here for a moment.
At the heavy stockade gate stood two watchtowers, with soldiers guarding the walls. He even saw the figures of rangers who were responsible for scouting the movements of wilderness creatures.
The defenses here are strict, with the proportion of militia reaching one-fifth.
Soren saw several military camps training militia, which gave him a faint sense of the atmosphere of war. The blacksmith shop was busy, with rack after rack filled with military weapons being forged. Such a scene probably isn’t just to prevent attacks from wilderness creatures; the rulers here likely have plans to reclaim lost territories. No creature willingly gives up land. Human migration is forced; once they regroup, they will naturally want to take back those lands.
A sharp gaze.
Soren suddenly felt someone watching him. When he turned around, he was surprised to see a somewhat familiar young man.
A Sword Saint.
A high-level Sword Saint dressed in simple clothes, with bloodstains on him, carrying a straight sword.
The very same person Soren had seen before.
The aura around him has become even sharper; he seemed like a sword with its edge exposed. The killing intent around him is heavy, likely due to the current environment of rampant monsters.
The Sword Saint paused slightly at Soren’s gaze, as if sensing his strength. He nodded slightly in acknowledgment before leaving.
A high-level hunter.
That was his judgment, as well as the abilities Soren exhibited.
Sword Saints are often relatively taciturn; sometimes they prefer to express themselves through their swords rather than speak too much nonsense.
Soren noticed the respectful gazes that people directed toward him.
It appears this young Sword Saint has gained the respect and recognition of people through his strength during this time. Sword Saints place a high value on practical combat as an advanced profession. Since he has already entered the ranks of high-level professionals at this age, if he doesn’t get distracted in the future, it is very likely that Jinxi Town will give birth to a legendary-level Sword Saint.
It’s possible this town will become even more prosperous because of him!
Soren did not linger too long. He quickly left the town and continued on to White Horse City. This road has fallen into disrepair, covered in weeds.
After traveling about twenty kilometers.
A sign appeared in Soren’s view. It read: “Beware of Danger! Burrowing Worms Ahead!!! (Skeleton Mark)…”
Burrowing Worms?!
A faint smile appeared on Soren’s lips as he continued on, walking about five kilometers further when he noticed other people’s tracks on the ground, as if they had come from another road.
“Beware!”
“There’s one running out behind you!”
A middle-aged man’s cry startled him, followed by the sound of chaotic battle. From the sounds, there seemed to be quite a few people, and Soren could hear the familiar buzzing of a Burrowing Worm.
Druid!
Soren’s figure soared into the air, leaping among the branches and leaving behind a series of afterimages. He quickly spotted the targets, but the most eye-catching was a Druid currently resembling a black bear, yet speaking fluent Elvish.
Wild Druids.
They are shapeshifters among Druids, proficient in various “transformation spells,” and their combat methods often rely on transformation.
A priest.
Dressed in somewhat worn priest robes, with scars on his face, brandishing a priest’s staff while fighting. On him, Soren noticed a special emblem depicting “pale hands bound with red ropes.” This is a priest of the God of Suffering, a deity who governs “Patience,” “Suffering,” “Martyrdom,” and “Endurance.” This is a Lawful Good deity, also known as the ‘Weeping God,’ whose followers include the disabled, the oppressed, the poor, monks, paladins, slaves, and serfs.
Soren is familiar with this deity because he has recently carefully recalled the associated information.
The God of Suffering – Ilmat!
He protects those who suffer, while the God of the Hunt – Mara, who enjoys bloody hunts, is one of this deity’s major enemies.
There are many Burrowing Worms.
Before Soren are not only the combat-type professionals but also quite a few civilians, who managed to hold back the Burrowing Worms and not be consumed.
The strongest fighter among the crowd is a Monk.
Not an Eastern Monk, but a Monk trained locally. The church of the God of Suffering – Ilmat has an independent Monk order. This order is called “The Broken Ones,” a Monk order that believes in the Weeping God. The members are responsible for protecting all followers and temples and for punishing those who cruelly harm others.
These Monks can also serve as priests and advance to arcane believers, holy fighters, divine power believers, divine seekers, and saints without facing occupational penalties.
This is a product of the fusion of divine power and Monk training, and Broken Ones Monks are powerful advanced professionals.
The battle intensifies.
However, the situation has not yet collapsed, because the priest of the God of Suffering is very skilled in healing, which relates to their doctrine.
Although many misunderstand the teachings of the Weeping God (some even mock his teachings), the church of Ilmat has many devoted followers throughout the continent. In this brutal reality, many sufferers, sick, and poor rely on the mercy of the Ilmat church to survive. Residents in many areas revere the church of the Weeping God, and his priests often receive generous aid when they provide free medical care everywhere.
This middle-aged priest before Soren.
Is one of the few members of the order in the current Material Plane who will provide treatment completely free of charge, regardless of whether the patient is a poor person, civilian, slave, or serf. Priests of the God of Suffering are not very common; they mostly operate within their parishes. Due to a certain ‘conversion ritual’ conducted before d*ath, all priests of the Weeping God possess healing abilities that are 1.5 times greater than other priests. (To Be Continued…)
