Chapter 214: Approaching the Divine (Part 36) (Extra Chapter)
【How could you not know?】
【Because this is one of the codes I cannot access. It's probably part of this illusion's Examination process, wrapped within the Old Divine Official's data.】
Liu Sheng's heart sank. Sure enough, the Old Divine Official was still hiding something, and he said it concerned her victory or defeat, which was probably this.
But she couldn't get it from the Old Divine Official, unless she was truly willing to completely transform and instantly become a Supreme God believer.
Without a way to leave this realm, how could she acquire so much faith? How could she help the world seize control and thus keep the people of this city?
At this moment, Liu Sheng had just finished her internal meeting and was about to continue meeting with the various Divine Officials in this illusion.
To outsiders, the Grand Divine Official only paused for a moment, then once again revealed her familiar expression of having victory in hand.
"Everyone, rest assured, I already have a plan in mind," the Grand Divine Official said with a faint smile. "However, now that the city is in ruins and the weird objects are gradually disappearing, we can slowly begin our revival plan to create a suitable living environment for the city's people."
"Therefore, since we now know that we cannot leave for the time being, it's better to rest and recuperate. You should know that the outside world is not as peaceful as you imagine."
The Grand Divine Official's words also resonated with the hearts of some Divine Officials who did not wish to leave.
For example, the Dawn Priest faction felt that life here was already complete and there was no need to leave such a stable environment. What if the outside world was also full of weird objects?
The other faction, however, felt that Xuan Thirty-Nine City was, after all, just one city with limited resources, and they should be prepared for danger in times of peace, going out to explore and find other ways out.
Liu Sheng also knew everyone's thoughts. She took a deep breath and said, "In short, I promise you, one day, I will let you breathe the air of freedom!"
【You're making such a big promise?】
【Isn't that just bluffing?】
【What if you can't do it?】
【Yes, have you made any progress?】
【I just believe that where there's a will, there's a way. There's nothing that can't be done.】
【If you can't do it, just keep trying. Everything has a solution.】
【Naive!】
Scoffs rose and fell.
But these Divine Officials did not know the Grand Divine Official's inner turmoil. Upon hearing her words, they felt their blood boil and shouted in unison, "Long live the Grand Divine Official!"
"Praise the Earth Mother!"
Many Divine Officials even said from the bottom of their hearts, "We swear to follow the Grand Divine Official to the death!"
"Swear to follow to the death!"
This became a unified chorus.
Listening to these enthusiastic shouts and seeing those eyes filled with hope, Liu Sheng felt a heaviness in her heart.
But this was not a burden; it was a strange power settling in her heart, strengthening her belief.
She didn't know if her idea of taking the entire city with her was too naive, or too redundant.
But she felt that it was something that should be done.
After all, these virtual people were already her believers, her subjects.
Little Tentacle also felt excited in its heart. In a corner where no one could see, the starlight within it shone even brighter.
…
Not long ago, in the Eighteenth City.
Eight beams of light streaked across the sky, but because it was daytime, not many people saw them.
Even if they did, they would only think it was due to being too tired and exhausted, causing their eyes to blur.
In this city, the newly risen temple required them to do a lot of labor.
It was euphemistically called: rebuilding their homeland.
But they couldn't even get enough food, so how could they work?
Yes, although they were protected by the temple and not disturbed by those terrifying weird objects, the temple's forceful actions only made them more resentful and resistant to the temple and the so-called Supreme God they worshipped, let alone believing in him.
In the temple, "Eighteenth Candidate" Shi Qiang repeatedly asked "Test Assistant" how much faith he still had.
"How can it be only a single digit! Are you mistaken? Wasn't it still a dozen or so a while ago?"
「Dear Candidate, I do not make mistakes!」
"Damn it!" Shi Qiang angrily punched the wall, his knuckles aching and bleeding, but he no longer cared.
He already felt that he had no hope in this imperial Examination.
Accustomed to solving everything with force, he didn't know where he had gone wrong.
In despair, he decided to go fight some weird objects to calm down.
He didn't know that his remaining bit of faith would soon be plundered.
Especially when he left the city.
When Shi Qiang, holding his holy sword, was outside the city dealing with a weird object lurking in a tree, he suddenly received a cheerful notification from "Test Assistant."
「It is regrettable! Esteemed Eighteenth Candidate, the Eighteenth Temple's faith value has decreased by seven, and the total value is now zero.」
Shi Qiang fiercely plunged his sword into the chest of the lifeless weird object and angrily cried out, "How is this possible? How is this possible? How is this possible?"
Each cry was louder than the last, his angry roars echoing through the mountains and forests.
「It is regrettable! Eighteenth Candidate, because the Eighteenth Altar has been established in this city, all of your faith value has been converted to the Eighteenth Temple's faith value. At the same time, this city has been transferred to the Eighteenth City's jurisdiction.」
「It is regrettable, Eighteenth Candidate, you are out.」
As the last cold sentence fell, Shi Qiang, with no room for rebuttal or argument, was thus kicked out of the illusion.
He turned his head to look at the Eighteenth Candidate, who was sleeping at his desk, and his heart surged with rage.
"Damn it! It's you! You're the one playing tricks!"
He was about to punch the man's perfectly curved back of the head, full of unwillingness, when the official guarding nearby saw it, was startled, and was about to step forward to stop him and also declare a violation.
However, at this moment, the Eighteenth Candidate, who was sound asleep, seemed to have held one position for too long and happened to turn his face, facing the "Earth" row.
Shi Qiang also happened to be able to see the person's full face.
Upon seeing it, he was startled and quickly retracted his fist, which was already in mid-air, and instead punched himself in the chest. But the force was undiminished, causing his chest to ache and almost making him spit out a mouthful of blood.
The official nearby also stopped, and a crisis was thus averted.
Finally, Shi Qiang could only follow the official off the premises with a crestfallen expression, secretly congratulating himself for being a step late in throwing his punch. Otherwise, what if he had injured Wen Shoufu's Young Master?
He might have found his official career halted right there, and even his own father would have been implicated…
Now that he had become a stepping stone for Wen Gongzi, he could talk to him about this later and build a relationship.
Thinking this, Shi Qiang's heavy steps became much lighter, and he even hummed a little tune, only to be ruthlessly interrupted by the official next to him: "Silence! This is an Examination hall! Don't disturb others."
Shi Qiang awkwardly swallowed the syllables on his lips and quietly left this year's imperial Examination.
…
Meanwhile, in the Eighteenth City, Wen Xuanning smiled with satisfaction upon hearing the notification.
Then he felt a little disdain. He didn't know who the candidate next to him was, but how could he have only gotten so little faith value?
But he didn't show this expression. According to his current persona, a harsh expression was not appropriate.
However, leaving a city with undeveloped "faith value" for him wasn't bad either.
Moreover, having taken the Eighteenth City, he could now advance towards his next target.
This altar could only teleport people to cities one grid away; it couldn't teleport long distances. Otherwise, he would have already gone to take down that Ling girl's city first.
He figured she should have accumulated a lot of faith value. After all, she was the daughter of that arrogant boy; she couldn't possibly tarnish her father's reputation, could she?
According to his current estimate, he would absolutely be first in faith value.
Second, he estimated, would be that Ling Family Xiaoya.
He took out the list of Divine Officials sent down by the Grand Divine Official this time to confirm.
Hmm, Ling Xiaoya was in Xuan One Hundred Thirty-Four.
He still had some distance to go.
An extra chapter, thank you everyone for your votes!