When the plot-skips players into the game world

"Are you going on a solitary journey?"

Isabel furrowed her brows, somewhat worried: "At least take Lily with you. She can protect you in the shadows. With Lily there, it's as if I'm there. With our combined abilities, we can help you solve the problems that are difficult for you to handle."

Upon learning Aiwass planned to travel alone to Holy Spring City, she felt uneasy.

She was now over four months pregnant, her abdomen showing a noticeable bulge.

When Aiwass realized Parthia was about to erupt in war, he understood he couldn't protect Isabel alone anymore—she couldn't partake in overly intense activities now.

Although using the Puppet Face Technique could allow her to become another person and gain freedom of movement... Puppet Face is not a substitute. If the person she played was injured or even killed, the injury would similarly reflect on her own body. By the same token, if Lily, playing Isabel, was injured or killed, the injury would also feedback to Lily as the carrier.

From this perspective, Lily, who could hide within Aiwass's shadow, was now the most suitable existence as Isabel's ability carrier.

"I'll ask Lily's opinion."

Aiwass was noncommittal, merely emphasizing: "This might be very dangerous—unlike the two previous Ring of Ouroboros ceremonies, the Abyssal Celestial Envoy excels at attacks, especially group attacks. This time I don't have the confidence to protect you all. Perhaps going alone to challenge might be simpler."

Considering he was already deep in the vortex of fate, Aiwass decided to let Isabel retreat... at least to the position of Rock Cellar City.

The Benevolent Lords and the Red Hand Gang were of no consequence.

Such a scale of enemies couldn't possibly harm Isabel, or anyone else Aiwass valued, under Aiwass's protection. Aiwass now had the confidence and strength to be invincible in the Material Realm, no country or polity could block his will.

Now, the only ones who could become his enemies were those high and mighty Gods.

But now this matter involved the regeneration of the Pillar Gods and the descent of the Celestial Marshals... If Aiwass, a mortal, under such a level of threat, still had the confidence to control the whole situation—then such "confidence" was more like "blatant arrogance".

"Additionally, I plan to ask Zhu Tang and Mu if they would go."

Aiwass nodded and added: "If things get tense, they can at least leave Parthia... If they don't come this time, they might not have the chance for revenge themselves."

Isabel stalled with a hum: "We need to ask though. But those attendants originally meant to accompany you to Holy Spring City... let them withdraw to Heaven City first. They're ordinary people and will be easily crushed by this level of contention."

Holy Spring City—this was the border city-state where Zhu Tang caused trouble in the past.

Once, Zhu Tang accepted an invitation from his Parthian friend, went to Holy Spring City to attend the Winter Solstice "Night Festival".

It was the most important and grandest festival for the Parthians.

Because this day is the longest night of the year. Once enduring the longest night, every night afterward will be shorter than this.

One Parthian poet once said: "All suffering will end, just like every year's Winter Solstice will arrive. When The Sun rises, hope arrives as promised."

In Parthia, neither free people nor slaves live happily.

Everyone has their own worries. Living resources are extremely scarce, survival is hard, days are very tough... Hence, people yearn for hope.

If life has already hit rock bottom, then every day following will get better.

If life is as bad as it can get, at least there is hope for a better next life.

That's why the Parthians celebrate the "Night of Deepest Darkness".

On this day, even the Benevolent Lords would show great mercy, giving all city's free people and slaves a day off. People would roam the streets, shouting as passionately as possible... either singing or hawking, playing musical instruments, or merely shouting.

To prove they are still alive, if their voices can pierce the heavens and remain after the night... they can bring this vitality into the next year. It hints that they might also live through next year.

Evidence of this Parthian tradition is... on this day, those who no longer have the strength to walk and shout often die in this winter.

Before nightfall, every city street would begin to set up fire basins. Each household would have a fire basin at the doorway, and in the city center, there was a huge bonfire. Families would send their oldest members to protect the fire basins carefully, ensuring they don't topple or extinguish... This foretells whether their family can make it through to next year.

And on this day, the Benevolent Lords would dispatch their attendants to distribute many candies to all the children by the bonfires—normally, sugar is considered a poison to the poor. For consuming overly sweet sugar would make one want to drink water, thus consuming the precious water supply of each household. But only on this day, water consumption is unlimited... Meaning only on this day people are allowed to eat sweets.

This indeed is an incredibly sweet memory.

Those with certain skills would perform by the bonfire. Even if the dim flames obscure the features, dances and tricks could still be seen, songs and music heard. Whether slaves or free people... only on this day are people considered equal.

Meanwhile, the Benevolent Lords would also lavishly revel in their palaces—the free people eligible to attend banquets and the dancers or singers participating would receive generous rewards. And they might under the Lords' favor, transform the banquet impromptu into a debauched revelry—

If the Benevolent Lords are not satisfied, they will send people to randomly seize individuals from the fireside. Whether they are free people or slaves, anyone could be taken as entertainment material. Some might receive substantial rewards, while others might perish that very night.

And on this day, people do not resist. Because this is the "Night of Darkness"—people believe that if their fate is resilient enough, they can survive this night. Conversely, if they don't, it means their fate wasn't strong enough. This is all a test of destiny.

Zhu Tang was originally watching the performance by the fire, enjoying himself... until he saw a group of camel cavalry suddenly come to seize children.

Faced with this unprovoked and unexplained violence, only the families of those children struggled to resist, only to be killed on the street by the Knights. There were even some who numbly accepted the situation, including the families. Not to mention the cold indifference and schadenfreude of the surrounding onlookers.

Because of the heart-wrenching cries of those children in resistance, Zhu Tang could not withstand the anger in his heart—he did not know what the Benevolent Lords intended to do with these children, nor why those people turned a blind eye. Yet this middle-aged ritualist, who was close to having grandchildren, still chose to step in and help.

Just as he had said, "A gentleman in this world has what he should do and what he should not. Turning a blind eye is also unrighteous!"

...But helping like this caused trouble.

On the day of the Night Festival, everyone in the city was considered the property of the Benevolent Lords. They were gathered by the fireside to await the judgment of fate.

It's like lambs in a pen, scattering when the shepherd entertains guests by seizing them. Whoever gets caught is simply unlucky or deserves it for running slow... Those who aren't caught will leisurely return to graze and roam.

But Zhu Tang's intervention became the "wolf attacking the herdsmen."

Not only did those cavalry attack him, but even the free people—including the parents of those children—regarded him with hostility. This sent a chill through Zhu Tang's heart... Unwilling to be captured, he fled through the city in the darkness. The ritual magic used in his defense caused chaos everywhere. Some took advantage of the chaos to commit evil acts, some seized people, and the entire Holy Spring City went under lockdown because of him alone.

Until Zhu Tang was saved by Mu, the Holy Spring City was already ablaze with lights.

——This is why Aiwass brought Zhu Tang along.

To let him personally settle old animosities.

And heading east from here leads to the towns of the Primordial ones. It can also be considered that he fulfilled Zhu Tang's old request—to be brought across the Parthia Desert, across many city-states, and back home.

Mu was from the Horus People, and his direction home was not in that area.

However, the Martial Monk was quite interested in the Primordial Empire, wanting Zhu Tang to take him back for a look... Also, to serve as his witness to prove that Zhu Tang did not defect. After all, Zhu Tang, as a thrice-exiled criminal official, vanished quietly from the border without writing any letters in six months—this was suspicious in every regard.

And as a Temple Guardian Monk who took a vow of Silence, at least Mu's testimony held considerable credibility.

They traveled westward, crossing the desert, enduring countless hardships to escape the Parthian Ancient Country... A camaraderie like that shared by comrades-in-arms had long been formed between them. This life-threatening endeavor concerning a brother's safety, Mu was certainly willing to help.

As expected...

When Aiwass informed the caravan of an emergency and planned to withdraw from Heaven City... and had most of the caravan escort Isabel away, he also explained his thoughts in detail to Zhu Tang and Mu.

Upon learning that this mission was extremely dangerous, with a chance of no return, neither Zhu Tang nor Mu hesitated.

But Sherlock firmly refused to leave with the convoy, again declining protection and company from others.

He intended to guard Heaven City alone until the last batch of refugees left. Otherwise, if they all left, they might be kidnapped by the demented slave traders or become disorganized, leading to chaos or even violent self-conflict.

According to Sherlock, he was protected by the Celestial Marshal Shard of Water's Regular Dodecahedron in his hand, wielding the supreme authority over "water" elements. Even if the Abyssal Celestial Envoy descended, it might not harm him, and the city's provisions were sufficient for his use.

He intended to hold the city alone until Aiwass returned to take him away.

Lily, on the other hand, readily agreed to the request to accompany them—ever since arriving in Parthia, she had an inexplicable unease. Being able to participate in such a dangerous endeavor instead made her much more at peace.

Ligeia chose to go to the Avianfolk's nests, intending to use her identity as "the only winged one in this world" to lead these stubborn and wild folks away from their cherished nests to the west for refuge.

Because Ligeia did not obey the Red Calamity, the power of her Path of Authority at the Fifth Power Level was temporarily sealed. She could only use the newly obtained Ascension Sorcerer abilities of the Fourth Level, so Ligeia wasn't much help at the moment.

——Even if it required no cost, purely a nominal submission, Ligeia still chose to refuse.

This former Grand Arbitrator who had received the Crown Lord's Blessing, thrice rebuked the Red Calamity in dreams, rejecting the olive branch extended by the new Pillar God. The price was the complete nullification of her Dragon Blood Order Curse… Had she not obtained the powers of the Winged Ones through Ascension Sorcerer, she feared she would have been erased to a common person by the wrathful Pillar God.

However...

Besides these comrades who had once fought alongside, there was one person Aiwass never anticipated who willingly volunteered to join this life-and-death perilous adventure—

Hayna.