Duncan stood in the middle of the path, seemingly unfazed by the hooded figures approaching him. He looked just as he did when he left the cave, wearing tattered clothes that barely covered his skinny frame. A piece of ragged cloth was draped over his chest, hiding a large hole. He stood there boldly, but it seemed like he was startled by the sudden appearance of the hooded people. The group of cloaked figures was clearly surprised too. After a brief pause, one of them suddenly shouted, “A sacrifice has escaped!”
Duncan watched as they rushed toward him. Another one yelled, “Quick! Stop him! Don’t let him get away!”
Duncan shrugged, continuing to stare at the approaching figures, who looked anything but friendly. After assessing the situation, he had no intention of running away. The hooded figures shouted, “Don’t let him escape!” and “A sacrifice is running away!”
Duncan’s calm presence in the middle of the path made the atmosphere awkward. The runners seemed to realize something was off halfway through their shouts, their voices trailing off as they continued to approach. He could almost sense their embarrassment mixed with anger from beneath their dark hoods. Soon, they surrounded him.
Finally, Duncan glanced around at the figures surrounding him. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “Shouldn’t I have run away just now? Given how things are…”
The cloaked figures seemed to ignore Duncan’s dry humor. They cautiously glanced at him, then looked behind him. Two of them quickly whispered to each other, and Duncan caught snippets of their conversation:
“Why did one come out?”
“Did the church’s dogs discover this hideout… but he doesn’t look like someone who was let out…”
“Let’s take him back. This escaped sacrifice seems off… we need to deal with him quickly.”
“Let the messenger decide.”
Duncan was completely confused about who these people were and what they meant by “messenger.” However, considering what he had seen on his way here and the mention of “sacrifice,” he had a vague idea of some truths about this place.
He didn’t know how to act like a “normal sacrifice,” and he had no intention of cooperating with these people’s “performance.” Outside of his original body, using this temporary shell, he clearly had little to worry about. After observing the situation for a bit, he simply asked, “Where are you taking me?”
The hooded figures were surprised to hear the “sacrifice” speak so calmly. Even though their hoods covered their faces with black veils, Duncan could tell they were taken aback. One of the cloaked men shot him a fierce look through his mask and said in a low voice, “You have no right to ask—take him away!”
Several cloaked figures moved forward, but before they could grab him, Duncan stepped forward. “You don’t need to force me. I’ll go with you.”
The hooded figures exchanged glances, probably thinking this “sacrifice” was acting a bit strange. The leader waved his hand. “That’s better. You can’t escape anyway… come with us, and you might receive some honor.”
So, the cloaked figures surrounded Duncan, blocking all his escape routes as they led him deeper into the sewers.
The stench and filth of the sewers were nauseating, but the hooded figures walked through the dirty, moldy path as if they didn’t notice. Duncan remained silent, following them while listening to their conversations. They didn’t talk much, but he caught useful words like “Prand,” “Governor,” and “Church.”
“Is this Prand City?” Duncan suddenly asked, sounding as casual as if he were chatting with a friend.
“Of course…” one of the hooded figures replied instinctively, but then he realized and gave Duncan a bewildered look. “You’re pretty calm, kid. Do you know what’s going to happen next?”
“I can guess,” Duncan nodded, even smiling a bit. Then he cautiously asked, “The true Sun God… right?”
The hooded figures paused for a moment. They seemed to misunderstand Duncan’s unusual reaction. One whispered to a companion, “Wait, could he be a follower of the Lord?”
“Impossible, he’s clearly an escaped sacrifice…” another hooded figure said quietly, then glanced at Duncan. “You’re clever, but don’t think that will save you from the sacrifice… the Lord has decided your fate. You’d better accept it willingly.”
Duncan didn’t respond. He knew his overly calm reaction had led these cultists to misinterpret him. They probably thought he was pretending to be calm and acting like a “follower” to survive, but only he knew the truth.
This temporary body was barely able to move, and his facial muscles felt stiff and lifeless… all that was left was his calm, expressionless face!
But he didn’t care what these cultists thought. He just wanted to gather as much information as he could during this “one-time exploration.” So, he casually asked, “Do you think the ‘Sun’ in the sky is a fake sun? Do you believe it will eventually fall?”
“A false sun will surely fall!” This was clearly a topic that excited the cultists. Duncan was pleased to hear one of them respond eagerly and passionately. “Even the church’s dogs have to admit in history that the sun appeared after the Great Cataclysm as a twisted, grotesque thing! The true Sun God brings life and order to the world, but our Lord’s power has been usurped by that vile fake… that vile fake will surely fall from the sky!”
Soon, Duncan heard the surrounding cultists echoing, “The false sun will eventually fall!” “The true Sun God will soon awaken!” “The excess waters of the world will be driven back into the void by the power of the Sun God, and the earth will return to a prosperous and stable era!”
Listening to the cultists getting more and more worked up, Duncan’s mind raced. He knew that these fanatical cultists couldn’t be reasoned with. What they believed was mostly distorted and twisted information, but some of the details they revealed were still worth noting—
The “sun” hanging in the sky is a fake…
The true sun has been usurped…
They firmly believe the true sun is a fallen deity and that it will “revive from blood and fire”…
They also mentioned the excess waters of the world and a prosperous and stable era… what did those words mean?
Duncan’s thoughts were racing, while the cultists soon calmed down. They remembered their purpose and that they were escorting an escaped “sacrifice.” The closest ones to Duncan fell silent, while the two at the back whispered to each other:
“Don’t you think this ‘sacrifice’ is a bit strange?”
“He seems off… I feel uneasy.”
“Maybe this sacrifice has been in the dark underground for too long, and something has messed with his mind…”
“That’s fine; the Lord’s power will purify him.”
Duncan listened to their conversation, especially noting the phrase “dark underground.” Just as he wanted to gather more information from their talk, the leader of the hooded figures suddenly stopped.
“We’ve arrived.”
The cloaked cultist said in a cold, low voice.
Duncan felt a bit disappointed, but he was quickly drawn in by the sight before him.
Ahead was the end of a path, where several sewers intersected. In this spacious area, resembling a small underground hall, was a gathering place for the black-robed cultists!
(End of Chapter)