I was a charlatan in India

Arti stood on the gradually darkening riverbank, his bare feet sinking into the cool mud.

She was somewhat confused.

The words disappeared, and so did the father.

The linga, which the father had always worshipped, asked him to become its devotee.

Arti did not agree.

She was terrified; she didn't want to suffer like her father.

The wind blew by, carrying the familiar fishy smell of the Ganges. She hugged her arms tightly, her thin shoulders hunching slightly beneath her sari.

At the same time, Shenhe was also in deep trouble.

It's not because of Arte.

It wasn't too surprising that she didn't agree immediately.

After all, the power it displayed could hardly be called a miracle; it was more like an evil object.

Primarily Agni.

In any case, the old man's reincarnation is something to pay attention to.

After all, their lives are now tied together.

Shenhe needed to know where the old man had been reincarnated, whose family he had been born into, and what his situation was.

If he were to fall into a poor family, there would be far too many things that could kill him.

A filthy delivery room, malnutrition, infectious diseases...

Either way, Shenhe could die with him.

Damn it, this blessing really needs good after-sales service.

"It allows me to keep track of Agni's reincarnation."

The good news is that this doesn't require energy.

As the thought arose, Shenhe felt a strong sense of dizziness. Soon, his consciousness snapped back to reality, pulling him out of the lingam.

Immediately following was a rapid ascent.

He passed through the shed and flew into the air.

The city shrank beneath our feet, the Ganges became a winding golden ribbon, and the bonfires on the banks disappeared.

A few breaths later, he was able to overlook most of Varanasi.

This place appears to be still under construction.

At the heart of the city is an unfinished Shiva temple, surrounded by scaffolding that has not yet been removed, resembling the skeleton of a giant beast, occasionally emitting clanging sounds.

From it, chaos spread like ripples.

Neat residential areas, chaotic markets, muddy labor shacks... they are interspersed and mixed together.

This is an extremely rare occurrence.

In Shenhe's memory, Indians who could afford to buy houses should have disdained to associate with Shudras who lived in shacks.

Not to mention there might be hundreds of Dalits inside.

He soon discovered his target.

After all, Agni was the only believer at the moment, and that golden light was as obvious as a lighthouse.

Shenhe breathed a slight sigh of relief upon seeing his destination.

It was a residential compound, so at least there should be some guarantee for childbirth and medical care.

As for food...

diet……

...Never mind, I'll go take a look anyway.

He plummeted rapidly toward his target.

Upon arrival, it became apparent that the courtyard covered a large area and was clearly a long time ago.

The carvings on the porch are worn and the plaster on the walls is mottled, revealing the blue bricks underneath.

The materials used are solid and the layout is well-connected, revealing an obvious sense of refinement.

However, most of the houses were uninhabited and covered in dust, indicating that this family was not doing well at the moment.

Shenhe landed in a boudoir.

In the corner is a small family shrine, in which stands a black stone linga about half an arm's length tall, with several fresh wreaths and offerings in front of it.

This linga is much stronger than my own body; I wonder if any deities reside within it.

The moment this thought arose, Shenhe was pulled directly into the linga by a suction force.

Hmm...? What's this?

Can I reside on any linga?

Shenhe quickly regained his senses and manipulated his vision to observe his surroundings.

A young girl kneels before a shrine.

She was wearing a pale yellow sari, the fabric of which was visibly comfortable.

The tiny jasmine flower pattern embroidered along the edge of the fabric, similar to the carvings on the building, is likely some kind of family crest.

The girl's lips moved silently.

"Great Shiva, Lord of the Universe, God of Destruction and Rebirth."

"Grant me peace to accept this fate, as the Ganges accepts all its filth and flows into the sea."

She clasped her hands together, her expression devout, but her eyelashes trembled slightly, with faint traces of tears.

Just then, the door was pushed open with a "bang".

The girl shuddered, hurriedly rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, and quickly lowered her head.

A tall man stood in the doorway, dressed in an elegant white dotti, with several palm leaf books tucked under his arm.

His gaze swept over the girl kneeling before the shrine, then fell on the black stone linga, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Mina, what time is it? Why are you still praying to this?"

"How many times have I said it? Faith is a thing used to deceive those lowly people!"

"Will these clay and stone sculptures bring you food, or will they help our family regain respect?"

He strode in, glancing disdainfully at Linga, who was possessed by Shenhe, his voice filled with impatience.

"Shiva? Deva?"

"If he truly existed and cared about his followers, would our family have ended up like this?"

"Your grandfather, your great-grandfather, weren't they all devout worshippers? And what was the result?"

Mina shrugged, her head bowing even lower: "Father, I just..."

"Just what?"

"Pray to the heavens to reverse their decision? To prevent you from marrying that Vaishya?"

The man's voice grew increasingly shrill: "Listen up, Mina, making you marry him isn't some divine will, it's my decision as your father!"

"The world has changed. Money and food are everything. That merchant may be of low caste, but he's rich!"

"Only by winning him over can the family be revitalized. This marriage is the last chance for the Saraswati family! You cannot afford to make any mistakes or lose face! Understand?"

Mina trembled, and tears fell to the ground in a steady stream.

The father's words were increasingly hurtful.

"Instead of doing these useless things, you should learn how to serve men and how to cook a decent meal with the fewest beans possible!"

"Even though the Nabu family is wealthy, they wouldn't like a daughter-in-law who only knows asceticism and can't manage a household!"

"Also, learn from your mother how to speak, how to walk, and how to bow your head in front of your husband! That's what you should be doing!"

Seeing that Mina did not respond, he roared even louder.

Are you mute?

"answer!"

Mina's breath hitched.

"...Yes, Father."

She heard herself answer in a dry, monotone voice.

The father seemed satisfied with her obedience. He glanced at Linga again, spat, and then turned and left the room with heavy steps.

"Bang!"

The door was closed very roughly.

Mina remained kneeling in place, motionless.

After a long time, she slowly loosened her clenched hands, her palms covered in cold sweat, and the crescent-shaped marks left by her fingernails were deeply imprinted on her skin.

She looked up and gazed at the shrine once more.

Blackstone Linga stood still, like an indifferent bystander in the increasingly dark room.

Great Heaven, do you really... not exist?

Or is all of this suffering my own fault?

Mina bit her lower lip until it bled.

Tears flowed silently, silently.

She didn't know how long she had been kneeling until it was completely dark outside the window, at which point she tried to stand up by supporting herself on the ground.

A sharp pain shot through my knee.

Mina fell to the ground again, and finally couldn't hold back anymore, bursting into tears.

She didn't want to marry into that Nabu family, or that merchant she'd never met, and be treated as a commodity for exchanging benefits.

but……

But her faith told her that everything was God's arrangement.

What did I do wrong to deserve this...?

After a long while, Mina finally stopped sobbing, wiped away her tears, and climbed to the shrine.

This time she didn't pray, but instead lifted her clothes and gently wiped the linga.

This is something she does every day, ever since she was very young.

My mother said that keeping the idols clean is a basic form of piety.

But perhaps Father was right; this stone statue could neither bring food nor restore the family's glory.

But it has been with me for more than ten years.

Even if, even if it's essentially just a...stone...that's all...

Let's say goodbye, goodbye to this corner that once gave her illusory comfort, goodbye to the self that could still secretly pray and secretly hope.

I don't know what the future holds.

She sighed softly.

"Why……"

Good heavens, I'm still not reconciled.

No matter the cost, please help me escape from all of this...

The girl prayed silently, unwilling to give up.

The cloth rubbed against the stone surface, making a soft rustling sound.

rustle……

suddenly!

The black stone linga trembled very slightly and emitted a faint hum.

Mina looked up in astonishment.

"Whoosh!"

A golden beam of light pierced through the roof and plunged straight into Mina's forehead!

"Ugh—!"

The golden light was so intense that Mina couldn't help but let out a groan.

She staggered backward and fell to the ground again, clutching her throat tightly with both hands, trying to vomit, but nothing came out.

A force is penetrating my body, quickly taking root and taking shape!

At the same time, her lower abdomen rapidly swelled, stretching her sari and revealing a rounded curve...

She looked like she was seven or eight months pregnant!

(PS: Mina's pregnancy is not unjustified, nor was it caused by Shenhe. More details will be provided later.)

(Hey, those familiar with the Indian myth might already know who she is?)