Shadow of the Evil God

"Why resist so much? You've already overcome the greatest obstacle, accepting the gift from the true God without losing yourself. Once the cursed are unable to bear the gift, they will lose their true self and become tools of the true God. But you are different. As long as you are willing, if you take the hand I extend to you, you can become a hero who changes the course of history, just like all the chosen ones throughout history, or even become a new king."

"I have no crown to wear," Cesar said, shaking his head. "You've got the wrong man."

"Our tribes can all pledge their loyalty to you. Whether it's the succession war of the Kasar Empire or the disputes among the Franks, you no longer need to rely on them. After the wasteland and the real world merge, you can crush them all like a wheel crushing a bug on the ground."

"I guess that last sentence is the only prerequisite for your loyalty, right? Aren't these still tools of your true god? It's just that some tools have self-awareness, while others don't."

"You can wear the crown and shape the world you desire after the two worlds merge. What tools are needed? The Faceless Ones gave you birth, and we will carry you to the throne. When you can move freely between the wasteland, the alien world, and reality, as easily as breathing the morning breeze, how can you be limited to the present? You are not from this world, so why care about them? Yesterday you lay on the altar, waiting to die, and now you have transcended death and difficulties to arrive here. With such achievements, why should you limit yourself and wear a crown for others?"

"Then first, give me the ability to move freely between the wasteland, the alien world, and reality." Cesar said, trying to get something for nothing. "Once I've tried it, we can talk about other things."

He noticed that Bai Yan's head was slightly tilted. "You seem to have no respect for the contract?"

Cesar shrugged. He didn't dare to say anything else, but he was the first to stop and question the legitimacy of the ancient contract.

"I respect my own practice," he said politely. "I respect the achievements I have made step by step, not the promises, loyalty, and admiration that appear out of thin air. Some things are too heavy for me, Legosius, and I cannot bear them. I am afraid that my soul and will will be twisted into other shapes."

In reality, he wanted to say that he had witnessed the distortions and changes that the wasteland under the gods' gaze had undergone. The world beyond was too maddening, and the evolving human society seemed as fragile as a piece of paper compared to it. If the horrors the temple could summon were no longer restricted and could easily be brought to life, all order in the world would cease to exist, becoming a plaything in the hands of the temple and the evil monsters.

If nothing else, the Beastman Shaman only needs to find the place where the true dragon sleeps and perform a ritual, and all the order and civilization around it will fall apart.

However, this involves the core conflict between him and Bai Yan, so it is better for him to avoid talking about it.

"You are too cautious..." Legotius sighed, "The Chosen One should not be so cautious."

Chosen? He had reached his current position step by step through lies, deception, and disguise. He didn't believe in being chosen.

The Dao and the Faceless Ones were both the result of his deception; his noble identity was an identity he fabricated based on rumors; the easing of the war in Noyen was due to his kidnapping of Musali, and he used threats and promises to forcibly fabricate a narrative that was beneficial to both sides; Gonzales' rebellion failed because he first raided the smuggling troops and then raided the fortress at night; including the assistance from Diana and the third princess, Altinia, it was also the help he deceived with a letter.

False illusions could overcome threats, and victory could render illusions insignificant. But even so, these illusions had already caused him to suffer a great deal of coercion—the more unbearable an identity was, the more serious the coercion would be.

From the defense of Neuen, to the suppression of the rebellion at Gonzales, and then the defense of Fort Gural, the situation grew increasingly serious, and the crisis became increasingly difficult to overcome. Cesar relied entirely on the advantages he had established and the resources he had converted from his previous battles to seize control of the situation and gradually increase his control.

This is just the secular level, not to mention the troubles brought by the path.

Cesar didn't believe anyone was chosen for no reason, nor was he convinced that anything was bestowed purely out of favor. Behind loyalty and status lay coercion, behind contracts and gifts lay curses. The so-called shaping of the world he desired was most likely nothing more than building a castle of blocks amidst the chaotic ruins of mad beastmen and the terrifying White Nightmare.

Suddenly freed from a trapped situation, he suddenly became a chosen hero and king, suddenly gaining a group of extremely loyal and powerful subordinates, leading these loyalists given to him for nothing to conquer and shape the world, and enjoying the beauty he shaped at any time. To put it bluntly, isn't this series of events just an adult giving a child a toy world and then happily playing with it?

However, in order to stabilize Legosius, he still had to find a way to deal with it.

Chapter 185 Sheltering the Bottom of the Abyss

Cesar smiled at it. "Be realistic, Legosius. I'm only going to be where I'm going," he said. "Talk about something I can still do, or else, let's just shake hands and say goodbye."

"In that case," Legotius said slowly, "Well, Thane asked me to come to you to deal with some trouble."

It seemed this was what Sean hoped for. The previous topic was just Legosius's own decision. He could vaguely see some signs and realized that Sean's desired outcome was not exactly the same as White Nightmare's. It was forced to support Sean, but it always wanted to find some other way.

"I have enough troubles already," said Cesar.

"I know. But some troubles are within your reach. Sean hopes you can keep those troubles out and not let any of them come to the south."

He quickly reviewed the troubles he could take care of. "Beastmen? Are they considered troublesome to you?"

"Did you know that beastmen are divided into different groups, each with their own unique habits?"

Cesar curled his lips at it. "I wish the Beastmen were as peaceful as the Wargs. No matter how horrible things others say about them, as long as they disappear from Noien, that will be the best for everyone."

"That is what we always hope for," said Lygotius, "but the habits of different species vary. Some can move across the world invisibly, others move slowly among the shadows, and still others trek through wilderness and mountains, seeking only the direction of revelation. But others..."

"Some others?"

"Not only do they continue their endless hunting with an uncontrollable thirst, they are often drawn to fresh flesh and blood, forgetting their mission and stopping short. Even if they reach Noien, they will certainly not follow any protocol. These tribes are pure disasters. They will alert the Temple and lead to a thorough investigation of Noien and everything related to Noien."

With so many beastmen gathered in Noyen, even those skilled in stealth and long-distance raiding would find it hard to imagine where they could stay. Could it be that Thane was planning to further develop the castle's underground, connecting it to the deep mines and creating an even deeper and more extensive underground world? That would be absurd.

"I thought Thain anticipated the risks before he did this," Cesar said.

"He wants you to stop these disasters, or at least prevent them from moving south to Noyen. You know, Dominy can still defend its territory, but Olidan..."

"Is that all?" Cesar asked. "He doesn't really think I'm his son, does he? I want to hear about deals and negotiations, not instructions. How can he help me with the difficulties I'm facing?"

"Then how do you think we can help you?"

"It'll give me a bargaining chip to overcome this difficult situation," Cesar said. "Those hunting beastmen are only secondary. I think another part of the empire is the real threat. Olidan's failure has already displeased the Chancellor, and Olidan's influence and profits are declining. If the nobles want to find help and establish a new alliance, the general in the southwest is a good target."

"Just a suspicion?"

"It's more than just suspicion. The main ethnic group in the southwestern part of the empire is blonde, and I've already met a blonde, blue-eyed imperial envoy at a nobles' meeting. Besides—" he said, looking at Gouzi, "the noble who gave birth to this guy seems to be a relative there. I guess she might have an unfulfilled marriage. They originally thought she was dead, and although she is, after the imperial envoy met her, I feel like I've taken the blame for the old man."

There was a long silence. Legosius seemed to be observing the Faceless One. "Why do you insist on her remaining this way? Do you wish to give a soulless tool self-awareness, to acknowledge its own existence?"

"It sounds like you've seen something similar," Cesar said.

"In the past, humans rarely asked the Faceless to perform its most primitive and barbaric behaviors, but it wasn't unprecedented."

"You can think of me as exploring the origins of self-awareness," he shrugged. "Maybe it doesn't necessarily require a soul."

"So you're seeking a war tainted by personal vendettas." Legosius grasped the core of the matter. "You know, humans weigh harm and gain before pure profit. But when the motives of those in power are tainted by personal vendettas, casualties cease to be a cause for concern."

"Sometimes, personal grudges can influence the situation," Cesar said. "Those filled with hatred are more likely to rush to their deaths." He certainly had no hatred for the Southwestern Empire, but they were too close to him, and they had their sights set on Fort Gular. The Imperial visitors at the Gonzales Conference further demonstrated their need for this territory.

The sheer number of mines and forests, coupled with the road leading to Olidan, combined to create an inevitable war. The Vizier desired the pastures and herds there, while the General coveted the resources and terrain here. Personal vendettas only fueled the fire, but without the fuel, the fire wouldn't begin. At most, it would attract a young nobleman he didn't know to challenge him to a duel, a pointless endeavor.

Cesar didn't think their relationship could be reconciled, and he himself

He longed to deal with the trouble there. The southwestern part of the empire separated him from the Sasulai people. If he could open this route, he could summon Chief Musali, who was so adept at spinning his stories, to discuss matters. He had met with many chiefs in Noyen and was admired by them. Even if he couldn't borrow troops, he could rely on the endless grasslands and completely put his worries at ease.

Based on this premise, personal vendettas were worth exploiting, and misunderstandings didn't need to be explained. He didn't even need to express his stance. Allowing them to assume the Faceless One was a noble scholar under his influence would inevitably lead to deviations in the decisions of some young generals. It must be said that people like Count Villars' son, Guild, were always present in the ranks of the nobility.

Cesar doesn't have that much spare time, so he has to make use of it when necessary.

"I can have Sean transfer his connections with several large mercenary groups to you," Legosius said.

"I can't afford their commissions," Cesar said politely. "I'll wait until I've purchased, requisitioned, and restored a large amount of land, and put it under my own name to make money. Once I'm rich enough to pay the commissions, I won't need these connections anymore. Many large mercenary groups will come to me to negotiate contracts just as I'm famous."

"Your plan is quite far-reaching..."

Of course, mercenaries are never reliable. They are ambitious but undisciplined, and they take defection and betrayal for granted. They are also incredibly costly. Such troops might fight for one side one year, then, when their contract expires, turn around and attack their former employer with a higher paycheck from another side. Mercenaries should only be used as a primary military resource when other military forces are unavailable. To truly establish a firm foothold, the right path is to transition to conscription as soon as possible.

However, precisely because mercenaries were not reliable and would always obey money rather than loyalty, as long as he built up his reputation for treating mercenaries well during this period, he would naturally be distinguished from other employers.

Even Garcia sometimes couldn't pay, and under normal circumstances, Black Sword could only bear the loss and find other private work. But if a more generous employer clearly expressed their willingness to hire them, they could change their flag and it would only be a matter of signing a contract.

Mercenaries are, after all, engaged in business activities.

"Let me make a more practical proposal," Cesar said. "Give me some assistance to help me fight and resist the imperial forces northwest of the fortress. Any assistance will do, but I hope it's non-secular. I know much better than he does how limited the old man's influence in the secular world is."

"I'm afraid Thane can't provide it, but I can."

"Well...you tell me first?"

"Do you know anything about the Sanctuary Abyss?" Legosius said something he didn't expect.

"Nothing," Cesar said.

"The bottom of the Sanctuary Abyss is neither the ocean nor the valley; it lies in pure nothingness, an ancient scar left behind when reality and the wasteland separated. It is as old as time and history itself. For some reason, in the coming days, parts of the area surrounding the Sanctuary Abyss will experience regular undercurrents, causing irreparable and horrific harm to the creatures within their reach."

Cesar stared at Legotius. "Some reason?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you the reason, Cesar. Alternatively, you can accept my invitation, and then you'll know everything."

"Then explain to me what you wish to explain."

Legosius' voice turned playful. "I'll point out the areas where dark tides will occur in the near future and outline their coverage. All you need to do is use the right bait at the right time to lure the enemy into the right area, and these natural phenomena will solve many of your problems."

He hesitated, "Will there be any...consequences?"

"I hope you will witness this matter for yourself and judge the consequences of your actions for yourself." Legosius seemed to be smiling. "You can consider this a very, very worthwhile and effective measure, but you can only use it once. After that, humans will naturally avoid the edges of the Sanctuary Abyss to prevent disasters from happening again. Moreover, they will be able to determine where the undercurrent will recur. You should be able to guess that the disturbances in most areas of the Sanctuary Abyss cannot surge over the cliffs on both sides. Therefore, they will accumulate in the relatively flat areas—surging higher and higher."

"I now understand the consequences of negotiating with you for help, Legosius." Cesar emphasized, "Do you think that even if I don't accept your invitation, you will use various means to make me fall step by step?"

Chapter 186: White Eyes Swordsmanship

Bai Yan didn't care. "Why do you say that? Many religions were born this way. The more terrible the disaster, the more devout the victims. Those who survive the disaster often become saints and prophets. Lies, illusions, and deception—aren't these what you excel at?"

Cesar shook his head; he didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Give me some beastmen who can move through the shadows," he said. "I'll pay a negotiable price in exchange for them doing reconnaissance. That's all. I have no other requests. If possible, it would be best if I could reward them with the corpses of other beastmen."

"You're really good at making requests, Cesar," Legotius sighed. "But it just so happens that some of these naughty goblins are so annoying, and Sean really wants to find a way to get rid of them. Since you need them, you can take them over and let them mimic any animal to spy on you."

Naughty? It really embellishes the meaning of viciousness.

"Can you give me something normal..."

"Unfortunately, no," Legosius denied. "Unless you intend to emulate Thane and spend all your money on endless sacrificial rituals, you won't be able to afford the price demanded by any normal species. If you have no objection, we'll leave it as it is."

"That's all," Cesar said with a sigh. "Also, don't let me hear about the Dark Tide again."

......

It was already morning, and Legosius had vanished, but Cesar still felt as if the house were enveloped by the wings of the White Nightmare. He leaned against the bed, feeding the dog on his lap with his pricked fingers and stroking her cheek. If it weren't for the White Nightmare's visit, who would have imagined such an incredible thing as the Undertide?

"I thought you would at least get some concrete information," Ajiehe said.

She always appeared when he was making a crucial decision, Cesar thought, as if she wanted to watch his show.

"I do," he said.

"Why not?"

"I'm afraid I won't be able to control my desire to use it."

"So what? Even if it happened, it was just an accident whose truth will never be known."

Cesar turned his head and met her calm grey eyes for a moment. Her expression was focused. Was it because his play was so worth watching?

"It's really okay," he said. "If you really want me to make up a lie, most people will become fools. But some things require more than just motivation and reason; we also need to consider the future impact. Excuses are used to convince others, not to convince ourselves, especially not to excuse ourselves."

Ajiehe put her hand on his shoulder and looked at his bleeding finger: "You can at least keep a portion for yourself."

"With a sharp blade in hand, I can't restrain my murderous intent, my dear. Unless the first undercurrent passes and I use some affected birds and beasts to tell everyone about the disaster it will cause and its subsequent impact, I really won't dare to even look at the information Legosius said he would give me."

Cesar leaned back a little further. "My headaches are getting worse and worse," he said.

"Isn't it because you threw away something that could change everything if you picked it up?" Ajiehe asked him.

"Well, you could say that, if it's usable, it can indeed change a lot of things, so why shouldn't I seize it? I could be more reckless. This is a world full of disasters anyway, and everyone is constantly doing more cruel things. I could also say that I haven't encountered true life-or-death difficulties, so I don't understand its value. Young people always mistake morality for everything, filled with all kinds of illusions of justice."

Cesar poked her face, which looked no more than eleven or twelve, but she didn't react. "Oh," he added, "I haven't mentioned yet. Even if I don't take advantage of it, Legosius might trick someone else into doing it, and the same disaster would happen. There are so many excuses. If you want, then blame me. I'm just selfish and don't want to bear the pressure of this matter."

"You are indeed," Ajiehe studied him. "You're losing confidence now, starting to retreat and become timid. You're adept at using harmless lies, but when faced with real terror, you don't want to do it anymore. Just like how you've been becoming increasingly timid lately, you and the princess were already so close that you could have sex with her if you were willing to lend a hand, but when the time comes, you don't want to be so lenient as you were in Neuen."

Cesar joked with her. "Have you really been mentally degraded by Ferriers, Ajiehe? As far as I can remember, you weren't so foul-mouthed before, were you?"

"Why blame me? It's obviously you who have the worst mouth."

"Yes, I'm a bad role model, so let me talk about this. I could indulge myself and indulge in a somewhat taboo relationship with her - if the teacher-student relationship can be called a relationship. I could be entangled in this relationship with her, feel nostalgic for this moment, drink fine wine together under the moon, discuss history at the desk, and gaze at the fate of the empire on the edge of a cliff. With just a kiss, everything can happen naturally. But what is this? This is because both of us have nothing and are no longer afraid of losing anything, so we indulge in this illusory love. Ah.

Not Valtinha."

"she is not?"

"I hope she isn't. I hope she can take on a lot of responsibilities." Cesar looked at her and said, "If I let this happen now, I won't be able to teach her at all. Do you think it's possible for someone to make love with you in the middle of the night, to lust after your body, and then teach you how to do things during the day?"

"I think the reason she respects you has little to do with what you do."

"You insist on going against me like a rebellious child." He rubbed her head vigorously. "Yes, I understand what you mean. It doesn't matter much. But if I did something—whether it was taking advantage of Dark Tide or having sex with her, and then I told her that you shouldn't do something just for the sake of gain or loss, then all my teachings would be just a series of clumsy jokes, Ajehe. I don't want to be a tool that can only provide knowledge, because if I do that, I will have nothing but knowledge that no one else has."

"a book?"

"Yes, a book." Cesar spread his hands towards Ajeh. "So what exactly is a book? Even if it's filled with knowledge that doesn't exist in this world, isn't it still just a talking book, a pathetic tool?"

......

He had only recently realized that, while he considered himself human, his skill with a sword was still appalling.

Cesar leaned back, shifting his weight to his back foot. He lowered his sword arm, lowered his wrist slightly, and pointed the blade diagonally downward. He tried to extend the trajectory of his sword swing forward, slashing from bottom to top for a fatal blow. His position was slightly crooked, and he tried to recall the sword techniques Cecia had taught him, but he couldn't find the clue Cecia had given him to correct his posture.

He then remembered that he had done it perfectly, but before he could wait for the next day's test, the battle to defend the city was approaching. The war in Noyen became increasingly busy, and his sword training was forced to be interrupted. After that, he never had the opportunity to learn swordsmanship again, and his skills were limited to this.

Cesar realized that even with his inhuman physical abilities, he couldn't hide the fact that he swung his sword like a beast on the battlefield—not much different from swinging a stick. In some situations, he would have to wield his sword like a human, to fight like a human. Otherwise, he would be like he was now, having to deal with even the sword-wielding Faceless, stumbling and retreating awkwardly.

If they both held swords and imitated humans, using only their keen senses and reflexes, he would never be able to defeat the dog.

In the Faceless One's sword dance, he sensed perfect limb control and impeccable sword swings. He'd recently come to believe that this being saw the external world as a series of arcs, angles, and geometric shapes—or, in other words, pure mathematical formulas. He could almost imagine it. But she herself didn't know the formulas of natural mathematics; she was simply using her body's instincts. Expecting her to impart those instincts to him was sheer wishful thinking.

Cesar studied Gouzi's sword-holding, first considering how to respond to her next strike, then how to abandon the sword and escape. During the march, he frequently challenged her to sword practice, but she always beat him to a pulp. He was too embarrassed to break free of his human form and act rogue, and lately, he'd been feeling rather anxious.

Then she moved. If it weren't for his astonishing senses, he would have barely been able to discern her movements. She stepped forward with her right foot, then pressed her wrist downward, lowering the tip of her sword. Her back twisted with her waist, and with a powerful wrist rotation, her entire body spun in a full circle. She strode forward, gathering the power of her rotation and wrist twist with each of her three steps, accelerating the sword's movement. The blade raced along the arc of her rotation, until it was practically a pale shadow.

A side strike that could cut a person in half was thus launched.

Without a doubt, this was Baiyan's swordsmanship. Cesar had recently found Baiyan terrifying, even to the point of being uncanny. He couldn't fathom how such swordsmanship had found its way into the hands of a local noble's guards. If he hadn't taken advantage of Baiyan's letdown and killed him with a sneak attack, even with a sword, he would never have been able to defeat him unarmed.

Could it be that a god descended and filled Baiyan's head with a bunch of sword techniques with extraordinary origins?

Cesar relied on his senses to try and block the blow, but his arm still numbed, instinctively wanting to split and transform into twisted tentacles, but he held back. This intense numbness, the result of the shockwaves from the clash of blades, traveled down through the base of his thumb, from his wrist to his elbow, numbing not only his muscles but also his bones. A human trying to block this blow would have dropped their weapon, their fingers numb.