282: Firm trust! (update resumed)

The elder's words, full of trust, made Lin Yang a bit surprised: "You think I'm different? How am I different?"

The elder looked at him deeply, then lowered his head and said, "Your gaze towards us lacks the indifference of those Gods."

"Uh..." Lin Yang was momentarily stunned.

He could even tell that?

Immediately, he looked at the elder with a strange expression: "Aren't you afraid you've misjudged?"

"No, God, I can definitely feel that you possess an aura of benevolence, unlike the Gods of the past."

The elder spoke with utmost seriousness:

"Your words don't carry the arrogance of one who lords over all beings, and especially your eyes—the way you look at us isn't like looking at slaves or ants. It's an expression I've never seen in the eyes of any other God. Other Gods only look at us with indifference, so I trust my judgment, and I trust you!"

Hearing this, Lin Yang's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the elder, and he quietly said, "Interesting. But even so, even if I am different from others, it doesn't mean I will help you."

"I understand, God." The elder slightly raised his gaze and slowly said, "You are of the same race as the other Gods, so you certainly wouldn't offend other Gods of your race for the sake of us ants, but..."

At this point, he looked at Lin Yang, paused, and didn't continue. Instead, he had the few people beside him move far away, leaving only a younger man. Then, he continued in a hushed voice:

"God, if you are willing to help, my tribe is willing to present our Supreme Divine Stone to you, only asking that you help my tribe secure a path to survival!"

"Supreme Divine Stone? What is that?" Lin Yang raised an eyebrow; the name sounded quite imposing.

"The Supreme Divine Stone is a treasure obtained by our ancestors; it is very special," the elder explained. "It possesses an ability that can influence people's thoughts and even affect the surrounding environment, making people irresistibly drawn to it."

"Hmm? What did you say? That Divine Stone can influence people's thoughts and even the environment?" Lin Yang's pupils contracted.

This ability sounds a bit heaven-defying.

"Yes, God, the Divine Stone's ability is very special. Our ancestors also studied it many times, but unfortunately, they weren't able to fully research its specific control methods. However, although it cannot be actively controlled, according to the records left by our ancestors, this is a very high-grade and precious treasure, revered as our tribe's greatest treasure. It can only be brought out to exchange for a chance at survival when our tribe's life and death are at stake."

The elder explained again.

"Our ancestors once instructed that if one day our tribe faces a great change or encounters a turning point, the Divine Stone can be offered to a God in exchange for a path to survival."

"Oh? Your ancestors were so sure that bringing out this Divine Stone could save your tribe?" Lin Yang looked at the elder with interest.

The elder nodded: "God, our tribe's records indeed say so. Our ancestors once said that the Divine Stone is extremely precious even among powerful God races. As long as it is brought out when a God is deemed trustworthy, the God will surely help our tribe survive."

Saying this, he directly turned to the younger man he had just kept beside him and said, "Gen, go fetch the Supreme Divine Stone for the God."

Hearing this, the man called Gen instantly changed his expression and hesitated, "Elder Feng, now? The Divine Stone is our last ho—"

Gen's words were cut off by the elder: "Say no more. I told you to fetch it, so go fetch it!"

Gen was silent for a moment, said nothing, bowed to Lin Yang, then turned and scurried away until he disappeared into the base of a mountain.

Lin Yang, meanwhile, looked at the elder and slowly continued from their previous conversation: "Your ancestors once said that Divine Stone is very precious among Gods?"

"Yes," the elder nodded.

"Then why didn't they use the Divine Stone to secure your tribe's survival?" Lin Yang was a bit puzzled. "Also, since the Divine Stone is precious, hasn't it been discovered by other Gods all these years?"

"To answer you, God, that Divine Stone is sealed deep within the mountain by our tribe; it is our tribe's highest secret. Historically, only two people, a successor like me and a prospective successor, know about it simultaneously. Other tribesmen are completely unaware, so it has never been exposed."

The elder first explained why it hadn't been exposed, and then began to explain why it hadn't been brought out to exchange for survival.

"God, our ancestors said that it must be brought out only when a trustworthy God is found. And the reason our ancestors didn't bring it out was probably because during their time, they didn't find a God worthy of trust."

"Oh?" Lin Yang was even more surprised by this, looking at the elder and quietly saying, "You trust me that much? We just met."

Regarding matters of his own race's life and death and the secret of their greatest treasure, this elder actually trusted him directly?

It had only been less than ten minutes since they met, yet he was revealing the tribe's most important secret. Wasn't that a bit too reckless?

The elder, however, said earnestly: "God, after all these years, you are the only one I have seen whose gaze towards us is different from other Gods. My intuition tells me that I can trust you."

"Your intuition... Do you really not think it's a bit too hasty?" Lin Yang was a bit exasperated.

They hadn't found anyone trustworthy for so many years, yet as soon as he appeared, they trusted him so much.

It was a bit outrageous.

However, the elder remained as firm as ever: "It's not hasty, God. My intuition is very accurate, and a person's eyes don't lie. Although we just met you, this doesn't affect our trust in you."

"You..." Lin Yang was at a loss for words. After a pause, he continued, "You just directly sent your tribesman to fetch that Divine Stone for me. Aren't you afraid that I'll take the Divine Stone and leave immediately, not caring about you at all?"

"I believe you won't, God!" The elder's tone remained firm.

This inexplicable yet utterly trusting demeanor left Lin Yang speechless.

While being trusted unreservedly is wonderful, especially by someone not very familiar.

But this was truly a bit too unreserved.

He hadn't even agreed to help them, yet this elder hadn't given him a chance to refuse, directly sending someone to fetch that Divine Stone, as if he was certain he would help, which was indeed a bit exaggerated.

The atmosphere fell into a brief silence.

Lin Yang didn't quite know what to say; this sudden trust felt rather strange to him.

The elder also said nothing more, instead looking in the direction where Gen had gone to fetch the Divine Stone, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

The other tribesmen in the settlement were all curiously looking in their direction.

To be precise, they were cautiously observing Lin Yang.

They had never seen a God who, after descending, didn't demand sacrifices and was so benevolent.

Besides awe, some curiosity also appeared in their gazes towards Lin Yang, but no one dared to approach easily.

Lin Yang glanced at the crowd, then withdrew his gaze and looked back at the elder. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Do you still remember what the spaceship of the God who collected sacrifices looked like? Also, how long has it been since the last time sacrifices were collected?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the elder immediately showed a look of joyful surprise, saying, "God, have you decided to help us?!"

Updates are resuming today! After over half a month of medication, I'm finally much better and can resume normal updates, and I'm working hard to catch up on drafts. Please, brothers and sisters, give me your support!

Bowing to everyone!