11: The Secret of the Ancient Altar

Lolia trembled slightly on Shen Xiaochuan's back, her breathing becoming rapid.

He quickened his pace, the gravel road crunching sharply under his feet. Chen Yan walked at the very back, looking back three times; the blue flames on the altar remained perfectly still.

"Lord God, should we run for a bit?"

"We can't run."

Shen Xiaochuan responded in a low voice, "If it chases us and we fall into chaos, it's all over."

The team retreated slowly. They walked twenty paces, then thirty, until they rounded a mountain bend and the eight stone pillars vanished completely from sight.

Chen Yan breathed a sigh of relief: "It didn't follow us."

"Set up camp."

Shen Xiaochuan gently set Lolia down, letting her lean against a tree. "Start a fire, find the Doctor."

As the sky grew dark and the fire was lit, the Doctor walked over and placed his fingers on Lolia's wrist.

"Her temperature is still high, and her heart rate hasn't slowed down."

"What exactly is inside her body?"

"It's not bacteria or a toxin. It's more like some kind of energy has invaded her body."

Shen Xiaochuan gazed at her face. Her lips were pale, her brow furrowed, and she muttered two more words:

"Don't go."

He stood up and opened the Faith System. His Divine Thought extended outward, scanning the path they had just traveled. Images gradually pieced together in his mind, and a clear route emerged.

He skillfully brought up the map, using the Divine Kingdom as the starting center, marking the mining area, the valley, and the blue flame altar one by one. After a moment of thought, he drew a red circle around the altar.

[Name]: Forbidden Land of the Evil God

[Risk Rank]: Unknown

[Notes]: Guardian combat power cannot be detected; presence of mental interference or energy erosion. Exploration deferred until strength increases.

After completing the marking, he closed the interface.

"Chen Yan."

"Present."

"Pass down the order: increase the mining area's defense by one level. Divide the two thousand newcomers into three shifts to patrol in rotation. Without my command, no one is allowed to approach the direction of the altar."

"Yes, sir."

Chen Yan turned and left to arrange the deployment. Shen Xiaochuan returned to the fire and took a sip from his waterskin.

"Do you still believe in me?" he asked softly.

Lolia didn't open her eyes, but her fingertips twitched slightly, as if trying to grasp something.

He spoke no more.

Late at night, her fever broke. Her breathing became steady, and some color returned to her face. After checking her, the Doctor said she was fine for now and just needed a few days of rest.

Just as dawn broke, the team set off.

After marching for about an hour, the Scouting Spirit ahead sent back news.

"Flock of sheep discovered."

"How many?"

"About thirty, grazing on the southern slope."

Shen Xiaochuan observed the terrain. There were low hills on both sides with flat ground in the middle; the flock was bowing their heads to graze on the green grass.

"Form up."

He ordered, "One hundred men flank from the left, one hundred men circle to the right to cut off the rear, and the rest advance from the front with me. No noise, no startling them."

The team dispersed quickly. Shen Xiaochuan led three hundred men in a quiet approach. When they were fifty meters away, he raised his hand.

Everyone stopped immediately.

He waited another ten seconds, then suddenly waved his hand: "Surround them!"

The warriors rushed out. The flock scattered in a panic, but the left and right wings had already blocked their retreat, and they were quickly driven into a corner.

Archers shot down a few lead sheep, and the rest immediately didn't dare to move again.

In less than fifteen minutes, all thirty goats were under control.

"Tie their legs and lead them away."

Shen Xiaochuan instructed, "Leave five men to watch them; the rest, continue advancing."

Before noon, they reached the border of the Divine Kingdom.

As soon as they stepped through the gate, a thick smell of blood hit their noses.

Shen Xiaochuan frowned: "What happened?"

Chen Yan hurried over: "Half an hour ago, three demon wolves came and attacked the tents near the north wall. I led men to kill them and took in a few households of refugees while I was at it."

"Casualties?"

"One person slightly injured, no deaths. Two houses were damaged and are being repaired."

Shen Xiaochuan nodded: "Well done. Where are the refugees settled?"

"In the vacant houses in the East District; food has already been distributed."

"Call the logistics team over. Slaughter ten sheep to make soup. Tonight, everyone in the Divine Kingdom gets a bowl."

"Lord God, our food reserves..."

"I said, one bowl per person."

Chen Yan said no more and immediately went to make arrangements.

As the sun set, the stoves were set up. Steam rose from over a dozen large pots, and the aroma of mutton soup filled the entire camp.

The Believers lined up to receive their share. Children sat by the doors drinking from their bowls, women gathered around the fires talking in low voices, and warriors clustered together chatting.

Shen Xiaochuan walked through the crowd and heard someone say: "Following the Lord God, at least we can eat our fill."

Another said: "When the demon wolves attacked yesterday, Captain Chen hacked one down with a single strike."

"I'm signing up for night watch tomorrow too."

He didn't stop and continued forward. Passing a tent, he heard several miners gathered around a blueprint, discussing it.

"The Technical Officer's design for this mortise and tenon structure is much more stable than the original."

"I heard she fainted?"

"The Lord God carried her back on his back."

"Now the mine's progress is really going to speed up."

Shen Xiaochuan walked to the central square. The soup in the pots was still bubbling, steam curling upward.

He raised his hand and struck the bronze bell three times.

The crowd fell silent.

"This bowl of soup is first to celebrate our safe return, and second to thank everyone who has contributed—the miners, the night watch, the cooks, and the healers, everyone included."

"The demon wolves will return, and our enemies won't stop. But as long as we stick to the rules and distinguish friend from foe, we have nothing to fear."

"From today on, meat soup will be distributed every three days. Teams with outstanding performance will be supplied first."

Cheers erupted from below.

He jumped down from the platform, walked to a pot, personally ladled a bowl, and handed it to a child nearby.

The child took the bowl and looked up at him: "Lord God, can I be a warrior?"

"You can. But you have to grow up first."

"Then I'm going to drink ten bowls of soup."

Laughter rang out all around.

Shen Xiaochuan smiled too.

He turned to look at the interior of the Divine Kingdom. Lights flickered on one by one, illuminating the newly built houses, the erected watchtowers, and the carts transporting Ore back and forth.

The clanging sounds of the Blacksmith Shop came from the distance; Lolia's newly designed machines were being tested.

He stepped into the kitchen and said to the cook: "Divide the remaining sheep among the teams for proper storage. Boil the bones again for soup to be distributed tomorrow morning."

"Understood."

He was about to leave when he suddenly heard someone shouting outside:

"Lord God! That refugee in the East District has collapsed!"

Shen Xiaochuan rushed out immediately.

The man was lying on the ground, his face pale green and foam at the corners of his mouth.

"What did he eat before this?"

"He only drank half a bowl of soup and ate a piece of flatbread."

Shen Xiaochuan knelt down and peeled back the man's eyelids. The pupils were slightly dilated.

He reached toward the man's chest and his fingertips touched a hard object. He quickly pulled a black stone from the man's shirt, carved with twisted and eerie symbols.

He stood up, his voice suddenly turning cold.

"Everyone, stop drinking the soup."

"Immediately pour all the soup that was just distributed back into the buckets."

"For those who haven't finished, leave your bowls."

The crowd was momentarily stunned.

He stared at the stone, his expression changing. The symbols on it were extremely similar to those on the altar's stele.