333: Mine Riot (Part 1)

You Yu watched clearly from the shadows, his eyes suddenly lighting up. This Teacher Li was a natural talent!

Diverting the trouble elsewhere—it was simply perfect.

His figure appeared beside Teacher Li, his hand slapping heavily onto Teacher Li's illusory shoulder, nearly dispersing the soul.

With suppressed excitement, You Yu's voice pierced directly into Teacher Li's sea of consciousness: "Teacher Li, well said."

"Continue teaching like this. Pin the roots of all suffering onto the heads of those sanctimonious charlatans."

"The Abyss is the only way out and the only source of fairness."

Teacher Li was stunned by the slap, but upon seeing the light of approval rather than reprimand in You Yu's eyes, his soul form instantly solidified a bit.

"Yes, Minister. Your Subordinate understands. The Three Great Pantheons are the source of all evil."

"Mm-hmm, you are indeed a teachable student."

The classroom atmosphere changed, and the fire in Di Ya's eyes burned fiercely.

You Yu retreated into the shadows and sent a voice transmission to Hei Jing and Tudor, his tone carrying the pride of having discovered a treasure.

"See that? This Teacher Li is a natural for propaganda; we can focus on cultivating him in the future."

Hei Jing stood with his arms crossed, a rare trace of a smile appearing on his cold face. "Consider it a lucky hit on his part."

"However, Minister You, the 'fairness' of your Abyss Church is exaggerated enough to drown the Wangchuan fish."

Tudor nodded silently by the side, the judges brush recording: 'Teacher Li: skilled at guiding conflict, capable of great use.'

You Yu waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, Hei Jing, what do you know? Render unto the Abyss what is the Abyss's, and unto the Underworld what is the Underworld's. We're just painting a big cake for the orcs; they'll eat it up, and the incense offerings will be plentiful. It's a win-win!"

"Fairness? If the believers feel it's fair, then it's fair. We aren't lying either; the Abyss indeed accepts all souls, regardless of status."

"As for their lives before death... that's under the jurisdiction of the Three Great Pantheons. What does it have to do with our Abyss?" He spoke righteously, without a hint of shame.

Hei Jing rolled his eyes wordlessly, while Tudor's judges brush paused for a moment, seemingly recording 'Minister You Yu's Records of Sophistry.'

The teaching continued, its direction having been 'set right' by You Yu. In the eyes of the orc slaves, the seeds of hatred toward the Three Great Pantheons and piety toward the Abyss took root and sprouted simultaneously.

Half a month passed, and the combination of cramming education and the Abyss Phonetic Symbols showed its power.

The first batch of orc believers 'graduated' from their literacy training.

Old Buck could stumble through the full text of the prayers, and young orcs like Di Ya could also read basic instructions and doctrines.

The abandoned mine, graduation ceremony.

Moonlight filtered through the cracks in the ceiling, stingily casting a few pale rays that barely illuminated the corner of the ceremony.

Hei Jing stood to the right of the stone platform, twirling a coarse bone tablet in his hand, its cord made of tanned, low-quality beast sinew.

"Abyss Above, lead your soul back to eternal peace." The youthful voice created a slight echo against the cave walls.

The bone tablet was placed around Old Buck's neck, the carvings on its surface crooked: 'People of Rest.'

Old Buck's hands, like withered bark, tightly gripped the bone tablet as cloudy tears rolled down his furrowed face, splashing onto his tattered hemp clothes covered in mine dust.

Di Ya and over a hundred other orc believers crowded below the platform, watching with bated breath.

Their green eyes churned with awe and a nearly pathological light scorched out by 'recognition'... it was more piercing than the occasional flashes of medium-grade fluorite in the mine.

The ceremony ended hastily, and Hei Jing led over a hundred Civilian Ghost Messengers as their figures dripped like ink into the Dark River.

The abandoned mine returned to a deathly silence, leaving only the rustling sound of writing. Old Buck sat cross-legged in the corner, his palm stroking the edges of the bone tablet over and over, as if it were a ticket to the afterlife.

Di Ya crouched by the sand, her charcoal stick laboriously scratching the Abyss Phonetic Symbols for 'Break the Chains' onto a rock. The strokes were childish yet possessed a fierce intensity.

You Yu remained hidden in the darkness, watching all of this. There wasn't a hint of gratification on his face, only a calculation that ran deep into his bones.

The roots of the Abyss were planted deep within this mud abandoned by the gods.

What nourished it was a gnashing hatred for the Three Great Pantheons and a yearning for that illusory 'Abyssal Equality.'

Such yearning could drain a soul more than Barbatos's most malicious sun.

"Minister You."

Tudor's voice sounded right against his eardrums. The judges brush hovered within his sleeve, the tip flickering with a faint, ghostly light, ready to strike and carve at any moment.

"Promote Teacher Li to a core member and double his resources."

"The candidates for the Guixu Walkers will be personally decided by you. It doesn't matter if they are a bit dull; the key is to have fervent hearts. Their 'piety' toward the Abyss must burn fiercely."

"The confessions of the believers must be recorded without missing a single word. For those who harbor hatred for the Three Great Pantheons, add fuel to the fire; for those who show the slightest hesitation toward the doctrine, mark them down and give them 'special attention.'"

"Teaching videos must be submitted regularly for review. The standards should follow Teacher Li's example. It doesn't matter if they are a bit more radical."

"As long as that fire is kept burning outside." Tudor paused for a moment, and the ghostly light at the tip of the judges brush solidified slightly.

The shadow of You Yu's cloak covered half his face. "Rest assured, Lord Judge."

"Ideology must be firm, and hearts must be fiercely loyal. This seat understands."

He took one last look at the orc figures focused on their studies before turning and vanishing into the moonlight.

Under the night sky of the Ativi Continent, the seeds of the Abyss grew wildly in the fertile soil of hatred and lies.

The intense foretaste of the future's storm of blood could already be smelled.

Meanwhile, the Underworld sat comfortably... as days were ground away amidst the clinking of pickaxes and the whistle of the overseer's whip.

The 'knowledge' of the Abyss was like a hidden poison, slowly seeping in.

The abandoned mine became the only corner of hell where one could catch their breath.

The shackles on Di Ya's ankles had ground out deeper scabs, and every movement brought a piercing pain.

The overseer's greasy fat face and his spit-flying curses became haunting specters in her dreams.

"Abyss Above, the physical shell shall eventually find peace."

She curled up in a corner of the mine, reciting the prayers over and over. The stone wall pressed against her sweat-dampened back, bringing not a shred of comfort.

The words 'Break the Chains' on the sand had been stepped on until they were blurred. Closing her eyes, the teacher's excited voice exploded in her mind again: 'Chains—who gave them to you? Why?'

[Why?]

Di Ya clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

Why could the overseer eat and drink his fill while lashing out with his whip at will?

Why had Old Buck carried ore his entire life and yet couldn't even get a sip of clean water?

Why were they born as insects in the mud?

A nameless fire surged to her head, turning her vision red. She reached into her innermost layer and pulled out the jade piece carved with the Breathing Technique.

The cool touch slightly suppressed her boiling blood.

Follow the diagram, sit straight, inhale... imagine the belly swelling... the overseer's fat face was still flickering before her.

Di Ya opened her eyes; the Breathing Technique had fallen into complete disarray, leaving only heavy panting.

Old Buck moved over and sat beside the Rabbit-kin. His withered hand patted Di Ya's arm. "Girl, endure it a little longer."

"The Abyss is watching; suffering is the flame in the furnace."

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