121: Enlightenment

Deep within the wasteland, inside a dilapidated stone cave eroded by the passage of time.

Kleid, Jonnison, Artemis, Bekara, and Nanike sat around a stone table, beginning their routine meeting.

Suddenly, the space rippled like a stone thrown into a calm lake, and a magnificent gaze was cast upon them.

The expressions of the five changed instantly; without the slightest hesitation, they knelt in unison, heads bowed low, their posture showing the utmost respect.

"Welcome, my Lord!"

No physical form descended, and no strange phenomena appeared.

Only a voice exploded directly within the minds of the five—majestic, indifferent, yet carrying an unquestionable will.

"Guide the Awakening of the people's minds, let all living beings realize that they are born free, that no one is above another, and overthrow the existing rule."

The voice of Xiang Yan echoed in their minds.

Every word was like a heavy hammer, striking fiercely at their hearts.

The five trembled slightly, not out of fear, but out of excitement, because they finally knew the Lord's attitude toward this civilization.

"We shall obey the Lord's oracle!" Kleid spoke first.

Jonnison, Artemis, Bekara, and Nanike followed suit, responding in unison.

The voice of Xiang Yan gradually faded away.

The disturbance in the stone cave also subsided.

The five remained kneeling on the ground, not rising for a long time.

They were digesting, understanding, and contemplating how to carry out the Lord's command.

After a long while, Kleid slowly stood up.

His gaze had returned to calm, and he scanned the four people beside him, "Everyone, do you have any good strategies?"

"Hmph, that bunch of caged livestock has long since been scared witless; it is difficult to make them resist." Artemis snorted, his tone filled with a hint of disdain.

"Difficult or not, it must be done." Kleid's tone was calm, yet carried unquestionable firmness, "This is the Lord's oracle."

"We need to deliberate carefully and plan slowly." Bekara parted her red lips slightly.

Jonnison stroked his chin and said with a smile, "In my opinion, why don't we disguise ourselves, infiltrate that bunch of livestock, and dismantle them from the inside?"

"That is indeed a method." Nanike's deep voice rang out.

"Since that is the case, let us act separately." Kleid made the final decision, "Remember, our goal is to make those livestock understand that they... were not born to be enslaved."

"Now, let us discuss which strata we shall each target."

...

Orc Empire, Royal City.

In a remote corner, a group of ragged orcs gathered.

They sat or stood, their expressions excited, their eyes shimmering with longing.

In the center of the stone house stood a gaunt orc.

It wore a tattered animal skin robe, its face covered in wrinkles, but its eyes were exceptionally bright.

"Have you ever heard of... the 'Enlightener'?" The gaunt orc's voice was hoarse, yet carried a strange penetrating power.

"The 'Enlightener'?" The orcs looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion.

"The 'Enlightener' is the disseminator of knowledge, the guide to freedom." The gaunt orc spoke slowly, "He will lead us out of the darkness and toward the light."

"He will tell us a hidden truth."

"A... truth about our own destiny."

"A long, long time ago, our ancestors were not like this, enslaved and oppressed." The gaunt orc began to tell a fabricated history, "They lived freely on this wasteland, with no Rank, no nobility or lowliness; everyone possessed equal rights."

"But later, a group of evil 'Divine Envoys' descended upon this land."

"They used lies to deceive our ancestors, and used violence to enslave our kin."

"They turned us into livestock, into tools."

"They made us forget who we were, forget... that we were born free."

The gaunt orc's voice became increasingly impassioned and infectious.

The emotions of the orcs rose and fell with his narrative.

"But the 'Enlightener' will not let us sink into darkness forever." The gaunt orc suddenly raised his voice, "He will lead us to overthrow the rule of the 'Divine Envoys' and take back the freedom that belongs to us!"

"He will teach us knowledge and let us understand the truth of this world."

"He will teach us... how to resist."

The gaunt orc pulled a tattered book from his bosom and held it high.

"This is the 'Apocalypse' left behind by the 'Enlightener'."

"It will guide us toward... freedom."

...

Artemis arrived at the mine, looking around; the air was filled with dust and the smell of sweat. He gave a wink to his subordinates behind him, and they immediately understood. A silent slaughter occurred in the corner; several overseers fell in a pool of blood before they even had time to scream. His subordinates quickly stripped the clothes off the overseers and put them on, disguising themselves perfectly.

"Remember, your task is to hold this place and provide cover for my subsequent actions." Artemis whispered, "I will gain a foothold among the slaves as soon as possible."

Once everything was ready, Artemis changed into coarse linen clothes, blended into the slave group, and walked into the mine.

Life in the mine was even more cruel than he had imagined. The slaves were ragged and sallow, struggling daily under high-intensity labor. The overseers brandished whips, and the slightest slack resulted in a brutal beating. Artemis observed silently, looking for opportunities.

He soon discovered that this place was not monolithic. Oppression and strife existed among the slaves as well. Some strong slaves would form small groups to bully the weak in exchange for some food and opportunities to rest.

Artemis decided to utilize this. Relying on his superb combat skills, he easily defeated the leaders of several small groups, becoming an emerging force among the slaves. Those who had originally oppressed other slaves now had to obediently follow behind him, doing whatever he commanded.

"Now, you have two choices." Artemis stood before a group of shivering slaves, his voice cold, "Either join us and become stronger together, or... be ostracized by us until you are worked to death."

His words were full of threats, yet also carried a glimmer of hope. Those slaves who had suffered much bullying chose to join one after another. They craved power and longed to change their own destiny.

Soon, Artemis's small group grew larger and larger, becoming a force in the mine that could not be ignored. He began to secretly select those who he saw as having potential and sent them away in secret. With the help of other subordinates, these people were transferred to a safe place to receive training and become a secret resistance army.

On the other side, Kleid—no, he should now be called the "Enlightener".

He stood before a group of orcs, his voice low and magnetic: "A long, long time ago, there was a powerful tribe, and the leader of the tribe possessed supreme power and status."

"One day, the leader's son asked his father: 'Father, why can you be the leader, but I cannot?'"

"The leader answered with a smile: 'Because I am the son of God, and you are my son.'"

"The son heard this and was very unconvinced; he said: 'I don't believe it! If God really exists, why doesn't He rule us directly instead of through you?'"

"The leader was furious, believing his son had blasphemed against the gods, and drove him out of the tribe."

"The son wandered the wasteland, suffering all kinds of hardships. But he never gave up; he kept thinking about how to overthrow his father's rule and let the tribespeople live a life of freedom and equality."

"Finally, one day, he found the answer."

"He said to the tribespeople: 'There is no such thing as a god! The leader is just an ordinary person! The reason he can rule us is because we believed in him!'"

"'As long as we no longer believe in him, he will lose everything!'"

"'Are kings and nobles born with high status?!'"

The voice of the "Enlightener" echoed in the temple.

Every word was like a seed, planted in the hearts of the orcs.

A young orc slave, after hearing the "Enlightener's" story, had flames of fury ignite in his eyes.

He clenched his fists and secretly vowed in his heart: "One day, I will make those high and mighty guys pay the price!"