A Dog

"The Fire Thief..."

Trembling whispers echoed in the void.

An unprecedented shock spread across Tuosidiwa's face.

Even when the God of the Star Palace suddenly descended during the earlier pursuit and siege of Aifu, the young high priest did not panic for long. After seeing the illusory figure of burning light shining in the Eternal Tower and hearing the "God's" loving and tolerant speech, Tuosidiwa was only stunned for a dozen seconds before tearing off the magnificent robe that represented his high priest status and hiding in the chaotic crowd without hesitation.

This is not an escape from fear, but a rational judgment.

The appearance of the Star Palace atop the tower indicated that the priests had either been completely wiped out or had already compromised and submitted. Given the current state of City of Atonement, the voice of the priestly class was equivalent to the will of the entire Yilan-Tai'er. Therefore, Tuosidiwa immediately concealed his whereabouts and went to consult with the Oathbreakers.

Because the Oathbreakers represent another path for Yilan-Tai'er.

He has always been so calm, always finding the optimal rational solution and then executing it without hesitation, and trying his best to grasp and anticipate all changes, so even if there are setbacks, he will not be afraid or hesitant.

But now, the real accident has happened.

The sinners, who obeyed the orders of the Star Palace and went to the Mortal World to wreak havoc, initially had a smooth journey and were invincible. However, when steel warships appeared out of nowhere, they encountered a head-on attack.

Those two steel warships clearly belonged to another faction, and were more advanced, more powerful, and more developed. Valuable clues could be found simply from the warships themselves.

For example, the shape, materials, and weapon systems reveal that a series of industrial technologies, such as metal smelting, ship design, and manufacturing processes, are quite advanced. It also shows that this Civilization has a fairly good level of mathematics—sometimes, the level of mathematics alone can indicate whether a Civilization is powerful or not.

For example, the tonnage and size of a warship can reveal the historical context. Warships suitable for and capable of long-distance ocean voyages were built to protect maritime trade and national interests. The advanced and powerful nature of such warships proves that global maritime trade has become extremely mature and extensive. This is a Civilization of the level of civilization. By observing this, one can know that the Civilization that built such warships is definitely not inferior.

The fact that the seemingly ordinary warship, devoid of any elemental energy fluctuations, was actually equipped with an energy shield and intelligent kinetic weapons astonished Tuosidiwa and gave him a vague sense of foreboding.

But what truly broke his guard was what happened next.

Through the distorted view of the Deep Sea Realm, he saw several captured criminals being led to the waterless land. Amidst the indomitable roars of the fanatics, a black-haired, expressionless monster seized the head of one of the criminals. The two sides could not understand each other's languages, but some interrogations do not require words.

A brilliant and pure light connected the eyes of Mortal World beings and sinners, and through the windows of the soul, a horrific deprivation and plunder unfolded before Tuosidiwa's eyes.

He watched with his own eyes as the fully armed Aegis infantrymen went from screaming in agony to disintegrating, along with the Aegis Battlesuit that represented the pinnacle of Yilan-Tai'er's achievements. Everything vanished into nothingness, leaving only the young black-haired man frowning and waving his hand, with ethereal light slowly dissipating around him.

Those were Fire Thief.

He saw the Fire Thief.

Mortal World, living Fire Thief.

Fire Thief...

My heart pounded, my body trembled, and fear gripped my heart.

If there is anything in common among the rulers of Yilan-Tai'er, it is one thing that is undeniable—they were all deeply interested in the past of their people.

The same was true of Tuosidiwa. When he became the High Priest and possessed all the permissions, he immediately read through the remaining true history. He reminisced about the past glory and was both shocked and angry by the pain of his fall. He knew that he was the king of Yilan-Tai'er and that he knew his duty—to continue the race—and waited for the slim possibility of returning to the Mortal World.

To fulfill this responsibility, he needs to understand two things first.

First, who caused the glorious and splendid Yilan-Tai'er to fall, and allowed the last of its people to hide here?

Second, what can defeat that formidable enemy?

The first answer is clear: it is the pioneers who dwell high in the heavens, built Star Palace, and called themselves gods.

The answer to the second question is much more ambiguous.

After all, if the ancestors who left behind the records and warnings in the Shelter knew the answer, there would have been no need to establish the Land of Shelter at all, and they would not have lingered here.

The last wise men of Yilan-Tai'er certainly did not know how to defeat the Star Palace, but they knew the closest possibility to victory: the patterns and answers they had discovered and summarized by exhausting their efforts and even searching for fragments of information from unknown ancient eras. Perhaps a glimmer of hope lay within those clues.

That uncertain answer is called the Fire Thief.

Every era has Civilization stories of the rise and fall of civilizations, and every age has its similar stories—weak and ignorant races awaken from the mud and desolation, laying the foundation for Civilization at the cost of endless slaughter and sin, walking on a path interwoven with light and darkness, and forging a future for their people.

Then, destructive heavenly fire descended from the starry sky. Powerful beings who called themselves the God of the Star Palace descended upon the Mortal World with annihilation, leveling all traces of Civilization, destroying the resistance of all nations, causing the earth to crack, tsunamis to surge, and terrifying iron rain to wash over the land. Stars shifted and the world changed, until ignorant and confused beings stared blankly at the sky, hunting and gathering like beasts, and establishing the first connections through cooperation.

A cycle that repeats itself again and again.

No one knows why Star Palace did this.

This cataclysmic event contained countless mysteries that no one could solve, and no one knew the answers. However, the wise men of Yilan-Tai'er still managed to decipher the secrets from previous eras from ancient texts—it turns out that in every era, there were Fire Thief.

In the final war against the cataclysmic destruction, there are always beings who call themselves Fire Thief who step forward. In the wars of resistance waged by the various races and nations of the Mortal World, whether spontaneous or united, Fire Thief are often able to inflict the heaviest blows on the Star Palace. The Star Palace, in turn, regards them as a great enemy and often gives them absolute attention and all-out efforts to eradicate them... This was also the case in the era of Yilan-Tai'er.

Among the secret texts Shelter, the views of many compilers were completely consistent: some sighed sadly, while others made bold conjectures, their words revealing endless regret.

It's too late, they sighed.

Because neither the Yilan-Tai'er nor any of the other nations fully trusted the Fire Thief, even as they faced imminent extinction and the pressure from the Star Palace, the nations were still scheming against each other and having their own plans.

Finally, the ancestors, having realized their mistake, left behind a sighing conclusion: if there is any way to defeat the Star Palace and end the curse of doomsday, then that method must lie within the Fire Thief.

The Fire Thief.

Tuosidiwa's hands trembled uncontrollably.

His current loss of composure is not solely due to the appearance of the Fire Thief.

Instead, he discovered that Yilan-Tai'er... seemed to have chosen the wrong side.

No, it can't be said that they chose the wrong side— the Fire Thief only had the potential to "defeat the Star Palace." Such beings appeared in every era, but every glorious age burned away like a shooting star.

Tuosidiwa did not believe in the Fire Thief, nor had he witnessed Fire Thief power firsthand. His mission and obsession were to perpetuate the race of Yilan-Tai'er. If flattering the Star Palace could grant him this opportunity, he would kneel without hesitation, just as he had done this time. He believed this was the safest and best outcome.

The decision to take sides wasn't wrong in itself, but the timing was very bad.

The current situation is not one where he stumbled upon a living Fire Thief.

Instead, the Fire Thief led a powerful and advanced Civilization, seemingly surpassing or even exceeding the peak of Yilan-Tai'er, to war against the remnants of Yilan-Tai'er.

As for Yilan-Tai'er's stance, he is a lackey of the Star Palace...

--The crisp sound of teeth clashing echoed uncontrollably.

The high priest, who had collapsed to the ground, was unable to stand up.

He wasn't afraid of the Fire Thief; he was terrified of the tragic fate of Yilan-Tai'er. No wonder the God of the Star Palace had come to Land of Shelter and incited the sinners to fight for him. It turned out that in the Mortal World, there was already an enemy that even the Star Palace found troublesome—an incomparably powerful Civilization led by the Fire Thief.

No, no, no...

You can't do that.

We need to think of a solution.

Tuosidiwa's mind raced, and he murmured, "Could reporting the Fire Thief to the God of the Star Palace offer a way out for Yilan-Tai'er?"

"No, no, no, he definitely already knows. There's no need for me to tell him... That would only expose me and let him know that I know the true history..."

The high priest was almost unrestrained in his thinking about any possible way to break the deadlock.

He surveyed the hidden illusions surrounding him; this was the heart of the Land of Shelter.

The Mirror of the Deep Sea is just one of many uses; the Land of Shelter is the last legacy of Yilan-Tai'er, and it is not simply a hideout filled with weapons.

"If I were to reveal the secrets of this place..."

But what can you do about it?

Perhaps this final legacy is incredibly important to Yilan-Tai'er, but what does it mean to the Star Palace that destroyed Yilan-Tai'er?

Even if he agrees, he won't keep his promise... The reason is simple.

The most painful people are those who are rational and wise, because they are always able to see the most desperate truths.

Tuosidiwa sat slumped to the ground, sighing, "He's more worried about us joining forces with the Fire Thief than about the loyalty offered by Yilan-Tai'er..."

All confidence, all certainty, all composure—all became meaningless after the appearance of the Fire Thief. This age-old rebel could alter all of the Star Palace's strategies, tactics, and arrangements.

Therefore, he no longer believed that the God of the Star Palace would be benevolent and compassionate, and that the remnants of Yilan-Tai'er were merely cannon fodder used by the Star Palace to attack the Fire Thief.

This is a hopeless deadlock, because the sinners regard the God of the Star Palace as their supreme deity. They will obey the Star Palace's commands without hesitation and Fire Thief to the death with the last essence of power left by Yilan-Tai'er. No one but the God of the Star Palace can persuade them to stop.

Those Fire Thief... will show no mercy.

"Gods... Ancestors..."

After understanding the cause and effect, Tuosidiwa felt endless fear and panic, and regret overwhelmed him. He realized that the priests' methods of brainwashing the masses were so foolish that, in the face of desperation, the few who were clear-headed could not awaken the majority of the numb people.

He and the priests overlooked the strength of the majority of their people, viewing them as turtles in need of shepherding, numb, ignorant, and dull. This mentality gradually turned into contempt and disdain. But when the evil enemy lured these silent majority into a raging torrent, sweeping the entire tribe toward the abyss of despair, the noble, wise, and rational elites were powerless to stop it.

How tragic!

Aifu is right...

--Wait a moment!

The image of her face flashed through his mind, and a glimmer of light returned to Tuosidiwa's empty, lifeless eyes.

Aifu... The Oathbreakers know the truth and ignore the Star Palace's instigation.

They won't go to the Mortal World to commit slaughter; they will stay away from that bloody slaughterhouse. Aifu wants to rebuild Civilization, and she will definitely do it... even if I am powerless to help.

Even if I am powerless, the Oathbreakers will not be wiped out by the Star Palace's manipulation and the Fire Thief's attacks, and even if City of Atonement is destroyed as a result, Yilan-Tai'er will not lose hope.

Tuosidiwa was initially surprised, then gave a wry smile.

The ever-changing, moody face eventually settled into a calm and serene expression.

It seems this is the only way.

City of Atonement is on the verge of collapse, and we are reaping the consequences of our actions. The Oathbreakers, however, will have a new future. Aifu and her companions will find a new path in the Mortal World, either rebuilding their Civilization or being accepted by a new race...

--etc!

The high priest suddenly stood up, his face turning pale again.

His gaze shifted to the numerous images reflected in the Mirror of the Deep Sea: the sinners charging towards the steel warships were being annihilated one by one by terrifying long-range weapons; lightning streaked across the sky, weaving a domain of death that pulverized any enemy who dared to venture in. Thus, the brave fanatics wisely halted their advance.

They then charged towards the wooden fleet on the other side.

After all, it was them, humble yet cunning. The intense labor and heavy oppression fostered the cunning of ordinary people—whether to do nothing and be beaten to pieces, or to kill some obviously easier enemies and offer up their flesh and blood as a sacrifice to the great gods?

Anyway, the gods didn't tell us which one to fight!

Tuosidiwa saw it clearly: once the sinners wisely turned their attention away and retreated, the two warships stopped at a distance and did not launch another attack.

--It seems that the Mortal World is not yet unified, and there are still open and covert struggles and intrigues.

But with such a vast difference in Civilization, how could those wooden fleets still dare to...?

Tuosidiwa was somewhat puzzled by the Fire Thief's inaction, but that wasn't the point. He looked at the wooden fleet, where the battle was fierce and gradually reaching a stalemate. The organized and commanded counterattack had united the entire fleet's strength, and the fleet had quietly gained a soul.

But what happened before that?

The new races in the Mortal World are all very strange.

But that's not the point.

Tuosidiwa's face was ashen as he looked at the warship, broken in two and sunk into the sea, and the severed limbs floating on the surface. This fleet had clearly suffered heavy losses. In terms of size and combat power, it must have been an extremely powerful naval force in the Mortal World, yet it had been utterly humiliated by the surprise attack of Yilan-Tai'er.

Reinforcements kept emerging from the water in an endless stream. Even Tuosidiwa didn't know how many weapons his ancestors had hidden in Land of Shelter, but he was certain that if the Fire Thief didn't intervene, this Council Fleet would likely be completely annihilated... or at least severely weakened.

Here's a question.

If the remnants of Yilan-Tai'er inflict heavy casualties on the new Mortal World races, how will the Mortal World races view and treat Aifu and her companions when they appear on the world stage?

Upon considering this possibility, Tuosidiwa's expression turned extremely grim.

He stood there, motionless, gazing at the bloody and cruel scene on the sea. The Fire Thief, the Star Palace, Yilan-Tai'er, the Mortal World —his people had completely reached a dead end. Even the stubborn, wise, and unyielding Oathbreakers were being dragged down by the folly of the sinners.

Aifu...

The image of that girl, her past, her persistence, and her sorrow flashed through his mind.

Come with us.

Even after parting ways, such words will still slip out.

She longed to see the Mortal World sky, she longed to rebuild a lost Civilization. She endured the most painful sorrow and shouldered the heaviest responsibilities, but he had other commitments and could not always stand by her side. He could only watch her silently, always and always...

He couldn't give Aifu a promise, nor could he give her what she wanted.

He could not agree to her request, nor tell the people the truth, nor could he give up his position as high priest and become Oathbreakers with her. He could only watch her run towards her dream of freedom, but he realized that due to the priests' folly, he might destroy her dream and belief with his own hands.

Now, a scale has appeared before him.

Weigh from both sides.

He paused for a moment, then slowly raised his hand. "My authority should be as heavy as the waves, supporting the sails, and as furious as a tsunami, protecting the good and punishing the evil—give me authority."

The particles gathered in his right hand, condensing into a gauntlet outlined with light. He reached out and aimed at the void.

Hundreds and thousands of golden threads are continuously rising from the Eternal Tower, heading towards the Mortal World.

"Forgive me..."

He stretched out his other hand, his will directed towards eliminating the Oathbreakers. He was considering whether to give them a farewell speech when he suddenly noticed that Aifu and the others seemed to be resting in a still sea.

The high priest hesitated for a moment, then gently tapped the ground and said, "Aifu?"

There was no response, and the Mirror of the Deep Sea showed no image. Tuosidiwa was puzzled, and then his expression changed. The surrounding particles were no longer floating; they were heavy and oppressive. He froze for a moment like a statue, and then slowly turned around.

"What did you just say you were?"

What came into view was a dazzling halo. The God of the Star Palace strode into the void, floating in the air with an arrogant expression. The wings of the heron blazed with light, and his expression was a half-smile.

Behind him, priests dressed in fine robes followed closely, heads bowed, displaying utmost respect.

Like a dog.