Multiple-Choice Question

"You dare slander the gods!" The old woman who had been shouting the loudest just now cried out in alarm.

The villagers grew agitated, clamoring to burn Han Jiang and Theresa to death.

Han Jiang was already prepared to draw Muramasa of Bizen at any moment. These villagers could not even handle low-level Honkai Beasts; they were no threat at all.

"I am slandering the gods! Come on, have your god kill me! Make him come out!" Han Jiang roared at the crowd.

Has the time not come yet? Han Jiang carefully observed everyone's expressions. Hiyori had not stepped in to control them. It really knew how to hold back.

The Shrine Master, seated in the place of honor, finally could not stand it any longer. "Sakura, go investigate whether those two are connected to the appearance of the monsters."

Yae Sakura nodded and rose to walk toward Han Jiang and Theresa. In a low voice, she said beside them, "Leave quickly. If you two stay any longer, something will happen."

After seeing the three leave the room, the old woman said to the Shrine Master in a strange, mocking tone, "Lord Shrine Master, it has not rained in the village for two months. Shouldn't we begin preparing for the second sacrifice?"

Han Jiang frowned. It was not that Hiyori had done nothing. It had interfered with the old woman's thoughts, making her reveal the plan to sacrifice Yae Rin ahead of time.

Back then, the villagers had failed to sacrifice Kallen, so merely sacrificing outsiders was far from enough.

Hiyori needed Yae Sakura's most beloved younger sister to die in order to further provoke Yae Sakura's heart.

"According to tradition, if the first sacrifice fails, then the second must offer a maiden with shrine maiden blood to the god, Lord Shrine Master." The old woman wore a sinister smile.

"I understand," the Shrine Master said expressionlessly.

"You..." Theresa could not help crying out again.

Yae Sakura grabbed her and walked on without looking back. "Let's go. This is a tradition the village has had since ancient times. It cannot be changed."

Seeing Yae Sakura's tightly drawn face, Han Jiang opened his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing.

Only after the three returned to Yae Sakura's side courtyard did she speak. "Didn't I tell you two to stay in your room and not take a single step outside?"

Theresa said indignantly, "Good thing we went out. Otherwise, we wouldn't have known that all those people were bullying you alone."

After hesitating for a moment, Han Jiang asked, "Miss Yae Sakura, what exactly is this god?"

Han Jiang wanted to start with Hiyori and completely awaken Yae Sakura's desire to resist.

He did not want to see Yae Sakura lose her sister, nor did he want to see an innocent, adorable little girl die because of a bastard like Hiyori.

Yae Sakura fell silent for a while before finally speaking slowly. "Just as you said at the shrine, the god blesses us with favorable weather, allowing the villagers to live in peace and prosperity.

But long ago, something changed in the god. He became dissatisfied with the offerings from the villagers and made a demand of the Shrine Master at the time. He wanted living people as sacrifices.

I know that the god we worship has changed, but..."

Han Jiang knew that Yae Sakura's resistance alone was meaningless.

Five hundred years ago, Hiyori had only been defeated because Kallen intervened.

"What god? It is all just trickery. We'll help you defeat this evil god," Theresa said, supporting Yae Sakura.

"When we were leaving, we heard that old woman say she wanted to sacrifice a girl with shrine maiden blood. Is that... your younger sister?"

Theresa was merely innocent, not foolish. From the old woman's scattered remarks, she had figured out their purpose.

"They are targeting me. They are targeting me because I did not offer my body and soul to the god, because I did not obey the god without question. They have always been forcing the Yae Family." Yae Sakura's weary words carried deep helplessness.

"The Yae Family has always protected the people of Yae Village. If it still does not rain, the river outside the village will run dry. Then all the crops will wither from drought, and there will be no harvest at all."

Han Jiang waved his sleeve. "Don't believe in that bullshit god. It only knows how to take. If you truly believe it can make it rain, then pigs will climb trees."

"Pigs... can't climb trees?" Theresa suddenly asked curiously.

"Uh, well... uh, that..." Han Jiang had never researched whether pigs could climb trees. It was just an idiom; who would specifically study something like that?

Thanks to Theresa's sudden interruption, the atmosphere in the room was no longer so heavy.

Yae Sakura gave a soft laugh. "Remember to stay in the room and do not run around. I'm going to brew medicine for my sister."

Only Han Jiang and Theresa remained in the room. Tugging at Han Jiang's sleeve, Theresa whispered, "Pigs really can't climb trees?"

Han Jiang smiled helplessly. He had no idea how to explain a Shenzhou idiom to someone raised in Europe.

"The evil god has made its move. It plans to repeat the events of five hundred years ago and keep tormenting Sister's heart." A translucent little girl suddenly appeared in the room.

Theresa quickly hid behind Han Jiang and secretly watched this "recording."

"Erasing Sister's memories is vital to it, but it is also our chance to destroy it." Yae Rin looked quietly at Han Jiang.

"Things have changed a little from back then. This is our best chance. You only need to wait until I..." Yae Rin shook her head. "You only need to wait until Yae Rin has been sacrificed, then move against the evil god."

"By then, I will use all my strength to help you resist some of the evil god's power, so you will not be completely corrupted by it."

"She... is Yae Sakura's younger sister?" Theresa asked softly into Han Jiang's ear.

Han Jiang nodded and said to Yae Rin, "Does it have to be you who sacrifices yourself?"

Yae Rin smiled indifferently. "This is the final chance. Even if the evil god does not destroy me, I will slowly fade away."

"This is also my choice, as long as Sister can live on afterward."

Theresa clutched Han Jiang's arm with both hands and stared curiously at Yae Rin as she cautiously asked, "Is it really a soul? Computers at this stage do not have such advanced intelligence. Why does it exist? What is the principle behind it?"

Theresa had been raised by Otto, the Bishop of Schicksal. Otto had spent his life pursuing the mysteries of the soul, so Theresa was somewhat interested in anything related to souls.

"I don't know." Yae Rin shook her head. "I don't know why I exist either. Maybe it is the evil god's power, or maybe I am just a fragment of memory."

"Sacrifice you, then save your sister. This is a multiple-choice question." Han Jiang wanted to raise a hand to stroke his chin, only to find his arm caught in Theresa's grip, so he gave up.

"Mr. Han Jiang, you jest. Having existed alongside Sister for five hundred years, I have learned a little about the outside world.

If this is a choice question, then it must be a single-choice question. There is only one answer: save Sister."

"What if I want both of you to live?" Han Jiang's eyes lit up. He had a bold idea.

Once that thought arose, it began growing wildly like weeds.

Han Jiang sprang to his feet, pulled Theresa along, and said to Yae Rin, "Come with me. Just for a moment!"

Thanks to [Mou Fa] for the 500 donation.