At this moment, Kubana's incompatibility with this world became apparent.
When they saw the deity step out from the radiance, everyone else instantly fell into a daze, their minds blank and unable to comprehend what they were seeing.
Kubana was equally shocked, but he did not lose himself. Instead, his pupils focused at once, his face filled with disbelief—and a trace of fervor.
Perhaps amid the endless anxiety brought by long periods of thought, he did not feel reverence toward the existence of gods, but rather an indescribable expectation.
He expected this personified incarnation of great power to answer the questions he could not share with anyone else!
To communicate with him as an equal in thought—no, from an even higher level!
Rather than being like the others of his tribe, who could only grin foolishly, clap their hands, and echo things like, "The wise one is amazing," "The wise one is unparalleled," and "Wise one, what are you talking about?"
What the hell did they know about mouse beasts!
There was no way to communicate.
No way to resolve his doubts.
It left Kubana immensely lonely and anxious.
Yet now, a sacred being had appeared. She said she could answer his doubts!
Kubana immediately fell to his knees. Looking at the deity's peerlessly beautiful face and radiant glow, he said fervently, "What... are you?"
The beautiful goddess looked down at him and said, "I am... a deity, the personified incarnation of nature's great power and the Universal Rules."
Kubana wore a puzzled expression. "A deity... what is the universe?"
The beautiful goddess pointed toward the starry sky. "The profound heavens that you mortals cannot see, along with the land beneath your feet, together form the vast thing known as the universe."
Kubana fell silent again, muttering vague, unformed words under his breath.
After a long while, a brilliant light burst from Kubana's eyes. His face was full of shock as he said, "The stars in the night sky are each continents? They only appear as strands of starlight because they are too far away? Then why do the stars only appear at night... Is it because the sunlight during the day blocks the starlight?"
The beautiful goddess gave Kubana a deep look. "What you have guessed is already close to the surface of the truth."
Kubana said blankly, "Close to the surface of the truth? Then it is not the true truth! And since it is called a surface, it must have a deeper meaning? God, please tell me the essence of reality!"
The beautiful goddess shook her head. "Kubana, I descended because I sensed the cry of your thoughts. But you mortals must not presume to command gods. What you wish to obtain depends on what you can offer in exchange."
Kubana thought for a moment before asking, "What do you need me to do? What could a mortal like me offer a god such as yourself in exchange for your blessing?"
The beautiful goddess said majestically, "Remember my appearance, comprehend my greatness, praise my true name, and then spread this greatness to every corner of this continent."
Without the slightest hesitation, Kubana said, "I will devote my entire life to spreading faith in you!"
The beautiful goddess said, "Then speak of what you desire. Whatever kind of power it is, I can grant it to you."
Kubana hurriedly said, "It would be my honor! God, I do not want any power. I only wish for you to answer three questions. Then Kubana's entire life will belong to you!"
The beautiful goddess frowned. "Ask."
Kubana fervently pointed at the earth, then at the distant starry sky. "What is this world made of? What lies in the depths of the stars? What is the meaning of humanity's existence?"
Tang Chuan froze.
What was this situation?
You were a mortal from a primitive society!
You possessed desires born from your blood and genes. You should have been driven by instinct!
Yet you were telling me that you wanted neither power, nor authority, nor a harem—you only wanted me to answer these three questions?
Then what would you use to spread faith for me? What would you use to fight those two lucky ones?
These three questions were ultimate questions that only arose among later humans with relatively developed material conditions and thought.
And you had already begun thinking about them now?
Tang Chuan shook his head. "If you do not obtain power from me, you will not be able to cast my glory over every corner of the continent. Kubana, as a lowly mortal, do you dare attempt to deceive a god?"
After thinking for a while, Kubana came to an answer and said sorrowfully, "Yes. Without extraordinary power, I cannot become the ruler of humanity, and I cannot spread your glory far and wide. But I want the answers too badly. God, can you grant me two wishes? Kubana does not mean to bargain with you. I only sincerely beg you to answer those three questions for me. Even if... even if you ask me to offer up my life right now, I still wish to see the answers in the instant before death. Compared to the answers, death is truly insignificant."
Tang Chuan was genuinely having trouble holding it together.
You were not even afraid of death?
I have not even established the Reincarnation System in this world yet.
You people did not even have a clear concept of the soul. Once you died, there would be nothing left.
All just to glimpse the answers for one instant?
Tang Chuan still refused. "You may have only one wish. However, if you truly make my glory remembered across the continent, then in the instant before your death, I shall descend and tell you the final answers."
Kubana said, "All right! Then I... um..."
Kubana wanted to say, then tell me how to become a god.
Once I became a god, I would have ample time, energy, and, most importantly, the power to analyze the answers to every question.
But when he saw the frowning goddess, he suddenly felt that if he said something foolish, the goddess might become enraged and slap him to death on the spot!
Tang Chuan used her mind-reading attribute to discern Kubana's thoughts.
She dearly wanted to grab this guy by the collar and roar, "Of course not! You want to become a god? If you become a god, what the hell am I supposed to do?"
The first two lucky ones merely had limited ways of thinking.
But you had seriously overstepped the bounds of thought!
Kubana seemed to sense the aura of danger. Stammering timidly, he changed his words. "Um, I... I want some... knowledge? Like how tying a stone shard to a stick can make an axe, how fire can be carried and spread, how it can drive away wild beasts and burn things... Knowledge like that... knowledge of weapons that mortals can wield? God, can you grant that to me?"
Tang Chuan's gaze turned profound as she fell silent, making Kubana's heart pound.
Was I asking for too much?
Was it overstepping my bounds to ask a god to teach me how to use nature's great powers, such as fire?
Or had I failed to explain myself clearly, so the god did not understand?
In truth, Tang Chuan was asking Quintessa in her mind to create a rudimentary set of Enlightenment Books.
For example, how fire could forge Iron Ore; how substances such as saltpeter could be refined into gunpowder; how concrete was formulated and structured; and so on...
After a while.
A stack of pages shimmering with golden light drifted down from the sky.
The pages existed somewhere between matter and illusion. Before Kubana's stunned eyes, they floated directly into his mind.
Tang Chuan said, "These are the basic knowledge I grant you. To prevent them from being damaged or taken by others, they have already entered your mind. As long as you close your eyes, you can read and study them. Kubana, mortals are like ants and insects, yet I chose only you. Do not disappoint me, and do not... attempt to deceive a god!"
Kubana was overjoyed and hurriedly nodded. "God is my one and only! Knowledge is the path by which I will spread your glory! God, please tell me your name!"
Tang Chuan said, "I am the incarnation of wisdom and order, the God of Truth, Aethelred! Go now. Do what you must do—what I wish to see."
With that, her figure slowly dissipated.
Kubana said dryly, "My Lord Aethelred, you must appear before I die!"
Do not break your promise.
I truly want to know the answers!
"I will always be watching you."
"I await your arrival!"
This was the first person who was so happy that he wanted to die immediately...
Before you continue