The Insects' Chronicles

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Jin felt a faint connection form between himself and the fireflies before him.

The range in which he could move expanded once again.

After gradually adjusting, Lin Jin was surprised to discover that, unless his senses were mistaken, it now covered a tenth of the entire mountain.

And that was without counting the territory they had claimed.

"So fast?" Feeling the energy surging within him, Lin Jin was stunned once again.

Although he knew full well that he was taking a shortcut, this rate of growth still exceeded his initial expectations.

"This method really works."

A smile appeared on Lin Jin's face. At last, something good had happened.

After all, with only a handful of exceptions, the Higher Beings of this world were powerful entities that had no need for faith.

He, on the other hand, had only just been born. The gulf between them was like that between heaven and earth.

If a Higher Being suddenly took a dislike to him and wanted to crush him, he would have absolutely no way to fight back.

So no matter how unseemly his methods might be, he had to strengthen himself as much as possible within the time he had.

Although ascending to godhood through faith could leave him weaker if his believers disappeared, it was undeniably the fastest way to gain strength.

Once everyone had gradually calmed down, the ceremony officially came to an end.

Now, in addition to the Ashen Clan, Lin Jin finally had a new clan: the Glow Clan.

The members of this clan were all fireflies with little combat ability.

But when it came to scholarship and keeping records, their knowledge was first-rate.

As the saying went, winning an empire was easy; keeping it was hard. Talented administrators like these were valuable anywhere.

Lin Jin smiled, then extended his hands. "Aemon, I hear your clan has spent years keeping records across the wastes. May I see the fruits of your labor?"

The god's tone was casual, but the implication behind his words sent Aemon into a panic.

This information had not simply been written down. Much of it had been paid for with lives, and it was the most vital lifeblood of the entire Glow Clan.

But Aemon also understood that, from this day forward, the clan's survival depended on the god before him.

After only a brief hesitation, Aemon nodded.

Without delay, every firefly brought out their own precious records.

These treasured accounts and pieces of knowledge were invaluable in these wastes.

Lin Jin knew that too. He also understood how much resolve it had taken for the Glow Clan to willingly hand over the precious knowledge they had collected.

But his knowledge from the game alone would not get him far. He needed to gather as much information as possible.

And the Glow Clan's collection before him was exactly the timely help he needed.

Lin Jin examined it carefully, occasionally letting out a murmur of admiration.

The records were remarkably detailed. He had to admit that these insects had enormous potential. Until now, the scarcity of resources in the wastes had merely stifled their creativity.

Written accounts, drawings both abstract and meticulous, unusual materials, rubbings of ancient inscriptions-every item caught Lin Jin's eye.

As he read, Lin Jin made up his mind. Someday, he would build a facility dedicated to storing this precious wisdom.

In this untamed land, knowledge was the most valuable wealth of all.

After reading through all the information, Lin Jin finally understood more about this world.

First came the wastes, which made up the bulk of this world.

Just as their name suggested, they were desolate, ruined, and lifeless.

The surface of this world consisted of different wastelands, such as the Sand Sea Wastes and the Black Wastes.

There were almost no habitable places, and civilizations or settlements were pitifully scarce.

Even the scattered oases were unsafe for long stays. Storms that arose from time to time would sweep away everything on the ground.

In short, the surface of the wastes was utterly unsuited to survival. That was why most civilizations in this world existed underground or inside mountains.

Even so, that did not mean everything would be fine once they endured the difficult pioneering stage and built a stronghold.

After all, this was a world where "gods" truly existed. No matter how cautious one was, sudden, inexplicable destruction was always possible.

In fact, the destruction of most civilizations had something to do with "gods."

The countless ruins of past civilizations scattered through the deserts proved as much.

In such harsh conditions, simply surviving was difficult enough. Accumulating resources to develop a civilization was an even more distant dream.

No wonder they pledged their loyalty without hesitation when they saw me.

Lin Jin glanced at the fine offerings placed before his statue, then at the Ashen Clan members outside, who were constantly delivering supplies to the storehouse.

Actually, wouldn't it be stranger if they didn't pledge their loyalty? Lin Jin nodded to himself, thoroughly agreeing with his own assessment.

There was food, water, and shelter here. Who would want to return to wandering the surface, never knowing where their next meal would come from?

Lin Jin's spirits lifted, and even the flames winding around his statue burned a few degrees hotter.

The observant Aemon noticed the subtle change in their surroundings almost instantly.

The flames wreathing the statue burned quietly overhead, providing ample warmth and light for the plants and insects in the cave.

So that's how it works? At last, Aemon understood.

Everything here had been built through that god's power.

Without the light and warmth the god provided, this cave would have been nothing more than a lifeless place.

It was precisely because the Sunfire God burned without cease that the entire cave could remain at the ideal temperature and light level, sustaining a complete ecosystem.

In this perfect environment, the plants in the cave would grow faster, and the insects could reproduce more successfully.

"This place is simply... an ideal home."

We have to stay here! There couldn't possibly be a better place! Aemon made up his mind.

But whether they could stay still depended on whether the god was satisfied with the clan's records. Aemon waited anxiously.

Only after another while did the god turn his attention away from the assorted materials before him.

Aemon swore that he saw no eyes behind that mask-only fire itself.

"I am very pleased. Thank you. You have my heartfelt gratitude for sharing."

Whew... Aemon let out a long breath inwardly. Surely he had passed now?

"Thank you for your divine grace. From now on, the Glow Clan will serve you just as the Ashen Clan does."

Lin Jin nodded in acknowledgment. Then his entire form turned back into flame and returned to the statue.

His final words echoed throughout the temple. "In my name, I wish for you to write two more books: one recording history, the other recording knowledge. Work toward that end."

Here it is-the god's trial! Aemon's expression was complicated. But... would a god really be interested in the knowledge and history of insects?

"Oh, so that happened too? Could you tell me more?"

"Of course. Let me tell you, things were incredibly dangerous then. And then the god appeared and said we had passed his trial!"

"Oh! And then? What happened next?"

Aemon accepted the god's trial and left the temple.

When he reached the campsite set aside for his clan, the first thing Aemon saw was his clansfolk questioning the insects of the Ashen Clan.

They asked about everything: the god, the cave, and the other clan's experiences.

"It looks like keeping records really is a job for us," Aemon murmured, seeing how enthusiastically his clansfolk were working. "Enough overthinking. Since this is useful to the god, I have to do it to perfection."

Aemon rallied his spirits. Recording and writing were what he did best. If he could not even do those well, how could he expect divine blessings?

With that thought, he headed toward his temporary quarters. It was time to begin work.

Year one of the new calendar, first month, seventh day.

Aemon achieved his first results. Under the god's guidance, he created something called the Calendar to keep track of time.

The day on which Lin Jin, as the Sunfire God, had enlightened the Ashen Clan was designated the first day of the first month of the first year.

Years, months, days-although their units of time could not yet be measured precisely in hours, minutes, and seconds, this was already an impressive achievement.

Word spread that the god placed great importance on this new clan, and many insects of the Ashen Clan would come to sneak a look whenever they had free time.

Others were pulled over by curious fireflies to answer questions.

Isara was delighted to see the god gain more believers, though she seemed to push herself even harder in private.

Quite a few insects even saw Isara venture into the wastes when no one was around, using the storms to temper her spirit.

Of course, Lin Jin soon reprimanded her. Such reckless behavior was truly dangerous.

But the surprises Aemon brought Lin Jin did not end there.

On his very first day at the camp, he gathered all his clansfolk's materials and records and produced the beginnings of two books.

These two books were called the Historical Records and the Illustrated Compendium. Even Lin Jin had not expected them to take shape so quickly.

Over the following days, Aemon continually refined the two books, making them increasingly complete.

Previously, scarce resources and a short lifespan had left Aemon exhausted by the struggle to survive, unable to think of anything beyond it.

Now that the threat to his survival was gone and he had gained a god's protection, there was no stopping him.

Using the totemic symbols passed down through his clan for generations, Aemon created a unique script and method of recording information.

Then, by cutting out and drying a thin membrane from the inside of dead insects' shells, Aemon created a parchment-like writing material in this barren desert devoid of plants.

The founding of the Glow Clan, the Battle of the Long Gallery, the First Divine Descent, the birth of the Ashen Clan, the ancient history of this realm.

Aemon had never felt so free. He carried out the duty bestowed upon him by the god, recording everything in his books as fully as he could.

Just two books could no longer satisfy him.

Gods, insects, the world-he completed one book after another.

At that moment, Aemon still did not know that he had unwittingly become the earliest chronicler in this land.

And the manuscripts he wrote with his own hands would become treasures coveted by every archaeologist and scholar of later generations-and, of course, by the followers of the Sunfire God.