Strategy: Upward

January 12, Year 1 of the New Calendar

Some time had passed since the expedition began. With the Glow Clan joining them, their progress had accelerated once again.

The Ashen Clan handled the strategic advance, driving the mindless beasts from the land bit by bit.

The Glow Clan restored production. Drawing on their extensive knowledge and ancient documents, they could quickly determine what the occupied land had once been and what could be done with it.

Lin Jin had things much easier. All he needed to do was bathe the occupied territory in his flames, maintaining the perfect temperature and light.

The bugs pressed straight ahead.

Soon, the familiar sound of wind emerged from another cave. This meant that the entire ground-level floor of the mountain had been occupied.

This was momentous news, and the Ashen Clan immediately reported it to the Sunfire God.

Lin Jin also took the news seriously. He finally had a basic foothold.

As long as his flames kept burning, his followers could sustain themselves to some extent on the reclaimed land.

Then there was another issue: during their efforts to open up the land, they had discovered quite a few tunnels leading upward or downward.

But their previous strategy had not permitted exploring them, so they had ignored them all and developed only the ground-level floor.

Now that the expedition's first stage was complete, it was time to make the next strategic choice.

Simply put, up or down?

Both had their advantages. The higher they went, the closer they would get to the mountaintop, where the previous civilization's Royal Capital stood. Naturally, the territory would be more valuable, and much rarer relics would appear in abundance.

Going downward, away from the barren surface, would offer more ecological resources. The various caves and the life within them could all serve as resource-gathering sites for the clans.

Lin Jin had already confirmed that, although the mechanisms and technology in these ruins fell short of Pharloom's, they were no worse than those of the Holy Dynasty.

If those lost technologies could be put to use, they would undoubtedly become a tremendous asset to him.

As for why this civilization had fallen silent, Lin Jin decided to avoid dwelling on the possible reasons. He currently lacked the strength to deal with that question.

Going downward was comparatively conservative. Most likely, it would simply provide more sources of food, shells, and similar materials, allowing them to support more bugs.

But...

Lin Jin remembered a certain dangerous presence. Going downward meant they might encounter it.

[Void]

The things he had said when bringing the Ashen Clan under his rule had not all been lies.

Traces of the Void did exist on this land, although he himself had only discovered them recently.

The substance itself had long since vanished, but the marks it had left remained clearly visible.

Those were the scars of the Void's corrosion.

There was no way to defeat the Void. One could only find ways to suppress or seal it.

Even in the game, the only somewhat effective means of resisting it was the Everblooming Flower.

Yet even an Everblooming Flower could only protect itself against the Void's attacks for a while, and he did not have a single one right now.

Not even a True God could defeat the entire Void, let alone Lin Jin as he was now.

Without exaggeration, if a Void invasion really happened now, his best option would be to flee with his followers.

"The Void... once even a little of it touches you, there's no saving you."

Lin Jin floated in midair within the Temple, utterly helpless.

"No bug can stand before the Void unaffected. It's life's most primal fear."

"Haah..." Lin Jin sighed, and resolve filled his eyes.

It's decided. Upward.

Even if the odds are only one in a hundred, one in a thousand, or one in ten thousand.

Any possibility of bringing the Void out now, while I have no means of countering it, must be avoided.

"Gron, I have something for you to do. Come here." Lin Jin sent his words across the distance, transmitting his will directly into his follower's mind.

The chieftain, who was directing the extermination of the beasts, jolted. After giving his deputy a few instructions, he turned and headed for the Temple.

The other clan warriors did not find this strange at all. The deputy took command of the battle.

They all knew that the Sunfire God had instructions for their chieftain.

But the accompanying member of the Glow Clan, responsible for recording events and collecting data on different enemies, did not know that.

"Um, may I ask why your chieftain suddenly left?"

The deputy who had taken command glanced at the questioning bug and replied matter-of-factly, "The chieftain received a revelation from the god and must attend to him immediately. I'll take command for the time being."

It was a simple, direct answer. As he spoke, the giant crawling beasts blocking their path finally collapsed.

Several warriors expertly divided the work of separating their shell fragments from their flesh. They were lucky this time; every part of this beast could be put to use.

"The god can actually send messages across a distance. How incredible."

The firefly immediately recorded this information on a scroll made from hide.

The firefly's hands never stopped moving, and the large backpack on their back was stuffed with scrolls and cloth covered in records.

This scene was not unique to this expedition squad. Most of the other teams now had a firefly among them as well. This was a new development.

Ever since the Glow Clan had pledged allegiance to the Sunfire God, Lin Jin had arranged for every expedition squad to have one of its members responsible for keeping records.

There was also another direct command from the god.

In the name of the Sunfire God, the Glow Clan had been entrusted with a most glorious mission.

To compile two books: the "Illustrated Compendium" and the "Historical Records."

The fireflies' accounts would now all become source material for the two books their chieftain, Aemon, was currently writing.

One would record everything they experienced, while the other would document everything they saw and heard.

Just hearing the god's description was enough to tell them these would be extraordinary works.

After accepting this task, the Glow Clan burned with a fighting spirit unlike anything they had ever felt in their lives.

This was surely the highest honor: to gather all their wisdom and all their records into a single book.

All the records the Glow Clan had kept in the desert had already been put to use as source material.

But that was not enough. Over these past days, every member of the Glow Clan had been gathering information day and night behind the expedition teams.

Their enemies, these ruins, new combat techniques, interactions between bugs, unfamiliar materials, and unusual phenomena.

The Glow Clan was exhausted but happy. Not a single bug thought of resting. This was not merely about completing a task for the god who sheltered them.

It was something they had wanted to do for a very long time. Now that they finally had the opportunity, they cast aside all hesitation and devoted themselves to it wholeheartedly.

Following the road still under construction, Gron returned to the Sunfire Temple.

Aemon had come up with this name as well. His reasoning was that this place would surely become the origin of their faith, making a good name essential.

Naturally, Lin Jin had adopted it.

It had to be said that the name was very fitting. The Temple at the center of the mountain truly resembled a little sun.

The Temple radiated light, constantly sending warmth and hope into its surroundings.

Encircling the Sunfire Temple were the Commoners' Residences, still under construction.

With the entire Temple at their center, the buildings spread outward like a spiderweb. So did the bugs' expedition.

Every member of the Ashen Clan along the road looked at their chieftain with reverence.

Gron's body had grown sturdier, and his strength had increased as well.

Even the mask he had originally worn no longer fit quite right.

For this reason, Gron had specifically asked the clan's only Mask Maker to craft him a new mask.

It resembled the Sunfire God's mask, with the same curvature and the same openings.

However, its craftsmanship looked crude, lacking the delicate embellishments, and it was only half the length of the god's mask.

Most bugs in this world had no faces, so they needed to wear masks to speak.

And this Mask Maker was not a true artisan, merely someone capable of a little rough handiwork.

But now, like the rest of the Ashen Clan, the Mask Maker felt unworthy of the Sunfire God's protection. After making this mask, the Mask Maker resolved to train diligently and become a true artisan.

Gron pushed open the great doors once more. He stood unmoving as the wave of heat washed over him.

The figure floating above the statue on the altar was the god to whom he had pledged his loyalty.

Beside him was Pontiff Isara, the only person other than Gron who could withstand this heat.

She was praying devotedly below the altar, compiling the Sunfire God's doctrine.

Soon, Gron sensed the god's gaze and immediately lowered his own.

"Oh, your perception has grown sharper?"

Another pleasant surprise. Lin Jin could not help nodding in approval.

I really did choose the right one.

When Lin Jin had first strengthened Gron, he had deliberately left a special valve within him.

Whenever Gron killed an enemy, this valve would absorb the dead bug's life force.

Like an experience system in an RPG, it would make him stronger and stronger.

However much he was strengthened, though, there would ultimately be a limit. Initially, Lin Jin had intended to experiment and see how strong an ordinary bug could become without the aid of a special bloodline.

For now, however, Gron still seemed far from his limit.

"My lord, you summoned me."

"Yes. I sensed that you have completed the first stage of the expedition. I am very pleased."

Lin Jin spoke kindly, making no effort to hide his appreciation.

"To serve my god is nothing worth mentioning."

Gron remained humble, showing not the slightest pride in the face of such praise.

A follower must never overstep, even if the god did not mind.

"Good. Proud, yet composed. But an even harsher trial awaits. Once our current territory has been fully secured, I want you to continue the expedition upward."

"Yes. I shall obey my god's command."

After confirming there were no other pressing matters, Gron nodded in acknowledgment and immediately left the Temple.

Why did the god want to do that?

Was there a reason?

He never considered such questions. Everything he now had, everything the clan now had, had been bestowed by the god.

In that case, what else was there to say?

If the god wanted it done, then they would do it.