Deep Sea Embers

The scale of this sewer system is extremely large, and in Duncan's eyes, it has even completely surpassed the necessity of the single function of "urban sewage", and the gas lamps with runes that can be seen everywhere in the sewers and the reinforced structures that can serve as shelters are even more impressive. It can make him have many guesses about the location of this underground facility.

But no matter what the builder's ideas were carried here at the beginning of the design, there is one fact that is obvious: in the depths of this huge facility, beyond the eyes of the above world, this dark and cold place has become a breeding ground for some kind of evil force. nursery.

A cult group that worships the sun in name, but only makes people feel chills.

The intersection of several corridors of the sewer is a wide underground space. The solid concrete pillars support the masonry dome, and the metal cast pipe structure is connected vertically and horizontally around the dome, like a spider web, illuminated by bright gas lamps. It illuminates the entire space, and also illuminates the crowd gathered in this "meeting place"——

At a glance, at least hundreds of people wearing black robes gathered in this dirty and humid place. Among them was a high platform protruding from the ground. On the high platform stood a tall figure also wearing a black robe. That was obviously the person with the highest status among the group of black-robed men.

The person standing on the high platform did not wear the same hood as the others, but wore a golden mask. The mask had a strange shape, like a disc that radiated endless flames to the surroundings, and its surface was at the same time Inscribed with a large number of fragmented cracks.

Behind this masked person, there is a strange totem on the high platform—it is a tall wooden stake, and a burning fireball is fixed on the top of the wooden stake. The core of the fireball seems to be some kind of metal, and its core There are many small holes on the surface, and the flames spew out from those small holes.

When Duncan was "escorted" here, what he saw was such a scene.

The people in black robes gathered in the gathering place also noticed him.

"We caught a fleeing sacrifice on the way to the meeting place!" One of the black-robed men who were in charge of the escort stepped forward and said respectfully to the "leader" on the high platform, his tone not without asking for credit Meaning, "This sacrifice has been in the dark for too long, and my thinking has become a little confused. May you use your power to let the glory of our Lord descend on this sad body!"

The leader of the cult wearing a golden mask on the high platform turned around and stared at the expressionless Duncan, with a hint of surprise and coldness in his tone: "The sacrifice that escaped?"

Duncan didn't react at all, he was just observing the place curiously, including the golden mask on the face of the cult leader, and the totem of the burning fireball behind him.

Perhaps, these symbols are weird and bizarre things to ordinary people in this world, but he can tell almost at a glance that these things... are imitating the sun.

Instead of imitating the "ball of light" that is bound by a large number of flames and double rune circles today, it is imitating the blazing sun that is familiar to Duncan and emits radiant light.

These people really worshiped the sun, a sun that seemed to have "fallen" in ancient times, and worshiped it as some kind of god.

Duncan raised his head, looking calmly at the black-robed priest who was overlooking him on the high platform, but perhaps because of facial muscle necrosis, his calm appearance was more like some kind of numbness in the eyes of the other party.

The priest wearing the golden mask and Duncan looked at each other for less than two seconds, then turned his head and ordered a person standing next to the high platform: "Go and check the place where the sacrifices are held, look quickly and come back."

After giving the order, he nodded to the men in black robes who "escorted" the sacrifice back, and there was a hint of praise in his tone: "You have done a good job, even if it is a small contribution to the Lord, it will be in the world." The sun shines on all things again and turns into your eternal glory."

It was just a simple and routine compliment, but the men in black seemed to have received great encouragement. They became excited one by one, and while praising the "true sun god", they pushed Duncan to the front of the high platform, and the masked man The priest did not speak to Duncan until this moment: "Poor man who has gone astray... Can you feel the deep cold between the lightless rocks and soil?"

Duncan couldn't understand what the magic stick was saying at all, so he could only wait in silence, and the priest obviously didn't care how the "sacrifice" in front of him would react, his words were not meant for Duncan, but more like It is to the believers around him, and to the "sun god" he firmly believes in:

"Cold and darkness are the sufferings left by the false sun to this world. Under the rule of the false sun, the deep and dark ocean ravages the world, and only fragmented small pieces of land allow life to survive. But even on these fragmented lands, the people of the world It is also difficult to get rid of the suffering, the shadows of the past are entrenched underground, their claws and fangs squirming in the lightless crypt, the ground is full of hatred and disputes, and the pure soul of human beings is contaminated by the breath of evil gods...

"How do we bear this long suffering? How do we bear the twisted and absurd world of the false sun?

"We can't bear it. We only hope that our lord will return, and that the true sun god will come to the earth again, burn from blood and fire, and bring order and prosperity back to the world!"

Instigated by the provocative tone of the masked priest, Duncan could clearly feel that the atmosphere in the assembly hall had changed. The believers in black robes became excited one by one. They first echoed, and then echoed. Then it turned into a fervent cry: "May the true sun god descend to the earth again! Burning from blood and fire!" "May the true sun god descend to the earth again! Burning from blood and fire!"

"May the true sun god come to the earth again," the priest on the high platform said loudly, and then pointed to Duncan, "and today, my lord will wake up from his deep sleep - the blood of the lost will soothe the wounds after the sun broke !

"Bring up the sacrifice!"

Several people in black robes swarmed up from the side, but Duncan was faster than them—he turned over and climbed onto the altar without being pushed.

Although this body is not very good, it is still possible to climb a platform.

After climbing up, he came in front of the masked priest, and the latter still maintained the majestic and mysterious posture when he gave the order just now—the change happened very suddenly, and the unfolding method completely exceeded the previous experience, which made the leader of the cult all of a sudden Before he could react, he looked at Duncan through the golden mask, and the area around the altar suddenly became strangely quiet.

Duncan didn't seem to notice the change in the surrounding atmosphere at all. He just felt that he had collected more information about the world, and he was very much looking forward to seeing some more rare scenes before this temporary body was "scrapped".

"Then what," Duncan rubbed his hands with a sense of anticipation, and asked seriously, "And then? What's the next step?"

Masked Priest: "..."

"Didn't you hear clearly?" Duncan frowned—but because the muscles on his face weren't working well, he didn't frowned. "I said, what should I do next?"

At this time, the priest finally realized that although he was separated by a mask, there was a moment of confusion in his eyes, but soon he said in a low voice: "The shadows in the darkness have indeed affected your body." Mind, but rest assured, the most high and holy sun will end your torment...bring the sacrifice to the totem!"

Two men in black robes immediately walked onto the stage from the side, pulling Duncan's arm towards the totem pole with the fireball on it. Duncan didn't know much about this step, so naturally he couldn't "cooperate in advance", but he still didn't resist. Under the "clamp" of the two men in black, he stood under the flaming fireball honestly.

Although Duncan didn't make any physical resistance, the two men in black robes who grabbed his arms still used great strength to clamp the "sacrifice"'s arms, as if they were afraid that the sacrifice would resist violently and break free at the last moment. Their strength was so great that Duncan could even feel that the bones of this temporary body were bursting little by little, which made him look at the two men in black in amazement.

Then, the masked priest came over again.

Duncan's attention was immediately attracted, and he saw that the priest took out a strangely shaped dagger from his arms. The dagger was strangely curved like dry and twisted knuckles. The blade was pitch black as if made of obsidian, and its surface reflected The firelight on the totem looks strange and extraordinary.

Duncan silently made preparations to cut off the "soul projection". He knew that this should be the end of the information that this temporary body could collect.

The prayers of the cult priest sounded on the high platform:

"O supreme and holy sun god! Please accept the sacrifice on this high platform! I offer the heart of this sacrifice to you, and may you return it in blood and fire!"

Duncan immediately stopped the act of cutting off the soul projection, and looked at the cult priest in front of him like a fool.

(Mom!)