CHAPTER 184: CHAPTER 112: SINISTER SCHEMES

After her promotion to Junior Sergeant, No. 0 also tested her Attack Power; though endowed with the enhancement from Dayu’s Divine Talisman and her own increased strength, the lethality of her needle shooting gun had only been improved to 30 points.

"I can teach Master some simple Medical Skills, or if not, we can follow the exchange vehicles between temples in the cities Master wishes to go and await Master there," Ziyu also heard No. 0’s difficulties.

"Since there are special vehicles, you can go ahead with the vehicle and wait for me in the next city. I still need to explore Hua Realm by foot."

With Ziyu following, the development of the poisonous needles for the needle shooting gun would eventually succeed, as she now had a basic understanding of pharmacology. Walking by foot would not take much time, and if possible, they might even find some usable "Poisonous Herbs."

In ancient times unlike today, aside from special places like temples, ordinary pharmacies were strictly forbidden from selling poisonous herbs. If one wanted to obtain poisons to use against enemies, there were no extra methods other than making use of local resources.

Seeing that her Master had made up her mind, Ziyu could only agree to it.

Early the next morning, No. 0, accompanied by Ziyu, watched the selection ceremony for the "Goddess."

To ensure the purity of thought and lineage of the Goddess, each generation’s Goddess must be selected from newly born infants.

The method of selection was somewhat similar to how the Esoteric Sect Lamas designated the "Spiritual Child" in the earlier years of Hua Country.

Before dawn, at the highest point of the Moon Temple, the former Goddess would cleanse her body with laurel water and then burn wormwood leaves to purify the surrounding air.

Afterward, a four-mouthed funnel showing direction would be taken out, into which mercury would be poured.

The Goddess would chant for a while, and after chanting, the cotton plug blocking the mercury would be removed; the direction where the mercury drips and solidifies into beads would determine the birth location of the new Goddess.

The temple only had three days to find the newly born female infants and bring them back to the temple for upbringing. If there was only one child, that child would be the sole Goddess. But if there were several babies and all were female, they would all be brought back to the temple together.

After the child turns three years old, based on their qualities, the most suitable candidate for Goddess will be selected, and the rest will become Maids accompanying the Goddess as she grew up.

In the year Ziyu and Apoli were born, the only mercury bead that did not disperse was in the east. Subsequently, the two of them were taken back to the temple together.

The twin sisters, born at the same time, were almost similar in learning to write and agility; hence, after that, the temple established a rule of "Sun and Moon Goddess." It was the first time the Babylon Temple had a "Double Goddess," but this matter was not announced to the public.

No. 0 was fortunate to attend this ancient and mystical ceremony. Under the moonlight, Ziyu’s face, though marred, was still beautiful, as she began to sing.

A crack echoed in No. 0’s mind. The language Ziyu sang in was an ancient one, not understood by the players of "Military Road". Thus, No. 0 did not comprehend the meaning of her words.

However, the melody, the more No. 0 listened, the more familiar it seemed. After pondering for a while, No. 0 remembered that this melody was very similar to the Holy Poem that a Holy Daughter named Xianxian chanted during the weekend worship.

Except that Ziyu’s voice was deeper, while Xianxian’s voice was more enchanting.

As the song ended, the four-mouthed funnel holding the mercury was pulled apart. Four lines of mercury flowed at once, settling on the smooth ceremonial altar.

Three mercury beads splashed immediately, losing their shape. Only the southern line’s mercury solidified into a round bead.

The spectators all gazed at the bead. This bead represented that the Goddess who could again rejuvenate the Babylon Temple would be born in the south of the city.

Once the direction was determined, the search for the Maids began.

After the ceremony, Ziyu also relaxed the burdens on her shoulders.

"Ziyu? What God does the Babylon Temple worship?" No. 0, looking on the ceremonial altar that didn’t enshrine any deity, asked.

"You’ve been in the temple for quite some time, and no one has told you," Ziyu chuckled lightly, summoning a Maid and affectionately asking: "Tell this distinguished guest, what do we worship?"

"It’s God!" The Maid, being chosen by the "Goddess", also appeared flattered.

"The temple, of course, worships God? I mean, which specific God?" No. 0 didn’t like to play guessing games, and Ziyu could have simply answered.

"God is God, the one who bestows us with herbs, food, and fair weather, omnipresent. From my childhood till now, no one has told me the specific name of the God. The people of Babylon City worship the omnipresent God," Ziyu and the Maid answered in unison.

No. 0 found that asking was pointless and thus obediently closed her mouth.

The selection of the Goddess this time went smoothly, and that very night, a female infant was brought back. After Ziyu checked and found the child to have a clear and handsome brow, a broad forehead, a fleshy nose tip indicating a generous heart, she assuredly handed the child over to those in the temple responsible for nurturing the Goddess.

As dawn arrived, Ziyu bid farewell to the people in the temple and boarded a vehicle transporting medicinal materials to another city. No. 0 promised her that she would hurry to the next temple to meet with her. The two then parted at the city gate.

When No. 0 went to the "military station" to ask for a map, she saw at the city gate, a carriage parked, inside which sat King Hammurabi, looking distressed.

"Ah, love, even the wisest are befuddled by it," No. 0 remembered Minghang. She hoped the message she left for Mo Xixi about "feeling unwell" would keep her away from Minghang for a few days. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)