Only God

Whether Veldor and Gomu were willing to believe it or not, life in the afterlife town had to go on.

Here, the deceased, just like the two of them, were in a pale, ghostly state, and their daily lives involved sighing in this afterworld.

"There are no theaters here, no taverns, and certainly no brothels. Oh, Divine ones, how could such a boring place exist?"

A departed soul complained in this way.

Life in the afterlife town was rigid, day after day, just as the Sighing Plain described in myths and legends. Here, apart from solitary amusements, there was hardly any entertainment.

Because this place was reserved for ordinary people, here everyone had few troubles, but also few joys.

Each month, Wally would send someone to distribute otherworldly money to each deceased, to be used for transactions among themselves or for purchasing necessary items from the servants of Nakbet's shops.

Most of these items were books, musical instruments, and other things that could bring joy, but due to high demand, they often required long waiting in line.

The Netherworld did not allow people to form societies or seek too much happiness. Nakbet's Guards constantly patrolled every corner of the town, ensuring places suspected to be taverns, theaters, etc., were closed down.

Such actions were like constant reminders to the deceased that this was the Netherworld, different from the Mortal World.

Despite the monotonous and dull life in the afterworld, Veldor observed that the dead had still adapted to it.

"We are already dead, it is only natural to live this way."

A dead person said,

"Who made us not do as much good as possible while we were alive or become a great Hero?"

Veldor could understand the sentiment, accepting life while alive, and accepting afterlife upon death, yet he still found it hard to believe that he was really dead.

"Lord, I have prayed for so long, must I still stay in the Netherworld?"

Veldor couldn't help but sigh.

Though he found it hard to believe he was truly dead and had come to the Netherworld, he had to admit, this afterlife world was just too real, exactly like the myths.

Moreover, both he and Gomu were slowly adjusting to the afterlife.

The life in afterlife town was dull and monotonous, but the life of the Sects was often just as unchanging; the two were not so different in their tedium.

After the first month of running all over the place, having found little suspicious, Veldor and Gomu had no choice but to settle down in the town.

Among the two, Gomu was the first to waver. He had come to believe Wally's words,

"Clearly, this is the Netherworld. Everything Wally said is true.

If it weren't for the Netherworld, why would so many believe it is?"

Veldor looked at his companion in surprise,

"Have you given in? Have you been tamed?"

Gomu sighed deeply,

"I too wish this was not the Netherworld, but...there is just too much evidence showing us that this really is the Netherworld."

Gomu's reaction left Veldor utterly depressed.

Under his friend's influence, Veldor deflated; even if he did not want to believe he was truly dead, he had to admit everything felt all too real.

"Could it be that everything Wally said is true? That converts must first spend some time in the Netherworld?"

Veldor mulled over Wally's words again and again.

Souls in the Netherworld didn't need sleep, and there were no changes between day and night here. Veldor felt no fatigue, and he began to recall all the experiences he had since entering the town, thinking ceaselessly day and night trying to find more suspicious points.

But no matter how hard Veldor looked, he could find no more suspicious points.

Throughout the afterlife town, everywhere was filled with sighs, each voice advising him to give up, to await arrangements properly.

Veldor couldn't carry on any longer.

Until...

Suddenly, a new deceased arrived in the afterlife town.

"No, I have not died, I definitely haven't died!

If I died, I would surely go to the Great Plain where the Heroes and the Supreme Good dwell!"

This deceased person, named Oren, was an old man in his seventies. A human, brought to the afterlife town by Wally, still defiantly shouting, repeatedly claiming he had not died, and he did so for over two months.

Initially, the residents of the town felt sympathy for him, but after two months, they all treated him as a madman.

Clearly already dead for over two months yet still not accepting the reality of his death, what was he if not a madman?

But it was this "madman" who kindled hope in Veldor.

Veldor felt that he had finally encountered someone like-minded, even though they belonged to different races and had different beliefs.

So, in his spare time, Veldor approached this human old man, taller than himself by two heads.

"I heard you also think you haven't died?"

Upon hearing this, the old man cast a hopeful look.

The old man murmured,

"I've heard about you, Veldor. You think the same, don't you?"

Veldor nodded heavily, secretly glad to have found a kindred spirit.

Then, the old man introduced himself,

"You must wonder why I do not believe I am dead.