When the plot-skips players into the game world

"To neither see nor speak…"

Aiwass nodded with interest, "Mr. Mu and Wizard Zhu Tang… May Candle Master bless you both."

That sounded like a memorable trait, but he didn't know these two people.

If he reasoned backward, they were probably not any bosses, so at least they weren't likely to be particularly dangerous individuals.

Zhu Tang kept his eyes closed and placed his right hand on his chest, slightly nodding as a casual salute, speaking in somewhat unrefined Star Antimony Language, "Thank you, sir."

It wasn't a Primordial custom, but rather one from the Helasal cultural sphere.

However, Aiwass switched to the Primordial Language instead, "Are you two coming from Parthia?"

It was his first time encountering Primordial Beings, which made Aiwass quite excited.

Upon hearing these words, Zhu Tang's face instantly revealed a look of astonishment.

His eyeballs twitched, as though he wanted to open his eyes and take a look. But ultimately, he maintained his posture of closed eyes and not seeing, his tone turning curious and elevated: "Sir can speak the Primordial Language? You're quite learned."

Compared to Aiwass, his Primordial Language was not as standard. It carried a faint trace of Nanjing dialect.

Listening to this, Aiwass chuckled and said, "I only know a little bit, likely not very fluent."

He mixed in a bit of dialect as well, causing Zhu Tang to let out a laugh and noticeably relax.

As he loosened up, a faint sense of pride emerged—a clear confidence born of being from a major city within the same cultural circle.

Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly shivered, startled.

Using his right thumb, he rapidly tapped a few times on his other fingers, then cautiously asked, "Could I touch your antlers, sir?"

Oddly, despite never opening his eyes, he knew Aiwass had antlers.

Upon hearing this, Cardinal Galatea suddenly turned to look at Aiwass.

She evidently could understand the Primordial Language. At this moment, she was asking Aiwass whether this would be appropriate.

"It's fine."

Aiwass reassured Galatea, then slightly lowered his head, "Why not?"

He then bowed slightly. Though Wizard Zhu Tang couldn't see, he seemed to perceive something faintly. He tentatively reached out, confirming the antlers on Aiwass's forehead, along with their peculiar temperature… and the strange sensation of healing that came over him upon touching them.

This startled him, almost as if he were struck by electricity. He immediately stood up to salute Aiwass—this time not with the casual chest-to-hand gesture popular among Star Antimony and Narcissus cultures but rather with an extremely formal bow: both hands clasped forward in prayer, kneeling three times, with each kneel followed by three bows and a quiet chant.

This was the Three Kneels and Nine Bows ritual—a courtesy rarely extended even to monarchs, reserved only for gods and rulers of divine stature.

Aiwass did not stop him.

This ritual coincidentally aligned with the Candle Master's holy number. It was clearly a form of respect for Candle Master.

As the Son of Candle, he could certainly receive such reverence.

After all, the Nine Pillar Gods were universally recognized; aside from the Silver-Crowned Dragon, all Pillar Gods were born before humanity's existence, and every surviving ancient civilization had at least one Pillar God as a guardian. Yet, each nation called them by different names… Their true and honored names were not inherently fixed, with titles such as "Candle Master" and "Gemini Mirror" having originated from elvish nomenclature, though the names varied across regions.

For instance, "Hourglass" was named by the elves, while the Helasir people referred to it as "Sand Timer," and the Primordial Beings called it "Zhuanxu." According to Aiwass's understanding and conjecture, the Path of Devotion likely wasn't as popular in the Primordial Empire… The Primordials were more likely a nation devoted to the Path of Balance, but still, it was connected to the Pillar Gods.

In the Helasal cultural sphere, Candle Master's position as the supreme deity wasn't due to their creation of the Nine Great Origin Rivers… but rather because the elves revered Candle Master as a supreme god. This was primarily because elves were children of the Great Tree, and the Great Tree was Candle Master's Angel Envoy.

The Helasal Empire, situated too close to the Holy Nation, had a civilization that heavily relied on elves, leading to their naming conventions, linguistic culture, and faith being heavily influenced by elvish principles.

Outside the Holy Nation's sphere of influence, Candle Master wasn't always revered as the supreme god.

However, one truth remained fixed—the number nine was the pinnacle of numbers, the sovereign of numerals. The divine principles stemming from the Nine Pillar Gods' holy numbers were universally acknowledged.

Following the grand ritual, Wizard Zhu Tang grew significantly more subdued.

Keeping his eyes tightly shut, he dared not open them and bowed his head, speaking slow, deliberate words in the most standard Primordial Language he could muster: "Mr. Mu and I encountered each other in Parthia, but neither of us is Parthian.

"The Parthians… they lead lives of suffering, recently more than ever. They've had a drought, leading to severe water scarcity, and thus food shortages. I've seen people starve and die, their corpses abandoned in the desert to be wind-dried into grotesque forms. I've seen others resort to cannibalism. Even in years of catastrophic disasters, it seldom reaches this degree, yet the Benevolent Lords are erecting fountains in the city centers… If anyone dared drink or steal water from them, they'd be arrested—either sold into slavery or made into ritual materials.

"In Parthia, the Benevolent Lords' words are the sole law. If you defy them, you risk being captured and sold like goods; if you obey, you lose your dignity and have to commit unethical deeds.

"It's intolerable to me, and to Mr. Mu as well. So, we decided to help these commoners, to at least save their lives. But we angered the local Benevolent Lords and were hunted down. Luckily, we're equipped with skills, allowing us to break free. Yet amidst the desert, we strayed in the wrong direction, making it difficult to return… So we've kept heading west."

"Do you wish to return?"

Aiwass asked.

Zhu Tang smiled bitterly, "Like fallen leaves returning to the roots, who doesn't long for home… Moreover, if I don't go back, trouble may befall my family. That's why I've come here… If I gather enough money, I can hire a team to traverse the desert and take me back."

Hearing this, Aiwass suddenly fell silent.

But Zhu Tang continued speaking, "To be frank, I'm a criminal. Exiled by the Emperor three times, to a border town adjacent to Parthia. On Winter Solstice, celebrated as Parthia's 'Night Festival,' they gather that night to endure 'the longest night of the year.' As the days following grow shorter by night, 'everything gets better.'

"It was an invitation from a Parthian friend that led me there to witness the occasion. All because I meddled… that's how I ended up here."

"If given another chance," Cardinal Galatea suddenly interjected in a distinctly classical tone of Primordial Language, "Would you involve yourself again?"

"... Yes."

After a moment of silence, Zhu Tang still spoke with resolve, "A righteous person cannot turn a blind eye to injustice. To see but not act is itself a wrong!"

Though Aiwass was unsure of the specifics Zhu Tang had encountered, he had an overall understanding.

"Understood."

Aiwass nodded, "I'll help."

Though he might not have time to go to the Primordial Empire, he was planning to visit Parthia soon.

Wizard Zhu Tang's main concern was whether he would fall into a trap set by the Benevolent Lords he had offended upon his return—a deeply valid concern. The Benevolent Lords, despite internal clashes, were essentially of the same class. A public resister against the Benevolent Lords was likely to face open hostility and collective crackdown.

Even as a Great Sorcerer on the Path of Transcendence, such risks remained. Parthia had deep foundations, even hosting entities at the Fifth Power Level.

At Fourth Power Level, or even at Fifth, dealing with the hostility of an entire nation wasn't easy.

Factor in his moral compass, and his actions were further constrained.

… Ultimately, if the goal was to earn enough money to hire a team capable of ensuring safe passage back, chances were slim—it may take until his family perished for him to return. Given the universal hostility among the Benevolent Lords, one would need multiple Fifth Power Level entities for a safe journey.

The Pope might offer assistance, but it wasn't guaranteed. Especially since Aiwass had already told Cardinal Belisarius to "go forward boldly," the relations between the Holy Nation and Parthia might deteriorate.

Only Aiwass himself could likely manage this task.

Of course, all these considerations depended on whether the ruins they were exploring could be successfully developed…

Judging by the increasingly competent individuals the Amber Master had gathered, Aiwass had come to realize these ruins might not be as simple.

Determinedly, he resolved—

This mission wasn't primarily about bringing out any coveted purple-tier equipment.

The main task was protecting these people… Ensuring no lives were lost among them.

That seemed difficult.

But for the Eternal Pope, it wasn't impossible.

"Tomorrow we depart," Aiwass said, looking at the group. He raised his hand and bestowed a soothing blessing, "Get a good rest tonight, everyone."

Unknowingly, the latest addition to the group, Aiwass, had become its leader.