One warrior, two assassins, one priest. This was the trial's makeshift roster.
Objectively, the composition was quite solid — especially considering Da Yi's role was more of a flex player who could seamlessly switch between assassin and "warrior." That made the lineup even better.
The only flaw was that his teammates had too many agendas. A mid-trial split was entirely probable.
But Cheng Shi was never one to fixate on future worries. He kept studying the three, then spoke up:
"The architecture here doesn't match any style I've seen from the Civilization Era. The interior decor has hints of early-civilization influence, but I can't place this location. Would any of you experts care to enlighten ?"
At this, Da Yi's brows drooped and he began staring at the floor — the very picture of a poor student caught unprepared.
Jiang Chi offered a stiff smile, then rotated to face a pitch-black painting on the wall whose subject was entirely indecipherable: "The art of this period is certainly... distinctive. Yes, quite distinctive."
Only Poison chuckled softly. Leaning against the banister, she said with certainty:
"This is Rosna, from the Sinking Era."
'The Sinking Era?'
'Rosna?'
Cheng Shi frowned, eyes full of confusion. He'd never even heard of this place.
Sinking Era trials were pitifully rare. Nine out of ten players knew almost nothing about [Descent]'s history. The remaining one had mostly gleaned fragnts from Underworld expeditions during the Civilization Era.
So when Poison nad "Rosna," none of the other three could contribute a word.
Clearly, all three belonged to the "poor student" majority.
But poor grades didn't an no curiosity. Jiang Chi abandoned his art-connoisseur act and turned back with interest:
"Rosna... what kind of place is it?"
"[Decay]'s kingdom. In the limited historical record, people prefer to call it the Tragic Nation."
"The Tragic Nation?"
"Yes."
Poison began moving. Her fingers trailed along the banister as she drifted toward the lower floor, eyes roaming the attic's decor while she explained:
"Everyone here worships [Decay]. They believe that humans are born sinful, and that harming oneself is a way to excise that sin.
"Only through ceaseless self-inflicted suffering can one be purified and earn His forgiveness. So every person here spends their entire life striving to beco a clean, sinless being — to draw closer to Him.
"But amid this tide of relentless self-harm, the nation gradually bled out its population and combat strength. Like a rust-eaten antique abandoned by its era, it sank slowly into the sands of history."
Three brows furrowed simultaneously. The explanation was hard to digest.
Jiang Chi hesitated, then asked:
"They worship [Decay], offer themselves to [Decay], even transform their bodies into decay. That kind of devotion should only grow stronger under [Decay]'s faith. How could they possibly... lose combat strength?"
"That puzzled
too, once. But I recently found the answer.
"Because their offerings...
"Apparently never moved the Benefactor they worshipped.
"[Decay] was likely... a god devoid of all compassion!
"In other words, the perspective of gods and mortals may be fundantally different. What mortals see as devotion may be worthless in Their eyes. He might have once gazed upon this nation, but He never granted it any of [Decay]'s power.
"And the people of Rosna assud their devotion simply wasn't enough — that they hadn't moved their Benefactor. So their offerings grew ever more frenzied...
"In the end, this [Decay] nation truly 'decayed.' They announced their departure from history's stage with one final, grandest offering of all.
"And to that, [Decay] still offered no comnt.
"Tell
— isn't that tragic enough?"
Poison didn't stop walking. She was clearly headed to the lower floors. Cheng Shi exchanged a glance with the other two, then followed her down through the unsettling atmosphere. The group arrived at the ground floor and finally saw the house's occupants.
A middle-aged couple, deathly pale and emaciated to the extre, along with their three children. All five had already been knocked unconscious by Jiang Chi and lay on the floor.
Poison approached the couple, gently tore open their clothing, and flipped them over. The husband was noticeably sturdier than his wife — more flesh, smoother skin.
The wife, by contrast, was little more than skin stretched over bones. Not a trace of aesthetics to her fra.
The three children were progressively thinner than the last, their ashen complexions screaming of starvation.
This confird Poison's account. Self-harm had derailed this empire. When the future's hope was on the verge of death, what hope could the future hold?
Of course, Poison's purpose wasn't simply sightseeing. She wanted them to see Rosna's suffering — and the so-called "purification."
Following her guidance, they saw the couple's backs covered in an impossibly dense network of scars.
Punctures, slashes, whippings, brandings...
The scars weren't chaotic or overlapping. They were arranged in neat, orderly rows — looking less like abuse and more like so kind of "dals of honor."
Poison gave a disdainful snort:
"This is the fate of worshipping [Decay]. Those in power refused to relinquish their authority, so they forged a new faith to seize everything they desired. But how can this self-inflicted withering compare to embracing desire?
"Humans are, at their core, a collection of desires. Whether indulging or restraining — both are facets of desire.
"Switching faiths is rely pursuing a different set of hidden desires. Where in this world are there saints?
"Since none of us are saints, why pretend to be one?
"Don't you know — pretending to be a saint is the universe's greatest desire of all!
"Isn't that right, little priest?"
'?'
'Why are you calling on ?'
'Teacher, pick on the poor students. I'm not a poor student.'
Cheng Shi pursed his lips and said nothing. But he'd heard the subtext — Poison wasn't explaining the present situation. She was evangelizing her [Corruption] philosophy.
Though compared to her peers, her style of articulating ideology was remarkably un-[Corruption]. Her colleagues, after all, preferred demonstrating their faith through action.
Da Yi had abandoned his rough deanor and was playing the attentive listener. Cheng Shi refused to give Poison the engagent she wanted. That left only Jiang Chi as the straight man.
Jiang Chi appeared to have heard sothing about faith transitions before. He nodded with interest:
"I once heard that [Decay] turned its gaze to the Land of Hope precisely because, after [Corruption]'s heyday, there erged a group of people who — for various reasons, especially physical ones — could no longer embrace desire.
"These people wanted to keep their power but could no longer offer themselves to Him. So in their weakened, withered state, they sought a new anchor of power — and drew [Decay]'s gaze.
"So it seems Miss Poison supports this view?"
"Facts don't need support. That's simply how [Decay] ca to be.
"That's also why Rosna is called the Tragic Nation. When a country pours all its vigor, vitality, and life force into offerings to Him... who can stop that nation from perishing?
"[Decay] differs from [Corruption]. Its period of dominance was extrely brief — after all, His will doesn't exactly keep you thriving.
"When Rosna was founded, it boasted tens of millions of faithful. But in barely a century, this so-called 'Divine Kingdom of [Decay]' shrank to a handful of cities.
"They proved their devotion through one magnificent act of decay. But the question is... when everyone's dead, what good is devotion?"
It made a certain kind of sense. But why did Poison know so much about this place? Just because she also belonged to [Descent]?
Cheng Shi had his doubts. Jiang Chi asked the question directly.
Poison laughed lightly, hands clasped behind her back like a student awaiting praise. She tilted her head and explained:
"I have zero interest in [Descent] as a concept. Haven't you guessed why I know so much about this place?
"It's obviously because I've been searching for the lost... Gift of Sores!
"After learning that Zhen Yi devoured the Conjugate Whisper Fruit I was most interested in, I had no choice but to set my sights on the Gift of Sores. Everything you've just heard was pieced together trial by trial over countless attempts.
"With this level of sincerity, can I earn everyone's frank openness in return?"
Looking at Poison's captivating smile, the three n's reactions diverged.
The [Corruption] Chosen One was masterful at "friendly exchanges." Unfortunately, none of those present were the flower-admiring types. The instant she finished, the other three spoke with eerily synchronized timing:
"I rely feign refinent; in truth I'm crude as they co. I'm more interested in where the Gift of Sores actually is."
"Hot damn, cut the chatter. Just tell us where the thing is!"
"Frank openness? What, should I strip right here?"
"...?"
The warrior and the assassin froze. But the other assassin's eyes lit up.
Because she could see the priest was glowing!
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