Storm of Gods

Chapter 135 A Liar!

"Morton's Beef Soup" is a breakfast stall near the Koi Dragon Hotel that offers good quality food at reasonable prices. It's more of a breakfast stall than a shop, and it's been run by old Morton for decades. He's the head chef, and his grandson, young Morton, helps out. Compared to his cunning grandfather, young Morton is much more shy. He's fair-skinned, somewhat handsome, and doesn't talk much.

The specialty beef soup, served with Heldan pancakes, was quite a treat for Li Xin. The beef soup was surprisingly sweet, made with a special Heldan fruit. The pancakes were quite good, very chewy. Even though it was a small stall, Simmons ate with relish. Having been in Heldan for some time, he knew that in terms of aristocratic decorum and etiquette, Heldan was far superior to Lilong, but he hadn't really noticed that difference in Simmons.

"Tell me your plan," Li Xin asked while eating. "Boss, another bowl, and two more servings of meat."

Simmons perked up immediately, his eyes lighting up. "Brother Li should also understand the significance of this Battle of Glory. It is of paramount importance in our Montcarette. The current favorites to win the championship are the Eight Dukes and the Four Faculties. I am one of the Four Faculties. Of course, from the outside, we are just there to make up the numbers. The real contenders are the Eight Great Knight Academies."

"So you want to give them a surprise?" Li Xin took a bite of the pancake. It wasn't wheat, but golden wheat from Montcarette. The taste was indeed pure and fragrant, and the color was beautiful. This place was truly a happy place, just like that strange-tasting beef soup, all thanks to the good ingredients.

"Haha, I wasn't very confident at first, but Brother Li is willing to help me. I want to try to make it into the top four. I hope Brother Li can join the Holy Ze Academy as Holy Ze's secret weapon," Simmons said. He knew that Li Xin would most likely agree. Thinking about it carefully, if he could get Li Xin's help, it would be like adding wings to a tiger. He would really have wings to realize his dreams.

“It’s not impossible,” Li Xin nodded. “Are there no restrictions on joining the Order of the Fathers here?”

"The Church is designed for widespread adoption. Slaves and criminals are not allowed to join. Others, whether Montaletta or immigrants, can join as long as they have a sponsor, are under 25 years old, and pay tuition," Simmons said. Clearly, this was no problem for Simmons at all.

"Is it unnecessary to have faith in the Earth Mother Goddess?"

Simmons smiled. "The Mother Goddess has no shortage of followers. There are some misunderstandings about us in other places. The people of Montaletta are quite confident in their own hearts, both in themselves and in their gods."

Li Xin could sense this from the people of Montaletta he met. From Roland to Simmons, they were all filled with love for their country, and this kind of confidence was truly inspiring.

"Okay, let's give it a try." With a slurping sound, Li Xin finished another big bowl. "Boss, another bowl, the usual, extra meat, less sweet soup."

"Alright, alright." Old Morton, who was busy at work, was all smiles. It was rare for his small shop to have such a big opening.

"As for the Sacred Land, it can be done tomorrow. However, the maintenance of the Gate of Truth requires one more person. My cousin Celia is a good spirit binder and a core member of our Order of the Church."

“Okay, no problem,” Li Xin nodded.

"Brother Li, are there any other conditions?" Simmons asked, already prepared to bleed money, even something a bit outrageous.

Li Xin thought for a moment, "I want more freedom at the Order Academy, no restrictions. You can handle all the expenses yourself."

“Of course, I’ll handle these little things.” Simmons nodded.

"Boss, give me another bowl. Don't let your hand shake. Have little Morton add it for me. Don't give me scraps. My friend here is a nobleman. If you try to cheat him like this, he'll sue you!" Li Xin threatened. Old Morton wasn't embarrassed at all, but after hearing the latter part, he didn't dare to do anything rash. He nudged little Morton and gave him a wink. Little Morton then grabbed a large handful with his little hands and sprinkled it on. Old Morton covered his forehead, thinking, "Small business, money over shame. This kid has wasted all those years of studying."

Seeing Li Xin's jubilant expression, old Morton felt like he had lost a fortune. He tapped young Morton on the head, but young Morton just scratched his head and didn't say anything, continuing to cook the soup.

"Brother Li, please feel free to say anything else. I'm prepared." Seeing that Li Xin hadn't gotten to the point, he was still a little uneasy.

"Ah, that's all. Oh, and by the way, it's your treat today," Li Xin said.

Simmons was stunned. What?
That's it?

"Boss, check, he'll pay!" Li Xin was full and satisfied. The last bowl was actually quite decent, and he ate with gusto. He was happy to have such a hearty breakfast every day.

Old Morton walked over with a smile. This meal was worth twelve; this stingy kid had finally struck it rich. Simmons was also in a good mood, patting his pockets. "Brother Li, you're too kind. Leave the matter of the Holy Land to me. Hmm..."

Simmons was a little embarrassed. He had left in a hurry that morning, his mind preoccupied with how to handle all the possibilities, and he had forgotten to bring his money.

Li Xin and old Morton's eyes both turned resentful; their hopes had been dashed, and they looked at Simmons as if he were a fraud...

Dipo City, Lighthouse No. 108.

During his routine patrol, Barty was ambushed by abyssal monsters. He killed dozens of monsters before finally escaping and returning to the lighthouse. Under the lighthouse's protection, the monsters stopped attacking, allowing Barty to catch his breath. However, this experience taught him a lesson: he should not stray too far from the lighthouse.

The patrols of the past few days had been relatively easy, and he had become a little careless, so he had wandered a bit too far. Now, upon reassessing the situation, he felt that this was a setup by the monsters. The monsters' ambushes were too obvious, constantly luring him away from the lighthouse. Fortunately, he was skilled enough and his black knife was effective; otherwise, even if he had managed to escape the monsters' encirclement, he would have been injured. And once injured, it would be an extremely agonizing experience for the lighthouse keeper. The monsters' bodily fluids were poisonous, and once they penetrated the body, although not necessarily fatal, they would cause contamination and exacerbate the nighttime whispers.

Barty checked his body, confirming there were no wounds, and awaited the backlash from using the black blade. Sure enough, the backlash came; his head felt like it was about to explode, accompanied by weakness. The black blade seemed to be draining his life force. Perhaps because the headache was so intense, this feeling wasn't as strong. In this process of alternating between consciousness and unconsciousness, the abyssal whispers also appeared. It was an indescribable sound, as if it came from hell, piercing directly into the brain and causing all sorts of negative emotions—sometimes anxiety, sometimes fear, sometimes manipulation. Barty remembered what he had learned: never delve into contact with or think about it. Instead, he focused his attention on the pain… but it was no use. He began to focus his attention on the black blade, this powerful weapon stored within his body, possessing divine power, extraordinary and truly handy for slaying monsters.

To be fair, while focusing on the black knife didn't alleviate the pain, it did help him avoid the seductive whispers. He didn't know how much time had passed before he finally drifted off to sleep in a daze. It was just the long, drawn-out daily routine of the lamplighter, a routine he would continue to follow until his successor arrived.

But Bartholomew was full of motivation. Although being a lamplighter was arduous, it was the only solution for Rahula to be redeemed, and it was also a lucky solution. His predecessors had done it, and he was sure he could too. He would live a happy life with his sister and be an innocent person.

As he thought about it, a relaxed smile appeared on his contorted face.

What Barty didn't know was that only when the old lamplighter died would a new lamplighter come...

(End of this chapter)