He is the leader of the Tantric sect in Chagdu.

The sun is a very special phenomenon.

Throughout his two lives, Ai had an extremely complex and contradictory understanding of the "sun"—in his previous life, the sun was something "eternal and unchanging." For both the earth and humankind, sunlight was the source of "energy" and the cause of "movement"... It was a more constant phenomenon than "common sense" and an unchanging underlying principle.

In the Nest world, past "common sense" becomes a kind of "doubt," and cognition is confined to the bloated nest by that dark dome.

Even with advanced technology and the great arts leading to the pinnacle, there has been no popularization or development of the epistemology of the world—only mystical scholars monopolize "truth," knowing secrets, transmitting memories, analyzing history, and climbing the mysteries...

As for the even larger number of ordinary people...

When Ai Yi first traveled through time, she asked about it and was surprised to find that their worldview did not include the sun; they only understood the changing seasons through the cycle of fragmented radiance, but had long forgotten the light and shape of the sun, and did not even know whether the earth beneath their feet was round or flat.

Perhaps this only happens in the lower city, but the Nest still reflects the simplicity of "a round sky and a square earth, with the sky as its canopy" to some extent.

However, Ai raised his head and thought about it carefully, and helplessly discovered a fact: In fact... even he himself was not quite sure whether the "planet" under his feet was normal - after all, in such a spiritual nest world, even the sun itself was once the Sichen who held the rites and rules, an independent and unique great subject, rather than a rigid and inflexible objective natural thing.

This complete disconnect in sensory perception can perhaps be described as...

The common sense that is forgotten.

Only such a bizarre and contradictory description can encompass Ai's feelings at this moment. In this torn, confused, and murky cognition, Ai's impression of the blazing sun is as follows:

—He can be torn apart, can dissolve, can sink into the red pool, can be placed on a feast to be shared…

But it should never be hung in the sky.

.

"Unless... this era is called Noon."

Ai thought to herself.

After the door sent him the task as a guide, it stopped providing feedback—so Ai didn't even know his current exploration progress or whether his guesses were correct; he could only wait for the settlement after it was over.

But at least there's a range.

"Not at noon... it's earlier, perhaps even before noon."

Ai took a deep breath, looked away from the blazing sun, controlled her trembling pupils, and tried to regain her composure.

Damn bird, where did you throw this in?!

This is no longer China...

With a tentative attitude, Ai hesitated for a moment before whispering to Abram beside her, "Although it might be abrupt to ask, I still want to know... what era is it now?"

This question was obviously too strange; Lot would never ask such a question. So Ai decided to use a cheat code, skipping some of the negotiation process and the plot.

"Induction Technique"

Red fluid surged in his abdomen, and his thin wings fluttered slightly. Abram's gaze quickly lost focus, and he spoke in a flat tone: "Now... in the year 1094 of the Nirvia calendar, the beginning of the Glorious Century, Ys enters its first century of industrial development. This is an era of glorious restart, an era of the retreat of barbarism..."

Abram, true to his city roots, spoke with the air of a cultured man, and his increasingly animated expression conveyed his deep-seated pride.

"The mighty power of levers, boilers, and machinery has placed the covenant of leaps of progress beneath the feet of time. Whether it be the extravagantly luxurious New Dunling or the glorious shipping routes of the past, all have been renewed... Our city-states, built on islands and new continents, have become like ripe fruit, transforming into the heart of Ys growing on the outer lands, spreading our great achievements... Scholars have ignited the glory of steam, and trains and ships of iron and steel have sprung from factories. They will accompany Ys on both sides, sailing together towards that promised land flowing with milk and honey—"

…It certainly sounds like a nascent industrial civilization.

While deeply studying the persona of her companion, Ai analyzed the information in his words.

The calendar name of Nishya sounds like... it uses the local Ys calendar, rather than the "true name of the era" mentioned in the mission.

As for this nation, "Issu," it seems to be feasting on the fruits of progress. Judging from Abram's attitude, the citizens of Issu, who have enjoyed the benefits of development, have a strong sense of identity with their homeland and are extremely proud of their identity.

but……

Ai looked around again—the endless farmland in front of her had nothing to do with industrialization; it was full of the natural, wild atmosphere.

Even in an era of rapid development, things aren't always glorious. The world is so vast that there are always corners and edges that even glory can't reach. When "the benefits and efficiency of internal reforms are far less than those of external expansion," some outdated things become burdens, unable to keep up with the pace of progress, turning into polyps in the nation's cavity.

For example, the village not far away.

They were getting closer and closer to Rusty Village, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to extract more information from Abram. Ai silently stopped trying to entice him, and before officially starting the main storyline, she checked her own current situation.

—As a participant in history, playing the role of "Lot," he could easily express what he wanted to convey simply by opening his mouth, and he could also directly understand the local language.

Lot was a strong and healthy young man.

After pressing on the muscles in her arm, Ai came to this conclusion.

Then came his personal belongings. He touched the notebooks in his backpack, the thin book that Rhodes had brought to keep records... Then there was a thin, almost invisible dagger and a light, almost weightless pistol hanging from his waist pouch.

These are the short dagger and the tranquility that I brought with me before entering the dream, and they came in with me too.

and also.

Ai raised her right hand and saw a ring on her middle finger. Sure enough, the ring was there too.

Eh...

Ai Yi seemed lost in thought—

The rules haven't been disabled, the equipment is complete, and none of the events we might encounter involve any mysterious forces...

How can we lose like this?

Ai felt confident.

So this is what the game calls "movie difficulty," meaning to let loose and go wild.

Just keep moving forward.

.

After walking for more than ten minutes, as we rounded another corner, the rice stalks, half our height, finally released the view that had been blocked. The dense weeds in front of us began to lean in the same direction until a blurry path appeared under our feet.

The footprints they left behind became increasingly complex and chaotic, eventually revealing traces of frequent human activity. Perhaps the two had taken the wrong path from the beginning, and only now were they slowly converging on the main road of "Rust Village".

The road began to widen, and wheel tracks started to appear in the damp mud. The cries of various animals rose and fell from the distance.

-The feeling here is like that of late 15th-century Europe, which seems to be separated by an entire era from the industrial civilization described by Abram.

The sound of rapid hoofbeats came from behind. Abram pulled Ai to the side of the road, and the next second, the carriage drove past them. The cargo box at the back was covered with a stiff blanket that looked like rawhide, blocking the sunlight and faintly revealing the dried animal hides underneath, their surfaces stained with blood and grease. There was also a specially designated space piled with coarse wheat bread, salted meat, dried fish, and small packets of spices.

The faceless merchant sitting in front raised his hand to express his gratitude, and then, seemingly noticing the two's unusual attire, slowed down slightly.

"Guests?" He pointed to Ai and Abram, uttering a few unclear words in the official Ys language with a heavy accent, barely comprehensible. "Welcome, guests."

He should be smiling now, but unfortunately Ai can't see the Faceless Man's expression, so he can only respond with goodwill based on Abram's reaction.

"Just follow this road, it'll be there soon. Everyone will be happy; we all love our guests..."

After giving the two directions, the kind-hearted uncle waved his whip and left.

Once they were out of sight, Ai shook her head and pretended to sigh, "The villagers here seem friendly...they don't seem like bad people."

"We still have to be careful." Abram sighed softly and replied in a low voice, "A while ago in Fukano... several cults suddenly appeared. Those guys are cannibalistic lunatics. Although we've wiped them out, no one knows if any of them have escaped and are hiding in the village."

"Um……"

-I'd love for someone to come looking for trouble.

The agreement in his heart was different from what he said aloud. Ai nodded silently, his pace gradually slowing down. He saw a white flock appear at the edge of his vision, moving towards him at a slow but determined speed—it was a flock of sheep.

Sheep are always accompanied by shepherds, and Ai Yi soon spotted a figure standing not too far from the flock, in the middle of the vast sky and green land.

Ai patted Abram on the shoulder to remind him not to daydream, and then continued walking slowly forward.

The two were moving at similar speeds, so when they reached the middle of the road, the flock of sheep happened to pass by, crowding towards another pasture. Ai Yi wanted to stop and wait, but suddenly heard a clear bell ringing as if from the ends of the earth. A gentle breeze accompanied the bell's soft sound, creating a green wave that stretched into the distance.

A chanting followed immediately:

Ne Mee Ah Seh--D，

Kai Tee Tul Eh See Na Sah-Men,

Ne Ee-Bee Swur Te Ee--Beh Sai Te.

.

A soft, girlish voice, in an incomprehensible language, yet Ai was drawn to the compassion contained within it, until a figure swayed a cane adorned with silver bells and approached them with light, almost dancing steps.

The shepherd... wore a long robe the color of withered autumn grass, stained with grass clippings and signs of repair. She wore a hood, and a boning knife and horn hung from her green-grey belt.

The shepherd walked towards them step by step, wearing warm white high-top leather boots, his steps as light as a lamb treading on clouds.

Ai tilted his head; the girl was even smaller than he had seen her from a distance—at most a little taller than his own body.

She extended a slender hand from the end of her long sleeve and gently grasped the shepherd's cane that was two heads taller than her. After the aria from their first meeting ended, she fell silent, only gently shaking the cane again and again.

"Excuse me..." Ai Yi was a little confused by this scene. Just as she was about to ask a question, she was interrupted by a series of hurried footsteps.

From the low-lying country canal, the sound of a bell summoned a black and white sheepdog. It quickly ran to the shepherd, adopting a guarding posture; its bare face was presumably in a state of alertness.

But Ai didn't care about any of that, and immediately squatted down to pet the dog: "Oh my... is this a Border Collie? I love Border Collies..."

Until Abram awkwardly dragged him up from the ground, the two people and the dog, apart from Ai, fell into an even more eerie silence.

Only Abram could speak up to defuse the situation: "I'm sorry, my companion isn't quite right in the head. We... he's a traveler from Dunling, and I'm here to visit relatives. I'm sorry if this has caused you any trouble."

If he hadn't been entangled with Ai Yi, he would have pretended not to know her.

The shepherd was not angry; she remained calm and composed. She spoke softly, in a voice as gentle and steady as a sheep grazing: "Travelers from afar, pay no heed to me. I am merely walking in the Lord's path, praying for your safety as travelers..."

She gently pointed her staff to the ground three times, speaking in standard and elegant Common Tongue:

"Let me guide the traveler—you tread the path of the lamb, the path left with its white wool has been cleansed of suffering, and ahead lies peace and tranquility..."

"..."

Ai couldn't find an opportunity to speak, so she finally interjected just as the shepherd finished his prayer and was about to turn and leave: "Could you tell me your name?"

He just felt that such an extraordinary shepherd shouldn't be an NPC who doesn't even have a face.

The shepherd stopped, and although her face was hidden under her hood, Ai could still sense her smile from the cheerful atmosphere around her: "With pleasure."

She took off her hood.

The girl, as soft as a lamb, had a face whiter than wool. Her long, warm white hair, casually draped over her shoulders, seemed to cast an angelic halo around her head. Her eyes were golden-red, a golden-red that contrasted sharply with her temperament, like the rising or setting sun, concealing its restrained color in the deep, ocean-like depths of her gaze.

A gentle breeze ruffled the shepherd's wide robe, subtly revealing her overly thin figure, which gave the impression of poverty.

Her smile was warmer than cashmere: "The shepherd's name has been given to the Lord, to graze in green pastures and blue skies, but if a traveling traveler wishes to know the shepherd's name, perhaps the Lord will also be pleased..."

She said, "My name is Anda."

"Ai...Lod." Ai responded blankly with his own name, feeling a sense of detachment—the soft, delicate girl before him had reclaimed her appearance the moment she removed her hood.

In fact, it wasn't a matter of "taking back"... She had simply hidden her face in the shadow of her hood, not revealing it—Anda didn't need Ai to remember her name; she was the owner of her own name.

Among the unrecorded echoes, there was one exception—

- Anda.

Ai had a few guesses in mind, but without crucial information, she couldn't confirm any of them...

He had no choice but to bid farewell to the shepherd and, under the watchful eyes of Anda and her sheepdog named "Little Wolf," slowly continued his journey toward Rusty Village.

No rush, we may meet again soon.

Behind them, the distant prayers echoed through the sky.

-The shepherd and the flock, you and I...

-The shepherd is the robe of the Lord; the shepherd holds the lamb in his bosom and nurses the wounded.

I long for a tranquil valley, a deep field, or a fertile grassland where sheep graze leisurely.

You are the Lamb of God, your white fur lighter than goose feathers, purer than ice and snow.

Her voice, as gentle as a lamb's, was an aria from the heavens, its obscure yet beautiful tone, though difficult to understand, imbued with a sense of sanctity.

We shepherd the lambs, for they are pure and white, covering our sins; their pancreas is made into white soap, to cleanse our tainted bodies.

-When the sheep is oppressed, it suffers in silence until it is slaughtered.

-When the lamb was led to the slaughter, I covered my ears.

-When unspoken silence accompanies me.

-When I open any book that praises those who suffer, I always see snow-white, spotless wool falling from the pages.

Ah! Your name is pure in the Book of Life.

Ah—the name of the lamb is pure and holy…

"Ring ring..."

A shepherd with golden-red eyes, shaking his staff, herds lambs and heads towards the horizon.