Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"Hmm?" Phaethon, who was standing behind him, raised his head. "Why is that sound so strange? It seems to be coming from all directions. Are you using your psychic energy to speak? You're so lazy! You'd rather use your psychic energy than even move your mouth?"

"For me, moving my mouth is actually more troublesome. I'm still essentially a construct, so you see, when the bug happened earlier, it was able to eject you two, but not me. Because I can't get out yet. Putting that aside, what about those poor skinny monkeys?"

"Tsk, since they've discovered it, then let it be. Since they've been discovered from the beginning, there's nothing we can do. Tell them to back off and not disturb us while we're grilling. I threw up all my lunch and I'm starving. I'll deal with them after I'm full."

Chapter 426 Offerings to the Gods

"God, please come! God, please come! God, please come!"

Circling the mountain, the army of angels ignored their presence and landed in the open space on the top of the mountain.

When he landed, Shangluo noticed a few things placed on the open space in front of him.

There are three small round balls, supported by leaves and placed on the ground. One is white, one is blue, and one is yellow.

"what?"

"It's some kind of food," Apollonia replied. "I asked Doudou to check it out before I came down. It's not dangerous, so I left it as it is."

Shangluo glanced at the residents of the Water Continent not far away. Their eyes were full of anticipation. It looked like there was nothing wrong with it, but he didn't know what it was.

When he got to the front, he half-knelt down and measured it with his hands - it was the same size as a billiard ball.

"Ah, I see. Perhaps some of them still remember the offering of the three snake pills, and so feel that a similar sacrifice should be made to the gods."

"It sounds like some kind of sympathetic magic." Phaethon shook his head. "Before the modern era, this understanding was also common in our civilization. The Aztecs worked tirelessly, believing that only by offering sacrifices to the sun could they maintain its motion. Since they didn't understand how the sun operated, they could only offer similar causes to it in the hope of receiving similar results. This is sympathetic magic. These residents here may have had the pleasure of witnessing snakes offering you snake pills, but they didn't know what they were, so they thought you might like round things."

"Hmm but what is this?"

"Let me see, move aside."

Shangluo moved her to another position and asked Phaethon to half squat down.

She first picked up the yellow ball and squeezed it with her hands. It was surprisingly elastic. Then she put it in front of her nose.

Shangluo pressed her wrist: "Be careful, it might be poisonous."

"It's okay. When it comes to experience in the spirit world, I have quite a bit. The symbols and essence of objects in the spirit world tend to be consistent. Inedible things usually look inedible, just like mushrooms have warning colors. Except for some very poisonous creatures. This..." She sniffed.

"How about it?"

"It's okay, it's edible. This is a Vermilion Fruit, the so-called 'fruit from a foreign land'. It's just that this one seems incredibly large. Normally, Vermilion Fruit is only the size of pomegranate seeds, and you can eat a bunch in one bite. This one is surprisingly the size of a billiard ball."

"Wait, if I remember correctly, this is the one Persephone ate in the underworld?"

"Yeah, that's it. That's why I said it's usually only the size of a pomegranate seed."

"Wait, is this a problem?" Shangluo knew the sequel to the story—Persephone was nearly rescued from the underworld. But because she ate a fruit from the underworld, she became inextricably linked to it, forcing her to spend four months of the year there. Her mother, the goddess of the valley, was frustrated and lost, so only those four months of the year were unsuitable for farming; those four months constituted winter.

Of course, this is a Greek myth. The Mediterranean climate is mild, so the Greeks considered winter the only unsuitable time. Being stuck in the desert every day is unsuitable for farming, and Persephone there probably felt overfed and didn't want to go any further.

"So can this be eaten?" Shangluo asked.

"Please, big brother, you've already accepted something as valuable as the snake pill, so why would you care about this little fruit? After all, you've transcended the Three Realms and are no longer within the Five Elements. The karma of this world can't have any real impact on you—of course, whether it will have any impact on the snake pill is hard to say. After all, although you're from the upper realm, the snake pill is an offering from this world."

"It really is useful to have a professional consultant."

"I'm getting your overtime pay, so of course I have to work. We in my family believe in seeing things through to the end."

"So," Shangluo continued, "Mr. Advisor, regarding these three 'Vermilion Fruits'—even though none of them are red, just because you call them Vermilion Fruits, they are Vermilion Fruits. What are your opinions on how to deal with them?"

"I don't know," Phaethon replied bluntly, "but it's good to ask. You see, Apollonia is useless at this moment."

"I don't have any magical weapons! I don't have any magical weapons!" Apollonia said, holding her toga. "My magical weapon is the Oracle. I can't move the Oracle here. But I have Doudou now, which is good. They're much more obedient than those teams. I can wear my toga when I go out."

As she was speaking, two Tianyi nobles came close to her left hand like wings, helping her hold up the hem of her toga from behind.

Shangluo didn't know why the Tianbing had to keep praising something that could be solved with a big pin, but it seemed as cool as a floating cannon, so he didn't ask any more questions.

"Come, ask." He stepped aside and stood with Apollonia when Phaethon began to ask.

Following the same pattern, this time he used the spear to circle the three fruits. The three fruits were covered in a green light, and the fields in the distance also appeared green, with a blue line of communication connecting the two.

"Okay, no problem." After withdrawing his magical power, Phaethon stood up holding the Spear of the Sun.

"It's gone now? How did you know?"

"First, there's no red cause and effect. That means no sudden incidents will occur, which means this 'storyline' can continue, rather than being 'killed by events.' As long as it can continue, any story has the opportunity to turn, so there's no need to worry too much. The green stain shows its source. It must have been grown in the fields of a certain village. It's their own crop, not picked wild fruit. Crops are naturally safer. So it's definitely not poisonous. The Vermillion Fruit should taste quite delicious. Whether you eat it depends on the pros and cons."

"Hmmmm." Shangluo suddenly felt more relaxed, just like finding a guide. "Well, since it's edible, what do you think, sir? Should I eat it or not?"

"Based on my gameplay experience and actual experience, accepting any gift will definitely trigger an event chain, as it signifies a certain degree of sympathetic connection between you and the other party. Persephone is bound by this chain, unable to leave the underworld. However, for you, your existence is far superior to these inhabitants, and your true self will definitely not be bound by the chain. At most, it will be your 'incarnation' this time."

"Incarnation? What does that mean?"

"What I mean is—these residents don't actually know who you are, right? There were four celestial beings present. Although you were still wearing your clothes from last time, the formal attire worn by the two Jinyiwei was not much different from yours. So, they might not have recognized you. They simply thought you possessed god-like powers, and presented you as 'worthy of divine worship.' But how they perceive you depends entirely on how you describe it. So, whether you tell them your true identity or make up a random one to distance yourself from your 'creator' identity is up to you. I suggest you use your avatar when dealing with them. That way, if any problems arise, you can just pretend you weren't there, and your true self won't be held responsible."

"Oh~~" Shangluo couldn't help but applaud her, "Professional, so professional."

"Hey, using fake identities like avatars, suits, and masks is the most basic form of empathy blocking. I feel weird about you praising me here. So, have you decided to eat it?"

"I'm starving, and I'd like to ask a guide. I'll take your offer. Tell the heavenly soldiers to set up the grill, and I'll grill it."

Take a break today, and update three times tomorrow

Chapter 427 Ignition

"Hmm, would this thing taste good grilled?"

The three red fruits were placed on the grill, which was considered an acceptance of the tribute. From a distance, the water tribesmen watched. The heavenly soldiers only set up a cordon around the area and did not stop them from continuing to worship nearby.

"Just let them watch?" Apollonia stood by the grill. "It feels weird. Hello? Is everything okay?"

She still asked Phaethon next to her. After all, Phaethon was the professional; it was Phaethon who was out on the field all day, while she herself rarely went out. She was in the same state as Shangluo before, just staying where she was.

"It's okay." Phaethon, who was unwrapping the charcoal fire, said, "You don't know if you've never used it. The path indicated by the Spear of Apollo doesn't indicate good or bad luck. It indicates hope, the expectation that things will continue to develop. Follow the sympathetic lines revealed by the Spear of Apollo. Good and bad things may happen, but you will definitely not reach a dead end."

"Ah, so this is hope. No matter how things go, it always points forward?"

Phaethon nodded and said, "So you, the Pythian priest king sitting in the oracle, you just sit there and you will never understand the power of the Spear of the Apollo."

"So that's why you gave yourself away?"

"."

"Aha, ahaha." Apollonia looked at her and laughed dryly.

"Don't laugh." Phaethon looked at her. "I did make the wrong choice. But I don't think the situation is hopeless now. On the contrary, I feel that there is more hope now. Although I feel a little sorry for my father, I think there is more hope here. The Spear of Apollo is not wrong. It has indeed guided me to a more hopeful path."

"Is that so?" Apollonia stopped smiling and began to ponder. "So it's not just about good fortune and bad luck, there's also power."

"Are you enlightened?"

"I understand, I finally understand. As expected, I still have to come out and see to understand. So, although our current choice may temporarily lead to a bad situation, there will be hope in the end."

"That's right." Phaethon nodded. "So I said, the Spear of Apollo isn't used to predict good or bad luck. It might lead to bad things later. But it will ultimately lead you to a longer path in the storyline. No matter what, as long as things keep going, there's always hope. A temporary good or bad luck doesn't matter."

"Ah, I see. So the path we're choosing now is, in some ways, the best option?"

"In the long run, yes."

"Then eat, eat, eat. What about the red fruit? Let's each have one. What color do you want?"

"They're all the same. If you don't believe me, try it yourself."

"?" She reached out and touched the blue fruit, and her hand was stained with blue paint.

"What? It's dyed, huh? It's actually still red, a regular vermilion fruit. But why would they dye it?"

"Perhaps it was to imitate the color of the three snake pills. But there may be other reasons."

"Then I want to eat the yellow one. This yellow one has a floral scent. The dye used must be extracted from some kind of flower."

"Do you want me to cut it for you?" Shangluo asked her, "or do you want to cut it yourself?"

"Don't cut it, just put it on the grill whole."

"You have to cut into pieces before roasting a lamb kidney, how can you roast such a big fruit without cutting it? The outside will be burnt and the inside will still be raw."

"No, I want to bake it slowly myself."

Shang Luo looked at Phaethon, "Are all the people in your family so stubborn?"

"She's the only one like that. Even I don't just eat olives and grape juice. When I'm out on the move, I usually eat whatever's available, and even some game is not uncommon."

"Okay, okay." Shangluo shook his head and handed the yellow one to Apollonia. "Hold it yourself. Stand aside first. We're going to light it."

"Woohoo! BBQ time, BBQ time!"

"Oh right." Shangluo suddenly remembered something. He asked Phaethon, "Since you've eaten red fruit, what does this thing taste like? Isn't it like berries? Berries explode when roasted."

"It's really like a berry that you can't even cut open. It should taste similar to an apple, but it's solid inside, otherwise it wouldn't feel so solid."

"Baked apples?"

He had never eaten baked apples before. He had thought that if it was berries, it would be similar to baked eggplant. If it was baked apples...

"Then just slice it up and use it as a baked potato."

He took out a peeling knife and made a slight cross cut on the blue fruit in his hand. Then he squeezed it gently, and the whole fruit came out. The red fruit fell on the chopping board, and not much juice leaked out.

"It really feels solid." He held the knife in his hand and cut as he moved it, cutting the red fruit into thin slices.

"Eh?" He paused for a moment after cutting halfway through. "Phaethon, is the red fruit a fig? Why doesn't it have a core?"

"The Vermillion Fruit originally has no core."

“How can you sow seeds without seeds?”

"Eh? This." Phaethon thought about it. "I really didn't know about this because I've never seen anyone cultivate vermilion fruit before. For example, the vermilion fruit that Persephone ate grew on vines on the rock wall. It seems these residents are quite interesting. They actually have a way to cultivate vermilion fruit. By the way, please cut mine too. That knife is really convenient."

Shangluo cut the small fruit, which was as big as a billiard ball, into slices in no time.

He looked at Apollonia and said, "Just to confirm, you don't want to slice it, just grill it directly?"

"Hmm."

"Then stand back." He stepped aside and walked to the grill. Phaethon had already unpacked the charcoal and put it in. This was commercially available charcoal specifically for barbecues. This type of charcoal had a more stable flame, was easier to ignite, and burned longer without causing a large flame.

But even good charcoal needs to be ignited, and it is difficult to light a light spot.

"Oh, oh, oh, time to light the fire." They were about to have barbecue. Although it wasn't greasy barbecue, Apollonia stared at it excitedly. She watched Shangluo fold a piece of newspaper slightly, place it on the charcoal, and then take out a match.

He pointed the match at the grill and struck it with a "prick". A small flame danced on the tip of the match. He only needed to throw it into the stove to light it.

(Aquatic) "Ahhhhhhhh! It's fire! It's fire!"

(Shui Tribe language) "Elder Uma, look! It's fire! Why are the gods using fire? Elder Uma!"

(Shui Tribe language) "It's Fire!" Elder Uma stretched out a skinny finger, "Fire is guilty! Why! Ah!! My father, our shaman, he clearly said so! But why! Why would a holy god ignite the fire of sin!"

(Shui Tribe language) "Elder Uma! Elder Uma! Elder Uma has been frightened and passed out! What should we do? Lord God! Lord God! Please save him! Please save him!"

Chapter 428 Water Tribe

"What are they arguing about?"

The fire was already lit, and the charcoal burned quietly into a red color, without smoke or flames. In fact, Shangluo had prepared some alcohol to start the fire, but today he was lucky and it lit without alcohol.

But just as the fire started—or rather, just as he struck the flame of the match—the inhabitants who had been watching from a distance began to scream, and one of them, a particularly skinny one, fainted while screaming. After he fainted, the others began to spin around faster, and some even came up to the heavenly soldier to speak to him.

"What's going on?" He wiped his hands on the towel and instructed the former young man next to him, "Go ask what's going on. Do you understand?"

The former young player made an "OK" gesture.

The golden gloves pushed aside the white gloves and appeared in front of everyone, having a brief exchange with them.

"Huh? God said fire is evil, but God is using fire, so his brain shuts down?"

The former youngster nodded. Shangluo didn't let him talk in his head, but the former youngster could only speak there, or make a phone call. Otherwise, he could only use gestures.

"What nonsense! When did I ever say that fire was evil? I didn't give them any doctrine or oracle or anything like that. I didn't even speak to them, only to the snakes."

"This is a big problem," Apollonia immediately warned. "Someone is forging an oracle. Such a person is punishable by death in Greece. The oracle belongs to the oracle, and the interpretation of the oracle belongs only to the oracle. Randomly fabricating an oracle and interpreting it one's own way is tantamount to rebellion."

"It's a serious matter indeed. As expected, some things are easier to see once they're exposed. Former young player, let them explain who said it."

Soon, several heavenly soldiers came over, carrying a dizzy man. His dizziness was dispelled the moment he saw Shangluo.