Once upon a time there was a greedy snake

Immediately following was a burst of wailing.

A strong man lay on the ground wailing, a sight that made Du Yi frown – but he could now see that the man wasn't just looking where he was going, but was deliberately committing suicide by lying on the tracks.

"So what exactly is bothering you?"

Du Yi sighed.

"Isn't living good enough? Why seek death?"

"I, I, I..."

The strong savage cried even harder.

"I have let you down..."

"...What are your expectations?"

Du Yi was even more puzzled.

He had absolutely no idea what the savage was saying.

However, as the savage cried out, Du Yi roughly understood why the other party had come to seek death.

It turns out that this savage was the leader of the so-called Ignivas. Because of some recent changes, he felt that he had failed to lead the savages well and had instead ruined the situation. That's why he wanted to come and die. He felt that only in this way could he atone for his sins against his people and even against himself.

"What do you mean by atonement for my sins?"

Upon hearing this, Du Yi shook his head repeatedly.

“I remember telling your ancestors more than once that I am not your god, and I have no real relationship with you…”

Are you going to abandon your people?

The savage, also known as the 36th generation Akakage, raised his head in astonishment.

Is it possible that because he did not do well enough, because the Ignivas had become corrupt under his leadership, the great One God was prepared to punish him by abandoning them?

What does "abandonment" mean?

Du Yi shook his head repeatedly.

“I’ve said this for a long time: we each have our own lives… Don’t you understand what I’m saying?”

"I……"

The Thirty-Sixth Generation Akakage was stunned for a long time before finally understanding the meaning of the snake god before him.

Yes, it's not about abandoning them.

Rather, from the very beginning, the Ignivas were a people forsaken by the gods.

The brief words contained a vast amount of information, leaving the Thirty-Sixth Generation Akakage speechless for a long time—at this moment, he thought of many things, from the past to the present, from the Ignivas people to the Hennu, Katan, Nata, and Mani people…

A jumble of conflicting information surged through the mind of the Thirty-Sixth Akakage, leaving him momentarily speechless.

After this long period of contemplation, the Thirty-Sixth Akakage finally managed to utter only one sentence.

What is the purpose of life?

A somber look once again crept onto the face of the Thirty-Sixth Akakage; it was an unmistakable intent to die.

But at that moment, he heard a sound coming from mid-air.

"That's a good question. I have indeed thought about it."

To the surprise of the Thirty-Sixth Generation Akakage, the ancient serpent in front of him actually spoke and answered.

"I don't know what other people live for, but I'll share my understanding..."

"My purpose in life is simply to have a good meal."

Chapter 106 I just want to eat a good meal

The Thirty-Sixth Generation Akakage could hardly believe what he was hearing.

Before asking that question, he had thought a lot. He had pondered the meaning of life—in his view, it must be an incredibly grand and profound question. Although he himself did not yet know what that meaning was, it was certainly something worth fighting for his entire life.

Therefore, following this line of thought, as a deity, as an ancient god worshipped by the Ignivas since their ancestors, the goals spoken of by this serpent god should be far more ambitious.

It is far grander and broader, a vision that is beyond human reach and a perspective that is beyond human comprehension. It must contain the wisdom accumulated over thousands of years and the profound truths of heaven and earth from ancient times to the present.

Even if we take a step back and assume that it's the worst, it can't possibly be worse than that so-called God of the Sacred Bull, right?

Even the so-called sacred bull god Dehennu is said to bless all living beings and has taken actions to extend his will.

But their serpent god...

Is all he really knows is eating?

"This……"

On the face of the 36th Akakage, an undisguised disappointment had even surfaced. The giant serpent before him gradually lost its dignity and glory in his sight.

Without faith, there is no glory, no perseverance, and no greatness to be seen.

Only knowing how to eat is a thought that only animals have, like antelopes that only know how to eat grass, or saber-toothed tigers that only know how to eat meat...

Is this all there is to the so-called Snake God?

For thousands of years, the people of Ignivas have been worshipping...

"if not?"

It was at this moment that Du Yi, sensing the savage's doubts, spoke up.

"What do you think I should do?"

"I……"

In that instant, many thoughts flashed through the mind of the Thirty-Sixth Akakage.

There are so many things that can be done, too many to count. On a grand scale, he could conquer the world, conquer everything within sight. On a smaller scale, he could at least develop the Ignivas into... well, the latter is part of his personal ambition. But in any case, compared to eating, there are just too many things that can be done.

It shouldn't be this no matter what, right?

"If you say so..."

Du Yi raised its tail and scratched its head.

Have you ever gone hungry?

"Starving?"

The Thirty-Sixth Generation Akakage suddenly paused.

Starvation is something...

He doesn't seem to actually have any.

From birth, he was raised as an elite with considerable talent. After reaching adulthood, he learned a great deal of skills and joined the guard of the previous generation of Akakage, becoming Akakage's successor.

As for becoming the Crimson Shadow, the most powerful and influential person among all the Ignivas, any difficulties he encounters are merely practical matters.

As for going hungry, he had never experienced that.

"No wonder, you really haven't experienced it."

Du Yi shook his head.

“A long, long time ago… now it should be said that it was a long time ago, before I was this old. As you know, snakes hunting is actually very troublesome. They have to stick their heads out and bite their prey, especially swallowing it whole. You don’t know if you will get sick after eating it…”

"In short, there was a period of time when I didn't have anything to eat."

"It was around that time that I realized that when a person is hungry, they can't do anything... Their body becomes weak, their mind becomes muddled, and even the most basic thinking becomes extremely difficult..."

"That was when I ate raw food for the first time."

"I don't remember much about that time anymore. I only remember that it was a lamb, and I swallowed it whole like a snake... It was on that day that I realized how hard it is to swallow something whole. It was on that day that I vowed that I would only eat cooked food from now on. This is my last stand as a civilized person."

"As for the things you mentioned, I have thought about them, but only in theory. After all, those things are too big... If we can't even manage something as simple as a good meal, how can we possibly accomplish anything significant?"

"So when you ask me what I want to do, it's definitely to have a good meal."

"Let's have a good meal," came the same simple answer.

But after seeing the snake god's body without hands or feet, the 36th Akakage suddenly realized that things were never that simple.

The people of Ignivas have always believed that the serpent god is indeed the serpent god, a great deity, and that a deity can do anything, even be omnipotent.

But now, when I hear the snake god talk about the past, when I hear the snake god say that he was still a little snake, and when I realize that the snake god is not actually that powerful.

It wasn't until the 36th generation Akakage realized just how difficult those few words truly were.

Unlike the Ignivas, snakes have neither hands nor feet, which means that there are many things that snakes cannot do—even the simplest task of starting a fire is impossible for them.

But the serpent god did just that, even before all the Ignivas.

The fire magic of the Ignivas originates from the serpent god, a fact known to all Ignivas.

"This……"

The Thirty-Sixth Generation Akakage suddenly felt somewhat dazed.

In that brief instant, the entire history of the Ignivas flashed through his mind, from the era of the Old Kings to the successive generations of Crimson Shadows...

If you can't even manage something as simple as a good meal, how can you expect to accomplish anything significant?

As for himself, what aspects have he done well?

Unbeknownst to them, the 36th generation Akakage had been standing there for a long time, speechless.

Until a fragrance pulled him back from that chaotic thought.

He had never smelled such an enticing aroma before, and he didn't even know how to describe how tempting it was. He only knew that at this moment, action had replaced thought, and almost instinctively, he took the large piece of roast meat and began to devour it.

The Thirty-Sixth Generation Akakage collapsed to the ground, savoring the feeling of fullness that came with a satisfied belly, until his face was glistening with oil and his stomach was bulging.

At that moment, he truly understood what happiness meant.

Even though it has absolutely nothing to do with any grand goal or so-called glory, this sense of fulfillment and happiness comes so solidly.

No complicated thoughts or excessive thinking are needed.

It turns out that he had been walking on the wrong path all along.

It turns out that all along, almost all the Ignivas have been on the wrong path.

It turns out, the snake god was right.

"Is this... a good meal?"

Slightly dizzy from the exertion, the Thirty-Sixth Generation Akakage struggled to his feet. At this moment, he fully understood the meaning of the serpent god before him.

"So what exactly did I just eat?"

"Saber-toothed tiger and mammoth."

Du Yi casually remarked while still grilling the meat.

"How is it? The taste is alright, right? This time it should be much better than the mutton soup last time... After all, I've been practicing my grilling skills for so long, so I have some skill to share."

"Saber-toothed tigers and mammoths..."

The 36th generation Akakage nodded slowly.

At this moment, he had fully comprehended the wisdom of the serpent god.

This is ancient experience accumulated over thousands of years, the truth revealed after stripping away all the complexities.

It is a true inheritance from a deity, given without reservation.

The path to salvation for the people of Ignivas lies within it.

"I understand everything now."

At this moment, the 36th generation Akakage had already realized the truth.

To save all the Ignivas, he wanted to create a world filled with saber-toothed tigers and mammoths.

Chapter 107 I Want to Create a World with Mammoths

Ten days later, in the city of Ignis.

The 37th Akakage has been in power for ten days. This young man was chosen by the 36th Akakage from among his guards. In order to continue the path of the 36th Akakage, this young man is the most proficient in all the paths.