Chapter 28: No Resting Place |
Several decades later.
The God-Descended City had an artificial lake connected to the sea, where an underwater city and the breeding grounds for the Trilobite Men’s offspring were located.
It was somewhat similar to the Divine Well in the former God-Given City, but much larger.
In the lake were several giant, bizarre shrimp. These ocean overlords were harnessed with ropes made from tanned seaweed from the sea, and a few tall, strong Trilobite Men holding bone spears rode them, fighting fiercely in the lake.
“Rise up.”
“Charge!”
As they chanted slogans, the oceanic behemoths beneath them seemed to become an extension of their bodies, moving according to their will.
As the bone spears struck, the two giant claws in front of the bizarre shrimp’s mouth clashed together, causing the blood of all the Trilobite Men watching this fierce battle to boil, cheering and roaring.
In front of the lake, a figure wearing a crown sat on a luxurious, high-backed, carved throne, surrounded by a crowd, watching these young Trilobite Men fight and struggle.
Over the decades, quite a few had gained the wisdom powers, with a few awakening through bloodline and most receiving the power bestowment from the royal family.
The aging Trilobite Men of the royal family bestowed their powers upon their descendants.
Naturally, these people were not as fortunate as the second-generation royal bloodline, able to receive the divine being’s blessing and directly possess mythical creatures like Fusion Monsters. The older generation had not fully passed away, and it was uncertain when they would inherit the Fusion Monsters, let alone if it would even fall to them.
So, some took a different path, taming and controlling bizarre shrimp in the sea or some other creatures.
This allowed them to master some special abilities and possess powerful combat strength or other supporting capabilities.
As the performance ended, these strong and tall Trilobite Men of the royal family walked up the lakeshore and knelt before the throne.
“You are quite impressive.”
“Brave and fearless, able to skillfully use the wisdom powers.”
“Worthy of inheriting the bloodline of the most ancient king and deserving of the royal status.”
Yesael, the second-generation King of Wisdom, stood up and pointed his scepter at them.
He called out their names one by one, “With my identity as the King of Wisdom, I bestow upon you the title of Priest of God.”
From now on, these few young descendants of the royal family truly became priests.
They were also the most powerful group standing at the top of the Yinsai Kingdom, second only to the king.
“Great King.”
“We will forever follow the faith of the divine being and obey your rule.”
Yesael was pleased. The emergence of outstanding individuals among the younger generation made him feel that his Yinsai Kingdom was becoming increasingly prosperous and developed.
He mused to himself, “If these juniors were dispatched to other places, they would surely establish several more cities and expand the territory of the Yinsai Kingdom.”
In the city, wide waterways crisscrossed like rivers, which were similar to roads for the Trilobite Men.
Yesael rode his Fusion Monster, Nini, and led his guards from the waterways towards the royal palace. Along the way, everyone who saw him knelt and paid their respects.
From high up, one could see dense crowds and markets on the main streets.
On the streets, people sold pickled dried fish, sun-dried fish meat, fresh Ancestral Fish, and other foods caught from the sea.
There were also various bone utensils, bone plates, bone bowls, bone knives, and bone spears everywhere.
While these utensils were crafted from the bones of deceased Trilobite Men, the Yinsai Kingdom seemed to have few taboos surrounding this practice. Only the remains of those with noble bloodlines were granted the honor of burial.
The God-Descended City was different from the God-Given City. The most obvious difference was the high stone walls built on the outskirts of the city.
The city walls divided the interior and exterior into two levels. Firstly, those living within the city were basically nobles and their servants. Secondly, those entering the God-Descended City had to pay taxes.
This was a law established by Yesael, the second-generation King of Wisdom, after he issued the legal code and currency of the Yinsai Kingdom.
Outside the city, there were villages of various sizes, where large numbers of merchants working for the nobles, laboring artisans, and fish farmers gathered.
Along this coastline, magnificent cities were built one after another. Currently, the Yinsai Kingdom had seventeen cities.
Social relations became more complex, not only with a stratified rights system but also with various occupations.
Together with the villages of all sizes, the population of the Yinsai Kingdom had reached hundreds of thousands.
This was something unimaginable during the time of Redlichia, the first-generation King of Wisdom.
In this regard, Yesael had surpassed his father.
Yesael returned to the palace, where several noble officials of the Yinsai Kingdom were already waiting for him at the entrance.
“King!”
“The legal code has been revised and erected on the south side of the royal palace.”
Eager to see the revised legal code, Yesael hastened his return to the palace.
Yesael immediately jumped down from his Fusion Monster, Nini, and excitedly followed the group to the south, with a large crowd closely following behind.
The legal code was one of his most important achievements in life.
This was already the seventh revision, and he felt it should be the final one.
In his view, it was a flawless legal code.
The legal code was engraved on a stone tablet outside the royal palace, inscribed with the divine script compiled by Redlichia.
Yesael stood before this stone tablet, touching the words created by his father and God, his eyes radiating with pride.
“Father.”
“I did not disappoint you.”
From returning from outside to sitting on the throne, he felt as if he was floating on clouds.
Yesael was immersed in his own glory.
He had built over a dozen cities, created the legal code, and expanded the Yinsai Kingdom.
He had accomplished what his father had not been able to do. He had established a great kingdom and became a praised king.
Redlichia had placed his divine script stone tablets in his Wisdom Palace, while Yesael placed his compiled legal code, with the walls carved with Yesael’s past adventure epics.
He was very happy today, excited beyond measure.
He stood up from the throne from time to time, circling around the palace, looking at these past deeds of his.
Without warning, a messenger rushed into the throne room.
“King!”
“The Grand Princess wishes to see you.”
Yesael’s expression changed.
————————–
Yesael rushed to another city and entered a building similar to the former bedchamber palace in the God-Given City.
Inside, an elderly female Trilobite Man was waiting for him.
Yesael breathed a sigh of relief, and his originally hurried pace slowed down.
“Sister,” he said, puzzled by her sudden summons. “What prompted you to call for me so unexpectedly?”
Yesael saw his sister, whose appearance closely resembled his mother’s. In the past, she had taken him to catch fish in the marshes and on adventures deep into the sea.
It was she who had made his childhood so perfect and had given him the seed of courage and the courage to take risks.
For Yesael, she was not only his sister but also an elder like a mother.
The Grand Princess looked somewhat melancholic, her eyes constantly gazing towards the other side of the sea.
“Sister,” he asked, his concern evident, “what troubles you so?”
The Grand Princess turned her head to look at Yesael, her eyes showing the same gentleness as the former Queen.
“King,” she began, her voice soft but heavy with emotion, “do you believe we shall ever return to the God-Given Land? Will we gaze upon the faces of our father and God once more?”
“Without question!” Yesael declared, his conviction unwavering. “I remain the King of Wisdom, and the Crown of Wisdom rests upon my brow.”
“The covenant between God and the Trilobite Men has not ended because of this.”
“As long as we atone for our sins, we will naturally be able to return to the God-Given Land.”
Yesael did not notice that his tone and demeanor when speaking had become very similar to Redlichia’s.
The Grand Princess’s eyes shone with radiance as she smiled at her brother.
“That’s good.”
“That’s good.”
The elderly Grand Princess let out a long sigh of relief, as if she had been relieved of a burden.
“If one day, King, you can return to the God-Given Land.”
“Take my bones with you and bury me next to Mother!”
“I~”
“I miss her.”
Yesael hugged his sister, “Don’t be in a hurry. It’s still early!”
“When the time comes, we will return together to see Mother and Father.”
Yesael had just returned to the God-Descended City when news arrived a few days later.
The Grand Princess had passed away.
When Yesael received the news, he stood up abruptly and then sat down in a daze.
He recalled his sister’s words again and was startled to discover the fear and confusion in his own heart.
No matter how much glory he obtained or how great his achievements were.
It could not withstand the inner unease and perplexity, let alone dispel the Trilobite Men’s yearning to return to the God-Given Land.
Moreover, they feared being forsaken by God and regretted their exile from His paradise.
Their will and spirit had lost their resting place. They were like a group of wandering souls drifting at the ends of the earth.
Deep in his heart, Yesael was the same as the other Trilobite Men, still unable to forget returning to the God-Given Land.
In their eyes, that was their final resting place.
Comments 2