Chapter 100: Becoming Your God (III)

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Chapter 100: Becoming Your God (III)

After observing them for some time, Shang Ke discovered that aside from farming, the Shu Clan had almost no skills they were particularly proficient in. They lacked proper weapons for hunting, their traps were crude and simplistic, and crafts such as weaving and mending were still at the purely practical stage, with little concern for aesthetics. As for forging, brewing, culture, art, and the like, they could not compare with the major clans at all. This was probably because they had spent so many years displaced and wandering, without a stable environment that gave them enough room to learn and develop.

Shang Ke guessed that the deity they had worshiped in the past was probably connected to agriculture. Their knowledge of soil and plants was exceptionally rich. In only a few months, they had cleared dozens of hectares of mountain farmland and transplanted numerous edible fruits and vegetables. They could take this produce to towns beyond the mountains and exchange it for other supplies, but it still was not enough to completely guarantee that everyone would be fed and clothed.

An evil god governed slaughter and curses, so at most he would normally be suited to rough tasks such as intimidating wild beasts, cutting through mountains, or diverting water. Shang Ke, however, was different. He had mastered numerous skills—weaving, forging, cooking, repairs, medicine, musical instruments, and more—and could selectively teach them to members of the Shu Clan through dreams.

The first person he chose to teach was Tima, the chief’s daughter. She was the future consort of the Yi prince, so establishing a good relationship with her was absolutely necessary. The girl was remarkably brave. When Shang Ke appeared in her dreams, she showed not the slightest fear and was instead extremely excited. Shang Ke asked what skills she wanted to learn, and after careful consideration, she chose weaving and medicine.

Weaving was closely tied to everyday life, while the Shu Clan’s familiarity with plants gave them a natural advantage in learning medicine.

Seeing her choices, Shang Ke decided that this girl really was quite impressive. She was brave yet meticulous, practical and steady, neither greedy for too much nor impatient for quick results. He was more than willing to pass his skills on to her.

Nor was she the only one. Shang Ke also selected other talented children in the clan and taught each of them one or two skills, which they could then pass on to the rest of their people.

As a result, a strange scene often appeared among the Shu Clan: groups of adults would crowd around several children, learning weaving techniques or how to identify medicinal herbs from them.

The Shu clansmen were delighted to discover that the god they worshiped possessed all kinds of skills and taught them without holding anything back. It was the first time they had ever encountered such an approachable deity.

Still, something seemed a little strange about a combat god possessing so many domestic skills. Just look at God Uno’s powerful body and imposing presence—did he look like someone who enjoyed weaving cloth and farming? The abstract mask on his face, the animal-hide skirt around his waist, and the enormous stone hammer in his hand all seemed to proclaim that handicrafts were very much not his specialty…

After pondering the matter for a long time, the Shu clansmen finally reached a conclusion: it was not that their god lacked skill in handicrafts. It was the humans who had originally sculpted him who lacked skill.

Rather uncharitably, they remarked that it was fortunate his previous worshipers had died out, or they would never have had the chance to become God Uno’s followers themselves. Under his careful instruction, the Shu Clan gradually advanced from rough farmers into highly skilled craftsmen, and several exceptionally gifted musicians even emerged among them. Their abilities were still far below Shang Ke’s master-level skill, but by the standards of this world, they were already outstanding. Within only a few years, the Shu Clan had built quite a reputation in the surrounding villages and towns, and several young men even managed to marry wives from other clans because of it.

And all of this had come about under the protection of Shang Ke, this so-called “evil god.” The Shu Clan’s devotion to him had nearly reached its maximum, and the amount of divine power he received continued to grow.

Several years later, news arrived right on schedule that the prince of the Yi Empire would soon be selecting a consort. The Shu Clan also received a place in the selection. Delighted, Chief Shu Wu decided to send seventeen-year-old Tima to the royal capital to participate.

The trip to the royal capital that Shang Ke had been waiting for all these years was finally about to begin.

So that his daughter would not appear too shabby, Shu Wu gave her most of his savings. It could not compare with the wealth of richer clans, but it would at least keep her from losing face. The Shu Clan’s assessment of themselves was still far too conservative. The crops they cultivated had earned an excellent reputation throughout the continent; their clothing had a distinctive style and superb craftsmanship; and their medical skills had already saved many lives. They lived quietly and without conflict on Mount Ateya, but their reputation had already reached the royal capital.

Only after leaving the mountains would they truly understand just how precious the skills Shang Ke had taught them were.

Entering a bustling city for the first time, Tima and her companions were nervous. Every step they took was cautious and restrained, afraid they might do something embarrassing. Yet despite how discreet and careful they tried to be, they still attracted plenty of attention.

The Shu clansmen nearly turned around and left, completely unsure what they had done wrong. As far as they were concerned, they were genuine country bumpkins in the eyes of these city people, and one wrong move could easily invite ridicule and mockery.

Just as they were debating whether to leave the city and take a detour instead, fragments of the surrounding conversation reached their ears. After bracing themselves and listening for a while, they finally realized the situation was completely different from what they had imagined.

“What clan are they from? How come I’ve never seen them before?”

“Their clothes are beautiful. Is that the newest fashion?”

“Oh, they smell wonderful. What kind of fragrance is that?”

“Look at the masks they’re wearing. I wonder what material they’re made from. They’re so exquisite.”

……

…

At some point, the Shu Clan had developed a deep fascination with masks. Wearing them was both an expression of reverence toward their god and a way to display individuality. Their masks varied according to personal taste, eventually developing into something resembling an entire mask culture. Their fragrances, ornaments, and crafted tools likewise benefited from Shang Ke’s guidance. The Shu clansmen did not normally care much about dressing up, but for this journey, they had brought out the finest things they owned.

Hearing the surrounding comments, the Shu clansmen’s nervousness vanished, replaced by an indescribable sense of joy and pride. For decades, they had wandered across the continent and endured countless contemptuous looks. Even after their lives improved, a lingering inferiority complex remained. They still avoided too much contact with outsiders, afraid of provoking trouble and forcing the clan to relocate yet again. Now they had finally emerged from the mountains with anxious hearts, fully prepared to face discrimination—only to receive praise instead.

【Raise your heads and show everyone the very best of yourselves. You do not need to concern yourselves with other people’s opinions, because you possess some of the finest qualities in this world: diligence, kindness, unity, and the courage to face any hardship.】

The words God Uno had once spoken echoed through Tima’s mind. She vaguely realized that their god had given them more than skills.

He had also given them confidence and dignity.

Tima slowly raised her previously lowered head, a beautiful light shining in her eyes.

In a restaurant not far away, a golden-haired man in white robes leaned beside a window and watched the Shu clansmen enter an inn with considerable interest.

“If you’re so interested, why not go meet them?” A red-haired man beside him sniffed the fine wine in his cup, his phoenix-shaped eyes narrowing teasingly.

The golden-haired man turned his head and raised an eyebrow. “That was exactly what I had in mind.”

The two promptly settled their bill and headed into the same inn where the Shu Clan was staying.

That evening, Tima soaked in a bathtub while idly playing with a wooden carving in her hands.

The carving had been made in the image of God Uno. Tima adored it and always kept it with her.

This frustrated Shang Ke enormously. His divine power was attached to that carving. It was one thing for Tima to carry it against her body every day, but why did she also have to take it out and play with it while bathing?

First there had been burly men touching his dick, and now there was a beautiful girl bathing with him.

Being a god really was not a profession for anyone who wanted to preserve their dignity.

Shang Ke detached his consciousness from the wooden carving and decided to go outside for some fresh air.

He had barely floated out of the room when he encountered a handsome golden-haired man and a beautiful red-haired man coming toward him. The golden-haired man looked vaguely familiar. After following them for a moment, Shang Ke suddenly realized who he was.

Wasn’t this Prince Yitamo, one of the protagonist candidates?

In other words, Tima’s future husband.

Shang Ke immediately turned around and floated after him into the room, heading straight for his right hand.

Yitamo sat down at the table, interlaced his fingers, and rested his hands casually on the tabletop.

Shang Ke leaned around his arm and carefully inspected his palm. Only after confirming that the familiar mole was absent did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

He had absolutely no desire to end up fighting Tima over a man.

Having finished identifying him, Shang Ke was just preparing to leave when he suddenly realized that at some point, his spirit form had become visible. Two translucent hands were clinging to Yitamo’s arm, while his mask-covered head was practically pressed against the prince’s chest.

He looked very much as though he were attempting something indecent.

Shang Ke looked up and, sure enough, found Yitamo staring strangely at him with a pair of bright blue eyes. Meanwhile, the red-haired man beside him burst out laughing. “Where did this little god come from?”

Shang Ke had no idea how he had been exposed. Logically, as long as he did not wish to show himself, no one should have been able to see him at all, much less force his spirit form to manifest.

At that moment, Shang Ke suddenly felt an unfamiliar surge of divine power flow toward him. He turned his head and met a pair of smiling, foxlike eyes.

Shang Ke was secretly startled.

This red-haired man is a deity?

“Who are you?” Yitamo propped his chin on one hand and tilted his head, examining this uninvited divine spirit.

He wore a mask and, apart from an animal-hide skirt, his entire body was bare. A certain pillar-shaped appendage was faintly visible beneath the hide…

Was this wild appearance some peculiar fetish of the people who had sculpted him?

Yitamo did not believe he was an ancient god. Any ancient deity capable of surviving to the present should possess tremendous divine power. There was no way one would be as weak as the little god before him, who could not even conceal his own spirit form.

With his face safely hidden behind a mask, Shang Ke felt no need to be embarrassed. Under the scrutiny of both men, he calmly straightened up.

Before he could introduce himself, however, both men’s expressions suddenly became extremely strange. The red-haired man once again erupted into earth-shaking laughter, pointing at Shang Ke as he doubled over.

What the hell? Am I standing strangely?

Shang Ke looked himself over. He might not be wearing much, but his body was pretty damn good.

“Hahahaha…” The red-haired man laughed so hard that tears came to his eyes, repeatedly slapping the table.

Even Yitamo could no longer suppress his amusement.

Shang Ke was completely baffled.

…?

“Hahaha! You—you’re way too funny!” Still laughing, the red-haired man pulled a mirror from inside his clothes and held it up in front of Shang Ke’s face. “Haha! Don’t you ever look in a mirror?”

Shang Ke looked into the mirror and saw a ferocious mask reflected back at him. After staring for a moment, something miraculous became apparent: the terrifying face on the mask was not remotely as fixed as it should have been. Its brows tightened and relaxed, cycling through expressions resembling confusion, melancholy, horror, bitter resentment, and all manner of other emotions.

What the hell is going on? Since when can a mask change expressions?

【This is the effect produced when the Perfect Expression Pack activates through the mask. Please do not question the quality of the System’s products. Its beautifying function will absolutely not disappear merely because there is a mask in the way.】 The System’s voice suddenly sounded in Shang Ke’s mind.

You call this fucking “beautification” ?! Could you possibly screw me over any harder? Give me back my rugged, heroic, imposing image overflowing with wisdom!

In overwhelming fury, Shang Ke raised his middle finger!

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