Chapter 62: Prayer Ritual 【Forum Content】

Chapter 62: Prayer Ritual "Forum Thread"

#611:

Third day without OP... Miss her...

#612:

(Here to 'pull some weeds') ('Pick up trash') ('Clean the floors') (Wipes sweat and leans by the door waiting)

#613:

No matter what, I hope OP returns safely soon. (prays)

#614:

Let’s discuss this seriously—the Fate that OP seems to worship is likely a High Being who has frequently worked miracles and blessed regular players in recent years. What're the odds you think He would protect OP?

#615:

I doubt it. From what I’ve observed, He doesn’t seem interested in establishing an orthodox church or writing doctrine, so He probably doesn't do special treatment with believers.

#616:

+1.

A friend of mine who’s passionate about studying Prayer Rituals mentioned that a new group of the upper echelon has recently appeared in the Fate Domain, capable of responding to prayers and power deals. They resemble birds and snakes, drifting along Fate's River, serving as Fate's loyalists and followers... But even with such devoted followers, He seems to maintain a laissez-faire style.

#617:

Ah, I study occult studies too and have had the privilege of interacting with this group! They’re quite friendly. Apparently, they’ve been having trouble lately with composing poetry and prose to sing praises to the Lord of Fate's benevolence and power.

#618:

See? A deity like this, who has zero interest in fame, faith, or even writing doctrine—why would He lift a finger to respond to the last-ditch worship of some ordinary person on the verge of collapse?

#619:

Ehh, I agree. His interactions and assistance toward so many players seem more like passing observations or games driven by whim.

#620:

And what’s the biggest characteristic of games?

—It's all about whatever the player feels like!

#621:

Those He chooses by rolling the dice naturally become Fate's favorites. Those without the luck to catch His eye could kowtow till their foreheads bleed and still get nothing.

#622:

So this is the deity of the Fate Domain—everything's down to luck (lmao)

#623:

Honestly, He’s always given me this feeling... friendly but cold underneath.

#624:

How to describe it? It’s like He might, out of a passing fancy or mercy, allow tiny insects or ants to perch on His hand for a sec, lifting the fate that should have fallen—but no one truly catches His eye, no one keeps His favor...

#625:

After all, He’s a god in His nature... His nature remains cold and distant, like the stars you can't touch.

#626:

Don’t just talk about gods—even we Intelligent Life don’t treat other creatures much better, and are probably way crueler.

#627:

On that note, I’m already grateful for Fate’s kindness.

Let's be real—at least I wouldn’t have His level of interest or patience to frequently communicate with, guide, or help random critters.

#628:

"Patience"... Well, maybe the time He spends interacting with players is just the equivalent of taking an eye-blink break?

#629 Gulu Gua:

Hold up, hasn’t the discussion in these last few posts veered way off course?

#630:

Backing this up. We’re only here for OP updates!

#631:

I was about to ask the same thing. If you want to discuss other topics, can’t you just start a new thread? Is the process of starting one really that complicated?

#632:

Agreed... We’re still waiting for OP, and suddenly a bunch of rando lore nerds came in yapping about gods and blessings...

#633:

Just woke up and opened this thread—those last few posts had me glitched out for a solid minute. Where did I even end up? Is this still our usual chill hangout thread?

#634:

#Documenting: the invasion of the Restricted Zone and occult discussion boards#

#635:

If the tryhards/bigbrains/theorizers/know-it-alls from those boards start flooding in, I’m outta here first. (lol)

#636 (OP):

...Wait what?

#637 (OP):

So... this world is actually an "instance," and I’m not student Xiao Luo, but a "player" from outside?

#638:

Caught a thread starter who can communicate normally without the smiley symbol!

№639:

It’s been tough, but we finally have you back, Thread Starter (sobs).

№640:

Welcome back, Thread Starter! Your return is a cause for celebration; you’ve become a celebrity in the chat zone!

№641 Guluwa:

It’s great to see you alive and well! I knew you could make it through the tough times!

№642:

However, it seems like there might be some memory issues?

№643:

Hmm... It looks like amnesia from a suspected mind-wipe after an alternate reality experience...

№644 (Thread Starter):

Amnesia? Maybe...

№645 (Thread Starter):

Today, I found out that my current parents aren’t my biological ones... It’s strange, why didn’t I notice those obvious discrepancies before?

No. 646 (OP):

I actually regarded a woman with one eye sewn shut and limbs as slender and long as spider legs as my "mother";

and a man who looked like a heavy, towering mountain, his back of the head touching the ceiling, without ears, as my "father"...

...

As Xiao Luo typed these words on the forum, her body, which was maintaining a proper posture in reality, couldn't help but tremble. She braced herself against the desk with her elbows to barely keep her composure.

With each word flowing from the depths of her heart, all the abnormalities in her daily life resurfaced in her eyes, which had been long obscured.

Her parents with bizarre appearances and peculiar behaviors;

Old Lady Li, sitting stiffly and rigidly in the darkness, like a corpse;

On her way home, she often felt a constant gaze following her, footsteps echoing behind her, and the sound of children playing and laughing inside the fence of a park that was clearly under construction...

The more she recalled, the colder her spine grew, and the more chilling fear crept over her.

Reviewing her previous posts, she discovered that before losing her memory, she had left a message in a state of confusion, saying "pray to Him," and the object of her prayer—this "Him"—was most likely the Lord of Fate mentioned by other players.

Fate...

Xiao Luo unconsciously caressed the silver snake scale, pondering whether this could be the protection of the Lord of Fate.

Was He the same deity as the owner of the snake scale who had once protected her?

And should she listen to the commands of this unknown existence and find a way to pray to Him?

After some hesitation, Xiao Luo still decided to trust his former self and posted the question—

№652 (OP):

I want to ask everyone, does anyone know how to pray to the Lord of Fate?

№653:

It seems that even with amnesia, the OP has still chosen to walk the path of seeking the favor of fate...

№654:

Such overlapping paths and subtle coincidences, how can they not be considered a guidance of fate?

Perhaps, the OP might really win His favor.

№655:

The OP's question is hard to answer. First, the Lord of Fate has not yet established a formal religious belief system, and His complete name and description are unknown. Second, Prayer Rituals, especially those directed at deities, are very dangerous and complex...

№656:

Some devout believers who are highly favored by the gods can complete their prayers with simple silent recitations.

But there are many more people who are not noticed by the gods, using the most precious offerings, the most valuable ritual materials, the largest-scale arrays engraved, and the most elaborate incantations, yet there is still a possibility of failure.

№657:

Now, the OP himself is suffering from amnesia, and no one knows the OP's specific situation or how much of fate's favor he has.

№658 (OP):

It sounds so complicated QAQ

I’ll jot it down on a piece of scrap paper and take my time to read it later…

№659 (OP):

However, regarding the extent of my favor… perhaps, should, it be somewhat decent?

№660:

Could the OP describe how much favor that is?

№661 (OP):

Well, if I’m not mistaken…

№662 (OP):

A scale of His seemed to have fallen from my eyes?

№663:

!!! Holy crap!

№664:

Oh my god, you’ve encountered a living candidate for divine favor! OP, spill the details!!

№665:

"His scales"... The OP is truly fearless, to be able to say this so calmly!

№666:

This is a divine gift. Considering the current concealment of the Lord of Fate, it must be an ultra-limited edition...

Damn, I really want to get a piece to study! Envious to tears!

№667:

Uh, the crazy scholar upstairs is quite brave too, be careful not to disappear without knowing how one day.

Xiao Luo was startled by everyone's sudden excitement and enthusiasm. Through the forum platform, she could almost hear the howls from beyond the world.

So she quickly summarized her experience on the way home and posted it in the thread.

After reading through the events, the people in the thread fell into a collective silence for a moment, likely processing the information.

The forum page paused, with no new replies for a few seconds, then the refresh rate shot up rapidly.

№672:

At first, I thought the OP was just an ordinary traveler, but now it seems there's something special about the OP...

№673:

Actually, I find it a bit terrifying when you think about it...

Why was He seemingly non-existent, completely invisible, before the OP lost her memory, only to appear precisely when she was in a helpless state, facing dangers she could not resist alone, offering such timely protection?

№674:

Agree with the above... I'm even wondering if everything from the OP entering this instance to losing her memory has been part of His plan all along?

№675:

That's a bit far-fetched, isn't it? The OP is just a casual player who doesn’t seem to be of high rank; what value could she possibly have for a true deity to exploit?

№676:

Have you ever gone fishing?

The OP herself may not have direct value, but what if... something she could attract has value?

№677:

...Terrifying, the shadow cast by a true deity’s scheme makes this entire thread feel even more ominous (scared)

№678:

Even more chilling is that the OP never mentioned any belief in fate before she lost her memory, right up until she became completely unaware.

№679:

Exactly! Is there a possibility that the OP has been acting as bait under the guidance of fate all along, aiding Him in achieving certain goals?

Six, in just this short while, you've come up with so many ideas.

№681:

Basic operations, #forum friends gasp causing global warming#

Xiao Luo looked at the many floor's speculations and jokes with confusion.

Returning to her elementary school level of understanding, she couldn't keep up with everyone's train of thought, leaving her completely baffled about what they were discussing.

Or rather, from the moment that snake scale appeared, Xiao Luo felt as if her life had been thrown onto a roller coaster, speeding into a world she couldn't imagine, one that seemed to belong only in absurd animations.

Fortunately, some old friends who frequented the thread still cared about her, summarizing the most important information for her.

№682 Guluwa:

Don't worry about all that for now, if you're sure that He will respond to you, you can try the simplest Prayer Ritual first.

№683 Guluwa:

As long as it includes the three essential elements of the ritual—clear prayer target, medium, and connection.

№684 Guluwa:

The prayer target is already clear; finding out part of His name isn't difficult. Among those Ability users who enjoy playing with Prayer Rituals, there will always be someone who knows. I can help you make contact.

№685 Guluwa:

And the connection can be understood as the bridge that supports the completion of the ritual, acting as the anchor point for mutual locking between both parties.

The OP already has the scales, which are most likely a direct divine blessing, qualifying them to contact a true deity.

№686 Guluwa:

So, the only thing left is the medium, which acts as the fuel for the ritual. It must be rich in mystical significance and cannot be replaced by ordinary items... This might be a bit tricky.

№687:

Isn't the OP now back to their senses? Why not just open the store and buy one, or check if there's any stock in the system backpack?

№688 (OP):

I just tried, and it seems there's nothing in the backpack, and the store requires an input of the payment password...

№689:

Oh no, you've forgotten the payment password you set? Then having points is useless.

№690 (OP):

Sigh, I'll think of another way. Maybe I can find something suitable around my house or near school, since there are quite a few strange and mysterious things in the area...

№691 (OP):

But how do I determine if an item can serve as a medium?

№692:

The simplest method is to try putting it into the system backpack. If it has a grade, even if it's just E-grade, it's a mystical item.

No. 693:

The OP can pay special attention to blood, the monster's hair, and sacrificial items.

The first two may carry the power of their owners, while the latter, having been venerated for a long time, naturally carries a hint of the divine.

...

As Xiao Luo was immersed in the discussion on the forum, suddenly, a hand that was too slender and elongated, with prominent knuckles, rested on her shoulder.

Xiao Luo's body stiffened. "Mom’s" jet-black hair fell down, brushing coolly against her cheek, carrying a faint scent of dampness mixed with blood.

"Sweetheart..." it whispered, "What are you doing?"