Greece brings evildoers.

Chapter 680 Canaan's Foster Father

Several days later, on the banks of the Nile River in Egypt.

Guided by several Jewish elders, Lorne passed through a cave entrance hidden by weeds and entered a temple built inside the mountain.

The temple was dark and dilapidated, with a hundred or so statues of gods of different shapes placed on low stone pedestals.

Because no one has offered sacrifices or cleaned the altar for a long time, the offerings on the table are pitifully few, and the statues are covered with a thick layer of dust, making the whole place look extremely desolate and dilapidated.

But as Lorne stepped into the hall, the braziers around them suddenly blazed on. The statues, bathed in light, seemed to come alive, their stone eyes gazing arrogantly at the tiny figure in the hall, asking:

"Moses, have you repented?"

"Yes, my lord. Through this trial, I have come to understand my mission. From now on, I will obey the divine revelation of the gods and lead my fellow countrymen out of the land of slavery, freeing them from hard labor and allowing them to return to their homeland."

Lorne lowered his head in response, his attitude respectful and humble.

The Canaanite gods nodded in satisfaction and immediately urged:

"Then gather your men immediately and get us out of this hellhole!"

Compared to the newly enslaved Canaanites, these foreign gods had the most miserable lives.

Because humans are consumable beings with short lifespans and widespread existence, their beliefs and culture can be appropriately modified to integrate them into Egypt, making them the children of the Egyptian gods and providing them with faith and offerings.

The Canaanites were thus treated favorably and thrived.

But the cake of faith is only so much; if you take a bigger bite, others will have to take a smaller bite.

After leaving their homeland, the Canaanite gods lost their foundation and needed human faith even more to maintain their divine power and authority.

However, as the Egyptian pantheon multiplied and grew, there wasn't enough divine authority and office for even its own people to share, so naturally they wouldn't easily allow a group of Canaanite gods to come and steal their share.

Therefore, since arriving in Egypt, the Canaanite gods have been constantly marginalized and suppressed, their status has plummeted, and their divine power and authority have been declining.

If this continues, all of them will become nourishment for the Egyptian gods, or they will be enslaved by them forever, never to be able to break free.

Realizing this terrible future, the Canaanite gods, filled with resentment, began to incite their Canaanites to band together and create unrest.

The Canaanites did not disappoint the gods' expectations, fully utilizing their racial talents of being troublemakers and backstabbers, ultimately reaching the point of being universally disliked.

Now, they have turned against the Egyptians and are forced to consider leaving Egypt and returning to Canaan.

And this was exactly the outcome that the Canaanite gods were happy to see.

Next, as long as these Canaanites bring back the idols that house their divinity and divine status to their homeland, they can regain their divine power and authority and gain their freedom.

However, Lorne shook his head and extinguished the Canaanite gods' illusions:
“That probably won’t work. After all, the Egyptian gods are not just for show. They might not care if it were just humans returning home. But if the gods also join the escape, they will definitely not stand idly by.”

Upon hearing this, the Canaanite gods' faces darkened.

This is indeed the case.

Compared to insignificant humans, the goals of gods are far too great.

Moreover, so many Canaanite gods defected together.

Their ancestral god Il had perished, and Prince Baal and Princess Anat had turned to dust. Without the interference of powerful figures within their tribe, such a commotion could not possibly have escaped the notice of the Egyptian gods.

"However, it's not like there's no way out."

"Say it!"

The Canaanite gods, who were feeling somewhat dejected, suddenly brightened up and all looked at Lorne below the stage.

After a moment's consideration, Lorne spoke in a deep voice:

"You can work together to build a sacred ark that isolates perception, and then make a covenant with humanity, so that they will not utter the names of the gods on their escape, but only believe in the one Father—Il! Trading, building cities, getting rid of slavery, returning to their homeland... all of this is in accordance with His last will."

"What's the use?"

"On the day of departure, you can hide inside the Ark of the Holy See. With the triple protection of humanity, the covenant, and the Ark of the Holy See, you will most likely be able to return to your homeland safely."

The Canaanite gods were delighted upon hearing this.

good idea!
Firstly, this would clear them of suspicion that they instigated the Canaanites to do evil and rebel, thus avoiding being held accountable afterward.
Secondly, with this triple protection, as long as they do not easily use their divine authority on the road and expose their location, they can escape Egypt without anyone noticing.

At most, it would just be that Il, the former origin god of Canaan, would bear some unfounded infamy, and the fleeing Canaanites would suffer a bit more torment.

But the gods felt no guilt whatsoever about this.

After all, their downfall was entirely due to that incompetent old bull and the Canaanites' wavering faith.

However, what they did not know was that Il was not only a name for "god" in Northwest Semitic languages, and the ancestor of all gods, humankind, and creation in the religions of the Canaanites and Levant, but also another name for "God".

In the Old Testament, names related to that God, such as El-iloan (the Most High God) and El-shadai (the Almighty God), all derive from the root word El. The Hebrew words Elohim and Yahweh are also related to this.

In other words, as long as Lorne manipulates the contract and obtains the consent of all the Canaanite gods, he can steal everything that originally belonged to Ill without anyone noticing.

Sure enough, the dead are more useful than the living.

Lorne chuckled, continuing to feign concern for the gods, and earnestly reminded them:

"However, the Egyptian gods may not care much about the fate of us humans, but for the ruling pharaohs, this is their property, and they probably won't let go of it easily."

"so?"

"I implore you all to leave some divine power to unleash your divine wrath upon Egypt and create some chaos. I have heard that the current Pharaoh Ramses II cherishes his people. If divine calamity befalls ordinary Egyptians, he may focus on disaster relief and protecting his own subjects, thus relaxing his control over us. After all, the lives of Egyptians are more important than a group of slaves who cannot integrate into their homeland. In this way, I will have the opportunity to rescue my compatriots and bring them back to their homeland."

"Take direct action against the Egyptians? Isn't that too risky?"

The Canaanite gods hesitated, unwilling to easily turn against the Egyptian gods.

Lorne shook his head and said:

"On the contrary, the greater the commotion in Egypt, the more it proves that you are still lingering in the Egyptian divine age. By the time they have quelled the calamity and recovered, we should have already escorted the gods away from Egyptian territory. When the influence of the Egyptian gods has vanished, we can open the Ark of the Sacred Relic, restore your true forms, offer sacrifices to you, and restore your original powers. In an instant, we can use your divine power to escape this prison and return to our homeland!"

What a brilliant example of reverse thinking!

After hearing this well-reasoned analysis, the Canaanite gods felt that the plan was feasible and nodded in agreement.

Soon, under Lorne's guidance and inspiration, the Canaanite gods finalized the Ten Commandments to restrain and guide the Canaanites:
"The first commandment is that you shall have no other gods before me (Il).

The second commandment: You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, El your God, am a jealous God. I will punish the sin of the parents to the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but I will show love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

The third commandment is that you shall not misuse the name of El your God, for El will not hold anyone innocent if he misuses his name.

The fourth commandment is to remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to El your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your livestock, nor the foreigner residing in your towns; for in six days El made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore El blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

The fifth commandment is to honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land your God is giving you.

The sixth commandment is: You shall not murder.

The seventh commandment is: You shall not commit adultery.

The eighth commandment is: You shall not steal.

The ninth commandment is: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

The tenth commandment is: You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, nor your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

After a brief review, the gods each branded their mark on the covenant and then tossed it to Lorne in the great hall.

They were simply worshipping a deceased deity, who was also their former Heavenly Father.

Once they safely evade their pursuers, they are freed from the Ark of the Sacred Relic, and the power of faith accumulated within it will become their nourishment.

After the crucial Covenant was established, the design and requirements for the Ark of the Sacred Heart were quickly determined through discussions among the gods:
1. Make a cabinet of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high.

2. Cover it inside and out with fine gold, and rim it with gold teeth, and inscribe the spell of separation in Hebrew.

3. Four gold rings should also be cast and placed on the four legs of the cabinet, two on this side and two on that side.

4. Make two poles out of acacia wood and wrap them with gold...

After listing a series of demands, the satisfied gods toned down their arrogance and disdain, and looked at Lorne in the hall with gentler eyes:
“Those guys in the sky are keeping a close eye on us, so it’s not convenient for us to show ourselves directly. We’ll leave the matter of the Ark of the Sacred Stones and the covenant with mortals entirely to you. You must complete it within seven days, and we will have the elders of all races fully cooperate with you.”

"As ordered!"

Lorne nodded respectfully and walked out of the temple inside the mountain.

The gods watched the figure disappear into the darkness, their expressions showing a mixture of satisfaction and anticipation.

This little guy named Moses is quite good. He knows how to understand the thoughts of those in power and can come up with effective strategies. He is worth nurturing and can be a spokesperson for the gods.

~~
Seven days later, the Ark was completed.

Under the cover of night, tens of thousands of Canaanites gathered at the entrance of the temple in the mountainside, set up an altar, and carried the sacred ark onto it.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, streams of divine light entered the Ark of the Sacred Reliquary and became attached to the Covenant.

Ten commandments, formed from the will of the gods, appeared in mid-air and were imprinted on everyone's eyes.

In the end, we are still the chosen people favored by the gods.

Those who witnessed this miracle beamed with joy, knelt down, crossed their arms over their chests, and devoutly offered the prayer that the prophet Moses had taught them:
Our Father in heaven
May your name be hallowed. May your kingdom come.

May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Our daily bread is given to us today.

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

They will not lead us into temptation, but will deliver us from evil.

May glory, majesty, power, authority, and victory be yours, from time immemorial to the present and forevermore!
Amen!

Their oaths resounded through the heavens and were also absorbed by the covenant and the Ark of the Holy See, becoming a testament to the establishment of faith between God and man.

Finally, the shimmering golden flames coalesced into a staff, which fell into Lorne's hand.

That is the key to opening the Ark of the Sacred Reliquary, and also the shepherd's certificate.

From this moment on, he will lead this flock of lambs out of Egyptian slavery and back to the Promised Land—Canaan.

Of course, this is on the premise that the person making the oath keeps the promise they made.

Whether it's a god or a human.

Lorne recalled the Ten Commandments inscribed on the clay tablet, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

Then, he turned around, raised the scepter in his hand, and pondered:
“Our Savior has shown us the way of righteousness. Come, my friends, I will lead you home!”

"King of Kings, God of Gods, Saint of Saints, our supreme Father Il, holy, holy, holy!"

As if seeing the dawn after darkness, the Canaanites cheered with excitement. They shouldered their packs, led their families, and followed the shepherds who were guiding them, officially embarking on their journey home.

Meanwhile, unnamed disasters are also spreading throughout Egypt.

Initially, the Nile River turned blood red, fish and shrimp died in large numbers, and the water source became unusable for drinking and irrigation.

Subsequently, unclean creatures such as frogs, lice, flies, and locusts covered the entire land of Egypt. They entered homes, palaces, and people, spreading diseases and destroying crops and food.
Then came a series of disasters, including animal plagues, hail, and herpes, causing immense suffering to the Egyptians and rendering them unable to farm, build, or work.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, large numbers of Canaanites broke free from the control of the Egyptian overseers, followed the guidance of the gods, and went to join the group of the prophet Moses.

As a result, the number of people fleeing increased to hundreds of thousands.

However, the large-scale escape of slaves eventually attracted the attention of the Egyptians.

Just as they were preparing to organize an army to hunt down these runaway slaves, darkness descended unexpectedly, and the Egyptians could not see each other. Panic gripped them, and no one dared to leave their homeland to pursue them.

As a result, Apophis, the serpent of the underworld, gained greater divine power and became even more tyrannical.

After battling his nemesis for three days and three nights, the sun god Ra finally brought sunlight back to the land of Egypt.

As news of large-scale Canaanite exodus reached various regions, Pharaoh Ramses II was enraged and immediately assembled his army, ordering a massive pursuit.

At this very moment, the Canaanite refugee caravan also arrived at the shore of the Red Sea.

As the pursuers drew near, the refugees trembled with fear, their gazes, some subtle and some fleeting, all fixed on the shepherd.

They were merely accomplices; they were the true culprits.

If they surrender now, they may not be punished.

If we capture him, we might even receive a reward.

Hearing the growing commotion among the crowd, Lorne shook his head and gently paddled his cane across the sea.

Suddenly, the seawater, which was tens of thousands of meters deep, seemed to be parted by a pair of invisible giant hands, revealing the open riverbed.

Upon witnessing this scene, hundreds of thousands of Canaanites were shocked. They suppressed their wicked intentions and rushed into the Red Sea, fleeing to the other side as quickly as possible.

Lorne did not stop them. He coldly watched the last person pass by before taking a step forward and his figure disappeared into the Red Sea.

Immediately, the surging seawater lost its support and plunged down, engulfing thousands of Egyptian soldiers who had rushed to the scene.

Looking at the surging sea and the pursuers who had been cut off, the Canaanites who had escaped their fate cheered excitedly, and some even knelt down and kissed the ground beneath their feet.

Lorne, leaning on his cane, smiled and offered words of advice to the celebrating Canaanites:
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is only the Sinai Peninsula, and it has not yet completely broken away from Egyptian control. If we want to truly return to our homeland, we still need to complete the rest of the journey."

Given that the prophet seemed to have truly been granted divine power and had indeed led them to escape their pursuers, the crowd readily agreed and obediently followed behind the shepherd.

It must be said that the Father God [Il] is merciful.

Considering that they were a large, disorganized mob with no combat experience, the Heavenly Father, out of compassion for their weakness and fearing that they would lose heart upon first encountering the enemy, foresaw the danger and led them on a detour. He then guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, ensuring their safety day and night.

But soon, new problems arose.

The refugees complained of their hunger and thirst, and Lorne quickly responded to their requests.

During the day he struck the stone with his staff to make water flow, and at night he prayed to the gods, asking them for a kind of food called "mana".

Mana fell into the camp at night with the dew, appearing as small, round, white frost-like objects. They were shaped like coriander seeds or pearls, and were white. The Canaanites collected the mana, grinding it in millstones or pounding it in mortars, boiling it in pots, and making it into cakes that tasted like fresh oil.

From that day on, the refugees lived a life with plenty of water and food.

Unfortunately, they lost their way in the wilderness.

No matter how far they travel during the day or how they change direction, they will return to their starting point after a good night's sleep.

Furthermore, the rising and setting of the sun and moon were dozens of times faster than they remembered, as if it were a time labyrinth from which they could never escape.

Fortunately, they had enough water and food, so they wouldn't die of thirst or hunger.

From that day on, they wandered endlessly in this strange wilderness, eating mana and drinking cold water for 40 years.

Finally, the wise man in the crowd understood the essence of the problem:
They have already received God's favor and escaped from Egypt; they should not be greedy.

So the wise men gathered the refugees together and confessed to their heavenly father who had sheltered them.

As if hearing their voices of repentance, starlight fell from the sky, paving a path to the outside world.

The Canaanites were overjoyed and rushed out of the cage set up by the gods with shouts of delight.

Having learned from this experience, they finally behaved themselves much better.

Three months later, tens of thousands of men, women, and children from Canaan came to the foot of Mount Sinai, and the Ark of the Holy See, carried by the crowd, shook violently.

Lorne's eyes flashed, and he commanded:
“Stay here and do not move or do anything rash, for I need to go up on the mountain and set up an altar to see God.”

The Canaanites nodded and watched as the prophet carried the Ark of the Holy See alone up the mountain.

A moment later, Lorne looked at the trembling Ark on the altar, smiled, and opened it.

Hundreds of illusory divine figures leaped out from within, preparing to materialize and display their divine majesty.
However, the next moment, everything spun around.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at a radiant courtyard where seventy-two marble pillars, engraved with twisted divine runes, flickered on and off. Under the interwoven light and shadow, the phantom of a temple built of fragrant wood and marble became increasingly clear.

The exterior walls are inlaid with wooden decorative paintings made of cypress, palm, mahogany and other wood species; the fences are decorated with gorgeous carvings and gilded patterns; the 48 gilded bronze columns supporting the structure... Every brick and tile in the temple is extremely luxurious.

Where is this?

Just as they were wondering, the ground shook violently, and thousands of purplish-red fleshy tendrils burst through the air.

And this is the final backdrop in their vision.

~~
Boom!

On the majestic Mount Sinai, smoke and fire billowed, the mountain trembled, and divine radiance manifested amidst thunder, lightning, and dense clouds.

An inexplicable fear flowed through the hearts of the Canaanites, and they left the foothills one after another, setting up camp in the distant wilderness.

Time was ticking away. Forty days had passed since their prophet Moses ascended Mount Sinai. The Canaanites at the foot of the mountain had been waiting for a long time, wondering what was happening up there, and they were growing increasingly impatient.

Since following this Father God, they seem to be controlled in every way, and they don't have a single day of happiness.

Since we're almost at Canaan anyway, why should we listen to the authority of a dead god?

With this in mind, the Canaanites forced Aaron, a descendant of the gods with divine blood, to make an idol for them so that he could lead them on their way.

Faced with overwhelming public outcry, Aaron had no choice but to collect gold earrings from everyone and create a golden calf.

Meanwhile, on Mount Sinai.

Lorne slowly opened his golden eyes, his cold gaze sweeping over the Canaanites who were gradually disappearing into the wilderness.

It is indeed not a good thing to punish someone without first educating them.

But I've already given you three chances, and you're still stubborn. So don't blame me.

After all, you were the ones who breached the contract first.

Lorne slightly raised his hand, and a portal of light opened behind him, from which hordes of strangely shaped angels swarmed out and pounced on the traitors in the wilderness.

The judgment from the end times has arrived!

(End of this chapter)