Shadow of the Evil God

Cesar was still in excruciating pain: his legs, stomach, chest, arms, head, everywhere. The shadows that had once compensated for his injuries had drained away like the blood drained from an animal during slaughter, and it was unknown how long they would replenish. The world before him was blurry, but at least it wasn't a blur caused by excessive complexity; he simply couldn't see clearly.

He coughed up a pool of blood, and then saw the Faceless One leaning over and kissing him softly.

Lips captured lips, and a deft tongue pried open teeth. An absurd amount of blood gushed from her throat, overflowing at one point and flowing down the corners of his mouth.

The dog had done this to him before, and Cesar hadn't noticed anything unusual. Now, his body was numb and hungry, and as he accepted her nourishment, a feeling of fatigue and satisfaction suddenly filled his body. The feeling was subtle, like a baby receiving breastfeeding from its mother, and for a moment he wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground.

"I told you to go and witness it yourself, Nauzog." Diana's voice sounded beside him. She tried to maintain her composure, but she couldn't hide her nervousness, her emotions almost stretched to a thread.

"One of our theories about the world," she added, "is that there are always phenomena that you can't understand and can't be explained by existing theories. No matter how deep this person fell into the curse, he would eventually struggle out. I didn't believe it at first because he kept moving forward recklessly, sometimes even running wildly. His path was without any careful consideration or self-restraint. Before him, his predecessors would have completely lost control."

What? He thought he was moving forward cautiously, but in fact he was running forward recklessly?

The dog stood up and licked the corner of her blood-red lips, her waist bent like a bow. The night air rushed into Cesar's slightly open mouth, and he took a deep breath.

Cesar reached out to support Gouzi's arm and slowly tried to rise. Although his entire body was numb and aching, he wanted to lie in a tent in the barracks, not amidst the charred, bloody ruins of a town. He stretched out his body, enduring the excruciating pain that pierced his body, and managed to lean against a pile of collapsed rubble. Phils leaned against him, looking drowsy and hazy. He pressed her brow and told her not to sleep yet.

"I can't understand..." The beastman named Nauzog growled softly, his brow furrowed. "You've clearly been swept away. Your personality and memories will be shattered, scattered everywhere like dust blown by the wind. Then you will merge with the remnants of the other cursed, forming a pile of fragmented consciousnesses. Each one is you, but also not you. It's one person, and also many people..."

"Yes," Cesar said, "I vaguely felt it, but I clarified the difference between me and them. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Some paths can be tempered by subjective willpower, but not the path of a true god." Nauzog hissed, "Who are you?"

"I don't think there's much point in asking about what's already happened," Cesar shook his head. "Why don't you just tell me what to do next?"

"This is about revelation and destiny!" Nauzog roared. "But whatever, there's no need for me to pursue it now. I wasted an entire night, suffered such injuries, and gained nothing. In consideration of the miracle you showed me, I will not pursue you now, but we'll meet again in the future..."

"Do you know that Legosius is very dissatisfied with beastmen like you who are wreaking havoc and disrupting order?" Cesar raised his voice.

"Legosius? That sinister and arrogant creature has long held a grudge against me." The beastman growled, "But you bear no mark of the White Nightmare. What did you negotiate with Legosius? Some kind of deal? Were those annoying goblins your reward?"

Cesar realized that Nauzog and Legosius were of similar status. If old Thane could control Legosius, there was no doubt he could control Nauzog as well. "I don't know what the situation was like a thousand years ago," he said, "but in that era, the prophet who summoned the White Nightmare was a noble city lord, ruling over a prosperous port fortress. He maintained his cult not by plundering his subjects, but by reaping the wealth from a revitalized economy, using a steady stream of tax revenue to secure offerings and materials that he didn't have to personally search for or plunder."

A trace of doubt flashed across Nauzog's face. "At this moment, can the prophet still maintain his rationality?"

"Shouldn't it be?"

"When these signs appeared a thousand years ago, the old king of the Kuna people had already fallen into madness. Forget caring about the city and his people, he couldn't even maintain a connection with his own bloodline."

"Even old Thane can't do it. Perhaps they each have their own strengths," Cesar said lightly. "Since I'm taking over these annoying goblins, could you please stop wreaking havoc and go to Noyen to discuss things with the city lord himself?"

"That's all right," Nauzog said. "Then where are you going?"

Chapter 208 Can You Give Me a Kiss?

This thing looks like it's targeting him, Cesar thought.

Cesar weighed the pros and cons. "I'm heading north to Gular Fortress to resist the Imperial Army. Meanwhile, I need to guard against more ferocious beastmen like you crossing the border from the south," he said. "If you look forward to our future reunion, you can give me some blessings and advice, Nauzog."

"Blessings? Opinions? You're so nonchalant about negotiating terms, human." Nauzog's face was grim. "You and Legosius really seem to be the same."

"Don't you think this just means like repels like?" Cesar said nonchalantly. "Legosius originally tried to seduce me into wearing the crown. The conditions it offered were too good to be true, but I still refused. I find it and all its temptations untrustworthy."

Nauzog nodded. "Very well, then. The corpse eaters will move south along your path. If you truly wish to resist the southward horde, the tribe with its flesh golems replenishing its war fuel will be the greatest threat. Our sacrifices don't demand much from mortals, at least not compared to theirs. Besides—" it glanced toward the north of the town, "the fortress in the north is crowded with complex evil thoughts. I'm afraid it's not a good place to stay. If you want to gain a foothold, a bloody massacre is essential."

......

Cesar had once thought he wouldn't get sick again, wouldn't be paralyzed and half-dead like he had been after escaping Neuen's castle. But now, he was indeed not much different from the dog pit in Neuen. His condition was slightly better than then, but not much better. During his journey across the wilderness, he found a cave as a lair, paralyzed and half-dead inside, and he also huddled in the carriage during the daytime march.

He knew he could recover on his own and didn't want to burden anyone else, but people took turns caring for him during his recovery. Initially, it was Altinia who, with a strange interest, wouldn't allow him to stretch his arms or even move his body, just lie still and accept the food she brought him. Looking back now, Cesar thought the princess had once wanted to tie him to his sleeping mat, her limbs fixed in place. Next, it was Fils, whose soul and life were replenished by Diana, but she soon collapsed again, like a mechanical clock that had run out of steam.

On the day when he felt able to eat on his own, Diana came, tired from doing César's duty on the moor, and César stood up and took the tray from her.

Seeing him stand up, Diana sighed and said, "You've recovered well, Cesar, but unfortunately, the duties you thought you could not replace have been fulfilled by me."

"That's remarkable, Miss."

"Of course it's remarkable," she said nonchalantly. "It's something I've been accustomed to since I was a child. I once led many young wizards through the wilderness, explaining ancient taboos and rules to them, and I was respected. Unfortunately, all that respect was later wiped out with the school's decision."

"So you would have had a high position and widespread popularity in Istria," said Cesar.

"It's only natural," Diana smiled. "However, I've been away from Itris for a long time, and this army hasn't yet stabilized. Just don't ask me to move to another place."

Cesar took the tray in his hand and went to get the cushion.

"You seem to be having trouble standing up," she said, studying him.

"As long as you can stand up, it's okay." Cesar replied.

She touched his arm, her gesture unusual. She didn't have the force of Her Royal Highness, who had demanded he lie still and not even stretch his arms, nor did she have the unwavering compliance of the Faceless One. "You're still shaking, Cesar," she said. "Though you've made up for your injuries, you're still very weak. You must understand this, and not let others' fatigue get you carried away. You've already spent days in bed and in the carriage; a few more days won't be a big deal."

"Aya's attitude for the past two days was like she wanted to tie me to the bed. Later, she wouldn't even let me talk. She kept talking about the history and culture of the Kasar Empire until I fell into a deep sleep. Phils lost consciousness as soon as she brought the tray over, like a broken spring. You also looked like you were about to..."

"Well," Diana said, her eyebrows twitching. "Before you start complaining about my inadequate work, I'll sit down and talk to you for a while, but you still have to lie down. I ask you to stay in bed."

When Diana helped him lie back down, Cesar said he didn't want to talk, he just wanted to listen to her, so her eyebrows couldn't help but twitch again.

"I just found some historical records of the Corpse Eaters," she began. "This tribe of beastmen, like mercenaries, makes the battlefield their home. As long as there is war and conflict, they don't care where their tents are. The Werewolves are a group of beastmen who can clearly coexist with other creatures. They are a group of hunters living deep in the forest. However, the Corpse Eaters are not rural hunters. They don't hunt. They replenish the fuel of the flesh golems, just like humans mine and cut down trees."

"Treating the flesh and souls of living beings as fuel?"

"Yes, Nauzog's sacrifice was intended to summon it into the world, and the shaman destroyed a town and the villages along the way. In fact, the damage they caused along the way was not as great as the damage a nearby garrison caused to the town under its jurisdiction. But if it were the corpse eaters,

They will mine living beings like mining veins, using some as fuel and others to create more flesh golems. Thus, they will need more and more fuel.

"My head is about to explode," Cesar said. "Why don't we talk about something else?"

"From now on, you still have to consider how to deal with them," Diana said. "Although there is intelligence that the casualties caused by the corpse eaters are too heavy, and the imperial army has to block their route, I think that as long as the chancellor realizes where they are going, the empire will not make further sacrifices to continue to block them. The situation in the Kasar Empire is very delicate right now. If one side suffers heavy losses in a war other than the War of Succession, they will feel that they are in a serious crisis in the truly important war."

"It's so realistic," Cesar said.

"Speaking of the practical part, please show me your injuries, Cesar. I need to assess when you can get up."

He unbuttoned his shirt and showed her the huge tear that stretched from his throat down to his abdomen, with a few misty shadows in it.

"This wound looks like it connects to another world..." Diana hesitated, running her hand along the edge of the scar. "Why do you always manage to break free from the curse? I really can't understand..." Before Cesar could react, she suddenly stopped talking. One moment she was gently stroking the cracked skin, and the next moment she withdrew her hand without a trace. "It should be healed soon," she said.

"I have a question," Cesar suddenly said, "Theoretically, shouldn't Gouzi be in charge of this? Why hasn't she ever been here?"

"I think," Diana studied him, choosing her tone, "that if we let the Faceless One in, something might happen in the tent because of her nature that none of us want to see...something that would affect your recovery."

"You have no confidence in my character?"

"It's there in every other respect, but not in this."

"A wounded soul needs a kiss to soothe it, I think—" Cesar began to argue.

"No, the Faceless One can't come over now, and I don't think you'd be satisfied with just a kiss," Diana denied. "This is the part you can't stand the most. Your laceration is already dramatic enough, and I don't want to see it extending to your thigh the next day."

"Will you give me a kiss, Diana?"

"Hmm...hmm?" Her eyes widened. "What are you talking about so casually?"

Chapter 209 I don’t know, I don’t know either

"Remember when you asked me why I kept nothing secret from you?" Cesar asked her, "I said it then, and I would say it the same way now."

"Does being open about anything mean saying things like this, Cesar?" Diana asked him. "Have you ever thought about what you can and can't say?"

"I don't think it makes any difference," Cesar replied. "Even when people share a bed, they're worriedly hiding things from each other, wearing masks to pretend to be someone else while trying to see who they really are underneath. The letter I sent was certainly a sin, but I suppose hiding my feelings with a sense of guilt isn't necessarily so."

“People hide their feelings because they know that expressing them won’t necessarily elicit a response. It’s better to maintain the stable status quo than to become anxious.”

"Yes, that's why some people, despite their deep longing, flee to the battlefield, as if they can trade the corpses under their feet for the roses in their lover's hands."

Diana sighed, "That knight is just an ignorant child, Cesar. Even if he hadn't cowardly fled in the past, I wouldn't have responded to anything."

"I just want to say that I won't hide anything, and I'm looking forward to your response."

"What if I politely decline?" she asked.

"If you don't like it," Cesar said with a smile, "I'll put this sentence away for now and bring it out again after we've experienced more. By then, I'll find a more brilliant excuse, and I hope you'll give me a better rejection."

"That sounds exhausting," Diana said. "What would it take to make you stop?"

"Maybe it's my death," he said.

"Why does it have to be you... Can't it be my death?"

"Maybe I'll put a bouquet of roses on the tombstone," Cesar said. "Once you say no, I'll find a better excuse."

"Perhaps what you say now is ridiculous enough," she murmured.

Although the injury hindered Cesar's movements, from struggling to stand up to leaning forward was very slow, but Diana did not retreat, so their lips still touched. It was a brief touch of lips and lips. When he stepped back, she opened her mouth slightly, but did not speak, her teeth gently biting her delicate lower lip.

Normally calm and composed, effortlessly witty and self-deprecating, she fell silent as they stared at each other for a long moment. Silence reigned, save for a few curls of hair swaying gently on either side of her face, brushing against his cheek and the corners of his lips as her gentle breaths drifted across his. This silent gaze gripped his heart, gripping it tightly, so tightly that his blood spilled. Every breath she took tightened the grip, weakening him further.

Cesar exhaled slowly. "I wish this moment could last forever," he said. "But I still want to ask... can you give me a kiss now?"

"Our lips always seemed very close," Diana said, then blinked. "Besides, your words haven't gotten any more brilliant, and they seem to lack something compared to last time."

"How about adding Anne at the end of the sentence?" Cesar told her.

"I don't know, maybe you need to be more complete," Diana said.

Cesar leaned forward, took her hand, and whispered in her ear. He fell silent, and he didn't retreat. He could smell her hair, feel her breath against his shoulder, moistening his neck. The delicate skin of her ear trembled against his lips, the fine hairs tickling his lips.

Diana placed their clasped hands on his chest and stepped back a little. "Then I'll call you Sasha," she chuckled, a hint of defiance in her tone. "How long do you want me to kiss you, Sasha?"

"I don't know," Cesar said. "Maybe until I remember what it feels like."

She leaned forward, pressing her soft lips against his, her hands resting on his shoulders as he gently grasped her delicate waist, cradling her lithe body in his embrace. Her azure eyes were like a dream, her lips so smooth they dulled the mind, making it almost impossible to think. The warm night breeze rustled softly through her hair, releasing a delicate fragrance. Her lips, parted slightly, still shone, while her cheeks gradually flushed in the moonlight.

When their teeth-marked lips parted, Cesar saw Diana's face lowered, her eyes closed, her cheeks flushed, her breath warm and warm, her waist softening slightly. "I'm not used to your ways. Just kissing..." she said, shaking her head. "Next time you ask for anything, remember to use better arguments than this time, or forget it. Also, you have to discuss with me what you can and can't do, okay?"

"Okay." Cesar held her hand and lay back down, tickling her palm with his index finger. Diana opened her right eye and glanced at him, but he just held her hand again.

"One more thing," she quickly regained her composure and sat down beside him. "Since the situation has involved a large group of beastmen and is related to the confrontation between the temples, we should also consider asking other temples for assistance."

"I never thought about the temple," Cesar admitted, "even if I thought about your school, I never thought about

Temple. How should I put it? They are so...”

"Too mysterious for you, worldly man?"

Cesar squeezed her hand in agreement. "I'm afraid of arousing suspicion, my lady. The closer I get to the temple, the more likely I'll be exposed."

Diana shook her head and sighed, saying, "The so-called temple is not only made up of those brilliant monks."

"What do you mean? Those fake monks selling love potions in the military camp?"

"Let me take the Temple of Xiel as an example. Although it is open to all classes, its core organization is the Shawl Society. The Shawl Society is generally composed of knights, nobles, famous poets, and accomplished artists, so it is more like an aristocratic group. Next is the Kasar Empire. Their nobles and royal descendants, those with the most potential, will be sent to the temple by their families to receive training in various sects serving the empire. The rest will each choose a temple to join the organization, forming a youth faction. Among these others, Xiel accounts for the largest proportion."

"Isn't Xiel the goddess of pleasure? Why does she have such a big influence?"

Diana glanced at him again. "Joy, intoxication, art, drama, song and dance, even freedom and salvation. The priesthoods derived from Xiel are incredible. Although Helgast can offset most of Xiel's priesthoods through warfare alone, his influence is still not as widespread as Xiel's. Do you understand?"

"Okay, everything you said is right."

She frowned and stared at Cesar until he looked away. "The Shawl Order is very widespread," she said. "While great nobles can join the Order through power and donations, these individuals are somewhat distant from the Order itself, and most of them are just members in name only. The true core of the Shawl Order is composed of accomplished artists, renowned poets, and lesser nobles and knights who are willing to dedicate themselves to the Order and perform various tasks for the Temple."

"What does this have to do with us?" Cesar turned his gaze away.

"Many members of the Shawl Order will, as long as there's a credible reason and a decision from the Temple, ignore the threat of secular disputes and offer assistance in the name of Xiel. Because they are already prestigious nobles and knights, they can mobilize not only themselves but also many monks from other classes who are dependent on them. I don't know what your impression of Xiel's followers is, but in war, they will do their best to rescue the wounded, sometimes even eliminating infectious diseases and plagues. If the Corpse Eaters and their Flesh Golems move south, infectious diseases and plagues will become a huge problem."

"What was my impression of the Hierites?" Cesar raised his eyebrows. "It was too profound. If I broke her bones, my own would break. If I chopped off her head, my own would be cut off. Whatever wounds she suffered, I would suffer the same wounds. This curse is completely unreasonable. Do you know who that monk is? It's my fake niece."

Diana's eyes widened slightly. "This is the first I've heard of this," she said, her tone changing. "However, the gods are always silent, and it's up to the believers to interpret them as they wish. If she can discover the shared curse from Xiel's path, then I think she can already establish a new sect."

Her answer was far beyond his expectations. "What? A new sect?"

"Don't be so surprised, Cesar." Diana said indifferently, "A new sect does not mean authority and fame, it is more likely to be heresy - what is your fake niece's name? Isley?" Cesar felt that this guy was teasing him.

"It was Isley. I locked her in the soul prison that night."

"You don't have to worry about people like Isri," she said. "The Temple does recognize new sects, but only if they maintain the Temple's influence in the secular world. Otherwise, being labeled a heretic is the least of the problems. From your description, Isri can't possibly hold any position of influence within the Temple. If she dared to discuss her new interpretations of the scriptures and the Way, she might even be considered a cultist with ulterior motives."

"That's good news. What about the Xiel followers' attitude towards people like us?"

"Don't worry about their attitude. In recent years, many poets have written poems satirizing the court and royal power, and later sought protection from the Shawl Society. The premise is that they truly possess high artistic attainments."

"Mocking the royal power? Are you sure they would help someone like me who is supporting the royal power?"

"You don't have to worry about that. The Shawl Society has many members with different stances. You can see the Shawl Society on both sides of the war. How should I put it? The people in the Shawl Society try to show an attitude of...saving everyone." Diana said thoughtfully.

Chapter 210: Kuna and Beastmen

Cesar thought of Brother Kallen, who used the temple in Neuen as a hospital. "Besides the Shawl Order, can we enlist the help of other temples and other organizations?"

"The other temples..." Diana hesitated. "It's possible, but the price is too high, and the trade-offs are too many. We can't give more money. After all, it was you who said that most of the money should be given to Evered IV in exchange for support."

"As Evered IV sees the increasing military funding we contribute, alleviating his pressing needs, he'll naturally agree to more and more things—the power to expropriate territory, the power to levy taxes, the power to control local guilds, the power to appoint and dismiss local bureaucrats. These aren't just the military. If any temple can provide more support, I'd consider paying a price."

"That's certainly incomparable," she said with a sigh, "but these things may not all come true."

"It depends on whether we can do it safely and securely, and have King Evered IV turn a blind eye to it," Cesar explained. "Besides, we've already established a supply route. The garrisons in the west are still pillaging the villages and towns under their jurisdiction, but our army is abiding by military law."

"That's true." Diana frowned slightly.