Once upon a time there was a greedy snake

"Actually, at first I wasn't so sure. After all, I've been away from my hometown for a while. Even though I'm back now, it's not surprising that there are a few people I don't know in the village."

While munching on a hard biscuit, Habiza continued talking.

"As for the fact that none of you know how to farm, that's not surprising. After all, the village chief's son doesn't know how to farm either. When I was learning to read and write, I wasn't very good at farming either... It was only after I gave up on taking the priest exam that I started to seriously learn how to do farm work, but that was a later thing."

Habisa paused for a moment at this point.

"So back then, I just thought that you guys were probably like me before, just not good at doing things... But now, you guys don't even eat fish."

"Is there any need to eat this kind of thing?"

It was at this moment that one of the servants spoke up.

"This stuff hasn't even been salted..."

"Salt isn't something everyone can afford."

Habisa shook his head.

“Even fish isn’t something everyone can afford… For a normal farmer, it’s good enough if they can eat some meat all year round. Most of the time, they can only eat thin porridge. Even hard flatbreads are considered a good thing.”

As for the meat, it was naturally meant to be supplied to the priests and warriors, who needed to maintain their strength and physique, as well as their ability to suppress others.

After all, there is a huge difference in physique and strength between those who eat meat and those who don't.

"And all of this is done in the name of the sun god."

Habisa raised his hand and pointed to the dark night sky.

“In the name of the sun god, they received the blessing; in the name of the sun god, they received everything… That’s why I say there has never been any such thing as the sun god’s blessing; you are the ones who have received that so-called blessing.”

A priest who wants to eat meat every meal certainly can't do it all by himself alone, but if a hundred people help him hunt, then he can indeed eat meat every meal. The price for this is that the hundred people don't eat meat at all, and even if they find meat, they can't eat it and can only deliver it to the priest.

Throughout this entire process, is the sun god truly important?

Perhaps it is important, after all, a priest must indeed have the title of sun god to have that noble status.

But perhaps it doesn't matter. At least in Hapisa's view, it makes no difference whether the sun god is replaced by a moon god, a mountain god, or a star god.

Even if it were replaced by a snake god...

"No, if it were the Snake God, it wouldn't be like this."

Recalling his previous encounter with the great serpent god, Habisa couldn't help but shake his head subconsciously.

If it were that serpent god instead, things would definitely not be like this. After all, unlike the so-called sun god who doesn't care about anything, the serpent god would really listen to everyone's needs. Even now, he still remembers when the serpent god listened to his past. He still remembers the calligraphy practice book and pen that the serpent god gave him.

Indeed, the calligraphy practice book and pen may have been lost. Habisa even vaguely realized that the precious gift was probably gone forever.

But at this moment, Habisa was no longer fixated on those two things themselves.

"The serpent god gave me paper and pen, not simply so I could practice calligraphy..."

At that moment, Habisa vaguely sensed a sense of mission within himself.

Although the precious gift has been lost, the spirit it embodied remains in his heart.

He would practice in his mind, he would write in his mind, he would write out word by word the ugliness of those false gods and their followers.

He would write down, word by word, the death of that false god.

"And you lot... if you want to follow that false god, then go back."

As he said this, Habisa waved his hand.

"However, when the Holy City collapses, you will be buried along with it."

Chapter 180 Those Who Attempt to Conquer the Gods

The servants who had come looking for Habisa fled the village of Bubas in a panic.

They dared not stay any longer, for Habisa had become far too terrifying—although this former swordsman was not even holding a sword now, the words that came out of his mouth were far sharper and more vicious than any blade.

"We must kill him quickly!"

The servants who returned to the Holy City immediately went to see Senette and begged their mistress to send someone to kill this dangerous man.

Although they didn't quite understand what Habisa was saying, having seen Habisa in person, they instinctively sensed the malevolent danger emanating from him.

So none of them chose to stay; they all fled back. Only by killing Habisa as soon as possible could they feel at ease.

otherwise……

Will the Holy City really collapse?

It was impossible for Habisa to do it alone, but they dared not gamble.

However, just when they thought that Madam Sennett would realize the danger and send someone to eliminate it.

All they got in return was a sneer.

Will the Holy City really collapse?

Senette chuckled and shook his head.

She had thought that Habisa was doing something amazing, but now it seemed that the young swordsman had probably gone mad when she ignored him—she had seen far too much of this indiscriminate resentment and impotent rage that wanted to destroy everything.

Like those secret lovers she neglected, and the most obvious example is her husband, the war priest Hathorunu, who, not knowing how to win her favor, could only send assassins over and over again.

"Heh, man."

Senette found it boring and quickly stopped caring about it.

After all, there were things that attracted her attention even more than this crazy ex-lover.

That is, the sun god himself.

The great sun god finally agreed to show himself. Although it was just a small, secret gathering, it still gave Sennet the opportunity to see the sun god in person. Sennet firmly believed that as long as she could see the sun god, she would definitely be able to have something happen between her and the sun god.

After all, she has complete confidence in her charm; otherwise, she wouldn't have had so many ex-lovers who lost their minds over her.

Now, she wants to use this charm to win over a god.

Yes, this is the real big deal, the real thrill that makes her tremble.

What could be better than driving a god mad for you?

"Right, that is it……"

Senette was already trembling just thinking about it.

So, on the day of the gathering, she used all her strength to prepare everything.

First and foremost, of course, was her most prized battle robe. The semi-transparent linen robe not only clearly outlined the curves of her body but also subtly hinted at her allure. The lapis lazuli and turquoise beads hanging from the hem would rustle softly with each step she took, a melodious, divinely inspired rhythm that would ensure everyone remembered her arrival.

Matching this battle robe was a fur shawl, not the leopard skin popular in the Holy City, but a carefully selected antelope skin. Compared to the wild leopard skin, this shawl made of lambskin better highlighted her softness and fragility. It was not to show off her sharpness, but to arouse the protective instincts of others. This was her carefully designed little trick.

Similarly scheming was the exaggerated fan-shaped collar. Although this kind of gold collar was quite popular in the Holy City, Senette used it differently. Others wore this gold collar to show off their wealth through the malachite, carnelian, and the exquisite carvings, but Senette used the gold chain deeply embedded in her chest to highlight her proud figure.

As for the armlets and rings, there's not much to say. They are both made of gold and inlaid with amethyst. For accessories that are not related to highlighting one's figure, Senette mainly focuses on the quality of the gemstones to make herself look more dazzling.

Of course, besides clothing and accessories, makeup is also of utmost importance. In order to attract the attention of the sun god, Sennet mixed malachite powder with black lead to create an exaggerated "divine eye" shape. The upward-sloping corners of her eyes correspond to the "Eye of Horus" makeup. However, this sacred makeup, when applied to her face, unknowingly added a touch of allure.

That's because she had applied ochre-red rouge to her cheeks, and used magenta pigment made from madder and beeswax to outline her full lips, while the touches of gold powder were imitating the radiance of the sun god.

However, compared to its visual impact, Senette's real weapon is the fragrance that surrounds her.

It was a balm made from myrrh, frankincense, cinnamon, honey, and other ingredients. When applied to the wrists, neck, and chest, the myrrh and frankincense, symbolizing purification, made her appear even more sacred, while the spiciness of the cinnamon added a touch of ambiguous allure to this sacredness. The combination of these three scents not only highlighted the piety and holiness of "walking with God," but also allowed people to unconsciously feel the stimulation hidden beneath the sacredness.

In addition, she used lotus essential oil to enhance her fragrance. This essential oil, made by infusing blue lotus with olive oil, was applied to her earlobes and collarbone. It is said that this essential oil can "awaken the soul" and is a rare and precious item that can only be produced in the Holy City.

However, this was still not enough for Senette.

So when Senette arrived at the manor, she had a golden lotus incense burner in her hand.

The lotus-shaped incense burner emitted a swirling cloud of smoke, making her appear ethereal without completely obscuring her vision. Inside the burner burned benzoin and cardamom, and the swirling smoke, combined with her personal fragrance, was enough to create a double impact on both the eyes and the nose.

"That should be fine."

Senette was armed to the extreme this time, with every accessory on her body being priceless—of course, compared to a major city like Heliopolis, it was definitely not enough, but at least the amethyst-encrusted ring on her hand was more than enough to buy the entire village of Bubas.

The prerequisite is that she needs to know exactly where Boubas Village is.

"Having already gone this far... I'm sure I'll win the favor of the Sun God!"

With this in mind, Senette alighted from the carriage and entered the manor with the other attendees.

Chapter 181 Offerings to the Sun God

As soon as he entered the manor, Senette realized that his thorough preparations had indeed been correct.

Just by looking at the other people in the distance, the daughters of other high priests, and even the wives of other high priests... just by looking at their jeweled clothes and the dazzling array of colors, Senette was certain that these people were exactly as she had imagined.

Clearly, everyone had the same idea: to prove their charm by conquering the sun god.

Many of the priests themselves were dressed in a rather... seductive manner. Although their clothes looked quite formal and they stood very upright, Sennett could still tell that they also wanted to gain the favor of the sun god.

"This is the sun god..."

Senette couldn't help but exclaim.

Yes, that's the allure of gods. Even if no one has ever seen a god, even if a god merely bestows their will upon a mortal, the very name of that god is enough to drive everyone mad.

"However... you will see."

Taking a deep breath, Sennett reaffirmed his conviction.

"You will see the moment when the gods go mad for me."

Just as Sennet was thinking this, the sun god appeared.

Of course, the first to appear was not the sun god, but the war priest Matt Perry. This burly giant was already the center of everyone's attention just by standing there—calm and solemn, these were the hallmarks of Matt Perry. When this giant appeared, the people who were whispering immediately fell silent.

However, at this very moment, the war priest, who was the focus of everyone's attention, stepped aside.

Not only did he step aside, but the war priest even knelt on one knee, symbolizing both his loyalty to the god and to ensure that he was not taller than the god himself.

After the powerful giant knelt down, the humanoid figure radiating endless light finally appeared in people's sight.

The radiant humanoid figure did not walk on two feet like ordinary people, but floated in mid-air, like the sun hanging high in the sky.

This posture, like the rising sun, almost perfectly matches people's understanding of the gods.

And its soaring, high above, posture in mid-air drove everyone crazy.

Senette desperately wanted to see the humanoid's face clearly; she longed to know what the being she wanted to attract looked like—but unfortunately, the humanoid was radiating a dazzling light like the sun, so bright that Senette couldn't see anything at all.

But it was precisely because she couldn't see clearly that Sennett became even more fascinated.

"Yes, that's it, this is the deity's proper posture..."

Senette tried hard to suppress her excitement, trying to appear a little more reserved and different from the others.

Yes, compared to the excited Sennett, there were even less restrained ones—those frenzied people, who were already shouting the name of the sun god as they rushed straight toward the radiant humanoid figure.

Of course, this behavior is meaningless.

The tall war priest didn't even stand up; a gentle force stopped all those who rushed forward.

This made Senette even more grateful. She had once thought that her position was too bad and too far from the sun god, but now it seemed that if she were moved to a position closer to the sun god, she might not be able to maintain this necessary composure. If that were the case, she would be the one looking disheveled right now.

Now, at least she still has a chance, a good enough chance.

"I must make the sun god notice me!"

Senette thought to herself.

"I must draw the sun god's attention to me!"

However, such things can only be thought about, since the most dazzling one right now is the sun god himself.

No amount of jewels' dazzling brilliance can compare to the sunlight emanating from that radiant human form.

This time, however, no one dared to rush forward, simply because the radiant humanoid figure had already raised its hand—with just this slight movement, everyone present dared not utter a word, and even subconsciously knelt on the ground.

At this moment, Senette could no longer distinguish whether it was the aura emanating from the radiant humanoid figure or the fear that had been lurking in her own heart for who knows how long.

All she knew was that her carefully chosen battle attire was simply not suitable for this kneeling posture.

Perhaps there was no chance again. Senette suddenly felt a little upset. After all, based on her experience, it seemed to be the same every time. Indeed, she could get very good ones, but she could never get the best ones, so she would tirelessly pursue better ones, time and time again.

And now, the best opportunity has presented itself to her, yet she has once again let it slip through her fingers. This is simply...

"your name."