Fifty years ago, the residents of Misty Town did not live at the foot of the mountain; instead, they lived by the sea.
As fishermen, their lives are not prosperous; they make a living at sea day after day.
One day, the disappearance of the mayor's son shattered the peace of the town.
The mayor organized a team, but their repeated voyages to sea all ended in failure. Just when everyone was advising the mayor to take heart, his son's boat appeared at the dock again.
The residents who were working away from home all gathered around. They boarded the small boat that had been lost and found again, and were astonished to discover that the area where the fish were stored was overflowing with gold and silver treasures. Everyone was blinded by the wealth before them.
They firmly believe that the mayor's son discovered the underwater ruins.
Only the mayor's wife kept a close eye on her son. She noticed that he was wearing a gold coin with six eyes on it around his neck. Just moments before, he had been looking dazed and absent-minded, but as soon as he heard the people around him starting to discuss who should own the coin, he suddenly perked up and became articulate. He suggested that the townspeople secretly divide the money among themselves.
According to the regulations at the time, the discovery of underwater ruins had to be reported to the state, and the heritage within those ruins would naturally belong to the state.
The mayor's son spoke eloquently, saying that the officials were so corrupt that handing over the money would only benefit those who held positions without doing their jobs. Rather than letting them continue to be oppressed by paying money, they should use the money to improve their lives.
No one was surprised that someone who used to be honest and taciturn had suddenly become eloquent and persuasive.
No one asked the mayor's son how he had spent the past few days, how he had discovered the ruins, or how he had managed to amass so much gold all by himself.
Everything seemed so natural.
On the night her son returned home, the mayor's wife declared that the child was not hers, but a demon possessing him.
However, the next day, when the mayor's son led the residents back with chests of gold, the rumors about the devil disappeared.
Five days later, the mayor's wife passed away.
The living standards of the town's residents improved dramatically. They stopped fishing altogether and even elected the mayor's son as the new mayor.
Spending money lavishly naturally attracted the attention of those in power.
The higher-ups sent three groups of investigators, all of whom never returned.
Just as the authorities were furious and about to send in armed forces, war broke out.
War requires money.
In order to protect their gold from being forcibly confiscated, the new mayor advocated that everyone take advantage of the chaos to leave and evade the government's pursuit.
Some people agree, while others disagree.
Ultimately, the opponents perished at sea, while the supporters followed the new mayor to a border region where multiple countries meet.
Strangely, there were no setbacks on the journey; as if divinely aided, everything went smoothly.
Upon arriving at the new encampment, the new mayor suddenly announced that he would establish himself as a kingdom, that he was the first ruler of the Kingdom of God, and that all his followers were saints.
The residents, who had been in a daze for almost a year, seemed to suddenly wake up and collectively opposed this absurd decision.
However, the new mayor produced a list of signatures from all his followers when he left.
He proclaimed: "You have signed a pact with the Great Being and will become nourishment for the Great Being."
Upon hearing this, the scene briefly spiraled out of control. Someone rushed forward excitedly, holding a short knife, and stabbed the new town mayor in the abdomen without hesitation.
The terrified residents overthrew the Signature, the new leader they had put on the throne, killed him in public, and tore up the Signature.
Unfortunately, it was all too late.
The residents soon discovered that they were trapped in this newly established divine kingdom, and that they would uncontrollably return once they left.
The worst part is that four-fifths of those mountains of gold turned into rotting carcasses of dead fish.
The supernatural forces were irresistible, and they had willingly betrayed their own country.
However, humans have an extremely strong ability to adapt to their environment, and anxiety is gradually replaced by the instinct for survival.
They discovered that if they lived honestly in God's Kingdom, it seemed that nothing terrible would happen.
And so, they truly settled down here.
Life seemed to have returned to normal until 20 years ago, when "God" began to demand His nourishment.
People discovered that after being exposed to the sun, plants would grow on their bodies, and these terrifying green plants would continuously drain their life force.
Not only humans, but also livestock kept in the kingdom of the gods were considered offerings.
In order to survive, people tried every means to save themselves. If they couldn't get sunlight, they lived in basements; if they couldn't eat meat, they ate vegetarian food...
They tried every possible method, but to no avail.
Finally, one day, the priest proposed a completely absurd method—
Seek help from other deities.
Since their souls will be taken by the "gods" of the divine kingdom sooner or later anyway, they might as well offer them to other gods and pray for protection.
The priest's words sounded like the flapping of the devil's wings.
In the shadow of death, people try to seize every opportunity they can, even if it is bait thrown by another demon.
Since their souls no longer belong to them, selling them once is the same as selling them twice, so why not live a few more years and maybe find a way to escape?
So, unlike the first time when they were confused and clueless, the second time, they wrote down their names with a clear mind.
The new god fulfilled His promise, sending down a great gray fog that obscured the sun and, at the same time, blocked the view of the devourer in the distant sky.
Within the mist, there is no divine kingdom.
-
The last few pages of the booklet were covered with signatures.
Xia Ning had no idea what the priest who proposed this outrageous deal was thinking.
He was originally an apostle of the gray fog, helping his superiors boost KPIs?
Or perhaps he hoped that the two beings, both high in the heavens, would fight over ownership of their offerings, resulting in mutual destruction, from which they could fight for a chance to survive.
Either way, the old priest's hopes were destined to be dashed.
People might wonder, did the ant they stepped on want to go east or west?
Xia Ning closed the [Contract], meeting Greta's complicated gaze with mixed feelings.
No wonder they keep saying "offering their souls," because they really do wholesale souls!
Greta's name is not on the [Contract] because she was not born before the first two signatures. However, as a child of sacrifice, she was naturally treated as an appendage—like livestock.
So when she left the Misty Town, she was a resident of the divine kingdom and would die under the sunlight, becoming nourishment for the plants.
She didn't leave the town; she was a sacrifice to the gray fog, only dying a little slower.
One man's soul was sold to two evil gods.
Xia Ning, as a stranger in a foreign land and an unofficial member of the Gray Fog, is the embodiment of death and the forerunner of destruction.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
