Monica's voice was particularly clear in the empty prayer room. She analyzed:
"The townspeople have forgotten the church's existence, why there is no priest, and even what happened after they offered sacrifice to the 'Kitchen God'."
"They only remember the happiness brought by the sacrifice. It seems that this 'wild god' of Maple Leaf Town will definitely plunder part of the memories of the sacrificer."
"That's not all," Mark said, frowning. "I carefully observed everyone I met today. There were no old people, not a single one."
"The oldest one looks no more than forty or fifty years old, and is incredibly energetic, with no signs of aging or weariness at all. And their occupations..."
"It's all 'Maple Syrup Chef'." Monica confirmed, her wine-red eyes reflecting the light.
"Whether it's the women drying laundry on the street, the men carrying farm tools, or even the children playing, my appraisal skills show that their primary occupation, without exception, is 'Maple Syrup Chef'!"
"There are no farmers, no tailors, no blacksmiths, no combat professionals... It seems that this town only needs a chef."
In fact, there is no need for further analysis. When Monica confirmed that all the children in Maple Leaf Town had the profession of "maple syrup chef", they could already be sure that the "wild god" of this town was not simple.
Changing a child's job is something that not only the orthodox church's main god but also the evil god would not easily do.
Because children's souls are not as stable as adults, the power of faith they can provide is empty and superficial.
Therefore, no serious god will allow a child to change his job into a professional!
"More importantly," Mark lowered his voice, "I asked more than one town resident about their ancestors, funerals, and cemeteries."
"Their reactions were strange. At first they looked bewildered, then their signature happy smile would appear on their faces. They would say, 'We in Maple Leaf Town are healthy and long-lived, we don't need that,' or 'I can't remember, maybe the old tradition is gone.'"
"There are no cemeteries, no places or rituals related to death. It's as if the concept of death itself has been 'forgotten'."
Death, as a core concept of many religions and gods, is often a major disaster area for evil gods to win over believers.
Mark originally wanted to use this question to explore whether the residents of Maple Leaf Town had changed their beliefs by heretics, but he found that the concept of "death" was completely absent from their consciousness.
Enzo suddenly stopped polishing the hammer and interrupted in a gruff voice:
"Fuck! The more I listen, the creepier I get! What the hell is this place? A town full of cooks? No old people, no dead people? And there's a fucking 'wild god' who makes people laugh when they eat."
Enzo couldn't help but make a bold guess:
"Do you think those dead people were eaten by the 'wild god'? What the people in those towns offered as sacrifices weren't actually food at all, but the elderly people in their town... Oh, no! It's even possible that they turned the elderly people into..."
"Ah!" Anna was also shocked by Enzo's guess. She said dissatisfiedly, "Shorty! Can you please stop guessing!"
Enzo stood up irritably, his mithril breastplate reflecting a cold, hard light in the dim light.
"That's just wild guessing! Mark, Monica, listen to my advice! This is too murky and too sinister! Our mission is to recruit new personnel and conduct inspections, not to stir up a hornet's nest!"
"We'll leave at dawn tomorrow! I don't want to stay in this damn place even for a second! To hell with that bullshit Wild God secret!"
He doesn't have the courage to challenge someone who might be a god.
After all, when he was hiding at the bottom of the Falling Star Lake and thinking about the treasure of the Bone Leech King, he only persisted in waiting because of his desire for the treasure.
If he really had the courage, he would have had the opportunity to snatch the mithril vein core from the Bone Leech King before Mark's team went, relying solely on the Rune Forging Hammer.
Monica raised her head, her wine-red eyes looking directly at Enzo, calm but resolute:
"Enzo, fear comes from the unknown. Dispelling the unknown, revealing the truth, and obtaining 'secrets' and 'knowledge' are the very meaning of the appraiser's existence and the key to our advancement."
Her fingertips unconsciously stroked Xiao Mu's smooth body, as if drawing some kind of strength.
"The anomaly in Maple Leaf Town, the true nature of the 'Master Chef', the price it brings to oblivion and happiness... The value of these secrets themselves may be far beyond imagination. I cannot pass up this opportunity."
She looked at Mark, her eyes filled with inquiry and a subtle request.
The appraiser's thirst for knowledge burned in her blood. The mystery of Maple Leaf Town was like a huge gem emitting alluring light, attracting her to touch and decipher it.
Mark met Monica's gaze, then glanced at the anxious Enzo and the silent but equally alert Anna.
Behind the "happiness" of Maple Leaf Town, there is more than just forgetting.
This is the human world, not heaven.
This kind of uniform sweetness, which has been stripped of all "disharmonious" elements, itself exudes a strong smell of blasphemy.
If it was for the safety of the team, he should have accepted Enzo's advice and immediately abandoned the idea of using the "Wild God" to become a chef.
He returned to his original identity as a heretic and took his team away from this small town that might be hiding a heretic god.
But he could see Monica's desire.
Monica is the partner he has spent the longest time with since coming to the Holy Dragon Continent and is also the most trustworthy.
She was willing to risk being labeled a heretic by the Church of Holy Light for him and form an adventure team with him, and experience various battles together.
He couldn't ignore Monica's pursuit just because of a momentary timidity.
Anyway, he has already come into contact with an unknown existence that covets the holy light, so what's the harm in coming into contact with an evil god who only dares to develop in a small town?
He took a deep breath of the cold, stale air in the church and made a decision.
"Monica is right." Mark's voice calmed down. "The anomaly here is beyond the scope of what ordinary professionals can handle. It may involve the alienation of the soul, the distortion of faith, and may even touch upon... the realm of divinity."
"As an ordinary person, I might not be able to handle it." He paused, his eyes fixed on Monica, his voice full of firm support. "As a companion... I'm willing to accompany Monica to the sugar maple forest. I can accompany Monica to find out what the wild god did in Maple Leaf Town. What is the price of its sweetness?"
"But," Mark changed the subject, looking sharply at Enzo and Anna, "this operation is too risky. Monica and I can just go and investigate. Enzo, Anna, you don't need to take the risk with us."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
