The civilian was taken to the altar, his legs shaking like a reed in the wind, but he dared not utter a word.
Even his uncontrollable sobbing was suppressed by holding his breath and biting his lips.
Remheb could tell at a glance that he didn't dare to provoke these people, nor did he dare to disrupt the atmosphere of the ceremony in the slightest.
At this moment, the crowd gathered more tightly, and those holding wooden sticks stepped forward together. The snake eyes embedded in red stone flashed scarlet light under the firelight.
The leading dark figure looked down at him, and his voice pierced through the silence of the dunes: "Read it."
"Pledge your oath to the Great Apep."
"I am the servant of Apep. I offer my pure faith and am willing to use my mortal body to help summon the Lord of Chaos."
The civilian swallowed his saliva, his eyes rolled around, but he didn't dare to look up.
He slowly opened his cracked lips and recited what the shadow said, word by word.
"I am the servant of Apep. I offer my pure faith and am willing to use my mortal body to help summon the Lord of Chaos."
His voice was trembling at first, but as he read further, it began to steady itself.
"Today I drink the blood of a fresh sheep as a proof of my eternal loyalty. May the will of Apep run through my soul to the other side of the Styx."
"Today, I...drink the blood of a fresh sheep as a proof! I offer my eternal loyalty! May the will of Apep penetrate...through my soul! To the other side of the Styx!"
Remheb stood in the crowd, frowning as he watched the strange scene before him.
After the civilian finished speaking, the shadow picked up a clay bowl from the side of the altar.
The bowl was filled with sheep's blood, with dark red liquid sloshing around inside, giving off an even stronger smell of blood.
The shadow handed the bowl to him, and his words were orders: "Drink it."
"Only the blood of lambs can make the great Apep feel your loyalty."
"Drink it, and you will be with Him."
The civilian stared at the bowl, his hands shaking so badly that he couldn't catch it steadily.
Even the edge of the bowl tapped on his fingers, making a slight sound.
Obviously, he didn't want to drink.
But if he didn't drink it, there was no way he would leave here alive.
He looked down at the pool of blood, his eyes twitched twice, and he seemed to want to retreat, but the person behind him just gently placed his hand on his shoulder.
He was so frightened that he staggered half a step and almost knocked over the bowl of blood.
Remheb watched the civilian's nostrils twitch a few times, then he closed his eyes, picked up the bowl, and brought the blood-red liquid to his mouth.
The blood flowed down the edge of the bowl, first a few drops fell on his chin, staining his skin red, then he suddenly tilted his head back and gulped down the blood.
His brows were furrowed so deeply that even Remheb could slightly smell the stench of the blood, not to mention the man who was about to drink it.
He suddenly raised the bowl and swallowed the blood in one gulp.
Blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth and flowed down his neck into his collar.
At first glance, it looked as if his throat had been slit.
After drinking, he put down the bowl, panting, and the bowl fell to the ground with a "bang" and broke into two pieces.
Remheb stared at him.
The civilian opened his eyes, and his originally round eyes slowly narrowed.
Fear, panic...all those emotions are gone.
He seemed like a different person instantly.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly in an unnatural smile.
There was even blood on his lips, which looked blindingly red in this dim environment.
Remheb realized that it was not ordinary sheep's blood at all!
That kind of sheep's blood may have been imbued with some mysterious power!
He saw that the man who had just been terrified by fear was now smiling like a truly devout believer.
That's right, he was returning the smile to the dark shadow that handed him blood.
The leading black figure nodded, raised his wrist, and the bone beads clicked twice: "Apep has heard your oath."
The civilian lowered his head, crossed his hands over his chest, and muttered something under his breath.
But the sound was too soft and I couldn't hear it at all.
But the man's eyes were fixed on the blood mirror on the altar, as if he could see something through the red lake.
Remheb stood where he was, and he felt more cold sweat on his back.
What kind of ritual are these people performing? !
It was at this moment that Remheb began to understand why, under the rule of His Majesty the Holy Pharaoh, there were still people who committed disobedient and treasonous acts.
Because there are extreme believers.
There are also people who are forced to become extreme believers.
He glanced at Nan Tong sideways, but Nan Tong still didn't move, just staring at the civilian with drooping eyelids, as if weighing something.
The civilian stood beside the altar, the firelight reflected on his face, and the smile on his lips deepened.
The red lips were set off by white teeth, and there were traces of blood on both sides of the mouth.
At this moment, another person was brought up, and Remheb soon discovered that the other person was the one who told him about this ceremony today.
It’s that old man!
Remheb took a step forward, but Nantong was just one step ahead of him, coming in front of Remheb and blocking his way.
This was Nan Tong telling him that he must not act rashly now.
So, the young and full of vigor Remheb stopped.
He could only remind himself that he had only one goal.
That is to complete the task assigned to me by His Majesty the Holy Pharaoh.
You must never act on impulse!
In the end, he could only grit his teeth and watch the old man being dragged away alive.
But unlike Remheb, what Nan Tong cared about at this moment was whether the old man would give them away.
He even began to think that if this was a trap set by the old man and these people, he should capture a few more enemies alive while protecting Remheb and maximizing the intelligence he could obtain.
However, after the black shadow spoke, his thoughts changed.
Because he found out that the old man did not betray them, and he was not a member of this organization.
"...If it weren't for your high moral character in the past, you wouldn't have this second chance."
"How about it, have you thought it through this time?"
The old man just shook his head, his expression was not clear.
No pain, no fear.
Remheb discovered that the old man's son, the strong man, did not seem to be here.
But he couldn't be sure. After all, everyone here was wearing robes that covered their faces.
However, considering that their whereabouts had not been exposed so far, Remheb felt that perhaps only the old man was brought here alone.
"I've thought about it."
The old man raised his head, his face calm.
"I believe in the supreme sun god Ra."
"You can start now."
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