After a moment of silence, everyone seemed to be deep in thought.
A woman asked, "Can ordinary people participate?"
The leader shook his head. "I forgot to mention, I advise ordinary people not to participate. I cannot guarantee your safety."
She gave a regretful "oh" and focused her gaze on the others, seemingly trying to discern from their expressions which one was favored by the gods.
Most of the apostates here were first-level chosen ones, and their numbers were not many. They discussed among themselves in hushed tones, and Phil Gray could see the conflicted expressions on the faces of a few of them.
Mrs. Dean and Mr. Allen didn't say anything, and it was unclear whether they would participate or not.
"Today's main topic is this matter. If anyone doesn't want to participate, they can leave now." The leader waited calmly for everyone to make a decision.
People began to leave one after another, and the basement became dark. In the end, only Phil Gray, Patrick, Mrs. Dean, Mr. Allen, and a somewhat disheveled long-haired man remained. He had been squatting in the corner throughout the gathering, and Phil Gray had never noticed him before.
“Indeed, we’re quite familiar with each other,” Mrs. Dean said with a smile.
Phil Gray nodded; the only person he didn't recognize was the long-haired man.
"It's unexpected that you're staying. I didn't actually want any of you to participate, but I can't change headquarters' decision." The leader said, looking at Phil Gray and Patrick, "I forgot to ask earlier, what are your names?"
Indeed, to a leader at the divine level, these first and second-level followers are like shrimps; going there would only be a hindrance.
But how can I refuse a gift from the gods?
“My name is Kane, and his name is Miloo,” Phil Gray introduced.
“Okay.” He then looked Patrick up and down. “Congratulatory level?”
Patrick nodded. "Yes."
"Okay." He patted the two of them on the shoulders.
"I wonder if we can bring two companions? Our levels are relatively low, while those two companions are high-level. If they join us, this event will probably go more smoothly," Phil Gray asked tentatively.
The leader pondered for a moment, then said, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over them, "but this information must not be revealed to anyone else."
“Okay.” Phil Gray nodded, somewhat surprised. This leader seemed to trust them too much, but it was probably because he was confident in his own strength. With divine power, even if he brought the Holy See's knights, he probably wouldn't be afraid.
"Meet at the city gate tomorrow at noon." The leader turned around and said loudly, "I don't mind what guards or servants you bring, but you must not spread this news. Once you arrive, follow my orders. Anyone who acts on their own will be sent to the embrace of the gods."
"OK."
"OK."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Is it the ruins between Duer City and Guk City?" The long-haired man who had been silent all along suddenly asked.
"How did you know?" The leader turned his head, and the others also looked at him.
Phil Gray was able to see the long-haired man clearly by the light.
His face was half-covered by long, black and white hair, revealing only wrinkles. He seemed to be quite old, probably in his fifties or sixties, judging from his voice.
“Besides this ruin, I can’t think of any other place in Duer City that the God of Fate has ever been.” The long-haired man laughed, a flower blooming on half of his face.
“This site has only been mentioned in a few books, and only briefly. The fact that you know about it is beyond my expectations.” The leader’s eyes were filled with admiration.
"As a scholar who pursues knowledge, ignorance in any area is shameful." The long-haired man did not feel proud because of the admiring looks from the crowd, but said very calmly.
"Are you perhaps a follower of Manzo, the god of knowledge and wisdom?" Mrs. Dean exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes." The long-haired man nodded.
This god of knowledge and wisdom is indeed very selective. He chooses his followers not only as his devout believers, but also, according to legend, as people of great wisdom. How could a foolish person represent a wise god? And how could he fulfill the god's prophecies by searching for knowledge and wisdom in thousands of ancient books and classics?
The church formed by His followers is called the Light of Wisdom, but it is more of an academic organization than a church. Like commercial churches, it has no pope. According to them, knowledge and wisdom are the pope, and no one can be above knowledge and wisdom. The Light of Wisdom has only one leader, called the prophet.
"When I was young, I didn't worship the god of wisdom, nor the chosen ones. As for which god I worshipped, now that I'm standing here with you, you probably already know. Hehe, actually anyone can become a chosen one; the key is whether you choose the right god for you." The long-haired man laughed again, but the others didn't seem to agree with his ideas, their faces showing strange expressions.
Phil Gray, however, began to ponder.
"Go back and prepare yourselves, arrive on time. I won't wait for you after noon," the leader instructed again.
"OK."
Watching the leader and the others walk away, Phil Gray looked at the long-haired man who was still there. "Your idea is very interesting. May I ask your name?"
“Just call me Dwyer.” He laughed again. “Do you think what I just said is right? Over the years, you’re the only one who hasn’t dismissed this theory.”
“Are you wrong?” Phil Gray asked again.
"Of course that's wrong. Their theory is that the gods chose us, and we became the chosen ones under their guidance, isn't that right? And what about my logic just now?"
“Your logic just now, that we choose the faith and gods that suit us,” Phil Gray muttered to himself. He hadn’t thought there was anything wrong with it from the perspective of Earthlings, but now it seemed… “You mean, it’s not that the gods chose us, but that we chose the gods?”
"That's why I said I was wrong. Just consider this something I, someone who's gone crazy from reading, rambled on." Dwyer's long hair covered half his face, but his eyes were crystal clear.
"It's true that I'm spouting nonsense, but I imagine many people here are already living proof of that nonsense." He shook his head with a smile, his arm sweeping across the dark basement, the light flickering, his gaze wandering aimlessly.
“Don’t listen to his nonsense. A family like ours, with such deep ties to the Vatican, if we don’t believe in the God of Destiny, which god would we believe in?” Patrick shouted from the side.
"Oh?" Dwyer looked at him with a questioning gaze.
Patrick realized he had spoken out of turn and looked at him in silence.
Fortunately, Mrs. Dean and Mr. Allen had already left, and now only a few of them remained.
“We were originally members of a family within the Church of Destiny, but we were persecuted by other members of the Church and were forced to join the apostates,” Phil Gray explained calmly, which relieved Patrick, who was feeling somewhat flustered.
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