No further explanation was needed. Working backwards with the mission in mind, the future would be exactly as the mysterious man had predicted. At most, there would be some minor changes in the details, but the three of them already knew it. They stared out the window at the view, speechless for a long time. Even the dazzling light from the distant stars only represented facts that had already occurred. Everywhere they looked, they saw an unchangeable fate.
Destiny lies within the light cone. If you want to change it, you have to exceed the speed of light.
But that is impossible. Humans simply cannot do it, and perhaps even the human God of Thor cannot do it, so He can only continue to make predictions and make the prophecies come true, but He never changes anything.
Qin Zhongquan saw from the reflection in the porthole that the two men had different expressions, but both seemed to be waiting for the other to speak first. So he chuckled and ended his silence. "Speaking of which, why do we have to complete that mission? We could just sell the Estella after returning to Mars, split the profits, and then do whatever we need to do."
"That sounds far-fetched," the priest said, crossing his arms. "Everything is funded by money. After you've paid your bounties, there probably won't be much left. And then, with your abilities, after a period of extravagant living, you'll definitely fall back into your old ways. Even if you're content with the status quo like First Mate Chen, you're all aware of the current climate. If you have money but don't join a group, you'll definitely be targeted by others. So, even if it's for the sake of your wives and children, you'll spontaneously gather together—I don't even want to continue talking about what would happen if you all got together. Just think about it! I doubt any sheriff would turn a blind eye."
"Indeed. And if we disband at this point, the news will inevitably leak out. Even if we don't want to complete the mission, someone will force us to do it. After all, it's a reward that could potentially grant us all our wishes. Even if the probability is very slim, the rulers of the eight worlds will definitely be tempted. Captain, I think we must not only complete the mission as quickly as possible, but also complete it before others react!"
Qin Zhongquan curled his lips and said, "I've already analyzed everything for you. I don't have much to say. Now tell us about your plan. Stop hiding it."
The two men's eyes met, and the first mate soon couldn't stand the priest's gaze anymore. He shook his head and replied, "My original idea was to delay the completion of the mission, but now I see, I'm probably not as strong as the captain."
The priest pinched his arm and thought for a moment, expressing his agreement with silence.
"What about you, my missionary?"
"Me? I only accept Thorze's guidance."
"Yes, you've always been like this." Qin Zhongquan rubbed his head. "By the way, there's something I've been wanting to ask you, so today, since you're both free, let's talk about it together—He, I mean, the God of Thor. What else did He prophesy? Did He say anything about what happens after the Returners?"
"It was said... He said that the return will originate from Hou Tu, glory will sink into the stars, fire will ignite chaos, and the marshes will welcome the end." The priest replied, "In my opinion, fire does not necessarily mean war, and the end does not necessarily mean the end of the world."
“I don’t understand…” said the first mate.
"You're absolutely right. We've been interpreting this phrase for nearly a hundred years, and we still haven't grasped its true meaning. Some believers believe the Thor God is Hou Tu, while others believe the Thor God is a respectful title for the Son of God. I'm neither—the Thor God is the Thor God, unrelated to the other two names. Oh, and by the way, Hou Tu and the Son of God are both handed down from the era of the Community, but it wasn't until a hundred years ago that the Twelve Saints discovered the inextricable connection between them, which led to the merger of our Thorze Cult."
"Captain, I don't think we need to waste time discussing mysticism..."
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