I Save The World In A Doomsday Text Game

Chapter 223-2: Daughter of the Master Instructor, Bloodstained Incense (2)

“All the pilgrims have to pay money before offering incense… Are they planning to see me as some high-status mark with deep pockets and try to squeeze a fat donation out of me?”

Lin Xun narrowed his eyes. Never mind that he had already joined the faction of the Chaotic Origin Dragon, even if he hadn’t, the idea of him donating money was absolutely impossible.

[Under the Gon-negi’s guidance, you leave the worship hall…]

[You look toward the deeper part of the shrine, at that simple and unadorned small worship hall.]

[The Gon-negi explains that the third worship hall has not been cleaned for a long time, is covered in dust, and is currently unsuitable for visitation or worship.]

[You feel a flicker of interest and indicate you don’t mind such things, expressing a wish to enter and have a look.]

[The Gon-negi shakes his head, again gesturing that the hall is not open to outsiders…]

[Do you wish to insist on going to the third worship hall?]

Lin Xun narrowed his eyes.

This worship hall, closed to outsiders, definitely concealed a secret.If he missed a hidden event, that would be an enormous loss.

[You quietly take out five thousand Spirit Essence, slipping it to the Fire-Worshipping Ishiyama Shrine Gon-negi without a trace, stating bluntly that your faith is unwavering and you would certainly offer abundant incense.]

[The Gon-negi’s expression does not change as he accepts the Spirit Essence, glances around carefully, then resolutely shakes his head again, explaining that the shrine’s innermost worship hall is indeed closed to outsiders and protected by the power of incense offerings.]

[Even he, though he had served as the Gon-negi within the shrine for more than a decade, had never been granted the honor of stepping inside.]

[Perhaps because he had accepted your Spirit Essence yet still refused your request, he felt a little embarrassed. He quietly leaned close to your ear and explained in a low voice…]

[It was rumored that the third worship hall enshrined the true divine statue of Amateru Sakiina. Only the High Priest who oversaw all shrine affairs and the Chief Priest responsible for ritual offerings could enter and worship within.]

[Even the High Priest and Chief Priest rarely entered the third worship hall, which was why so much dust accumulated there and needed cleaning.]

[Strangely, the two of them forbade anyone else from sweeping it, claiming that a man’s presence would defile and desecrate the divine statue.]

[You had surely noticed the notice recruiting shrine maidens when you came up the mountain. Ishiyama Shrine was recruiting shrine maidens precisely to clean that third worship hall, but regrettably, had been unable to find suitable candidates for a long time…]

[Apostle of the Thousand Faces, Ten Thousand Forms, do you wish to volunteer yourself to the Gon-negi?]

“…Volunteer myself? This damned hellish game, truly something else.”

Lin Xun twitched the corner of his mouth and pressed [Yes].

[You once again take out five thousand Spirit Essence and discreetly hand it to the Gon-negi, speaking in a low voice. You say that, as it happens, your daughter is willful and has reached marrying age without finding a suitable husband, so you intend to send her to the shrine to serve beside the deity.]

[The Gon-negi is overjoyed at these words and cannot help exclaiming that, with your exalted status as Master Instructor, there is no need to say more, your esteemed daughter surely meets all qualifications to become a shrine maiden. The other candidates had evidently come in vain…]

[You declare that there is no time like the present, you will return to the dojo at once to bring your daughter up the mountain for the selection.]

[The other prospective maidens, of course, have no idea that in just a few casual exchanges between you and the Gon-negi, the shrine maiden’s position has already been decided.]

[The Gon-negi urges you to offer incense first, saying there is no hurry to fetch your daughter. But you, acting decisively, reply that once your daughter becomes a shrine maiden, you will return to the mountain to make a proper offering.]

[You wave farewell to the Gon-negi and leave Ishiyama Shrine…]

[…]

Lin Xun waited a long while. Seeing the time was about right, he found an unfrequented corner and switched Shells.

[You have possessed the Shell of the Fire-Worshipping Failed Shrine Maiden!]

The courtesan Shell still wore the shrine maiden garments she had used for her performances.

The shrine maiden attire had been specially modified in the Idyllic Pleasure Quarter, exuding a strong air of debauchery that instantly sparked improper thoughts in others.

So as not to arouse suspicion, he dressed the Shell in the Heartless Flow Dojo’s inner disciple robes and equipped her with sa word and blade.

In the blink of an eye, she transformed from a fallen woman into a valiant female swordsman.

[…]

[You return once more to Ishiyama Shrine. At the entrance, a group of young women has gathered, clearly here for the shrine maiden selection.]

[Unlike those sallow-faced women in shabby clothes, you are dressed in pure white robes, a sharp sword at your waist. The jade belt accentuates your slender waist and curving hips. Every movement reveals bright, lively eyes and a graceful smile, your extraordinary status obvious at a glance.]

[Not only the other women, but even the two attendants at the gate stare wide-eyed at you.]

[Soon, the Fire-Worshipping Ishiyama Shrine Gon-negi hurries over.]

[The moment he sees you, his eyes light up, and he quickly announces to all present that you are the daughter of the Master Instructor of the Heartless Flow Dojo, whose pious faith has brought her here to serve the deity as a shrine maiden.]

[The moment these words leave his mouth, every woman in the group droops her head, as if in mourning.]

[In low voices, their whispers drift over once more…]

[“…Why is the daughter of a dojo’s master instructor joining in? If she wants to be a shrine maiden, she should go to a grand shrine.”]

[“…Exactly, exactly. You can tell at a glance she was raised in luxury. Why come steal the shrine maiden position of this little wilderness shrine?”]

[“…Heh, you don’t know the half of it. I heard the dojo’s master instructor was a guest elder of the Otaki Clan, one of the city’s noble houses. This morning, there was a heavenly omen, a meteor fell from the sky and wiped out everyone in the Otaki Estate.”]

[“Surely it was the Otaki clan’s eldest son, who was so arrogant that he brought down divine wrath, hence the calamity…”]

[“…Yes, that makes perfect sense. To placate the gods’ anger, the master instructor is offering his daughter as a shrine maiden…”]

[The Gon-negi’s face darkens. He loudly rebukes them.]

[Realizing they had no chance of being chosen, most of the women give up and go back down the mountain…]

[Only two remain, unwilling to concede defeat.]

[But the Gon-negi raises an eyebrow, points at the two, and announces that for spreading malicious gossip and slandering the gods within the divine domain, they are disqualified from the shrine maiden selection!]

[Before long, the two grumbling women are driven down the mountain by the attendants…]