novelraw Chapter 318: Cocoon of Mourning, Firefly Spirit Temple
Chapter 318: Cocoon of Mourning, Firefly Spirit Temple
The next morning at dawn, Lin Xun logged into the game early.
However, because he had come online too early, there was still some time before the guards in the incubation sacs would mature.
He thought for a moment. Rather than just waiting around in the hatchery, it would be better to head to another location to explore first.
[…]
[You leave the War Hatchery and blow the Summoning Short Flute.]
[The Courier Mole Cricket soon burrows out of the ground and appears before you…]
[Please choose your destination.]
[1. Audience Ravine]
[2. Tentacle City Station]
[3. Fuzzy Feather Altar][The Courier Mole Cricket burrows into the ground and heads toward the destination…]
[…]
[The tremors subside. You have arrived at the Fuzzy Feather Altar…]
[Before you is yet another underground space. The ground is covered in gray-white fuzzy scale powder. In the distance stands a circular altar built of megaliths, upon which a colossal object stands silently.]
[You slowly approach the altar and see clearly that the colossal object is a huge creature shaped like an insect cocoon.]
[You have discovered the Ascended Cocoon of Mourning!]
[The Cocoon of Mourning does not move at all and seems to be asleep…]
[Do you wish to offer a sacrifice to the Cocoon of Mourning?]
Lin Xun frowned slightly, then switched to the lord Shell.
[You possess the Shell of the Ascended Hatchery Lord!]
[Looking at the colossal creature before you, you recall the function of the altar and the Cocoon of Mourning.]
[Every child longs for a mother’s love, but for children far away on the borders, the supreme Desire Wet Nurse is an existence they can yearn for yet never reach.]
[The Desire Wet Nurse’s consciousness is vast and magnificent. She weaves a great web of consciousness with divine power, connecting all children who believe devoutly in her.]
[If a child wants to draw near to the Wet Nurse and receive her favor, they must fight powerful demons and climb upward from the bottom of the web of consciousness…]
[But not every child has the chance or potential to draw near to the Wet Nurse.]
[The Cocoon of Mourning before you is another way to pray to the Wet Nurse for a mother’s love.]
[When a child’s life is about to reach its end, it will come to the Fuzzy Feather Altar and offer everything it has to the cocoon.]
[The body that is about to wither will turn into nourishment to moisten the soil of the Divine Kingdom. The declining, exhausted soul will be purified and cleansed, returning to the Wet Nurse’s embrace.]
[In that way, it can climb one step higher on the endless web of consciousness and, in the next cycle of life, draw closer to the Wet Nurse…]
[…]
[You can sacrifice soul strength or a Shell to the Cocoon of Mourning to receive the care bestowed by the Desire Wet Nurse.]
[Do you wish to perform a sacrifice?]
[If you wish to sacrifice soul, please enter the number of soul strength points you want to sacrifice…]
[If you wish to sacrifice a Shell, please select the Shell you want to give up. After the sacrifice, the Shell will disappear from your Shell Slots…]
[Note: At the same Cocoon of Mourning, you may only sacrifice soul strength or a Shell once. Please choose carefully!]
Lin Xun’s eyes lit up.
The soul sacrifice here did not reduce the upper limit of soul strength. It meant paying recoverable soul strength in exchange for some kind of reward.
At the moment, his soul strength was 5/5. The soul strength he could sacrifice was 4 points, which should be enough to trade for a pretty good reward.
But he absolutely was not going to sacrifice soul strength.
Soul strength concerned an Apostle’s true life and was connected to the player’s soul in reality.
Judging from the information obtained from the lord’s memories, the Desire Wet Nurse’s oath faction carried a strange air to it, and things like ‘sacrificing the soul’ sounded far too sinister, giving him a vague sense of foreboding.
By comparison, sacrificing a Shell suited him perfectly.
Right now Lin Xun’s Shell Slots were completely full, every slot crammed to capacity, so he just happened to need to clear out some stock.
Aside from the monk, the abbot, and the lord Shells obtained in this chapter, there were eight main Shells, namely: Earth Giant, President of the Direct Vision Association, little dragonkin, Palace Master of Iya Palace, Ninja Master, Greedy Wolf Star Lord, Saio Chisoku-hime, and Imperial Swordsmith.
The remaining non-main Shell was the Head of the Ogiwara Clan.
Judging from the text, at the same Cocoon of Mourning, whether it was sacrificing soul or sacrificing a Shell, he could only choose one of the two and only sacrifice once.
And the reward obtained from a sacrifice would most likely be proportional to how much he paid.
The eight main Shells were absolutely not to be sacrificed.
The monk Shell obtained in this chapter was currently his only Shell with the ‘aberrant’ prefix. It might be useful in the future, so he would not consider sacrificing it for now.
The newly acquired lord Shell had the skill to control the War Broodmothers and needed to be kept as well.
If Lin Xun wanted to sacrifice a Shell, he only had two choices: one was the Monastery Abbot, and the other was the Head of the Ogiwara Clan.
He pondered for a moment, then made up his mind.
“Then it’s decided, it’ll be you. Go, Head of the Ogiwara Clan!”
This Shell’s attack power was inferior to the Ninja Master and Greedy Wolf Star Lord, its ability to take a beating was inferior to the Earth Giant, and it had no spell damage. It was a chicken-rib Shell that he would inevitably throw away sooner or later.
Rather than throwing it away for nothing, he might as well let it exert a final bit of residual value here.
[You choose to sacrifice the Shell of the Fire-Worshipping Head of the Ogiwara Clan!]
[Sacrificing…]
[The entire altar trembles faintly. From beneath the thick cocoon shell of the Cocoon of Mourning, an indescribable fluctuation spreads out. It seems incomparably excited.]
[You receive the gaze of an unknown existence!]
[You receive the gaze of an unknown existence!]
[An incomparably vast supreme consciousness suddenly descends upon the Cocoon of Mourning. In the unseen, you hear a string of words…]
[Lost child from afar, go to the Sacred Nest Center. That is your true home…]
[The Cocoon of Mourning seems unable to bear the descent of the great will. Its body rapidly swells and bursts apart with a boom, flesh and blood flying everywhere!]
[As the Cocoon of Mourning dies, the supreme will quietly vanishes, leaving only scattered pieces of flesh all over the ground…]
[…]
“Lost child from afar…”
Sacrificing a Shell had attracted the gaze of a god. Judging from the tone, it seemed to be the Desire Wet Nurse?
Lin Xun pondered for a moment and slowly tasted the meaning within.
The Desire Wet Nurse knew he was an outsider, which should be related to the just-sacrificed Head of the Ogiwara Clan.
This Shell’s prefix was not ‘Ascended’ nor ‘Aberrant’ but ‘Fire-Worshipping,’ which did not belong to this world.
There was a high chance that the god had received a sacrifice from power that did not belong to this world, which was why she cast her gaze down.
“But… what about the promised reward?!”
After the Cocoon of Mourning’s death, the Fuzzy Feather Altar fell completely silent.
He waited for a long time without seeing any reward appear and could not help complaining out loud.
Perhaps, in the Wet Nurse’s view, granting the child the qualification to pay an audience was already the greatest reward.
Lin Xun’s face darkened. He felt that the Cursed game had pitted him once again.
He secretly felt stifled. Although the Head of the Ogiwara Clan Shell was a chicken-rib Shell that he would throw away sooner or later, its quality was very high and on the same level as the Earth Giant and the President of the Direct Vision Association.
He had meant to trade this Shell for a decent reward, but instead his expectations were dashed and he got nothing at all.
Lin Xun let out a long sigh and could only chalk it up to bad luck.
He switched to the Greedy Wolf Star Lord’s Shell, preparing to leave this place.
[…]
[Suddenly, there is a sound from the distant ground. A Courier Mole Cricket burrows out of it.]
[A familiar black-robed figure jumps down from the creature’s abdomen and strides toward the altar…]
[Missionary Kim’s black robe is stained with mottled blood, and the fuzz on its head is somewhat disheveled, as if it has just gone through a great battle.]
[As it walks toward you, it complains, “I did not expect that you maggot-person would look so stupid, yet you are actually pretty clever…”]
[The fact that you were not caught by the hatchery lord proves that Kim’s eye was not wrong. You truly are a special maggot-person.]
[It steps onto the altar and is just about to pat your shoulder and continue speaking when it suddenly sees the Cocoon of Mourning, which has exploded into scattered flesh and blood all over the ground…]
[Missionary Kim’s extended limb instantly freezes. It points at you in disbelief and says, “You, you killed the Cocoon of Mourning?”]
[It cannot help but curse, “You damned maggot-person! You are unbelievably stupid! How did it just think you were clever?”]
[Missionary Kim hurriedly yanks you along and sprints toward the Courier Mole Cricket that has not yet burrowed back into the ground.]
[It drags you and hastily jumps into the mole cricket’s abdomen, shouting at the mole cricket, “I will feed you later. Run, now!”]
[The Courier Mole Cricket chirps and stays motionless where it is.]
[Missionary Kim is so anxious that the fuzz on its head all stands on end. It almost starts cursing again but forcibly chokes it back.]
[It quickly pulls out an unknown fungal plant, leans out of the abdominal cavity, and tosses it to the Courier Mole Cricket.]
[The Courier Mole Cricket eats the fungus, swiftly closes the flesh membranes of its abdomen, and burrows into the ground…]
[…]
[As the abdominal cavity is plunged into darkness, Missionary Kim finally lets out a long sigh of relief and collapses on the seat.]
[It turns its head to look at you and immediately starts scolding you, “You stupid maggot-person, do you know what the Cocoon of Mourning is for? How could you dare kill it?”]
[“Killing the Cocoon of Mourning will draw the gaze of the Despicable Ones.” Fortunately Kim runs fast, or you and it would both have died at the Fuzzy Feather Altar!]
[Missionary Kim nags on and on, then suddenly kicks at the creature’s abdominal wall and continues scolding, “And you, you damned mole cricket! All you know how to do is eat, eat, eat. If we had been even a little later in running, none of us would have survived!”]
[Several chirps come from outside the flesh membrane from the Courier Mole Cricket, sounding rather aggrieved.]
[…]
[After a long while, Missionary Kim finally finishes scolding.]
[The tremors in the abdominal cavity have also subsided, and light once again filters in from outside the flesh membrane…]
[The Courier Mole Cricket opens the flesh membranes, and the scene outside enters your view.]
[This is an unfamiliar place you have never been to before. The underground space here is extremely cramped and oppressive. Aside from a single dilapidated, low building, there are no other structures.]
[The building not far away looks like a shabby house cobbled together from bits and pieces. The house is piled up from a jumble of bricks and stones, with drafts blowing in from all four sides. Some of the gaps have shards of stained glass wedged into them.]
[The tremors from the mole cricket burrowing up to the surface make the house sway and totter, as if it will collapse in the next second.]
[Missionary Kim immediately kicks the Courier Mole Cricket and scolds it, “Move more gently. If the spirit temple collapses, I will send you to keep the Cocoon of Mourning company.”]
[It leads you toward the low house, introducing it to you in an incomparably solemn tone. “This is the sacred Firefly Spirit Temple, where the Lord’s divine image is enshrined.”]
[“Ignorant maggot-person, do you know how difficult it is to build a spirit temple for the Lord in the realm of the despicable?”]
[“Do not judge by how shabby the temple looks. If you pray devoutly here, you can still receive a response from the Lord…”]
[“You must understand, this is the realm of the despicable. For the Lord’s will to pass through the obstruction of the Despicable Ones and be transmitted here… this alone proves that the Lord’s might far surpasses the Despicable Ones. The Lord is the only true god in this world!”]
[Missionary Kim pushes open the rickety wooden door and leads you into the Firefly Spirit Temple…]
[The spirit temple is very small. You can see all of its furnishings at a glance: a few wooden pews and candlesticks, and at the very back a small divine image hanging on the wall.]
[The statue is only half the size of a person. Its form is that of a firefly in mid-flight with wings spread, and set into its tail is a gem that glows faintly. It flickers with a weak yet never-extinguishing light of fireflies.]
[Do you wish to bow before the statue to join the oath of the Primordial Firefly?]
Without thinking at all, Lin Xun presses ‘No’.
[Missionary Kim ignores you and bows devoutly to the statue on its own…]
[You look around and suddenly notice a figure curled up in the corner.]
[You slowly walk over to check. The curled-up figure seems to be asleep and does not move.]
[It is not a half-insect, half-human form but a human without any insect organs!]
[You look at its face and feel it looks somewhat familiar…]
[You suddenly recall. This is the same maggot-person you saw before in the hatchery!]
[The maggot-person that should have been inside an incubation sac is now in the Firefly Spirit Temple…]
[A bad premonition rises in your heart.]
[After finishing its devout worship, Missionary Kim slowly comes to your side. Seeing you staring blankly at the sleeping maggot-person, it cannot help speaking, its tone carrying a hint of pride…]
[Originally, its plan was to have you go to the Fuzzy Feather Altar to witness the living sacrifices of the Despicable Ones. Only by comparison can you understand the Lord’s greatness.]
[Even if you chose to go to the War Hatchery, it would not matter. In the realm of the despicable, a maggot-person’s status is not even as good as a Courier Mole Cricket’s.]
[Your only outcome would have been to be dragged out by the hatchery lord, subjected to a bit of minor abuse, then driven out of the borders the next day and exiled to the lowborns’ land to fend for yourself.]
[It had intended to go to the hatchery today to rescue you, but did not expect you not to be in the hatchery and instead to be picking a fight with the motionless Cocoon of Mourning…]
[Fortunately, after rescuing the other maggot-person it rushed over in time. Otherwise… hmph, you probably would not even have a corpse left by now.]
[Your bad premonition grows stronger. Looking at the mottled bloodstains on Missionary Kim’s black robe, you cautiously ask, “Since it rescued the maggot-person, then the guards that matured in the hatchery today…”]
[Before you can finish, Missionary Kim cuts you off, speaking in triumphant tones, “How could those low-level bugs created by the Despicable Ones be any match for it? Kim is kind-hearted and sent every last one of them to meet the Despicable Ones!”]
[After speaking, it scratches its head and continues, “Come to think of it, it is rather strange. When the creatures in the incubation sacs matured, the lord and the guards on duty should have been standing watch in the hatchery, but when it was rescuing the maggot-person, it did not see them…”]
Lin Xun grits his teeth.
“Motherfucker, all those guards were leeks I raised, and now you cut every last one of them!”
He is furious. He had just been mooched off by the Desire Wet Nurse for free at the Fuzzy Feather Altar and was already fuming inside.
Now the cooked duck, the leeks ready to be cut, the guards in the hatchery, had all been harvested by Kim…
“Good job, Kim. Today it is either you die or I die!”
He opens the skill list, preparing to use the Northern Dipper Heaven’s Sword Technique Manual, and send Kim to heaven with one blast of Northern Dipper sword qi.
[T/N: Nothings worse then a kill stealer smh.]