novelraw Chapter 383-1: Rules of the Disciple War, An Invitation from the Messiah (1)
Chapter 383-1: Rules of the Disciple War, An Invitation from the Messiah (1)
Hang City, by West Lake.
The residence was simple and elegant, with winding corridors, painted bridges, and murmuring streams, like a small classical garden.
On the grand armchair in the courtyard sat a middle-aged man. He glanced at the subordinate bowing slightly at his side and asked, “Where is Cain?”
Black-robed Amos immediately replied, “My lord, Cain has already arrived in Hang City. At most ten more minutes and he will be here.”
The Third Disciple Vishnu nodded and continued, “This is the first time you and Cain are taking part in the Disciple war. I took three subordinate slots from him and one from you. Do you know why I did that?”
Amos knew that Lord Vishnu had eyes and ears everywhere. Even before this Disciple war began, he had already received accurate information: in this Disciple war, each Disciple could bring three subordinates to participate.
Amos lowered his head. “I do not know, my lord. But since my lord did it, naturally my lord has his reasons. I only need to obey.”
Vishnu could not help laughing.
“You really are a bit too timid.”
“In fact, Cain voluntarily handed over his three subordinate slots to me, then immediately turned around and asked me for five million Spirit Essence.”Amos was visibly stunned. He had never imagined such a trick.
But that did fit Cain’s style perfectly. It sounded exactly like something he would do.
After hearing that the Disciple war had not even begun, Cain had already sworn to his flock of lambs that his territory was about to expand, acting as if victory were already in the bag. He then used the bait of making them proxy agents in the new territory to coax a bunch of lambs into emptying their coffers and donating Spirit Essence.
This guy really was worthy of choosing Cain as his Holy Name.
Vishnu continued, “It has been a long time since the Master held a coronation ceremony for a newly promoted Disciple. For Cain to be an exception is, of course, because he has earned the Master’s favor. His future prospects are immeasurable.”
Amos had long known Cain had someone backing him, which was why he had always taken special care of him.
At first he thought Lord Vishnu wanted to groom Cain. Only after Cain’s coronation ceremony did he realize how terrifying Cain’s background really was.
It turned out that the man standing behind Cain was actually the New World’s leader, no, he should be called the New World’s emperor, the Master.
Amos was glad that he had always treated Cain well. If nothing unexpected happened, that guy would definitely become a major figure in the future.
“I am asking you two for subordinate slots for two reasons. One, the struggle among the higher-ranked Disciples is too fierce. If I do not bring a few people who can take a hit for me at a critical moment, even I am not sure I can survive again…”
“My lord, you will definitely defeat the other higher-ranked Disciples and become the final victor,” Amos blurted out. He had been personally cultivated by Vishnu. Leaving aside any talk of loyalty, his interests were already tightly bound to Vishnu’s.
If Vishnu died, there would be only disadvantages and no advantages for him.
Vishnu shook his head and went on, “You still do not understand the Master’s intentions. You have been stuck at seventh difficulty for quite some time, have you not? Have you advanced to Nightmare chapters yet?”
“My lord, I have been in Nightmare chapters for some time already. If this Disciple war had not been moved up, I should have been able to clear a Nightmare chapter for the first time in about a month, though the interpretation rating might be relatively low…”
“Once you have tackled Nightmare difficulty a few more times and if your luck is not too bad, you should be able to reach the demigod realm. When that time comes, you will understand what the Master’s true intentions are.”
Amos froze. The Master’s true intentions?
Did Lord Vishnu mean those First Disciples who had survived several Disciple wars but had now all vanished without a trace?
Vishnu let out a long sigh. “Among the lower-ranked Disciples in this round, aside from you and Cain, there is also the new Tenth Disciple, Jeremiah. None of you have stepped into the demigod realm.”
“However, the Ninth Disciple Agabus survived the last Disciple war. If there is no accident, he is already a demigod.”
Amos’s expression became extremely grave when he heard this.
The Disciple war did not throw all the Disciples into a single chapter for a grand melee. There were certain implicit restrictions.
During the Disciple war, lower-ranked Disciples would only appear in the same area as other lower-ranked Disciples. The same applied to mid-ranked and higher-ranked Disciples, each in their own areas.
Generally speaking, higher-ranked Disciples were restricted from entering the areas where lower-ranked Disciples were located.
So, as long as a low-ranked Disciple did not deliberately ask for death by crossing regions, they would not run into a higher-ranked Disciple they could not possibly match.
Even so, if the Ninth Disciple Agabus really had become a demigod, whether Amos and Cain could survive the Disciple war was still unknown.
Because the difference in strength between the mythic grade and the legendary grade was far too great.
Amos silently prayed that this Disciple war would be like the last one, where each tier only had one Disciple eliminated in each region, so they could pass safely.
“The struggle among lower-ranked Disciples is something I cannot interfere with. I can only assign two relatively powerful subordinates to you. If you happen to run into Agabus, do not feel reluctant on my account. Let those two stay behind and die in your place.”
“The Master has always loathed having higher-ranked Disciples secretly help lower-ranked Disciples, disrupting the normal order of the Disciple war. If Cain did not hold a special place in the Master’s heart, I would not dare make such arrangements.”
Amos was stunned. He had thought Vishnu only lacked helpers and was asking him and Cain for subordinate slots for that reason.
Other higher-ranked Disciples also operated this way with their own faction’s lower-ranked Disciples, but all for the purpose of squeezing their subordinates and increasing their own chances of victory in the war.
Otherwise, why would the higher-ranked Disciples spend enormous resources on cultivating lower-ranked Disciples?
They not only bled the lower-ranked Disciples dry of Spirit Essence, they also demanded subordinate slots from them during the Disciple war.
If they successfully supported a lower-ranked Disciple, the gains would certainly far exceed the expenditure.
Though Vishnu had sponsored Cain with five million Spirit Essence, the Spirit Essence turned over from Cain’s proxy pasture district during the two Offering Rituals already exceeded five million.
Judging from the income of those two proxy pastorates, the total seemed to be a little over five million.
Wait, Cain had asked for exactly five million. Was that deliberate?
Amos suddenly realized that this guy really refused to suffer even the slightest loss. However much he spat out, he had to take back exactly the same, as if nobody could ever take advantage of him.
In the New World, the long-standing tradition was survival of the fittest and exploitation at every level. Anyone who had made it to the position of Disciple understood this.
Naturally, Amos understood as well and had long adapted to this rule.
On the surface, Vishnu was transferring away four of his and Cain’s subordinates, leaving them only two subordinate slots. In reality, he was replacing the only two slots they had with two powerful enforcers, or rather, deathsworn who could block fatal blows at critical moments.
Vishnu had not dared to operate like this before. That he could risk it now was entirely because Cain held a special standing in the Master’s eyes.
“So I really am benefiting from Cain’s favor…”
Amos could not help thinking to himself.
“Cain has arrived. Go greet him,” Vishnu suddenly ordered, closing his eyes as if sensing something.
Amos immediately obeyed and quickly left the courtyard.
From quite a distance away, he saw his little brother, the Twelfth Disciple Cain, being led in by the house steward.
This time Cain was not covered up from head to toe like during their previous meeting. Instead, he openly revealed his appearance.
Amos knew perfectly well that this was only a Shell, but upon seeing the Shell’s real appearance, he could not help grinding his teeth and cursing him inwardly as a show-off.
The reason was simple. Cain’s Shell did not look like a powerful fighter who had walked out of an apocalyptic chapter, but more like a TV celebrity. He was handsome to an excessive degree.
Judging from Compatibility, the real body that could possess such a Shell probably would not be ugly either.
“Bro, over here.”
Cain waved at him. Amos walked quickly over and led Cain into the courtyard to meet their lord.
Vishnu was also momentarily taken aback upon seeing the completely unmasked Cain. He did not say anything, just gave Amos a glance.
Amos sensibly left the courtyard and waited outside the residence.