Volume 2: Original Sin 058, Ahmon's Request

  Ammon was silent for half a day, and in an instant, many thoughts flashed through his mind. He finally nodded and said, "Of course I want to, after all, that's my hometown. But now that Du Ke Town only has me left, what's the point of doing so?"

  Yin Nanna's arms tightened: "Of course it makes sense, for you and me both. That place is the land of Du Ke Town, also my divine domain. You can establish a country and become a king, our descendants will inherit it from generation to generation, and I will be the main god of the kingdom... You are not alone, there are still survivors of Du Ke Town scattered far away, you need to lead them back home, build your own country and home."

  Amon exclaimed in surprise and delight: "Am I not the only survivor of Du Ke Town? Are there any other survivors, including my father and Das Ti Town Mayor?"

  Yoon Na-na: "At that time, everyone in the town was killed, and your father and the mayor were no exception. But there is still a group of survivors who are now scattered abroad as slaves. If you want to lead them back home to establish a homeland, I will guide you on how to find them and what to do... I have an agreement with Enlil that as long as you don't take the initiative to challenge him, he can no longer harm you and won't stop you from returning home. This is all I can do as a protective deity."

  Amon: "Challenge Enlil? I don't have that kind of skill." Of course, he didn't have the ability to challenge a god, at least not yet, but who knows about the future. The mission given by the old madman was to unravel the secrets of the gods, find the path to becoming a god, and even become one himself. —— These words were impossible to say out loud.

  Yin Nanna smiled: "So there's no need to worry about these things, what you need to do is lead the descendants of Du Ke Town back to their homeland, establish your own eternal kingdom. The gods will not directly intervene in these matters, everything needs to be done by yourselves, but I can give you guidance and help."

  Amun: "Can you tell me where they are now? I'll go find them."

  Yin Nanna shook her head gently: "No, it's no use telling you now. Unless I see that you can do it and are working hard to achieve this ideal, I won't tell you... I heard that your relationship with the Cave Dwelling Savage Tribe is good, and that you've stayed there for a long time. You could actually do what Princess Xiao Yan did, lead the Cave Dwelling Savage Tribe out of the deep mountains and establish a village, first stabilize their footing, train and arm them to guard their home."

  Ammon frowned: "Will they be willing?"

  Yin Nanna burst out laughing: "You're very clever, but sometimes you're also silly and lovely! With fertile land, who would want to continue living in the treacherous mountains? They will only be grateful for your help and guidance."

  "However, the Highland Giant Tribe has already left, won't there be a conflict?"

  Yin Nanna explained: "There is a thousand-mile fertile land, and the few tribes are like water droplets scattered in the ocean. You can choose where you want to settle, no need to fight for one place. Currently, it is still a desperate place surrounded by swamps, and only from the direction of the Yu Di River Valley can you reach the small isolated island that protrudes above the water."

  The savage from the depths of the mountains emerged from the wilderness and arrived at the plains, where he would not attract anyone's attention for the time being. It was the best opportunity to establish a home. Otherwise, Princess Xiaoying wouldn't have let the Highland Giant do so either. I can also tell you that the survivors of Du Ke Town still retain their original land deeds and will be the legitimate owners of vast tracts of fertile land.

  "Ah Meng pondered and continued to ask: 'You said that the current terrain is still slowly changing, and it will take how long for it to become a vast expanse of fertile land?'"

  Yoon Na-na: "At least three years later."

  Amun: "How much longer will it take for the original site of Du Ke Town to be exposed above water and habitable?"

  Yoon Na-na: "One year."

  Armon finally nodded: "So the cave-dwelling savage tribe will have at least two years to build a new home, their life in the deep mountains is indeed very hard, I should help them, thank you for your suggestion, one year later I will guide the cave-dwelling savage tribe out of the deep mountains and settle in the area around Duke Town first."

  Yin Nanna smiled happily: "Okay, I'll wait for your news. You have to guide them in building the Guardian God's temple."

  Amun: "I will tell them all about this, and I believe they will make the right choice. But I think that making an offering to the gods must come from the heart, no one can be forced."

  Yin Nanna tilted her head and looked at Ah Mon with a very special gaze: "Why did you say these things to me?"

  Amon replied very honestly, "This is what I think in my heart. You just told me that as a god you can see whether I am lying or not, and I should have been honest with you from the start... This is something I realized after meeting Gilgamesh, because of the Humbaba incident."

  Yin Nanna looked at him, her eyes seeming to pierce his heart, and after a while, she smiled sweetly: "My little Armon, this time you mistakenly thought I was Princess Xian and came to the Giant Tribe to rescue me. I should thank you. As for the whereabouts of the survivors of Du Ke Town, I'll tell you later, but now you can make another request to me, as long as it's something I can do, I won't refuse."

  Amun turned his head and looked at her seriously, asking: "Really?"

  Yoon Nana: "Of course it's true, I am your guardian angel."

  Amun: "I want to ask you about the secrets of the gods. Can mortals become gods? If so, how can they become gods?"

  Yin Nanna let go of his hand and took a step back, saying: "Good heavens, Ah Meng, you're really bold! Gilgamesh asked the same question, but he didn't get an answer, this is unacceptable!"

  Judging from her tone, it was unclear whether she meant that mortals "cannot" become spirits or that she "cannot" tell Amun. Amun had not expected to get an answer from Yinnana anyway, so he said: "Then I'll ask you for something else. I've heard that after people die, they go to the underworld. I'd like to see my father and the townspeople who died in Du Ke Town again, even if it's just their spirits after death."

  What Ah Mon cares about most are these two things, unlocking the secrets of the gods is his responsibility and promise, and seeing his father again is his deepest longing. A young man who has left his hometown suddenly hears that his hometown was destroyed by a disaster without seeing his loved ones for the last time, it is his greatest regret and pain in his heart. Since he can make one request to the gods, how could he not speak up?

  Yin Nanna's face changed, and she finally lost her smile, staring at Ah Mon for half a day without speaking.

  Amon retreated a few steps and knelt down again: "My guardian deity, Ke Zhen has been with me since the past until now. Can you fulfill this request?"

  Yin Nanna straightened her body, and her skirt fell down. Her tone changed, becoming a dignified goddess: "Not everyone who dies will enter the underworld, and the so-called underworld is not what mortals imagine it to be. I indeed know where many residents of Du Ke Town's souls have gone. But I advise you to change your mind, that is not a place you can go to, and if you go, you may not come back."

  "May I ask if you can do it?"

  Yoon Nana nodded expressionlessly: "Yes, I can do it."

  Amun said, "There are many things that I am not sure if I can accomplish. For example, you ask me to lead the descendants of Du Ke Town back to their hometown to rebuild their homes, and I will try my best to do so. But now my most urgent wish is this: Guardian Spirit, if I go, it's possible that I won't come back, but also possible that I will return, right?"

  Yoon Na-na: "Yes, it's possible that I won't be able to come back, and it's also possible that I will. If you want me to help you come back again, then that would be another request."

  Amun: "I dare not ask for more, but if you are truly the guardian deity of Duketown, let me enter the underworld to see my father and others like Dasiti. If you can protect me from returning safely to the world, I will do my best to rebuild everything in Duketown, make it a new home or even a country, guide our people to rebuild your temple, sincerely offer sacrifices, and worship you as our eternal guardian deity."

  Yin Nanna fell silent for a long time, as if thinking about something. She looked hesitant, while Ah Mon knelt on the ground, speechless, waiting for the divine response. Half a day passed before Yin Nanna finally sighed and said: "The so-called underworld is actually in this world. I will send you there, but whether the person you want to see is there or not, I dare not guarantee... I will also try my best to bring you back. If you unfortunately fall into it, you can think of a way to escape by yourself."

  Amon bowed down and kissed the muddy ground under Yinnana's feet: "Thank you for the divine permission! May I ask when we will go?"

  Yin Nanna: "I'll go make some preparations, and I'll be waiting for you here in three days. You come back again in three days." By the time Ah Mon lifted his head again, this goddess had vanished into thin air.

  That night, Maidanzo was excitedly packing his luggage, but there wasn't much to pack. He kept polishing his weapons and armor until they shone brightly in the lamplight, making him feel increasingly delighted. Tomorrow, he would be following Princess Xiaojing back to the imperial capital! He still remembered how dejected he had been when leaving his hometown, never expecting that he could return in such a glorious manner!

  Just then, someone behind him suddenly said, "This armor has been blessed with divine magic, and a single tap can shake off all the dust, no need to wipe it like that!"

  "If it were someone else's voice, Medanzzo would have drawn his sword and jumped up, but instead he turned around with a surprised expression: 'My Amun God, how did you come back again?'"

  "Sit down and talk slowly, I forgot one thing that needs to be explained when I come back, and I also heard another thing that needs to be clarified with you."

  Wait until Mr. Amman is seated, then Mei Danzuo sat down and asked: "Is there anything you forgot to tell?"

  Amon: "The chariot and the two horses are not mine, they were lent to me by a merchant named Lescott-Lee from the city-state of Uruk, I still have to return them to him."

  Mei Danzuo: "You can take this one away, I'll go to the town to buy a real war horse. Although the cart-pulling horses are good, they're not suitable for knights."

  "Leave your carriage and horses at the inn when you go," said Ah Mon, "pay them enough to take good care of them, I'll come back for them later."

  Mei Danzuo: "No problem, is there anything else you want to clarify with me?"

  Amon's expression turned serious: "The matter of the carriage is just a minor one, but there's another thing that's very important and you must pay attention to it. I heard from you about what happened when the princess summoned you yesterday, she specifically asked if you have a good relationship with the Hole Dwelling Barbarian tribe, possibly wanting to assign a task to you, just like sending Yushil."

  Then he leaned over and whispered to Medan for a long time. Medan's expression became more and more astonished, nodding repeatedly. When Armon finished speaking, he patted his shoulder and said: "This is just my guess, if the princess really orders you to do this, I think you can't refuse, but this involves divine matters, don't make promises or guarantees."

  Maitreya let out a sigh of relief, patted his chest and said: "Ahmon God, fortunately you reminded me, if this really happens, I know what to do." After thinking for a moment, he smiled again, lowering his voice and whispering: "Really letting Link's tribe establish villages and build temples, they won't worship any other gods, you are the only god!"

  Ammon gave him a moderate punch: "This kind of talk, you'd better think about it in your heart, but don't speak recklessly."

  Mei Dangzu spat out his tongue: "I understand this, of course, don't worry."

  Amon: "Understood, then. One year from now, we'll meet again in Link's tribe. Whether or not Princess Zelda has asked you to do this, I will guide them to the fertile land in the swamp to establish a home. Three years later, I will lead the descendants of Duck Town back to their hometown, and that piece of fertile land will be large enough for hundreds of thousands of people to live in. But for now, all of this is still a secret, don't reveal it to anyone, and don't let anyone know that you already know."

  Maidanzo nodded solemnly and said: "Amon God, I remember, I will definitely follow your words."

  Three days later, Amun came to the plateau again. Yin Nana was already waiting for him here. No, it should be said that Mu Yun Goddess was waiting for him, because she looked completely like a goddess today.

  She was still wearing the golden long dress, her figure was still so charming, but the dress was shining brightly in the sunlight, as if it were a flowing metal. She wore a golden crown, which was a flower-shaped headpiece woven from gold threads; she held a staff in her hand, which looked like a sprig of ivy with green leaves on it; she wore a sky-blue stone necklace on her chest, which was the best quality sky-blue stone produced in the Douqu Town area; there were earrings hanging from her earlobes, and the pendants shone like bright stars; on her slender arm, she wore a pair of golden bracelets; on her high chest, a golden flower-shaped brooch was pinned to the neckline of her long dress.

  This was how Amun had seen her idol in the temple since childhood, but that cold sky-blue stone statue didn't have the living goddess's radiant aura. He paid his respects to her and said: "Great Goddess Mu Yanniang, thank you for granting my request, I'm ready to follow you to the underworld."

  Muyun Goddess looked at him and gently shook her head: "No need to thank me, this is just to thank you for saving me before, because no one has ever done that... I also didn't have the confidence to bring you back from the underworld on the spot, please be mentally prepared, if you fall into the underworld, don't eat anything there, nor can you drink a mouthful of water, guard your own soul and there is hope for escape... In the future, when we meet again in the sunlight, still call me Yinnana, I like this name."

  Muyun let Ahmon get up and follow her, all the way without asking any questions. The direction they were heading was surprisingly towards the depths of the Xuya Plateau, in the direction of the source of the Youdi River, with towering mountains and steep cliffs filled with rugged terrain. With her divine power, she could have easily taken Ahmon to quickly float or fly, but she didn't, instead letting Ahmon follow behind her as she walked, seemingly intentionally testing him.

  Hiking through the mountains, Arin was more skilled than a great wizard, if he had to replace a great wizard or magician, he would probably fly over directly, but Arin couldn't fly yet, and could only walk honestly. He found that no matter how fast he walked, Eunanna was always walking a few steps behind him with a calm and composed expression, yet he could never catch up to her.

  No stopping, no resting, the goddess didn't even turn her head to say a word. From noon to evening, from night to dawn, and from dawn again to the next day's dusk... If it were someone else, they would have long been exhausted, and even if not, they might accidentally fall off the cliff. Armon didn't even have time to stop and eat along the way, using water elemental magic to condense water droplets in the environment directly into his mouth to quench his thirst, following the goddess's footsteps without falling behind a single step.

  When night fell again, the goddess Mu Yun finally spoke: "Amon, this road is very treacherous. I'm surprised you've been able to hold on until now, but we'll have to keep walking like this for three days and three nights. You can give up at any time. Although I promised to take you to the underworld, I also need you to be able to walk to the gates of the underworld yourself. If you really can't hold on, I won't blame you. If you accidentally fall off a cliff, I'll save your life, which is also a way to repay your rescue."

  It seems that the goddess was not willing to take Amun to the underworld, but had to agree to this request and used such a method to test him. If Amun couldn't follow her all the way to the gate of the underworld, then it wouldn't be Mu Yun's fault for not keeping her promise. Her pace was just right for Amun to keep up with his best efforts, but three days and three nights in a row was a bit too exaggerated!

  "I understand what you mean, I will try my best to follow you and won't give up."

  The goddess Muyun stopped speaking, and the two of them continued walking forward without stopping or resting for a moment. The speed remained unchanged, but the road became increasingly treacherous, yet it was just within Amun's reach, not requiring him to fly over. Amun gritted his teeth and followed closely, unable to catch up with the goddess but also not falling behind by a single step.

  On the third day, they arrived at a desolate and barren plateau, where there was no longer any greenery in sight. The ground was covered with coarse rocks, low and sparse shrubs, and occasional remnants of snow could be seen. The wind was extremely cold, cutting like a knife on their faces.

  Crossing the cold plateau, Mu Yun Goddess continued to walk down and entered a narrow and deep mountain valley. The deeper she walked, the more humid the air became, with steep cliffs on both sides. The valley was getting narrower and darker, surrounded by an eerie atmosphere that made Ah Mon feel like he couldn't help but shiver, even though it wasn't as cold as it was on the plateau.

  The terrain became lower and lower, the cliffs on both sides became higher and higher. The line of sky that could be seen by raising one's head became narrower and farther away. The cliffs on either side finally converged at a strange place in front, forming a vast and gloomy cave. Yinnana finally stopped in her tracks, turned around and said: "Amon, you actually managed to follow me here. Ahead is the entrance to the underworld. Are you ready?"