Volume 2: Original Sin 048, Devil in Human World

  Those snake tendons, Ah Mon actually sensed that they have a similar quality to the Azure Water Heart. They can't be used as divine stones, but if they are processed into long whips or bowstrings and other types of weapons, they can greatly assist in enhancing the power of water elemental magic. If used on warships, their power can be fully unleashed.

  Amun planned to go back and study the snake tendon in his hand, maybe he could use it to make the first artifact of his own processing. He also remembered that day when he killed a strange snake at the bottom of the river, there must be four fangs frozen in ice blocks and exploded into the water, unfortunately, he didn't find them at that time. Although the snake tendon and fang of that strange snake were far less valuable than the spoils of war of Enkido, they were also very precious and rare materials for artifacts.

  Gilgamesh's gift to show off to the whole country was truly priceless! As Amun thought this, the caravan had already passed through the city gate and he also hurried into the capital of Balen amidst the cheering crowd.

  The procession passed through the city of Balen, arriving at a large square in the center that could hold tens of thousands of people. In front of the magnificent Marduk Temple and opposite the palace, to its left was the Kingdom of Balen's Academy of Magic, and to its right was the Hall of Heroes' Glory. Inside the hall were enshrined the names of all the heroes in the kingdom's history who had made great contributions. It would not be surprising if Gilgamesh and Enkidu's names would also be engraved there after their deaths.

  The people all gathered on one side of the square, a semicircular cordon was drawn under the long steps of the temple to keep everyone back, King Hammurabi II of Babylon led his ministers here to personally welcome Gilgamesh's arrival.

  A city lord would not normally be qualified for a royal welcome, but Gilgamesh's achievement in killing Humbaba made him the focus of national attention, and this was his due glory. After all, Humbaba's paws and snakeskin were at the front of the procession, and Hammurabi II took advantage of the opportunity to show favor. The news had already spread, and the city lords of nearby city-states also rushed to the capital to watch the excitement, standing behind the king and looking at Gilgamesh with complex expressions.

  There was also a group of royal nobles with complex expressions, everyone knew that Gilgamesh was the fiancé of Princess Xiao Yan, and it was clear that the future of the Kingdom of Balen might face a struggle for the throne. Some people were whispering in their hearts about the deep meaning of Gilgamesh's actions, while others were considering which side to stand on. Meanwhile, Gilgamesh's smile was radiant and calm, he also knew that there were rumors in the kingdom that after marrying Princess Xiao Yan, he might usurp the throne of Balen.

  Gilgamesh's actions serve two purposes. On the one hand, he is expressing his loyalty to the kingdom and the gods by killing Humbaba but dedicating the serpent's sinew and the bull of heaven's horns to Marduk's temple, clearly proclaiming that Humbaba had violated the agreement between Marduk and Enlil, and if Enlil has anything to say about it, he should go to Marduk. On the other hand, this is also a warning: if Gilgamesh does not fear the guardian god of the Cedar Forest, then naturally he will not be afraid of anyone's slander or threats.

  He came to the capital with a swagger, receiving the cheers of the people and the personal welcome of the king, not caring about the rumors within the kingdom. This city-state hero was proud to the extreme! His guard captain, En Qi, the number one warrior on the mainland, did not accompany him to Balen City. He only brought simple guards and did not let the city-state's army follow in the name of escorting, which made many people unknowingly breathe a sigh of relief.

  Amun blended into the crowd to watch the excitement, but what he cared about was not Enqi at all. He thought that Yin Nana would also enter the city with Gilgamesh, but she didn't see her. In the welcoming team of the royal family in front of the temple, there was no shadow of Yin Nana either. When Gilgamesh entered the temple accompanied by the king and the high priest, Amun quietly left to find Medanzo as the atmosphere on the square reached a climax.

  Today, the streets of Balen City were almost empty, and Amun walked through the alleys, asking the listless shopkeepers for directions, until he finally arrived at the door of Medanzzo's house. This was a hundred-year-old mansion that had been renovated and rebuilt in recent years, looking quite beautiful and spacious. A long time ago, this area should have been the residence of the nobility, but after the old King Hammurabi I expanded the palace, built a more magnificent main temple, the princes and nobles now mostly live in the southern city, and the eastern city is basically a new emerging residential area for wealthy merchants.

  There are many shops and inns nearby, and this area should be bustling with activity on a normal day. But today it's surprisingly quiet. Although the Mei family has fallen on hard times and lost their noble status, they still maintain a certain level of luxury in their daily lives. They live in their ancestral home, employing gatekeepers, grooms, servants, and maids. Maintaining this level of luxury must cost a lot, no wonder he secretly sells precious refined iron and steel to make money.

  Amun's arrival was quite inopportune, the doorman told him that Master Meidansuo had left home several months ago and hadn't returned yet, and the mistress wasn't at home either, she went to watch the excitement on the square in front of the temple today. This made Amun somewhat unexpected and disappointed, coming from afar only to find no one, but thinking about it also made sense, Meidansuo had left the Wild People's tribe almost two years ago, he might have gone to Lin Ke again.

  Since he came, it wouldn't be good to turn around and leave immediately. Mei Dansuo wasn't there, but seeing his wife and greeting her would be fine. If there were any difficulties at home, he could also help solve them; after all, Ah Meng had plenty of money and time. He waited in the foyer of the mansion until it was almost dark when Mei Dansuo's wife, Miya Li, returned home with a maid. Upon hearing that a friend had come to visit Mei Dansuo, she also came to the side hall to meet him.

  When Ahmon saw Miyari, he was slightly surprised that he actually remembered her! At the city gate, he had seen Miyari and her maid among the cheering crowd, waving a handkerchief and shouting at Gilgamesh. Ahmon had thought she was just some noble's daughter, but it turned out she was Medenzo's wife.

  Miya Li saw Amun wearing a half-old coarse linen robe, with mud-stained cloth shoes and a rough wooden staff in the shape of a tree branch beside him. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she tried to maintain politeness and asked about Amun's purpose. Amun took out a golden token and placed it on the table, saying: "My name is Amun, I once told Meidansuo that I would come here to visit, he must have mentioned me to you? This is my token, do you recognize it?"

  As soon as Miyari saw the sign, she recognized it. Before leaving, Maidanzo had instructed her that if someone came here with this sign, they must be given the best reception. The token in his hand was not only left by the benefactor of their family but also the person himself was Maidanzo's most respected teacher.

  When she saw Amun take out the token, she was very puzzled and even a little annoyed. The visitor was clearly a lowly outsider, and he was so young. Why would she be willing to let such a strange man stay in her home and receive the best hospitality? The benefactor of the Maitland family had long since passed away, and this young man came with a token, what did he have to do with her? Looking at Amun's appearance, it was obviously impossible for him to be Maitland's teacher!

  Mei Dangzuo had not returned home for over a year, shutting himself indoors and neglecting his proper duties. This time, he finally said he was going to do business, but again there was no news from him for several months, leaving her alone at home with little money left. Now Mei Dangzuo himself has not returned home, yet this mysterious "creditor" has appeared out of nowhere - how could it not make one angry?

  "Sir, I'm really sorry! I don't know this brand and I don't know you either. Mr. Meidanzuo is not at home, I dare not accommodate a strange man, let the neighbors gossip. He left two and a half months ago, saying he would be back in three months at most, counting the days it's almost time. Can you come again in a few days? When Mr. Meidanzuo returns home, he will definitely give you the warmest hospitality."

  After saying this, she asked the doorman to send the guest away, and didn't even keep Ah Mon for a meal!

  Ammon encountered a soft nail and was refused hospitality. If it were him who had just walked out of the deep mountains, he would have been very shocked. But after traveling this long journey, seeing the warmth and coldness of human relationships along the way, he could understand why. Why bother with a woman? The husband has been away from home for a long time, and a shabbily dressed stranger comes to the door asking for hospitality, who would be happy about that?

  He said to Miyari, "I'll be staying at the nearby inn, and I'll come visit again after Medanzo returns home." As he left, seeing his own tattered cloth shoes and the mud on them, Amun also showed a hint of bitter smile.

  Miyari shut Amun out, not giving him the best treatment as her husband had instructed, feeling a bit guilty. She secretly sent her maid, Fersa, to follow behind and see where Amun would stay, thinking of an excuse for her husband in her mind. Amun naturally knew that Miyari's maid was secretly following him and couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing.

  He came to the nearby inn and asked for the best room with a foyer, and the daily rent was two silver coins! The maid's reply surprised Miyari.

  Amon didn't do this entirely for enjoyment or to show off; having traveled through various city-states, he had come to understand that the better one's accommodations, the fewer troubles one encounters in daily life. If one stays in those cheapest of inns, where many people sleep on straw mats crowded into a single room, then even if something is stolen from the neighbors, it is always those kinds of places that are investigated first.

  On the other hand, Arin still needs to practice his divine meditation every night, which requires a quiet and undisturbed environment. However, such a secluded place cannot be found in the city of Balen, so he can only find the most expensive room in the inn. Even his partner won't suddenly come to disturb him without notice, which saves a lot of trouble.

  The next day, Ah Meng walked out of the inn and went to a nearby clothing store to buy clothes. After a long journey, his original hemp clothes had long been worn out and could not be worn. The two sets he bought in Sumel Town were also old. Moreover, the weather was getting colder and it was already early winter, so wearing thin clothes on the street was very inappropriate. Even if he wasn't afraid of the cold, he couldn't look too conspicuous.

  He bought two pairs of comfortable leather-soled soft boots in a clothing store, the kind that Medanzo wore on long hikes, which were both sturdy and good-looking, as well as very durable. There were also two sets of light fur coats. The law of the kingdom stipulated that civilians' clothing could not have excessive patterns or embroidery, but the beautiful patterns on the animal hides were natural and did not count as a violation, so colorful furs were the favorite of wealthy merchants who were not of high status, and they were also very expensive.

  Armon got used to wearing animal skin clothes in the barbarian tribe, and with this dress-up, he looked like a young master of a wealthy merchant family coming out to play and see the world in the capital. Armon had just bought new clothes and changed into them when he happened to meet Fersa, Myriall's maid, who came to pick up her mistress' winter clothes that were ordered a month ago.

  The shop owner said discontentedly, "These two sets of fur coats are worth thirty silver coins, but you don't pay cash and want to buy on credit. My business also needs capital, how can I afford to owe?"

  "Please let me take the clothes away, my master will be back in a few days and he'll pay you back with interest. If I don't, my mistress will scold me."

  The shop owner said with a gloomy face: "Your mistress scolds you, what does it have to do with me? Since your master will be back in a few days, you can come and take it again after a few days! If everyone is like you, how can I still run my business?"

  Amon saw this scene and secretly thought that Medanjo's money was not easy to come by, but his wife spent a lot of money. These two sets of clothes were more expensive than what he had just bought! However, he couldn't bear to watch Medanjo's wife leave without her new winter clothes, so he stepped forward and handed over two gold coins to Fresa: "Aren't you the maid of Medanjo's household? I'll help him pay for this first. When Medanjo comes back, have him come visit me. He knows who I am, and you also know where I live."

  Amun returned to the inn and soon had a visitor, the caller was Mei Danzuo's wife, accompanied by all the servants in the house waiting outside the inn, although the road was short, even the carriage was ready.

  Miya Li bowed and apologized to Armon: "Noble guest, you are the teacher of my family's master, but I was slow to welcome you, please forgive my mistake! ... I am illiterate, yesterday I did not recognize that signboard, but after you left, I flipped through the family's traditional diagrams and only then realized your true identity as a representative of our family's benefactor."

  Ammon smiled and waved his hand: "You don't have to apologize, when the husband is not at home, it's indeed inconvenient to accommodate a strange man, how can I blame you?"

  "Please, don't say that. Now that I know your identity, how can you still stay in the inn? My family has prepared the best room for you, and the servants have made a sumptuous dinner. The carriage is waiting outside, please come with me... If you refuse this treatment, my husband will surely blame me when he returns. He had instructed me before he left, but I refused you at the door yesterday, and I am truly regretful. Please give me a chance to make it up to you."

  She asked for half a day, only saying that it was Medanzo's instructions, and she didn't dare to neglect Amun. Amun nodded, and living in Medanzo's house was more convenient than living in an inn anyway. He just wanted to find a quiet place, so he left the inn with Miyari and went home.

  Armon lived in the Medanzo house, where Miyari treated him very well and the servants also showed great respect for him, addressing him as "Lord Armon" whenever they met. However, after the deadline set by Medanzo and his family had passed, he still didn't return, and Armon couldn't help but feel anxious. Had something happened to Medanzo on the road? Although he was a mid-ranking warrior, long-distance travel and smuggling official controlled goods were also fraught with danger.

  Miya Li was very curious about Amun's identity, and often tried to pry into his background, asking him multiple times about his origins, and even asked why Medan Zuo called him "teacher". Amun naturally wouldn't reveal the truth easily, saying that he met Medan Zuo while traveling, and taught him some skills he had learned, which was why Medan Zuo called him "teacher". As for the token in his hand, it was left by his elders, and it was because of this token that he became acquainted with Medan Zuo.

  Miyari had heard the legend of Medanzo's ancestors, that his great-grandfather was a 6th-level divine spellcaster and priest of the temple of Marduk, but disappeared in war. Later, a hunter from afar obtained his legacy, sending it back to Parthenon City thousands of miles away, saving the family from their predicament at the time.

  Meadows has not returned, and something must have happened. Miarlie had another idea. One day she said to Armon: "You've been in the capital for a while, but you're always turning around in the house and yard. The capital is full of fun places. You may not be familiar with this place, I'll let the coachman take you, and Fresa will guide you to walk around."

  Amon also wanted to go around the capital, and it would be best to have a familiar guide. So he nodded in agreement. On this day, Amon left the house in the carriage of the Maidens' family, accompanied by the maid Fresa. Before leaving, Miyari specifically instructed Fresa to take Amon to several places, play fun games, eat delicious food, and not return home until after dark.

  After Amun left, Miyari sent the servant to the front yard and quietly went upstairs into his room, carefully rummaging through his luggage. Amun was very cautious, so he naturally didn't bring the heavy wooden staff with him when he went out to play, but instead placed it by the bed. However, the four special crystals inside had been taken out and put in a bone container.

  The shape of that bone is just like a human rib, Amun hid it in his clothes to prevent loss, tucked under his ribs, both hidden and safe, inside are the most important things he has, including all the relics from that mysterious large cave. The leather pouch was not carried with him, the changed clothes were also left in the room, there is a small leather pouch inside the big one, which is his wallet.

  Amon has enough money, not to mention the four special divine stones. Even if he just takes out one of the items from the mysterious mountain belly, it's extremely valuable and can't be easily exposed. However, he doesn't care much about wealth, knowing only that it's important when traveling across the continent. In fact, he himself doesn't need to spend any money.

  During this period of time in Balun City, he needed to stay in a hotel and buy things, so he put all his "currency" in his money bag, including gold coins, silver coins, copper coins, and divine stones. It was convenient to take them out and use them. The reason for putting things in and out of the bone was to cast spatial magic, the bone itself would not be detected by detection magic, but the power fluctuations when casting spatial magic might be discovered by people, everything needs to be careful, if possible, try not to use the bone, this is the imperial capital after all.

  When he left the town of Duc, he took five divine stones. In the big mountain cave, he picked up nine scattered divine stones. After crossing the Yu Di River, Gilgamesh "compensated" him with ten divine stones. Along the way, he gave one each to Maidan Zuo, Gai Yin, and Ya Bo, leaving twenty-one divine stones unused, which were now placed in a small leather pouch along with the coins. He couldn't possibly carry so much money when he went out, only stuffing some coins into his pocket.

  Miya found that Armon only had a few sets of clothes to change into, and she was slightly disappointed. However, when she opened the small leather pouch and saw the dazzling divine stones and gold coins inside, she gasped in shock and stood there for half a day without regaining her senses. This was a huge sum of money, enough to surpass what Mei Danzuo had earned in several decades!

  Although the house was empty, she felt very nervous, her heart racing wildly, and for a moment she couldn't even breathe. She wanted to put down the leather pouch, but she couldn't bear to let go of it for half a day, and after putting it down, she stroked her chest with her hand, took several deep breaths, and began to carefully search the house again. Apart from clothes and leather pouches, Ah Meng had nothing else on him except for the tree branch-shaped cane leaning against the bed.

  Miya Li went to pick up that "branch", almost spraining her waist, it was so heavy, one hand couldn't lift it. Miya Li stretched out both hands and finally lifted the staff off the ground, suddenly thinking of something in her mind.

  What kind of "business" Mei Danzuo is doing, she doesn't know much about it. It seems that this stick is actually a whole piece of horse steel, but it's disguised as a branch to deceive people. No wonder Ah Mon has always insisted on not letting the maid clean his room.

  This young man has a huge sum of money, but when he first arrived in Balen City, he was dressed so simply. There must be something fishy about him. He must be Medanzo's "business partner", specializing in privately purchasing and smuggling official controlled fine iron and horse steel. It's not a big deal to buy and sell these things in small quantities on the sly, but to do it on a large scale is a serious crime.

  He's really made a fortune, hasn't he? Myriall thought to herself, reevaluating Amun's intentions. He had arrived just at the time Medanzo was supposed to return home, and must have come to collect his goods. But since Medanzo still hadn't returned, this person probably wouldn't wait much longer. As for what Medanzo had said before he left, it was probably all a cover-up, not wanting to reveal Amun's true identity as an illegal black market merchant.

  Miyari hastily restored the room to its original state, then crept back downstairs to her own room, feeling out of breath and sweaty. She called for Fresa to pour her some water, but no one answered. It was only then that she remembered the maid had gone out with Armon. Just as she thought this, someone came knocking at the door - it was her younger brother, Enno, son of a merchant from Baron Castle.

  Yinuo walked in and said unhappily, "Sister, I heard that you've taken in a strange man to live at home. Today, I asked the doorman, and you even had Fusha accompany him out to play... A few days ago, you sent Fusha back to her hometown to borrow money, was it all for the sake of entertaining that man?"