Can it be heaven?

  "Amon screamed in his heart: 'Don't fall down! Don't lose consciousness! The beasts on the mountain and the crocodiles in the river will eat you up! ... I haven't reached Dreamflight yet, I haven't seen Aiko yet, I haven't unlocked the secrets of the gods, I haven't guided my people back to their homeland...'"

  But the intense dizziness was beyond his control, and although Amun's eyes were open, the sunlight in front of him gradually dimmed. A cat emerged from the mountain forest on the high slope, ran quickly to Amun's side, gently scratched his face with its paws, and meowed anxiously, but he had no reaction.

  Actually, Ah Meng could hear the cat meowing, as if it came from a very far away place. The blurry scene in front of him suddenly became clear again. He saw Xue Dingyuan, but not the one who was calling on the riverbank at this moment, but the cat he had seen when he was young in Douke Town.

  Ammon "saw" his own childhood, from the moment he was born, those happy and sad times flashed one by one, all the people he loved and hated were accompanied by past events in front of him.

  In the myth of Egu, a person's life is like the endless flowing Roni River, and its end is the underworld ruled by the god Osiris. The god will send out a crescent-shaped boat to guide the noble soul, when the servant of Osiris, the goddess Bastet transformed into a cat, appears beside the corpse, the soul of the deceased will be reborn in the underworld, from then on entering another world.

  Is the legend true? Osiris's ribcage was in Amun's bosom, with a cat beside him meowing anxiously. Just then, a boat came from upstream on the Roni River, initially small, just a black dot on the horizon, but as it drifted downstream and drew closer, it could be seen to be a magnificent crescent-shaped ship, with two people sitting and standing on the high deck.

  "Did you hear anything?" Maria asked suddenly.

  "Gabriel replied: 'The sound of running water, the wind blowing through the trees on the mountain, and a cat meowing in the distance on the east bank.'"

  "Maria: 'Order the ship to sail close to the eastern shore.'"

  These two had extraordinary eyesight and saw Xue Dingyuan and Ah Mon lying on the ground from a distance. Maria's expression suddenly became somewhat strange, as if she had touched a long-forgotten memory, and muttered: "Gabriel, I think that cat's pattern looks familiar!"

  Gabriel: "Familiar? There are many cats around the Temple of Isis. Cats are animals that we Egyptians worship."

  Maria explained: "Do you remember? Two years ago when I had just obtained the Tears of the Gods, one night a cat suddenly scared me."

  As she reminded him, Gabriel also remembered and said thoughtfully: "I still remember that cat, I don't know how it sneaked into your room, dirty and fat, sleeping soundly. This cat is different, much cleaner and more beautiful, shouldn't be the same cat."

  Maria let out a mysterious sigh: "People's lives are changing, I think cats are the same. I remember the pattern on that cat, almost identical to this one. Order the ship to dock and stop, go take a look at how that person is doing? It's rare to see a cat so concerned about its owner." The experience in Duketown had long passed, but for some reason, Maria remembered those few short days exceptionally clearly, as if deeply etched into her mind. She could recall every scene and even the pattern on Xue Dingyan's clothes.

  The big ship was deeply submerged in the water, and there was no way to get close to the shallow beach, so it could only stop far away. Gabrielle took a step down from the bow of the ship, her toes lightly touching the deck, and as the bow sank slightly, she sprang up high and jumped onto the shore with an extremely agile figure!

  Gabriel approached Amun, bowing his head and asking: "Poor but loyal cat, your cry is so urgent. Is this your master? What has happened to him?"

  The warrior walked in with an aura that would make even a lion retreat, but Xue Dingyuan didn't run away, only squatting on the ground and looking up at her. Gabriel couldn't help but find it a bit amusing to be talking to a cat, which couldn't answer her questions anyway. She lowered her head and used her "puppet eye" technique to scan Amun's aura, then turned around and shouted: "Holy Maiden, this person has no wounds on his body, but he has suffered severe internal injuries, with extremely large consumption of physical and mental energy, already in a state of collapse, his life force is draining away, but he's not dead yet."

  Before the words had fallen, a faint golden halo appeared above Amun, with white mist falling from it onto his body, like a quiet flowing waterfall. —— This is "Isis's Blessing", a divine blessing technique that can only be performed by the Holy Maiden using the tears of the gods.

  It not only heals wounds and illnesses, but also eliminates pain, washes away fatigue, restores physical strength, gives people confidence, strength and courage. In short, it is equivalent to the comprehensive effect of eliminating any negative impact.

  Maria first used it two years ago in the Syrian Desert south of Duketown, where their caravan was ambushed and Gabriel was injured in the battle. Maria suddenly used this divine technique. It is a simplest and most profound divine technique. At that time, Maria's power was still very weak, "Isis' Blessing" was just a symbol.

  But now the situation is very different, Maria is casting high-level divine magic, and only for Amun's blessing. Just a short while ago, she had just been promoted to a sixth-level divine magician, her achievements in just two years are astonishing!

  In the golden halo, a milky white light curtain fell on Amun's body. Looking at Maria again, she had unknowingly gotten off the boat and was walking towards them with the Holy Maiden's staff in hand, her feet treading on the murky waters of the Roni River. It was difficult for even a 6th-level divine spellcaster to control both air and water elemental spells so skillfully without relying on scrolls or other magical tools. She seemed like a goddess gliding across the waves. But Maria possessed possibly the best staff in the world, so it wasn't strange that she could achieve this.

  The servants saw the Holy Maiden walking on the waves and stepping onto the shore, and they all saluted her on the deck. Gabriel asked in surprise: "Your Excellency, why did you come ashore yourself?"

  Maria stopped a few steps away from Arin: "I want to see the state of this person clearly. He seems to have gone through a fierce battle, exhausting all his strength and suffering serious injuries, exceeding the limits that his body and mind can bear. It's dangerous for him to pass out in the wilderness like this, I can save him, you ask what happened."

  Ah Mon lay there, with scenes of past events flashing before his eyes, but in his line of sight, a faint golden light appeared. He felt so comfortable, as if his consciousness had already left his body, or his body was just his consciousness, like floating lightly on the clouds. This feeling was like his mother's gentle touch when he was young, a memory that was too distant and almost forgotten. He saw Aristotle, Gabriel, and Acho-Marie again, returned to the courtyard in Duke Town, and his gaze froze on Acho's figure.

  He looked at her, the girl in front of him was blurry but became clearer and clearer. She seemed to have grown up, with a mysterious and mature noble temperament, the scene around her was no longer the courtyard of Duke Town, but returned to the wilderness by the Ronnie River. She wore gorgeous clothes, held a staff, and wore a golden crown, Ahmon stared straight into her eyes.

  Amon woke up, but he didn't realize that he had woken up. He was still a bit dazed and looked at Maria as if talking to himself: "Eiko, is it you? You look so beautiful, just like I imagined... I've finally seen you! ... Am I already dead? How can I see you here? This isn't the gloomy underworld, could it be another destination for souls? ... Where is this place? What should I call it? If I give it a name, can it be heaven?"

  Gabriel frowned and said: "Sir, what is he talking about? This man is not very clear-headed, he must have mistaken him for someone else!"

  When Amun called out the word "Aiko", Maria's slender figure trembled slightly, and the usually calm Holy Maiden rarely lost her composure like this. Fortunately, Gabriel only stared at Amun and didn't notice. In that instant, Maria had already recognized who the person lying on the ground was. Although Amun's appearance had changed greatly, his facial features still retained the shadow of that young man, and the pattern on the cat beside him was so familiar, how could it be anyone else?

  What's more important is that he called out her milk name, Maria thought no one in this world would ever call her that again!

  Maria remembered that she had quietly written a line on the wall in her room on the small building in Duke Town, "Amon, my name is Aiko." She then erased it, how could he have found out? Was it because she didn't erase it cleanly and left a mark? But this doubt was soon washed away by another surprise - Amon was still alive.

  Maria naturally heard about the Great Flood, and it was said that the entire town of Duckburg was destroyed by the flood with no survivors, so Armon should have died too. She heard this news shortly after she officially became a Saint, and had secretly shed tears alone for this. It was her first and only time crying in the Temple of Isis, as if symbolizing a farewell to the past.

  But Mary always felt that Armon was not dead, nor should he be dead. Perhaps this feeling was just her inner expectation, and she didn't expect to see Armon again today.

  Amun spoke these words and immediately fainted again. Maria didn't hide anything from Gabriel either, and calmed down as much as possible to say calmly: "I know him, you should also know him, it's Amun who excavated the tears of the gods in Duketown, do you remember?"

  Gabriel was taken aback: "It really is like him, no, it's him! He's grown up, but now that you mention it, I can recognize him. This cat has lost a lot of weight. He's actually still alive, what a blessing from God! But how did he end up here today, and what happened to him?"

  Maria turned around and didn't look at Amun again, softly sighing: "The ancient records were indeed correct, it was him who excavated the tears of the gods back then, making me the guardian saint girl. Today I met him again, truly a call and guidance from the divine spirits! This person is very important, we should rescue him, protect him, can't leave him here. He no longer has any life-threatening danger, take him away, wait until he wakes up to question him thoroughly."

  When Ah Mon woke up again, he found himself lying on a small boat, Xue Ding'e crouched beside him. The midday sunlight had a faint golden glow that kept falling on his body. The dizziness and nausea gradually dissipated, and the pain in his body also slowly disappeared. He knew this was a brilliant blessing technique, and it must have been a master of divine techniques who had treated him without sparing any effort.

  Amon is no longer in danger, but he's still very weak and needs a good rest to recover. He lifted his head with effort and looked around, only to find that this small boat was being pulled by an invisible force, following behind a large and luxurious ship as it cut through the waves. At the stern of the ship stood a warrior, a beautiful woman, but the first impression he got from her was one of awe-inspiring majesty.

  "Gabriel-sama, how did I end up seeing you? And where is this place?" Amun asked in a daze.

  Gabriel smiled faintly: "You know me, it's really you, Ahmon! I still remember your voice. I don't know why you fainted on the shore, but the Holy Maiden saved you and ordered me to bring you back."

  "Saintess? Ah! I just saw her, so it was she who saved me! Lord Gabriel, I came from the city-state of Cape, and was attacked in the mountains..." Armon finally came to his senses, understanding what had happened earlier, struggling to sit up and speak.

  Gabriel's voice was not loud but very majestic, stopping him: "You don't move or speak, the Holy Maiden's ship is ahead, and the Holy Maiden is casting a divine spell to heal you. Please lie down and keep your heart calm, whatever happens, wait for me to ask you."

  Amon lay obediently, with a inexplicable warmth in his heart. The scorching sun and gentle breeze on the Roni River became soft and warm, filling him with peace and tranquility. He finally relaxed completely, no longer afraid or worried. He never thought he would reunite with Aiko-Maria in such a way. Not only did she quietly treat his wounds, but also sent her most trusted warrior to escort him, filling Amon's heart with gratitude.

  A grown man cannot touch the Holy Virgin, including her daily utensils and furniture. Therefore Amun could not board Maria's sedan chair. Maria ordered someone to put down a small boat, letting Gabriel escort Amun walking behind.

  Gabriel looked at Amun, also feeling a bit surprised that the Holy Maiden had sent her alone to escort Amun, showing how much she valued him. Maria sat on the large ship, constantly casting the Blessing of God technique, healing Amun's wounds from afar without being detected by any other followers. This was a blessing that ordinary people could hardly imagine! However, Amun seemed qualified to receive such treatment, as the Holy Maiden's divine tears that activated the gods' magic were extracted by him personally back then.

  Gabriel was thinking quietly in her heart, but she looked at Amun without saying a word. Her mission was both to protect and escort him, and it was impossible to let him go before figuring out what had happened to him.

  In the afternoon, the boat docked at the shore, and there was still a distance to return to Meng Fei Si. That day, they rested in a town halfway through. The Holy Maiden naturally stayed in the temple. Ah Meng didn't have to worry about anything, as he had comfortable carriages specially arranged for him. When they arrived at the town, he was also arranged to stay in a quiet little courtyard with several slaves dressed extremely cleanly serving him dinner.

  After dinner, Baili came and sent away all the slaves. There were only her and Amun in the house. Amun knelt down and said: "Thank you, thank you, Holy Lady, thank you for saving me!"

  Gabriel waved his hand: "Amon, get up and speak. The Holy Maiden is a symbol of Isis's blessing to the people of Eridu. It's not unexpected that she would save you, but we didn't think it would be you! The Holy Maiden asked me to ask clearly, what exactly happened to you?"

  If it were someone else, Amun might not have been willing to tell his story truthfully, but since Maria sent Gabriel to ask him, he didn't want to hide too much. He had carried so many heavy things alone for so long and finally had a chance to speak out. Although they only knew each other briefly back then, when they reunited, Maria and Gabriel saved him, and Amun felt an inexplicable sense of trust in them.

  Amon recounted his experiences, after Maria and Gabriel left Ducktown, he was exiled to the deep mountains for privately offering the tears of the gods, but coincidentally avoided the great flood disaster. He stayed in a tribe of cave dwellers for over a year, where he happened to see Nero's will and legacy. Later, he left the deep mountains and went to the Kingdom of Balen, recently arriving at the Cape City-State of the Egu Empire, returning Nero's legacy to the temple and receiving a generous reward for himself.

  He left the city-state of Cape with this gift and headed to Mufei, but was pursued by two groups. After a fierce battle, the thugs who plotted to kill him for his wealth all died, and he struggled to walk towards the ferry terminal, but finally fainted halfway. —— This is what happened.

  These past two years have been too complicated, Amun only gave a brief overview and didn't mention some things, including the old madman and Bell's past, as well as his experiences with the goddess Mu Yun. It wasn't that he didn't trust him, of course, he couldn't tell Gabriel that he was a magician and had seen Bell's last will. These were things that couldn't be mentioned, or else they would only bring trouble to himself and others. As for how he obtained Nero's artifact, it was consistent with what he said at the Cape Temple.

  "After saying that, Amun took out a cowhide envelope he had prepared long ago and handed it over: "Among the people who were chasing me, there was a priest of the Isis Temple named Vitrud. This is something I found on his corpse. It looks like a secret letter, which might be very important. Please hand it over to the Holy Maiden, I know you are trustworthy."

  This letter was originally processed with divine technique, and Amun opened it again with the same means. This is also a method of processing divine artifacts, and the first "magic tool" that Amun has ever processed in his life turned out to be this envelope.

  Gabriel received the letter, his expression was shocked: "You were exiled for offering the tears of the gods, but coincidentally avoided the flood, this is also a blessing from the gods. ... This letter has been processed by divine technique, I will give it to the Holy Maiden herself to open. You just rest here, don't go anywhere, my words are not finished yet."

  （）