I, The Janitor! Chapter 302: The Scale Gold Assembly (Part 2) - Novel Cool

Chapter 302: The Scale Gold Assembly (Part 2)

Chapter 302: The Scale Gold Assembly (Part 2)

"Welcome! Welcome, both of you!"

The priests guarding the core area of the assembly, upon recognizing the distinctive golden claw emblem on Lyon's chest, a symbol of the 'Great Patron', smiled brighter than blooming trumpet flowers.

Opening the doors for the duo and leading them towards the core area, the female priest bowed slightly and asked Lyon with a mischievous smile:

"The Grain Spirit who walks beneath the shade of the wheat ear, the Crier who dwells in the shadow of the bright moon, the Sentinel who prowls in the night... Whom do you wish to pay homage to?"

Grain Spirit? Crier? Sentinel?

Lyon, momentarily perplexed by the priest's question, didn't respond immediately. Instead, adhering to the principle of 'not engaging to avoid exposure', he offered a gentle smile. Tom, his senior, seized the opportunity and replied with a mischievous grin:

"We are all spirits nurtured by the grain, siblings raised by the sun and the fields. Naturally, we have but one choice... We'd appreciate your guidance."

"You're too kind. As siblings of the black-scaled and white-spotted kind, this is my duty."

After exchanging the 'secret code' with Tom, the priest with snake-like scales on her neck asked no further questions. She turned and led Lyon and Tom into a sticky, damp, and chilly corridor.

'Her question was about which of the three Holy Spirits of the Scale Gold Sect we worship,' Tom explained, placing a hand on Lyon's shoulder.

"Before being taken and transformed by the True God of the Scale Gold Sect, these three Holy Spirits served as messengers of the Farming God.

The Snake Spirit was born from a farmer's prayer, wishing for snakes to prey on field mice and sparrows, protecting the wheat's growth. Thus, it became the Grain Spirit who walks beneath the shade of the wheat ear.

The Crier, whose meaning is derived from the toad's reflection in the moonlit water, is the one you killed and now wear as a holy pendant. Its wish seems to be the eradication of pests and larvae, ensuring a bountiful harvest.

As for the Sentinel who patrols in the night, it naturally refers to the cat, which prowls at night, guarding the granary. It symbolizes the protection of grain from theft and loss, fittingly represented by catching mice in the granary."

So that's how it is...

Lyon, now understanding the 'secret language', asked with some confusion:

"According to their origins, these three Holy Spirits of the Scale Gold Sect should embody benevolent spirits of good wishes.

But I've encountered that toad before, and it seemed to lack any such feelings. Instead, it appeared more like a cruel and evil spirit. What happened in between?"

"Indeed, much has happened," Tom nodded.

"Since the sale of agricultural machinery by the Corlock Kingdom, many who once toiled in the fields have lost their identity as farmers. The power of the Farming God has weakened significantly.

In a symbolic sense, wheat represents wealth. The snake, which protects the wheat, also safeguards wealth. The toad, which aids in the harvest, is akin to nurturing wealth. And the cat, which guards the granary, is like a sentinel of wealth.

Thus, these three apostles of the Farming God have a strong affinity with the 'wealth' power of the True God of the Scale Gold Sect. Taking advantage of the Farming God's weakness, he found a way to acquire them, transforming them into his own Holy Spirits.

As for why these three, born of benevolent wishes, have become so malevolent and extreme... Perhaps it's because wealth drives people mad?"

[Through the testimony of Tom Lanis, a Level 1 Purifier from the Twin Branch of the Purification Bureau, you have gained extensive knowledge about the 'Wealth-Changing Gold Toad', 'Life-Changing Black Snake', and 'Luck-Changing Flower Cat'. The anomalous emblem 'Materialist Soul (Crimson)' has been activated.]

Understanding the activation rules of the abilities "Wealth-Changing Gold Toad," "Life-Changing Black Snake," and "Luck-Changing Flower Cat" has significantly increased your resistance to this anomaly, allowing you to shield yourself from its deeper effects.

...

"We're here."

As the mechanical system prompt ended, the dimly lit corridor also came to an end.

Pushing open the small door at the end of the corridor, and after gesturing politely, the female cleric who led the way smiled and said, "From here on, you'll be entering the secret shrine of the Snake Spirit. Other brothers and sisters preparing to pay their respects are also waiting inside."

"However, you've arrived at an inconvenient time. The Snake Spirit is currently absent, held up by certain matters. But according to the divine edict left by the Snake Spirit, it will take at most half a day for it to finish its business and return to the shrine to receive everyone's respects."

Half a day more?

Upon hearing the female cleric's words, Leon couldn't help but slightly turn his head, meeting the gaze of the equally curious Lazy Youth.

If he understood correctly, that "certain matter" likely referred to the trapped Emma, and the half-day deadline was probably the number of times she could use her Immortal Body ability, which was needed to "buy" her freedom. Moreover, this was a conservative estimate, and it might even be shorter in reality!

They must hurry!

Either find Emma within half a day or create enough disturbance in that time to force the Snake Spirit to return on its own!

After reaching an understanding through eye contact, Leon and Lazy Youth politely bid farewell to the female cleric who led them, then crouched down and crawled through the narrow door at the end of the corridor.

"Ssss?!?!"

Leon couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise as he looked at his own slender, reddish body and then at the towering golden plants around him... or rather, his eyes narrowed vertically with a cold intent.

"Ssss~"

A hissing sound like a snake spitting out its tongue filled the air, and a striped snake with a white base and red and blue spots slithered over. It curled its tail gently tapping the Little Red Snake's body. The familiar voice of Lazy Youth resonated in Leon's mind.

'Don't panic. We haven't actually turned into snakes. This is just a form of spiritual manifestation to facilitate the worship. The Holy Spirit isn't a true god and can't link to so many chaotic souls at once, so it relies on the secret shrine's effect to temporarily synchronize the believers' spirits with its own. Afterward, everyone's spirits will return to normal.'

'You're wondering about Tom, right? Look at this striped snake with a white base and red-blue spots, similar to a die's colors. Keep calm, Leon, and try to control your tail. Nod if you understand the situation.'

Leon nodded, indicating his comprehension, and then struggled to control his tail, forming an imperfect "?"

'You're wondering what we should do next, right?'

Leon nodded.

'Next, we need to go to a place with many snakes and find the bishop of the Snake Spirit lineage. Only those blessed by the Snake Spirit can actively connect with the Holy Spirit within the secret shrine's effects and the synchronization of spirits, we can ensure a successful worship.'

Lazy Youth, in the form of a striped snake, poked its head out from the shade of the wheat ears and surveyed the rice field. "Help me find the bishop of the Snake Spirit lineage. They should have a black base with white markings on their tails. Once we find that reverse-growing black and white scale, we'll have found..."

The striped snake's head tilted slightly as it looked at the Little Red Snake's tail, adorned with a reverse-growing black and white scale. It couldn't help but spit out its tongue, looking utterly confused.

What the hell... which side are you on?

(End of Chapter)

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