Chapter 228 - 227: Wandering God

Chapter 228: Chapter 227: Wandering God

Li Qing said that since there were no Mouse Monsters here, there had to be something special about this place. But other than noticing the Divine Statue was different, Feng Ling couldn’t see what was so special about the buildings.

Then again, it was perfectly normal for a shop to enshrine a God of Wealth.

Li Qing explained, "The God of Wealth is divided into the Civil God of Wealth and the Martial God of Wealth. The Civil Gods of Wealth are Bi Gan, Fan Li, and Li Gui Zu, while the Martial Gods of Wealth are Guan Yu, Chai Rong, and Zhao Gongming. Mahjong is a form of gambling, and money from gambling is considered a windfall, so it’s best to worship a Martial God of Wealth."

"So worshipping a different god doesn’t count as special, is that it?" Feng Ling asked, pursing her lips.

Li Qing hesitated. "...I suppose not."

Xu Yiming pulled a water bottle from his bag, twisted it open, and took a few big gulps. "In any case," he said, "we finally have a place to rest our feet."

The prolonged tension had left Xu Yiming feeling utterly exhausted.

Huangfu Miaomiao was delighted to hear this, taking Xu Yiming’s words as an acknowledgment of her work.

Li Qing added, "This place really is perfect for a temporary rest stop. The ceiling is sealed shut, the windows have security bars, and there are no other entrances or exits besides the one door. As long as we guard that door, we’ll be safe."

Huangfu Miaomiao instinctively puffed out her chest, feeling a little proud.

’I really am more useful than that administrator,’ she thought. ’I can scout, investigate, and run messages. The administrator can’t do anything but hide behind Feng Ling.’

Just as she was reveling in her pride, the faint sound of drums drifted from the distance, and Huangfu Miaomiao froze.

Feng Ling heard it too. Frowning, she walked over to the door in a few quick steps and pressed her ear against it, listening for any sounds from outside.

"It sounds like they’re coming this way," she said.

Huangfu Miaomiao’s mouth opened, her brief moment of pride vanishing like smoke. "I... I didn’t hear anything when I was scouting earlier. I thought it was safe here..."

Feng Ling glanced back, put a finger to her lips, and let out a soft "shh."

Everyone fell silent, not daring to make a sound.

The rhythmic drumming, mingled with the sounds of other instruments, grew steadily closer.

After listening for a moment, Feng Ling turned to Xu Yiming. "Let me borrow your phone."

Xu Yiming immediately handed it over.

They were both Hunters, so they had the same model of phone. Feng Ling started a video call to Xu Yiming’s phone from her own. After answering the call on his phone, she raised the roll-up security door just enough to quickly slide his phone outside, aiming its camera down the street.

This way, she could watch what was happening outside from the safety of the sealed jewelry store.

The sounds grew louder.

The drumming was deep and solemn, the cymbals loud and lively, the bells crisp and melodic. The sounds of several other unidentifiable percussion instruments mingled in, imbuing the music with the powerful feeling of a religious ceremony.

Feng Ling heard not only the ceremonial music but also footsteps.

They were a dense, shuffling mass of sounds, making it impossible to tell just how many individuals there were.

Moreover, as the sounds drew near, she felt a strange Spiritual Suppression. The quality of this spiritual power was unlike her own or Ye Zheng’s; it carried a sense of majesty, solemnity, and awe, yet also of celebration and joy.

’How can there be awe and joy at the same time?’

This Maze was presenting Feng Ling with an ever-growing list of questions and tangled threads of thought.

After the music had continued for more than ten minutes, the Spiritual Suppression grew increasingly intense. Finally, Feng Ling saw something on the video feed.

A Divine Travel Team composed of various Mouse Monsters slowly approached. Some held large cymbals, some beat massive drums, and others carried handbells. They moved forward, boisterously surrounding a palanquin.

Seated upright on the palanquin was a divine figure. It wore ornate brocade robes and a jade-porcelain mask, a golden crown resting on its head. It was an imposing sight, except for its bizarre proportions—its head and body were nearly a one-to-one ratio.

Feng Ling whispered to Huangfu Miaomiao, "Slip out and see what the hell that thing is."

Huangfu Miaomiao nodded and slipped out through the gap under the roll-up door.

The Divine Travel Team projected a Spiritual Suppression that prevented Huangfu Miaomiao from getting too close. She could only trail the procession for a few seconds of hasty observation before quickly returning to the jewelry store.

"It’s a boss," Huangfu Miaomiao reported. "The name displayed is Jade Emperor · Pseudo-God. The rats in the procession are called ’Attendants’."

"So it’s not the Maze Master," Feng Ling murmured, her eyes on the phone.

The procession moved on, gradually disappearing from the screen.

The Spiritual Suppression faded along with it.

Xu Yiming let out a breath, feeling much more relaxed. "This whole Maze is so damn mystical."

"Kill..." Ye Zheng’s mouth opened, a single word escaping her vacant expression.

Feng Ling glanced at her and said with exasperation, "Kill what? It’s not the Maze Master. Killing it would be a waste of energy, and besides, we’re here to find the Divine Statue."

The sedative hadn’t worn off yet. After Feng Ling’s rebuke, Ye Zheng just stood there in a daze.

"So, what now?" Huangfu Miaomiao asked Feng Ling.

"We wait," Feng Ling said, raising the roll-up door and reaching out to grab the phone. "We’ll set out again to find the Divine Statue once the sedative wears off for her."

It would take at least two hours for the effects to wear off, which was the perfect amount of time for everyone to get some rest.

Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly saw a humanoid rat dart out onto the street. The Mouse Monster furtively scurried toward the shop diagonally across from them, its fat, long tail flicking past the doorway as it slithered inside.

Feng Ling froze.

’There wasn’t a single rat a moment ago. Where did they come from now?’

She quickly scanned the area and realized there was more than one. Hairless, humanoid Mouse Monsters were hugging the ground, climbing up pipes, and clinging to windows, appearing one after another and scurrying into the nearby buildings.

Feng Ling took a deep breath and yanked the roll-up door shut! And bolted it!

She tossed the phone back to Xu Yiming. "Get some rest. Quickly."

Xu Yiming caught the phone. "...Huh?"

The roll-up door suddenly began to tremble violently!

BAM! BAM! BAM! The impacts were as dense as a hailstorm!

Xu Yiming’s eyes went wide. ’This is one hell of a "quick rest"!’ he thought.

"What’s happening? I swear I checked properly! There wasn’t a single rat!" Huangfu Miaomiao said in a panic. "I’ll go take a look—"

"Get back here!" Feng Ling snapped, bracing herself against the door. "It has nothing to do with you. It must have been the Spiritual Suppression from that Divine Travel Team. It drove the rats off this street temporarily. Now that the procession is gone, they’re back."

Li Qing pondered this for a moment. "So, you’re saying that if we want to stay safe, we have to follow that Divine Travel Team?"

"That’s just too bizarre!" Feng Ling felt a natural aversion to the idea. "Are we supposed to just fall in line behind them and join the divine procession?"

Wanting to make up for her mistake, Huangfu Miaomiao volunteered, "I can follow them and check it out. I’m fast, and they won’t spot me easily. If something seems wrong, I’ll come straight back and tell you."

Feng Ling thought to herself, ’There has to be a reason for a Divine Travel Team inside the Maze. It might be a good idea to let the Little Skeleton take a look.’

"Fine. The second you sense anything’s off, get back here."