Chapter 20: The Temple and the Altar

Page 1/3

The eyes of the statue within an open-air temple.

Strangely, though the color matched the energy of the Light Wasteland, none of the members of the Gray Hawk squad sensed any fluctuation of energy.

In other words, it was lifeless.

As the four drew closer, the temple's outline gradually took shape in the dim light.

It was constructed from massive, unknown bronze stones, the surface cloaked in mottled patina, as if eroded by countless millennia.

Mysterious and ancient—these were Ye Mi's first impressions, just as they were for this dead city.

Sharp spikes stretched from each corner of the temple’s roof, while the main entrance was a giant arched gateway, flanked by densely inscribed and unreadable characters.

Through its hollow design, one could see thick bronze pillars within, each entwined with intricate patterns that resembled ancient totems; at the very center stood a statue identical to the towering one in the heart of the dead city, save for its size.

“So this is what its head looks like...” Raj murmured, the beam of his flashlight sweeping across the statue.

Unnoticed, the four had already entered the temple.

Ye Mi fixed her flashlight upon the statue’s head—a grotesque shape, with long, pointed ears. At first glance, it matched the statues found inside the ruins, but it wasn't eyeless or noseless, nor did it possess a gaping maw dominating half its face.

It had a single red eye, eyelid tightly shut as if in slumber; its nose lacked any bone, leaving only a pitch-black solitary hole; its lips, nearly human, pressed together in a thin line, showing not the slightest sign of opening.

It fit perfectly with Ye Mi’s prior imaginings of various extraterrestrials.

This head was clearly different from the statues inside the ruins. It stood rather than crouched, its form more upright, appearing almost as an evolved creature.

Could this be the creator god of the Kuye faith?

If so, it was far too concrete and not mysterious at all—not the least bit Lovecraftian.

Ye Mi silently grumbled, her lips curling in disappointment, a flicker of dismay in her eyes.

Suddenly, she felt she had overlooked something. She quickly circled to the statue's back, her flashlight following closely—

On its back, there was an identical face: single eye, single hole, single mouth.

Now it corresponded to the two red dots that the Gray Hawk squad had glimpsed outside, minutes before.

“A double-faced creature?”

Ye Mi murmured, her voice barely audible. Her fingers traced the patterns on the statue’s back, cold and rough to the touch.

Could this thing... be devoured by the Rust Tide?

Page 2/3

Ye Mi longed to experiment right then and there, but with three teammates beside her, she couldn’t act just yet.

She glanced at her teammates—Raj, Red, and Kira—clearly, from their bewildered expressions, none had discovered anything.

All at a loss.

“Is there really nothing here?” Raj said, venting his frustration with a kick to one of the bronze pillars. The clash of boot and metal produced a dull thud.

He looked around hopefully, as if expecting his kick to elicit a response from the temple.

It was not unlike Ye Mi’s habit of slapping sluggish computers at work—relying solely on brute force, leaving the outcome to luck.

Raj’s luck, evidently, was lacking.

The temple remained utterly still, only the sounds of the four moving echoed sharply in the silence.

Raj slumped to the ground, deflated, and said to Red, “Captain, let me rest for a bit. Today’s been exhausting.”

Red nodded, his gaze sweeping the temple’s interior, a thoughtful glimmer in his eyes. It had been a long time since their departure from the outpost outside the ruins.

He lowered his head and raised his wrist to check the numbers on his watch—20:58.

It was time to rest.

He said in a low voice, “Alright, let’s rest here.”

He had exerted himself the most upon reaching the temple; now his lips were pale and cracked. He unfastened his flask from his belt, gulping down its contents.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Ye Mi had somehow climbed atop the statue.

Red immediately put down his flask. “Gina, what’s wrong?”

“I suspect the temple’s mechanism can be triggered by powers. Get ready!”

With that, once her teammates had assumed defensive stances, Ye Mi pressed her palm to the statue’s single eye, and blue light flared with her power—

Boom!

The entire temple trembled violently!

Debris rained down from the dome; Raj staggered, nearly falling, caught by Red’s quick hand.

Ye Mi’s defensive shield expanded swiftly; agile as ever, she leapt from the statue in a flash, her shield enveloping all four members.

They were ready for battle.

Page 3/3

Yet the tremor soon subsided. The statue’s eye merely glowed faintly red, like dying embers flickering a few times before fading into silence.

“...Wait, is that it?” Raj exhaled deeply, wiping cold sweat from his brow. “I thought something major was about to happen...”

His words were interrupted by the muffled sound of mechanisms turning beneath their feet; the bronze floor tiles slowly sank, revealing a circular altar about three meters in diameter.

The altar was etched with familiar twisted patterns, and at its center rested a rusted bronze chest, beside which stood a stone tablet covered in script.

“This is...” Kira eyed the chest warily, fingers poised on her throwing knives.

The scene gradually calmed.

Seeing no imminent danger, Ye Mi dismissed her shield.

After all, it consumed a great deal of energy.

“So there really is treasure?” Raj exclaimed, patting Ye Mi’s shoulder. “Nice one, Gina—how did you figure it out?”

Ye Mi pointed to the statue’s eye, voicing her conjecture: “This alien ruin is tied everywhere to Light Wasteland energy. Plus, the trial gate earlier had a device that responded to powers, so...”

Red stepped forward with a smile. “That’s why you’re the only one of us who ever went to school—so clever.”

Ye Mi paused at his words.

It turned out that, aside from Gina, none of the Gray Hawk squad had received an education.

This was not unusual in Prism City.

Under the monopoly of OC Corporation, even educational resources were scarce commodities; the better schools demanded exorbitant fees, and their curricula were manipulated by the company, instilling values of ‘diligence and obedience.’

Most common folk in Prism City were forced to abandon their studies for survival.

As for Ye Mi herself, she had only gained access to some knowledge thanks to her time as a ‘corporate drone’—but even that made her mind more agile than the average city dweller.

Her teammates’ voices drew her back from her thoughts. “Smart Gina, think of a way—what does this tablet say?”