Chapter 188: Figure

Chapter 188: The Figure

The deity's first step outside his home began with... getting lost.

66 was drenched in sweat: "Uh, the map shows a small path to the east—how come it's gone?"

"There should also be a mountain stream to the southwest—why is that missing too?"

It darted around nervously, while Elu remained far calmer in comparison.

The deity stepped over a fallen, rotting tree: "The map is a hundred years old. The vegetation in Pine Mountain grows thick, and forest paths disappear within decades, overtaken by grass. Streams are the same—they can dry up or change course at any time."

In the tens of millions of years of geological evolution in Pine Mountain, this was just a blink in time.

He gathered up the mini system and cradled it in his arms: "It's fine. As long as the general direction remains unchanged, we can always find South Lake by following the compass."

66 gave the frail deity a skeptical look: "But if we keep wandering in the forest, we might run into danger."

Wild beasts, hypothermia, extreme cold—any of these could kill the newborn deity.

Elu responded indifferently: "Deities do not die. There's no need to worry. Even if this body perishes, my soul will return to the Mother Tree. If we encounter an unavoidable danger, I can simply leave this body."

66: "...Alright."

It rested quietly against Elu for a while before asking again: "Is Percy the same?"

Elu: "Hm?"

66: "Elves don't die either, right? Their souls just leave their bodies and return to the Mother Tree."

Elu: "Yes, that's correct."

Elu walked on with his head down.

After a long, long silence, 66 suddenly asked: "Isn't it mealtime, Lord Elu? Aren't you hungry?"

Elu: "Hm?"

He realized belatedly: "Ah, so this discomfort in my abdomen is called 'hunger.'"

66: "."

Perhaps because Elu's true form was the deity presiding over Pine Mountain, they encountered no dangers along the way. Wild beasts avoided them on their own, and poisonous plants even shrank their leaves when Elu approached, afraid of brushing against the deity's newly formed skin.

Wherever he passed, ripe, juicy fruits grew plentifully, dangling invitingly from branches as if inviting the deity to taste them.

After wandering for two months, according to the map, they were finally nearing the edge of Pine Mountain. One more step, and they would enter human territory.

Elu: "Normally, we need to first find work, earn wages, and pay rent before we can settle in the town."

Deities don't need money, and Elu was broke—without a penny to his name.

66 nodded: "Right, all my previous hosts followed that process... Wait, how do you know this so well?"

Elu: "I sometimes read travelers' journals."

He recalled the contents. "I've heard that townspeople naturally distrust outsiders. They prefer local kids they're familiar with, and jobs often require experience. Someone in my position—a stranger with no experience—will likely struggle to find work."

He walked along South Lake's main road—which was really just a cobblestone path. The town's few businesses lined either side, most already closed for the night, with only a few lights still on.

A tavern was still open for business. Elu walked past its entrance, peering inside through the glass window. Men huddled in small groups around tables, rubbing their hands and breathing out white puffs of air. In the corner, the fireplace roared.

He looked up at the tavern's sign.

"Bartender wanted. Requirements: young, good-looking, quick on your feet, no experience necessary, pay negotiable."

66: "..."

"Are you going to be a bartender?"

Elu countered, "I'm good-looking, I'm able-bodied, and I have no experience. Why not?"

66: "...What about being young?"

In all of South Lake—no, in all of human society—there was probably no one even close to Elu's age.

Elu paused briefly. "But I look young."

He reached out and knocked on the tavern door.

The tavern owner was tallying accounts nearby, the air thick with the smell of cheap liquor. The numbers on the ledger crawled like ants, making her dizzy and irritable. The sudden knock startled her, and she assumed it was yet another drunken patron.

Already annoyed, the owner marched to the door, pulled it open, and was ready to scold—only for her tone to soften abruptly.

"Who—oh! Sir, what brings you here?"

Standing at the door was an impossibly handsome young man.

His platinum-blond hair fell like silk, loosely tied at the ends. To keep it from dragging on the ground, he held it up with one hand. His features were exquisite, his bearing so noble it seemed almost divine. He wore a simple white robe, cinched at the waist with a mysterious sash, and bowed slightly with a polite smile. "Good evening, madam."

He looked like a visiting nobleman.

The owner blinked. "Oh! Good evening. Are you here for a drink? Please, come in."

She stepped aside, but the young man didn't move. Instead, he pointed at the hiring notice. "I saw you're looking for a bartender. Can I apply?"

"..."

With his refined appearance, he seemed utterly out of place in a tavern like this.

Elu offered his prepared excuse: "My family lost everything, so I had to leave home and find work. I don't have many skills, but since your notice says no experience is needed, can I try?"

The owner hesitated visibly. Elu was slender, his hands smooth and uncalloused—clearly unused to labor.

Elu: "At least let me try."

The owner: "...Alright."

Faced with such a dignified young man, she found it hard to refuse.

Bartending wasn't hard—recommending drinks to customers, listening to their boasts, occasionally mixing a cocktail. Elu had an astonishing memory, picking things up after seeing them once. After half a night of instruction from the owner, he was ready to work.

Playing the role of a "pitiful yet harmless" outsider, Elu settled into life in South Lake.

The owner arranged a small attic room for him and provided basic necessities.

While observing human society, Elu searched for clues about Percy.

The tavern bustled with travelers, many from distant lands. They spoke of the Withering spreading through Pine Mountain, of the human kingdom's new ruler—but none of the talk contained the information Elu sought.

Elu’s previous outfit looked too noble-like; when he served drinks in the tavern, customers didn’t dare speak loudly. The tavern owner had a bartender uniform made for him.

Elu tied his hair into a high ponytail with a black silk ribbon in a bow. A brown vest accentuated his narrow waist, and slim-fit linen pants completed the look as he officially started work.

The town was tiny, so secrets didn’t stay hidden long. Within days, everyone knew that a gorgeous stranger had arrived at the tavern.

Girls from the town would intentionally walk past, peeking through the windows to get a look. Men watched him while eating and drinking, some eyeing him with shady intentions, their gazes lingering on his waist and back.

Elu went about his work, nonchalantly tossing in some laxatives into the drinks.

One late night, Elu hung up the “Temporarily Closed” sign, washed the dishes, put the booze away, locked the doors and windows, and headed home.

It was already past midnight. The street was empty, and a light rain had fallen, leaving the cobblestones wet and shiny, mirror-like, faintly reflecting scattered lights. The town was completely silent, except for echoing footsteps.

Two sets of footsteps—Elu’s and another’s.

Elu tilted his head slightly and spotted a shadow darting by at the alley entrance.

66, who had been dozing on his shoulder and nearly snoring, jolted awake and scrambled onto the god’s head, alert. “Su Zhu, someone’s following you.”

“You’re heavy,” Elu said, pulling the system off casually. “I know.”

“What do we do?” 66’s heart raced. “Neither of us can fight!”

The Elu in this body was a total pushover in a fight.

Elu: “Shake him off.”

Having spent a month in Nanhu Town, he knew the streets and alleys like the back of his hand.

The man tailing him was unfamiliar—likely a new outsider—and Elu was confident he could lose him.

At a crossroads, he grabbed the system and suddenly sped up.

Elu wore deerhide boots, and his footsteps echoed loudly through the empty alleyways, setting off loud echoes. The footsteps behind him quickened too, closing in.

66’s heart pounded. “Is this really okay? Are you sure?”

Sure, the god could just ditch the body and go back to Songshan, but the idea still felt gross.

Elu: “It’s fine.”

Hearing the deity’s calm voice, 66 relaxed a little. It curled up in Elu’s arms, watching him sprint ahead and gradually widen the gap. Just as it exhaled in relief and prepared to nap again, Elu suddenly slowed down.

66 tensed up again. “Su Zhu, are you out of breath already?”

This body was admittedly weak, but it shouldn’t give out after only a few steps!

Elu: “It’s fine, I have—”

He hadn’t finished speaking when the air suddenly smelled damp and moldy, like clothes left to dry in the shade for too long. Then came the sound of footsteps right beside him, followed by a strong stench of alcohol. Elu stepped back, only to be shoved straight against the wall.

66’s voice trembled. “S-Su Zhu!”

Elu’s inner voice reassured, “It’s okay. Don’t panic.”

How could 66 not panic?! The man before them was dressed like a vagrant, eyeing Elu with clear bad intentions, even going so far as to grab his chin.

That’s a god’s chin!

66 scrambled to plan an escape, only to realize in despair that with Elu's current stamina, no method would work.

So, the mini system had no choice but to glare at the man, who froze momentarily in surprise.

66: "?"

Could it be seen?

Then it realized—the man had stopped not because of it, but because of Elu.

The god's silver eyes, emotionless for millennia, swept over him with a cold, mechanical gaze, as if examining a dead thing. The man broke out in goosebumps and tried to get a clearer look, but the next moment, Elu deliberately averted his gaze. His fan-like lashes veiled his eyes, and their color shifted from silver-white to pale gold.

Soaked from dashing through the rain, his clothes were mostly soaked, and droplets rolled down his hair, clinging damply to his forehead. The young man lowered his gaze, tilting his head slightly to expose his neck, looking both innocent and pitiful.

"Tch, what the hell..."

The man muttered, spat to dispel the weird feeling, and reached out toward the youth again—

The next second, a sharp whistle and a scream rang out simultaneously. Blood bloomed before Elu like a flower, and he turned his face to see a trembling fletching embedded in the wall.

It was an arrow, its tip buried deep, leaving only a thumb-length of the shaft exposed.

At the end of the alley, through the slanting curtain of rain, a lean figure materialized.