Chapter 10: Chapter 5: Hero Awakening
Luh Yao clicked [Yes].
A white light flared around the two pixel people, and the title [Hero] appeared above their heads.
To Luh Yao’s delight, just like the Prophet, Hero characters could also be guided and controlled.
When he selected a location, the two Heroes would explore and patrol the area. While the Prophet preferred to use his mind, the Heroes were better at exploring and conducting reconnaissance.
Furthermore, repeatedly clicking on the Pig Fish Brothers opened a more detailed character interface.
This interface showed pixel portraits of the two male Heroes. The pig-loving Hero was muscular, while the fish-loving one appeared slender and agile. They both wore identical leather vests and had no other equipment.
...
[Hero Lv1] Fisherman
Attack 1, Defense 1, Knowledge 0, Mana 0, Luck 1, Morale 0
...
[Hero Lv1] Hunter
Attack 2, Defense 1, Knowledge 0, Mana 0, Luck 0, Morale 0
...
So the Pig Fish Brothers really were a fisherman and a hunter.
Their stats were a bit underwhelming, but they were Heroes awakened from ordinary pixel people, after all. He couldn’t ask for too much.
’What about the Prophet?’
Luh Yao repeatedly clicked on the Prophet, and sure enough, the character interface opened.
The Prophet’s portrait depicted him bare-chested and gazing up at the sky.
...
[Prophet Lv1] Farmer
Attack 0, Defense 0, Knowledge 3, Mana 0, Luck 0, Morale 0
[Abilities]
Wisdom Lv1: Wisdom is the key for an Apostle to hear the Divine Will. The higher the level of Wisdom, the easier it is to improve and comprehend various abilities.
...
Unlike the Pig Fish Brothers, the Prophet had a special ability: [Wisdom].
Luh Yao hovered his mouse over the six Attributes, and a description of each one appeared on the screen.
Attack: Each point of Attack increases the damage of all members of the Hero’s unit by 3%.
Defense: Each point of Defense increases the Life Value of all members of the Hero’s unit by 3%.
Knowledge: Each point of Knowledge increases maximum Mana Value by 10 and daily Mana regeneration by 1.
Mana: Each point of Mana increases Casting effectiveness by 5% and reduces Magic cooldown by 4%.
Luck: Each point of Luck gives all members of the Hero’s unit a 4% chance to deal double damage and to trigger random beneficial events.
Morale: Each point of Morale gives every member of the Hero’s unit a 4% chance to enter a high-morale state. In this state, their movement speed and attack speed are doubled for 10 seconds.
Seeing the descriptions of these six Attributes, Luh Yao understood the basics.
’This is a lot like the *Heroes of Might and Magic* series,’ he thought. ’Looks like both the Prophet and the Heroes will be able to lead soldiers into battle in the future.’
The Garlic Tribe had a small population, and their production was still in the early, primitive stage of manual farming. They hadn’t invented farm tools, discovered Refining, or mastered weapon-making. The emergence of professional soldiers was still a long way off.
Luh Yao selected both Pig Fish Brothers and sent them to explore the forest.
For now, he could only rely on these two lone Heroes. He hoped they would have some good luck.
A few minutes later, the Pig Fish Brothers actually found something in the forest.
"We’ve discovered the settlement of the Forest Tribe!"
"The Forest Tribe recognizes our Faith and acknowledges that we are also children of a God. They are willing to communicate with us."
"We were treated with hospitality. They want to trade their leather and meat for our tribe’s garlic."
Luh Yao had them return to the tribe to meet with the Prophet.
The Prophet fell into thought upon hearing the Forest Tribe’s request.
"Should we tell the Forest Tribe about the black bear? The Garlic Tribe is still very weak. If we trade with the Forest Tribe now, it’s very likely to attract an attack from the Demon Believers."
"However, this is also an opportunity for the tribe to connect with the outside world. We can trade for the leather and meat we lack and establish a good relationship with the Forest Tribe."
"This is truly a difficult choice."
Luh Yao selected the Prophet and moved him directly into the forest.
’Growth is what matters most.’
’If the tribe wants to avoid getting crushed, it has to seize every opportunity to grow quickly. Otherwise, once the Forest Tribe is wiped out, the Demon Believers will just turn their attention to the Garlic Tribe. I can’t let this opportunity slip by.’
An exclamation mark appeared above the Prophet’s head.
"I’m in the forest without even realizing how I got here. This must be the Divine Will! The God believes we should ally with the Forest Tribe. So be it."
The Prophet entered the woods, and a pixel person came out from the woods to greet him. The pixel person was wearing a leather vest, which was the signature attire of the Forest Tribe.
A small path opened up in the woods, leading to another settlement deeper in the forest. On the computer screen, the observable map boundary expanded further.
Luh Yao had a clear God’s-eye view of the scene.
The Forest Tribe seemed to have over a hundred people, living in various treehouses in the forest.
Unlike the people of the Garlic Tribe, who were all generalists, the Forest Tribe had two distinct professions.
Farmers specialized in growing berries and mushrooms, which they traded with others.
Hunters used traps and wooden spears to hunt birds, wild rabbits, and monkeys. They traded their prey with the Farmers and also made leather from the animals’ hides.
Normally, the Farmers would stay in the tribe, tending to their berry bushes and mushroom patches, while the Hunters would go deep into the forest or into the adjacent mountains to find various prey.
The leader of the Forest Tribe was a [Shaman] who wore a wooden mask. The Shaman and the Prophet were in constant conversation, but the dialogue wasn’t displayed on the screen; it was as if the two pixel people had opened a private chat.
About ten minutes later, several messages suddenly appeared one after another on the game interface.
[The Prophet told the Forest Tribe about the attack by the Demon Believers. The Forest Tribe’s attitude has become Friendly.]
[The Prophet taught the Forest Tribe how to plant and use garlic. The Forest Tribe’s attitude has become Close.]
[The Blessing is fully complete. Garlic has been integrated into the world.]
[The Forest Tribe and the Garlic Tribe have successfully formed an alliance. Your Faith will now spread within the Forest Tribe.]
Luh Yao felt a sense of relief.
The Prophet’s maneuvers had paid off handsomely.
’With the Forest Tribe’s population of over a hundred, I’ll definitely have a chance to gain a few Believers. They’re a source for the Faith Value I need right now.’
The alliance also provided the Garlic Tribe with a reliable partner for Trade.
Most importantly, the [Blessing] was also complete.
He quickly opened the Divine Hall interface.
Sure enough, the [Blessing] slot was empty.
In other words, he could now send something else over to remotely support the Garlic Tribe.
Luh Yao was excited for a few seconds before falling into deep thought.
’What does the Garlic Tribe need most right now?’
’Writing?’
’Ironware?’
’Pottery?’
’Grain?’
...
Luh Yao toyed with the [Energy Staff] in his hand as all sorts of ideas popped into his head. Everything seemed like it would be useful; everything seemed important to the Garlic Tribe.
Just as he was having a hard time choosing, another line of text appeared on the computer screen.
[To thank you for the Blessing of garlic, the Forest Tribe has presented a Sacrificial Offering.]
’A second Sacrificial Offering!’
Luh Yao quickly opened the Divine Hall.
A green plant had appeared in the [Sacrificial Offering] slot. It looked like a Cactus Ball.
...
[Cactus Ball Attendants]: Faith +1/hour.
Faithful servants of the God, they obey the God’s commands and are responsible for cleaning and tribute work in the Forest Divine Hall. They are a group of reliable and hardworking Elves. Normally they are in Cactus Ball form, but they transform into servants in the presence of a God.
...
Luh Yao was stunned for a moment.
’It’s alive?’
He quickly took out the [Sacrificial Offering].
In an instant, a round, roly-poly Cactus Ball appeared on his keyboard.
It was about the size of Luh Yao’s fist and looked no different from a store-bought cactus, a plump green sphere covered in sharp spines.
Suddenly, the Cactus Ball slowly swayed and grew slender green arms and legs.
It bent its knees, its round body (or head) touching the desk as it knelt solemnly before Luh Yao.
Luh Yao tried asking, "Can you clean?"
The Cactus Ball Attendant remained kneeling on the desk and nodded.
"Then clean the floor here."
Receiving the command, the Cactus Ball Attendant leaped off the desk, landed gracefully and steadily, and then started running around on the floor. It scurried across the floor, and wherever it went, dust, hair, and debris were swept away.
These clumps of dust and trash adhered to the surface of the Cactus Ball’s body, where it gathered them together and compressed them into a ball.
It was like a tiny, living vacuum cleaner. It quickly left the floor spotless, even sucking out crumbs and caked-on grime from the cracks. The old, cracked floor tiles gleamed, looking as if they’d been professionally detailed and waxed.
Luh Yao crossed his legs, cracked open a Coke he’d bought yesterday, and watched the Cactus Ball work, feeling strangely content.
’So this is the joy of being a god.’
