Chapter 128: Chapter 127: The Deer Priest’s First Movie Experience
Deep in the forests of the Northern Domain.
The Elder Priest was meticulously organizing the instructions for the Card Illusion Spell.
Although she appeared to maintain the calm of a Tribal Leader, the frequent slips of her pen betrayed her inner turmoil.
She had no confidence at all that the Deer Spirit she worshiped would be able to attract enough followers.
’Is this all just an elaborate scam designed by Zog to get his hands on the Divine Remains and the Card Spell?’
’But why would he go to such great lengths?’
Ever since they made the deal to trade the spell for ten thousand followers, he had sent people to write an exceedingly complex spell into the Divine Remains.
She had never seen such a complicated spell.
And in the end, she discovered its function was merely to let a group of people chat and share their lives on it.
At the time, she had even suspected it was a test for some kind of War Magic.
Real-time information exchange was immensely valuable in warfare.
Though she disliked it, she had to admit that the God of War had once been a deity with a vast following.
If they could attract those followers, it would be a last resort for their dwindling tribe.
Who would have thought that after a period of observation, a spell that seemed to hold such significant strategic value was truly just for socializing?
But then again, she heard the Zog Group attracted believers to their Divine Remains by having them play games, so a social function wasn’t that hard to accept.
When the Deer Spirit Rune was first designed, the number of people using it to pray to the Deer Spirit did indeed skyrocket in a short time.
However, because the accounts in the Deer Spirit Social Circle were actually linked with Red Middle accounts, people ended up using the Red Middle Rune to enter the social circle out of habit.
The Deer Spirit Divine Remains had become a stepping stone, paving the way for the Divine Remains Zog was cultivating.
’Was Zog playing with words in our agreement? Does "ten thousand followers" just mean a peak of ten thousand, regardless of whether they stick around?’
The Elder Priest felt a migraine coming on. The incessant, wild thoughts of the past few days had left her mentally exhausted.
With a few days left before the deadline, she decided she would go and demand a clear answer from Zog.
As for whether she would get one, she wasn’t confident.
"Elder." A young tribe member knocked on the stone house’s door.
"What is it?"
"A messenger from the Zog Group delivered an invitation for us to attend the premiere of *Frozen*," the person outside replied.
Without the Elder Priest’s permission, tribe members were not allowed to enter her residence.
Only here could she relax a little. As the Tribal Leader, she shouldered immense pressure daily, but she couldn’t show her hesitant and uncertain side to the other members.
It would cause the entire tribe to lose faith.
The day she became the leader, she lost her individual identity and became a Totem, a symbol for the tribe.
A Totem is not allowed to be weak.
"*Frozen*?" The Elder Priest found the name somewhat familiar.
"It’s the Magic Cinema movie starring Grove and Little Deer."
"Ah, those two children." The Elder Priest couldn’t help but feel she had wronged Little Deer, as if she had personally sent him into the Dragon’s Claws for the sake of the Divine Remains.
"Where’s the premiere? Winter City?" That was the only city the tribe was familiar with.
"No, it’s in a place called Twin Tower City. The Zog Group messenger said we can use a Teleportation Array to get there."
CREAK—
The stone door was pushed open. A gust of cold wind rushed in, causing the bonfire inside to flicker violently.
The Elder Priest stood at the entrance, her expression stern.
"Do you want to go?" she asked, her tone completely flat.
"I want to—no, I don’t." A trace of nervousness appeared on the young face.
The tribe members all knew their Priest disliked people going to the cities; cities would corrupt the soul.
"If you want to go, then go," the Elder Priest said.
"What?" The young man thought he had misheard.
"Go see that Twin Tower City. How many people did they invite in total?"
"Up to ten people is fine. They said they can’t arrange any more seats."
"Very well. You may go. For the remaining eight spots, take a count of everyone in the tribe who wants to go, and then we’ll draw lots to decide," the Elder Priest instructed.
The young man excitedly ran off to share the good news with the others. After just a few steps, he suddenly turned back and asked.
"Elder, does the Deer Spirit not need our protection anymore?"
"Don’t worry, it’s very safe." The Elder Priest suspected that even if the entire forest were burned to a crisp, nothing would happen to the Divine Remains.
The day the spell model was written into the Divine Remains, a graceful and noble lady had come, leading a young boy who wore a strange belt.
The two of them had placed all sorts of terrifyingly powerful spells around the Divine Remains.
Whatever the Zog Group was planning, they were at least more serious about protecting the Divine Remains than the tribe was.
As for why the Elder Priest had changed her attitude about forbidding them from going to the city...
The answer, of course, came from her prophecies.
Starting about twenty years ago, the probability of danger from being exposed to the world had been gradually decreasing.
Recently, there was even a chance of gaining followers.
’Perhaps it’s time to change the tribe’s survival strategy.’
’The legend that cities corrupt the soul?’
’I’ll just say the corruption has been purified by the awakened Deer Spirit. The last legend was made up anyway.’
Faith, aside from being nourishment for Deities, could also be a tool for control.
Thus, as a Priest, the pressure she felt came not only from the difficulty of ensuring her people’s survival but also from the psychological torment of her deceptions.
The travel party for Twin Tower City was quickly chosen by lot, and every one of them was thrilled.
Normally, a trip to Winter City was cause for celebration. A chance to visit a city they had never even heard of was doubly exciting.
"Do you think Twin Tower City is bigger than Winter City?" the lucky tribe members whispered among themselves.
"No way, right? Winter City is already huge."
————————
"So Winter City is actually this small."
In Twin Tower City, the group of tribespeople, fresh from the great forest, stood atop the famous tourist attraction, Soron Tower, gazing out at the endless cityscape with repeated sighs of awe.
That’s right, Soron Tower had become a tourist spot. After Zog triggered every single Protective Magic in the tower, Soron had intended to repair them, but he procrastinated.
So, he had a change of heart and moved to Repin Academy, where a laboratory and residence had always been reserved for him.
The tower now generated income as a paid attraction, with free admission for anyone who could recite the section about Soron from the history of Magic.
"Don’t make such a fuss," the Elder Priest admonished. "It makes us look unsophisticated."
"But we *are* unsophisticated," a young tribesperson retorted, clearly less concerned about saving face.
"Everyone," the young tour guide arranged by the Zog Group called out, "the premiere is about to start. Let’s get ready to head to the Zog Magic Cinema."
The Zog Magic Cinema was also built on Chrysanthemum Street, its size second only to the game store.
Chrysanthemum Street was gradually turning into Zog Street.
The ten of them followed the guide to the Magic Cinema.
Here, there were not only audience members attending the premiere but also numerous reporters and fans who longed to catch a glimpse of the actors but could only wait outside the theater.
"What’s that?" a tribe member asked, pointing at the corn popping on a small cart.
"Oh, that’s popcorn, a snack for watching Magic Cinema movies. Want to try some? It’s on me." The guide’s pay for this tour was very high, so he was happy to provide some extra service.
"We shouldn’t, it’s expensive. It costs 3 Copper Coins."
"It’s fine. My monthly rent is 3 Silver Coins," the young guide said casually.
"Wow! That’s so expensive! Your place must be luxurious!"
"Of course." The young guide gave a confident smile, though inwardly he was on the verge of tears.
’A luxurious place? It’s an eight-square-meter second bedroom in an old house.’
The tribe member happily held the popcorn and followed the Elder Priest into the Magic Cinema.
Inside the theater, the lights dimmed.
The premiere was about to begin.
