Chapter 2176: Even the Temple Must Be Visited
After learning that Ahai could truly go to the Holy Land as he wished, the townspeople all offered their heartfelt gifts. Other things were inconvenient to carry, so everyone pooled together some money for him to spend on the road.
Ahai solemnly accepted the money and promised to return it to them when he came back.
"Don't be so unambitious. Once you leave, don't come back." The old doctor patted him on the shoulder. "Once you enter the Goddess Temple, we'll be able to see you on TV."
Ahai, filled with hope, happily accepted everyone's blessings.
The old doctor also found Xu Huo privately and tactfully asked him that if the situation outside turned bad, he hoped Xu Huo would still send Ahai back.
"I'll ensure his safety," Xu Huo said.
Letting a companion leave with a stranger player was a very risky move. Even if the townspeople were simple and honest, they couldn't help but worry that Xu Huo might not be a good person. However, they couldn't stop Ahai, nor did they have any better options, so they could only place all their hopes on the kindness of a stranger.
The two had already walked far during their conversation. Xu Huo, who overheard these words, was also somewhat curious about the temple. He paused, then turned his wheelchair toward the government building. Before he reached the steps, a player quickly walked up behind him, lifted both him and the wheelchair together, and carried them up the stairs in two or three strides before saying, "Brother, you really are determined despite your disability. Even like this, you still come to do instances?"
The city didn't restrict space teleportation items. The teleportation exit happened to be near the government building. Their sudden appearance surprised the people around them for a moment, but soon everything returned to normal. Someone took the initiative to step forward and tell them where to get stamped and to line up. "There are quite a lot of people today. If you're late, you might not get a spot."
The wheelchair was shaken by his pats. Xu Huo glanced at his broken arm that hadn't healed yet. "If you keep patting me like that, I'll have to keep this arm in a sling for another half month."
"Purple Lake City also has a temple?" Xu Huo asked. "Isn't the temple in the Holy Land?"
During this time, he observed the surrounding environment. If there was any difference between this place and other districts, it was probably the strong religious atmosphere, reflected in the architecture, clothing, and food. Here, he also saw a formal religious emblem that was distinctly different from the one in the small town—two parallel eyes. Staring at them for a long time would inevitably make one feel a bit pressured.
The appearance of people walking on the streets wasn't much different from those in the small town—mostly androgynous—but they deliberately used clothing or gender-representing badges to indicate their sex, so there was no need to specifically investigate their gender.
"How do you get the Goddess's recognition?" the short man asked. "Is there any sign of receiving recognition?"
This city was famous for a naturally formed purple lake, located in the mountainous area near the city. To develop tourism, the Purple Lake City government had expelled all the mutants from the surrounding mountains to ensure safe access.
Upon hearing this, Ahai immediately put down his backpack and ran over to line up, shouting to Xu Huo as he ran, "Wait for me here. I can handle it myself."
Xu Huo bought a few flatbreads, which were surprisingly cheap. The woman noticed his confusion and smiled, saying, "I am a believer of the Goddess. How could I do anything that damages the Goddess's reputation? Don't worry, everything in Purple Lake City is of good quality and cheap. Under the Goddess's watch, no one dares to act recklessly." After speaking, she walked toward two players who had just come out of the government building together.
The taller of the two impatiently waved her away, but the other stopped him and asked the woman to buy a few flatbreads while also inquiring about the temple.
The blond man laughed heartily. "That's true. But crawling is too pitiful. Wait here, I'll help you line up to get stamped."
The woman chuckled, using a deep voice to explain, "All five satellite cities have temples, just not as large as the one in the Holy Land. If you want to go to the Holy Land Temple, you must visit our temple here first. Only those recognized by the Goddess can enter the Holy Land. If you just get a stamp and leave, it's useless. When you reach the Holy Land, you still won't be able to enter the temple."
Xu Huo turned his head and first saw a head of golden hair. He raised his hand to shield his eyes. "Don't talk about being in a wheelchair. Even if I had to crawl, I'd still come."
"Outsiders all want to go to the Holy Land Temple."
"Faith is enough," the woman said. "The Goddess loves all people. She won't ask you for money or anything else. You just need to devoutly bow. When you leave the temple, the Goddess's messenger will mark you. With that mark and the government's stamp, you can go to the next city."
"Sir, are you from out of town? Would you like to buy a spring flatbread?" A tall woman walked over, lifting the basket in her hand to show the freshly made flatbreads. "These are made with water from the Goddess Spring. Eating them will grant you the Goddess's blessing, ensuring you won't feel dizzy when you enter the temple."
It sounded a bit mysterious, but the two guessed it might be something similar to a government stamp, serving as proof that they had visited the temple.
Without waiting for Xu Huo to respond, he patted his shoulder and added, "Don't say thank you. I'm just a helpful person. Don't refuse either. When you're out and about, having more friends means more help! Don't you agree!"
"So troublesome! What kind of damn instance is this? I've never done an instance where I can't even get in!" the tall man complained.
"All of you, go back. I'll call you when I arrive!" Ahai waved his hand, carrying his large backpack and pushing Xu Huo into the space teleportation channel.
This C-level wormhole point's district wasn't very large, so Xu Huo's backup space teleportation items were sufficient. The next second, the two arrived at their planned first stop: Purple Lake City.
The woman had a good attitude and told them the temple's location and the rules for entering. "Only after you receive the Goddess's recognition will your trip not be in vain."
A passerby kindly pushed the wheelchair to the roadside, and Xu Huo waited outside as suggested.
Early the next morning, when the two set off, the townspeople came to see them off.
The short man didn't argue this time. "We'll talk about that as a last resort."
The short man's expression also darkened. "Calm down a bit. Next time, have a better attitude, or you won't even get through the door. Haven't you figured it out yet? This is the game's special power. If you don't go through the satellite city temple, you definitely won't get into the Holy Land Temple either."
"I understand." The two had probably been frustrated in other cities before, and their moods were both bad. The tall man agreed quickly but then added, "If they really don't let me in, I'll just smash that damn temple!"
The blond man quickly withdrew his hand. "My bad, my bad. Are you okay?"
Xu Huo thanked him for his kindness. "A friend is already helping me get stamped. He'll be out soon."
The blond man's eyes lit up at this, and he craned his neck to look around. "Who's your friend? Let me go mooch a stamp too!"