Free Web NovelChapter 8: Chapter 3: Sacrificial Offering
Luh Yao moved his mouse over the [Sacrificial Offering] slot.
It was a red creature, curled up, looking like some kind of newborn animal.
[Garlic Tribe Infant: A Sacrificial Offering for the God.]
Luh Yao’s cheek twitched.
Human sacrifice... It was indeed in line with how primitive humans worshiped their gods.
In *God Simulator*, Luh Yao couldn’t communicate with the Garlic Tribe through the Divine Hall, nor could he predict how the little pixel people would react.
He hovered his mouse over the [Sacrificial Offering], wondering if he could reject it.
A line of text appeared on the screen.
--Do you wish to accept the [Garlic Tribe Infant] offered by your Believers?
--[Yes] [No]
Luh Yao clicked No without hesitation.
If an infant mysteriously appeared in his home, he’d have no way to explain it. The police would probably show up to "have a chat" with him.
What was even more terrifying was the thought of the Garlic Tribe constantly sending over infants. His home would be overrun with babies, and just thinking about all the formula and diapers he would have to buy... Luh Yao was already numb at the prospect.
’I’m a God, not your tribe’s babysitter!’
As Luh Yao rejected the Sacrificial Offering, exclamation marks appeared above the heads of everyone in the Garlic Tribe.
"The God is not pleased! He doesn’t want the baby!"
"I told you we shouldn’t use a baby! It should be an adult, someone who can farm and pick fruit for the God!"
"No, no, we should offer game! The best game! The Lord God would surely love a wild boar!"
"I say it should be fish! Fish are the best! They’re all slippery, and they won’t hurt anyone. The Lord God is sure to love them!"
"Find a new offering! A new offering!"
...
Luh Yao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the little pixel people’s conversation.
Still, if they sent over some wild game or fresh river fish, he could make a late-night snack. He didn’t cook much, but he could still manage a few simple home-cooked dishes.
Everyone in the Garlic Tribe, save for five who remained behind, ran off into the nearby forests, rivers, and mountains. They looked all around, seemingly searching the map for something suitable to use as a Sacrificial Offering.
Luh Yao noticed that one little pixel person was different from the others.
This little person was one of the first 7 Believers, shirtless and barefoot. He stood outside the Divine Hall, head raised to gaze at the sky, a question mark appearing over his head.
Luh Yao moved his mouse over the question mark. A thought bubble popped up over the little person’s head, filled with text that appeared to be his inner thoughts.
"What kind of Sacrificial Offering does the Lord God truly need? He doesn’t need a baby. He probably doesn’t need more people, either. He bestowed the magical garlic upon our tribe as a Blessing, so the God’s own world surely doesn’t lack for food."
"The Forest Tribe desecrated the Divine Hall and was immediately met with a natural disaster as divine punishment from our Lord God. The God must possess a great power beyond our imagination. The things we need are meaningless to Him. Therefore, He would likely only accept magical things that we can neither understand nor use."
The question mark above the pixel person’s head changed into a glowing lightbulb.
As if he’d just figured something out, he trotted into the dense forest.
Luh Yao watched, a little surprised.
This little person’s reasoning ability was clearly a cut above the others, as if he had awakened to Wisdom. Among all of them, he was the only one who had a question mark appear over his head.
A short while later, the villager with the question mark ran out of the forest again. He rushed into the Divine Hall, cupping an item in both hands.
Luh Yao opened the Divine Hall interface.
A new, small icon had appeared in the [Sacrificial Offering] slot. It looked like a short staff made from a polished tree branch, very simple in appearance.
...
[Energy Staff]: Faith +1/hour. Energy: 12/12 hours (Charging speed: 1 per hour).
A treasure crafted by the Forest God. It can absorb overflowing life force from nature, and its wielder can touch it to draw out vigorous energy. It was lost after the Forest God fell.
...
--Do you wish to accept the [Energy Staff] offered by your Believers?
Luh Yao clicked [Yes].
The staff icon in the [Sacrificial Offering] slot vanished, and a short, forearm-length staff appeared on the black keyboard on his computer desk.
Luh Yao’s palms started to sweat.
He already had a faint inkling. If [Blessings] could be sent to the Pixel World through the Divine Hall, then theoretically, [Sacrificial Offerings] could also be brought over from that world.
But seeing it actually happen before his very eyes, he couldn’t help but hold his breath.
Luh Yao carefully picked up the staff.
It wasn’t heavy, about the same weight as a normal piece of wood.
The surface of this short staff was covered in wood grain, yet it felt smooth and fine to the touch, as if coated in a layer of clear varnish. The top of the staff had two short prongs, somewhat resembling a broken-off laundry pole. However, tiny green shoots were growing on its branches, giving it a sense of vitality.
Holding the [Energy Staff], Luh Yao felt a surge of energy. The soreness in his waist and back muscles vanished without a trace. He felt as if he were fourteen or fifteen again, able to pull an all-nighter gaming and feel completely refreshed after just a little sleep.
’A Magic Artifact from the Pixel World works in the real world, too!’
Luh Yao looked at the staff.
A line of text appeared on the [Energy Staff]: Energy: 12/12 hours. Status: In Use.
’In other words, as long as I hold this staff, I theoretically won’t need to sleep. I’ll never doze off the next day, whether I’m at work or in class!’
Luh Yao’s heart surged with excitement.
Nowadays, pulling an all-nighter gaming was already a luxury for him. Although Luh Yao was only twenty-three, he could clearly feel his body changing.
He was a far cry from his teenage self. Staying up just an hour or two extra and not getting enough sleep would make him yawn constantly and feel drowsy the next day, and neither coffee nor Red Bull helped.
’With the [Energy Staff], I can get back to my prime, when I was bursting with energy!’
He excitedly waved the staff around for a moment, then calmed down.
’No, wait, that’s not the main point...’
’The real point is that [Sacrificial Offerings] can actually be brought out from the Pixel World.’
’No doubt there are other Magic Artifacts like the [Energy Staff] in the Pixel World. If I can have them continuously sent out through the Divine Hall... then this game is an endless treasure trove.’
Luh Yao felt refreshed and invigorated.
’With the Divine Hall’s ability to break the Dimension Wall, it won’t be long before I can escape this miserable life as a wage slave, reach the pinnacle of success, and become the ideal gaming hermit, no longer strangled by the need to make a living!’
He returned his attention to the game.
By now, the little pixel people had all returned to the tribe, smiley faces floating above their heads.
"The God likes the offering! This is great, just great!"
"So that’s the kind of offering our Lord God likes! I’ll be sure to find an even better one!"
"I still think a wild boar is the best. The God would definitely like a wild boar. A boar is way more impressive than that twig!"
"Nonsense, fish are the best!"
"Boar!"
"Fish!"
Luh Yao noticed that the villager insisting on the wild boar and the one who favored fish had both joined the Garlic Tribe from the Forest Tribe. They both wore leather vests.
The Forest Tribe likely consisted mostly of gatherers and hunters, so it was understandable that they would consider game to be the best gift.
Luh Yao’s gaze scanned back and forth among the villagers, trying to find the one who had offered the [Energy Staff]. But they all looked identical. With no names above their heads or any distinguishing features, they were impossible to tell apart.
In the end, Luh Yao found him in the Divine Hall.
A shirtless, barefoot pixel villager was standing in the Divine Hall, a question mark still floating above his head. It had to be him, the tribe’s sole thinker.
A new message appeared on the screen.
--A Believer has awakened to Wisdom. Do you wish to transform him into a Prophet?
[Yes] [No]
