We Have Truly Disappointed God

The capital of the Samo Kingdom was called Anho, also known as the City of Dark Rivers.

Beneath this vast, barren plain stretched an underground river system thousands of miles long, with a complex network of subterranean waterways. The Samo family had spent hundreds of years controlling the Desert Worm to gradually excavate this network.

The Samo Kingdom had thus extended their cities from the coast deep into the continent, nurturing their descendants beneath the dark rivers and breeding Ancestral Fish in the underground streams.

This was part of the reason why the Samo Kingdom had become a powerful rival to the Star Luo Kingdom.

Stan Tito walked through a corridor guarded by soldiers with long spears, heading towards the inner palace.

Princess Saliman led the way.

The palace had an ancient and rugged feel, yet it was imposingly grand.

In this hall fit for giants, Stan paused and looked up at the king, seated atop more than ten meters of steps.

From that vantage point, everyone in the palace seemed insignificant, and the city outside appeared to be beneath the clouds.

He could imagine the mindset of the person sitting there.

Wielding the power of wisdom, enslaving the Ruhe beasts.

He must think himself a god among men.

At first, the king received Stan Tito with a pleasant demeanor. He held this inheritor of the saint's will, who enjoyed high prestige and fame in the Star Luo Kingdom, in great esteem. His words repeatedly mentioned faith in God.

He spoke as if he were the saint himself.

However, when the king heard the price for opening the door to God's realm, his expression immediately changed.

"What?"

"Give up the power of the Ruhe beasts?"

The Samo king fixed Stan Tito with a suspicious gaze. His first thought was:

Is this Stan Tito a spy sent by Henir?

If they gave up the power of the beasts, wouldn't they become mere prey for Henir?

Stan Tito: "Your Majesty doesn't know?"

The Samo king exclaimed heatedly: "How could such a thing be possible? What proof do you have?"

"There was no such requirement the last time the door to God's realm was opened."

"Stan Tito, you are deceiving a great king."

Stan Tito turned back, looking at Princess Saliman.

"So," Stan said, his voice tinged with disappointment, "this was all a deception?"

"You didn't tell His Majesty the price he would have to pay."

The princess dared not meet Stan Tito's gaze, and even trembled under the Samo king's glare, kneeling on the ground without a word.

The Samo king snorted coldly at his daughter, then looked at Stan Tito.

"Child of Fortune!"

"Since you've come here, I hope you can open the path to God's realm for the Samo family."

"Name your price. I will meet any demand you make."

"That black swamp dares to attempt to swallow the authority of the Royal Bloodline families and seize the realm of Yinsai. This will absolutely not be allowed."

"We are the descendants of Redlichia, the rightful rulers of the Yinsai realm."

The Samo king shouted: "I want to open the door to the divine realm and tell God everything that's happening in the mortal world."

"God will surely punish him, banishing that son of black mud to the bottomless abyss."

Stan Tito looked at the Samo king, at his ugly gesticulating posture and his frenzied eyes.

Suddenly, he shook his head and laughed.

This was something the old Stan Tito would never have done, but now he was fearless, for he truly found the king before him laughable.

The Samo king didn't know what he was laughing at, but he heard mockery in Stan Tito's laughter, and even a hint of pity.

The latter angered him more than the former.

He immediately stopped his movements and looked at Stan Tito.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Are you mocking the Samo family? Mocking the noble Royal Bloodline?"

After finishing his laugh, Stan Tito said.

"God cannot be fooled, nor can God be deceived."

"You have no sincere devotion or reverence. People like you opening the door to God's realm would only bring disaster and destruction upon the Trilobite Men and Yinsai."

"And worse," he added, his voice lowering, "you'll incur God's disgust."

Then, he resolutely refused the Samo king.

"Not only will I refuse to open the door to God's realm for you, but I will also bear witness to your slow demise."

"A corrupt ruler like you should be swallowed by the black swamp."

"King of the Samo family, you've sat on that high throne for too long, so long that you've completely lost yourself."

The Samo king was thoroughly enraged by Stan Tito. He shouted furiously.

"Arrogant!"

"How dare you, of all people, slander the exalted ruler."

At his command, dozens, hundreds of guards rushed towards Stan Tito from within the palace.

Several powerful priests emerged from behind the pillars, launching mental attacks at Stan.

"Divine Technique: Realm of Illusion."

A golden flower cup blossomed from Stan Tito's basket. In an instant, a circle of golden light swirled out, and hundreds of soldiers fell to the ground in the blink of an eye.

The various weapons the priests attacked him with merely passed through an illusory shadow.

By the time the priests reacted, Stan had already left the palace and was running towards the square.

With his inherited bloodline power from the saint's later years and powerful illusion magic, he was nearly unstoppable.

Seeing this scene, the king sitting on the throne burst into cold laughter.

"Just because you've mastered a bit of royal power, you think you can resist the noble Royal Bloodline?"

He raised his hand, and a giant beast emerged from beneath the earth.

The Moon Magic Fern opened its vines, immediately entangling Stan Tito.

Faced with the power of this mythical monster, Stan Tito could only surrender.

The king walked up to him and had people remove his basket, taking out all his belongings.

But they couldn't find what he wanted.

"Where is the key to open the door to God's realm?"

Stan Tito looked directly at him: "There was never any key. It's all just the work of people's hearts."

The king was furious, but he didn't dare to kill the renowned Stan Tito outright.

"I will imprison you underground."

"We'll see how long your resolve lasts." —

In a cave deep underground, not far from where a dark river flowed.

The Moon Magic Fern had taken root here, its massive spheres hanging down, one of which imprisoned Stan Tito.

Faced with such a "prison," Stan Tito had no means of escape.

Princess Saliman secretly came to the Moon Magic Fern, looking at Stan Tito imprisoned within. Her eyes showed apology.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I did deceive you. I wasn't sure I could convince my father, as he's nearly been driven mad by Henir."

"If you hadn't come, my father was about to use another power, which is absolutely forbidden."

"To stop him, I had no choice but to bring you here."

"I thought that with your status as a member of the saint's family, my father would listen to your opinion out of respect for the great poet."

"I didn't expect..."

Stan Tito looked at the Samo princess who kept explaining and begging for his forgiveness, but he was lost in thought.

"I was prepared before I came. You don't need to apologize."

"Besides," he continued, his tone resigned, "at this point, these words are meaningless."

Princess Saliman thought he was just being modest: "Then why do you sigh?"

The princess didn't know that Stan Tito truly didn't mind.

When a person has lofty ideals and goals, they can calmly face the difficulties they encounter and peacefully deal with those who obstruct their path.

Because they know that compared to what they're pursuing, these things are insignificant.

Even they themselves are not worth mentioning.

Stan Tito shook his head: "I'm lamenting the fate and future of the Trilobite Men, regretting our choices."

"God has given us chances time and time again, but we have repeatedly strayed from God's guidance."

Stan Tito again recalled the figure of God's messenger, and the expectant look in her eyes when she spoke of God bestowing grace.

At that time, he truly felt the messenger's hope for the Trilobite Men.

Although he didn't know if that hope also came from God, in Stan's heart, God must also have compassion for them.

Stan Tito closed his eyes and shook his head.

"We have truly," he said, his voice heavy with sorrow, "disappointed God."