Linshui Pavilion was a property of the Crown Prince, often frequented by high-ranking officials and nobles for entertainment. Consequently, bodyguards were usually stationed in an outer courtyard to avoid any unfortunate clashes with the dignitaries.
"Young Master?"
A young man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, dressed in black fish-scale armor and wearing a saber at his waist, looked on with mild surprise as Zhou Tieyi appeared. He glanced up at the Mohist self-winding clock in the main hall; it was just past midnight.
Seeing the grim expression on Zhou Tieyi’s face, he asked cautiously, "Did something happen?"
"Ada, have A'er ride back to the manor immediately and gather our best men to come and support us. I’m afraid we’re in for some trouble tonight."
Although Zhou Tieyi was still reeling from the chaos of his recent transmigration, his mind remained sharp. That enchantress, Guan Guan, wanted to spark a conflict between the military nobility and the imperial in-laws; tonight’s affairs would certainly not end peacefully.
Just moments ago, that coward Zhao Taisui had been caught off guard because he lacked his own men, allowing Zhou Tieyi to bluff him. But once the man reached the bottom floor and had Guan Guan whispering in his ear, he would surely have already mobilized his subordinates, preparing to strike back with something vicious.
Leaving Linshui Pavilion now would be the height of folly; getting blocked on the road would leave him with no way to turn.
"Understood."
Ada gave a firm nod and went into the back room to wake his younger brother.
Zhou Tieyi found an armchair and sat down, pinching the bridge of his nose to reflect on the voice that had suddenly appeared in his mind.
*"The Great Lord of the Minotaurs..."*
When he focused his attention, the voice sounded again. It was precisely because of this voice that he had been able to restrain the Divine Seed within him, preventing himself from accidentally killing that blockhead Zhao Taisui, just as Guan Guan had intended.
Is this my cheat code?
Should I respond?
*"I am the Lord of the Minotaurs..."*
As the thought formed in Zhou Tieyi’s mind, the voice replied, *"You... have responded to us?"*
The voice on the other side was filled with excitement, awe, and wild joy.
Zhou Tieyi "looked" toward the source of the voice.
First, his senses seemed to fall into a vortex, and then a figure as large as a giant appeared before his eyes. The man was covered in powerful, sinewy muscles, with veins bulging on his arms like small snakes coiled beneath the skin. He wore leather trousers and was wrapped in furs, with a drum made of snakeskin hanging at his waist. He wore a mask brimming with a primordial, savage aura, the most striking feature of which was a pair of sharp, upright bull horns.
Once the giant received the response, he immediately announced to the people performing the ritual around him, "The great Lord of the Minotaurs has responded to me!"
A slightly shorter giant beside him, yet just as solid as a city wall, asked with excitement and curiosity, "Shaman, what did the Lord of the Minotaurs say?"
The expression of excitement on the face of the man called the Shaman stalled. Unsure if he had heard correctly, he bowed his head with a touch of reverence and looked toward the bonfire burning in front of him. "Great Lord of the Minotaurs, please, bestow your oracle upon us."
As the Shaman spoke with his companion, Zhou Tieyi finally grasped his current situation.
His "cheat" had allowed him to travel through time again, but this time he had transmigrated into the center of a bonfire. That was why, as he looked at the burly men around him, they appeared to him like a gathering of giants.
He pondered for a second before saying, "My..."
He had originally intended to change his name to something more impressive, but realizing he had no grasp of his current information or context, he feared that a rash change might trigger unpredictable consequences. He corrected himself: "My name is a revered name, not to be spoken lightly. You must keep it firmly in your hearts."
The Shaman nodded hurriedly. "Understood."
Then came a minute of silence.
Using the perspective of the flames, Zhou Tieyi observed his surroundings. He was in a massive fire pit, surrounded by dozens of wild, burly men. This must be some uncivilized tribe, and he had become their deity.
However, he still needed to figure out what benefits, if any, there were in being their god.
On the other side, the Shaman of the Minotaur tribe, having finally received a response from a deity after decades of ritual, was also at a loss for what to say or do.
Finally, the Shaman broke the silence, bowing his head respectfully. "Great Deity, please bestow your blessing upon our tribe."
Hearing the Shaman’s request, Zhou Tieyi felt a wave of awkwardness. During that last minute, he had been trying to discover what abilities he possessed as a god.
He discovered, for the time being, he only had two peculiar abilities:
First, a field of vision that covered the entire tribe.
Second, a universal command of language, allowing him to communicate with others without barriers.
*What a pathetic god I am,* Zhou Tieyi thought with a self-deprecating smirk. Then, he quickly hit upon a stalling tactic.
"Your sacrifices were only enough to wake me from the void. I shall enter into a contract with you: when you worship me with greater piety, I will bestow new blessings to help your tribe thrive and grow."
From his brief observation, he had gained a rough understanding of this "Minotaur tribe." They lived on a fertile alluvial plain, but it was currently winter; the rivers were frozen, and everything was covered in frost.
The tribe had over four hundred people, mostly youths and adolescents. He saw no elderly, though he couldn't tell if it was due to genetics or circumstance—the people here were universally large and sturdy. Judging by the tools in their dwellings, they were likely in the mid-Neolithic stage, as he had yet to see any metal objects.
"Yes!"
The Shaman’s expression was ecstatic. The wilderness where they lived was fraught with danger; only a tribe sheltered by a deity could withstand natural disasters and grow strong. Their tribe had paid a heavy price, sacrificing for generations, and today, their totem had finally responded! All the previous sacrifices had been worth it!
"The Deity demands we conduct a new form of sacrifice. After the sacrifice, he will bless us!" the Shaman announced to the burly men around him.
The ecstatic expressions on the men’s faces shifted into something complex and pained. Finally, the one who appeared to be the eldest stepped forward. "Let me be the sacrifice."
The Shaman nodded heavily and picked up a bone knife from the side. It was polished to an extreme sharpness, as long as an adult’s thigh, and stained with a dark, deep-set red that had seeped into the bone.
Zhou Tieyi reacted instantly. "Wait."
The Shaman, who had been ready to plunge the bone knife into the man’s body, stopped and looked toward the roaring fire pit, waiting for the deity’s instruction.
"You aren't actually planning to use him as a sacrifice, are you?" Zhou Tieyi asked, his voice heavy and complex.
"Yes, Great Deity. Humans possess immense spirituality; they are the best offerings for a sacrifice."
*As expected,* Zhou Tieyi thought. In a primitive society, human sacrifice was a standard transitional phase. With a sigh, he let his voice spread through the bonfire, speaking with solemnity: "That was when I was still lost in the void. From this day forward, I enter into a contract with you. You and your descendants for generations to come shall not sacrifice living humans to me. You shall sacrifice to me only with hearts of piety."