How absurd!
The elder sister is the one presiding over the ritual, and the one being sacrificed is actually her own younger sister!
The one who made the decision for such a thing was the two sisters' father, the Yae Priest!
Humanity? Or power?
The heavy pressure of a patriarchal society weighed down on Yae Sakura's young shoulders, making it hard for her to breathe.
No one spoke; those villagers acted as if it didn't concern them and were quite satisfied with the decision.
Meanwhile, the Village Chief poked the ground with his cane while talking with the Yae Priest.
No one was helping her!
Everything had long been determined by cause and effect; she could only accept it powerlessly, unable to resist!
After leaving the shrine, Yae Sakura remembered Yunduo's words.
This kind of god... is it really not an evil god?
"Sister, are you unhappy today?"
Back in the bedroom, by the small bed, Rin noticed Yae Sakura's abnormality.
"No... Rin, go to sleep quickly. I'm just feeling a bit unwell."
Yae Sakura shook her head and comforted her in a low voice.
She didn't want her sister to know about this.
There must be a way!
At night, the hollow moonlight shone on the water-deprived land; everywhere it reached was desolate.
Dried-up fields, parched streams, and wailing villagers.
It seemed only a god could bestow such punishment because of their failure in duty.
But... was that really how it was?
Yae Sakura felt a wave of helplessness when she Shuhu heard a soft sound by her ear.
"Sakura, you're out?"
She turned her head and found Yunduo, dressed in white, standing beside her with a beaming smile.
The moonlight illuminated her profile, showing the same whiteness and flawlessness.
The God had not bestowed any punishment upon her; having not seen her for a few days, the dew and flora had sculpted her to be even more translucent and exquisite.
"Yunduo—how did you?"
Yae Sakura wanted to ask why she hadn't left, but the moment her eyes met Yunduo's caring gaze...
...she understood everything.
At this moment, the sorrow and grievance deep in her heart erupted like a volcano in an instant.
Her father's heartlessness, the villagers' accusations, and Rin's illness.
The corners of Yae Sakura's mouth curled up slightly; she wanted to laugh.
They had just met; she didn't want to be too sorrowful.
However, those heavy burdens made it impossible for her to smile; instead, her eyes grew warm, and tears slowly flowed down her fair cheeks.
"Eh~ Little Shrine Maiden, did someone bully you?"
Yunduo was startled and changed her tone, sounding like a little hoodlum teasing a young lady.
"Since you're so sad, why don't I lend you a shoulder to lean on?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Yae Sakura threw herself into Yunduo's embrace, like a swallow returning to its nest.
She was clearly very strong, possessing a maturity far beyond that of ordinary people.
Yet, the instant she drew close to Yunduo's soft bosom, her heart felt as if it had found a home.
The sudden peace of mind made Yae Sakura feel grounded, but it also brought a flicker of trepidation.
This emotion—why did she feel this way?
She comforted herself with the thought that perhaps it was because Yunduo's previous prophecy about the sacrifice had come true, and she was desperate for a solution.
Yunduo might have a way.
"What happened? Tell me slowly. Everything will be alright."
Yunduo gently stroked Yae Sakura's hair; the cherry-pink tips drifted through her fingers like flowing water.
At that moment, Yae Sakura spoke truthfully, recounting the sins of those people one by one.
"Sacrificing Rin?!"
"I knew it. Those animals," Yunduo said through gritted teeth, wishing she could tear them limb from limb.
After comforting Yae Sakura and learning that the sacrifice was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, Yunduo left alone.
She had things to prepare... Late at night.
The village was silent, and all things were at peace.
Yunduo changed into black clothes, looking like a master thief as she slipped into the Yae Shrine. Without making a sound, she entered on tiptoe; in the brief moment she stepped into the ritual hall, she saw a massive statue of a deity.
The bronze-colored statue depicted a stern woman sitting upright, holding a crimson lotus in her hands.
The eyes were narrow and cunning, lacking the kindness and familiarity of common divine statues; instead, it looked somewhat like an anthropomorphic fox.
The statue, standing tens of meters tall, was incredibly oppressive. Its indifferent gaze looked down heartlessly upon the mortal world, and a hint of greed and violence could be seen in its pupils.
"This is a god?"
Yunduo scoffed. Even setting aside its actions, the mere appearance of this statue was enough to make children cry.
If it were a good god, why would it persist in oppressing the people and bringing calamity to the world?
Without looking further, Yunduo took a brush from her robe and stepped forward, intending to add a few touches to the statue.
For instance, adding a single tear on the day of the ritual, as if the god were weeping and wished to spare the sacrificial child.
That way, Yae Sakura would have a reason to resist.
In short, she had to make the god stand on their side.
Regardless of whether it truly thought that way.
The moment Yunduo's brush tip touched the statue, she felt a sudden chill, and noticed faint bloodshot veins appearing in the god's pupils.
That flash of terror felt like being at the bottom of a deep sea, liable to be swallowed by darkness at any moment.
Before Yunduo could react, she suddenly noticed a strange sound behind her.
Then came a loud, sinister laugh: "It really is you, you despicable outsider. No wonder Yae Sakura has been so restless lately. It turns out you've been bewitching her. Bewitching a Shrine Maiden and desecrating a god—you must pay for this with your life."
Yunduo held her brush out in front of her. She saw the Village Chief, leaning on his cane, grinning with a terrifying scar at the corner of his mouth.
He must have arrived while she was painting.
With a flick of his cane, the outer casing fell away, revealing a cold, sharp blade.
He wasn't lame at all!
"It's because of you that the god sent this great drought. Yae Sakura's sister will be sacrificed because of you. This is all your fault!"
"Once I capture you, the Head of the Yae Family will naturally be ostracized by the villagers' resentment. When that time comes, I will be the sole leader of this village. We won't need a shrine anymore."
The Village Chief muttered to himself, his expression growing more excited and distorted as he spoke.
One mountain cannot hold two tigers.
No one is willing to give up power once they have it.
As the chief of this isolated village, he had been dissatisfied with the Yae Priest for a long time.
Seeing the "weak woman" Yunduo trapped before the statue, the Village Chief's hands twitched with excitement.
He had waited years for this day, never finding any dirt on the Yae Priest, and now he finally had his wish.
"You want to resort to violence before your god?"
Yunduo's expression turned sharp as she spoke sternly.
"Hahaha, a god? What god? It's all just to trick those ignorant villagers. Where in this world is there a god?"
To her surprise, the Village Chief laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
"I'll tell you the truth: proposing Yae Rin as the sacrifice was my idea as well. As the Priest, he couldn't even protect his own daughter. Under the pressure I put on the villagers, he had no choice but to agree."
"..."
Listening to the Village Chief's boastful words, Yunduo took advantage of his distraction and suddenly lunged forward!
Like a flash of light, she bolted into the depths of the night.
Seeing her try to escape,
the Village Chief hadn't expected Yunduo to be so bold.
"Where do you think you're going?"
He quickly raised his sword and lunged at Yunduo.
Suddenly, he felt a chill at the tip of his nose. With a kick from Yunduo, the massive statue actually toppled straight over.
Boom!
In that instant, the Village Chief felt as if he had truly seen a god.
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