Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Sui Xiong’s plan was well executed, and no one disturbed Damwade’s work.

  As usual, Damwade studied, did his research and worked on a farm. He was doing work that other magicians regarded as “self-abasement,” that other magicians would never do.

  In fact, some people doubted him, but after a couple days, they found that Damwade was indeed doing some ordinary work. So they gave up.

  Did Damwade really do the same thing every day?

  Generally speaking, it was almost the same. There was no big change in the research. But if someone looked at his research notes, they would find that there were some differences from those of the previous records. The previous records were chaotic, while his recent notes were well organized and easily understandable. The content was not related to the research data, but it was more like a summary of his research data.

  This was something that Crick taught him. It was the most effective way to “hide a secret.”

  It was very normal for a magician to take notes when doing research. No matter how superb the spies were, they couldn’t peek at Damwade’s notes. And it was no use peeking at the notes because the spies wouldn’t understand them.

  In fact, Damwade was writing his book called Agricultural Textbook.

  Because of his excitement, he had to cast some calming spells on himself in addition to routine protective spells every day. After that, he could ensure that he wouldn’t laugh out of control when he was writing this book.

  What he looked like was totally an ordinary magician who was quiet and focused on his research. Apart from the bizarre content of his research, there was nothing strange.

  A month later, Damwade finished his first draft.

  “No.” After reading his first draft, Crick shook his head critically. “You’ve written in the wrong direction.”

  “Written in the wrong direction?” Damwade took up the draft and said in puzzlement. “What’s wrong?”

  He really didn’t understand. He had written all of the research data and his understandings in recent years. How could that be wrong?

  “There are at least two obvious mistakes in your book,” Crick sighed and said. “The first one was the logic mistake.”

  “Ah? I think I’ve written logically.”

  “That’s what you think,” Crick shook his head and said. “When you read this book, you will think at your own position instead of the position of a reader who does not understand agriculture at all. So you omit a lot of details that you need to explain and skip a lot of content that you think is basic knowledge. This is a mistake that professional scholars would easily make. Those who get some magic notes of the great magicians often find that the notes are difficult to understand. They clearly understand every word, but they can’t understand when words are linked. As for your book, I believe most mages could understand it, but you should know that the target reader of your book in the future are people who have less knowledge than mages.”

  Damwade realized where he was wrong and opened his mouth widely.

  “The second mistake is your expression,” Crick said. “Do ordinary people understand your expression?”

  “Why can’t they? Isn’t that easy to understand?”

  “Easy?” Crick sighed and read one sentence, “‘The way to set ridges, or take ridges.’ What do you think of this one?

  “I understand it.”

  “To be honest, I can also understand, but I guess those readers who have little knowledge can’t,” Crick sighed and said. “You know, this book is not for scholars to exchange views, but for ordinary people to learn how to farm!”

  Damwade looked blank. “What should I write?”

  \r \r \r

  Crick thought for a moment and said, “Like this one, you can write, ‘The way to make ridges in the fields requires dividing the land into rows one by one. There should be no difference between high and low places. The high places are called ridges, and the low places are like small ditches, which can be used for watering and fertilizing.’ This would be easier to understand.”

  “Okay…… But that’s too simple!” Damwade was shocked and said. “A bard never writes in such simple language, let alone a spellcaster like me…… If I really wrote in this simple language, I’m sure I would be a laughingstock.”

  But he finally made up his mind.

  “Fine! If it’s just that the book should be written in a simple language, then I don’t care if I become a laughingstock. If I can become a god by doing so, then I will!” he said firmly. “I want to be a god! I don’t care about others’ views. Who would call a god a laughingstock? If you can be a god, you can do whatever you want.”

  The more he talked, the more excited he became. He squeezed his fist tightly, and his eyes were shining again. He became crazy.

  Crick looked funny, but he could not help but sigh.

  Damwade was a mid-rank mage in his early thirties, and his achievements were not bad. However, in the Mifata Federation, there were so many talents. He was not outstanding. Without a strong supporter, he could not become a mercenary and seek a long-term contract to continue his research.

  Then he was hired by Crick to work in Keane Hill for more than ten years. Over the past ten years, he worked hard and did not complain. No matter what orders Crick issued, he carried out them faithfully. He had never refused to do anything, even to help farmers.

  In order to avoid disaster, he came to Void City and did not study anything related to explosions. He was immersed in the study of agriculture for more than ten years, and his strength was just at the level of an advanced mage.

  How could such an ordinary mage not be excited when faced with the opportunity of being a god?

  It was amazing that Damwade didn’t show his desire for being a god in his daily life.

  “Calm down, you’re so excited.” Crick laughed and patted Damwade on the shoulder.

  “Relax. Your Majesty, he is easy-going and reliable. He says you have a chance to become a god, and that is true. There’s a big possibility. Every person that was mentioned by Your Majesty has become a god afterwards.”

  Damwade closed his eyes and took deep breaths several times before he calmed himself down again.

  “You’re right. I’m too excited. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. Anyone in your situation would be excited. I can understand you.”

  Damwade’s eyes lit up, and he asked, “Then…… so were the God of Knowledge and the God of Medicine?

  Crick said, “I don’t know. I’ll ask them.”

  In fact, there was no need to ask. He and Sui Xiong were the same person, and memory was also interoperable. He could recall it.

  But he couldn’t say that. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit and gods could be contacted at any time. It didn’t take much time to ask.

  A few seconds later, he laughed and said, “When the God of Knowledge knew that he could become a god, he was very excited and swore allegiance to His Majesty immediately. The God of Medicine started to meditate in seclusion, without good food or clothes, in the research room. Well, you’re probably a little more excited than the God of Knowledge, but you’re calmer than the God of Medicine.”

  Damwade kept silent for a moment and then smiled.

  “It’s a wonderful experience to be compared to two great gods,” he said. “I don’t know why, but I’ve calmed down now.”

  “Because you know you can succeed,” Crick said. “When a person is determined, his mood becomes calm.”

  “To be honest…… I’m not sure,” Damwade grinned bitterly and said. “I always found it hard to believe that just summarizing an agricultural textbook and spreading it out can make me a god?”

  “If you just did it for yourself, of course not. But you’re doing it for the Church of the Void Mask. It will be an 80% assurance,” Crick said.

  “It will be an 80% assurance? That high?”

  “In fact, I underestimated it. Unless you are killed before you succeed, it will be 90%. The last 10% is that you must not get too excited and fall ill.”

  Damwade could not help but laugh. “You’re still so funny after all these years!”

  “I’ve only died once. Everything is okay for me now. People will naturally be more relaxed and interesting when they are peaceful,” Crick also laughed and said. “You know the Boy of Ceremony, don’t you? A merry god. I’m on good terms with him.

  “You show off!”

  “Ha ha, why are you so smart!”

  They laughed and talked, and then Crick said goodbye.

  When he left, one mage smiled at a glittering crystal ball in front of him in a house not far from Damwade’s residence.

  “What does Crick Keane want to do?”

  “What else can he do? It must be his territory,” a soldier next to the mage said. “He has no children. The heir of his family is his sister. At that time, he was desperate to protect his sister’s safety and the inheritance of the Keane family. Now he takes some actions. What else does he want besides that?”

  “Hasn’t Keane Hill been developing well these years?” Another mage asked. Although it didn’t have a big harvest, it has been progressing steadily. I remember…… this year, the Thunder Lord also issued an order to promote Keane Hill as the Viscount Hill. His sister, Anna Keane, is now a viscount.”

  “That order was not good!” the soldier, who was the leader of the spy group, sneered and said. “The responsibility of a viscount is quite different from that of the baron! Do you know how much wealth Keane Hill gave as a reward for this promotion?”

  He looked at his subordinates and reached out his fingers. “This number!”

  “My God!”

  “My God!”

  “How nice it would be if the money was given to me!”

  “I suspect that it was probably because of this that he suddenly appeared. He had been hiding behind the scenes as the Holy Spirit, training His Majesty’s Corps of Divine Envoys for the Void Mask.” There was a flash of light in the soldier’s eyes. “Otherwise, why wouldn’t he hide himself anymore? Why does he appear?”

  The subordinates nodded, and all agreed with his judgment.

  “But I still don’t understand why he contacted Damwade?” The soldier thought about it and frowned. “Damwade, this fellow…… After the big explosion on Keane Hill, he fled to Void City. Everyone speculated that he was related to the explosion, and many people doubted him. But in these years, he has been dealing with mud, crops, garbage, excrement and other things. Most of his friends here are peasants or some low-ranking civil servants. That big explosion seemed to have nothing to do with him……”

  “Ah? Really?” the surveillance mage was shocked and said. “Aren’t we wasting time then?”

  Unlike other spies, they were spying on the earth-shaking explosion that Keane Hill had. The power of the big explosion was astonishing. Many people wondered if Crick Keane had found a way to detonate the Divine Curse in his body. But others thought that Damwade had developed some powerful explosives. If not, why would Damwade run to the Void Mask Land overnight?

  Many people doubted him. But in these years, Damwade had no intention of studying explosives at all. Instead, he was doing some farming as he had done at Keane Hill. Gradually, the spies were disappointed, leaving one after another. Only this group was left.

  If Damwade really had nothing to do with the explosion, this group would leave as well.

  It was good for spies to be able to retreat safely, but it was a pity to waste more than ten years on a mission! After all, ten years is precious in our lives!

  The soldier was silent for a moment and shook his head. “I’m still not sure…… Or, I’m still not reconciled! I always feel that he must know something, but he has decided to bury those secrets in his heart and never tell.”

  “What a pity! If we weren’t in Void City, we could have caught him and tortured him, even use magic to pull out his soul for interrogation.”

  “If we weren’t in Void City, I’m afraid it would not be our turn,” another mage said.

  The soldier laughed dumbly. “You’re right. We’re not big men either. How could it be our turn!”

  He clapped his hands and drew the attention of his subordinates. “Anyways, let’s not slack off and keep looking. I believe that as long as we keep looking, we will find clues sooner or later!”

  “I have a strong hunch that things will not end like this!” There was a shimmer in his eyes. “Crick Keane’s appearance is a sign!”