Chapter 390: The "God" in Matthew's Eyes
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The towering tree shook its massive body, producing a series of sounds as its wooden fibers splintered.
After transforming into a treant, its height of several dozen meters was significantly reduced, and its surplus limbs fell off one by one.
These freshly transformed treants, under Old Li's control, took root on the outskirts of the camp.
They greedily absorbed nutrients from the surrounding weeds and bushes, turning them from lush green to withered and lifeless.
Eventually, a barren and desolate ring of land formed around the camp.
"Magic changes life; it's far more convenient than mere technology."
Matthew sighed quietly, watching the soldiers gradually return to camp, with a glimmer of relief in his eyes.
Today's victory, indeed, carried a touch of drama and luck.
The Ail Elves beside him were chatting nonstop, clearly fascinated by the combat effectiveness of Bay Territory.
Matthew understood their intent; they probably wanted to hire Bay soldiers to help in their war efforts.
Given the current situation, the elves' thoughts were nothing but daydreams.
The Cole Elf Kingdom had amassed a century's worth of strength, all poised to crush them and remove the greatest obstacle to unifying all elves.
If they went now, they'd just become cannon fodder for the Ail Elves!
They didn't have that kind of privilege!
The commotion drew Matthew's attention.
Lokfar and Batum were disciplining some rowdy trolls, apparently because they hadn't lined up for food.
"What a pity that trolls lack strong magical resistance; otherwise, they'd make perfect cannon fodder..."
This thought flashed through Matthew's mind, and initially, he dismissed it. But suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and a slight smile appeared on his lips:
"However, it's not entirely impossible..."
The light from the teleportation array flared up.
Large containers filled the entire teleportation slot.
When the containers opened, they revealed pitch-black iron rods.
The kobolds rushed over, and under the curious gazes of the trolls and the Ail Elves, they began setting up the rails while chanting work songs.
Thinking about the roaring golem trains, the Ail Elves couldn't help but imagine their use in transporting goods.
"If we could bring these rails and train transport techniques to the Ayle elf lands, we could quickly mobilize troops and resources."
"That way, we could save precious manpower on a massive scale..."
"Yes, we could quickly relocate our forces and save more teleportation and spatial resources..."
"Besides transport capacity, the capabilities in carrying and construction are also crucial."
"Not just the rails and golem trains, but those modified six-armed golems are also quite impressive..."
"..."
Even in Ayle Elf territory,
The utilization of mechanical and magical tools was never as thorough as in Bay Territory.
Matthew "listened" to their discussions, silently waiting for them to come to a conclusion. After all, the bait had been laid.
Taking advantage of this lull, Matthew gathered his commanders to discuss the recent battle.
Pre-battle meetings, post-battle analysis.
Matthew first allowed everyone to speak in turn, discussing their experiences in the recent battle.
Each had their insights, and none hesitated to share.
Most of what they said focused on certain issues Bay soldiers demonstrated during the fight.
They also made sure to propose solutions.
The improvement of military skill happens in such small, detailed conversations and records.
Matthew anticipated their growth, hoping that they would eventually each be capable of leading independently.
At the end of the meeting, Matthew signaled for Beelzebub to present the remains of the Blood Servant.
A crimson heart, still emitting faint heat and smoke!
"A tainted demon heart, an extraordinary material, which could be exchanged for 2000 merit points with the Goddess Church."
The merit points from this material alone would be enough to raise Matthew's rank to Baron First Class.
In the past...
Matthew wouldn't have hesitated to research it.
To see if he could replicate the power within it.
Or to trace the source of its power.
Many Arcane Masters had met their demise this way!
As for now, Matthew saw through its essence at a glance—a demon heart tainted by the Blood God's power.
It would be better to hand it over to the Goddess Church for purification and destruction.
Moreover, it was about time for Bay Territory to begin establishing contact with the Goddess Church.
The main reason was that Matthew needed a large number of spellcasters, along with the resources and knowledge that came with them.
Although Matthew could rely on the Truth Organization to acquire knowledge, as he had for the heart transplant modification technology, it was far less efficient than bringing in the Goddess Church.
Aside from the Goddess Church, Matthew had another target he wanted to bring in.
To most lords...
The presence of the church interfered with their control and "exploitation" of the populace.
This applied to the Netheril Empire and the Arcane Lord alike.
Faith was one thing; profit was another.
For Matthew, it was much simpler.
He needed the church to serve as a tool to elevate "morality."
Laws and rules alone weren't enough—excellent moral and cultural thinking were also key to growth.
Naturally, regarding the content, Matthew was very confident.
Could the church's moral standards really surpass the advocacy and teachings of Bay Territory?
As these thoughts gradually settled, Matthew looked into the curious eyes around him, offering an unreserved explanation:
"This is a demon heart tainted by the Blood God's power, originating from certain sinister sacrificial rites and the Blood God's gifts."
Discussing the mysterious intricacies of gods so casually left the soldiers stunned.
"Is this really something we should be hearing here?"
Sensing their confusion, Matthew turned to glance at his own clone.
The clone gave a slight wave, setting up a subtle soundproof barrier.
Then, for those few who didn't know his identity, the Arcane Master began speaking in a slightly deeper voice:
"The Blood God is an evil deity, an outer-world deity whose essence and will are not of this world."
"The Blood God spreads seeds of power and knowledge, guiding ignorant sentient beings to worship and sacrifice to Him."
"Through this, the Blood God establishes a link with this world."
"Thus, He can channel His power across barriers into this world."
"He does this not out of kindness, but to create larger sacrificial rituals, to plunder more flesh and souls—mostly the latter."
"Any deity that seeks to acquire souls through violence, cruelty, and plunder is an evil god, no matter what slogans they shout."
Hearing his calm yet chilling explanation, the Bay Territory soldiers gained a basic, albeit superficial, understanding of the existence of evil gods.
They felt a chill on their necks but couldn't help their growing curiosity. Old Li, usually silent, spoke with unusual excitement:
"Then what about the other gods?"