Chapter 1497 - Approaching the Origin (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

As they went north, the weather got colder by the minute.

Frigid winds bore with them dust particles as they howled across the plain and sent nameless plants flying all over. A grim atmosphere descended upon the plain as the cold wind seemingly announced the world’s barren state. There were little to no tall plants across the vast plain. Due to the cold climate, there were only low, lifeless plants and a scattering of wild grass. It was not a place suitable for life…

…or hunting.

Hunting grounds and plants for foraging were, of course, still around, but they were not nearby. Dozens of kilometers away, there was a lush coniferous forest surrounded by patches of open fields and a few herds of herbivores as well as a couple of predators. Their existence fed the two small primitive settlements there, and conversely, the settlement was also game for the predators.

It was a time when men and beast were on the same level of the food chain.

Hao Ren, clad in a leather robe with a torn side, stood on a protruding piece of rock. His clothes were worn out but to the primitive locals, his getup was still something wondrous. He looked into the distance, deeper into the barren plain, thinking: This barren place looks the same everywhere, but I don’t have to worry about getting lost now that I’m here. There was a very obvious “signpost” farther out across the stretch. It was a massive white cone that reflected sunlight. From a distance, it looked like a white tower, but in reality, it was a massive block of ice and was reverently called “Tatumnu” by the locals. It translated into “a grave of ice”, which was a rather awe-inspiring name.

Hao Ren turned back as two little boys clad in beast hide looked at him with fear and reverence. Their skin was a little brownish, and their faces were painted with dyes made out of plants and animal blood. In their hands were spears made out of rock. They were the settlement’s warriors, yet when they looked at Hao Ren, they felt nervous. The reason was simple; their fear stemmed from an overwhelming show of force that was beyond the comprehension of these primitive warriors. Hao Ren had used a shining long spear to kill a mammoth by himself, and that terrifying scene left a mark in their minds.

They were guides that he found on a need-to basis. In a land that lacked any landmarks or any workable records of cities, and in an age where the landmass was different, it was difficult to move about without a guide. In one of his backtracks, Hao Ren got lost in the Gobi Desert for close to a month. So, if the situation allowed, Hao Ren would, by hook or by crook, get a guide or two to go with him.

Fortunately, further back in time, it was much easier to get their cooperation. Most of the time, Hao Ren just needed to show them powers beyond their understanding, and the people, steeped in animistic beliefs, would immediately bow before him.

However, there were other issues, especially when it came to communication with the ancient primitives. While the translation plugin could solve the language issue, there were still differing world views that needed to be accounted for. Majority of the time, Hao Ren had to work out if whatever rudimentary language they spoke was actually what he thought they meant.

At times like this, Hao Ren would miss his companions who had already left him. Lily, Hessiana, Hasse, and Hesperides… While the last two had a chilly relationship, and they would trade verbal barbs, their perception of the world was similar at the very least.

However, they were now all gone. Hesperides left by 4,705 BC and Hasse stayed with Hao Ren until 6,012 BC. After that, Hao Ren had been traveling alone across the massive temporal backtrack, searching across ancient Earth.

“So that is where the god sleeps?”

Hao Ren shook his head as he rid himself of all unnecessary thoughts and pointed at the massive ice block.

The two tribal warriors shook their arm once. That was their way of affirming something. The taller guide then spoke, “Yes, that is it. Surrounding ice always melts away, but not that. This was once our hunting ground, but no one dares to approach it now.”

Hao Ren nodded in understanding. He had already learned of it back in the village. The plain was not so barren not too long back. Even with the post-ice-age climate resulting in the scarcity of vegetation, there were still roaming animals on the plain. Although not a huge amount, it was enough to sustain a few small settlements during that difficult time. Then a “god” crossed the plains, and her wrath was incurred when someone killed her prey. She froze the entire area as a result. That led to the tribes moving to the forest with roaming predators, and now only two settlements were left.

The “god” now lived in that place, and the tribes all believed that even though the ice had melted away, a mountain-like block of ice remained on the plain. Sunset or fire did not even cause it to melt, and around the ice block, it was difficult for any plant life to sustain itself. Animals avoided the place out of fear too. All of it was proof that a god was there.

The god’s wrath was not over based on what the superstitious tribal people believed in. She wanted the exiled tribes to show their martial might to prove that they were worthy to return. resulted in a quarrel between the two remaining tribes.

Hao Ren did not pay any heed to the tribal people’s blind superstitions. He was only sure of one thing: the god that froze the plains could be no other than Vivian.