Chapter 29 The Return Journey
A cave in northern Nemea.
(Please remember to read Taiwanese novels on the Taiwanese Novel Network, ẗẅḳäṅ.ċöṁ, a super convenient website with the fastest chapter updates.)
The group divided the treasure among themselves.
However, there is simply too much wealth here.
Therefore, they took the part that they were interested in or that was valuable.
Old Tyr acquired that special sword, and he cherished it dearly.
The group was quite surprised when they saw Old Tyr's expression.
They had never seen such a happy smile on this serious old man's face before.
It's not like an elderly person over fifty who is about to enter old age, but more like a child who has received a new toy.
"Master Tyr, you really like this sword?" Dick couldn't help but ask.
Old Tyr replied with a broad smile, "Of course, if I'm not mistaken, it's a magical weapon!"
He gently stroked the patterns on the sword, making no attempt to keep the mystery a secret.
"The ancient Kingdom of Corinth, where the legendary king Sisyphus, who deceived the gods, forged weapons to fight against the Olympian gods..."
Dick nodded, somewhat surprised: "So the legend is true..."
Among the many treasures, Dick took a fancy to the scepter.
As a fisherman with nearly ten years of experience working for the prince.
He has a natural fondness...or rather, a longing for royal symbols such as scepters and crowns.
However, somewhat regrettably, he did not know where the scepter came from, or which kingdom or city-state it was a symbol of.
Dick also consulted the knowledgeable old Tyr.
However, as a wanderer who had spent most of his life struggling in the lower classes, old Tyr only had a superficial understanding of these matters concerning royalty and nobility, and he couldn't make heads or tails of them.
Dick had no choice but to give up.
Pan is a very down-to-earth person.
He picked out many beautiful gemstones, as well as some necklaces and pearls, stuffing his bag full.
When Yara curiously stepped forward and asked, "Is this all you want?"
Pan, a burly man, was somewhat flustered by the question.
Dick and Yara stared for a long time before realizing that Pan was actually blushing.
The two immediately started gossiping.
Pan scratched his head and had no choice but to confess honestly:
"She's...a young lady from an aristocratic family, and also my landlady...petite, very cute."
"I know I'm not good enough for you, but I want to try..."
...
The group stuffed handful after handful of gold coins into the package until it was so full it could barely be tied, only then did they stop...
After coming out, Yara broke off one of her fingernails.
They used their divine power to collapse the entrance to the treasure cave, and the huge rocks and ash sealed the entrance.
He then turned to the crowd and said:
"It's best if only a few of us know about this..."
"I guess this is where the Nemean Lion kept his treasures."
"If this news leaks out, a bloodbath is inevitable..."
"Under God's witness, we are brothers who will live and die together...we are trustworthy."
"If you ever need money, or want to start a big business, come and discuss it with us. We'll help each other out..."
"This is our shared secret, and also our way out for the future, and even for future generations..."
The group wasn't stupid; even Pan understood the basic pros and cons.
Of them only Yara was capable of guarding this treasure.
Yara's power is enough to deter anyone from setting foot here and to allow him to monopolize this place.
But he didn't do that.
On the contrary, such a heroic figure was willing to share the treasure with them... How could this not be touching?
The group naturally nodded in agreement and swore an oath never to reveal any information about the treasure here.
However, when they returned laden with their spoils, carrying bags full of gold coins and jewels, ready to continue their journey...
An unexpected problem has arisen—
"I forgot about the lion..."
"We can't take too much."
Dick was somewhat troubled.
The others were also deep in thought.
If they wanted to take all that gold and silver, they wouldn't be able to lift the lion; and if they wanted to lift the lion, they would inevitably have to give up a large portion of their wealth...
The absence of either of these two things would be unacceptable to several people.
"If we could just bring its head and fur, it would be much lighter for us."
"Unfortunately, its fur is too tough..."
"Those weapons simply couldn't cut through it..."
Dick looked at the heavy lion on the ground, its tongue lolling out and its mouth agape, kicked it a few times, and complained.
Old Tyr volunteered: "Shall I try this magical weapon?"
The group suddenly realized what was happening, so they made way for old Tyr's new treasure to try it out.
Old Tyr didn't hesitate either; he drew his sword and swung it at the lion's back...
However, Old Tyr chopped away for a long time, until the blade was sparking.
And that lion skin...
It can't be said that it was completely ineffective, but it was certainly ineffective.
After cutting for ages, all I could get was the depth of a palm print...
Old Tyre was panting heavily, like a fifty-year-old man who had just finished pulling up radishes. He said:
"No, no... this lion skin is too tough."
"This sword must have some special way of being used..."
"It's a pity I don't know how to use it. If I could make the most of this sword's power, there might still be a way."
Yara didn't have any good ideas either. Maybe he could use another bottle of dream potion to briefly enter that terrifying realm.
Perhaps he still has a chance to break through the lion's skin...
However, to waste an opportunity for mythical power simply for some gold and silver treasures would be a bit too wasteful.
Just as the group was struggling with their problem, Dick suddenly spoke up, as if he had thought of a good idea:
"That lion's skin is impervious to blades and spears... but there's one thing that can absolutely penetrate its skin—"
"Its own claws!"
Yara suddenly realized what was happening. He bent down, grabbed the lion's paw, and examined it in the light...
It was those claws that nearly tore Yara to pieces.
At this moment, it is gleaming with a chilling light in the sunlight.
Sure enough, he easily peeled off the lion's own fur with the lion's paws.
He scraped off the shredded flesh and blood from the fur piece by piece with a knife, washed it simply with water, and then placed it in the sun to dry.
The lion's head was hollowed out and made into a helmet.
He made the dried fur into a cloak and cape and wore it.
When the group saw Yara, who was covered in the invulnerable Nemean lion's fur and head, they were quite startled.
Dick joked with a smile:
"Brother, you're like a Nemean lion standing up..."
"Not only is the strength similar..."
"Now they even look alike!"
...
The wind blows across the open fields, the withered grass turns yellow, and fallen leaves flutter down.
Autumn is halfway over; everything is desolate, yet within that desolation lies new life...
It is harvest season. Those who planted the wheat seedlings have now harvested batch after batch of golden wheat. The wheat is piled up in bundles, shining golden and translucent in the twilight...like mountains of gold.
Several people, laden with their spoils, embarked on their journey home...
The journey is long, and if all goes well, we may be able to reach our starting point—the capital of Argos—before winter.
That's what everyone thinks.
However, unfortunately—
The group got lost.
Perhaps it was because of the desolation of late autumn, or perhaps the terrain of the vast Nemean region had indeed changed after the lion was killed; in any case, they couldn't find the original path...
Therefore, it has been going around in circles, taking a very long detour.
When they realized where they were, they exclaimed in surprise—
"Why did you come to the west?"
Yara also found the surrounding terrain increasingly familiar.
Until he saw the ruins of his former village, destroyed by natural disaster.
He then realized—
He returned to where it all started.
West of the Nemean Plain, his former homeland...
However, everything has changed.
He was no longer the person he used to be, and this place was no longer his home.
As Yara was lost in thought, he suddenly saw wisps of smoke rising from the ruins...
It was evening, definitely dinnertime.
Yara was taken aback and exclaimed in surprise, "People still live here?"
He remembered that when the natural disaster struck, he led the survivors to rescue many people and find many bodies...
The vast majority of those who survived followed Yara on the journey of migration...
Logically speaking, this place has been abandoned for a long time...
Yara gestured to Dick and the others not to rush on their way, but to go and take a look together. The group exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
When Yara entered the deserted village, he found that although the ruins were desolate, there were no weeds growing on them, nor any animals living there... This was a sign that humans had lived there for a long time.
As darkness gradually fell, the night turned a pale purple, and a biting wind swept through.
It's already late autumn, and the weather has long since turned cold.
In the center of the ruins, a few bonfires burned, but the flames were not bright enough and the smoke was not thick enough.
They didn't have much firewood...
Yara walked in front, and the others followed behind.
As he approached the firelight, the people around the campfire saw Yara and immediately let out terrified screams—
"Ah! It's that monster!"
"That monster is coming from the north..."
"Run...run, children!"
His voice was very old, sounding much older than old Tyr, even older than King Argos.
He spoke weakly and listlessly, as if he were talking through a coffin.
I heard this person shouting.
Yara realized that it was his attire that had frightened them.
He quickly removed the lion-head scalpel, raised his hand, and shouted loudly—
"No...I am a human being, a human being!"
"It's not a lion!"
Upon hearing this, the commotion within the ruined camp gradually subsided...
Yara, meanwhile, could see the situation inside the camp through the dim campfire—
An old man, thin as a bone, with skin wrinkled like tree bark, was draped in a thin linen cloth, and some palm leaves were tied around his shriveled waist.
Behind the old man was a house that was barely intact, with only one of the four walls collapsed and half of the roof still standing.
A faint light shone into the house behind the old man—
A dozen pairs of fearful, confused, and innocent eyes huddled together in a corner, seemingly at a loss.
A faint firelight shone through.
Arah could see clearly that these were children... They looked very thin, but their bellies were very, very swollen. Arah knew that this was a symptom of malnutrition, just as the Canaanite children had during their migration.
Who are you?
Why did you come here?
Upon realizing they were human, the old man seemed slightly relieved, but he still held the wooden stick tremblingly, watching the group with tension and vigilance... especially at Pan, who was wearing brass armor.
Yara gave what he thought was a friendly smile and replied:
"We are the men of the King of Argos—"
Before he could finish speaking, the skinny old man swung his stick at him.
Old Tyr, quick-witted and agile, sliced the wooden stick in half with his sword.
The old man was so startled by the sudden attack that he almost fell, but for some reason, it was as if some inexplicable force was supporting him, and even though he was terrified, he didn't take a single step back...
The old man's eyes widened, and he shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Get away from me...you damned human traffickers!"
"Don't even think about touching the children!"
...