I am a Flower Vase in an Infinite World / I Am a Useless flower in an infinite

Chapter 103

River God's Wish?

Tang Ning glanced at Shao Mingyong, who was staring at him deeply. The reflection in Shao's glasses showed the myriad states of being, with people's shapes stretched and distorted. Despite the distortion, their expressions were abhorrent.

At the center of the glasses was Tang Ning's bewildered face. His appearance was not distorted; it was clear and beautiful, passing through the glasses into Shao Mingyong's eyes.

Tang Ning shook his head. From the expressions of the surrounding villagers, it was clear this was not a good thing; otherwise, the elder wouldn't look so heroically resolved.

Moreover, Tang Ning remembered what Lin Yun had told him: no deities appear in Level B instances, only in Level S instances do beings of such nature exist. So, what was the elder praying to?

This thought gave Tang Ning a chill. He avoided Shao Mingyong's slightly disappointed gaze and instead looked at the wishing well filled with coins. In the center of the well stood a moss-covered stone sculpture. Although parts of it were mottled, one could still discern the chiseled contours. It was a sculpture of a figure with a human upper body and a fish tail, embodying a strong man's perfect form, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted. The lower half, the fish tail, was folded, as if ready to leap out at any moment, full of explosive power.

This was a fine piece of sculpture, marred only by numerous damages. The surface was pitted, especially around the wrists of both hands, where it was broken off, reminding Tang Ning of the Venus de Milo. He wondered what the sculpture's complete form would have looked like.

The elder, maintaining a prostrate position, slowly got up. It was a struggle, and no one helped him. Using his cane, he rose to his feet, holding an ancient coin, his lips trembling, seemingly murmuring something.

What was this for?

Tang Ning looked at Shao Mingyong with a puzzled expression. Shao Mingyong understood Tang Ning's confusion and explained softly, "This is the last step of making a wish. He will throw the ancient coin into the well. If the coin lands face up, it means the river god is willing to fulfill his wish."

The elder closed his eyes and tossed the ancient coin into the wishing well. As the coin caught the sunlight, it reflected a rainbow of light. It hit the water, creating a tiny splash accompanied by a soft "plop," and then the coin sank into the well, while the elder stood still, as if lacking the courage to check the result.

The surrounding people also held their breath, standing still.

Affected by this solemn atmosphere, Tang Ning involuntarily held his breath too. The elder's wish must have been for the safety and peace of the town. Since this instance was about survival, naturally, the safer the town, the better. Tang Ning also hoped the elder's wish would come true.

Was it successful?

The elder slowly approached, searching for the coin he had thrown. He looked slowly, and when he stopped at a certain spot, his cloudy eyes sparkled with something called hope. He knelt down again before the sculpture, a series of actions that seemed to drain all his strength. He remained kneeling before the wishing well, not rising for a long time.

The mayor approached the elder, intending to help him up, but the elder's body slumped against him. The mayor was shaken and placed his hand under the elder's nose, "The elder has passed away."

Tang Ning instinctively looked at Shao Mingyong, who this time offered no explanation but adjusted his glasses and calmly watched as the villagers rushed to the elder's side, weeping bitterly over the body of the old man.

Tang Ning then looked at Lin Yun and Jiang Mianmian and noticed that the expressions of these two players were equally grave.

"This is a Level B instance. A true god is not supposed to appear in such instances, but the process of worship by these NPCs, the depth of their faith, plus the accumulation of the village's ancestral beliefs," Lin Yun whispered to Tang Ning, "might actually bring about a demigod or something of that sort."