The Age of Dawn of Conquest of Heaven

Chapter 5: Entering the Great Era

Chapter 4: Entering the Great Era Late at night, a wind suddenly blew on the sea, and dark clouds obscured the moonlight. Everywhere was shrouded in darkness. From a distance, the towering Saint Sebastian Monastery stood on the top of Cuiling Mountain, like a huge beast lurking in the darkness that was terrifying to the heart. A cold wind blows from the sea, piercing through the crevices of the rugged rocks on the shore, emitting a whistling sound that rises and falls, accompanied by the sound of waves crashing against the rocks, making the already deserted coast even more eerie and terrifying. This is a coastline on the edge of Cuiling, with straight cliffs like a long sword piercing straight into the Sudelzhihai Sea. The rear wall of Saint Sebastian Monastery is built along the mountain terrain, with towering walls built from huge stones and rugged cliffs seamlessly integrated, providing excellent protection for the monastery since its construction. But tonight, something was destined to happen. Several figures appeared at the edge of the cliff where no one should have come. Amidst the howling cold wind and the sound of waves, one person forcefully dragged another person along the edge of the cliff. Behind him, there was another person who stumbled and would occasionally let out low moans due to tripping over the protruding rocks. Suddenly, the person being dragged ahead began to struggle, while a series of vague cries were heard from their mouths. These cries were so loud that even on such a stormy night, they could be heard far away. For God's sake, shut him up! "The person following behind shouted in horror, and he took two steps to help his companion grab the chubby looking figure." He will call everyone over I won't do it anymore The person in front suddenly picked up a sharp stone from the ground. In the almost pitch black night, one could vaguely see his hands holding the stone raised high, and then fiercely smashed it onto the head of the person in front of him! once! Once again! Keep raising your arms and falling! The night obscured the murderer's face, and the howling wind and waves also concealed the sound of the victim's painful struggle. Only a blurry figure slipped and fell to the ground with the hands holding the stone, constantly wriggling and struggling, and finally no more movement. The murderer continued to lift sharp stones high and smash the person fiercely until he was stopped by his companions. He's dead, "his companion pulled the insane killer hard, but due to nervousness, the stone in the killer's hand viciously grazed his arm, causing him to curse uncontrollably." You murderer, look at what you've done, you'll go to hell The murderer finally stopped, his eyes surprisingly bright in the dim night. If we go to hell in the future, I think it will be the two of us together. Are we accomplices? "He threatened, staring closely at his companion." You will do well, right? You should know what to do next Of course I know what to do, "my companion murmured softly, pressing against the scratched arm as if searching for an excuse," we have no other choice but to do this My lord, as long as you know what to do, "the murderer tightly grabbed his companion's shoulder with a hint of sarcasm." Don't make any mistakes when the time comes, and don't forget that you have no way out. Come and help me now, this fool is really heavy Two blurry figures began to hustle and bustle beside the cliff. When a long strip of cloth wrapped tightly rolled down from the cliff into the rolling sea, it was immediately engulfed by the rising waves. The two people on the cliff seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. It's over, the sea will help us erase everything. From now on, we just need to do what we agreed before, and there won't be anything wrong again I hope it's as you said The two murderers whispered to each other, and then, under the cover of darkness and strong winds, they quietly disappeared into the darkness like Tathagata. Only one wave after another surged high and landed heavily on the rocks hitting the shore, splashing out countless snow-white droplets before releasing them into the sea and retreating. Suddenly, a large splash of water rose from the water below the cliff, and as a black figure emerged from the bottom, a tightly wrapped long burlap bag was pulled up from the water! Let's see what this is, "the person who emerged from the water pulled the cloth bag forcefully onto a sunken beach below the cliff, and then used his small knife to cut through the tightly tied rope. At this moment, a ray of moonlight happened to fall through the dark clouds. The silver moonlight illuminated both a bloody and terrified face. My God, it's Steward Molody Johnny let out a low cry. With a heavy thud, the already rotten wood couldn't withstand the force and snapped with a loud sound. Johnny looked at the broken oar on the ground, and his already gloomy face turned even darker. Johnny felt that he had been unlucky lately, or rather, since rescuing that Greek boy half a month ago, good luck had said goodbye to him. First, the dock tax collector caused trouble for him, and then his fishing boat was damaged in a storm a few days ago and had to undergo major repairs. Because of this, he owed a considerable amount of debt and had to send off a buddy. Even worse, several well connected fishing shop owners have declared their intention to deal with other fishing boats due to his delayed delivery. This made Giovanni feel that all the bad luck was brought by that Greek kid. Worse still, the incident he encountered the night before made Giovanni feel that he might really be cursed. Just the thought of Modilo's almost unrecognizable chubby face made him even more determined that the Greek boy was a harmful person. Look, this is the fate of being a good person, "Johnny grabbed the bottle and took a sip from it, angrily shouting," I should have let him die in the sea, right? Look what bad luck I've encountered now Dad, "the remaining guy hesitated but still made up his mind," I won't come over tomorrow. The Vantoni brothers asked me to be a helper yesterday, so The Vantoni brothers? "Johnny was furious." It was those two brothers who stole my business, those ungrateful brothers. They forgot who helped them back then As he spoke, he stomped on the broken oar on the ground a few more times before helplessly waving his hand and saying, "Forget it, you can go. I'm already bankrupt and don't have enough money to hire you. No one treats Old Johnny like a character anymore. The Caribos are ungrateful devils The buddy wanted to say something, but in the end, he shook his head and turned around to leave. As he walked far away, he could still hear Johnny loudly complaining, "Hey, this is what it means to be a good person Johnny kept dragging himself in front of the dilapidated fishing boat on the shore until he saw someone walking towards him along the shore. The person was wearing a very large gray robe, wrapped tightly around himself, and a travel cloth hat with a low edge covered most of his face. This kind of dress was very ordinary, and even in a small place like Caribo, it would not attract attention. As he approached, Jonini saw that the person was about forty years old, and the strands of hair that had emerged from the cracks in his hat had turned slightly gray. Years of running around had left many wrinkles on his face, which made his originally slightly tough face look much softer. Is there anything wrong with you, friend? "Johnny looked at the person and saw no one nearby, so he was naturally looking for him." First of all, let's talk about it. My boat has undergone major repairs and is now as sturdy as it was when it was first built. So if you want to buy my fish, don't expect to bargain I can tell, this is a good boat, "the man reached out and patted the boatman, turning a blind eye to the torn oars on the ground." If I hire your boat to go out to sea, what price do I want Are you going out to sea? "Johnny squinted his eyes as if he smelled an unusual odor. The weather is bad in this season, so it's not necessary. People prefer to stay on the shore rather than go to the dangerous and unpredictable sea." It depends on what price you offer, don't worry, I'm a very strict person The man nodded indifferently and took out a small money bag from his robe, throwing it over: "I believe this, that's why I came to you. Don't leave your ship, just wait for news here. Maybe we'll be going out to sea soon Pulling open the slightly oppressive cloth rope of the money bag, Jonini saw several small things shining with golden light inside. His mouth cracked open, revealing two withered yellow front teeth. After days of gloomy expression, a smile finally appeared on his face: "I'll follow your orders, sir The middle-aged man gave a few more instructions before turning around and leaving. Behind him, the smile on Johnny's face slowly faded, and he looked at the back with a puzzled expression. When Ding Mu walked into the dean's room with a plate in hand, he saw the dean kneeling in front of the cross on the wall with his back to the door, praying. The afternoon sunlight shone through the high window, casting a halo on the dean's head where his hair had been cut off. Although I have heard too many legends about the extravagance and extravagance of the church in this era, I cannot deny my experiences these days. The Saint Sebastian Abbey did not fall into that corrupt habit. The entire monastery has always regarded the strict adherence to the Benedictine rules of poverty as the highest principle, even the abbot is content with it. As for Modilo, who became a complete idiot at a young age due to a stroke, he is not really a monk of the monastery. Although like many other monks here, Modilo was sent to Saint Sebastian from a young age, he did not become a monk but instead became a deacon in the monastery. This not only allowed him to avoid the tedious and strict teachings of other monks, but also allowed him to freely go out through mundane tasks such as collecting tithes and purchasing various necessities for the monastery. Just that Modilo went crazy and no one went to the city anymore, the days in the monastery became even more difficult. As usual, placing the plates filled with food on a small table near the door, the abbot unexpectedly spoke up, "Alexander Ding Mu paused for a moment before remembering that he was being called. Dean, "Ding Mu tried to flatter himself as much as possible, following the habits of this era. There was nothing he could do, but the whip that admonished the cultivators was not vegetarian." Do you have any orders Looking at the plate in the distance, the abbot said wearily, "Bring the plate to me, child Ding Mu followed orders and when he placed the plate in front of the dean, he noticed that the dean's arm seemed a bit inconvenient when he reached out to pick up the wine glass. How long have you been in Saint Sebastian? "The dean suddenly asked. It's been twenty-three days, Dean Ding Mu blurted out and then saw the dean looking at him with a slightly playful expression. I remember very clearly, "the dean said slowly," Your strong desire to leave here makes me a little unhappy Ding Muzhang opened his mouth, but couldn't come up with any explanation. At the same time, the dean's sharp mind also made him slightly uneasy. People in this era may not have as much knowledge as him, but they are by no means stupid. This deeply taught Ding Mu a lesson. He reminded himself that he must be careful and cautious in the future, and never forget himself just because he believed he had knowledge that exceeded hundreds of years. Perhaps the next negligence that awaits him could be a sudden danger. Child, I know you've gone through a lot of hardships before. It must have been very difficult for you to escape from the East, and you must have seen too many misfortunes. But everything has passed, and you're safe here, "the dean looked at Ding Mu." What I'm asking is, have you considered what you should do next Ding Mu was taken aback for a moment. Of course, he had considered what he should do in the future, and had even been pondering how to return to his own era. Just when the abbot suddenly asked him this question, he instinctively became alert. Here, one must always remember that they are a 'outsider'. I hope to find my own family Ding Mu cautiously said that when he first arrived in Saint Sebastian, in order to avoid suspicion, he was inspired by the same person from the East, Jila, and fabricated a set of difficult to be recognized identities. According to him, he was an Eastern Roman who fled with his parents from Crete to Europe to avoid war and infidels, but became separated from his family due to a shipwreck. In fact, there were quite a few refugees in the Eastern Roman Empire during this era, as described by Timur. As early as more than half a century ago, with the Ottoman Empire's iron cavalry sweeping through the last few remaining strongholds of the Eastern Roman Empire and approaching Constantinople, many Romans who realized that the empire was about to end began to flee to the European continent across the Mediterranean. This wave of escape has been going on for many years, so Ding Mu has no difficulty describing himself as such a fugitive. Moreover, in this era, it is not easy to figure out a person's background. The whole of Europe is like a turbulent vortex, where war and turmoil can sweep across every inch of land at any time, and Italy is almost at the center of this vortex. So Ding Mu believes that as long as he is careful and cautious, he will not be exposed. Ding Mu's answer didn't seem surprising to the dean. He nodded and said, "Find your parents, of course, I believe God will guide you." Speaking of which, the abbot looked at Ding Mu seriously and said, "Speaking of which, I think there's someone who can help you. Do you remember the person you met in the yard before Seeing Ding Mu nod, the dean said again, "That person is a businessman, a devout believer, who has been to many places and seen many people. If he is willing to help you, perhaps there is a chance for you to see your parents again Ding Mu was secretly surprised in his heart. He didn't understand why the abbot suddenly became enthusiastic. Although he was accepted, Ding Mu didn't think that the abbot was just a generous and kind person. Thinking back to the argument between the two people that he had accidentally heard before, Ding Mu felt that the matter may not be as simple as the dean said. You can serve him as a servant, he will be a generous and just master, "the dean still tried to persuade Ding Mu." If you are willing to go with him, there is something I happen to need you to do here I'll follow your instructions, Dean, "Ding Mu answered cautiously. Before he knew the Dean's purpose, he decided to adapt to the situation. A letter, "the abbot picked up a tightly sealed envelope from the table, covered with a complex coat of arms," take this letter to the Archbishop of Palermo for me. Although this should be done by Modilo, that poor child can no longer take care of himself. May God bless him Watching the abbot habitually make a cross on his chest, Ding Mu hesitated for a moment before reluctantly following the gesture. I am willing to deliver a letter for you, Your Excellency Ding Mu finally made up his mind that as long as he could leave this cage like place, he was still willing to take a risk. Oh, "the abbot shook his hand slightly as he held the envelope, as if he had heard some good news, but stopped after handing over the letter," but there may be a problem, this is a letter addressed to the Archbishop of Palermo, which must be delivered by someone according to the law Although he was not sure what the teachings were, just by hearing the name, he knew that they were very sophisticated. Ding Mu couldn't help but be stunned, and the thought even flashed through his mind: 'Does this old monk want to deceive himself into becoming a monk with him?' But then he realized that this idea was somewhat ridiculous, after all, he was still important enough to make a abbot go to such lengths. You can borrow the name of the Modilo brothers, and I believe that if he finds out, he will also be willing to help you, "the abbot finally revealed his long planned purpose." You don't have to worry about being punished, because you can travel under your own name. As long as you arrive in Palermo, you can deliver this letter to the bishop as a deacon of the Church of San Sebastian After that, my lord, "Ding Mu seemed a little tempted," can I travel with that merchant to find my parents Of course, at that time you can make your own decisions, and this is the reward for delivering the letter to you The dean took out two slightly mixed colored florins from the desk drawer and handed them to Dingmu. As he was receiving the gold coins, Ding Mu was sure to hear the abbot muttering to himself in a language he didn't fully understand: "Coming from the dust, returning to the dust Go find your parents and family, believe that God will guide you on the path you should take, "said Ding Mu, bowing and bowing at the door. As the door closed tightly, the abbot slowly lifted his sleeve, revealing a swollen arm that had been cut by a sharp object. On the morning of March 13, 1496, Dinmu walked out of the Saint Sebastian Abbey. Looking at the middle-aged man standing far away at the entrance of the monastery, a lingering doubt rose in Ding Mu's heart. He didn't believe that this person named Kunto was really a businessman, and even doubted the authenticity of the name Kunto. But now he wants to travel with this person. Under the pretext that personal belongings were not allowed in the monastery, the abbot ordered the confiscation of the pitiful thing on Ding Mu's body, and he had to leave wearing the original Modilo monk robe. After the figures of Ding Mu and Kun Tuo completely disappeared into the morning mist, the abbot who stood by the window watching them leave opened a thick log and wrote a quote that had been quoted by countless people for many years: On March 13, 1496, one of our brothers, Joel Modilo, followed God's revelation to him and left the high wall that had nurtured and protected him since birth. His destination was the Bishop's Palace in Palermo, but I knew it was by no means his end