Chapter 86: To Live Is to Risk Everything
Looking from the perspective of the soldiers in the sky, the whole Black Vortex Town looked like a big mosquito coil.
From the foot of the mountain to Dragonfly Pond, all the long houses were connected seamlessly, except for a gap remaining on the inner wall of the Itsutsu Kishima family.
And what Uesugi Kiyoshi had to do was to fill this last gap.
Holding a board and a hammer, he looked around, except for Saito Shuichi and Itsutsu Kishima who had been by his side all along, there was no one else at the scene.
At the critical moment, Saito Shuichi couldn't help but get excited and urged, "Go on, Vortex-kunn!"
"Don't worry, just wait a little longer!"
The person Uesugi Kiyoshi was waiting for soon appeared at the foundation laying ceremony venue.
The arrivals were dressed differently, some men and some women, but they all had a vortex pattern on their clothes. They were linked by steel cables around their waists, filing in through the open door and quickly filling the longhouse to the brim.
"This is..." Seeing that vortex symbol, Saito Shuichi instantly recognized the other party's identity, "It's a member of Vortex Shintoism! How did they come here..."
One strange event followed another, even the dullest of individuals could sense that something was amiss. In this situation, Vortex Shintoism naturally grew rapidly.
Saito Shuichi was always wary of this cult; he picked up a piece of wood from the ground, alertly watching the other party. However, the people of Vortex Shintoism didn't act aggressively. Instead, they knelt down on one knee, bowing their heads humbly and respectfully.
"As you wish, the unworthy to meet the goddess have been dealt with, great prophet!"
Uesugi Kiyoshi nodded proudly and gestured for them to rise.
"The day to become a god has arrived, please follow me."
Saito Shuichi was amazed to see everyone respectfully surrounding Uesugi Kiyoshi, and the wooden board in his hand fell to the ground.
"This, they are followers of Vortex Shintoism..."
"Oh, it's something I created," Uesugi Kiyoshi explained.
He was very experienced in this area.
As a famous person named Chen once said, one should never speak the truth to foolish people, but should hypnotize them using religious forms to make them feel that what they are doing is right...
Under the erosion of the vortex, there weren't many smart people left in Black Vortex Town.
Being one of the few intelligent people, Saito Shuichi didn't argue further, but still felt some resentment.
"Shouldn't you have told me about this kind of thing in advance?"
"I was thinking about your swirling PTSD, afraid you might misunderstand... Let's not talk about that!"
Uesugi Kiyoshi gestured to Saito Shuichi to hold up the wooden board, then picked up the iron nails and swung the hammer.
The final crevice was patched up.
The deafening sound of water suddenly rang out, like a waterfall rushing down.
Beside them, Dragonfly Pond, once filled with water, was instantly drained, revealing a bottomless pit underneath, a spiral stone staircase extending downward as if endlessly.
Staring into the dark abyss, Saito Shuichi unconsciously held Itsutsu Kishima's hand, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"I feel it now, the origin of the Vortex Curse is indeed here..."
Uesugi Kiyoshi's face flushed, breathing quickened; he sensed a deadly attraction drawing him into this evil abyss, growing stronger and stronger.
"Here is the beautiful world below!" A voice appeared in his mind.
Since the host kindly invited, there is no reason not to go, right?
Instead of walking along the stone steps, Uesugi Kiyoshi took the steel cable handed by the disciple, wrapped it around his waist, and then jumped directly into the central pit.
The descent caused a whirlwind, slowing down his speed, and Uesugi Kiyoshi even had time to observe the surrounding environment.
At the end of the winding stone steps was a huge spiral stone pillar, perfectly fitting with the pit. He continued to descend along the pillar for five minutes before his feet finally touched the ground.
"What a spectacular view!" Saito Shuichi followed, exclaiming beside him, "I have never seen such a huge relic before... What are you wearing?"
"Sunglasses, the opaque kind."
Uesugi Kiyoshi didn't dare to continue looking down. Although he was curious about the underground structure, he valued his own life more.
Not only him, but each disciple following him had a specially made helmet that not only blocked out light but also sound.
Only after the prophet meets the goddess can ordinary disciples take their turn. Those who don't believe don't have this privilege and cannot be redeemed, only bound in their homes.
Uesugi Kiyoshi had explained this in advance.
As for Saito Shuichi and Itsutsu Kishima, their resistance to the whirlpool is extraordinary, and a short-term contact should be fine.
"Can you continue to describe the scenery?" Uesugi Kiyoshi asked.
"... Of course," Saito Shuichi cleared his throat and diligently said. I saw numerous whirlpool-shaped buildings, covering the entire space. The largest one emitted an indistinct light, illuminating the surroundings.
He paused for a moment and continued, "It seems to have a life of its own, with its own will, as if it's strongly expressing itself, yet also cursing itself, standing in the underground without people."
"Like an outdated idol, full of grievances, but insisting on dragging passersby into its meet-and-greet event?"
"... That's quite an exaggeration!" Itsutsu Kishima couldn't help but laugh, then exclaimed, "The light seems to have intensified, and the attraction has increased. I can't take my eyes off it!"
Uesugi Kiyoshi also felt an increasingly strong desire to take off his glasses.
"It's angry, it's longing!" Saito Shuichi explained anxiously.
Understandable!
The fan meeting, which was organized with great effort, had fewer fans attending, and their attitudes were dismissive. They wouldn't even look at their idol directly, which made the idol angry.
However, Uesugi Kiyoshi really didn't want to participate. He took out a mini megaphone, pointed it towards the whirlpool, and shouted loudly, "Please stop your actions, whirlpool, I am here to negotiate."
Naturally, there was no response.
Uesugi Kiyoshi took out a red switch from his pocket and placed his finger lightly on it.
"I have a 50,000-volt high-voltage generator installed on me. Once I press this button, everyone here will be electrocuted through their hearts! Dead people cannot appreciate you. Did you spend hundreds of years just to get a few corpses?"
He paused for a moment and repeated, "I want to negotiate with you!"
As a fan, one doesn't have the qualification to have intimate contact with their idol. But as a leader who can influence fans, it's different.
Desires expanded in an instant, then receded like the tide.
Uesugi Kiyoshi waited quietly, then finally heard the astonished and admiring voice of Saito Shuichi.
"It said, 'You win!'"
