3. Formal Theological Trilemma (Part 2)

  No one knows why the old man can write these two texts, he is the oldest person here, living in this place before everyone else was born, and it is said that he traveled to various parts of the continent when he was young. No one is clear about his exact age, but at least he should be over a hundred years old. In an era where people die easily, longevity itself is a remarkable miracle, considered a gift from God.

  After becoming a temple priest, Xiao Guo had the opportunity to learn another way of writing these two scripts, called divine script, which is usually only used in occasions where gods are being praised. Except for nobles and priests, ordinary people cannot learn it. Divine script is basically the same as regular script, but has special and strict writing form regulations, making it not easy to understand for those who haven't studied it. It's said that it possesses mysterious power, allowing one to communicate with divine spirits.

  To ordinary civilians and slaves, any writing was mysterious, representing some kind of awe-inspiring symbolic information. Duckburg needed a clerk, the temple also needed a clerk, and here Xiao Gu was in charge alone.

  But the situation has changed over the past two years, and Old Crazy has taught Amun to write in both scripts. When he's drunk, he tells the town mayor: "Our town actually has three scribe positions, but unfortunately, there are too few people who understand writing. It's not suitable for Mu Yun Temple and Horus Temple to have one person serve as a priest and also as a scribe. Amun is a child blessed by the gods, he has learned to write, and whether it's knife script or brush script, he writes very well. I guarantee that he will become an excellent scribe in the future, and can also become an excellent divine officer."

  What made Xiao Gu most dissatisfied was that the town chief of Dasti at that time did not even express his opposition, but instead smiled and said: "Oh, Amun is indeed a child blessed by the gods. When he grows up, he should become an excellent scribe."

  This made Xiao Hu's heart feel as if it had been bitten by a venomous snake, and every time he thought that one day his power and wealth would be shared and taken away by the son of a filthy drunkard, he could hardly sleep. And today he wanted to deal with Ah Mon publicly, there was another more important reason that made him hate it so much that his teeth itched.

  The legend of the Tears of the Gods is not unique to the Egur Empire. A distant city-state had already quietly sent a noble gentleman to remind him, pay attention to the divine stones produced in Duketown, if you can get the Tears of the Gods, there will be a heavy reward. All the divine stones produced in Duketown are registered by Xiao Gu, which is the most convenient condition.

  The Tears of the Gods really appeared, but he was one step late and didn't get it. Even if he wanted to take it, he couldn't compete with Lord Dick for it. This Lord Dick is really something, actually waiting in ambush at Ducktown at this time, who would have thought!

  Last night when the tears of the gods fell, Xiao Gu also felt it and rushed to Ah Mon's house, only to see two fully armed warriors guarding the door. Later, he saw Dick's secretary carrying a golden box with two other warriors walking out of the house. When Xiao Gu went in, Ah Mon had already left from the backyard, leaving behind only a drunkard who easily revealed what happened earlier under Xiao Gu's questioning.

  Xiao Gu could not and did not dare to question Luo De-Di, but with this opportunity, how could he let Ah Mon go? Therefore, early in the morning, he rang the bell of the Mu Yun Temple to gather the residents. Das Ti, the town mayor, did not allow him to mention the tears of the gods, but he mentioned another matter, which was a sudden disaster for Ah Mon.

  The residents were stunned for a moment, then whispered to each other in hushed tones. Armon had indeed violated the ancient divine decree, but such a thing had never happened in Duketown before. Learning the mining skills passed down through generations required great physical strength, and children who were too young could hardly learn it, even if it had happened in history, no one would dare to speak out loud. Mining divine stones was so difficult, what's wrong with having one more qualified craftsman? As long as he didn't say anything, who would investigate this matter?

  But in front of the temple of Mut, under the solemn gaze of the goddess, the temple priest publicly announced that the nature of the problem had become serious. No one could defend Amun for anything, otherwise it would be blasphemy against the gods, and the oracle was equivalent to a decree.

  Xiao Gu saw that no one was speaking loudly, and he cleared his throat to say in a loud voice: "Benevolence is a virtue, but piety and obedience to the gods are also virtues. Amun, are you prepared to accept the punishment of the gods? ... In the name of Mu Yun Goddess, how can we be as benevolent as possible in punishing this child?" His last sentence was directed at everyone present.

  Dast again furrowed his brow, looking very displeased. But Xiao Gu had apparently made arrangements beforehand, and a voice in the crowd immediately shouted: "According to the divine decree, cut off one of his fingers, and the merciful High Priest can decide which finger to cut."

  Amon's body shook, his face turned pale, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly as he clenched his teeth without speaking. His father, however, knelt down and begged in a trembling voice: "Spare Amon, he is still a child and does not understand what he is doing. It was I who taught him, I am the one who violated the divine decree, I should be the one to accept this punishment."

  There were immediately not a few voices in the crowd whispering in agreement: "Yes, Elder Xiao Gu, spare that ignorant child! As atonement, let him mine more divine stones to offer to the Goddess."

  Xiao Gu seemed to have not heard the voices, stretched out his hands and pressed down to calm the crowd again, then looked at Ah Mon with a calm and cold tone: "Ah Mon, when you learned mining skills, did you understand the Guardian's revelation? Although you are a child, as a resident of Du Ke Town, you should have understood it from an early age."

  He spoke while thinking in his heart - which finger of Amun should he cut off?

  The mayor of Dastin coughed softly and felt he should say something, but just then a voice from outside the crowd shouted: "Whose ignorance is this? Priest, have you forgotten the oracle? This lucky child has not violated it!"

  Everyone was shocked, Xiao Gu looked up and saw a young man had already walked through the crowd. He was about twenty years old, wearing a very clean white robe, with a fresh wreath of branches on his head. This person Xiao Gu had seen before, not a resident of Du Ke Town, but one of the staff who followed Luo De Di to come here a few days ago, said to be a wandering sage from afar in the mainland, named Aristotle.

  "Mr. Aristotle, what brings you here? Does Lord Dick have any instructions?" asked the mayor of Dusty Town.

  "Aristotle smiled and nodded, 'I came to help Lord Dick with some matters, and happened to see the situation of this child. Honorable Mayor, may I ask this priest a few questions?'"

  Darcy bowed politely and said: "Please ask, Mr. Aristotle."

  Xiao Gu was perplexed, not knowing what this young man who suddenly appeared wanted to ask him, and even more unclear why he wanted to defend Ah Meng and how he could defend him. He only saw Aristotle smile and nod at the mayor, then looked at Xiao Gu calmly and asked: "High Priest, in the name of the goddess in the temple behind you, answer me seriously. According to the divine revelation passed down through generations here, one can only learn the unique mining skills of this place after obtaining the blessing and permission of the guardian goddess, right?"

  Xiao Gu nodded solemnly and said: "Yes, sir, I answer you in the name of the goddess, absolutely true, it is so."

  Aristotle nodded and asked: "Did this child learn the skill you mentioned?"

  Xiao Mu nodded subconsciously and said, "Yes, it's like that."

  Aristotle didn't wait for him to finish and continued loudly, "So this child has already received the blessing and protection of the guardian deity, hasn't he?"

  Xiao Gu was somewhat stunned and loudly refuted: "No, he violated the divine decree, so he must accept punishment!"

  "Aristotle snorted and retorted loudly, 'No, it's you, Priest-sama, who has forgotten the true spirit of the Oracle! One can only learn this technique with the permission and blessing of the Guardian Deity. Without that permission and blessing, one cannot learn it. And yet, this child has learned it, which proves that he has received the permission and blessing of the Guardian Deity... If you try to deny this, Priest-sama, then you are denying the Oracle itself!'"

  Not only was Xiao Mu stunned, but all the onlookers were also stunned. The miners of Da Zhen who had been dealing with big hammers and furnace fires for generations, where had they ever seen the debating skills of a wise man from a distant continent?

  Xiao Gu was momentarily speechless, unsure of how to respond. Some say that in the temple is the place where reason is least needed, for divine decrees are laws that brook no argument. Yet, under the gaze of the gods, this is also the place where reason is most needed, requiring reverence and caution, with every word expressing devotion and respect for the divine.

  Aristotle smiled and pointed at Xiao Gu, saying: "All people have life and death, this is the will of God, it's a major premise. Obviously, he is human, this is a minor premise. So he will die, this is the conclusion. Can't you all understand?"

  Then he pointed at Amun and said: "Only with the blessing and favor of the guardian deity can one learn the skills you speak of, this is a divine revelation, it's a major premise. It's clear that this child has learned the skills, this is a minor premise. So he must have already received the blessing and favor of the guardian deity, this is the conclusion, isn't there anything wrong with that?... Does everyone understand?"

  This kind of analogy explanation made it easy to understand, and many people showed a look of sudden realization, nodding in agreement. Some people were even more puzzled, feeling that there was something wrong with Aristotle's words, but couldn't quite put their finger on what it was. Xiao Gu's face gradually turned into a liver color, while the expression of Dasiti Town Lord was a bit comical, as if he wanted to laugh but held back and didn't laugh out loud.

  "But he hasn't undergone the ritual of divine ordination and blessing, it's against the rules!" Xiao Gu finally shouted out in a loud but somewhat weak voice.

  "No, Amun accepted the favor and blessing of Goddess Mu, while the one who was rejected and warned by the goddess is precisely the priest of this town, Elder Xiao Gu! ... This point, I can prove." Along with his words, old lunatic Nizai held a staff in front of him, waving it to part the crowd as he walked forward.

  The old madman was very old, with gray and white hair and beard all disheveled, walking unsteadily, but looking not weak, but like a child learning to walk. His cane was dark brown with golden stripes, not used to support his body, but held in his hand and waved about wildly.

  Nietzsche brushed past Aristotle, turning back to glance at the young sage with a complex expression of admiration, scrutiny and interrogation. Then he turned around and stood in front of Xiao Gu, standing shoulder to shoulder with Amun, tapping his cane as he spoke: "Three years ago, I received an oracle from the goddess Muses in my dream, granting blessings to Amun, allowing him to learn the mining techniques passed down through generations in Duke Town. This child's skills were not taught by his father, but by me."

  Xiao Gu took a step back and asked in return: "How can it be proven?"

  The old madman laughed, pointing at Xiao Gu's nose with his cane: "Lord Zai, what has blinded your soul? Please pray and repent in front of the goddess, for God has proven it! Didn't you hear this gentleman's words?"

  **

  P.S: First of all, I would like to bow and thank all book friends for their long-term support!

  Every time a new book is opened, it's like experiencing a new cycle. Another Monday dawn arrives, and once again, I'm rushing to the top of the new book chart, and here I sincerely ask for the help of all book friends.

  The calculation formula for the potential value ranking of Qidian's new book chart is -

  This week's member clicks × 5 + this week's recommended number × 10 + this book collection number ÷ 2

  I hope for your collection, clicks, especially the support of recommendation votes, thank you very much!

  **