All Novel Sweet
Chapter 1706
Chapter 1706 Rituals for the Gods
Wynter took a few steps closer to the river, intending to inspect further.
However, Dalton, who was standing beside her, grabbed her arm firmly. "There's something there."
Wynter followed his gaze. She had to admit, Dalton had incredible vision. Even from this distance, he had spotted a piece of golden parchment pinned under a stone near the water's edge.
Wynter frowned. "Has someone been burning parchment here?"
The golden parchment was commonly used in funerary rites or ancestral worship, and it certainly wasn't something one would expect to find in a place like this. And, judging by the parchment's condition, it didn't seem like it originated here.
She bent down to pick up the parchment and inspected it before turning to the others. "Balmond, did anyone check the mountains?"
The mountains?
Balmond shook his head. "This river doesn't flow down from the mountains."
Wynter smirked slightly. "Not now, maybe. But it might as well be a mountain stream during heavy rain."
She moved to another spot. "Do you see these marks? This area was clearly scoured by water. Look into the weather records was there a heavy rainstorm about a month ago?"
The black serpent in Wynter's backpack couldn't hold back and hissed, "Yes, Master! I remember it vividly. The rain that day was torrential, and the wind was howling! I couldn't control it—it wasn't my doing! That stall owner came to the river that day!"
It suddenly thought of something and quickly continued, "And now that I think about it... the river changed after that rainstorm! Could this be what humans call 'acid rain?""
Wynter didn't reply to the black serpent. Despite its awakened intelligence, it was obvious it hadn't done much studying.
With a decisive nod, Wynter instructed, "We'll head to the mountain."
She knew they had to find the root of the river water's problem. The golden parchment didn't seem like it had been burned here but instead looked like it had been carried downstream. Wynter was almost certain that the water's issue came from the mountain.
After all, although the mountain wasn't particularly tall, its proximity to human habitation made it a critical place to investigate.
When Wynter and her group arrived, they immediately drew wary stares. It was unusual for outsiders to come to this area, especially during the day, as most visitors usually arrived at night.
The further Wynter walked, the more uneasy she felt. It was an instinctual discomfort, like something primal warning her of danger.
Before she could pinpoint the source of the feeling, a man, Martin Clove, stepped out to block their path. "This is not a tourist spot. If you're here for fun, go back to the city."
Wynter glanced at Martin. "We're not here as tourists."
"I don't care what you're here for. Outsiders aren't allowed in." Martin spoke with his chest puffed up. "This mountain may not be tall, but it's full of dry brush. You young folks don't know better. What if you throw away a cigarette butt carelessly?"
Wynter caught the way he was darting his eyes and immediately saw right through him. With a smile, she said, "I don't have cash on me. How about this? If you let us in for a look or guide us yourself, I'll pay you five thousand."
"Ten thousand!" Martin glanced over his shoulder. "I'll think about bringing you guys in then."
wynter frowned and made a show of turning to leave.
Martin quickly called out, "Alright, eight thousand! I can't go lower than that. We have had events going on recently. The chieftain doesn't like outsiders coming in. If he finds out I brought you in, he'll chew me out!"All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
Wynter looked back at his words. "Events? What event?"
"It's the Ritual of Devotion. Things are lively in there right now-every household has meat on the table! You outsiders wouldn't get to see something like this, especially you northerners. You're from the north, aren't you? I can tell by your accent," Martin said with confidence.
Wynter didn't bother bargaining the price anymore. Instead, she opened her phone and transferred him the money. "Since you've made it sound so fascinating, I really want to see this ritual now.""
Whether they were offering tribute to gods or something else entirely remained to be seen.