Chapter 102: The Absurd Sunset Kingdom

The Sunset Kingdom Chronicles, officially begin!

The Sunset Kingdom is a wondrous land where advanced technology and backward theology coexist. Its progress is marked by cutting-edge science and medicine, yet it clings stubbornly to archaic religious beliefs.

For instance, in their state-of-the-art hospitals, after doctors successfully cure a patient using advanced medical techniques, they join the patient’s family in expressing gratitude to the Goddess of Life. But if the patient cannot be saved, the blame falls solely on the doctors, for the Goddess is believed to surely watch over every faithful individual. Such is the peculiar nature of this nation.

Deep-rooted theological ideas have persisted here for millennia; all confusion and doubts must be answered by the divine. On one occasion, the director of a welfare home was wandering the streets when a heavenly voice caught his attention.

“What's the name of father’s father? Father’s father is called grandfather. What about father’s mother?...”

The voice was extraordinarily beautiful, as if only a deity could produce such sound. Coupled with the elegant classical Chinese language, it quickly drew the director’s focus. Though she did not fully understand the language, she could barely tell it was Chinese.

“This voice... so exquisite, like celestial music,” she thought, as her legs involuntarily carried her toward the sound.

There stood a little girl with Chinese features, clutching a teddy bear and carrying a doll on her back, looking fragile and pitiful. It was worth noting that the Chinese and the Sunset Kingdom had little amicable relations, often hostile to one another. Thus, Chinese people rarely appeared in the Sunset Kingdom.

She approached and gently asked, “My poor little girl, may I ask what has happened to you? Are you lost?”

The little girl was none other than Long Mengting. She looked up and, using the Sunset language that Feng Tianlin had taught her, replied haltingly, “My parents were killed by strange creatures, and now I have no one to depend on…”

Her Sunset language was heavily flawed, but fortunately the director understood. She patted Mengting’s back compassionately.

“Dear child, do not be afraid. I am the director of this orphanage. If you don’t mind, you are welcome to live here.”

Long Mengting did not understand the old woman’s words but nodded regardless.

Thus, Long Mengting, along with Feng Tianlin and the explosive mad bear, was taken away by the director, while Feng Tianlin revealed a strange smile behind Mengting’s back.

He had been in this country for several days and had gleaned the general situation.

The nation was small, with only seven cities and a sparse population, obsessed with an almost pathological worship of the divine. Killing recklessly was impossible—after all, too many murders would leave no one left.

Therefore, to maximize benefit, a rational and sustainable approach was necessary. His plan was to spread fear here.

His modest initial goal was to make everyone in the Sunset Kingdom cry. He dared to set such an ambitious objective because he understood a truth: if faith is a privileged candy, then when people cannot taste its sweetness, they collapse.

His first task was to shatter the entire nation’s system of belief, forcing them to confront their fears head-on. This welfare home would be the starting point for spreading terror.

Upon arrival, no one greeted Feng Tianlin and his companions. The director immediately took Long Mengting to a room and handed her a candy to eat. After she pretended to eat it in front of her, the director advised her:

“Rest early. Tomorrow I will register you officially.” Then she left.

Mengting, unable to understand, simply nodded as Feng Tianlin had instructed.

On the way to the room, Feng Tianlin noticed the children appeared distracted and listless, as if suffering from a deficiency of vital energy. Thinking of such a lack naturally led him to ghosts—could it be demons at work?

Shortly after the director left, a translucent figure floated over—it was a demon who had come ahead to investigate the welfare home.

Seeing the demon approach, Feng Tianlin asked, “Did you scare these children earlier? They look so dispirited. Didn’t I tell you to investigate first and not act rashly?”

The demon, just arriving, denied it firmly: “I have not acted. I’ve been investigating all along.”

“Oh? Then what about these children?” Feng Tianlin inquired, puzzled. There was no other eerie presence here.

“They were indeed targeted by strange creatures, but not by me. This welfare home is no ordinary place.”

Feng Tianlin stroked his chin. “How so?”

“The director is affiliated with the Holy Archbishop,” the demon explained.

With this revelation, Feng Tianlin understood.

Faith ruled supreme in this country; the state religion was the Celestial Divine Church, and all other religions were deemed heresies.

Based on the intelligence Feng Tianlin gathered and analyzed, he deduced the following:

During the era of strange creatures, the Sunset Kingdom was utterly defenseless. Then a group of gods came to their rescue, giving rise to their faith—the origin of the Divine Church.

In truth, Feng Tianlin speculated, those gods came not to save them but to end the era of strange creatures. However, since the gods appeared after the strange creatures, many had previously chosen to worship those bizarre beings.

The people of the Sunset Kingdom, despite being constantly threatened and attacked, still clung to their faith—a testament to humanity’s instinctive reverence for powerful entities.

The most notorious was the Holy Archbishop’s cult, which had seven branches: Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust—the same as the seven deadly sins on Earth.

The Holy Archbishop’s church was on the brink of collapse until the resurgence of strange creatures revitalized it.

This meant a powerful strange creature backed the Holy Archbishop, and crucially, this creature might have been resurrected by some strange means.

Moreover, the strange creatures in the Sunset Kingdom were conservative; Feng Tianlin had never heard of any major movements. On the human side, they were practically useless.

The top fighters were the Oracles, who daily exploited the common folk under the guise of divine authority, caring nothing for true strength but placing all hope in the heavenly goddess who granted them power.

Next were the Spirit Riders, the most pathetic beings in all nations.

Because the Celestial Divine Church strictly separated gods from strange creatures, Spirit Riders who controlled strange creatures were deemed traitors colluding with the enemy, leading to miserable lives.

They were little more than emotionless machines controlling strange creatures, deprived of human rights, constantly humiliated and abused by those they protected.

In short, the strange creatures here were weak, humans even weaker—both utterly rotten.

Feng Tianlin couldn’t help but marvel at the world’s cruel balance.

If the welfare home director was indeed affiliated with the Holy Archbishop, the truth became clear.

The children in this home were likely fodder for strange creatures, harvested nightly by the Holy Archbishop’s minions who fed on their terror.

At that moment, the demon spoke again: “Let’s hide for now. Long Mengting, lie on the bed and conceal your aura.”

Though puzzled, Mengting obeyed.

Soon after, a terrifying demon with ram-like horns and a crimson body appeared at the welfare home.

Under the cloak of night, the demon was truly fearsome.

Holding a small pitchfork reminiscent of those in movies, it strode boldly into the children’s quarters, wearing a sinister smile.

“Sleep now, sleep now. Have a nightmare!” it hissed chillingly.