Chapter 166: Legends and myths, and the values that differ

"Now, tell me about the savages," Mark said.

Shin took a step back, his hands clenching. The excessively fearful man looked about 20 years old, had a rather lanky build, and his eyes were skittery. He also had black hair. The man wore a simple robe, too.

He did feel cowardly.

"Savages…" Shin cringed. "My village chief knows more about them than me."

"What do you know?"

"They look like humans but they are anything but. They all have brutal masks over their faces and they walk like they are dancing." Shin used his hand to stop the trembling of his knees. "They come to our village once in a while and demand us to hand over a child.

If we hand one over, they will go back without doing any harm, but if we don't hand them over, the savages will take all the kids away forcefully. And also women."

"Are they strong?"

"Yes." Shin bowed his head. "No village dares to resist them anymore. They can't be harmed. Their bodies are stronger than metal and—I've never seen it—but legends say they have mystical powers. And…"

"And?" Mark's golden eyes bore into the youth.

"They say that a savage is unkillable. Once upon a time, a legendary king killed 3 savages but those three all revived and came back to attack him soon after."

That gave Mark a pause. Some kind of weird immortality power?

He had to see one of them in the flesh before anything.

Mark asked after a moment of rumination, "Do you hate the savages?"

To Mark's surprise, Shin tilted his head in confusion.

"Was I not clear?" Mark asked, frowning.

"Benefactor, why would we hate savages?"

"They come and take your children. If you refuse, they forcefully seize them. They even take your women. Isn't that enough to make you hate them?"

Shin became even more confused. "Isn't it normal that the strongest person gets to have what they want? I don't think any woman would complain if someone stronger than their husband entered their home and took them for himself. And of course, submitting before the strong is an honor."

Mark stared. This world's values were different. So, the strong can have anything they want?

"But even if that was the case, the savages still seize your children. Isn't that enough to hate them?"

Shin shook his head, scratching his nose awkwardly, "Even if the savages don't come to take them away, most children don't survive all the winters and according to what we know, the children get to live good lives once they are taken away. Anyone that comes back from the savages are always more… educated than us."

"They come back?" Mark felt stupid. He had been thinking that the children were taken away as some kind of sacrifice or something along those lines but he had judged too quickly.

"Not all of them come back, and if any do, they are disdainful of us…" Shin said.

Then why did the savages kidnap them?

Unfortunately, Shin didn't know.

"Then what do the people of this world feel towards savages?"

"I don't know about everyone but I am afraid of them. Of course, I respect their strength, too because they are what keeps away the wicked demons from coming here and killing us—" Shin paused, paling. "Benefactor, I don't mean you."

Mark waved his hand. "You can go. Calm down your villagers, I will look into your matters once I absorb enough villages into that world."

"Benefactor, are you going to bring other…"

"Do not ask what you have no reason to know."

Shin bowed his head fearfully. Mark absorbed him into the World Space while bringing out an old man instead. It was the village chief. This man should know better.

"Explain to me the current situation of this world."

The old man looked at Mark, startled after having his environment shift so suddenly. Then, he sensibly stifled down the shock and kowtowed. "I am just the chief of a little village. I only know this side of the world and can't provide the Benefactor with more than that. But I can tell you everything I know."

"Tell me what you think is important. Do not waste my time."

The old man explained.

Mark ran simulations in his mind before coming to a conclusion.

There were two forces in this world at constant war. The savages and the demons. In many places, the demons had already planted Dungeons and the savages were in constant battle trying to get rid of these Dungeons. But when one Dungeon is destroyed, another dungeon will be born as new demons appear one after the other.

Surprisingly, the savages were holding an equal footing against the demons.

"And in this war, humans are just in the middle. We are weak and useless. But since the savages are fighting so hard, we weak people can live without any care. And then, there is you, Benefactor."

"Me?" Mark smiled.

"Demons can't walk out of their Caves or the heavens would smite them. But you can walk out freely without a worry in the world."

Mark rubbed his jaws. Caves, in other words, Dungeon. Indeed not many demons had the ability to hide from the Will of the World while roaming around freely. He, though, had his Dungeon Heart Seed.

"What do you think will happen if the world learns about me?"

"I believe the savages will come for you." seaʀᴄh thё Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Can they fly?"

"I have seen flying savages." The old man touched his forehead to the ground.

"Where can I find these savages?"

"The distance surrounding us is a pine forest and there are a lot of villages here, but no cities. If you walk north for three days past many of these villages, you will reach the only city in this part of the world, and that place is where you will find savages."

"Do you know anything about their powers or anything else of interest?"

The old man gritted his teeth but finally spoke, "There is an old legend. Benefactor, would you like to hear it?"

Mark nodded.

"Centuries ago, Emperor Samha—a mere human—was the greatest archer on known land. Renowned for his wisdom and perfect aim. The heavens itself was so impressed, they bestowed upon him an armor. Light and strong, beyond compare.

"In those days, cruel savages ruled the land. They weren't as harmless as they are now. Back then, they reveled in murdering humans purely for the ecstasy of it.

"Humans ran away, cowering in the face of these strong beings. But the savages chased them, they needed the human children to turn into new savages. That is how they reproduced, turning humans into savages.

"But Emperor Samha faced the savages on his lonesome, wearing his legendary armor. His arrows tore through the savages, destroyed their ranks, and put an end to the cruel savagery. He ruled the land for years. A mere human, and he ruled over savages. Yet, they respected him."

Mark looked at the old man. The man said with a grand gesture, "They say that legendary armor is still out there somewhere. In the hands of some peasant. And according to myths, that man would rise up when the world faces a threat and will abolish everything that stands in his path."

And the world was facing a threat right now.

"An interesting story," Mark said. "But don't you think this secret is too precious for your human race to tell it to a demon?"

"We are now under your hands, Benefactor. It is only natural I tell you everything I know."

Mark smiled indifferently and after a silent second of pondering, asked: "So, in the end, savages are born from humans?"

"Not all of them. Some are pure savages but some are humans transformed into savages. Pure savages are way stronger than human-transformed ones."

Mark nodded and threw the man into his World Space. Even though it was merely divulging a legend, the man had betrayed the human race so easily; he could also betray Mark that easily.

Of course, to Mark's eyes—he was just going to be a worker. And he would gain all their devoted loyalty in time. He was confident he could do that.

Yuri asked, "So what is the next plan?"

"We will move towards the city with savages. I want to see them. And I will also have to absorb some villages into the World Space on the way. To turn it into a functioning society, I will need a lot of people. At least a thousand."

"And I want something, too," the scientist replied.

"What?"

"I want a lab. If I have a lab in your World Space, everything will be a lot easier. I can stay there and research and when I feel bored, I can come out to this world and explore it with you. It is a dream-like life. Research, adventure unknown places, and have amazing sex once in a while"

Mark smirked, his face filled with pride. "Okay, I will take in the needed materials. And I can also help with Alchemic Shapeshifting, and we can also use the manpower of the villagers for such menial tasks. Meanwhile, I will keep moving towards the savages."

He doubted it would take him three days with his flying speed.

Yuri looked around and then nodded reluctantly, "Send me into the World Space. I will arrange for the lab and make a plan for it. I also need some materials like glass which are not naturally around. For now, send in wood."

Mark gently sent her into his World Space.

Now, Dona and he were alone—the demoness on his back.

"Are you coming?" he asked.

She yawned and rested her jaws on his shoulders. "Mark, I feel hungry, I've been drinking that Black Water and nothing else. I want something tasty."

Mark nodded and walked forward. He wasn't in a rush for the day—he would first determine everything about this world as he slowly headed toward that city. Flying there would be quicker but he wouldn't learn anything more about his enemies by flying.

Suddenly, he remembered something and brought another creature out from his World Space. It was the hamster. The creature immediately clung to his hair and began rolling around.

Dona poked the creature.

"So weak," she said.