Chapter Eight: The Shrine of Flames

Deep within the dense forest, Tang Fei strode ahead with a rabbit in hand, while Little Fatty and Phoenix walked side by side, chatting amiably; they seemed to get along remarkably well. Phoenix truly preferred Little Fatty—his honest, genuine nature made him appear warm and approachable.

Tang Fei, by contrast, was cunning beyond measure; who could tell which of his words were true and which were false? Phoenix always felt anxious around him, wary of falling into one of his many traps. Tang Fei was, without question, a master of deception.

But Tang Fei paid no mind to what the others discussed—his mood was so buoyant he walked with an unmistakable air of pride. Today was not meant to be a hunting day, yet by some stroke of luck he had caught a rabbit.

Women were far less important than rabbits.

The rabbit was large and plump, with full haunches—enough to feed the household for three days, even with an extra mouth to feed. Besides, Phoenix ate very little; Little Fatty consumed more in one meal than she did in an entire day.

The old man always scolded Little Fatty for being a glutton, but calling him a barrel didn’t do justice—he was a vat.

They passed through Hate Mountain and were about to enter the human settlement when, by chance, they encountered a group of men clad in robes and hats.

The Flame Sanctuary.

When the apocalypse descended and darkness reigned, opportunists emerged, claiming to ignite the flame and seek the light to save humanity. Whether salvation was achieved mattered little; the number of members grew, as did their power.

After elite humans had migrated to the New Star, with law and police vanished and survival order obliterated, the Flame Sanctuary assumed the responsibility for “punishment” and “edification” on the Old Earth.

Of course, these responsibilities were self-appointed.

In practice, they wielded the power of life and death over ordinary refugees.

The Sanctuary was rigidly hierarchical, with robe colors indicating rank, and the flame emblem serving as their banner. Regular members wore gray robes adorned with gray flames; ranks above included black, white, red, and gold robes, each with a corresponding flame color embroidered at the chest.

Gray robes marked common members, the Apostles of the Flame. Black robes were Third-Class Flame Envoys, white robes Second-Class, red robes First-Class, and gold robes belonged to the Flame God.

Most of this group wore gray robes—the lowest tier. Their leader wore a black robe, signifying his authority over both the gray-robed men and the region.

It was too late to avoid them; attempting to do so would only invite suspicion and unforeseen trouble.

Thus, Tang Fei halted, waiting for the group to pass.

Yet the black-robed leader stopped, his gaze dark as he surveyed Tang Fei before settling on Phoenix, who stood just a step behind. Instantly, his eyes lit up, as though a sun had appeared before him, igniting every spark within his pupils.

Tang Fei saw the change in his expression and knew trouble was brewing. Even he found Phoenix’s fair, delicate appearance striking—what would these worldly men think? Surely, they would be astonished, perhaps even see her as an ethereal being.

Moreover, Phoenix wore a sleek black uniform, starkly different from the local refugees. Tall and slender, elegant and alluring, she looked like a proud swan dropped among drab hens—such a woman naturally drew the eye.

That was precisely why Tang Fei had brought her home.

Had her build resembled Little Fatty’s, Tang Fei would have reconsidered rescuing her—not for character’s sake, but simply because he might not have been able to carry her.

Tang Fei remained still; so did the men of the Light Sanctuary. Tang Fei said nothing, nor did they. The atmosphere turned tense.

After a long silence, the black-robed man grew impatient and pointed at Phoenix, asking, “Who is she?”

“She?” Tang Fei glanced around, then deliberately lowered his voice, adopting a confidential tone, as if sharing a secret. “She’s a distinguished guest from the New Star... her entire family arrived by spaceship...”

Tang Fei dared not claim her as his own; doing so would prompt the Sanctuary to seize her immediately. Some names held sway, some could be broken, but they would not show respect to a young hunter nor care for his dignity. On the Old Earth, the law of the jungle prevailed—survival of the fittest was an unyielding truth, without need for pretense.

Occasionally, prominent figures from the New Star would descend for adventure, searching for ancient relics or spiritual redemption. Unable to discern Phoenix’s true identity, the Sanctuary dared not act rashly.

“Is that so?” The black-robed man scrutinized Phoenix, then asked, “Where is her family?”

“I couldn’t say,” Tang Fei replied, feigning difficulty. “Sir Envoy, you know how these guests from the New Star often have private matters... My elders serve as guides. Because the journey is dangerous, they left her with us for care...”

The black-robed man hesitated, weighing the information Tang Fei had provided:

First, this woman was a distinguished guest from the New Star, her status extraordinary.

Second, her family had arrived by spaceship, numerous and well-armed—best not to provoke.

Third, the boy’s elders had taken the guest on an important mission; though only children remained, their adults might return at any moment—better not harbor ill intent.

A sinister smile crept onto the black-robed man’s lips. “Did your guest from the New Star register with our Sanctuary?”

“I believe so?” Tang Fei looked at Phoenix, uncertain.

“I think it was registered... The steward handled those matters, I’m not clear on the details,” Phoenix replied, shaking her head.

She was acutely aware of the danger—since the black-robed man first laid eyes on her, she knew what thoughts he harbored. She understood that mishandling the situation could lead to dire consequences.

She recognized Tang Fei’s intentions and willingly played along with his act, for he was protecting her.

Thinking this, Phoenix felt a surprising warmth inside.

“Registered?” The black-robed man sneered. “I’m in charge of the Hate Mountain settlement. If a guest arrives, how could I not know?”

“She’s trespassed into our Sanctuary’s guarded zone—what does she want? What are her intentions? We must investigate thoroughly.”

“Yes, let her come with us... Who knows, they might be those cursed marauders...”

“They come to our territory without informing the Sanctuary—do they take us lightly?”

“Take her, take her—let them explain everything inside the Sanctuary...”

The gray-robed men, sensing their leader’s intent, clamored to seize Phoenix. Some, especially eager, rushed forward, only to be blocked by Tang Fei’s body.

“Sir Envoy... Sir Envoy...” Tang Fei looked at the black-robed man, knowing the decision rested with him. “We’re not marauders... We’re just three children—how could we be marauders?”

“There are plenty of children among the marauders. They can be ruthless...”

“Exactly. Even if they’re not marauders, they might be spies—gathering information in our settlement, waiting for their people to rob us...”

“Take them!” The black-robed man waved his hand. “Why waste words? If you resist again, you’ll be fed to the gods.”

Tang Fei and Little Fatty’s faces paled in fear.

“Fed to the gods” meant being chopped into pieces and tossed into cages to feed the Sanctuary’s divine pets.

A crowd of gray-robed men surged forward to seize Phoenix. Phoenix’s eyes flashed coldly—she was ready to kill.

Tang Fei suddenly charged at the gray-robed men like an enraged wolf, shouting, “Don’t touch her—get away, all of you, get away!”

“Don’t touch her—she can’t go with you!” Little Fatty followed suit.

A brawl broke out.

Tang Fei quickly dropped to the ground, feigning defeat, while Little Fatty resisted for a while before collapsing, battered and bruised.

And so, amid Phoenix’s curses, she was taken by the Flame Sanctuary into the dense forest of Hate Mountain.