Chapter Three: Beyond One’s Control

“Go to the Sanctuary?” Although he had already guessed this possibility, when Moses spoke it aloud, Yin Seventeen couldn’t help but be taken aback.

The Sanctuary—the place where Saints originated. In his youth, he’d once longed for such a place, but now it had become a perilous den in his heart. Though he had temporarily deceived these two Saints, Yin Seventeen couldn’t guarantee that, upon reaching the Sanctuary and facing the world’s most elite Gold Saints, he would be able to fool them as well.

Any slip, and the Sanctuary would mark the end of his life. The crisis was far from resolved!

“What’s the matter, are you unwilling?” Walker squinted, a meaningful smile curling on his lips. He’d always harbored suspicions about this child; if he dared not go, it would prove he had something to hide. His doubts were not misplaced.

“No, no!” Yin Seventeen waved his hands anxiously, his face full of ‘devotion’. “To be able to visit Lady Athena’s Sanctuary would be the greatest honor of my life!”

The Sanctuary was not only Athena’s domain, but also the symbol of justice across the entire earth. Ordinary people could not freely enter or leave, making it a place countless souls yearned for. Especially for ‘children’ of his age, it was only natural to be deeply ‘drawn’ to the Greek Sanctuary.

“Very well, then come with us!” Moses smiled and nodded, placing a hand on Yin Seventeen’s shoulder, ready to depart.

“Please wait, I have a very important matter to attend to. Could you grant me a bit more time?” Yin Seventeen hurriedly pleaded.

“What could be so important that you wish to delay your pilgrimage to the Sanctuary?” Walker’s tone was harsh.

Yin Seventeen lowered his head, gazing at the ruins beneath his feet, and ‘sobbed’, “My family is still buried beneath here. I wish to dig them out and give them a proper burial before accompanying you to the Sanctuary.”

Upon hearing this, Moses shot his companion a glare, sending a message through his thoughts: “You’re too suspicious! This is a child with devout faith in the goddess, and a heart full of kindness!”

Walker said nothing, his face rigid as he strode straight out of the village.

Moses lowered his head, smiling gently at Yin Seventeen. “You’ll dig too slowly on your own. Let me help you.”

Helping those in need was one of the guiding principles of the Saints. It was also why Athena and her Saints were revered and trusted by so many.

“Mm!” Yin Seventeen’s tears turned to smiles, determination shining on his face.

There was no denying the terrifying inhuman strength of a Saint; with ease, Moses cleared the heavy ruins. In less than a minute, most of the debris atop the house site had been removed, revealing three mangled bodies below.

Yin Seventeen even suspected that, were it not for the fear of further damaging the corpses, Moses could have flattened the ruins in an instant.

Witnessing the Saints’ power firsthand only strengthened his resolve to keep up the pretense. Escape or resistance would mean certain death.

He hadn’t forgotten: anyone who wore the Saint Cloth could wield the power of the Cosmos, breaking the sound barrier effortlessly for movement and attack. Against such extraordinary beings, nothing he did would matter.

Only by maintaining his disguise and exploiting Athena's faith in justice as leverage could he hope to survive—just as he had moments before.

Athena’s Saints represented the justice of the earth; they wouldn’t slaughter wantonly, especially in the face of an ‘innocent’ child. The reason Walker abandoned his killing intent was, without doubt, this very rule.

The only ones who concerned him were the so-called strongest Gold Saints, especially those adept at mental attacks, fully capable of reading his memories. At that point, no matter how flawless his disguise, it would be meaningless.

Thinking of this, he sighed helplessly in his heart.

“It seems I can only gamble on how powerful the force that orchestrated all this truly is!”

That force had delivered him safely, restored his youth; surely it had anticipated the possibility of his memories being read. To prevent his exposure, it must have left other safeguards upon him.

Now was the time to test its capabilities.

Yet the feeling of being swept along, unable to control his fate, left Yin Seventeen deeply dissatisfied.

His life and death should be in his own hands!

“Hey, boy, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and bury your kin—I still need to take you to the Sanctuary!” Seeing Yin Seventeen’s vacant gaze, Moses frowned and called out.

Startled, Yin Seventeen nodded repeatedly, gratitude flooding his voice. “Thank you, sir! Thank you!”

He then walked toward the three unfamiliar corpses.

Burying ‘kin’ was a necessary act to establish his identity as a disaster survivor. If he simply left with the two Saints, ignoring the ‘family’ beneath the ruins, it would arouse suspicion.

Unfortunately, with his frail ‘little frame’, he could hardly move three bodies. He stumbled and fell several times, barely managing to drag the smallest corpse less than five meters.

Moses scratched his head at the sight, resigned. “Enough, enough, let me help you again.”

Striding over, he easily hefted all three bodies.

“You lead the way. Find a suitable spot, and I’ll help you bury them,” Moses said, pointing outside the village, one hand carrying the bodies.

“Thank you, sir!” Yin Seventeen was ‘moved to tears’ and led Moses outward.

With Moses’ help, he quickly buried the corpses of his ‘family’.

“Time’s about up. We should be on our way.” The impatient Walker strode over.

“Alright,” Moses replied, placing a gentle hand on Yin Seventeen’s shoulder. “Young man, are you ready?”

Yin Seventeen cast a lingering glance at the ruins and the grave of his ‘kin’, then nodded solemnly.

“I’m ready.”

Without a doubt, these non-human beings intended to take him directly to the Greek Sanctuary. With their extraordinary speed, they needed no transport, able to traverse any terrain and reach any place in the world in the blink of an eye.

“Let’s go!” Moses laughed heartily, igniting his Cosmos and gripping Yin Seventeen as they dashed forward.

Whoosh—

A fierce wind slammed into his face, so sharply it hurt. Worse yet, the wind was so intense that Yin Seventeen couldn’t breathe properly, nor even open his mouth.

Helpless, he quickly tapped Moses beside him, signaling him to stop.

Feeling the struggle, Moses finally noticed Yin Seventeen’s predicament and apologized at once.

“Sorry, sorry, I forgot you’re just an ordinary person—your body can’t withstand this speed!”

With that, he enveloped the boy within his own Cosmos.

Instantly, the savage wind vanished from Yin Seventeen’s skin, and the suffocating feeling seemed nothing more than a passing illusion.