Watching the entire selection ceremony, Wang Yan couldn't help but think that this was one of the most tragic things he had ever witnessed.
The primitive people grimaced in pain, yet not a single one of them backed down.
As their god, Wang Yan observed silently and didn't interfere. To be honest, he was curious to see how many people would be selected by the end of the ceremony—how many would prove to be unafraid of fire. It seemed that there were quite a few who weren't afraid of death.
The emergence of this budding magical civilization had made Wang Yan's original plan for the planet's development deviate, leaving him somewhat confused about the future direction.
Without any strategy, and even the basic template changed, the game experience was terrible—it was simply unfair to a novice god!
Wang Yan sighed lightly, realizing that copying Earth's model of civilization wouldn't work—it was incompatible!
About an hour later, everyone in the tribe had passed through the flame test.
Out of more than 400 people, only 18 passed the test.
Patriarch Caesar, Shaman Nicholas, and hunting captain Hou Yi had all passed the test, surprisingly. The remaining 15 who passed were mostly teenagers aged between eight and twenty—eight boys and seven girls.
The pass rate was less than 4%.
The probability was extremely low, but the price was high.
Because, apart from the eighteen who passed the flame resistance test, everyone else had burns of varying severity on their left hands.
What a bunch of desperate people!
Wang Yan could imagine that in their harsh living conditions, if the burns weren't treated promptly and caused infections, it would definitely lead to serious consequences. By then, it would be a miracle if even half of the tribe survived!
Life was already difficult—was it really worth it to mutilate themselves like this?
At this time, the people of the tribe were celebrating around the 18 selected individuals. The status of those who passed the test had visibly improved. They had changed into clothes made of rice sacks and had become the envy of everyone, surrounded by the others in the middle of the celebration, worshiped by the tribe.
In addition to tribal leaders like the shaman and patriarch, the fifteen teenagers dressed in rice sacks accepted the adoration of the crowd, their heads held high, with pride and satisfaction on their faces.
In the law of the jungle, the strong are respected.
Once burned by fire, they had a chance to change their fate. This was probably why the primitive people would participate in the test, even at the cost of self-harm.
...
Wang Yan appeared in the tribe.
His sudden appearance made the celebration ceremony reach a fever pitch, with deafening cheers.
Before he could speak, the excited patriarch Caesar led the entire tribe to prostrate themselves on the ground, performing their highest form of worship.
In the patriarch's mind, the tribe's guardians who possessed the power of flames had just been selected, and now the god who had been absent for days had appeared. What did this mean?
It meant that the chosen ones were favored by God! They were the ones selected by the divine!
Everyone thought the same.
Especially the fifteen teenagers who had been chosen—their eyes were full of reverence as they looked at Wang Yan.
A wonderful misunderstanding had been born.
Wang Yan's invisible help had inadvertently elevated the status of the eighteen selected individuals.
...
The same dog-chewed haircut, the leaders wearing rice sacks, and a group of people with uniformly burned left hands...
Do you look like this? And you still have the nerve to celebrate?
Who gave you the courage?
Looking at the large number of weirdos in front of him, then glancing at the abstract portrait on the wall behind them, Wang Yan's forehead throbbed with veins.
Such a group of people were his followers!
How shameful!
"Caesar, care to explain?" Wang Yan asked with a dark expression.
"Great God of Light, thank you for giving us the flame. These are the flame warriors we selected," Patriarch Caesar said with pride and enthusiasm. "The flame warriors will always be loyal to you. They are not afraid of flames and will lead our tribe to glory, spreading the light of God to every corner of the earth."
This speech, filled with second-hand enthusiasm, was conveyed to Wang Yan through spiritual resonance.
A group of fanatical believers?
Wang Yan was stunned for a moment, his heart filled with mixed emotions, and he felt a little inexplicably moved. Was this what it felt like to be a god?
Taking a deep breath, Wang Yan asked curiously, "What are their specific abilities?"
The patriarch replied, "They can control flames."
He then turned to the little girl who had been standing in the flames earlier, "Jia Junpeng, show your abilities to the great God of Light." He didn't forget to explain to Wang Yan, "Jia Junpeng has the highest flame affinity among all of us."
Jia Junpeng!
This little girl was named Jia Junpeng—was that the name he had given her?
Wang Yan's mouth fell open. He had actually named such a delicate little girl Jia Junpeng? God, what sin had he committed last night!
"Yes, Patriarch Caesar!" The little girl named Jia Junpeng responded sharply, stepping out of the group and bowing to Wang Yan. "I greet the great God of Light!"
As she bent over, Wang Yan noticed her jagged haircut and couldn't help but glare at Patriarch Caesar before saying, "Start your performance."
"Yes!" Jia Junpeng replied, stood up straight, and stretched out her hand toward the burning bonfire. A long fire dragon flew out of the fire, circling and dancing above her palm, magnificent.
Wang Yan's eyes widened as he watched the flying dragon, his heart racing—what a powerful visual effect!
"Go!" The little girl shouted softly, and with a flick of her hand, the fire dragon flew out and hit the nearby bushes.
Sparks flew everywhere!
Boom!
The bushes ignited instantly, and within moments, all that remained was a pile of ashes on the ground.
Wang Yan was dumbfounded.
The bushes were green and damp.
Normally, such wet vegetation shouldn't burn so quickly—if it even caught fire at all!
However, Jia Junpeng's fire dragon had reduced such a large bush to ashes in just over ten seconds. The fire dragon she summoned must have been at least over a thousand degrees!
The flames of magical civilization truly couldn't be judged by common sense!
So majestic, so domineering!
But why could the natives of this planet use such techniques, while he, the rightful master of the planet, could not?
When he fought, he still relied on a crude swing stick!
Wang Yan smacked his lips, feeling a bit envious.
The little girl was panting heavily, sweating profusely, clearly exhausted, but she still smiled at Wang Yan: "Great God of Light, this is the most powerful flame I can control, and after using it, I have no strength left."
"Hmm!" With his sense of loss somewhat reduced, Wang Yan maintained his composure. He patted Jia Junpeng's somewhat prickly head and smiled to encourage her, "That's pretty good—go back and rest!"
Touched by the great god, the little girl Jia Junpeng flushed with excitement, nodded to Wang Yan, and returned to the group.
"And the others?" Wang Yan looked at the patriarch and asked, "Caesar, you just said that Jia Junpeng...ahem, Jia Junpeng has the highest flame affinity. How do the others compare?"
The patriarch blushed, answering awkwardly, "Back to the God of Light, the others can only manage to not be afraid of fire at present."
Wang Yan choked, surprised: "So, you went through all this trouble to select a few people, and after putting the tribe through such an ordeal, they can't even produce a fireball?"
The patriarch lowered his head in shame: "We will work hard."
Wang Yan couldn't help but laugh, pointing to the large group of burn victims below: "Okay, fine! Yes, you will work hard! Now tell me, how are you going to eat next?"
Patriarch Caesar glanced at Wang Yan with embarrassment, then dryly replied, "We still need the help of the God of Light. We've finished all the food you brought last time..."
"..." Wang Yan felt his brain swell, staring in disbelief. So, this bunch of shameless people was still relying on him!
God! With so many primitive people on the planet, how could he have been so blind as to choose such a group of fools in the first place!
Glancing at the patriarch, Wang Yan began to wonder if he should switch to a different group to develop civilization. You can't put all your eggs in one basket, and you can't hang all your hopes on a single tree.