Becoming a God Starts with Acting-Chapter 67: [The River God’s Wife] - Nerio’s Part (16)

Matthew coldly looked at Clow. "I hope what you said is true."

Then he turned to Nerio and spoke gently, "Don’t be afraid, Nerio. I promised to protect you, so don’t cry anymore. As long as we get out of this dungeon, the government will surely take notice of you. Once your abilities fully develop, you’ll become a powerful Esper!"

Nerio looked up at Matthew, and just as expected, tears streamed down his cheeks. His slightly puffed-up face made him look pitiful yet overwhelmingly adorable.

[No, Nerio, keep crying! I’ve taken a screenshot!]

[Aaaaa, he’s too cute! How can someone be this adorable?! I swear, I’ll punish anyone who makes Nerio cry. Nerio is only allowed to cry for me!]

[Look at those innocent, sparkling eyes! How can people still think he’s hiding something? He’s just a kind and pure-hearted boy!]

[If Nerio dies, I won’t forgive this show’s script team!]

[Look at Nerio’s fan community and give him a good ending, you scriptwriters!] freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Silvanus knew fans could always be this eccentric. He wasn’t sure where he had gained this experience, but how they screamed in the comments didn’t surprise him.

"I believe in you, Matthew."

Nerio looked at Matthew with a faint, gentle curve at the corners of his lips. Though he still seemed sad, it was clear that he was less tense than before.

Seeing him like this, Matthew resisted the urge to pinch his adorable cheeks. But knowing that Nerio didn’t like that, he endured it.

A child this adorable, this kind—how could he have ever doubted him?! He didn’t deserve Nerio’s trust! Matthew screamed internally.

Even Julia placed a hand on her chest, her usual playful expression slightly shaken as she looked at Nerio. "Suddenly, I feel like you’re a terrible person, Clow."

Clow shrugged without saying a word. While a child’s pure kindness was admirable, neither he nor Ace intended to waver from their initial decision.

Just then, a system pop-up appeared in front of the mission participants.

[Congratulations on completing the mission!

Reward:

Clue x1: It is said that this village once had women.

Clue x1: The women who wandered into the village stayed in the room on the west side, near the path leading to the riverbank. Searching there may bring surprises!]

Alexis scowled. "The first clue can’t even be considered a clue!"

Matthew picked up on the oddity in his words. "The first clue... So there’s a second one? You all completed two missions?"

Alexis hesitated momentarily, but his face could not hide his emotions.

Standing beside him, Maya admitted honestly, "Yes, we completed two missions. When we got home, the mission we received was to make everyone open the doors."

She paused before adding, "I didn’t want to follow the mission either, but at that moment, our bodies were being controlled."

Matthew nodded and asked about the two clues Maya had obtained. Without hesitation, Maya relayed both in full.

The ordinary people exchanged glances but had nothing more to say in this situation. However, the sharp-minded ones could already see the first cracks forming in their trust.

Breaking the silence, Matthew said, "Alright, everyone’s exhausted. Let’s rest for now. Tomorrow, we’ll check out the room on the village’s west side and see what clues we can find."

Alexis chuckled lightly. "The strong ones are more sensible. Look at those ordinary folks over there, still sulking—how ridiculous. Do they even realize who they have to thank for staying alive? If we hadn’t gone out on missions, would you still be sitting safely at home?"

His words made the ordinary people flinch. Though resentment and frustration lingered in their hearts, they had no retort.

The group naturally split into two factions, creating a clear divide from the dark espers.

Taylor looked at Matthew expectantly. Matthew nodded and said, "It seems you’ve awakened an ability related to healing. However, only you can figure out how to use it. Explore it yourself."

Taylor sighed, flexing her exaggerated biceps. "I thought I’d awaken something related to strength... Haizz."

Elena consoled her. "At least you awakened a power. That’s already a blessing—I’d give anything for that..."

Kely looked at Taylor with admiration. Meanwhile, Leon remained silent. From the start, he had struggled to get along with the others, but now, he didn’t even dare approach the dark espers. Their sheer cruelty terrified him.

The first night ended, and only one person was lost—Leonard.

Early the following day, the sun arrived without warning.

Just moments ago, the sky had been an endless night, yet sunlight flooded every corner in the blink of an eye, bringing an unbearable heat with it.

The extreme weather conditions made everyone irritable and short-tempered.

Taylor touched her cracked lips, swallowed dryly, and said, "I’m thirsty... I feel like I’m about to lose my mind."

Even the espers weren’t much better off than the ordinary people.

Ace said coldly, "Damn it. We should head to the river before checking out the house of the lost woman."

No one disagreed with Ace.

Under the scorching sun, the group made their way outside. The villagers were busy arranging and decorating something. Despite the heat, their skin remained oddly glossy, and their lips were just as cracked as everyone else’s. Yet, they worked tirelessly, seemingly unaffected by exhaustion. Even when they noticed the newcomers, they only glanced at them briefly before returning to their tasks.

"Maybe they only talk to us when giving out missions," Matthew said.

They quickly reached the path leading to the river. The road was surrounded by forest—outside, the sun burned fiercely, but the moment they stepped into the shaded path, a refreshing coolness enveloped them. The relief was so immediate that even the burns on their skin seemed to ease.

"Damn, I seriously want to stay here forever," Taylor muttered as she walked. Her eyes were half-closed, blurry from thirst and exhaustion.

Before long, they arrived at the river. In the daylight, they could finally see it.

The water was eerily still—more like a peaceful lake than a flowing river. Its surface shimmered with a deep emerald green, appearing clean and strangely picturesque.

Several villagers were crouched by the riverbank, drinking water. But instead of scooping it up with their hands or using containers, they bent forward on all fours, lapping at it awkwardly—like animals.

The sight made everyone frown.

Moreover, as they neared the water, the glossy sheen on the villagers’ bodies seemed to fade. They only took a few hurried gulps before quickly retreating, as if they were protecting that strange oily layer on their skin... or perhaps they feared something lurking beneath the water.

No one could tell for sure.