Only God
Chapter 270 - 232 New -

Chapter 270: Chapter 232 New Chapter

Three days later, in her sleep, Queen Isis felt an indescribable weakness.

Her entire body was limp, her wrinkled skin sagging downward. Although she was somewhat conscious after falling asleep, her body could not move; she felt as though she had just awakened. She could hear the sounds around her and see the images, but she could not move her body or make a sound.

It was somewhat like sleep paralysis, but Queen Isis felt that her body was not stiff.

She realized that if she exerted just a little bit of effort, her body could move, but she could find not even a trace of strength throughout her body.

And the Queen’s consciousness was slowly weakening; she was dying.

Life was slipping through her hands, and she could not reach out her aged hand to retain it, a fate that seemed inescapable for everyone.

Queen Isis tightly closed her eyes, and gradually she could no longer sense her physical body. Her ethereal soul was being escorted by someone, to a place far from the Mortal World.

After a long while, Queen Isis slowly opened her eyes.

Before her, there was no light, only a gray sky, and a chill rose from beneath her feet, swiftly circulating through her body. Queen Isis shivered, her soul state somewhat more alert now.

Before her lay a frozen land of ice and snow in the dead of winter. As she looked around, all she could see in every direction were souls—one, ten, a hundred, or even thousands.

Queen Isis couldn’t begin to count how many souls she saw, all heading toward a surging river, the River of Death, where even souls as light as feathers would sink into the water.

Seeing that river, Queen Isis subconsciously felt a sense of fear.

But inexplicably, she began to move her feet, involuntarily following the other souls toward the river.

On the riverbank stood a newly erected stone tablet.

"This place is the Netherworld, the gathering place of death. Here, recognize your past, recognize your death."

After reading the inscription, Queen Isis couldn’t help but shiver.

On the opposite bank, a massive black ferry ship slowly approached, with dozens of oars stirring, slapping the turbulent river.

Even on the riverbank, Queen Isis could faintly hear the heavy breathing of the sailors.

As the ferry ship docked, Queen Isis saw other souls rush onto it, and she too was swept along involuntarily.

During this process, the souls on the perimeter accidentally fell into the surging waters of the River of Death.

Their souls disappeared in an instant, sinking deep into the riverbed, being battered by the water until one fortunate day they could be washed ashore and proceed to the presence of the Netherworld Judge.

Queen Isis boarded the ship, an incomparable weariness overcoming her. Amid the river’s waves, she closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she had crossed the turbulent great river.

She stood bewildered on the riverbank.

Then Queen Isis heard heavy breathing, and rain began to fall from above.

Confused, Queen Isis looked up only to realize that it wasn’t rain at all, but rather three gaping mouths continually dripping saliva from above.

It was a massive three-headed dog, with three throats, greasy and dark whiskers. Countless spirits were crawling at its feet. Upon seeing it for the first time, Queen Isis felt a fear originating from deep within her soul.

Fortunately, the three-headed dog had no interest in the orderly souls on their way to the Netherworld Judge.

Queen Isis walked along with the crowd, her consciousness growing increasingly faint, like a dying animal.

Soon, a Judgement Court featuring dozens of magnificent stone columns, much like an open-air theater, appeared before her.

Following the crowd, Queen Isis stepped onto the path leading into the Judgement Court, where she was to face the judgement of seven judges.

In front of the Judgement Court stood a stone monument with the following inscription:

"You will regret each of your careless transgressions."

Seeing the words on the monument and looking at the seven towering figures resembling divine judges in the distance, Queen Isis trembled deeply from within.

What kind of judgement am I to face?

Carrying a heart full of unease, Queen Isis slowly walked into the Judgement Court. Her next destination was known only to the seven judges who would judge her and to herself.

............

Half a year after the King’s death, Queen Isis also died.

The next morning, the maids responsible for waking her up discovered her body.

The ministers and nobles arranged a grand funeral for her and secretly heaved a sigh of relief afterwards.

Undoubtedly, Queen Isis’s contributions to the kingdom were memorable, but her past cruel reign, and her constant vigilance over the power-hungry ministers during her long governance, had kept them in perpetual fear.

During the funeral, the Priests of the Great Temple performed an elaborate sacrifice for the Queen. After sacrificing to Kagawus, they proceeded to sacrifice to the Death God Nakbet.

They threw gold, silver, spices, and various rare treasures into the fiery flames, hoping to bribe the Netherworld monarch reaping souls, to speak favorably to the judges during the Queen’s judgement.

Three days after the funeral ended, the ministers and nobles finally decided on a new king.

This King was from a remote city-state of the Ajia Kingdom named Anka, dedicated to Kagawus by a king a thousand years earlier.

The residents here revered Kagawus’s temple as their life, chanting Kagawus’s name daily in devout fervor. This King excelled among them.

The ministers and nobles allowed him to ascend to Ajia’s throne not only because his roots were shallow but also because he zealously engaged in religious affairs and would likely not overly interfere with political matters.

However, the ministers and nobles could not have anticipated that this King would not be as simple as they imagined in the days to come.

Twenty days after the Queen’s funeral, a coronation ceremony was held for the new King in Ajia Land.

The King’s ascension was of far greater significance both to the ministers and to the entire kingdom than Queen Isis’s funeral.

Thus, spurred by the ministers, Ajia Royal City held a grand celebration. Seeing the new king ascend, the restless city-states suppressed their agitated desires and presented their due gifts to the King.

The previously somber and dull atmosphere was instantly revitalized after the coronation.

With the death of the Queen, the era of that hero came to an absolute close, and the former threats of foreign invasions and sinister schemes temporarily receded from this land of the Three-eyed Ape People.

Ajia Kingdom, nourished by the rivers, turned the page of history anew.