Chapter 129: Chapter 103: Water Reserves, the Moon, and the Moonlit Ceremony

Shen Yue rolled her eyes at the somewhat oblivious Lin Feng and turned to explain:

“Building the garden is not just for aesthetics; it is also an important part of the oasis water cycle.”

“During a Holy Spring Day, the oasis consumes approximately a thousand tons of water. After filtering, four hundred tons are distributed to the permanent residents of the Five Major Villages, fifty liters per person. Another four hundred tons are allocated specifically to the livestock industry in Nongzhuang Village; they have to support so many people and have the greatest water demand…”

“The final two hundred tons are given as charity to the Deserters at the bottom. They do nothing yet still receive water. The church is already quite benevolent.”

Lin Feng still remembered the gospel ceremony during the last Holy Spring Day, when he and his party were about to set out to hunt the weakened Level 9 Rock-Horned Horse after giving birth.

As they passed by the Oasis Battleship, he saw tens of thousands of Deserters forming a line two hundred meters long, densely gathered, prostrate in worship.

They endured hours of sun exposure, waiting for the water to be released.

Only after a round of devout prayers could each person receive four to five liters of water to last until the next Holy Spring Day in fifteen days.

Two hundred tons of water, two hundred large barrels, two hundred grey-robed Cultivators from the church, responsible for distributing the Holy Spring Sect’s gifts to aid more than fifty thousand Deserters.

Although Lin Feng felt the Holy Spring Sect could save more Deserters, from the perspective of those in power, the Four Major Villages were subordinates serving the oasis, while tens of thousands of Deserters were merely burdens trailing after the oasis.

They were, by nature, the rejected of multiple rounds of selection; the new civilization no longer needed them. The Holy Spring Sect’s bi-weekly charity was already a great act of kindness toward the Wasteland.

Different positions naturally lead to different perspectives.

After a soft sigh, Lin Feng asked:

“If a thousand tons is consumed every half month, wouldn’t that mean two thousand tons are needed monthly? Does the oasis have such a vast water reserve?”

Shen Yue nodded, saying matter-of-factly:

“Of course, just look at the size of the oasis. This standard Level 1 mobile fortress has ten thousand-ton water tanks. If it weren’t for distributing water to the Five Major Villages, recycling could last decades.”

“And now, every Holy Spring Day, a pilgrimage convoy comes from the Holy City up front, delivering back a thousand tons of water to meet the daily needs of Oasis Town.”

Lin Feng nodded, having gained a rough understanding of the overall operational model of Oasis Town from Shen Yue’s explanation.

Thinking that he would also follow the pilgrimage convoy to the Holy City in the future, he pursued further:

“It seems the pilgrimage convoy hasn’t returned yet. Do you think they’ll encounter any danger on the road?”

Shen Yue thought for a moment and shook her head:

“Unlikely, I’ve never experienced a late pilgrimage convoy in the years I’ve been here. They might just be delayed on the road, but they will surely return before the end of Holy Spring Day.”

Lin Feng nodded, considering that with a Second-tier Priest from the church overseeing the convoy, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Just then, as the dome above was gradually fully covered by photovoltaic panels,

the entire Oasis Upper District entered darkness.

Hexagonal glass points lit up with bright spots, forming a stunning starry sky.

Lin Feng thought that if it were a bit more intelligent, achieving the dome’s automatic gradual transformation, the descendants living isolated in the oasis might truly believe it to be a beautiful new world.

“Let’s go, the administrator is coming to clear the area. The garden here is about to raise the moon.”

Watching the last few pieces of dome glass being covered by photovoltaic panels, Shen Yue’s expression changed slightly as she solemnly reminded him.

Lin Feng was surprised, originally thinking that Moonlight Garden was just a symbolic name, not expecting there to be an actual moon!

Following Shen Yue downstairs to leave, he looked back.

Only to see, what he had seen from afar upon his arrival—a slanted giant glass mirror—was slowly rising from the back of the Moonlight Garden.

The inner-facing side was a concave mirror, able to gather external light sources and cast them into the interior of the dome’s Upper District, so the brightness of the glass mirror instantly increased several times.

It became exceptionally bright.

Just like the moon reflecting sunlight.

Walking along Oasis Avenue and looking back, it resembled a slowly rising, radiant full moon.

At that moment, while walking on the Upper District’s main road, Lin Feng vaguely sensed a familiar yet strange feeling creeping up from the back of his neck…

Though subtle, it was acutely clear!

It was the sort of intense unease like a fishbone stuck in his throat!

And it felt different from the unease when he met Lord Bishop earlier, where his heart’s tension and worry stemmed only from his own powerlessness in weakness.

But this current unease…

was sourced from the fear of the unknown!

The last time Lin Feng felt this kind of unease was when he climbed a thousand-meter-high mountaintop, looking out at the encroaching Scorching Sun Forbidden Area, with the feeling of being on pins and needles welling in his heart.

Now that feeling was attacking once again.

Lin Feng was about to look back when Shen Yue grabbed his hand, while simultaneously hearing her soft warning:

“The Moonlit Ceremony of Holy Spring Day is about to start…”

“Don’t look back, lower your head and follow me!”

Lin Feng swallowed and mimicking Shen Yue, pulled his white cloak’s hood over his head to cover his neck, and then stepped quickly forward.

Only then did he notice that the villas on either side of the main road, the houses where the Upper Class lived, had all their curtains drawn, be it windows or the floor-to-ceiling balconies.

The street, which still had a few figures when they finished eating and headed to the Moonlight Garden, was now deserted.

The quiet street, under the artificial night sky, seemed like true midnight had descended.

Continuing forward, Lin Feng observed many figures of the Upper Class emerging from the narrow alleys alongside the main road.

Each with heads lowered, clad in black robes.

Walking in the same direction as Lin Feng, all heading towards the church at the bow of the ship.

Their footsteps were silent, ghost-like.

Lin Feng recalled Shen Yue’s earlier reminder.

The Moonlit Ceremony had begun…

At this moment, clean and tidy main street was being washed over by moonlight refracted from a convex lens at his back.

Was the so-called Moonlit Ceremony what was about to occur now…

Lin Feng’s unease was yet to be alleviated when suddenly, he had another premonition of foreboding.

Toughing it out, he followed behind Shen Yue. As the two entered the Church District and into the church from the side, both Shen Yue and Lin Feng breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing completely.

“We lingered too long in the Moonlight Garden; I almost forgot about the Holy Spring Day ceremony.”

Bearing a stomach full of questions, Lin Feng was about to speak when Shen Yue placed a finger to her lips:

“Shh, the moonlit night needs silence. We can find a place to rest for a bit and go to observe once the ceremony officially begins.”

Following Shen Yue, Lin Feng recalled his conversation with Father Su An aboard the Oasis Battleship.

At that time, he wanted to understand why the oasis had to stay in front of the Scorching Sun Forbidden Area, maintaining a perilous distance of tens of kilometers.

Also, the Oasis Battleship stopping deliberately every fifteen days on the Holy Spring Day, waiting for the Forbidden Area behind to approach.

What if the battleship malfunctions, constantly risking being engulfed by the Forbidden Area.

Yet, Father Su An had only partly explained the issue, without mentioning the critical details.

He only stated that with Lin Feng’s current power and position, there was no need to know these hidden secrets. Once he advanced to the Late Tier One or became part of the Upper Class, he would be in the know about the reasons behind this practice.

It now seemed highly likely that it was closely related to this mysterious Moonlit Ceremony held on Holy Spring Day.

The intentional pause of the Oasis Battleship in front of the Scorching Sun Forbidden Area…

It was all somehow key to unraveling the mystery.

The more Lin Feng thought about it, the more he felt something was off, as these elements held considerable similarity with some secret underground cult practices.

Yet outwardly, the Holy Spring Sect was a mainstream church without any known negative reports and was fairly merciful to the Deserters, offering them free aid every half month.

Following Shen Yue into an empty study room.

Lin Feng removed his hood and couldn’t help but quietly ask:

“Shhh,” Shen Yue warned, pressing a finger to her lips before he could start.

“The moonlit night requires silence. Let’s find a place to rest for a bit, and then wait for the ceremony to start.”

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