chsdbacks Chapter 1 Mittal at the Foot of the Mountain
Chapter 1 Mittal at the Foot of the Mountain
Mittal Vijay opened his eyes, and what came into view were two towering mountain peaks that blotted out the sky.
The fine cashmere linen shirt couldn't conceal his ample figure; a few beads of sweat glistened on his wheat-colored skin, trembling as they dripped down his cheeks from the lower edge of his breasts, following the perfect curves of his body.
The muscles regained sensation, and a tearing, excruciating pain swept over them.
Even with the soft legs of a young girl behind his head, and the faint fragrance of wood ash, turmeric, and basil lingering around his nose, it couldn't alleviate the pain in the slightest.
"Pabu (Master), Brahma above, you have finally woken up!" The voice was clear but tinged with weariness, revealing the joy of breaking through the soil. As slender hands gently lifted Vijay's head, over the mountain peak, his eyes, as bright as stars, suddenly appeared.
"Maya, how long was I unconscious this time?" Her throat seemed to have regained feeling.
"Master, it's been a full ten hours! The sun has risen and set more than halfway down," she gently stroked his head. "Master, it's time to drink the Ayurvedic herbs!"
Vijay did not hesitate at all, because the 17-year-old girl in front of him was not only his closest servant who had grown up with him since childhood, but also a vessel that could accept all his emotions.
He opened his mouth wide and drank the strange-smelling, dark green liquid containing unknown sacred leaves that was presented to him in one gulp.
The priest's secret medicine was remarkably effective; as the excruciating pain subsided, memories gradually resurfaced.
Li Weijie died suddenly at his desk half a month ago due to overwork. He then woke up here, inheriting a remote and dilapidated village, as well as some of Mittal Vige's memories.
This territory was purchased from the Kshatriyas of Harappa by Vijaya's great-grandfather, a wealthy Vaishya merchant who traveled far and wide, at the end of his life, who spent most of his life savings.
The area, roughly 10 square kilometers in radius, has mountains and plains, and the land is fertile.
As long as they offer sacrifices to the Brahmins on time, they can thrive and multiply in this territory.
After my grandfather inherited this territory, he used the remaining wealth of the family to transform the land into a fertile land, which even the wealthy Kshatriyas envied.
But now...
Coughing heavily, feeling his body gradually regaining control, he reluctantly shifted his gaze from Maya, sweeping over the gold ornaments inlaid in the room, the hand-woven peacock patterns, the golden incense burner filled with sandalwood and myrrh, and finally landing on the window.
The bright sun shines high, the rain has not fallen for a long time, the land is parched, and the people are dying.
In Vijay's memory, this place was a process of gradual decline; until two years ago when he inherited this territory as the last heir of the Mittal family, he was left with only three loyal Shudra servants and less than 500 Dalit households.
What's even more frustrating is...
Vijay raised his hand, his thick arms the result of countless hours of training since childhood, and his bare eight-pack abs were clearly visible under his linen shawl. Such a young body should have been full of vitality.
But since Li Weijie transmigrated here, he has fainted three times without warning, about once every seven days, each time for six to ten hours.
Maya complained that this was called "Shiva's Curse," but Vijay's memories were missing this part.
Not knowing the cause or how to deal with it, it was like a Damocles' sword hanging over our heads.
"Master, why don't you lie down a little longer? Lean against Maya!"
A soft, elastic part pressed against Vijay's back, and slender arms wrapped around his shoulders, interrupting his thoughts of Yuanyou.
His attention returned to the trouble at hand, and to the youthful-looking Maya.
"Have you heard anything from Bim and Rajan?" Vijay knew he could do whatever he wanted anytime, anywhere, and Maya would do everything she could to cooperate with him, but now was not the time.
The persistent drought has dried up rivers and depleted wells, and the village's water shortage problem has become extremely serious.
The crops withered and the people had no water to drink. If this continued, he might not be able to deliver this year's offerings to the Brahmins within the scheduled time!
This is a world with gods. By violating the covenant witnessed by the gods, I could very well cause this territory, which has been passed down for hundreds of years, to fall!
This is actually a difficult start? Vijay recalled the first few days after he transmigrated here.
On that breezy night, following the instincts every man would follow, after experiencing Maya's meticulous care for him for the first time, his system awakened.
"Follow your heart, and you will successfully please yourself."
Add 1 talent point
The subsequent system panel then visualized all the technologies mastered by Mittal Vijay's body.
『梵语（1/2）、体魄（1/2）、全御（1/2）』
The flood of information that followed made Li Weijie instantly understand everything about the system.
Please yourself to gain talent points. Use talent points to increase your mastery of skills. Once you have maxed out a skill, a new talent tree will open up, unlocking advanced techniques.
With just a tiny bit of talent points, one can instantly save others from countless years of arduous training.
However, the higher the skill level, the more talent points are required, and the possibilities for extending the three basic talent paths are almost endless.
Pleasing yourself? With such a delightful system full of endless possibilities, what could possibly cause you distress?
Just by lying down and enjoying yourself, you can reach the top of this world!
Then Vijay began his carefree and indulgent sexual pleasures with Maya without any guilt.
But this absurd behavior only increased his threshold and tormented his body, while the talent points did not appear again.
It wasn't until the first outbreak of the so-called "curse of Shiva" that he was suddenly jolted awake from the haggard state brought on by his indulgence in wine and women.
Of course, in the Mayan understanding, this was the second attack.
Upon waking up, Li Weijie realized that truly pleasing himself was not such a simple matter!
Just as he was agonizing over this, news reached his ears that someone in the village had died of thirst.
Although those were untouchable Dalits, they were still his subjects under his protection.
They were one of the foundations of his status as a lord, and he knew that no matter how stupid they were.
His status as a lord was his capital for surviving in this unfamiliar world, so how could he easily give it up?
Is this comfortable life about to end in just a few days?
Absolutely not!
"Father hasn't returned yet!" Maya's soft voice lingered in my ears. "My brother led people into the mountains early this morning, and he hasn't come back either!"
Vijay remembered that he had sent Bim to the city to seek the help of the Kshatriyas, carrying gold and silver jewels, in accordance with the sacred covenant witnessed by Shiva…
We must at least buy some precious water to help the village through this difficult time.
Rajan was also sent into the mountains by himself, because he had heard from the Dalits that there was an abandoned Naga altar in the mountains on the edge of the village, where the water god was worshipped. There might be an ancient well there, and there might be a precious water source at this moment. Someone needed to go and see for themselves.
"Sigh!" Vijay sighed heavily, feeling that his body had fully recovered, and slowly stood up and pushed open the door.
A wave of heat hit you in the face, and the blinding sunlight made it almost impossible to open your eyes.
The Dalits hid in cool places to avoid wasting water, which might be more precious than their lives, and the streets were deserted.
"Phrab, it's terrible, Phrab!"
A hoarse, tearful cry came from afar.
Vijay turned his head and saw that the voice came from a withered old man, who was wearing a light yellowish-brown coarse cloth apron, the hem of which swayed as he ran.
He was Bim, the Shudra sent into the city to buy water, and Maya's father.
"What's going on?" Vijay had a few thoughts flashing through his mind. Were the Kshatriyas still unwilling to help? Or had the Brahmins caused some trouble again?
"Master, the Kshatriyas refused our help! I couldn't even get through the gate! The wells in the city won't sell us water either!" Bim's old face looked even older and more dejected. "Even if I offered double the price, they wouldn't sell!"
Damn it! Vijay clenched his fist; this was definitely not normal!
Vijay's memories told him that the sacred covenant witnessed by Shiva was unbreakable, and had been so for a hundred years.
Why has this changed?
Bim's weeping was clearly not just because he hadn't fulfilled his master's orders. "Just now on my way back, a Dalit stopped me and said that Rajan was surrounded by a group of Shudras in the mountains, and they were going to burn him alive!"
"Ah, brother!" Maya exclaimed, covering her mouth as if she was about to cry.
"Master, please have mercy and save Rajan! For the sake of your loyal service."
Vijay stood there, stunned. When it rains, it pours. How could a new problem have arisen?
It wasn't that he was unwilling to save them, but that he simply didn't know what to do!
A bewildered gaze swept across Bim's weathered face, then over Maya's gradually falling tears, which landed on the unnamed statue at the doorway...
Will he bear the same fate as Rajan Rohan, who was burned alive in the sacred flame?
A line of inexplicable text suddenly appeared in his mind.
Vijay's eyes widened instantly. Was this a divine revelation? Or a system task?
Vijay didn't have time to explain.
Suddenly, a blurry image flashed into his mind. It was an aerial view, with the camera rapidly zooming in and out, showing the village buildings, mountains, and then the view moving through a dense forest to a dilapidated stone house.
There, someone was preparing to tie up a young Shudra and place him on a pile of firewood...
The scene shifts, and at the edge of the forest, a cluster of torches appears, piercing the darkness. The one leading them seems to be Vijay himself…
The scene flashes again, showing Rajon Rangoon kneeling before himself, covered in injuries and weeping bitterly.
As the light and shadow faded, Vijay came to his senses. Maya's tears were still on her cheeks, and Bim's eyes were filled with pain and pleading.
Everything happened in an instant; he had already foreseen the path ahead. "Maya, go and get some torches, make sure you have plenty!"
"Bim, gather a few Dalits and bring the messenger!"
"We're going into the mountains to rescue Rajan!"