Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 687 - 360: The Starting Point of the Year 1486, The Revelation in the Ballad

Chapter 687: Chapter 360: The Starting Point of the Year 1486, The Revelation in the Ballad

The day after Diogo Cao’s passing, the Portuguese exploration fleet ceased its navigation. The three sailboats docked on the nearest coast, and it took two days to erect the last padrão, an explorer’s stone pillar. Beside the pillar was a shallow mound of earth, atop with a brand-new cross was erected.

Bruno stood in front of the stone pillar, silently reciting the Portuguese inscription etched upon it.

"...In the year of creation 6684, and the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 1485, the most noble, excellent, and powerful sovereign, King Joao II of Portugal, sent his royal knight, Diogo Cao, to discover this land, and to erect this stone pillar...We dedicate this rich land to the great Kingdom of Portugal, to the great Joao II... Pray for us!"

After reading, Bruno bowed his head, praying devoutly.

"Honorable Captain Diogo, may the Almighty bless your soul! ...And may the Holy Mother protect us too!"

Afterward, with a respectful demeanor, Bruno approached the fleet’s new leader, a middle-aged noble knight, Pero Dacosta.

"Praise the Almighty! Honorable noble knight, Pero Dacosta."

"Praise the Almighty! New captain Bruno."

"May I ask, how should we arrange tomorrow’s voyage?"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged noble Pero glanced at Bruno somberly before speaking in a deep voice.

"By the Almighty’s witness! Our fleet is severely damaged, lacking sailors and insufficient supplies. Come dawn, the fleet must set sail to return!"

"Yes!"

Bruno suppressed the joy in his heart and bowed respectfully.

"Honorable knight Pero, how shall we name this place on the sea chart?"

The old Pero fell into a silent reverie. He stared blankly at the tomb beside the stone pillar, at the cross that stood upon it. After a long while, he spoke softly.

"Ah, this is the cross that marks where the living are buried... Let’s call it Cape Cross."

Bruno nodded. Cape Cross, the Cross Cape, was also the southernmost point of this exploration.

At that moment, in the whole world, only one person knew. The endless Namib Desert would extend southward for more than three thousand miles. The further south one sailed, the higher the latitude, the chillier the climate would become. At the southernmost tip of the desert, the moisture from the Atlantic Ocean passed over the cold sea surface, producing continuous dense fog that often caused storms, making navigation dangerous and difficult. But once one crossed the hundreds of miles of dense fog and storm area, it was the boundary of the Southern Continent, the turning point of the eastern sea route, the hopeful Cape of Good Hope!

As the sun set and the dawn arose, another day passed. Under the golden sunlight, the sailors roared with joy, drinking the last of the wine and feasting on fresh seal meat. Their excitement celebrated the arrival of the new year, even more, they celebrated the fleet’s return voyage!

The deadly exploration had finally come to an end! After an exploration lasting a year and three months, where nearly seventy percent of the sailors perished, even Captain Diogo Cao had been called by the Lord, the Portuguese fleet finally turned about, beginning the voyage northward!

Across the decks of the three sailboats, nearly a hundred sailors of the entire fleet were celebrating fervently, all but one whose face was ashen.

Somewhere within the cabin of the flagship, scholar and nobility, Martin Behaim, was in a state of terror. Like a helpless lamb, he huddled into a corner of the cabin, clutching a splendid short dagger in his hand. Before him stood four fierce men, resembling wicked wolves, each wearing leather armor and wielding sharp weapons.

"...New captain Bruno, Quartermaster Matim, head chef Haroldo, carpenter Ivo... what, what do you want to do!"

"Almighty bears witness! Respected Nobility Scholar, Martin."

Bruno smiled with a gentle tone.

"Please don’t worry. We only want to leave a small mark on you. Almighty bears witness! As long as you cooperate patiently with us, we will not harm you."

"Ah! A mark? Cooperate? Bruno, you?!"

In Martin’s eyes appeared disbelief, followed by deep fear. Thinking of the terrible things, he abruptly placed a dagger across his throat, ready to commit suicide. The chilly dagger on his skin brought a stinging coldness, like the call of death. The Nobility Scholar shuddered violently but could not bring himself to proceed.

"Such a cowardly nobility!"

Matim scoffed and took a quick step forward.

"Bang!"

With a deft movement, he used his short dagger to knock Martin’s dagger away. Then, with a swift knee strike, he knocked Martin to the ground.

Bruno’s expression remained unchanged. He said to Matim with a smile.

"Nice moves! Matim, strip off his clothes!"

"Ah! Ah!..."

Martin let out a desperate squeal like a slaughtered pig, and swiftly Matim had him stripped bare. Next, Carpenter Ivo brought out a small brazier, and Haroldo took out a sharp small dagger, repeatedly heating it in the fire.

In just a moment, Matim proficiently tied Martin up and turned to ask.

"Boss Bruno, we want to brand this lad with the Demon’s symbol, to get a hold over him so he doesn’t talk nonsense after he gets back... But what, exactly, is the Demon’s symbol?"

"The Demon’s symbol, huh..."

Bruno pondered for a while, those terrifying memories surfacing in his mind. Even after all this time, they still made him tremble inside. He recalled the ancient ceremonial dress of the Voodoo High Priest, the bizarre Temple with lizards hanging, the frightening altar inset with human heads... His hands waved non-stop, trying to sketch the evil symbol of Satan’s Apostle.

"I’ve encountered it on the land of the Demon, a tremendously powerful Satan’s Apostle! I mustered my courage, struggled valiantly against her, and under the Almighty’s protection, I destroyed her witchcraft, then broke out from amidst hundreds of native warriors... The symbol should be like... this, twisted... this, converging... this, coming together, like a swarm of mosquitoes..."

After a while, Bruno finished speaking haphazardly. He hesitated and asked.

"Did you understand?"

Everyone exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison, leaving the cabin silent for a time.

A moment later, Head Chef Haroldo stepped forward hesitantly and said in a low voice.

"Boss Bruno, you’ve ventured deep into the land of the Demon and seen the real Demon. But the Church lords living in wealthy towns, served by hordes of servants, when have they ever seen any evil? These real Demon symbols, if we carve them out, nobody would recognize them!"

Bruno thought for a moment, then asked in a heavy voice,

"Makes sense!...Haroldo, what do we do now?"

"The simplest way is like this..."

Murmurs whispered lowly, echoing inside the cabin. Martin lay in a corner, straining his ears to eavesdrop but he could not understand the sailors’ dialect. After a while, everyone nodded in agreement, casting malevolent glances at Martin. Martin shivered intensely, screaming hysterically.

"I beg of you! My father is a senator of the Republic of Venice, my family is hereditary nobility from Nuremberg... I can pay you a large ransom! Mmph... Mmph..."

Bruno took out a piece of cotton cloth and stuffed it directly into Martin’s mouth. Without further hesitation, the men held Martin down on the floor, belly up and back pressed against the deck, like a lamb awaiting slaughter.

Haroldo smiled bizarrely, pinching the heated handle of a small knife, and slowly stepped forward.

Martin turned deathly pale, shaking like a leaf. He first struggled desperately, then moaned ceaselessly for mercy. Matim, impatient, reached out and grabbed Martin by the neck, choking him unconscious.

"Haroldo, do it now!"

Bruno ordered in a deep voice.

"Alright, Boss Bruno!"

Chef Haroldo smiled casually as he extended his hand, tattooing Martin’s abdomen. In the chef’s grip, the sharp knife was so precise and steady. Even when the scholar noble awoke in pain midway, it didn’t affect his tattoo work in the slightest. After he finished, he inspected his handiwork, nodded in satisfaction, and then cowered back into his usual demeanor.

"Done!"

"Really nice!"

"That’ll do!"

"Praise the Holy Mother!"

The crowd glanced over and collectively breathed a sigh of relief. The noble scholar had fainted from pain once again. Bruno checked for breath, then stood up relaxedly.

"Blessed by the Holy Mother! Let’s be off! Give him some time to accept this."

"Blessed by the Holy Mother! May we return safely to the kingdom!"

"Blessed by the Holy Mother! He seems quite wealthy, after we return, we can seek some sponsorship from him..."

"Blessed by the Holy Mother! Don’t make trouble. Hurry to the celebration!"

The four men prayed for a while, then one by one exited from the scholar’s cabin. Before leaving, carpenter Ivo lingered considerately. He untied the unconscious Martin, removed the cotton gag, put on an oversize robe to cover him, and draped a thin blanket for warmth.

The setting sun cast a splendid glow across the sky. The vast sky teemed with countless colorful birds; upon the mighty ocean, only three sailboats navigated. The sun-soaked waves glistened red, reflecting on the crimson desert – another magnificent vista.

The deck was filled with light; the cabin submerged in gloom. The sailors’ celebration could be faintly heard. Before long, someone began singing loudly, a song from home, and everyone joined in chorus.

"Beautiful girl, you ask me, what is the sea? But I don’t know...

I sail the seas, wave after wave crashing against me, leaving a moist luminescence.

It is the Mother calling my youthful heart, the sea is affection!..."

Bruno, now the respected captain, having resolved all his worries, was somewhat carried away. He laughed heartily and stepped into the center of the sailors, then sang aloud,

"Beautiful girl, you ask me, what is the sea? But I don’t know...

I sail the seas, I saw a dead young man. His lips parted to kiss the waves.

A light remained in his mouth, desiring to consort with the light in yours, the sea is a kiss!..."

Upon hearing this, Matim chuckled. He waved to Haroldo, who shook his head in response. Matim then raised his hands, singing alone,

"Beautiful girl, oh, the crescent moon reluctant to sink, draws the sprawling night sky.

Your hair unfurls, floating with me in the water, like a breeze from within my heart.

With my own hands, I smooth your waves, the sea falls into my palm. You blossom like a silver lotus on my fingertips!"

Then, the crowd erupted in laughter, singing together in the sea breeze,

"Beautiful girl, you ask me what is the sea? But I don’t know...

I sail the seas, standing barefoot on the beach, eagerly awaiting the dawn.

Turns out, the sea is a white vision, sparkling amidst the stones.

Blessed by the Holy Mother! Having crossed it, we come home again!..."

The exuberant singing went on all night. Amid the sailors’ celebratory song, Martin woke to pain. He moaned softly, rubbing his forehead vigorously. Then, he suddenly opened his eyes wide, touched his body back and front in terror, and then he heaved a heavy sigh of relief.

But soon, Martin felt a stabbing pain on his abdomen. Illuminated by the twilight, he tremblingly lifted the robe to inspect the tattoo and instantly his face turned ashen. After a long moment, the noble scholar muttered to himself, reciting a passage from the Bible, the Apocalypse, "Revelations."

"...Let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is six hundred sixty-six..."

"...The demon incarnate as a beast, inscribing the sign of evil. This is the count of the beast’s name, the demon’s code, shunned by the very essence of perfection, the irredeemable ’666’... Ah! The real demon, it turns out, is right here, among these mariners!..."

Martin’s voice took on a weeping tone. He was after all just a well-born, scholarly noble youth in his twenties.

"What should I do? Merciful Almighty, grant me a revelation, save me from the evil aboard this ship!"