https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-106-Lanchi-s-Provocation-Knows-No-Bounds/12584044/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-108-Lanchi-Establishes-a-Special-Task-Force-Overnight/12584046/
Chapter 107: Hubertian Thinks He's Slightly Insane
Chapter 107: Hubertian Thinks He's Slightly Insane
Within the tranquil grounds of the Ikelite Academy, the winding forest paths shine like emeralds, bathed in the golden light of autumn. Sunbeams filter through the leafy canopy, casting intricate patterns on the cobblestone paths.
Walking along this path leading to the School of Magic Engineering, Hubertian suddenly comes to a halt, her amber eyes wide with disbelief as she questions Cardinal Lanchi's sanity.
Her fingers clutch tightly at Lanchi's sleeve, as if afraid he might leap off a cliff at any moment.
"How... How can you even think of approaching the Cardinal of the Resurrection Church?"
Hubertian scans their surroundings cautiously, pulling Lanchi to the edge of the path before lowering her voice.
"This school... No, this world has never had a crazy student daring enough to seek out a bishop of the Resurrection Church!! And even if we take a step back, 'Seeking the Stone Tablet Holder' is certainly not a life-threatening thesis designed by Ikelite Academy for students to risk their lives!"
Hubertian is aware that others might be insane, but Lanchi's insanity is genuine; he means what he says and does.
She is both afraid to go and afraid to let Lanchi go alone on this reckless endeavor!
"I really think we can go all out. With the information blockade between the Northern and Southern Continents, we can disguise ourselves, change our identities, cross the sea to the Northern Continent, and infiltrate the Extinction Branch of the Resurrection Church."
Lanchi whispers conspiratorially to Hubertian, explaining his plan.
"By then, we'll find a way to utilize our strengths and gradually climb the ranks within the church, increasing our chances of meeting Bishop Askesang of the Extinction Branch."
The more he speaks, the more excited he becomes, as if he can't wait to embark on this planned thesis project,
"And, Hubertian, think about it. Since our alliance has the rule of observing the Stone Tablets, who knows, maybe the Resurrection Church also has a way for believers to observe the Cardinal's Stone Tablets!"
Hubertian is left dazed and confused, standing motionless for a moment.
She then shakes her head, rubbing her forehead.
Hubertian isn't sure if she has gone astray after spending so much time with Lanchi, or if Lanchi's proposal is genuinely feasible, making her feel that this plan is not much more dangerous than that night in the Demon Academy!
Between the Northern and Southern Continents lies the perilous Yu Yong Sea, a result of the failed 9th-tier Shadow World that caused a super-large-scale catastrophe a millennium ago, leaving magical turbulence that cannot be naturally degraded.
The turbulent magical storms along that sea route render spells almost ineffective and prevent the establishment of communication magic between the two continents. Information can only be exchanged through large merchant ships or strong individuals who brave the crossing.
So, for them to go to the Northern Continent is almost like appearing there out of thin air, as unknown newcomers.
If they can go one step further and capture a Resurrectionist from the Southern Continent to extract information and assume their identity, they might even be able to infiltrate the Resurrection Church in the Northern Continent under the guise of followers!
"...Lanchi, are you sure you want to choose this thesis topic?"
Hubertian swallows her saliva and asks Lanchi with a hint of apprehension.
"If you agree, then I want to choose it."
Lanchi nods, his eyes clear and resolute.
"..."
Hubertian bites her lower lip, feeling more and more uneasy.
Her concern is not about the danger they might face while infiltrating the Resurrection Church but rather that Lanchi is the source of danger himself.
She is also not worried about them being misunderstood by the Kingdom Alliance; there are already suspicions about them from the alliance.
What truly frightens Hubertian is—based on her experience—that once Lanchi enters such a lawless place, he will swiftly adapt, comprehend things that normal people cannot, and evolve into a terrifying state!
Hubertian is extremely worried about Lanchi's potential in this infiltration plan. What if he accidentally gains power and influence within the Resurrection Church and climbs to the higher echelons?
If that happens, the two of them will become notorious villains on the Northern Continent, and by the time they return to the Southern Continent, they might never be able to clear their names!
But as Hubertian looks into Lanchi's eyes, she realizes that even if she doesn't go with him, he will surely find an opportunity to seek out the Extinction Bishop.
She is even more uneasy about letting him embark on this reckless journey alone.
"I really can't help you... Fine, I'll go with you! Now, tell me, what's the plan?"
Hubertian agreed with a resigned expression, sighing. She knew that Lanchi must have something tricky up his sleeve.
"Hubertian, you understand the situation, right? As long as we can capture a member of the Resurrection Church from the Southern Continent, we can impersonate them and infiltrate the church in the Northern Continent much more easily."
Lanchi asked.
"Hmm, that's what I was thinking too, but how do we capture one of those elusive heretics?"
Hubertian nodded, her expression grave.
It was challenging enough to defeat these unpredictable heretics, let alone capture one and interrogate them. Even if they managed to capture one, there were kingdom laws prohibiting private trials of heretics due to cases where individuals had inadvertently fallen under the influence of the Resurrection Church through prolonged interaction.
The kingdom mandated that any captured heretics must be handed over to the authorities, prioritizing the safety of its citizens.
"Hubertian, I'm certain that there's a spy from the Resurrection Church among the students in our school. That's how they've been able to target us in the Shadow World."
Lanchi's expression gradually turned solemn.
The failure to catch this lawbreaker seemed to weigh on his mind. After their last encounter in the Shadow World, Lanchi realized that it was no coincidence that they kept running into Resurrection Church members targeting Hubertian. Someone within the academy was quietly keeping tabs on them and reporting their movements.
On the day they had headed towards the building sealing the Void Gate, the spy had used communication magic to transmit their intelligence to numerous church members. These members then coordinated their timings to maximize the chances of encountering Hubertian's Shadow World and attempt to assassinate her there.
"Do you want to capture that spy and interrogate them?"
Hubertian tensed up upon hearing this, a sense of unease creeping into her voice.
She had never felt any signs of being watched, but as Lanchi pointed out, there was undoubtedly someone within the academy leaking information to the Resurrection Church.
"Let's not worry about capturing that person for now. Even my teacher hasn't been able to find any trace of them."
Lanchi shook his head in frustration.
Previously, Lanchi had taken advantage of a rare good mood of Talia's to bring up the issue of a possible assassin from the Resurrection Church targeting him and Hubertian.
Although his intention had been partly to manipulate Talia into doing some work, he hadn't expected her to agree so readily to help investigate.
However, despite Talia's considerable skill, her discreet observations of Lanchi and Hubertian over a period of time had failed to uncover any signs of surveillance.
There was only one conclusion to be drawn.
The spy had seamlessly blended in with the student body, using the most basic and infallible method of observation—naturally and inconspicuously watching them in their daily lives.
This made it nearly impossible to find any traces of their activities, and even attempts at entrapment were unlikely to succeed.
As long as Lanchi and Hubertian ventured into the Shadow World, their intelligence would continue to be leaked to the Resurrection Church.
Hearing Lanchi's explanation, Hubertian felt a mix of tension and an inexplicable sense of relief. Just as she was starting to feel anxious about an invisible watcher that she couldn't counter, Lanchi had already anticipated this possibility and prepared countermeasures for various scenarios.
This feeling of having someone she could rely on brought back memories of her father.
"Next time, I should really go and thank your teacher in person..."
Hubertian said gratefully, but then hesitated, "However... if my presence would displease her, perhaps it would be better if you conveyed my thanks on my behalf..."
Although Hubertian was curious about the formidable individual who could control a student like Lanchi, she realized upon further thought that not everyone would share Lanchi's friendly attitude towards demons. Her unannounced visit as a demon, despised by humans, might only serve to upset Lanchi's teacher.
(End of Chapter)
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