https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1126-Tracing-the-Source-Seeking-Clues/13344349/
Chapter 1127: Entering the Game with Personal Involvement
Chapter 1127: Entering the Game with Personal Involvement
Chen Chuan, consulting the large map, noticed that the distribution of these sacrificial sites was very deliberate.
From the northern coast of Da Montes in the western shore to the southern coast of Suitonoy, almost all had sacrificial pits. Some areas had more, some had fewer.
Sometimes, sacrifices were repeatedly made at the same location, as if it were a particularly significant place.
According to the records, this process had been ongoing for a long time, dating back to over a hundred years ago, before the Great Alliance was even formed.
The records stated that at that time, the New Light Sect was a branch of the Secret Gate Sect, which later completely split off.
So it was a branch of the Secret Gate Sect...
Many thoughts raced through Chen Chuan's mind. Although the records didn't provide much information about this sect, he had some knowledge of it.
This was because, in the past, while studying the compilation of secret rituals, he had come across the Secret Gate Sect, an ancient and heretical cult originating from the western lands.
This sect believed that the world had a "Gate of Truth," and by opening this gate, people could obtain power and knowledge. However, this came at a cost, requiring the sacrifice of sufficient "precious items."
Sacrificing human lives was the most common method, as humans were the easiest to obtain as sacrificial materials. However, the upper echelons of the Secret Gate required the sacrifice of kings and nobles, with higher status being better. This led to the sect being suppressed by many other sects and nations, yet it managed to survive through the entire old era until it vanished with the arrival of the new era.
If the New Light Sect is a branch of the Secret Gate Sect, then it must have inherited a significant amount of knowledge. Despite being a heretical cult, the Secret Gate Sect had a well-developed system of secret rituals, which were later adopted by many other sects. Any study of ritual texts from various countries would be incomplete without this knowledge.
Returning to the map, although sacrificial sites were scattered everywhere, there were two blank areas on the entire western shore where no sacrifices had ever been made. One was Wei Asia, and the other was Arcana Continent in the north.
Wei Asia's Central City was understandable, being one of the five major continents of the Federation, the earliest point of population convergence, the essence of the western shore, and the City of Martial Arts. It was the most orderly place in the western shore, and the activities of heretical sects were highly restricted there.
Arcana Continent, on the other hand, was home to Kavatuya, where the richest areas were still under the control of the First People. The Central City there was the smallest in the Federation, with scarce resources, making it a peripheral area of the Federation. The New Light Sect might not have conducted sacrifices there for this reason.
However, there was another possibility: the New Light Sect might have wanted to do something there but couldn't.
Considering that the New Light Sect has been actively pushing for the extermination of the First People and has been a leading force in attacking Kavatuya, does this indicate that they are planning something there?
He took a pen and marked the locations discovered by Skalerson on the Federation map. If Kavatuya were included, these places seemed to form a connected area, with the radiation center pointing towards Wei Asia's Central City.
This looked like a large-scale secret ritual, but the scope was so vast that it seemed unrealistic.
After all, something like the Secret Treasury and the Star Spirit Throat already required most of a dynasty's resources, and that was just for a small area within a continent. For such a large-scale ritual, not only would the manpower and maintenance be enormous, but the materials required would be astronomical.
Even if the Federation were to mobilize its upper echelons and use all its national strength, it would take at least a decade to accomplish this. The New Light Sect, though not weak, was insignificant on a national scale, making this an unrealistic idea.
Therefore, the most likely explanation is a religious purpose. Of course, there might be other possibilities. However, the key is to first find Skalerson's whereabouts.
He examined the markings on the documents, trying to identify each one. Relying on the ink residue, he found a recently marked one.
The map showed a region with a suspected sacrificial site, located at the intersection of Suitonoy and Serranocea. There were additional markings on the map, which Skalerson mentioned as a clue. This suggested that the clue was likely there.
In that case, he needed to go there and check it out.
The location was not far from his current position; it would take only half a day by train.
However, as a member of the Da Shun delegation, he needed to apply to go there, which could take a few days, delaying his plans. The best approach would be to obtain a temporary assistance investigation certificate from the International Investigation Team.
This was based on the rules from the Great Alliance period, which required that if the investigation team found an issue, people in the surrounding area, regardless of nationality or race, had the obligation to participate and assist. With this certificate, he wouldn't need to wait and would have the authority to investigate.
Of course, if any problems arose, the investigation team would be responsible for them, so the International Investigation Team was very cautious about issuing such certificates.
He left his room and spoke to the head of the investigation team at the base, who said, "Mr. Chen, we have already prepared the certificate for you. If you are willing, you just need to sign it."
He gestured, and one of his subordinates promptly handed over a paper document.
Previously, he hadn't given it to Chen Chuan because he wasn't sure of Chen Chuan's intentions. Though the man was present, he might not have truly committed to the matter. Handing over the document casually could have made things awkward for both of them. Now that Chen Chuan had proactively asked for it, it was the perfect opportunity to hand it over.
Chen Chuan took the document, signed it, and asked, "When did Mr. Skalerson apply for international intervention in the investigation?"
The person in charge replied, "The day before the captain said he was looking for clues."
"Oh? It was only a day apart?" Chen Chuan mused, then asked, "How many people did Mr. Skalerson tell about the application for international intervention?"
The person in charge said, "He told us all. This is not something the captain can decide alone; it requires all of us to sign off on it."
Chen Chuan's eyes flickered, and he asked, "And when Mr. Skalerson said he was going to investigate, who else did he tell?"
The person in charge hesitated, then said, "Pretty much... everyone knows."
Chen Chuan nodded, looking at the assistance investigation form. Now he had a better understanding. Skalerson's application for international intervention might not have been his main goal.
Given how quickly the information spread, it would be naive to think the application could be submitted successfully without the Federation's intelligence system noticing. Following that, Skalerson immediately went to investigate, which practically gave people the opportunity to solve his problem. Especially since the two events were only a day apart, it was highly likely that this was just a strategy.
Skalerson might have used himself as bait, or even sacrificed himself to push the matter forward. This way, even without international intervention, it would be enough to draw attention from the investigation team and the international community, allowing Da Shun to officially express concern.
Indeed, this was Skalerson's style. For the safety of the world, he was willing to sacrifice himself.
Chen Chuan handed the form back to the person in charge and said, "Is this all right?"
The person in charge glanced at it and said, "Yes, Mr. Chen, it's fine."
Chen Chuan said, "Then let's set off as soon as possible. Time is limited."
Even with the assistance of the investigation, he would still be heavily restricted. In weaker regions and countries, he might have more time to investigate, but in a place like Da Shun or the Federation, he would have only three to four days of activity, and he couldn't enter the Central City during that time.
So, he needed to set off as soon as possible.
The person in charge asked, "Where should we go first, Mr. Chen?"
Chen Chuan took out a map, circled a location, and pointed to it, saying, "Let's go there first."
The person in charge looked at it and said in surprise, "Kashuo?"
In the language of the First People, this place meant "Black Swamp."
The person in charge didn't know how Chen Chuan had determined the location, but now they could only trust him. He immediately booked train tickets, and the group boarded the noon train to that location.
Given the urgency, a flying ship that could ignore terrain would have been the best option, but within the Federation, for safety reasons, fighters were not allowed to fly, even under the name of an international investigation team. So, they had to take the train.
Fortunately, the distance wasn't too far, and the train arrived at the station by evening.
To their delight, upon arriving, the investigation team found the contact signal left by Skalerson near the station.
This confirmed that he had indeed been there, and their investigation direction was correct. Everyone was immediately invigorated, feeling they now had a clear direction. Since finding him as soon as possible was crucial, they didn't rest but instead rented five off-road vehicles and headed straight for the Black Swamp.
After a four-hour drive, they finally reached the outskirts of the swamp. There were almost no signs of human presence nearby, and the road was very muddy, so they had to get out of the vehicles and walk.
Visibility was low in the darkness, and they all lit algae oil lamps, being very cautious. Even though they were fighters, a slight misstep could still lead to someone getting stuck in the swamp.
Chen Chuan glanced around and then pointed his finger, and a small white-gold light flew out from his fingertip, dispersing and hovering above their heads. Instantly, the surrounding area was illuminated as brightly as daylight.
Everyone looked at this scene and let out low exclamations of surprise, thinking that he truly was a fighter.
However, they didn't know that the technique of condensing the Soul Fire into a single point and maintaining it without dispersing was not something every fighter could achieve, even some of the Immortal Temple fighters might not be able to do it.
This was a skill Chen Chuan had mastered after gradually activating his heteromorphic organization, proving that his control over it had reached a new level.
Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Chen Chuan said, "Let's go." He held the Xuejun Blade and led the way forward.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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