Chapter 359: The Goddess of the Night

Chapter 359: The Goddess of the Night

Amidst the entwined pale bodies, Xiu's reason was shattered by unimaginable pleasure, her mind wavering between heaven and hell, blank and empty.

"Don't be so passive. Interrogation is just a process; the ultimate goal is to extract the truth. You should be the one in control of this interrogation."

As her muddled mind struggled to regain control, Xiu heard a distant voice, and the actions on her body paused. The overwhelming pleasure subsided slightly, allowing her to regain a sliver of consciousness in the ocean of ecstasy.

Her blurred vision shifted, and she felt herself rise above, becoming the one in control. She tried to take command of her body, but after several failed attempts, she continued to crave more uncontrollably.

At that moment, she felt a cold object being placed in her hand.

"Follow me and repeat the ancient Hermetic words."

A series of mystical phrases echoed in her ears. Xiu bit her tongue hard, the pain bringing her more clarity. She stammered the words.

"Here... heave... endurance increases, sensation... decreases!"

The powerful Command was executed, turning the enclosed room into a separate realm. Xiu instantly regained her clarity, and reason reasserted itself as the master of her body.

Only then did she see the person beneath her, grinning with a teasing and ambiguous smile. A wave of shame washed over her. She looked down at the cold object in her hand, recognizing it as an intricately designed brooch.

Luke explained, "This is a new artifact I created. The main material is the Extraordinary Trait of the Sequence 4 Arbiter, from Admiral Amelius, the Supreme Commander of the Soniah Sea."

He named this artifact the Command Brooch, discarding most of the Lawmage's abilities that negate negative states, retaining only the core Command ability.

Xiu's thoughts grew more chaotic as countless questions swirled in her mind:

"Are you really the assassin who killed the Backlund ambassador? What was your motive? Aren't you a Sequence 7 Magician on the Seer Path? How could you defeat a demigod? What are you really trying to do? What is your ultimate goal?"

"You know what to do."

Luke braced himself on the bed with both hands, leaning up, a smirk on his lips.

"There's something special about me that can help you digest quickly, but the method must be correct to be effective."

Just as a Joyful Witch knowing the entire history of the universe doesn't help with digestion, and an Ancient Scholar indulging in nightly revelry doesn't enhance the digestion of magic potions.

Xiu pursed her lips. Her father was a high-ranking official in Intelligence Nine, and with Luke's guidance, she understood the clear and progressive process of the Arbiter path.

At Sequence 9, the Arbiter passively waits for disputes to arise, arbitrating them fairly and impartially. At Sequence 8, the Constable actively governs a region, maintaining order by capturing criminals. At Sequence 7, the Inquisitor interrogates and tortures captured criminals to extract the truth. At Sequence 6, the Judge pronounces judgment once the truth is known. At Sequence 5, the Punishment Knight enforces the judgment.

Above Sequence 4, one must manage and govern large territories to digest the Extraordinary Trait. The Arbiter path is most suitable for the royal lineage, or those in positions of power.

Xiu sensed something, feeling that Luke wanted to help her not only advance to the Inquisitor role but also to the Judge and Punishment Knight roles.

This way, once she obtained the Extraordinary Trait, her advancement would be swift.

She took a deep breath, her face flushed with determination. Her arms, smooth and white, pressed against the man's chest as she lifted her body, her tone firm.

"I understand. I will extract every last secret from you, pronounce a severe punishment, and execute it myself."

"Good, I'll be watching."

Luke's lips curved into a provocative arc, his eyes narrowing, giving off a dangerous, predatory vibe.

The night was still long.

...

The next morning, at dawn.

Fors rubbed her eyes as she got out of bed, glancing at the adjacent room. She vaguely heard a weak female voice from inside, seemingly reciting some kind of "prohibition."

She was truly energetic. Yesterday, she spent half a day with her, and then stayed up all night with Xiu, and they played quite a bit.

Fors inwardly marveled, recalling the bone-melting experience from yesterday. Her heart trembled, and she shook her head to clear her mind of the chaotic thoughts.

She regretfully looked at the empty dining table, then returned to her room, dressed neatly before the mirror, and prepared to go out for some fresh air, seeking a moment of peace.

When she opened the door again, the commotion in the next room had ceased, and there was already a figure slouched on the sofa, smoking.

"Is Xiu okay?"

"Pretty good, just tired and fell asleep."

Luke crossed his legs and furrowed his brows, his voice low. "She'll be fine after a good rest."

Feeling the tension in the air, Fors cautiously probed, "You don't seem to be in the best mood?"

"A little, but it's nothing."

He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray, took a deep breath, and tried to calm his irritability.

If a "Punishment Knight" of Sequence 5 wanted to take on a role seriously, it would be better to let him suffer a bit. If he acted entirely according to his own wishes, the role-playing might not be effective.

In the second half, Xiu grasped the essence of torment and used the "No Climax Allowed" command. Although he could have broken it, he didn't resist to help Xiu's performance.

Luke calmed down and looked at Fors. "Where do you usually go for fun?"

"It's not for fun, it's for inspiration... Can you call a writer's work fun?"

Fors blushed and argued a bit, then mumbled, "I usually go to a regular tavern for a drink, randomly pick a few restaurants on the street to taste local delicacies, and go to musicals or plays..."

Her voice grew a bit louder. "Sometimes I spend a few sols to hear stories from random passersby. You know, it's the details that are the most touching."

"Right, don't go out today. Stay home and take care of Xiu."

"Okay."

Fors nodded obediently. Anyway, she usually just wandered around when she went out.

Luke pondered for a moment. "When you have time, help me with a visit to the Steam Church."

Fors was taken aback. "You mean the Saint Hilland Church? I can go soon, I don't have much to do anyway."

"No." Luke shook his head. "No need to go out of your way. Just go when you feel like it, as you normally would."

Fors estimated in her mind. "That might take a while. I usually don't go more than once a month. Are you sure it won't delay your affairs?"

"It's not urgent."

Luke stood up, put on his tuxedo, and said casually, "I have something to do today and won't be back for lunch."

"Okay, be careful on the way."

Fors said it without thinking. Seeing the slightly odd look on Luke's face, she realized their conversation felt strange, like a wife sending off her husband to work.

Luke grinned and spread his hands. "How about a goodbye kiss?"

"No, that's too intimate."

Fors instinctively refused, but her gaze lingered on his thin lips, momentarily lost in thought. Before she realized it, she had leaned in.

"Good girl, only the ones who know how to be affectionate get well-fed."

Luke smoothed Fors's hair, then thought for a moment. "You can come to Xiu's room tonight if you want. I'm sure you can get in, right?"

Fors felt her heart skip a beat and swallowed hard. "You don't mean what I think you mean, do you?"

"Yes, no pressure, it's up to you."

Fors glared at him, her tone odd. "Why do I feel like you've become very... very promiscuous in the past two days?"

What a way to put it!

Luke chuckled and rubbed his chin. "Well... I've advanced, and I'm digesting my Extraordinary Trait. This is how I role-play."

Fors closed her mouth. If it was role-playing, there was nothing she could do about it.

But a Fortune Teller of Sequence 6 should be a "Faceless." The name doesn't suggest such a role, does it? Is the Soothsayer Path really that chaotic?

She remembered that higher Sequence beings on Luke's pathway could influence lower ones, especially those at the top. Could it be that the top being of the Fortune Teller pathway is a lecherous old man?

Click—

The sound of the door closing snapped Fors out of her strange thoughts. She came to her senses, casually picked a novel from the bookshelf, and walked to Xiu's room.

Let Xiu read "The Dog Chasing Monks"!

...

The sunlight was particularly abundant today, and the fog in Barkland had dissipated, making it look much clearer than usual.

Luke shielded his eyes from the glaring sun, hailed a carriage, and said calmly, "To Queens District."

He passed through the guard's stiff salute and arrived at Laribaron's mansion. The butler, who had been instructed by the master, ushered Luke into the drawing room and then quietly withdrew.

There were already over a dozen guests seated in the drawing room, chatting familiarly. Each was a noble with a title, mostly Barons, with a couple of Viscounts.

The nobles, who had risen to their feet as Luke entered, bowed respectfully, performing a complex yet graceful greeting.

After advancing to Sequence 6, he could now carry the "Xenoman" Divine Blessing to a greater extent, allowing him to remotely control the modified individuals as carriers, or transfer the "Omni-Hand" soul-altering power to others, accelerating the infiltration of the lower echelons of power.

A virus with a long incubation period, no obvious symptoms, and a critical outbreak point began to brew slowly and steadily.

Luke didn’t have high expectations for these pawns. His original plan was to gradually infiltrate the middle echelons of power, slowly gaining control over the Ruen Kingdom’s discourse.

The upper echelons, consisting of the royal family, marquises, and dukes, were either powerful high-Sequence ability users themselves or under the surveillance of the "Psychic Alchemists", making them difficult to target. The lower echelons, on the other hand, were too numerous and diverse, and the more people he controlled, the higher the risk of discovery.

The middle echelons, including barons and viscounts, played crucial roles in the parliament, courts, and military, serving as intermediaries. Infiltrating them would quietly sever the connection between the top and bottom layers, allowing him to issue direct orders to the lower ranks, with a manageable number of people to control.

The idea was sound, but implementation was fraught with challenges.

The upper echelons wouldn’t relinquish their power easily. The laws and regulations were still decided by them, and their decrees weren’t always issued through a chain of command, making it easy to be caught if he tried to deceive or hide his actions.

The key was that this world possessed Extraordinary Traits. The royal family included Archangels, Angels, and multiple Saints, and the "Arbiter" and "Lawyer" pathways had the ability to monitor rules, detecting any discrepancies immediately.

Thus, these pawns could only add to his strength, but the main focus was still on Luke himself gaining enough power to overthrow the royal rule.

Or, perhaps, he could seek assistance to a certain extent?

Luke silently turned his gaze to the northern district.

...

St. Samuel Cathedral.

After leaving Queens District, Luke took a carriage to the largest cathedral dedicated to the Goddess of the Night in the Ruen Kingdom, outside of the Tranquil Cathedral headquarters.

He looked at the solemn and majestic cathedral, his brown eyes gleaming with an indescribable light. The entrance seemed unusually dark, as if the sunlight couldn’t penetrate, with only the faint sound of a priest’s sermon echoing from within.

After a moment’s hesitation, Luke stepped inside.

—

The sound vanished.

The moment he entered the cathedral, silence engulfed everything. The bustling streets, the footsteps of passersby, the prayers, and the sermons—all were reduced to silence.

The cathedral was empty, with no one in the prayer rooms or at the front, which was highly unusual for one of the three main headquarters of the Ruen Kingdom’s churches.

Luke, seemingly oblivious to this anomaly, continued forward. He stopped before the holy emblem adorned with stars, the night sky, and a crimson moon, silently invoking the name of the Goddess of the Night.

“She is the Goddess of the Night, more exalted than the stars, more enduring than eternity. She is the Mistress of the Crimson, the Mother of Secrets, the Queen of Calamity and Fear, the Lord of Sleep and Silence.”

There was no response; everything remained unchanged, enveloped in eternal silence.

Luke waited for a moment, then spoke in a deep voice, “I have received your kindness and am willing to give you a chance to communicate. Are you sure you want to give up?”

After a few breaths, Luke turned and left without hesitation.

Just as he took a step outside, the surroundings suddenly grew dark. In the reflection on the stone floor, Luke saw his body like a pencil sketch being rapidly erased.

A point of light appeared in the darkness, and when his vision cleared, he found himself in an ancient, weathered palace with many cracks in the stone walls.

The cracks and broken windows, the deep and cold night, and the thick fog created a dim environment. Rays of starlight pierced through the fog, illuminating the palace and the vague outlines of the town surrounding it.

Deep within the palace stood a massive, worn stone throne, and on it, a faint figure.

The figure was female, wearing a layered yet not overly complex dark black dress adorned with countless sparkling stars. Two additional arms grew from her ribs and waist, covered in deep black fur.

The Goddess of the Night, Amaneysis!

Her voice was gentle and soothing, as if lulling someone to sleep.

“As you wish, I have come to see you.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end