Chapter 364: Joining
Chapter 364: Joining
In the depths of an ancient, forgotten ruin, Mr. A, a hooded figure with a feminine allure, stood silently in the shadows, as still as a clay statue.
He touched his rounded earlobe, and a delicate, intricately crafted pin, unlike anything from the Rune Kingdom, adorned his chest. It was set with a gemstone as clear as glass.
After an indeterminate amount of time, a ripple, like water, appeared on the surface of a full-length mirror in the room. Then, a slender figure in a white robe emerged from the mirror.
Pannadia, the Demi-goddess of the Barkeland Witch Cult, a Sequence 4 "Despair Witch" and the mastermind behind the "Barkeland Great Smog" incident, revealed her gentle face and small ears, her voice soft and melodious.
"Mr. A, it's been a while. What brings you to us?"
"Please wait a moment, Lady Despair. We'll discuss it once the representative from the Rune Kingdom Royal Family arrives."
Mr. A replied expressionlessly.
A moment later, a man with a golden, ornate mask appeared in the air, defying the laws of physics. His voice was stern and cold.
"I've said before, don't contact me unless it's important!"
Facing two demi-gods, Mr. A, a mere Sequence 5 "Shepherd", remained exceptionally calm, showing no fear or hesitation.
"I only contact you for important matters. The plan needs some minor adjustments."
"More changes?"
The man with the golden mask snorted, his imposing presence like a sharp sword, piercing Mr. A's face, his voice icy.
"The Witch Cult's divine-favored hostage didn't arrive in Barkeland on time. You, the Aurora Society, attacked high-ranking military officials. Now you want to change the plan again?"
He lifted his head. "The Rune Kingdom Royal Family has many secret organizations to collaborate with. Do you think we can't do without you?"
An ordinary Sequence 5 might have been intimidated, but as a "Shepherd" with maxed-out attributes and a divine envoy of the Aurora Society, who has been continuously exposed to the corruption of the True Creator, the mere authority of a "Law Mage" could not shake him.
"If the Aurora Society is too afraid to provoke the authorities, who would believe we were responsible for the subsequent terror? Additionally, I hope you understand that we are partners, not subordinates. Don't treat me the way the Royal Family treats its underlings. If you continue this attitude, the Aurora Society can choose not to bear your sins."
"There's no need to argue over such trivial matters. Let's get to the point."
Lady Despair frowned, interrupting the tense conversation and acting as a mediator.
George Iii used the "Conqueror" Extraordinary Trait to collaborate with the Witch Cult, having them and the Aurora Society cause large-scale population deaths to cover up the disappearances needed for the construction of a divine tomb. All the sins would be borne by the Aurora Society. Once everything was accomplished, the Witch Cult would receive the "Conqueror" Extraordinary Trait, the Aurora Society would use the accumulated resentment and harvested lives to summon the True Creator, and the Royal Family would gain a large workforce for the tomb's construction—a win-win situation for all.
Mr. A spoke with a detached tone. "The plan needs to be moved up. We can start in a month."
Lady Despair's expression turned surprised. Setting up the ritual for the True Creator's arrival required a vast amount of resentment, lives, and flesh for the sacrifice. These most devoted madmen were not providing the best environment for their master's arrival?
"I have no issues with that, but are you sure we can gather enough resentment in a month to complete the ritual and summon your lord?"
"Enough."
Mr. A's lips curled into a faint smile, his eyes revealing a deep-seated satisfaction.
A bunch of fools, they have no idea that my wise lord has long broken free from the Seven Gods' seal and walks the earth. They are being deceived by the surface-level ritual!
"Absolutely not."
The man with the golden mask spoke firmly. "A month is too rushed. We won't be able to gather enough people to build the tomb, and the schedule will be tight."
Mr. A, who had anticipated this, shook his head.
"Do you remember the strange celestial phenomenon from a little over half a month ago? After that, all the major churches and most secret organizations on both the southern and northern continents increased their patrols and investigations significantly."
"If you want your actions to go unnoticed by the public and the three major churches, it's best to agree to the early start."
"This..."
The man with the golden mask hesitated, Mr. A's words making sense.
"But then the number of people might not be enough."
Mr. A spoke calmly, "The vagrants you've captured wouldn't attract much attention even if they died. They don't have healthy, strong bodies, so naturally, they work much slower."
"If you could find doctors to treat their illnesses, provide them with enough food, warm clothing, and adequate rest, their efficiency would naturally improve."
"..."
The man in the gold mask was momentarily speechless.
As a "Constable" of the Rune Kingdom, an enforcer responsible for ensuring public safety, he was actually being advised by a notorious Aurora Society divine messenger, known for worshipping evil gods, to treat the captured civilians better?
If it weren't for the "Law Mage's" unparalleled insight, which confirmed Mr. A's identity, he would have suspected that Mr. A had been replaced by something else.
"These words don't sound like something a divine messenger of the Aurora Society would say."
Mr. A ignored the sarcasm, clasping his hands together with a look of devotion and longing, as if he were ready to sacrifice his life at any moment.
He whispered in praise, "God loves all, and everything the Lord does is a test."
Only then did Despair Witch and the representative of the Rune Kingdom Royal Family withdraw their gaze, no longer scrutinizing Mr. A with suspicious eyes.
"The True Creator is a mad deity, and the Aurora Society is infamous for its fanaticism. It's not unusual for them to occasionally say something out of character."
"Calling in doctors and preparing more supplies is too tedious. I will use the 'Law' to drain their lives, making them work beyond their limits."
The Law Mage, with a gold mask, spoke with a tone that showed utter disregard for life: "After all, those people will be needed to be buried with the tomb to keep the secret."
He stepped back and vanished into a spatial rift that appeared behind him.
"The Royal demigods are truly arrogant and self-important."
Despair Witch smiled and shook her head, walking toward the Mirror. Just as she was about to step into the reflective surface, she suddenly stopped, turned around, and gave Mr. A a half-smile, her eyes filled with an ambiguous expression, her voice soft.
"Your words just now seemed to be guiding the Royal representative to say something. Is that so?"
Mr. A lifted his head slightly, his face, more beautiful than most women, remained expressionless.
Despair Witch, lips curled, fixed her gaze on the delicate pendant around Mr. A's neck.
"As someone who knows how to dress well, I'm quite sensitive to the attire of those I know. In our previous meetings, you didn't seem to wear anything like this."
Her question was accompanied by a cold frost that slowly spread across the ground. Despair Witch stepped forward, her smile sweet and flirtatious.
"Is there something hidden inside it, hmm?"
Mr. A did not argue, simply pulling off the pendant and tossing it to her.
Such an open attitude made Despair Witch furrow her brow, slightly surprised, and unsure if she had been wrong.
She caressed the pendant, sensing for any abnormalities, but found nothing particularly unusual. She smiled and threw it back.
"Sorry, I was wrong. However, I don't think you will truly bind yourselves to the Royal Family."
She sighed with a smile, "Once the matter is resolved, the Royal Family will surely expel us when we are no longer useful. At that time, the Witch Cult and the Aurora Society might not be unable to cooperate."
"We'll see."
Mr. A replied coldly, silently adding in his mind.
If the Witch Cult has any future.
He put the pendant back on, and an ancient, translucent book appeared before him. A distant, ethereal voice followed:
"I come, I see, I record."
The book flipped rapidly, stopping on a page that emitted a faint, ethereal blue light, enveloping him entirely.
...
In the secret organization's room in Barkeland, Luke sat in the chair Mr. A had previously occupied, his legs crossed and swinging leisurely. A figure quickly materialized in the void before him.
It was Mr. A, wearing a hood.
As soon as he appeared, he knelt without hesitation, removing the peculiar ornament used to draw attention, and placed his right hand over his earlobe, hidden by the shadowed hood, gripping it tightly.
Rip—
The ear, along with a stream of blood, was torn off. Mr. A, seemingly unfazed by the pain, extracted a small, round bead from his ear, trembling as he offered it.
Luke took the bead, infusing it with a thread of Spiritual Energy. The bead instantly glowed, displaying the scene Mr. A had just experienced in the air.
Evidence of the Rune Kingdom Royal Family's collusion with the cult was now in hand, and these things would be useful in critical moments.
He nodded in satisfaction, praising, "Well done."
"Being able to contribute my meager strength to the Lord is my honor."
Mr. A's breathing grew heavier, and he knelt even lower, his face pressed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably, which made Luke feel a bit uncomfortable.
What kind of people has the True Creator turned his subordinates into...
It was a bit twisted!
He glanced at the dimming sky, pocketed the beads, and was about to leave when he heard Mr. A's devout prayer.
"Great Lord, when can I pray to you again? I have been very distressed these past few days without hearing your holy words."
Since the Lord's avatar revealed its identity, it had forbidden him from praying to the true form. The Lord had its own plans, and he neither dared nor was worthy to question the reason. However, for a devout believer, not receiving the Lord's guidance was especially painful.
Luke gave the fanatically devout man a cryptic look, lifted his chin, and chuckled.
"Don't worry, once everything is over, I'll send you to the divine realm to be by the Lord's side forever."
...
At seven in the evening, the moon was obscured by clouds and fog, appearing pale and dim.
Luke walked through the moonlight back to his apartment in the Zouwude district.
Pushing open the door, the bright gaslight illuminated the living room. Fors was curled up on the sofa like a lazy leopard, seemingly asleep. Xiu, absorbed in a book, looked up with a focused expression.
The scene, bathed in the warm, yellow light, was tinged with a touch of warmth.
"You're back. Have you eaten?"
Xiu briefly put down her book and smiled at him.
"Yes, I've eaten."
Luke sat down on the sofa, feeling the soft cushion envelop his body, and closed his eyes.
Today had been rather busy. In the morning, he had a tense negotiation with the Goddess of the Night. At noon, he ascended to Sequence 5, "Mystic Master", and released the Red Angel Wraith, Medici. In the afternoon, he attended a Tarot Club gathering and made plans to meet with Aurelia.
Feeling he still had some time, he visited Mr. A again, using his identity to gather evidence of the Rune Kingdom Royal Family's criminal activities.
His body wasn't too tired, but his mind was somewhat fatigued.
While Luke rested with his eyes closed, Xiu walked behind him and gently massaged his shoulders, trying to ease his weariness.
"I thought you might be scared."
During the "interrogation", Luke had told Xiu about his plan to overthrow the royal family and take control of the Rune Kingdom, unifying the continent.
A normal person would find this idea so outrageous that it defied sanity.
"If you can do it, why should I be afraid? And if you can't, why should I be afraid?"
Xiu's tone was calm, but her expression became solemn and dignified as she spoke earnestly.
"Besides, I want to do something for this country."
As an Arbiter, she had witnessed too many unjust events. The world needed a fair judge who could ensure the majority followed the law.
She wasn't sure if she could satisfy the majority, but she would certainly be better than the current one. Why not give it a try?
After a moment of silence, Xiu stopped massaging and spoke in a gentler tone than usual.
"Go take a shower and rest in bed."
"Okay."
Luke nodded, took some clean clothes, and went into the bathroom to wash up. When he came out, he saw a large lump under the bedcovers.
Xiu poked her head out, her snow-white shoulders bare, the sternness from earlier replaced by a shy, girlish demeanor.
"I didn't let you have your way this morning. I heard it's bad for your health."
Luke was momentarily taken aback, feeling a bit guilty. He had already found a way to release his tension, and he had already absorbed the Extraordinary Trait of the Pleasure Witch. It seemed unnecessary...
But no, he didn't become a Pleasure Witch just for the pleasure; he chose to become one because he enjoyed it. The cause and effect couldn't be reversed!
With that thought, Luke felt at ease, pulled off the towel, and slowly climbed into bed, hugging Xiu from behind. Her body was warm and trembling.
In the sounds of weeping and sighs, mingled with satisfaction and joy, he nuzzled her head contentedly.
"You're in a great mood today, Xiu."
Xiu shook her head, her face red as if it would bleed, all thanks to that strange book Fors had given her!
In the dreamy, dim light, her sweat-soaked arm reached out to turn off the kerosene lamp, but it was caught by another hand halfway. After a brief struggle, it was helplessly pulled back.
In the intoxicating pleasure, Xiu's legs wrapped around Luke's lean waist, but the wild movements left her with no strength to resist. Just as she was about to succumb, she suddenly saw Fors walk through the locked door, causing her body to tense up, overwhelmed by shame.
"Ah!"
Her breathing grew heavier, and she looked at Fors with tears in her eyes, feeling particularly embarrassed.
"Fors, why... why did you come in again?"
Her friend licked her lips and approached the bed with an excited look, squeezing in between them.
"Don't worry, Xiu, I'm not here to interrupt."
(End of Chapter)
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