Chapter 366: Plucking Feathers

Chapter 366: Plucking Feathers

Facing Uncle Lu’s attempt to get something for nothing, Bernadette’s expression quickly turned calm. After a brief silence, she spoke in a detached tone:

“As far as I know, the royal family and the three major churches have signed a pact, limiting each king to no higher than Sequence 5.”

Lu Ke laughed, shaking his head as he seated himself and gestured to the opposite chair.

“Don’t stand there. Let’s sit down and talk.”

Bernadette remained standing, her azure eyes fixed on Lu Ke, her posture as resolute as ever.

Lu Ke didn’t insist, pouring himself a cup of tea and casually replying:

“The Arbiter is the creator and mediator of rules, while the Lawyer is the Shadow of Rules, the shadow of Order. Do you think they can’t find loopholes in the pact?”

These two paths belonged to Lu Ke’s late predecessor, the Last Son, the Son of Chaos.

When most Outer Gods were barred from the Earth by the barrier, the Son of Chaos, being torn apart, was the first to reach Earth. The remaining part of the Undefined Mist was the only Outer God capable of directly transmitting power through the barrier.

In terms of manipulating rules, He was even more skilled than the Lord of Mysterium.

Bernadette remained unmoved. “Even if George Iii truly wants to become a god, what does that have to do with him? He’s long dead.”

The “he” naturally referred to the Emperor of Rossel.

Due to his later years being tainted by the Fallen Mother Goddess, Rossel’s actions became increasingly radical and extreme. To achieve his ascension, he did many things that disappointed Bernadette, leading this once-admiring daughter to lose all respect for him and refuse to call him “father.”

Lu Ke glanced at the unusually calm Bernadette, knowing she was trying to draw information from him. He didn’t hide anything, knowing he had to offer something before she would trust him.

“The Black Emperor’s Sequence 0 ritual involves having one’s own kingdom, linking one’s name with the title of Emperor to become a common knowledge among the people, and establishing a complex yet abnormal set of rules.”

“Then, secretly have the people build nine pyramid-like tombs, enter one of them, and during a sacrificial ceremony involving the majority of the population across different cities, consume the Sequence 0 elixir.”

“You should be familiar with this process.”

Bernadette’s eyes flickered, understanding some previously incomprehensible matters. She calmly looked at Lu Ke, waiting for him to continue.

“The Black Emperor has a powerful characteristic: once he becomes a god, even if he dies, he can be reborn in one of the nine tombs. Even if all nine tombs are destroyed, as long as the established Order remains, he can return.”

Lu Ke tapped the table rhythmically, the sound echoing softly.

“Back then, the eight tombs Rossel built were destroyed, but one remains hidden and undiscovered. However, there was a problem that halted the resurrection process, but he can still revive.”

“Provided no new Black Emperor has been born.”

Bernadette suddenly recalled George Iii’s recent implementation of various new policies, many of which seemed ineffective but had a strong personal style, much like Rossel’s behavior in his later years.

She maintained her composure, her voice soft:

“You need to provide sufficient evidence for me to believe you.”

“What kind of evidence do you need?”

“The location of the last tomb.”

“...”

Lu Ke’s lips twitched, his plans nearly unraveling.

He wanted to take advantage of this niece, but she was also trying to take advantage of him.

“I’m not unwilling to tell you, but the island is severely polluted. Even an angel would face significant risks exploring it.”

“Then I can’t believe you.”

Bernadette’s brows arched, her tone resolute.

Lu Ke sighed, smiling. “How about this: I’ll teach you a simple way to verify it. Go and assassinate George Iii now. If he’s already a Sequence 1 Prince of Sequence, you’ll know.”

Bernadette: “...”

She silently gazed westward, toward a distant place, her expression wistful. After a while, she refocused, her demeanor once again resolute.

“What do you want? An Extraordinary Trait, a Sealed Artifact, or some secret maritime information?”

Lu Ke bluntly stated his demand: “I want the Sequence 4 Mystic’s Extraordinary Trait from you. Jiajia Huang is an undercover agent in the Moos Brotherhood, so she won’t need it anyway.”

Jiajia Huang?

Bernadette’s brows furrowed for a moment, then she realized Lu Ke was referring to Catherine, the Admiral of the Stars, who considered her a surrogate mother.

“Fine.”

Bernadette paused, reciting a difficult name before asking:

"Why do you call Catherine 'Jiajia Huang'?"

Lu Ke propped his elbow on the table, supporting his chin. "Do you know your father's real name?"

Bernadette's expression froze for a moment. "Roselle Gustav isn't his real name?"

Lu Ke smiled but didn't answer, gesturing to the chair opposite him and repeating his earlier words:

"Let's talk, sit down."

Bernadette gave a long, appraising look at this exceptionally young and handsome "uncle" and formed a preliminary impression—mysterious, dominant, and full of control, much like herself. After a few seconds, she crossed her long legs and obediently sat down.

In a situation where both parties were strong, one side refusing to yield would lead to a stalemate. She had been searching for her father's information for far too long and had just suffered a significant setback, so she decided to comply for now.

Only then did Lu Ke show a hint of satisfaction and answer her question:

"It's not that he didn't, but his original name wasn't Roselle Gustav. It was 'Huang Tao.' 'Huang' is the surname, and 'Tao' is the given name, the opposite of how you name things here."

"So you and Catherine can have other names, Beibei Huang and Jiajia Huang."

"Huang Tao... Beibei Huang..."

Bernadette repeated the names a few times, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. "If this is the naming convention, why didn't he call himself Huang Tao Tao?"

Lu Ke's lips curved into a smile. "In our homeland, most men don't use repeated names, and your father wasn't one of the few who did."

Bernadette pressed her lips together, her blue eyes looking at Lu Ke. "What is your name?"

"Lu Ke."

Bernadette silently pondered this name, a glint of understanding in her eyes. "What does the word he taught me mean?"

"A place of the heart and spirit, a land one cannot easily part with."

Lu Ke explained in Intis, "The word means 'homeland.'"

Bernadette opened her mouth, her expression complex, and after a moment, she asked softly:

"So you and he are from the same place."

Lu Ke stroked his chin. "I'm a bit different from others, but you can think of it that way."

Bernadette sharply picked up on the keyword "others", her gaze sharpening. "Besides you, are there others who are his... countrymen?"

"Yes, and they're all quite famous."

Lu Ke's lips curved into a smile, his voice calm but with a hint of interest.

"Like the only surviving ancient god, the 'Duke of Demons' Fapti, one of the seven major deities, the 'Goddess of Night' Amaneisis, and the 'Ancient Sun God' who ended the rule of the ancient gods..."

As for Klein, given that he was still a developing youngling, weak and helpless, and lacking any real power, Lu Ke didn't mention him.

Bernadette's usually calm demeanor finally wavered. The grandeur of these beings was enough to move even the "Mystic Queen", her face showing a mix of shock and awe.

Her father, Roselle Gustav, had invented the steam engine and countless other technologies that surpassed his time, driving historical progress and earning the title "Son of Steam." He later founded the Intis Republic and became its first president, making Intis stronger than the other three major powers during his tenure.

But among these people, he seemed to be only average?

She fixed her gaze on this "Uncle Lu" and asked in a low voice:

"What are you?"

Lu Ke slowly sipped his tea, his tone casual. "You'll only have the right to know after becoming a Sequence 2."

Bernadette involuntarily clenched her hand. As a Sequence 3 "Secret Seeker", she knew enough about "knowledge" to understand that certain "knowledge" could be corrupting.

Knowledge that only an angel could bear!

She finally understood why the "Secret Seeker's Eye" could backfire and why this man, who was only a Sequence 5 "Secret Gate", could talk about helping her deal with George Iii.

This being was just a minor part of some greater existence!

Before she could calm her tumultuous heart, the man beside her spoke with a hint of shyness.

"But your advancement might be delayed because I need the 'Sage's Diadem' too."

Bernadette: "..."

The "Sage's Diadem" was one of Bernadette's "0" level Sealed Artifacts, crafted from the Extraordinary Trait of a Sequence 2 "Sage" in the Secret Seeker pathway. It was the main ingredient for the Magic potion she was preparing for her own advancement.

As the eldest daughter of the Emperor of Roselle, the leader of the secret organization "Dawn of Elements", the owner of the "Dawn", and one of the four queens of the sea, Bernadette had a particularly substantial inheritance.

Sealed Artifacts and Extraordinary Traits that a typical Sequence 3 Saint would never have, she not only possessed but owned three of them, along with countless other artifacts. Her wealth even surpassed that of most Sequence 1 Archangels, making her a prime example of a wealthy woman.

This was one of the reasons Lu Ke chose to seek her out.

Sequence 3 shouldn’t be too powerful. He has a solid foundation, an Extraordinary Trait that suits him, and clear weaknesses, as well as a shared goal: George Iii.

Lu Ke coughed lightly, feeling a bit embarrassed to take something from a junior.

Good thing he has a thick skin!

No worries!

“It’s all for saving your father. Understand that.”

Bernadette fell silent again.

The "Mystic" of Sequence 4 is manageable. Higher Sequence Extraordinary Traits inherently include the abilities of previous Sequences, so taking them wouldn’t have a significant impact.

But the "Sage's Diadem" is crucial for her advancement...

She pondered for a moment, then raised her head, her bold eyebrows arching.

“Fine, but only after you kill George Iii. Additionally, I want a portion of the ‘Prince of Sequence’ Extraordinary Trait.”

As long as Sequence 1 remains, it will ensure that the three required parts of Sequence 1 and the uniqueness needed for the godhood ritual cannot be gathered, preventing a new ‘Black Emperor’ from emerging.

Lu Ke only agreed partially: “I can give you a portion of the ‘Prince of Sequence’ Extraordinary Trait, but I need the Sage’s Diadem now.”

Bernadette’s azure eyes scrutinized Lu Ke for several seconds before she slowly nodded.

“Deal.”

She extended her right hand, quickly tracing luminous words in the air, opening a “Secret Gate” that seemed to lead deep into the Spirit Realm.

As the “Secret Gate” opened, a gust of wind blew out, forming a man with a human upper body and a lower body of swirling air, wrapped in white cloth.

“Sage’s Diadem.” Bernadette commanded, her tone calm yet authoritative.

The man obediently responded, retrieving a piece of jewelry from the white cloth wrapped around his body.

The core of the jewelry was a vertical eye embedded with a “diamond,” radiating pure light, giving a sense of extraordinary sanctity and wisdom, yet also appearing cold and devoid of warmth.

Bernadette examined the Sage’s Diadem, which had accompanied her for so long, then lowered her eyes and handed it to Lu Ke.

“How do you plan to extract the ‘Mystic’ Extraordinary Trait?”

Generally, only Angels can freely extract their Extraordinary Traits. The “Sun” pathway can assist in removing Extraordinary Traits starting from Sequence 4, but it lacks precision. Another method is theft through the “Thief” pathway.

“I’ll do it myself.”

A clear light flashed in Lu Ke’s eyes, and his body turned transparent, as if ascending to another dimension. He extended his arm, which penetrated Bernadette’s chest.

The discomfort of having her soul extracted caused Bernadette to frown. She felt her Extraordinary Trait, which had been deeply integrated with her soul, “betray” her. The Sequence 4 Extraordinary Trait began to reject her and instead gravitated towards a stranger.

Swish—

The transparent arm withdrew, and in his palm lay a substance of indeterminate nature, shimmering with a dreamlike hue—the ‘Mystic’ Extraordinary Trait.

Lu Ke’s body fell back into the physical plane, solidifying once more. He pocketed the Extraordinary Trait and smiled.

“Pleasure doing business with you.”

Bernadette, catching her breath, ignored him and walked away.

At least for now, she didn’t want to see this man.

“Wait.”

Before she could leave, Lu Ke’s voice rang out again.

Bernadette pursed her lips, turned around, and spoke coolly, “What else?”

Lu Ke scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed, “Actually, I was hoping to borrow your ‘Wishing Lamp’ temporarily. Just temporarily.”

“Out of the question.”

Bernadette’s gaze turned cold, surprised that Lu Ke knew about the ‘Wishing Lamp,’ and she firmly refused.

“Alright, I guess you can handle the interruption in your father’s resurrection process on your own.”

Lu Ke offered a friendly reminder, “Even as a True God, the ‘Black Emperor’ couldn’t solve this problem, but you, my capable niece, should have no trouble with it.”

“...”

“I’m just being overprotective.”

“...”

“Let’s go. Remember to visit Uncle often.”

Bernadette took a deep breath, flipped her hand, and produced a golden object that resembled a miniature water pot with a wick extending from its spout.

“Don’t make more than two wishes. The third wish will result in your gruesome death.”

Bernadette threw the lamp at Lu Ke with a forceful gesture and vanished without a moment’s hesitation.

If she stayed any longer, she felt she might have to leave her last ‘0’-level Sealed Artifact behind.

Lu Ke watched Bernadette’s retreating back with a slight sigh of regret, then smiled warmly, looking at the intricately patterned lamp in his hand.

“Bro, you’re with me from now on.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end