Chapter 221: Undercurrents Surging
Lumianna's mouth twitched slightly after hearing Nimrod's words, because based on her understanding of Ms. Magician, such a thing was entirely possible—
She could always feel a kind of, hmm, if Lumianna were to describe it using the words her sister taught her, then Ms. Magician possessed a damnably, fatally relaxed vibe.
Lumianna sighed slightly, appearing somewhat helpless: "Alright, Godfather, I will write to Ms. Magician immediately."
Nimrod's mouth curled slightly, and he leaned back into the chair beside him, saying with a faint smile: "Since Ms. Magician hasn't arranged the next stage of tasks for you, and is instead prepared to let you develop freely, then I have a suggestion."
Lumianna cast her gaze over, using this to express her inquiry.
Nimrod cleared his throat and stated the plan he had long prepared: "What you lack the most right now is time. Digesting potions requires time, and performing rituals also requires time. Not to mention, if you include the 'Demoness' potion, the energy and time you need to spend digesting potions will be even greater."
"I can grant you the time you need."
Nimrod said to Lumianna.
Lumianna clearly heard the hidden meaning in Nimrod's words; she was silent for a moment before saying to Nimrod: "Please just tell me directly what you need me to do."
"Godfather, I am no longer one of those children who cannot recognize reality. This kind of gift involving a high Sequence—it always comes with a significant price, doesn't it?"
"Parasitism."
Nimrod said pointedly, without any intention of concealing it: "After I parasitize someone, that person can be regarded as an extension of my body. I have taught you the abilities of a 'Parasite'; you can choose for yourself whether to be parasitized by me."
"I give you the freedom to choose."
Nimrod looked at his goddaughter, waiting for her answer.
His gaze landed on Lumianna, piercing through her body and landing on the "Termiboros" within her.
As an old-school Parasite, it was impossible for Amon not to raise an objection in the guise of "Termiboros."
"I do not believe you can accept this proposal." Amon, disguised as "Termiboros," said in a grand, layered voice: "Allowing a Parasite to parasitize your own body is no different from placing your life in someone else's hands."
Could it be said that I am not already placing my life in someone else's hands right now?
Boiling emotions rose in Lumianna's heart. Lumianna closed her eyes, forcibly suppressing her emotions.
She knew that when "Termiboros" opened its mouth to say such things to her, her emotions would inevitably be stirred up.
Under the instigation of "Termiboros" just now, anger toward the gods who had previously arranged her fate involuntarily surfaced in Lumianna's heart.
"Termiboros" was absolutely untrustworthy, but—what about Godfather?
Lumianna opened her eyes, having already made up her mind.
She was not prepared to question Nimrod's motives, because if he only wanted to parasitize her, he had too many, far too many opportunities to have done so in secret—
Lumianna felt that although she had the "Fool's" Seal on her and possessed the status of an Angel, in front of Nimrod, who was highly suspected of having the same status as the "Fool," such special traits seemed unable to have any effect.
Moreover, for Lumianna, questioning Nimrod's motives was no different from questioning the Foundation of her entire journey.
This was—the person who had redeemed her, her Lord, second only to her sister.
"I am willing to accept your gift."
Lumianna looked at Nimrod, her tone steady. A hint of flame color seeped into her lake-blue eyes: "Godfather, where is our next battlefield?"
Where is our next battlefield to resist the gods?
Nimrod tapped the armrest beside him lightly: "We are going to—the Berserk Sea."
"But before that, we need to make some preparations."
On the outskirts of Backlund, "Despair Nightingale" Panatia opened her eyes from the Darkness. She scanned the surrounding scenery, and upon hearing that the previously deafening thunder had become extremely faint in her ears, the corners of Despair Nightingale's mouth curled slightly, unable to hide her smile: "As expected, when it involves their Lord, the people of the Aurora Order are truly reliable—"
She had originally prepared for the Aurora Order to break their promise, but she hadn't expected that Mr. A of the Aurora Order would actually fulfill the agreement.
"However, what is this place?"
She blinked her eyes, and the night vision ability brought by the Demoness allowed her to immediately see everything around her. This place seemed to be a mausoleum.
This mausoleum seemed to have been abandoned. Whether it was the candle stands that looked rusted from years of weathering or the corpses on the ground that had already been air-dried, all of it proved that this place had been visited by grave robbers many times.
Despair Nightingale walked forward in a good mood. Before leaving, she didn't forget to glance at the opened coffin, and only after confirming there was no danger did she leave the tomb chamber.
Her spirituality intuition gave her absolutely no warning.
However, just at this moment, Despair Nightingale saw a faint light flicker in the distance. Although it was weak, it truly and definitely caused a hint of vigilance to rise in Despair Nightingale's heart.
Upon seeing this faint light, she quietly spread mystical pathogens into the surroundings. This enclosed space was simply the perfect place for a Demoness of Despair to unleash Beyonder powers—
But the next moment, a sense of horror rose in Despair Nightingale's heart. The mystical pathogens she had just released seemed to freeze in the air simultaneously, and then, quite contrary to common sense, they "turned" toward her, as if they were eyes staring at her.
Despair Nightingale stood stiffly in place, seemingly resisting something. After a while, she reached out, took a monocle from the void, and placed it on her face.
Amon walked forward, and a "Demoness of Despair" characteristic precipitated, falling into his hand.
"Who exactly is the person who has mastered Sefirah Castle?"
"The mausoleum I left in Backlund has also been destroyed by someone—"
This doubt surfaced in Amon's heart, but at that moment, as if He had sensed something, He reached out slightly, and a note was pinched in His hand.
Looking at the words on it, the corners of Amon's mouth slowly curled up, revealing an indescribable smile.
"Borrowing a Clone, do not disturb."
"—Interesting."
Amon moved his gaze away from the note in his hand, twisted his wrist, and disappeared from his mausoleum.
Although none of the things he originally wanted to do upon coming to Backlund had been completed—his mausoleum had been destroyed, and his Clone had even self-destructed—Amon felt that at the very least, he wouldn't be without things to do for the next period of time.
Whether it was investigating the true identity of the True Creator, tracing that piece of history, or searching for the current controller of Sefirah Castle—these were all things Amon would do next.
With this thought, Amon immediately cast his gaze into the distance.
The Berserk Sea—the place where Salinger fell. If the True Creator wanted to stabilize his state, he would also need to head to the Southern Continent—
The Paranoid is also secretly cooperating with George III, planning to become a god—
And also, those remnants in the Eastern Continent who once believed in Father—
The information on Pallez Zoroast and those potential controllers of Sefirah Castle—
In an instant, all the Amons were mobilized.
"—Now, I will send you back to Tingen."
Klein was in a state of chaos at this moment, and intense curiosity and suspicion toward the Evernight Goddess and even all the gods had risen in his heart.
He listened to Arianna's words and nodded gloomily.
The surrounding scenery did not change even a little bit; Ms. Arianna seemed to have simply lifted the concealment—
Klein suspected that he hadn't noticed the Spirit World traversal Ms. Arianna had performed; everything had been hidden by the power of concealment.
He turned his head to look around. The crimson moonlight shone on the street, and the familiar scenery reflected in Klein's eyes, making Klein feel for a moment as if he were in a dream.
This was Tingen, the "home" he had after coming to this world.
He walked slowly forward under the illumination of the streetlights, the swaying lamp light emitting a warm glow on both sides of the street.
Klein's pace involuntarily quickened, and he trotted toward the front.
The Beyonder's physical fitness allowed Klein to cross several streets in a very short time. The familiar scenery appeared before Klein's eyes, causing Klein to involuntarily slow his pace.
He recalled the time when he, Benson, and Melissa were moving in Tingen City.
The three of them moved things trip after trip. Although they were very tired, the feeling when they stood on the balcony—even for Klein, who was once a Transmigrator, it was unforgettable for a lifetime.
He had indeed found the feeling of home here.
Klein's pace gradually slowed down; he walked step by step until he reached the door of his home.
He was slightly hesitant about whether to open the door directly—when he went to Winter County, he didn't carry the key to the house with him, and climbing in from the outside would inevitably disturb Benson and Melissa, waking them from their sleep.
Klein suppressed his emotions for a moment, and after taking several deep breaths, he slowly turned around, preparing to first go to the Blackthorn Security Company, which had been rebuilt with the government's assistance, to greet the Nighthawks currently in charge here.
But just at this moment, a subtle sound of unlocking came from behind the door. The step Klein had already taken suddenly stopped in mid-air. His ears twitched, and he heard a small voice: "Has Klein returned?"
"No, it seems not." Benson sighed and replied: "Melissa, I haven't received any news from the Church. Klein is currently executing a secret mission and won't be coming back just like that—"
Melissa seemed somewhat dejected, and just as she was about to nod and go back, she heard a voice from outside the door: "Benson, Melissa!"
Klein suppressed his tone as much as possible so that he wouldn't disturb the neighbors late at night. But it was hard to hide the excitement in Klein's voice, and at the same time they heard Klein's voice, Benson and Melissa also cast their gaze toward the door.
"Klein?" Melissa's tone was also infused with excitement, and she subconsciously wanted to go forward to open the door. But Benson pressed down on Melissa's shoulder and quickly took a gun from his bosom, holding it in his hand.
"To prevent it from being someone disguised as Klein."
Benson's movements paused, and he said calmly. Unlike Melissa, he was more aware of the composition of the Nighthawks and the existence of Beyonders. After all, after resigning from his original company, Benson had already joined the Nighthawks, becoming a clerical member of the Nighthawks.
Now, Benson also understood why Klein had been able to get such a good job in a short period of time and change the situation of their Family—it had nothing to do with any archaeological company; it was purely that the treatment of the Nighthawks was really good.
Benson even calculated simply and discovered that Klein had at least secretly hidden a sum of private money.
But precisely because of this, Benson, as a clerical member of the Nighthawks, also knew the danger Klein was facing now, so necessary precautions were also indispensable.
Melissa nodded and let Benson open the door first. After confirming that the person before them was indeed Klein, she walked over quickly with some joy and called out softly: "Brother, Klein! You, why did you suddenly come back?"
Klein opened his arms and hugged his siblings.
"—It's alright now." He gently stroked the top of Melissa's head and said softly to Melissa: "My previous mission has ended, and this time I should be staying here for a while longer."
"It will be the New Year soon." Melissa muttered in a low voice, seemingly just mentioning it casually, but it fell into Klein's ears.
His heart stirred.
New Year—this time, it seemed he could indeed spend the New Year with Benson and Melissa.
In another week, it would be the New Year, bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new.
By the Harvest Church, Emlyn White, dressed in a priest's robe, stirred the medicine, concocting a potion to treat the plague.
"You look a bit absent-minded."
Just at this moment, a voice came from beside Emlyn, and Father Utravsky said to him.
Emlyn hesitated for a moment, and the "revelation" he had previously received from the Sanguine Family surfaced in his heart—just two days ago, Emlyn had suddenly learned from others in the Family—that he was the savior of the Sanguine.
And the Ancestor had given him a task. The content of the task was very simple, but also very dangerous: it was to pray to an existence named the "Fool."
But any Beyonder who understood the Beyonder world knew that praying to an unknown, hidden existence was truly a matter that was too dangerous, which was also the reason for Emlyn's hesitation.
"Stop for now."
Father Utravsky said to Emlyn: "A guest wishes to see you."
Chapter 222: Ringing Out the Old, Ringing In the New (End)
"Guest?"
Emelyn spoke with some confusion, but he still followed Father Utravsky toward the interior of the church.
What kind of guest could possibly want to see me?
Could it be that some Sanguine have discovered me here?
Emelyn's heart suddenly skipped a beat. He immediately quickened his pace to keep up with Father Utravsky, moving rapidly through the corridor, looking quite anxious.
Without a doubt, Emelyn was very aware of his social circle. Unless his doll had come to life, there was no reason for anyone to seek him out, aside from his parents.
But his parents already knew Emelyn was here—although they didn't quite understand his well-considered decision to worship the Earth Mother, they still supported his freedom of belief.
And he had already accidentally let slip a few things about the Earth Mother during Sanguine gatherings—could it be that some Sanguine had discovered he was volunteering here and were coming to mock him?!
That was very possible, especially since he had just become the "Savior" appointed by the Progenitor!
It must have been that bastard who leaked it!
At the thought of this, Emelyn's movements became somewhat stiff. However, he just let out a breath and walked forward, albeit a bit rigidly.
However, what he saw was not anyone he had imagined—it was a young man with black hair and black eyes.
"Hello."
The black-haired, black-eyed youth smiled and greeted Emelyn with a relaxed tone. After doing so, he nodded gently, toyed with a monocle between his fingertips for a moment, and then placed it on his face.
For some reason, Emelyn White felt a chill rise in his heart. He subconsciously looked toward Father Utravsky, using his gaze to inquire about the visitor's identity.
"Forgot who I am?"
Ning Lu smiled. The monocle on his face had been removed at some point, but suddenly, a white mask appeared in his hand.
He pressed the mask onto his face, causing his features to change rapidly:
It was as if his face had suddenly aged by more than a dozen years; he went from young to mature. Both his facial contours and the details of his features had changed into a completely different appearance.
He had become "Hugues Artois".
Upon seeing the person before him suddenly change his appearance, Emelyn White's first reaction was a horror akin to seeing a ghost story come true. However, Emelyn was, after all, a Sequence 7 Beyonder, so he quickly reacted and asked Ning Lu with slight hesitation: "You are—the person from last time?"
For Emelyn, the experience with this person last time was quite profound. After all, under this person's guidance, the sentence Father Utravsky had uttered, "The psychological suggestion I left was only to make you return here every day," had truly caused him significant trauma.
He had originally thought the psychological suggestion left by Father Utravsky would turn him into a devout Believer of the Earth Mother, but he had been resisting with all his might; this was his pride and dignity as a Sanguine.
But once that sentence came out, the flavor of the situation immediately changed—
Emelyn took a deep breath. His gaze clearly flickered with evasion, and a heat caused by embarrassment appeared on his face.
In short, he was blushing.
After a long while, he spoke to Ning Lu with annoyance: "Fine, what is the matter that you've come specifically to find me?"
Ning Lu did not answer Emelyn's question. Instead, he turned his head and looked toward Father Utravsky beside him: "Father Utravsky, I hope to speak with Mr. Emelyn White alone about some subsequent matters—is he a member of the Church of the Earth Mother now?"
"He has not officially joined the Church of the Earth Mother, but he has indeed felt the joy of life and chosen to worship the Earth Mother."
Father Utravsky's tone was gentle, with a faint smile on his face: "Whether they are Believers or non-Believers, those who come to the Church of the Earth Mother for medical treatment are all grateful to him—this gentleman is a very good 'Apothecary'."
Hearing what Father Utravsky said, the resistance in Emelyn's heart suddenly diminished, replaced by a sense of pride.
After Father Utravsky closed the door, Emelyn quickly took two steps forward and sat down, facing Ning Lu: "Can you say it now?"
Ning Lu did not answer. He simply reached into his pocket, pulled out something that looked like a playing card, pressed it onto the table, and pushed it toward Emelyn White.
Emelyn subconsciously took the card pushed in front of him. The moment he flipped it over, his gaze froze:
The card depicted a youth wearing various gorgeous ornaments and looking naive—this was the "Fool" card from the tarot cards.
The Fool—Emelyn White, who had been troubled in his heart lately because of the Progenitor's revelation, could not help but associate this card with information about the "Fool" and the task of praying to the Fool.
Suddenly, he slammed the card face down on the table, his tone serious but slightly trembling: "I, I don't understand what you mean!"
Emelyn looks quite naive right now—Ning Lu felt a strange sense of being a high-level player smurfing in a low-level match. He did not answer immediately but instead crossed his hands in front of his chin, and only then did he speak to Emelyn unhurriedly: "The Progenitor's revelation, isn't it?"
Upon hearing the word "Progenitor", Emelyn could no longer hold it together: "How do you know about this?"
Could it be that there was a traitor within the Sanguine who specifically leaked this news?
Emelyn's brain raced, but for a moment, he couldn't think of any potential suspects.
He felt that it was unlikely anyone would choose to be a traitor and betray the Sanguine!
But just then, Ning Lu chuckled and advised Emelyn: "Don't misunderstand. I learned the information through proper channels—the Sanguine Progenitor Lilith has a certain connection to the one I worship, which is why I can know who the future'Savior' of the Sanguine is—"
The current Emelyn White was in his rebellious phase. Ning Lu had two reasons for choosing him: not only were the current Sun, Moon, and Star trio very easy to trick onto the ship, but the existence of an Apothecary was simply too useful.
Even if Ning Lu himself did not fear death, Klein, Lumian, and the others would always get hurt.
Physical damage was often linked to loss of control, and for low-Sequence Beyonders, bacteria and infections could also damage their bodies.
"So."
Ning Lu paused for a moment, then continued to bluff—no, he sincerely offered his advice: "You can follow your Progenitor's revelation and pray to the Fool. My partner and I are planning a long-term operation, and we hope to invite you to join in."
"If you are worried that praying to the Fool will cause some dangerous things to happen, you can also pray directly to the Fool here. Ah, please don't worry about whether the Earth Mother will rain down divine punishment upon you—"
Ning Lu deliberately drew out his tone and, watching the expression on Emelyn's face as he looked at him, chuckled: "I think sending you here was also an arrangement by your Progenitor."
After saying that, Ning Lu stood up without hesitation, and after bidding farewell to Emelyn White, he pushed the door open and left.
Emelyn White remained in a daze throughout the entire encounter, and it wasn't until Father Utravsky walked into the room that he finally snapped out of it.
"He really left—"
Suddenly, Emelyn shuddered and stood up reflexively, shouting toward the door: "Father Utravsky! I want to borrow the church's prayer room!"
Several days later.
"I won't get involved in your family matters. After the New Year is over, you can come find me separately—I have already contacted our few 'teammates'."
"By the way, you can borrow the cookware I used. Since you finally have a chance to spend some time with your family, show them your skills."
Watching Ning Lu decline his invitation, Klein felt a bit regretful but could understand.
Compared to himself, this fellow countryman of his was truly a loner in this world, and his relationship with Benson and Melissa was not close enough, so inviting him to the Moretti home was indeed not a good idea.
But after the New Year—Klein had an idea in his heart. He turned around and walked toward the bustling market.
After his wallet had gradually plumped up, his standards for buying and selecting ingredients had indeed improved quite a bit. And since he had been responsible for the meals for the few people at the Detective Agency during this time, his culinary skills had also grown significantly.
So, shouldn't I let Benson and Melissa taste the dishes from my hometown? Well, it can also be considered a way to cherish the memory of my homeland before the Transmigration—
I've even thought of the reason for how I learned these dishes; I'll just say that when I was in Backlund, I came into contact with an Intis chef and learned some things from him—
No, that's not right. Benson and Melissa know I went to Backlund to carry out a mission; they won't believe I had time to cook every day—
Although I really did cook quite a lot—
In that case, I'll just shift the blame onto Ning Lu.
Klein happily decided on the target for shifting the blame, then carried the iron pot he had gotten from Ning Lu, wearing his trench coat and soft hat, and submerged himself in the noise of hawking vendors and enthusiastic conversation.
After walking a few steps, Klein's gaze shifted to the shops on the side of the street. With a smile in his eyes, he turned his direction first and went into a shop to buy a beer and two ginger beers.
December 31st, night.
Audrey Hall was wearing a gown, waiting for the start of the New Year's ball.
Even for this noble young lady, her attire today could definitely be considered dressed to the nines. However, the corners of Audrey's mouth were slightly pursed, and she didn't seem to have much anticipation for the New Year's ball.
"Royalty, Demoness Sect, slave trade—"
Audrey thought silently in her heart, and for a moment, a slightly uncomfortable feeling emerged.
If even the "Augustus" who formulated the laws could ruthlessly wield the butcher's knife against his own people, then what in this kingdom was truly just?
Audrey felt she needed some time to calm down; otherwise, if she wore a "mask" to attend the nobles' balls every day, Audrey felt that one day she would walk down the path of losing control because she had violated her own beliefs.
She was unwilling to accept such an ending.
She couldn't help but think of the invitation from Mr. Lovers once again—Audrey began to be glad that she had agreed to participate in this long-term mission.
"Don't worry."
A voice came from the shadows beside Audrey. Ning Lu, who was not wearing his monocle, said softly to Audrey, whose expression was somewhat stiff: "I will let you come back to take a look every so often."
No, Mr. Lovers, I just think it is truly too frightening for you to appear here so suddenly.
Audrey sighed slightly in her heart, but then she remembered that the Mr. Lovers before her was the first demigod powerhouse in the Tarot Club, so she quickly adjusted her mindset. With the mindset of facing those archbishops and royal members at the center of power, she said: "I was just startled."
"Understandable," Ning Lu said casually. "After all, many people have been frightened by a Parasite. Compared to other Pathways, Error is indeed both strange and terrifying."
For example, a certain Miss Hazel who did not wish to reveal her name; she was currently still receiving psychological counseling at the church and would likely develop into an informant for the Church of the Evernight afterward.
Knock, knock, knock. A knock on the door suddenly rang out.
Hearing this knock, the corners of Ning Lu's mouth curled up slightly, and his body quickly disappeared into the air: "I will come find you after your coming-of-age ball is over."
"Also, as a partner in the Tarot Club, I must wish you—Happy coming-of-age, Justice. I hope you can find the Justice in your heart soon."
Audrey was just about to answer when she saw her parents push the door open and begin to praise Audrey's beauty: "Your beauty surpasses everyone tonight, darling. It's time to go; the Queen is waiting for you."
The Queen, huh—thinking of the Queen, information related to George III flashed through Audrey's mind again. Her lips curled up, revealing an impeccable smile, just as if she had put on a mask: "I have looked forward to this day for a long time."
17
"I am very happy."
In the night, fireworks drifted everywhere.
Piece after piece of dreamlike light fell from the sky, just like drops of brilliant rain.
A slight sizzling sound ignited in a room. Dozens of flames, like raindrops, hung upside down from the dome of this ruin, illuminating two iron-black thrones.
Ning Lu held a wine glass filled with a bright red liquid in his hand and shook it gently. This bright red wine glass reflected Ning Lu's face—or rather, "Amon's" face.
Looking at this face that had nothing to do with his former self, Ning Lu raised his glass gently toward the figure beside him and touched it virtually in the air.
On the other throne, the phantom of the Celestial Worthy smiled, raised his hand, made a gesture of virtually holding a wine glass, and replied to Ning Lu with a sentence: "Cheers."
After doing this, the Celestial Worthy looked at Ning Lu, who had stood up, and his tone held a bit more curiosity: "What are you planning to do?"
"I've thought about it, and I still don't intend to leave this place here."
Ning Lu did not directly answer the Celestial Worthy's question. Instead, he walked a few steps toward the back, bypassed the two iron-black thrones, and stood behind them: "Besides, I have a premonition—this place might have some use later."
"Use? Perhaps."
The Celestial Worthy nodded and added: "Sometimes, do not rely too much on fate, my compatriot. Even if I am a 'Beacon of Destiny', I have no way to fully control fate."
Ning Lu turned his face and glanced at the Celestial Worthy, and for a rare moment, he did not ignore his words: "Is this your reminder?"
"Ha, you believe me?" The Celestial Worthy smiled, but he also rarely did not answer Ning Lu's question with a lie that was nine parts true and one part false: "This is my advice."
"No god wants that split and aggregated, crazy and rational 'King' to descend into this world again."
Ning Lu nodded gently, stretched out his wrist, and pressed it onto the ground.
Following the twist of his wrist, gray mist emerged from the edges of the iron-black hall.
Then it slowly spread inward.
Volume 2 "Ambitionist", End.
Volume 2 Afterword
This volume has 103 chapters and approximately 420,000 words. Overall, I feel much more comfortable and adept compared to the first volume.
"The Ambitious" refers to the protagonist, as well as the Outer Gods and their Believers, and can even include the ordinary people of Backlund.
Using an Outer God's Sequence as the title for this volume naturally carries a certain ironic meaning.
The Outer God Believers who harbor malice towards their own kind are ultimately consumed by an even greater malice, but the "half-Celestial Worthy" who possesses humanity is willing to protect the ordinary people whom the high-ranking beings view as burdens and expendable materials. I personally find this quite compelling.
In this volume, all the characters I focused on depict hints of their own ambition: Nimrod is to become a god, Klein is to go home, and Audrey is Justice.
Does it seem like these are just normal pursuits and goals? But in reality, for everyone in this world, wanting to maintain their original intention is not a simple matter; it can absolutely be called ambition.
Furthermore, for ordinary people—hmm, not just those in the East Borough—their ambition is to "live well."
The reason I say not just those in the East Borough is because, in the face of the impending and inevitable war, no ordinary person, or even any Beyonder, can remain aloof.
Now, let's talk about the shortcomings of this volume. I didn't spend much ink on the parts concerning the commoners, which led to the final theme not being well expressed.
In the future, I will try to use more foreshadowing and try my best to make every character come alive.
Hmm, having said that, I still feel quite ashamed.
Because some characters in the previous volume were not written with enough depth or quality, I can only improve by practicing more and learning more.
I dare not say how much I can update every day now, because I have a lot of things to do. When I have fewer things to do, I have three or four hours a day to write; when I have more, I can only ensure about 2 hours of writing time. I can only say that as long as I have time, I will try to write as much as possible, increasing the update frequency while ensuring quality.
At the same time, I want to share some good news with everyone: compared to when the book was first published, the average subscription count has nearly doubled. Although it is still a long way from being a "bestseller," at least I can earn the full attendance bonus and won't starve to death.
Therefore, I will seriously finish writing this book. I am also very grateful to everyone who fed Monthly Tiger with monthly tickets and recommendation votes. You are all Monthly Tiger's benefactors, and without you, Monthly Tiger would not have been able to persist until now.
By the way, I'll post the reader group (although it's quite quiet).
Monthly Tiger's General Store: 704662798
Chapter 223: White Agate
Bright sunlight shone down from the sky, and the sea breeze dispersed the haze of Backlund — thousands had died in the disaster before the New Year, and even more suffered from various illnesses.
It must be said that even though the "True Creator" Grisha protected a large number of the poor, the diseases spread by that demigod-level Witch were truly eroding their lives.
Fortunately, the few Workhouses opened by Nimrod provided help to some, slowing the rate at which their lives withered away.
At Pritz Harbor, giant ships were lined up quietly in the port. Nimrod looked at the "Fried Company" logo on the ships, turned around, and said to the young girl beside him, "It's about time, let's go."
"Alright, Godfather."
Lumianna held a beer glass in one hand and gulped down the beer inside, her posture appearing quite unrefined.
Finishing the liquid in the glass, she coughed and spoke with a tone full of longing for the upcoming journey, "I never thought I would have a day where I set sail ———— "
"The sea in 1350, do you think it's possible I might meet Gehrman Sparrow?"
Lumianna's tone was quite excited. Even when she was Lumian, she had been a hardcore fan of the great adventurer Gehrman, so naturally, she was thrilled to have the chance to see her idol.
At this moment, two guests resided within Lumianna's body; one was a Worm of Time, and the other was also a Worm of Time.
However, one was Amon, who was strictly sealed by the Fool, and the other was Nimrod's "parasite." Nimrod could bring those he parasited back to the 1350 Lord of the Mysteries World, and Lumianna, being shallowly parasited, naturally counted as someone parasited by Nimrod.
And the Nimrod standing beside Lumianna who had just spoken was another one of his Clones.
"Gehrman Sparrow ———— " The corners of Nimrod's mouth curled up slightly. He didn't answer directly but walked toward the door, "Of course there's a chance."
Lumianna let out a "Heh," and quickly followed, appearing to be filled with a bright and sunny disposition.
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Of course, this was ignoring the well-hidden trace of blood-red in the depths of her eyes, which was the suppressed madness of her emotions.
As a "Witch," Lumianna had a better ability to control her emotions — negative emotions were constantly accumulating in her heart, but at least now she could control them and release them when needed.
The two walked along the seaside road for a distance, and after presenting a ticket, they officially entered the Rose Wharf of Pritz Harbor.
At the Rose Wharf, the azure seawater rippled wave after wave from the depths of the ocean, eventually forming rolling whitecaps. Lumianna watched the surging waves crashing against the shore and followed Nimrod up the boarding ladder.
The ships of this era had a distinct, characteristic Steam Era style, possessing both sails and smokestacks, and each side had 12 cannons. It didn't look like a ship for transporting passengers, but rather more like a warship with combat capabilities.
However, the sea in this era was indeed quite dangerous. Such a configuration only allowed the ship to protect itself against the plundering of some small pirate groups. It couldn't resist if it encountered a true large pirate group, or no, even just a medium-sized one.
Even if the captain of this ship was a mid-Sequence Beyonder, it was the same, because even a Sequence 6 "Zombie" couldn't remain intact under the bombardment of cannonballs.
Stepping onto the deck, Nimrod scanned the surroundings and reminded Lumianna beside him, "When you meet the partners for the next period, don't show anyone that you come from another world."
"This is not the history of The World you are from, it is truly another world — many gods are watching the sea. You don't have enough anti-divination on you, and I cannot be sure if you speaking will attract the attention of certain hidden existences."
Lumianna was originally wearing relatively neutral clothing, with a trench coat draped over it, her hair tied up simply and draped behind her in a capable manner — she had tied her hair very loosely, specifically so she could utilize the strands to play a sufficient role during combat.
This was one of the combat techniques of a "Witch."
"Don't worry, Godfather." Lumianna responded quickly, "I won't forget why I came here, I definitely won't cause any extra trouble!"
The main reason she came here was to buy herself enough time. Playing a "Witch" wasn't hard, but it wasn't simple either. She estimated that if there were sufficient opportunities for acting, she could probably complete the digestion during these few days on the ship.
Of course, this was on the premise of encountering enthusiastically helpful consumables—pui, helpful pirates.
Nimrod didn't answer, just nodded gently, and then continued along the deck toward the interior of the ship. Guided by the crew, they entered the cabin and went into the first-class room.
The first-class room was quite luxurious, with a thirty-square-meter living room, a master bedroom, three servant rooms, and an independent washroom.
After looking around the living room, Lumianna carried her items and quickly walked into a servant room, which caught Nimrod's attention, and he asked suspiciously, "What are you doing? I remember I bought a ticket for you too."
He now had substantial assets, with liquid funds even exceeding Audrey, who was a little rich woman, so he naturally wasn't short of this money.
This is the blessing I get after not being an evil god ———— Nimrod's appearance remained calm, with a smile on his face, but he silently complained in his heart.
There is no evil god whose economic status is good!
Can I say it's because I'm used to staying at the Golden Rooster Inn? Hearing the voices coming from her ears and inside her body simultaneously, Lumianna gave a dry laugh, losing her previous gangster boss demeanor, "Used to it, used to it ———— "
She quickly took out the key she had gotten from the crew earlier and opened the door opposite.
While opening the door, Lumianna also deliberately observed the few rooms around her. There were no traces of anyone living in these rooms, and her nose twitched, confirming one fact:
She and Godfather were the first batch of adventurers to arrive here!
Before being brought here by Godfather, Lumianna had specifically asked about the Sequences and genders of the several companions. Except for her and Godfather, the remaining companions were two men and two women, all of whom were Beyonders above Sequence 7.
After putting down her daily necessities, Lumianna's gaze gradually deepened, and her thoughts drifted to the tavern on the ship.
On the ship, Lumianna couldn't actively perform her acting, because that would mean she needed to actively commit murders, which was quite easy to be discovered. Not only because it wasn't worth the loss, but also because she wasn't willing to do so.
However, she wasn't worried or anxious about this, because six Beyonders, with the highest at demigod and the lowest at Sequence 7, were gathered together. The Extraordinary Aggregation Principle plus Godfather's "Fate" and the "Fate" on herself ———— pardon her for speaking frankly, but she felt that if nothing happened on this journey, it would be too disrespectful to their Pathways.
After a while, Lumianna heard the sound of a door opening outside. Nimrod's calm voice came from within her, "They are here. Come to my place for a brief gathering, I'll introduce you all."
Lumianna's heart stirred, and she quickly said, "Alright, I'm coming right away."
She took a deep breath, stood up, and while putting the key into her pocket, she locked the door as she went out.
Although she didn't care that much about the items she left in the room, she had hidden a set of black robes and a crystal ball for playing the Witch in the room, and it wouldn't be good if these two things were dug out by someone.
After doing all this, Lumianna twisted off a strand of hair with her fingers, inserted it into the keyhole, and quickly whispered a spell.
Now, as long as someone opened her door, they would be possessed by this not-so-serious curse, letting Lumianna know who had invaded her "territory."
This was the self-cultivation of a Hunter ———— She smiled quite proudly in her heart and walked into the room opposite.
Nimrod's room was "308." The six first-class tickets from "305" to "310" had all been booked by the group, both for convenient communication and for guarding against enemies.
Lumianna pushed open the door. The fresh sea breeze immediately poured in from outside the window because the door and window were opened at the same time. The bright sunlight spilled onto the floor, appearing to have a rather leisurely and comfortable mood.
At this time, two people were already sitting in Nimrod's room. One was a blonde lady wearing clothing similar to Lumianna's that could conceal body features, also covering her face and leaving only a pair of green eyes visible.
The other was a handsome young man with bright red eyes, whose arrogance was hard to hide in his gaze.
When Lumianna walked into the room, both of them looked at her simultaneously, their gazes filled with both curiosity and vigilance, though the curiosity component was more prevalent.
Lumianna just wanted to say hello, but suddenly felt a sensation of goosebumps rising.
She subconsciously looked to the side and saw a somewhat blurry shadow quietly reflected in the mirror, nodding gently toward her.
Is this person also our teammate? Lumianna realized, and under Nimrod's signal, she quickly walked into the living room and found a place to sit down.
After sitting down, about a few dozen seconds passed, and the young man with bright red eyes on the side broke the silence: "Is there still one person who hasn't arrived?"
His tone held a faint dissatisfaction, a kind of feigned toughness.
Nimrod smiled and answered Emlyn's doubt: "He is handling some matters and will be here soon."
Hearing Nimrod's words, Emlyn had no more doubts for the time being, immediately showing his true colors, sitting back in his original position, and starting to wait patiently.
However, it didn't make him wait long, because soon a series of steady footsteps came from outside the door.
Is this our last teammate? Lumianna's heart stirred. Compared to "companion," she preferred to use the description "teammate" to describe the five people around her.
She had a vague guess in her heart. Since she was prepared to jump back to the Hunter Pathway to become a sequence 4 "Iron-Blooded Knight" when she was at sequence 4, could she, to a certain extent, utilize this team to complete the advancement ritual of the "Iron-Blooded Knight"?
One must know that the advancement ritual of the "Iron-Blooded Knight" did not require her to be the captain of the entire team. As long as she was a member of the team and had sufficient tacit understanding with the other members of the team, it could be completed.
Moreover, this team seriously possessed a demigod. If, before she advanced to a demigod, other members of the team also advanced to demigods, then she wouldn't even need to continue expanding the number of team members to complete the advancement ritual of the "Iron-Blooded Knight."
Thinking of this, Lumianna's heart became even more expectant.
The door was pushed open with a "creak," and amidst everyone's gazes, a young gentleman with neat black hair and deep brown eyes walked in.
He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on his face and a top hat on his head.
When she saw the familiar appearance of the person in front of her, the emotions in Lumianna's heart almost exploded.
She was all too familiar with this appearance; this was the crazy adventurer of the sea, Gehrman Sparrow!
She suddenly recalled the meaningful look Godfather had given her earlier, and only now did she finally understand the meaning contained in that look.
Klein Moretti, who had already advanced to "Faceless," came into Nimrod's room after putting down his suitcase.
After the Church gave the mission, he had confirmed the identity he was now playing: a madman named Gehrman Sparrow, calm on the outside, but inside, someone who wanted to go to the sea to seek sudden wealth.
On the way here, he couldn't help but lament the living conditions of the first-class cabin on the ship and the corresponding expensive price, and silently thought in his heart about how to treat these companions afterward —
After the New Year, Klein had received a team list from Nimrod, and this list gave their Beyonder Sequences and basic information.
He simply calculated that among the team members brought by Nimrod in this list, except for that "Temperance Faction" Sharon and that female "Hunter," all were related to the Tarot Club.
Including a certain Vampire who prayed to the Fool in the Earth Mother's church.
Klein responded to his prayer and obtained information about the Sanguine ancestor from Emlyn White.
However, you praying to me inside the Earth Mother's church ———— should I say you believe in your ancestor, or that you are too thick-hearted? Klein secretly complained in his heart, and then pushed open the door and walked in.
But suddenly, his heart stirred, and he looked toward the young girl who was looking at him with not-so-elegant movements, seeing complex and excited emotions in her eyes.
She knows me? Klein raised an eyebrow and walked toward the center of the living room.
Chapter 224: Gang
"Gehrman Sparrow, Faceless."
Klein said in a low voice, politely extending his palm towards the people in front of him.
However, he quickly retracted his arm and sat down silently.
Klein had not forgotten his current "persona." After receiving the mission from the Church of the Evernight and leaving, he was already a "Faceless."
Klein had summarized several acting guidelines for a "Faceless" and was now putting them into practice.
Moreover, he had his own thoughts regarding acting as "Gehrman Sparrow." Although Ince Zangwill had died in agony through the efforts of the Tingen Squad, no one could guarantee that he wouldn't be targeted by some pirates on the sea, who might use certain methods to discover his true identity and then retaliate against his family.
Therefore, although Klein had already brought Benson and Melissa to Backlund, he still felt that it was better to be cautious. Acting as Gehrman Sparrow could not only digest the potion but also distinguish this identity from Klein Moretti.
Seeing Klein's actions, Lumianna's eyes flickered slightly.
Gehrman Sparrow has just set sail now? That makes sense. The godfather has the power to travel between two worlds and has a deep relationship with Mr. Fool, so it is reasonable for Gehrman Sparrow to join our team—
Lumianna quickly figured out the matter regarding Gehrman, and she followed up by saying, "Lumianna Lee, a Witch who was once a Hunter."
A Witch who was once a Hunter? When Klein heard this, his heart skipped a beat. He secretly activated his Spirit Vision and looked at Lumianna.
According to Klein's understanding, Hunter and Demoness were not interchangeable nodes at Sequence 7. This statement meant that this companion had forcibly jumped to the Demoness Pathway, which would inevitably accumulate a certain tendency towards losing control.
Just by looking, his eyebrows furrowed immediately.
Lumianna's condition was not very good. The feedback from her Spirit Body indicated that her emotions were quite unstable. She was currently relying on various methods to suppress these unstable emotions in her heart. If she encountered strong stimulation, she could lean towards a state of losing control at any time.
However, Klein did not speak of his discovery immediately. He secretly prepared to remind Audrey later, asking her to help Lumianna with psychological treatment.
Witch—Audrey's eyes had a faint glimmer. She pondered for a moment, then used a tone different from before to state her true name: "My name is Audrey, but I hope you can call me 'Cruel' or 'Asmodeus'."
"I am a Sequence 7 of the Spectator Pathway, a Psychiatrist."
She did not want her name to become famous, but she couldn't directly state her codename from the Tarot Club. Therefore, her choice was similar to Klein's. Under Nimrod's suggestion, she chose a codename that was most different from herself from the concepts extracted from a certain book on mysticism.
Most importantly, everyone else here seemed to be using their real names. If she were the only one using a fake name, wouldn't that be unfair to her companions for the coming period?
Besides, the name Audrey was quite common if not paired with a surname.
Furthermore, under the witness of Mr. Fool, Audrey felt that even if the companions around her knew her true identity, they would not go around spreading it.
Emlyn on the side muttered, "This name reminds me of a famous Young Miss from the nobility—if it weren't for the fact that said Young Miss couldn't possibly come to the sea, I would have almost thought you were her."
How could there be a Beyonder from Backlund among the people found by Mr. Lovers?
Audrey had originally felt some shame for stating a codename, but now she was suddenly glad she hadn't chosen to reveal her true identity directly.
Otherwise, if her "reputation" spread, she wouldn't dare to imagine what the reaction of her parents would be if they knew she had secretly found a double and run off to the sea.
Audrey revealed a gentle smile and looked at Emlyn: "I think so too, which is why I hope you will call me by my codename."
Emlyn was stunned and nodded with some emotion: "So that's how it is? Fine, that was a bit presumptuous of me."
"By the way, I am Emlyn White, a noble Sanguine!"
He cleared his throat and emphasized, "Furthermore, I have received the revelation of the Ancestor. I, Emlyn, am the future savior of the Sanguine!"
Sequence 7, Vampire—
This Sequence flashed through the minds of almost everyone present, ignoring Emlyn's subsequent emphasis.
Sharon's eyes showed a trace of doubt. At this moment, with her semi-transparent body, she had already walked out of the mirror and sat silently beside everyone.
"Sharon."
She said concisely, "Wraith."
After Sharon also briefly introduced herself, everyone's gaze turned to Nimrod, who was sitting at the head of the room. Nimrod smiled and sat up straight: "You can just call me 'Nimrod'; that is my name."
"I am a Parasite."
He also only briefly introduced his name and Sequence, without detailing information related to himself.
Emlyn was clearly a bit confused and muttered, "Parasite? I don't seem to have heard of this Sequence name—"
But just at this moment, Emlyn heard Sharon beside him take a light breath and whisper in an extremely low voice, "sequence 4—"
sequence 4? Emlyn was clearly startled.
Although he had not heard of the "Parasite" Sequence, he knew exactly what sequence 4 represented. This was a powerhouse who was truly a demi-god in the real sense!
He had originally thought that the organizer in front of him was at most a Sequence 5, but he hadn't expected him to be a real demi-god?
Suddenly, Emlyn felt that his "savior of the Sanguine" Sequence seemed a bit too low.
I must find a way to advance as soon as possible! He clenched his fists and secretly made up his mind, but quickly felt discouraged again:
But the method of advancing without going through the Sanguine internally is really quite difficult—
Looking at Emlyn's discouraged appearance, Nimrod sat in place, cleared his throat, and said, "Although I prefer to discuss matters at the dining table, what we are about to talk about is not suitable for outsiders to know, and the restaurant of this ship is not a secret place."
"So, let us skip these rituals for now and simply tell you what we are going to do next—or rather, our 'goal'."
Hearing Nimrod's words, everyone present had different thoughts.
Audrey immediately associated it with several historical events where Roselle Gustav discussed national affairs at the dining table, while Klein felt a somewhat dreamy sense of déjà vu:
In the country before his Transmigration, many things were often discussed at the dining table.
"First of all, I need to welcome your arrival."
"Although your reasons for choosing to join this team are different, at the very least, we can now barely be considered a community of destiny pieced together by interests and beliefs."
"I promise that the things I promised you will be completed one by one during this journey. I won't go into details here, just briefly mention our upcoming itinerary."
Nimrod snapped his fingers lightly. On the map laid flat on the table, as if performing a magic trick, a small, exquisite, lifelike ship set sail from Pritz Harbor and drove step by step along the route towards the southeast.
"Our next stop is the City of Generosity, Bayam."
Nimrod said, "We will stay there for a period of time, starting from scratch to build a ship capable of long-distance sailing, to open the curtain of our exploration."
"Some of you want to get the opportunity to digest potions, and some of you want to get new Beyonder Materials."
"I can promise that on the sea, there are plenty of villains who can be used as consumables for you to digest potions without any psychological burden, and there are also mutated Monsters and secret treasures left by pirates."
"We will chase after the Beyonder path, go all the way down along the battlefield where gods once fought, and finally arrive at the Southern Continent."
Nimrod paused, looked at the team members with different expressions, and then said unhurriedly: "In this process, we will inevitably encounter danger, but the strength of our team has even exceeded that of an ordinary Pirate General. As long as we can take the first step smoothly, our wishes will all be fulfilled."
Whether pursuing Justice, or longing for revenge.
Whether it is the ideal of achieving the great cause of a savior, or the desire to steer the track back on course.
Whether it is the goal of becoming a god, or the obsession to go home.
They will all gain a lot in this "adventure."
"Of course, I must emphasize one thing."
Nimrod withdrew his gaze from the members of the adventure team in front of him and said to them leisurely: "We are not planning to become pirates. What we are going to do is just what every adventurer should do. We are more like a loose group, but we should cultivate tacit understanding and trust that we can entrust our backs to each other."
Audrey and Emlyn seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Sharon on the side, although expressionless, also seemed to approve of Nimrod's philosophy.
Nimrod swept his gaze over everyone in front of him and clapped his hands: "Alright, we have many opportunities to get to know each other after this. Now I won't disturb everyone—please enjoy this nine-day journey, and be prepared for the dangers that may be encountered at any time."
Emlyn blinked, and after hearing Nimrod's last sentence, he realized something was wrong: "There can still be danger on this ship?"
The corners of Nimrod's mouth curled up slightly, and he said meaningfully: "Our Sequence is already high enough."
After the simple meeting ended, everyone except Lumianna and Klein returned to their rooms first.
Klein and Lumianna were both silently observing each other. Klein was considering whether there were any hidden dangers on this girl—the girl who was most likely a man in the past.
And Lumianna was looking at Gehrman with the attitude of purely admiring an idol, while on the other hand, she was speculating about the thoughts of this crazy adventurer.
"Gehrman Sparrow is a friend of mine."
Nimrod said to Lumianna, then turned his face to Klein again: "She is my goddaughter—I have been to Intis, and she has a not-so-small connection with me."
In other words, she was once Amon's goddaughter? No, that's not right. Amon once parasitized a messenger of the Aurora Order, which means she is the goddaughter left behind by that messenger. Does she also believe in the True Creator?
Klein's heart stirred, and he asked Lumianna:
"What is your faith?"
Klein imitated the demeanor of those bounty Hunters, but at the same time did not forget to maintain Gehrman's calm and sharp tone.
Lumianna thought for a while. She originally wanted to say that she had no faith, but felt that she could barely be considered a "devout" Believer of the God of Steam and Machinery and the Eternal Blazing Sun, so she picked one at random and said honestly: "The Eternal Blazing Sun."
Then it seems she is not a Believer of the True Creator. Believers of the True Creator extremely detest the three gods such as the Eternal Blazing Sun. Even if they are disguising, they are more inclined to disguise as Believers of other gods.
Klein nodded coldly, feeling that according to Gehrman Sparrow's temperament, he would not stay here any longer, so he stood up, said a simple goodbye, and then left the room, returning to his own room.
Just as he walked onto the deck, Klein met a "peer" who was performing bodyguard duties. He was delayed for some time and didn't have time to understand the situation of this ship in depth, so now he was preparing to go for a walk again.
Bright sunlight spilled into the room from outside the window. Lumianna looked at Nimrod with somewhat eager eyes.
Even without using his brain to think, Nimrod knew what Lumianna wanted to do. He nodded helplessly: "After the ship starts sailing, you can go around the ship first. Hmm, remember to notify others to have a simple meal together at lunch later."
This counts as some kind of team-building activity to promote integration among each other.
Speaking of this, Nimrod's gaze shifted to Lumianna, and he reminded: "Don't drink too much. After all, you have a relatively—'outstanding' appearance now. Getting drunk outside is not a good thing."
After all, the current Lumianna is a "Witch" with built-in beauty filters.
He watched Lumianna still standing there, with no intention of leaving, so he added with some confusion: "You don't have to wait for me specifically; I have some things to deal with."
"Ah, no." Lumianna said, then said with some embarrassment: "Uh, I mean, Godfather, I don't have any Loen gold pounds on me—"
"..."
"..."
Nimrod was silent for a long while, then took out his wallet with gritted teeth: "Take your money and get as far away as you can."
"Alright!"
Lumianna took the wallet and ran away in a flash.