Chapter Eighteen: Naraku’s First Ability, Fighting Myself?
The investigation into the White Witch incident continued intensely for half a month, yet no organization could find any trace of her, let alone her unknown Agent.
Eve, who had planned to lead Luo Ling’s team on another commission, was unfortunately drafted into the search. After days of relentless work, not only was she constantly working overtime, but she hadn’t achieved any results, failing to meet any of her OKRs.
However, this had little to do with the newbie team. With their strength, if they encountered the White Witch’s Agent, they wouldn’t even qualify as cannon fodder.
Of course, this was just on paper.
Except for the straightforward Cen Xiangyun, even Lu Manqing concealed some of her true abilities. Although she hadn’t revealed anything, Luo Ling had sensed something during their encounter with the memory predicament.
She was definitely more than just a healer.
The Company’s efficiency was undeniably low. Long after Cen Xiangyun and the others received their points, Luo Ling finally received her commission reward: three bottles of third-order Sacred Medicine.
One contained a purplish-brown liquid, another blue capsules, and the last, a rather grotesque, black finger-like object.
Cen Xiangyun had explained that different alchemists had different habits, resulting in the Company’s diverse collection of Sacred Medicines.
“Myriad, Judgment, Elemental… truly random. As expected of the Company, randomly selecting the three most common Paths…”
Order, Other Shore, and Oneiric Sacred Relics were relatively rare, with Order being the most scarce. Thus, the advancement of Order path Awakened Ones was always slow.
Seeing Sacred Medicine for the first time, Luo Ling examined them based on her Grotesquery identity.
“Although derived from Grotesquery Sacred Relics, there’s no trace of Grotesquery aura. It’s been converted into the corresponding Path’s power through some method. I wonder what would happen if I used it directly, without ‘Devour’…”
Using Sacred Medicine of a different Path wouldn’t provide any insights, only replenishing Inspiration.
Luo Ling opened the first bottle and drank it directly.
She didn’t use “Devour,” instead absorbing the Sacred Medicine like an ordinary Awakened One.
Closing her eyes, she carefully sensed the faint Inspiration from the Sacred Medicine flowing through her body.
Moments later, it vanished without a trace, like a drop in the ocean.
She felt neither replenished Inspiration nor any insights.
“At least I can confirm that I’m not on the Judgment path. But in this case… I can’t even be sure if my original body was an Awakened One.” Luo Ling mused, stroking her chin.
Next, she would try using the “Devour” Authority.
A dark golden glint appeared in Luo Ling’s eyes as she swallowed the capsule and the finger-like Sacred Medicine.
This time, there was a slight reaction. Her dormant Naraku form absorbed the power, growing ever so slightly.
Roughly one ten-thousandth of the power she gained from consuming the sapling.
“‘Devour’ truly accepts anything…”
Luo Ling closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she was within her consciousness space.
Pushing open the second door, she saw the alluring, violet-haired woman bound tightly by spider silk, her curvaceous figure still evident.
She was nailed to a cross, purple-black vines with blooming purple flowers entwined around her limbs, as if on the edge of hell.
Her half-closed eyes seemed on the verge of opening, her long lashes adorned with clear dewdrops.
Luo Ling stood before her Naraku form for a while, ensuring it wouldn’t suddenly speak before examining Naraku’s abilities.
The previous confrontation in her consciousness space had left a lasting impression. After all, this was the power of a Taboo. Forming any unclear connection with a Taboo would be disastrous.
[Chaos: Naraku]
[Innate Ability: “Weave” – Unfold the web domain, acquire all predictable information within the domain]
[Points woven into lines, lines woven into a net, within the web… “Naraku” knows all, sees all.]
[First Ability: “Ensnare” – Within the web domain, rewrite a single aspect of reality]
[This is the decree of “Omniscience,” it is reality, and cannot be defied.]
Rewrite reality?
Luo Ling’s fingers trembled slightly.
This was just Naraku’s first ability, and it was already this terrifying?
Compared to the Puppet Ballad’s first ability, “Proliferation,” they weren’t even on the same level.
However, after calming down, she realized that the definition of “reality,” the extent of the rewrite, and its duration were all unspecified. She would have to experiment to find out.
But one thing was certain…
“If this were the true Naraku, the ‘reality’ defined by this ability would be infinite…”
The descriptions of such rule-based abilities were often exaggerated, as were their upper limits. But their actual effects depended on the user’s capabilities.
For instance, An Yu’s ability was “conceptual erasure,” but due to her limited power, the concepts she could erase were few.
Only after her epiphany in Baiyan Village could she utilize it in combat.
“However, that Scientist…”
Luo Ling recalled Scientist’s performance on the train, feeling a pang of pity.
It was clear that Scientist had never successfully stolen Naraku’s Authority.
She was merely a pitiful soul, ensnared by Naraku’s influence, unable to extricate herself. Even if she had escaped, she would likely remain under Naraku’s control for the rest of her life.
Scientist’s so-called “omniscience” failed against beings wielding Authorities, hardly the effect of a Taboo’s power.
She hadn’t even touched upon Naraku’s most basic ability, “Ensnare,” trapped within Naraku’s web, manipulated at its whim.
But this also deepened Luo Ling’s understanding of Naraku’s terrifying power.
“Being targeted by such a being is truly chilling.”
Luo Ling suppressed her thoughts. Regardless, with Naraku’s advancement, she had more bargaining chips at the “tea party.”
The tea party wasn’t a loving family. Even the leader herself had stated that it was a loose organization maintained solely by mutual benefit. To gain something, she needed the capital to negotiate.
After withdrawing from her consciousness space, Luo Ling found several people in the apartment.
Besides Elsa, who had been there all along, Lu Manqing and Cen Xiangyun had also arrived, along with Eve, slumped over the table with a despondent expression.
Eve, her eyes rolling back in her head, muttered, “Overtime, overtime…”
They looked at their senior with pity.
“Oh, my poor Eve, driven to the brink of collapse by the Company’s relentless, unpaid overtime, weeping and wailing, so pitiful.” Lu Manqing propped her chin on her hand, her crescent-shaped eyes gleaming with amusement.
“Shut up!” Eve glared at her. “You’ll experience it too one day! Hmph!”
“Perhaps.”
Lu Manqing simply smiled noncommittally.
Not now, anyway. She would enjoy the moment while she could.
“Damn White Witch!” Eve pounded the table, her delicate features contorted in frustration. “If I find her, I’ll tear her to shreds!”
Luo Ling: “…”
Sorry about that.
“Miss Eve, would you… be a match for the White Witch?” Elsa asked timidly.
“…”
Eve remained silent for a moment, then continued to slump over the table. “Overtime, overtime…”
“The search is over now, isn’t it?” Cen Xiangyun said. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have time to come see us.”
“It’s over, but not completely. A third of the personnel are still on patrol.”
Eve looked exhausted. “Despite the intensive search, there’s been no progress on the White Witch. Instead, we’ve uncovered some minor issues, resulting in more low-level commissions… I used that as an excuse to escape the patrol duty.”
“Hmm?”
Cen Xiangyun perked up. Eve had mentioned leading them on another commission. She wouldn’t refuse free labor.
Personnel at Eve’s P6 level were considered the backbone of the Company. P7s were already team leaders.
So, P6s rarely accepted low-level commissions. The rewards were paltry, and there was little opportunity for growth.
Especially for a Judgment path Awakened One like Eve, combat was the best way to improve.
Eve had led Luo Ling’s newbie team because of a direct order from her superiors, receiving a separate reward.
This time, however, she was volunteering.
Although exploiting a senior who had just endured a period of unpaid overtime made the shy Cen Xiangyun feel slightly guilty… well, it was free labor.
“Have you… heard of cults?” Eve asked, scratching the back of her head. “You know, those who engage in unorthodox practices, strange rituals and sacrifices…”
“I have a general idea.” Cen Xiangyun nodded.
Luo Ling’s brow twitched, a bad premonition washing over her.
“The recent searches have uncovered several such cults around Victoria… Ordinary cults are fine, but these seem to be involved with Awakened One matters. Since ordinary people are involved, they’re more troublesome to handle. So, the main force simply recorded their locations, posting them as low-level commissions in the Company.”
Eve pulled out a file and continued, “Coincidentally, there’s one near your apartment. Here, about ten kilometers away. We’ll go and deal with it quickly, then we can still catch the second half of the evening.”
Looking at the address in the file, Luo Ling fell silent.
“Isn’t this Alyssa’s slum…”
After handling Educator’s request, Luo Ling had entrusted Saint Alyssa with her memories and emotions, allowing her to act independently. Although just an empty shell, at least… it allowed her sister, Stasha, to believe that she was still alive.
In other words, autopilot mode.
She hadn’t expected Eve’s first chosen commission to be eradicating the base she had painstakingly established.
In an instant, Luo Ling’s guilt towards Eve vanished.
She deserved the overtime.
“Any objections?”
Eve asked.
“No objections.”
No one disagreed. There was nothing to object to, really.
Luo Ling could only agree along with the others.
“…Is the file this detailed?”
Luo Ling looked at the commission file. It even included portraits of Alyssa and Felix, the leader of the black-robed priests, labeled “Saint” and “Cult Leader.”
However, after flipping through a few pages, it seemed that only the main targets were listed. The rest required the team to investigate themselves. There were also numerous detailed precautions, seemingly aimed at maintaining social stability, minimizing the influence of Awakened Ones and Grotesqueries.
Come to think of it, most of the Company’s commissions were for this purpose.
“Perhaps I can use this to fool them.”
Luo Ling looked up at Eve, who was bragging about herself with a smug expression, while the others listened listlessly. A faint smile played on her lips. “It seems I have to play the role of a charlatan.”
She couldn’t entrust this matter to Felix, since he was the cult leader. He would be beaten to death by Eve in an instant.
Luo Ling couldn’t afford to lose this small foothold she had gained within the Harbingers’ organization.
And she herself lacked the necessary experience, so she could only…
“I’m counting on you, Alyssa.”
……
“Sister, are you alright? Should I go slower?”
Stasha pushed a simple wheelchair, Alyssa, having lost her legs, sitting upon it, as they slowly made their way towards the small church.
“No, this is fine.”
Alyssa replied softly.
It was just past noon, and the slum wasn’t crowded. Most of the residents were either elderly or children who hadn’t even lost their baby teeth.
Most people living here weren’t homeless or criminals, but either abandoned elderly scavengers or laborers relying on their physical strength. Despair hung heavy in the air.
However, there had been some changes recently.
The gazes directed at Alyssa were no longer filled with awe or fear, but something more difficult to describe.
Fervor, reverence… even a yearning for salvation, a mix of emotions.
Wherever she passed, even the frail elderly knelt before her, making Stasha feel uneasy. But worried about the bumpy road causing her sister discomfort, she endured the awkwardness and continued slowly.
Alyssa remained composed, her gaze fixed on the distance.
The reason for this change was, of course, her resurrection that night.
Before hundreds of witnesses, Alyssa had been dismembered by the black-robed priests, her head even placed on the coffin. It was an undeniable fact.
Yet, the next day, she had miraculously returned to life, and gained the heartfelt reverence of the black-robed priests… Regardless of the true reason, their devotion was genuine.
The slum residents didn’t know the truth. They only saw the miracle before their eyes, believing Alyssa to be a saint, an angel sent by God, whose life even the devils of hell couldn’t claim.
So, Alyssa played along, assuming the role of a saint, replacing Felix as the true leader of the Church of Light.
Furthermore, Alyssa had been a nun before ending up in the slums. She was well-versed in scripture, her words captivating the believers, far surpassing Felix’s methods of coercion and bribery.
After all, a professional was far more effective than an amateur.
Soon, the number of believers grew from the initial two hundred, mostly elderly scavengers, to over a thousand, even attracting pilgrims from other slums twenty or thirty kilometers away.
The dilapidated church had even been renovated with donations.
However, Alyssa herself refused all donations and remained in her small hut, further solidifying her image as a true saint, an angel sent by God to save the mortal world.
Stasha wasn’t accustomed to these changes. The only constant was that her sister was still her sister, and every morning, she could see her familiar sleeping face.
She no longer had to live in fear, worried about what part of her sister would be missing the next time they met.
As long as those days were over, it was enough.
“But, sister, why are we going to the church now?” Stasha asked curiously. “Isn’t mass only held on Sundays?”
When Felix controlled the church, attendance was mandatory every day, enforced with food and sometimes even violence, just to maintain the believers’ faith and the connection.
After Alyssa took over, such measures were unnecessary. Donations were voluntary, so daily services were no longer needed.
Alyssa hadn’t done anything special. She simply understood that in the darkest of places, a single light, even a false one, would attract moths to a flame.
For most people, this was a source of comfort, a beacon of hope.
“…We’re expecting some guests.”
Alyssa reached out, her hand fumbling for a moment before finding Stasha’s hair, gently stroking it.
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