Category: The Grotesque Miss’s End Story

Chapter 62: Starry Sky p1

Grotesquery Sequence 49, High-Risk Grotesquery, the White Witch of Silent Demise.

An S-rank bounty target of the Company, she single-handedly annihilated the 400,000 residents of Jiangcheng County. Were it not for Jiangcheng County’s remote and insignificant location, such a horrific disaster, even outside Victoria, would have been enough to trigger a Boundary collapse.

As an Origin Point, Victoria was, in a sense, quite fragile, prone to Boundary collapses.

Yet, it was also incredibly resilient. Compared to other regions, Boundary annihilations were rare, with only a few small-scale annihilations in countless years.

The Company’s apprehension towards the White Witch stemmed from the fear that she might cause a disaster of similar scale in Victoria. Even a smaller scale event would be a catastrophic tragedy.

As the bounty description stated, the White Witch appeared to be an excessively beautiful, white-haired young girl. It was hard to imagine this ghostly figure as the perpetrator of a massacre of 400,000.

Regardless, as the most prominent terrifying existence in recent times, the first High-Risk Grotesquery to completely annihilate a Sequence Grotesquery and take its place, the White Witch, no matter how harmless her appearance, was absolutely not to be underestimated.

“However… it’s merely Sequence 49 of the Grotesqueries.”

After the initial shock and confusion, Cheng Jianming quickly regained his composure, standing with his sword, exuding a sharp aura, his expression returning to its initial sword-like indifference.

“I am… not incapable of fighting it.”

Cheng Jianming’s confidence wasn’t unfounded. His reliance stemmed from the sword in his hand, a companion through countless battles, as close as any comrade.

The Sacred Tool, “Time.”

It was a three-foot long sword, with black and white colors swirling within its blade, its spectral edge untouched by any dust.

Even though this sword had slain countless beings, it carried no trace of blood, like an immortal detached from the mortal world.

“Time” had an even more prominent reputation. It was one of the four Authority-level Sacred Tools held by the Torchbearers, its Authority derived from a High-Risk Grotesquery.

Grotesquery Sequence 22, Sui of Chaos, the embodiment of Time.

Although it didn’t contain the complete Authority, Time’s power ranked among the top five of the twenty or so Authority-level Sacred Tools in Victoria, only slightly inferior to those held by the three Company directors.

Dividing time, altering day and night, the passage of years lay within a single swing of Time.

Since obtaining this Sacred Tool, Cheng Jianming had carried it with him almost constantly, treating it with the respect of a comrade, seeking the recognition of the Time Authority within the sword.

Using an Authority and possessing an Authority were two different concepts, a common understanding in the Awakened world. But in Cheng Jianming’s view, the gap between the two wasn’t insurmountable.

Over the years, Cheng Jianming had become increasingly proficient in using Time, even earning the praise of the Company directors: “Even those who possess Time might not be able to achieve this level of mastery.”

Cheng Jianming had even participated in a crusade against a High-Risk Grotesquery ranked in the thirties in the Republican era Boundary, fighting alongside Fiona and Lu Fangling.

In the end, it was Cheng Jianming who personally killed the Grotesquery, sending it into Silent Demise.

It was this battle that allowed Lu Fangling to obtain the Authority-containing Sacred Relic from the Grotesquery, which Fiona then crafted into a Sacred Tool, making Lu Fangling the nineteenth High-Order Awakened One in the Company to possess an Authority-level Sacred Tool.

This was why Cheng Jianming and Fiona were present in the Boundary where Jiangcheng County was located. They had accompanied Lu Fangling.

After slaying that Grotesquery, Cheng Jianming’s sword heart had reached its peak, giving him the courage to face the White Witch with his sword, not to flee.

The White Witch was only Sequence 49. Even against a Sequence 30 Grotesquery, Cheng Jianming would have the courage to draw his sword. Against Sequence 49, he was even more confident.

“Time Domain, Realm of Ages, activate.”

Cheng Jianming whispered, his black and white sword carving out a domain. On the ground, a black and white yin-yang fish seemed to swim and play. Under the influence of the Realm of Ages, the flow of time around them subtly shifted.

A mere Authority Domain, he possessed one as well.

Cheng Jianming slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed on Elsa, his eyes narrowing.

Both the Company and the Torchbearers knew that Elsa was special in two ways. First, she was a well-known experimental subject of Scientist.

Second…

She was the person who had the most contact with the White Witch, and they seemed to have a good relationship.

Even the codename “White Witch” was given by Elsa, her own codename being the matching “Scarlet Witch.” It was hard to believe there wasn’t some connection between them.

For various reasons, this information had been strictly suppressed by the Company. Only a small group of people in Victoria knew about it.

Initially, they suspected a connection between Elsa and the White Witch, but after examinations and the first newcomer mission, “Eliminating the White Witch’s Incubation Barrier,” they dismissed the suspicion.

Until now, her hidden identity was completely exposed to Cheng Jianming.

Although the Company’s previous examinations had failed to uncover this, the answer was now obvious: Elsa… was the White Witch’s Apostle.

Slaying the White Witch might be difficult, but if it was just killing her Apostle…

Cheng Jianming was confident.

Confident of a sure kill.

Cheng Jianming raised his sword, pointing it at the red-haired girl behind the ghostly figure, and softly uttered,

“—Fleeting Dream.”

Fleeting Dream, a lifetime condensed into a brief dream, the scale of time shrinking, turning three seconds into the blink of an eye, unstoppable.

The sword glint appeared before Elsa, aimed directly at her heart, ready to bloom another blood-red rose.

“Even a High-Risk Grotesquery of Silent Demise cannot stop the mighty force of fleeting time. All existence will eventually turn to dust under the changing tides of time.”

At the same time, the sword glint carried another ability granted by the Authority.

“—Rotten Ke.”

Rotten Ke, a dream of a game between immortals in the mountains, while the mortal world undergoes drastic changes, a fleeting moment stretched into decades of time.

A faint smile appeared on Cheng Jianming’s sharp face. Even Silent Demise… let’s see how you save your Apostle under the power of time.

As long as he could worsen Elsa’s injuries in the blink of an eye, before the White Witch could heal her, even a god couldn’t save her.

“Is that so?”

As if seeing through the meaning behind his faint smile, the ghostly girl’s grey eyes looked at Cheng Jianming with a hint of pity, as if lamenting his ignorance.

“Ahh!”

Elsa was startled by the sword glint appearing before her and quickly covered her head.

But after waiting for a while, she saw the sword glint stop about an inch in front of her, not moving any closer.

No, wait…

It wasn’t stopped, but slowed.

The originally swift sword glint was now as if in slow motion, inching towards Elsa at a speed measurable in millimeters per second.

At the same time, Cheng Jianming was horrified to find countless streaks of grey appearing in his hair. Looking down, the handsome young man had become a decrepit old man.

“What’s… going on?”

Having used Time for so long, Cheng Jianming knew this was the power of Time. But why… could the White Witch use it?

Wasn’t the White Witch a Grotesquery of the Silent Demise Path? Why could she use an Authority belonging to the Chaos Path… Wait, could it be that she hadn’t mastered the Time Authority, but…

Cheng Jianming looked at his sword.

“Strange, isn’t it? Why did Time suddenly stop obeying?” Luo Ling said faintly. “I told you, this is my Kingdom.

“Where my Authority reaches, is my Kingdom. Those within my Authority’s reach are my servants.

“Surely you didn’t think… that the Time in your hand wouldn’t be subject to my Complete Control?”

Luo Ling raised her hand. Cheng Jianming heard his Sacred Tool tremble violently, fungal threads spreading and entwining around Time. His once trusted comrade now… seemed to have betrayed him.

“Impossible! This is my Sacred Tool, my Authority!”

Years of built-up confidence crumbled at this moment. Cheng Jianming’s mind, along with Time’s trembling, became disordered, teetering on the edge of collapse.

“It’s not your Authority,” Luo Ling sneered. “It’s merely an Authority you stole.”

Possessing an Authority and using an Authority were two different concepts. It had always been this way.

The gap between the two was as vast as a chasm, difficult to cross.

Moreover… the so-called Time that Cheng Jianming used wasn’t complete, its effectiveness significantly reduced.

As for the High-Risk Grotesquery he had slain before, whether it was truly slain was debatable.

Cheng Jianming’s eyes widened, desperately gripping the struggling Time, pouring all his strength into reclaiming control, freeing it from the White Witch’s domination.

“Damn it, damn it…”

Finally, as Cheng Jianming’s inspiration neared depletion, Time finally stopped trembling, all the entwining fungal threads severed by the sword glint.

Cheng Jianming could sense that the Realm of Ages was back under his control.

But… his mind couldn’t recover, sinking even deeper, as he clearly saw more fungal threads emerging from the ground, gradually consuming and dominating his body.

With his inspiration depleted, Cheng Jianming couldn’t resist this domination. The pure white fungal threads took root in his flesh, controlling everything.

Cheng Jianming’s consciousness remained clear, but he could feel his soul and body, under this domination, gradually losing themselves, becoming a cage imprisoning his consciousness.

…He had miscalculated.

Time’s betrayal had robbed Cheng Jianming of his reason. He had given everything to reclaim his comrade, the Sacred Tool Time, to free it from the White Witch’s control.

He had succeeded.

But the price was himself.

A soft scraping sound echoed, the sound of bare feet stepping on the gravel, gradually approaching him as he knelt on the ground.

Cheng Jianming struggled to raise his head. He clearly saw the dark sky of the Purgatory Incubation Barrier inevitably receding, replaced by a crimson crescent moon.

Under the blood moon, the ghostly girl’s grey eyes held no emotion. She casually held a short sword Sacred Tool, approaching him step by step.

“Continue, struggle,” her childish voice, usually endearing, now sounded like an echo from hell, a devil’s whisper, filled with terror. “Let me see what else you can do.”

At the same time, Cheng Jianming saw the Sacred Tool in the White Witch’s hand. It was a translucent black, like the deepest ice blue, a distinctive Sacred Tool he had seen recently.

It belonged to the Luo Ling he had shattered.

Considering the relationship between Luo Ling and Elsa, and Elsa and the White Witch…

And all the other details…

Cheng Jianming seemed to realize something, his eyes widening slowly. He realized a misjudgment by the Company, a mistake that could cost them everything.

The White Witch was Luo Ling.

Luo Ling was the White Witch.

…She was a Grotesquery in human form.

A rogue element had entered the Victoria chessboard.

And she could overturn the entire game.

“I see, I see…”

Cheng Jianming murmured, quickly regaining his composure.

This was crucial information. No matter the cost, he had to relay it, to inform the Company. Otherwise… the Awakened, and even all of humanity, would face utter ruin.

He stared at Elsa, who was making faces behind Luo Ling, his expression turning sorrowful. “Traitor to humanity, you will soon learn the tragic consequences of following a Grotesquery.”

As his voice fell, a malicious aura emanated from the sword Sacred Tool in his hand. At the same time, a ritual composed of complex patterns appeared in his pupils.

“As expected, a backup plan.”

Luo Ling stopped, quietly watching Cheng Jianming.

In fact, this battle was also quite challenging for Luo Ling. She wasn’t a High-Risk Grotesquery specializing in direct combat.

Moreover, because Luo Ling suppressed the Puppet Ballad’s instinct for unlimited expansion, she was still in a larval state, like Miss Iris’s beloved sapling, incomparable to her older “sister.”

However, a complete Authority still held a certain degree of suppression over an incomplete one. Coupled with the vast inspiration gained from devouring the Boundary, Luo Ling forcefully dominated Time, causing Cheng Jianming’s two ability activations to malfunction.

Of course, Luo Ling hadn’t anticipated Cheng Jianming’s subsequent breakdown. She had expected him to abandon Time and fight her directly.

If that were the case, Luo Ling wouldn’t be able to directly use Time either. All she could do was disrupt Cheng Jianming’s use of it.

The result was the current situation.

Of course… anyone whose trusted comrade of many years suddenly betrayed them at a critical moment would likely react no better than Cheng Jianming.

Now, the reason Luo Ling hadn’t immediately used Absolute Blade to end Cheng Jianming’s life was partly because using Complete Control on a Ninth-Order Awakened One, even one with depleted inspiration, required time.

Chapter 61: Crimson Moonlight 

It was midday, yet the sky was filled with an ink-like darkness, even the warm sun losing its brilliance.

A shocking crimson flowed across the ground, almost forming a river. The girl’s expression was frozen in a moment of astonishment, the blood staining the ground making her skin appear deathly pale.

Unexpectedly, the Company had made its move. The impending storm in Victoria was gently stirred by a blood-red rose, shattering the last vestiges of calm before the tempest.

This tragic scene marked the beginning, the sound of shattering deafening.

…To target Luo Ling’s team, the Company didn’t need to expend much effort or lay elaborate traps.

They didn’t need a conveniently timed Incubation Barrier, a lucrative B-rank commission, or meticulous preparations that delayed execution for days.

The reason was simple.

Because… they were simply too weak.

Compared to the Hunt team, the entire Twintails team had only one High-Order Awakened One, and she had only recently been promoted, still adapting to her new abilities and power. Her combat strength was considerably weaker than the average Seventh-Order Awakened One.

The Hunt team, on the other hand, openly boasted six experienced Eighth-Order Awakened Ones, all battle-hardened elites.

Even excluding the traitor, Frick, their strength still far surpassed the Twintails team. They also had Linna, who wielded secret techniques and could, under specific circumstances, confront Ninth-Order Awakened Ones or even higher. They were truly an elite team at the pinnacle of human strength.

Even the directors themselves would struggle to silently eliminate all members of the Hunt team.

That’s why the Company and the Torchbearers had to meticulously set a death trap, luring the Hunt team step by step into the abyss of sacrifice.

But what did the Twintails team have?

Only a few fragile lives. There were countless teams like them in Victoria. For the Company, crushing these delicate flowers was merely a flick of the wrist, a trivial matter.

Their deaths and withering were but insignificant specks of dust beneath the wheels of history.

However, Luo Ling hadn’t expected Eve to be the first victim, not herself or Elsa.

Besides killing her, the enemy seemed to have other objectives.

“Captain!”

“Sister Eve!”

The sudden incident caused a brief panic within the team, but they remained relatively calm, not rushing towards Eve’s body.

The recent Incubation Barrier training had transformed the Twintails team. Even facing this sudden crisis, they didn’t lose their composure.

Cen Xiangyun and Elsa quickly took their positions, their nerves taut, wary of another attack from any direction.

At the same time, Lu Manqing quickly approached Eve, attempting to heal her.

Everyone present trembled slightly with tension, but they suppressed their emotions, avoiding looking at Eve’s gruesome state, preventing sorrow from dictating their actions.

The unknown enemy still lurked in the shadows. Even if Eve was truly dead, they didn’t have time to grieve, for the slightest carelessness could make them the next victim.

Lu Manqing even forgot about her beloved camera. Her usually cherished Polaroid lay on the ground, its casing cracked.

A half-ejected photo stuck halfway out of the camera captured the smiles of the five as they were about to leave.

And the owner of the camera, her hands trembling, carefully peeled back the girl’s torn clothes, attempting to heal and save her.

However, even Lu Manqing, as a doctor, found the gruesome state of Eve’s chest wound difficult to bear. Flesh and internal organs were mangled together, churned into a viscous mess like mud. An ordinary person witnessing this scene would likely be scarred for life.

How could anyone survive this?

Even using…

Before Lu Manqing could finish her thought, she heard Elsa’s anxious voice,

“Sister Manqing—”

Faster than Elsa’s voice was another swift sword glint, instantly robbing Lu Manqing of consciousness.

She only felt a sharp pain in her chest before her mind blurred, her vision darkening, the sounds around her becoming distant and drawn out.

The doctor’s body slowly slumped to the ground, joining the maid in the pool of blood.

Fortunately, her injury seemed to have deliberately avoided a fatal spot. She had merely lost consciousness from excessive blood loss and still had a faint pulse.

Under the dark sky, the seemingly omnipresent sword glint hung over them like the Sword of Damocles, poised to execute anyone present at any moment.

However, even in this situation, terror didn’t spread across everyone’s faces.

The moment Lu Manqing was attacked, Elsa had already pinpointed the source of the sword glint. She opened her mouth slightly, uttering a soft “Proverb,” targeting the presence hidden in the shadows.

At the same time, Cen Xiangyun’s Elemental ability was finally ready. She raised her ice staff, summoning a dense blizzard that swirled and surged around them.

However, the blizzard didn’t attack the target Elsa had pointed out, but instead spread out, enveloping the entire battlefield.

The swirling snow instantly obscured everyone’s vision, adding another layer of concealment under the pitch-black sky. Those caught within it would struggle to distinguish even the cardinal directions.

Cen Xiangyun sadly realized that the enemy hidden in the shadows possessed a strength they had never encountered before, at least equivalent to a Ninth-Order Awakened One or even stronger.

In just a single exchange, their strongest member, Captain Eve, had been killed, and in another moment of carelessness, even their field medic, Lu Manqing, had fallen.

And they didn’t even know where the enemy was, who they were, which Grotesquery they were, or… if they were even human.

This was beyond the Twintails team’s ability to handle. Continuing to fight would only result in more casualties. The priority was to immediately escape the Incubation Barrier and seek help from the Company.

While Elsa’s “Proverb” was in effect, Cen Xiangyun wanted to use the blizzard as cover to carry away Eve and Lu Manqing, who were lying in pools of blood.

She endured her grief and fear, maintaining her most energy-consuming blizzard ability to buy time for her teammates’ retreat.

However, how could the presence in the shadows not know Cen Xiangyun’s intentions? The enemy seemed determined to thwart her plan.

Even the shadow-filled blizzard couldn’t obstruct the enemy’s vision or sword glint.

Not long after Cen Xiangyun raised her ice staff, before the blizzard had fully formed, the incoming sword glint directly severed it. At the same time, a powerful mental force accompanied the sword glint, backfiring on Cen Xiangyun, who was already pushing her limits.

The broken ice staff fell to the ground, the scattered snowflakes forming only a thin layer that quickly melted away, leaving no trace.

Another failure.

The third member of the Twintails team fell. Cen Xiangyun coughed up a mouthful of blood, her eyes filled with bloodshot veins.

She tried to struggle, but to no avail. She finally closed her eyes and lost consciousness.

All of this happened in a flash. From the appearance of the first sword glint to Cen Xiangyun’s incapacitation, only a few breaths had passed.

Under the shroud of the dark sky, the Twintails team members fell one after another, until only two remained standing.

—Elsa and Luo Ling.

“Sisters…”

Elsa bit her lip, tears welling up in her beautiful emerald eyes, staring fixedly in a certain direction. She had locked onto the enemy’s position.

No matter what, now… she had to expose this villain!

When the enemy first attacked Eve, Elsa had already sensed the slight fluctuations and ripples of inspiration caused by the Incubation Barrier. When Lu Manqing fell, Elsa had pinpointed the general direction.

Now, a lean and wiry figure, concealed within the darkness of the Incubation Barrier by some artifact, had formed in Elsa’s mind.

Her eyes flickered with a strange crimson light, piercing the surrounding darkness.

A few more “Proverbs” rang out. The wiry figure, clearly having suffered from the “Proverbs” before, dodged with a wider berth, partially revealing their form from within the artifact.

“Now!” Elsa shouted, throwing a crystal vial. “Bella, go!”

The vial opened, and a tiny, sprite-like figure appeared, surrounded by a hallucinatory mist, a light, alluring laughter seemingly flashing within.

“Illusion, activate!”

Bella, who could only briefly manifest in the outside world, exerted all her power, using the “Beautiful Illusion” ability of the Nightmare Grotesquery to influence the slightly disheveled figure, luring them into a terrifyingly gentle dream.

Unfortunately, the illusion only lasted for a brief moment before the enemy forcibly broke free with their will. The gentle dream couldn’t trap them, only delaying them for half a breath.

However, half a breath in battle… was an eternity.

While Elsa was casting, Luo Ling had already moved.

When the figure in the shadows was forced to reveal themselves, the chilling glint of a blade was already upon them. As they struggled to break free from the dream, a deathly Sacred Tool struck their chest.

The Sacred Tool, “Absolute Blade,” possessed the power to kill any being.

Even the High-Risk Grotesquery, Puppet Ballad, couldn’t escape the death it delivered.

“…….”

The extreme danger finally forced the man hidden in the shadows to fully reveal himself. He held a three-foot long sword in his hand, blocking the Absolute Blade.

The always unstoppable Absolute Blade, capable of cleaving even non-living matter, was stopped for the first time by another weapon, halting before a grey short coat.

The handsome young man’s face was calm, only now showing a hint of regret. “I didn’t want to reveal my identity, but I really didn’t expect…”

To be forced to emerge from “Time” was truly embarrassing.

Moreover, it was at the hands of two juniors who weren’t even High-Order Awakened Ones… No, wait, the red-haired foreign girl beside him should be more than a Mid-Order Awakened One. There seemed to be an error in the Company’s files.

…But it didn’t matter. It wouldn’t make much difference, just a bit more effort.

He would just kill them all.

“It’s been a while, Mr. Cheng Jianming,” Luo Ling said slowly, her voice cold. “Or should I call you… Justice?”

“Either is fine,” Cheng Jianming nodded slightly, saying indifferently, “Believe me, I have no intention of crossing blades with you, but you are already marked for death. Even if I don’t do it, someone else will.

“Just because… you returned from that place.”

From the moment Luo Ling returned from the Realm of Nothingness with valuable information, Cheng Jianming had marked this pitiful black-haired girl for death in his heart.

Even after Luo Ling received the directors’ invitation and gained free access to the board, he hadn’t changed his mind. He knew the three shadows standing by the fireplace too well.

Compared to Cheng Jianming himself, the Company directors were truly unscrupulous, disregarding sacrifices, solely focused on achieving their ultimate goal.

In their words, sacrifices were unavoidable, all for the sake of saving a future that might already be beyond salvation.

Such people were the most terrifying.

The reason Cheng Jianming had later given Luo Ling the high-grade elixir, besides the part he had told her, was mainly to express the Torchbearers’, and his own, stance to the Company.

That’s why Cheng Jianming had personally visited the Company’s office, leaving the letter even when Luo Ling wasn’t there.

“At such a young and beautiful age, you shouldn’t be involved in these matters. These are the consequences of your own mistakes.” Cheng Jianming sighed inwardly. The next moment, his sword moved again.

But it wasn’t aimed at the black-haired girl in front of him, but at the red-haired girl further away.

His orders were to preserve Luo Ling’s soul, ensuring no damage.

To achieve this, killing her would be more troublesome and time-consuming. The only potential threat present was this Dream Path Awakened One named “Elsa.”

A Seventh-Order Awakened One could injure him if he wasn’t careful.

Therefore, Cheng Jianming’s plan was simple.

First, eliminate the troublesome Elsa, then slowly deal with the Company’s primary objective.

As Justice of the Torchbearers, making decisions for the organization was Cheng Jianming’s responsibility. Some called him cold-blooded, others cruel.

Cheng Jianming felt they were both right and wrong.

He was a sword.

Wielded by the Torchbearers or the Company, a sword to eliminate all unclean existences.

This was just a routine mission. Cheng Jianming had completed many before, and today would be no different. He would continue to do so in the future. This was the fate of a sword.

And as a pure sword, the only thing Cheng Jianming possessed… was unparalleled combat strength.

He had previously limited his power because he needed to conceal his identity within “Time,” unwilling to expose himself, which was why Elsa’s surprise attacks had succeeded.

But now… facing a fully drawn sword, Elsa, a mere Seventh-Order Awakened One, had no chance of resistance.

Soon, this sword would easily tear apart this lovely red-haired girl, adding another source to the pool of blood on the ground, insignificantly adding another speck of dust to the annals of time.

But at the moment the blade was drawn, its path was blocked.

“Drip, drop…”

The sound of water droplets falling on the surface.

The sound of blood dripping into the pool of blood.

Under the silent, dark sky, it was piercingly loud.

“Ugh…”

Cen Xiangyun slowly awoke from the backlash, her delicate but pale face etched with pain and tear stains. She heard the terrifying dripping sound and slowly raised her head, her face turning even paler.

Lu Manqing also awoke beside her, her lips bloodless, her eyes wide with shock and grief.

“No…”

Another blood-red rose slowly bloomed.

The gloomy black-haired girl, at the instant the blade was drawn, blocked its edge.

Her fragile body was torn apart by the terrifyingly close sword glint, as easily as tearing paper. The residual force of the blade pulverized her flesh and blood.

Cen Xiangyun and Lu Manqing, witnessing this scene, couldn’t utter a word. Their throats were choked with grief and rage, but they couldn’t even move a finger.

They could do nothing.

“……”

Looking at the mangled body on the ground, Cheng Jianming was silent for a moment, then sighed. “Why bother? You could have at least kept a whole body. Besides, in this situation… it’s difficult for me to report back.”

He looked at the stunned red-haired girl beside him and the two pairs of hate-filled eyes, knowing that after this battle, he would likely have to change his identity.

It didn’t matter. It wasn’t like he hadn’t done it before.

As long as the Torchbearers and the Company still needed a relatively sharp sword, he would never lose his value.

Whether his name was Cheng Jianming or Wu Jianming, the essence of a sword remained the same.

It was to kill.

“My condolences.”

Cheng Jianming bowed slightly to the two women who had unwillingly closed their eyes on the ground and the red-haired girl beside him, offering an apology of sorts.

Then, he took out a crystal ball, preparing to complete his other task for the day.

“The Grotesquery in the Boundary Collapse Incubation Barrier needs nurturing. An ordinary point requires at least one High-Order Awakened One… This is enough.”

Cheng Jianming spoke to himself, ignoring Elsa, as his objective had been achieved. Killing another would be a waste of effort.

Next, he just needed to wait for the phenomenon-type Grotesquery within the crystal ball to feast on the nutrients within the Incubation Barrier.

However…

Cheng Jianming waited for a while, but the crystal ball remained inactive.

“What’s… going on?”

Cheng Jianming frowned slightly, his gaze falling upon the mangled remains of the Iron Fist maid.

Within the “Purgatory” Incubation Barrier, shouldn’t anyone who died become its nourishment?

Just as Cheng Jianming was puzzled, a calm yet somewhat childish voice sounded from above, “Strange, isn’t it? Two people have died in the Incubation Barrier, but Purgatory hasn’t reacted at all.”

“Who!”

Cheng Jianming was startled, abruptly raising his head and looking towards the source of the voice.

He hadn’t expected another presence here that could evade his perception.

Atop the three-story apartment, a small, silver-white figure sat on the sloping roof, her bare feet dangling in the air.

The beautiful yet cold silver-haired girl looked down at him calmly, her faintly glowing grey eyes particularly striking under the dark sky.

A blood moon rose behind her, its terrifying crimson staining half of the dark sky.

Silver and crimson intertwined, the ghostly girl sitting beneath the blood moon.

“You are…”

Cheng Jianming recognized the silver-haired girl at first glance. The calmness he had maintained vanished, replaced by unconcealed panic.

“The answer is simple,” the girl said, looking down at him. “Because this is my Kingdom.

“In my Kingdom, I decide whether something falls into Silent Demise.”

The maid lying in the pool of blood below, her mangled flesh and organs began to churn. The bloody mess parted, revealing delicate, youthful skin.

Puppet Ballad’s first ability, Proliferation.

An ability born from the Silent Demise Path, it had saved countless lives on the verge of falling into Silent Demise.

“White Witch…”

Before Cheng Jianming could process his shock, he saw the previously stunned little girl suddenly become excited, waving her small hands at the figure on the roof, saying happily,

“Sister White, I knew you weren’t dead! Sister Eve isn’t dead either! Everyone will be alright!”

At this moment, Cheng Jianming finally realized something, his expression changing drastically. “Your team… actually colluded with a High-Risk Grotesquery, the infamous White Witch!”

“So what if we did? What are you going to do about it?”

Elsa stuck her tongue out at Cheng Jianming and hid behind Luo Ling, who had stepped off the roof.

Luo Ling, transformed into the White Witch, looked at the regenerating flesh with satisfaction and nodded. “It seems the clone I spent all night creating has achieved a level of realism.”

Not only could Elsa and her teammates not see through it, even Cheng Jianming, a Ninth-Order Awakened One who possessed the ability to use Authority-level Sacred Tools, had been fooled.

Luo Ling hadn’t stayed up all night doing nothing. She knew that she and her team likely couldn’t escape this tribulation. Even if they avoided this B-rank commission, there would be another.

And if they avoided that one, there would be yet another.

It seemed like a dead end.

Unless… she let the Company have their way.

…Then let them have their way.

Therefore, Luo Ling set her own trap. She hadn’t actually detected the hidden danger around the apartment. Cheng Jianming had done an excellent job preparing, avoiding virtually all detection.

This was his job.

Every one of Cheng Jianming’s jobs required him to evade the eyes of everyone in Victoria, including the Company and the Harbingers, creating one seemingly accidental tragedy after another.

And this time, the sudden Grotesquery Incubation Barrier and the unprepared low-level team would be the beginning of this tragedy.

However… the actors in this tragedy didn’t seem to be very obedient. The play had only reached its halfway point when they completely deviated from his carefully prepared script.

Even the seemingly perfect first half… had gone wrong.

Cen Xiangyun and Lu Manqing had indeed lost consciousness, but Eve hadn’t. Before Cheng Jianming could voice his intention to kill her, Luo Ling had already noticed.

Luo Ling’s preparations last night weren’t limited to a clone ready to die. She had also placed a safeguard on all her teammates.

Hidden within each of their hair were several strands of carefully prepared fungal threads.

Even so, Cheng Jianming’s hidden sword was indeed swift. The fungal threads on Eve alone couldn’t completely block the wound.

Fortunately, Luo Ling, whose main body was already outside, instantly transformed into the White Witch, using the power of her Authority, Kingdom, to save Eve’s life.

Moreover, Luo Ling thoughtfully used the fungal threads to sever all of Eve’s sensations, including pain. She hadn’t even felt the agony of being eviscerated.

With a snap, she had simply fallen asleep, all five senses shut down, her expression frozen in that instant.

In reality, when Lu Manqing tried to examine Eve’s wound, the flesh had already regenerated thanks to Proliferation, leaving only a pile of literal rotten meat for Lu Manqing to see.

Luo Ling’s subsequent “death” was even simpler. This was to leave a memory for Cheng Jianming.

As someone skilled in manipulating memories, Luo Ling knew that fabricated memories weren’t as impactful as real ones. The Company was so eager to kill her; they must be able to obtain what they wanted from her dead body.

Similarly, using the directors’ methods, Luo Ling could also let them obtain what she wanted them to know.

For example… that Luo Ling was dead.

It was enough for their memory tracing to stop here. No further performance was necessary. Puppet Ballad’s second ability, Read, would clean up any unnecessary traces.

“All your actions are within my calculations, Mr. Cheng Jianming,” Luo Ling said calmly, picking up the short sword, Absolute Blade. “Justice of the Torchbearers, your opponent is Sequence 49 of the Grotesqueries, the White Witch of Silent Demise.”

Chapter 60: Blood Rose 

“Luo Ling, what’s wrong with you today?”

A pale hand waved in front of Luo Ling, pulling her slightly vacant gaze back. Eve looked at her with concern. “You seem distracted. Is this… Ms. Fiona, really that important to you?”

The eyes of the entire team rested on Luo Ling’s face. Usually boisterous and playful, they were unusually quiet today.

For some unknown reason, the existence of “Fiona, Grand Constellation of the Fate Society” had been erased from most people’s minds. The ordinary staff of the Victoria Opera House were no exception, having completely forgotten their manager.

Even Elsa, closest to Luo Ling, didn’t know what she was worried about, and Luo Ling wouldn’t say anything, leaving the Twintails team puzzled.

“…It’s alright,” Luo Ling said, recovering slightly.

“Alright… Seeing you like this, if I hadn’t known you back in Jiangcheng County, I would have thought she was your mother.” Lu Manqing said, twitching the corner of her mouth.

During the Incubation Barrier battle today, Luo Ling, constantly on edge, had several close calls. Each time, Lu Manqing, positioned at the rear, was forced to intervene and cover for her, sustaining some injuries in the process.

“…I’m sorry.”

Luo Ling knew her state today had let her teammates down. She bowed deeply in apology.

“Miss Luo Ling…”

Elsa hugged Luo Ling’s arm, her small face full of conflict. She was worried but hesitated to press Luo Ling for details.

But since Miss Luo Ling refused to talk, she must have her reasons…

“I’m fine, Elsa. Don’t worry too much.”

Luo Ling looked down at Elsa, a forced smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She continued walking with the team but remained distracted.

“Alright, you should say less,” Cen Xiangyun whispered, patting Lu Manqing’s shoulder.

“I’m not complaining, it’s just—” Lu Manqing said, then seemed to remember something, her brow furrowing deeply. “No, that’s not right…”

“What’s not right?”

“…Nothing.”

Lu Manqing composed her expression, returning to her usual carefree demeanor.

“Anyway, today’s commission was completed successfully. Since Luo Ling is tired, let’s just go home and rest.” As the team leader and the oldest sister in the group, Eve was still reliable most of the time.

No one in the Twintails team objected, and they quickly returned to their apartment.

Luo Ling’s behavior continued to be unusual. She didn’t even sneak into the kitchen to help as she usually did while Elsa was cooking, instead quietly sitting at the dining table, waiting.

Even when everyone had finished eating and started clearing the table, she just sat in her chair, motionless.

Everyone tacitly agreed not to disturb her. Only Elsa pulled up a small stool and sat beside her, chin resting on her hand, staring intently at Miss Luo Ling.

After an unknown amount of time, Luo Ling finally came to her senses, her eyes suddenly sharpening. “Finally… found a trace.”

“Found what?” Elsa asked beside her.

“Found… I can’t say yet.” Luo Ling reached out and stroked Elsa’s hair, then asked, “By the way, Elsa, aren’t you cooking today?”

“…Miss Luo Ling, haven’t we already eaten?”

“Ah, have we already eaten?”

Luo Ling paused, then rubbed her stomach, which was indeed slightly distended.

It seemed they really had eaten…

“Luo Ling, your absent-mindedness is getting out of hand!”

Cen Xiangyun, who was reading a newspaper in the living room, couldn’t help but comment upon hearing the conversation in the dining room. It also felt strangely familiar.

“Is it?”

Luo Ling smiled, her expression quickly turning serious.

Of course, she wasn’t as absent-minded as everyone worried, to the point of not knowing whether she had eaten or not, because of excessive grief.

Even if Aunt Fiona had truly been silently killed, Luo Ling wouldn’t just wallow in sorrow. No matter how heavy the emotions, nothing could be undone. The living still had more important things to do.

Luo Ling had experienced times of greater grief than this. Moreover… at least Aunt Fiona’s death hadn’t been confirmed, so there was still a chance.

Therefore, most of Luo Ling’s mind was immersed in searching for this slim chance, overloading her entire intelligence network. Even Alyssa, the final review mechanism, was working at full capacity, shutting herself in the quiet room to avoid disturbance, fully assisting Luo Ling in her search.

After exhausting several memory transfer processes, Luo Ling finally found a minuscule clue, within the Victoria Opera House.

Using this clue, Luo Ling deployed a single Spore from Alyssa, then through nearby puppet priests, barely managed to extend it into the Victoria Opera House.

Due to Fiona’s disappearance, the entire Fate Society was mobilized, and even the Company had dispatched an elite team led by a P8 to guard the opera house.

Luo Ling didn’t want to alert these guards and had to be wary of the seemingly omniscient surveillance of the directors. Therefore, she could only use the minimum number of Spores, avoiding everyone’s gaze. After many difficulties, she finally reached Fiona’s room.

This was the reason for Luo Ling’s distraction during today’s commission. Her mental energy was greatly depleted, but she couldn’t leave the team abruptly, as that would only raise more suspicion.

Fiona’s room hadn’t been disturbed. A burnt-out lamp had been knocked over onto the dressing table in panic, and a small wooden mallet lay on a nearby chair.

Judging from their auras, both were Sacred Tools, and not low-level ones.

The Company personnel should have already checked this room, and even the directors’ gazes had likely fallen upon it, but they had found nothing.

But… Luo Ling was different.

Not long after her consciousness entered the room, fragmented pieces of information coalesced out of thin air, as if they were specifically left for her.

“Finally found… a trace.”

Luo Ling gathered these fragments, carefully piecing them together. A sentence… or rather, half a sentence, surfaced in her mind.

“The Company deliberately triggered the ‘Taboo’ disaster. They and the Harbingers of Calamity are merely branches of the same root—”

Luo Ling’s expression darkened slightly.

It was left for her by Aunt Fiona before her disappearance. She hadn’t had time to leave the complete message before she was gone.

“As expected, the Company deliberately triggered the disaster, but branches of the same root with the Harbingers…”

Luo Ling recalled her previous conjecture about the relationship between the Company directors and the Harbinger leaders. She had, of course, told Aunt Fiona about this speculation, but it was ultimately just a hypothesis.

In the half-sentence left by Fiona, she finally confirmed this point. Even… Luo Ling’s speculation about a “double agent” had been confirmed by Fiona.

Moreover, the relationship between the two was even deeper than Luo Ling had imagined. “Branches of the same root” meant that the Company directors and the Harbinger leaders were once on the same path but later diverged due to disagreements.

However, this information alone shouldn’t be the reason for Fiona’s disappearance.

The fact that Fiona left this message for Luo Ling beforehand meant she knew how dangerous the information she had obtained was and wouldn’t entrust it to Luo Ling lightly.

Although Fiona only said half a sentence, the information she wanted to convey, the things she wanted to warn Luo Ling about, were already clear.

“I’m afraid… the Company is going to target me…”

Luo Ling sighed deeply. During her later meeting with Fiona, she had vaguely understood why the Company directors had been willing to honestly trade with her during their first meeting.

It was simple: Fiona was backing her.

Fiona’s combat ability might not be that important, but her skills were, and their influence was profound.

—She was a top-tier Sacred Tool crafter.

Top-tier Sacred Tools were extremely valuable, not only because the Sacred Relic materials were difficult to obtain, but also because the crafters who could forge them were even rarer.

Fiona was currently the strongest Sacred Tool crafter. The other two Grand Constellations of the Fate Society specialized in combat, while Fiona focused on crafting.

Given sufficient resources, she could attempt to craft Taboo Sacred Tools—of course, not from the core itself, as no Taboo core Sacred Relic had ever appeared.

Moreover, Fiona’s extremely high success rate was one of the reasons she was considered the strongest crafter. Her fees were higher, but it was better than having a cheaper crafter ruin the materials, as crafters didn’t compensate for losses.

Now, a critical secret had cost Luo Ling her implicit backing. The Company directors no longer had any scruples and were more willing to use the most direct methods to obtain what they wanted.

“It seems… I have to let this useful shell die…”

Luo Ling wasn’t worried. Even if the directors personally took action, they would have to plan and prepare as if they were facing a High-Risk Grotesquery to have a chance of killing her.

But how could that be possible?

Even if the Company realized this and intended to make plans, given the current situation in Victoria, the Harbingers wouldn’t give the directors this opportunity.

However, no matter what, the relatively good identity of “Luo Ling, P5 Company Dispatch Specialist” could no longer be maintained.

“Next…”

Just as Luo Ling was pondering her next move, Eve suddenly emerged from her room, waving a parchment scroll in her hand, her face beaming with joy.

“Sisters, come out! We’ve got a big one! There’s a B-rank commission newly posted by the Company that’s perfect for our team. Come take a look…”

The parchment scroll was a special item imbued with power. It functioned like the Company’s notice board, allowing one to view and accept posted commissions at any time, enabling them to snatch better commissions faster. It was a small artifact that every team needed.

“What?”

Hearing about a big commission, Cen Xiangyun immediately perked up, throwing down her newspaper and rushing to Eve to grab the parchment. Her face broke into a wide smile.

“Wow, what kind of luck is this? Isn’t this the Incubation Barrier we’ve dealt with before? Completing this commission will put my quarterly performance into surplus, and I won’t have to rush for the year-end bonus! Quick, quick, accept it…”

Even Lu Manqing became interested, craning her neck to look.

Elsa also wanted to see, but she felt it was more important to stay with Miss Luo Ling, so she continued to sit on the small stool, stretching her neck as far as it could go.

A special Incubation Barrier?

And… one they had dealt with before?

Hearing this, a chill ran down Luo Ling’s spine for some reason. Looking at her teammates’ joyful expressions, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

Whose memory was causing this… wait.

It was… Linna’s.

Linna’s memory.

The scene of the Hunt team meticulously preparing for a routine Incubation Barrier mission inexplicably overlapped with the current Twintails team.

The witness felt a chill in her blood.

“No…”

Luo Ling subconsciously voiced.

Although her voice was soft, everyone present heard it clearly and turned their gazes towards her.

Facing their gazes, Luo Ling composed herself and said,

“Let’s… refuse it.”

“Huh? Luo Ling, why?” Cen Xiangyun asked, puzzled, waving the parchment in her hand with some hesitation. “But I’ve already accepted it.”

“Because—”

Luo Ling intended to explain the real reason. Everyone’s eager eyes focused on her, waiting for her answer.

However, at this moment, Luo Ling couldn’t bring herself to say the second half of the sentence.

It wasn’t that she wanted to deliberately conceal it, but because of a more important reason.

“Some knowledge itself is poison. It’s not always better to know more. Ignorance is often a blessing.”

This was something the “Woman,” one of the Company directors, had told her, and Luo Ling knew it was true.

Moreover, it was also a threat from the Company director.

Even Aunt Fiona had “disappeared” because she knew things she shouldn’t have. Luo Ling really couldn’t be sure that if she told her team the whole truth…

Would they also “disappear”?

Would they end up like Aunt Fiona, without even a single word left behind?

Except for Elsa, the others in the team didn’t have her life-saving abilities. Perhaps… just a casual sentence would get them killed.

So she absolutely couldn’t say it. Saying it might lead to death.

After a long hesitation, Luo Ling could only manage a dry, “…Let’s not go.”

A long, terrifying silence followed.

Just as Luo Ling thought they would choose to continue with the commission since she couldn’t give a reason for refusing, Cen Xiangyun hesitated for a moment, then crossed out the acceptance on the parchment and tossed it back to Eve.

“Since Luo Ling doesn’t want to go, let’s not go. Damn, we’ve been working overtime like dogs lately, even having to go on missions on New Year’s Day. It’s so annoying.”

Eve felt a twinge of regret. It was rare to find such a suitable mission.

But as if remembering something, she tossed the parchment to Lu Manqing and said nonchalantly,

“That’s right, that’s right. We’ve been slaving away for the Company for so long, without a single day off. Damn this shitty Company, to hell with it!”

“To hell with it, then. Why are you throwing this at me? I’m not the captain.”

Lu Manqing stuffed the parchment back into Eve’s hands, grumbling, “Besides, our dear Captain Eve, it was you who forced us to work overtime on New Year’s Day.”

“Because I worked overtime on Christmas, which is equivalent to your Eastern New Year, so you have to work overtime too. Otherwise, I’d feel very unbalanced!” Eve angrily punched the air, a slight whooshing sound echoing.

“Oh, you feel unbalanced, do you?”

Cen Xiangyun sneered, extending her hands, a thin layer of frost covering them. She then suddenly reached behind Eve’s neck, sliding her hands down inside her clothes.

“Yahh!”

The usually cool and collected Iron Fist maid let out a cute, surprised yelp, scrambling to remove Cen Xiangyun’s mischievous hands.

But Lu Manqing didn’t hold back, a sly smile on her face. Her nimble fingers reached Eve’s armpits, making teasing sounds as she relentlessly probed Eve’s weakest points.

A chaotic commotion ensued, interspersed with the girls’ laughter. After a while, the apartment finally returned to peace.

Luo Ling still sat in her original spot, while Elsa went to make some warm tea for her rambunctious sisters.

Eve, on the floor, was practically disheveled, with quite a bit of exposed skin, still bearing traces of frost. Her indignant face was flushed and hot, and while panting, she put Cen Xiangyun in a ground cross-face hold.

Of course, Lu Manqing wasn’t in much better shape. Before putting Cen Xiangyun in the hold, Eve had already put Lu Manqing in a rear-naked choke for quite a while, and she was still coughing violently.

Living up to her moniker of Iron Fist, Eve’s fighting skills were indeed strong. She wasn’t just proficient in boxing; her ground game was equally impressive.

Looking at her teammates, Luo Ling couldn’t help but smile. But after a slight hesitation, she spoke again, “I haven’t even said why I wanted to refuse the commission.”

“Is that important?” Cen Xiangyun replied while struggling against Eve’s hold. “If you don’t want to go, then don’t go. The reason doesn’t matter. What matters is that you don’t want to go.”

“Don’t forget, we’re… a team…”

Eve tightened her hold on Cen Xiangyun, attempting to drag Lu Manqing back into the fray.

Fortunately, Lu Manqing was quite sensible and stayed far away after escaping the chokehold.

Even without using her Judgment Path abilities, Eve’s physical prowess and close-combat skills far surpassed those of Cen Xiangyun (Elemental) and Lu Manqing (Myriad).

“……”

After a moment of silence, Luo Ling smiled and said,

“Right.”

Although they didn’t know much, they knew one word: “trust.”

Trusting close teammates.

Even if Luo Ling didn’t explain the specific reason, it was still the same.

So…

“This feeling… seems quite nice.”

Luo Ling stood up and walked towards the girls wrestling on the floor.

“Hot tea is here, sisters, come… Ahhh!”

Elsa, carrying a large pot of hot tea, entered the living room and was instantly startled, nearly dropping the pot.

Luo Ling had forcefully locked Eve’s arms from behind. Even with her superior ground game, Eve couldn’t do anything in this situation.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Cen Xiangyun and Lu Manqing began to take liberties with Eve, and an even more chaotic scene unfolded, frightening young Elsa.

“You… hahahaha… bastards… hahahahaha…”

“Bas… hahaha… tards!”

………

The next morning.

As the first light of dawn touched the horizon, the clock on the wall pointed precisely at six o’clock.

Elsa, now firmly rooted in Luo Ling’s bed, sleepily stretched but didn’t feel the familiar soft body beside her.

She instantly woke up, groping around before finally spotting a figure sitting at the desk nearby from the corner of her eye.

“Oh, Miss Luo Ling, really, why are you sleeping out here again…”

Elsa mumbled, then rustled the covers.

“I didn’t sleep out here.”

As if startled by the sound Elsa made, Luo Ling in the chair turned around, calmly looking at the surprised Elsa.

“Ah, is that so? But Miss Luo Ling, you’re up so early today? Even if you’re going out, there’s no need to get up this early… The other sisters are definitely still asleep!”

“I didn’t sleep.”

Luo Ling turned her gaze back to the clock artifact on the desk, seemingly lost in thought.

After last night’s commotion, the team had discussed that since they were planning to skip work, they couldn’t stay in the apartment.

At Eve’s suggestion, they decided to go out for a rare day of fun.

Come to think of it, since arriving in Victoria from the Boundary where Jiangcheng County was located, they hadn’t properly explored this world-famous city.

Compared to the later Sunset Empire, Victoria in this era truly deserved to be called the light of human civilization. Even with its ignorance and shortcomings, it was far ahead of its contemporaries.

However, due to the Company’s strict attendance and evaluation system, coupled with the unfortunate timing of the busiest Incubation Barrier incident period, the Twintails team hadn’t rested in a long time.

Such a rare opportunity likely wouldn’t come again for a long time—because missing work once was quite detrimental, requiring a long time to make up for the lost year-end bonus.

“Oh my, Miss Luo Ling is like a little kid, so excited about going out that she didn’t sleep all night.”

Elsa got out of bed and walked up to Luo Ling, seriously scrutinizing her face. Only after seeing no trace of fatigue did she relax.

Awakened Ones had different physiques. Some could stay up for several days without issue, while others had to strictly adhere to their biological clocks.

Elsa clearly belonged to the latter category, while Miss Luo Ling seemed to be the former.

“I feel like you’ve become like a mother hen recently, Elsa,” Luo Ling said, finding Elsa’s serious little face amusing, and pinched it.

“Mmm, no I haven’t! I’m still very young!” Elsa pouted. “And it’s all Miss Luo Ling’s fault for being so clumsy, not even able to take care of herself.”

“I am not.”

“You are!” Elsa said, hands on her hips.

However, what Elsa didn’t say was that she could vaguely sense that Miss Luo Ling seemed to enjoy being taken care of, so she was secretly trying her best, even at her young age, to become an adult who could take care of Miss Luo Ling.

Luo Ling didn’t argue, only increasing the pressure of her fingers pinching Elsa’s face slightly.

Just a little bit.

As the rest of the team woke up one after another and had Elsa’s breakfast as usual, they began preparing their plans for the day.

Eve enthusiastically planned the sights and destinations, even choosing a few restaurants—this time, she specifically chose restaurants run by the neighboring Gauls. As a local, she was well aware of the locals’ culinary skills, as even her family’s chef was from Gaul.

Cen Xiangyun, on the other hand, set her sights on Luo Ling. She had wanted to put makeup on Luo Ling for a long time, but hadn’t found a good opportunity until today.

Luo Ling stared intently at herself in the mirror, memorizing Cen Xiangyun’s techniques step by step. After saving this memory, she could replicate it herself later.

Lu Manqing was fiddling with her camera. She loved taking pictures, to the point of taking group photos even during commissions. She called these “closing shots.”

“Bingo! Done!”

Cen Xiangyun clapped off the remaining makeup powder from her hands, proudly patting Luo Ling’s shoulder as if presenting her masterpiece.

“Did I recognize the wrong person? Is this really… Luo Ling?” Eve feigned an exaggerated expression, her face full of disbelief. “Amazing, Xiangyun, she looks completely different from usual.”

Lu Manqing nodded in agreement, sighing, “It’s like she’s got a different head… Oh wait, not just a different head, a different person altogether.”

“It’s mainly because of her good foundation,” Cen Xiangyun said with a reserved smile, but the pride in her eyes couldn’t be concealed.

“Nonsense, Miss Luo Ling has always been beautiful!” Elsa protested. Cen Xiangyun had only let down Miss Luo Ling’s usually gloomy hairstyle; nothing else had changed, right?

“It feels… not as good as when Aunt Fiona did it,” Luo Ling said, looking at herself in the mirror and touching her chin.

In terms of makeup skills, Aunt Fiona was still superior, although she had given her Linna’s makeup.

However, Cen Xiangyun had deliberately used foundation to cover the faint scales on her temples and used colored contacts to conceal her dark gold eyes.

These unusual features had previously been hidden by Luo Ling’s hair, which was why she had seemed particularly gloomy, even being described by Lu Manqing as a “wraith-like girl.”

Now, Luo Ling finally looked like a normal adolescent girl, without the eerie and gloomy aura.

Then, Lu Manqing produced several small yellow hats from somewhere, wanting everyone in the team to wear them. It was only after Cen Xiangyun’s desperate resistance that they avoided transforming from a group of shopping buddies into elementary school students on a field trip.

By the time they were ready, the sun was already high in the sky. When the team stepped out of the apartment, the direct sunlight made their shadows almost imperceptible.

“First stop, Gaulish cuisine!”

Eve said, wiping a bit of drool from the corner of her mouth as she consulted her travel guide.

She hadn’t had a decent meal in a long time. The chefs at Wellington Manor had all gone out on commissions, and the replacements hired were locals who made food unfit for even dogs.

However…

Just as they had taken a few steps from the apartment, the originally bright sky suddenly darkened, quickly becoming as dim as night.

“Ah, is it going to rain? The forecast clearly said it would be clear skies!” Cen Xiangyun frowned slightly. “That damn forecaster, Bert, probably slacked off and didn’t use his abilities to check again.”

“No, this doesn’t look like rain.”

Lu Manqing pointed her camera at the sky, taking several pictures before examining them.

At the same time, Luo Ling also noticed the anomaly in the sky, saying gravely,

“There are… no clouds.”

Not only were there no dark clouds, there weren’t any clouds at all.

As if splashed with thick ink, the entire sky was stained with darkness, even the sun was no exception, slowly being swallowed by the eerie gloom.

“What’s going on?”

Eve said, her face panicked. For some reason, she felt a deep unease, a sense of being exposed to some unknown, terrifying danger.

“It’s… an Incubation Barrier.”

Elsa, with her most sensitive perception, directly confirmed the answer everyone had already suspected.

The reason Elsa had always fainted in Incubation Barriers before was her overly sensitive perception. After this period of training, she had overcome this, even able to detect Incubation Barriers earlier than Luo Ling.

“…I didn’t expect it to come so quickly,” Luo Ling sighed softly.

At that moment, a sword glint flashed from the shadows, striking at the team with lightning speed.

But… the target wasn’t Luo Ling.

A sword tip burst from Eve’s chest, twisting and churning, tearing her heart apart.

Half of a blood-stained travel guide fluttered to the ground, followed by a gush of blood and a thud.

Eve slowly collapsed in a pool of blood.

A beautiful, vivid flower of blood bloomed on her chest, like a thorny red rose.

Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Value of Sacrifice

The next morning.

Luo Ling, arriving at the Wellington office as usual, encountered a rare visitor.

Lu Fangling, the office head, and Lu Manqing’s mother.

As the team was choosing their commissions, Lu Fangling approached them with a troubled expression. “Miss Luo Ling.”

“Hmm?” Luo Ling turned around, surprised. “Grandma Lu, long time no see.”

“Mom, what are you doing here?” Lu Manqing asked, peeking out. “Are you giving us a hidden mission?”

Lu Fangling ignored her daughter’s usual flippancy, looking at Luo Ling and delivering shocking news.

“Last night, Ms. Fiona disappeared.”

“Hmm?”

Luo Ling paused, her expression turning grim.

She knew Fiona had been investigating the past incident, her movements repeatedly captured by her intelligence network.

Of course, Fiona had been cautious. With her status and strength, and Luo Ling’s help in concealing her tracks, it was unlikely anyone else had noticed.

Unless…

There was something Luo Ling didn’t know.

Eve tugged at Luo Ling’s clothes, whispering curiously,

“Who is this Ms. Fiona? Why is Head Lu personally informing you?”

“Huh? Eve, you… don’t know her?”

Luo Ling’s expression turned strange. “Aunt Fiona is one of the Fate Society’s constellations. Didn’t you meet her when she came to see me before?”

“Really? I don’t remember…”

Eve scratched her head, then slapped Luo Ling’s back. “You must be mistaken. There are no women among the Fate Society’s two constellations, they’re both men.”

“…What?”

Luo Ling paused, glancing at her teammates.

They all looked confused, even Elsa, who whispered nervously, “Miss Luo Ling, where did you meet another ‘aunt’…”

“That’s the problem, Specialist Luo Ling.”

Lu Manqing’s voice was grave. “Most people have lost their memories of Ms. Fiona. She has been ‘forgotten.’

“Fortunately, you still remember.”

Luo Ling remained silent for a moment, then asked, “Grandma Lu, you didn’t come here just to tell me this, did you?”

“Of course not. The Company directors are very concerned. After all, she’s a peak expert capable of wielding an Authority. Her safety isn’t just a matter for the Fate Society, but for all of humanity.”

Lu Fangling said gravely, “You have a close relationship with Ms. Fiona. The directors want to know if you know her whereabouts, or if you’ve met her recently.”

Luo Ling felt Elsa’s grip on her arm tighten slightly when Lu Fangling mentioned their “close relationship.”

“I don’t know.” Luo Ling shook her head. “I’ve been on missions with the… team. I haven’t seen Aunt Fiona.”

She still couldn’t bring herself to say that ridiculous team name…

Especially since it was Lu Fangling’s daughter who had chosen it.

“Telling me is useless,” Lu Fangling sighed. “I’ll be blunt. The directors want to see you.”

Luo Ling’s heart sank. She suspected that Fiona’s disappearance was related to the Company directors.

Had Fiona uncovered something unfavorable to the Company or the directors during her investigation?

But if so, why bother informing her? They could have simply silenced Fiona…

Several thoughts flashed through Luo Ling’s mind, but she quickly replied, “Should I go to headquarters now?”

“No need, the directors are waiting for you in the meeting room.” Lu Fangling stepped aside.

“Thank you, I understand.”

Luo Ling nodded, giving Elsa a reassuring look before heading towards the meeting room.

As she passed Lu Fangling, she felt a faint breeze carrying a whispered message.

It was Lu Fangling’s voice.

“I’m sorry, Miss Luo Ling. Fiona… is likely dead. My condolences.”

Luo Ling’s eyes narrowed slightly, hearing the barely audible words.

But she quickly suppressed her emotions, continuing towards the meeting room, her steps slightly hurried, as if she hadn’t heard anything.

…….

After a knock, a cold voice echoed from within the meeting room.

“Enter.”

Luo Ling entered, her previous conflicted expression replaced by her usual calmness.

She had been to Wellington’s highest-level meeting room once before, for the joint interview with the three factions, with Lu Fangling representing the Company, Fiona representing the Fate Society, and Cheng Jianming representing the Torchbearers.

It had only been a few months, yet so much had changed.

Even Aunt Fiona might be…

“Greetings, Directors.”

Luo Ling bowed slightly.

Only one figure was present in the meeting room, the woman from the cabin, who had been sitting on the sofa.

She was still dressed in luxurious furs, her youthful face framed by old-fashioned spectacles with a chain.

“There’s no need for formalities, relax.”

The woman gestured for Luo Ling to sit, then asked directly,

“Miss Luo Ling, have you been in contact with Ms. Fiona in the past month? This is very important, it might help us find her.”

She stared intently at Luo Ling, her beautiful eyes filled with urgency and concern.

“I… haven’t.”

Luo Ling shook her head, a hint of sadness in her usually indifferent expression.

This wasn’t an act, but suppressed emotion.

Upon hearing the news from Lu Fangling, Luo Ling had immediately tried to contact the spores she had planted in the Victoria Opera House.

But they were gone, she could no longer sense them.

Some unknown power had annihilated them without a trace.

This could only mean… the perpetrator was incredibly powerful. Although she didn’t want to believe it, Grandma Lu’s whispered words were likely true.

Who had killed Aunt Fiona?

…Anyone was possible.

But at this moment, Luo Ling could only express a hint of sadness, powerless to act.

The woman studied Luo Ling for a moment, then said,

“Miss Luo Ling, don’t worry too much, Ms. Fiona is merely missing. With her strength, few in Victoria could kill her… even among the Grotesque factions, it would require a top-tier Agent.”

“I… understand. Thank you, Director.”

Luo Ling nodded, suppressing her emotions.

“Did you tell her about our previous conversation?”

The woman asked abruptly.

Luo Ling felt her voice escape her control, answering with her first thought.

“No.”

“…Very good, Miss Luo Ling, you’ve kept your promise.”

A strange expression flickered in the woman’s eyes as she nodded slightly.

“However, I must remind you, some knowledge is poison, knowing too much isn’t always a good thing. Ignorance can be a blessing… I believe you understand.”

Meaning, their previous conversation was for Luo Ling’s ears only. Revealing it… could be dangerous.

So, had the Company directors killed Aunt Fiona because of this?

But the directors had told her without any restrictions, likely anticipating that she might reveal it to others. They wouldn’t resort to killing a high-order Awakened One capable of wielding an Authority just for that.

Besides, if that were the case, there would have been no need to ask her that question.

Luo Ling knew she was now inevitably caught in Victoria’s brewing storm, Aunt Fiona perhaps the first casualty.

“I understand.” Luo Ling nodded, then hesitated. “If you have any news about Aunt Fiona, please inform me immediately.”

“Of course, Miss Luo Ling.” The woman nodded, her form gradually fading. “If you have anything else to tell us, just come to headquarters.

“Farewell.”

The woman’s shadow vanished completely, but Luo Ling remained there, her expression indifferent.

A moment later, a faint white strand of hair fell from her head, dissipating into nothingness.

The sealed memory returned, and a wave of guilt washed over her, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Perhaps it’s because I told Aunt Fiona the truth that she…”

Before entering the meeting room, Luo Ling had anticipated a memory probe, sealing that part of her memory within a strand of hair.

No matter what methods the directors employed, they would only find that she hadn’t contacted Fiona recently.

Only now, recalling everything, and considering the woman’s behavior, did Luo Ling understand the likely reason for Fiona’s demise.

But perhaps… she wasn’t dead yet.

The Company directors’ behavior was unusual, the situation still unclear.

Leaving the meeting room, Luo Ling suppressed her grief.

At the same time, her intelligence network throughout Victoria sprang into action, searching for any clues.

“At least… I have to see Aunt Fiona again, even if it’s just her body.”

…….

Within the cabin, the woman’s figure reappeared, the elderly man and the young man waiting for her.

However, they both looked pale and weakened, seemingly injured, which was why they hadn’t accompanied her to meet Luo Ling.

“She knows almost nothing, and likely… hasn’t revealed anything about the Taboo disaster.” The woman said concisely.

“Heh… not as I expected.” The elderly man said slowly. “However, even if that girl is a blabbermouth, revealing it to Fiona wouldn’t matter. What I’m worried about is…”

His cloudy gaze sharpened. “Those who shouldn’t know, know more than just that.”

The reason they had revealed the Taboo disaster to Luo Ling was because it wasn’t a complete secret. The Harbingers and several other Awakened Ones involved were aware of it.

But…

If someone had discovered other secrets, combined with this information and their knowledge of Victoria, they might have stumbled upon the closely guarded secret of the Company’s “old man” and the Harbingers’ Philosopher.

The old man and Philosopher had jointly erected a barrier throughout Victoria, at great cost, to protect or obtain the same secret.

If anyone touched upon this secret, even just a fleeting thought, they would be instantly detected.

…Clearly, Fiona had touched upon this secret.

Therefore, she had to die.

Although… Fiona’s current status was technically “missing.”

After detecting the barrier’s activation last night, the old man and the young man had immediately acted.

However, killing a peak expert so hastily required a heavy price, hence their current injuries.

But instead of Fiona’s death, they had only received news of her disappearance.

“The Harbingers also acted.”

That was the only conclusion they could reach.

Philosopher was also monitoring the secret, but the old man didn’t know his intentions. Perhaps he also wanted to kill Fiona, or perhaps… he wanted to obtain more information from her.

The former was fine, as the directors also wanted her dead, but the latter was unfavorable to the Company.

Lacking any leads, the Company directors could only try to inquire with Luo Ling, Fiona’s closest acquaintance, hoping to deduce how she had learned about the taboo secret.

They weren’t sure how much Luo Ling knew about the past incident, or whether it was a fragmented piece of information from her that had led Fiona to the taboo secret.

The result was nothing. Luo Ling claimed to know nothing, the woman’s ability ineffective.

This matter couldn’t be left unresolved. If this secret were revealed, the entire Company would face a catastrophic disaster.

…Or rather, Company headquarters.

The Company in Victoria consisted of sixteen offices, with the London office as its headquarters, controlling all other offices and branches in various Boundaries.

But originally… these offices hadn’t all belonged to the Company, but various Awakened factions, gradually merging into the current Company.

The same applied to the branches in other Boundaries.

The Company was essentially an alliance of Awakened organizations, though this alliance was tightly controlled and heavily reliant on the three directors.

If this secret were revealed, the consequences for the directors would be devastating, a fact even the Harbingers understood, though they hadn’t learned the secret yet.

Whether Fiona, dead or alive, had revealed it…

The three directors’ expressions were filled with unease.

“Cough, cough… let’s begin early. We can’t wait any longer.” The old man coughed, wiping the blood from his lips.

“But we’re not ready yet.” The young man frowned, his injuries no less severe than the old man’s, though his Myriad path abilities alleviated the pain.

“Just a few more sacrifices,” the old man said indifferently. “If we wait any longer, until the Harbingers make their move, we’ll all be dead.

“We have to prepare for the worst. If the Harbingers obtain this secret… heh, they’ll learn even more, their capabilities increasing significantly.

“Remember how the Harbingers obtained the ritual for stealing Grotesqueries’ Authorities? Wasn’t it thanks to… us?”

The atmosphere in the cabin turned grim.

His meaning was clear. The ritual had been leaked by one of them, the traitor among the three directors.

Who was Historian?

Even the directors didn’t have a definitive answer.

Even the old man could only say he was the least likely candidate, but he couldn’t rule it out completely.

One thing was certain: Historian would never allow either side to gain absolute dominance, wouldn’t reveal the secret in a matter of fundamental importance.

However, what no one expected was that…

Not only the Harbingers, but also the Company directors possessed the ritual for stealing Authorities.

In fact, the Harbingers’ ritual was merely a crude imitation.

“By the way, just kill her. Remember to extract her soul. We need her to answer some questions, there might be unexpected gains.” The old man said casually, as if suggesting something trivial.

The directors were also concerned about the Grotesquery capable of annihilating Boundaries.

As long as this Grotesquery remained hidden, the Company’s most powerful weapon, the ability to forcibly trigger Boundary collapses, would be unusable.

With Fiona still alive, they had hesitated to kill Luo Ling and search her soul. They could wait.

But now, the old man had lost his patience. They needed answers, and they needed them now.

“That’s not a problem. Let’s add her team to the list of sacrifices, a small contribution to humanity. But… who will do it?” The young man pondered.

“Cheng Jianming of the Torchbearers will do. A bloodied knife is always more effective.”

The woman shrugged indifferently. “However, let’s spare the two second-generation members. Linna’s death caused enough trouble already.”

“Hmm… there’s still a high-order Awakened One among them, enough to activate one of the ritual’s focal points.” The young man nodded.

“Let’s do that.”

The old man stared into the fire, finalizing their decision.

It was just the sacrifice of a few insignificant specialists.

They had made similar decisions countless times.

…All for the sake of humanity’s uncertain future.

Chapter Fifty-Eight: A Strange Ornament, The Company’s Deepest Secret

Within the dimly lit cabin, the fireplace crackled, casting flickering shadows on the two figures within.

A dark shadow lurked in the corner, silent and still.

“Cough…”

Philosopher, seated on a small stool, coughed violently. He looked even older than before, his wrinkled skin marked with dark spots resembling livor mortis.

In just half a month, he had aged considerably, seemingly on the verge of death, yet a powerful life force still flickered within him.

Educator sat on the sofa beside him, a connection established between them, his Myriad path ability sustaining Philosopher’s life.

The childish yet aged boy closed his eyes, his mind seemingly elsewhere, until after a moment, he opened them, Philosopher’s deep, cloudy gaze fixed on him.

“How did it go?”

“She is indeed a Grotesque-side Awakened One with unprecedented aptitude.” Educator said gravely. “Far more powerful than the three of us, perhaps even comparable to… a Grotesquery Apostle.”

Educator hadn’t left the cabin. It was an avatar created by Philosopher that had interviewed Alyssa.

“I didn’t see any trace of the Company in her fate, but I can’t be certain. The ‘old man’s’ power… is comparable to ours.” Philosopher said slowly. “Educator, can you rule out the possibility of her being a Grotesquery Apostle?”

Neither Philosopher nor the old man could constantly monitor all of Victoria. There were blind spots in their perception, a result of their ongoing power struggle.

Therefore, Saint Alyssa’s fate, as seen by Philosopher, was fragmented, though the general outline was clear, seemingly nothing unusual.

Educator remained silent for a long time, then shook his head. “We know too little about Apostles. I didn’t detect any signs, but I can’t be certain. Therefore, I only entrusted her with a basic task, revealing nothing else.”

It was Educator’s domain that had suppressed Luo Ling’s spores, capable of specifically targeting and neutralizing Grotesqueries within its range. In previous tests, this suppression would sever a Grotesquery Apostle’s connection to their power source.

However, it had no effect on Saint Alyssa, who showed no signs of distress, her expression unchanged.

Although Educator had feigned great interest in this new Harbinger, the “Theologian,” he hadn’t revealed anything substantial about the Harbingers.

Because he wasn’t certain.

He wasn’t even sure if she was a pawn planted by the Company.

Especially in this crucial period, they couldn’t afford any mistakes.

Historian had explicitly expressed support for Philosopher’s path to godhood, so he wouldn’t interfere, even offering assistance.

However, the three of them knew that the Harbingers’ complete plan wouldn’t be revealed to Historian, a precaution against betrayal.

“Very good, such caution is necessary. However… if she’s not a problem, once she grows stronger, she will be a valuable asset.”

Philosopher’s lips twitched slightly, as if smiling, but his wrinkled face made it hard to tell.

“Philosopher, if you still intend to pursue godhood, you should act quickly.”

Historian’s cold, emotionless voice echoed. “The Company isn’t just waiting.”

Historian fell silent again, its dark form merging with the shadows.

It rarely interfered with the other two’s decisions, only offering advice based on the Company directors’ actions… It was the same within the Company.

Like a thin thread connecting both sides, subtle yet unbreakable.

“Heh, this old body of mine can’t wait much longer.” Philosopher chuckled. “Don’t worry, when fate’s needle points to the right moment, I will ascend.

“It won’t be… much longer.”

…….

Unlike the bustling daytime, the Church of Light cathedral was silent and empty after evening mass, the blind nun sitting alone in the central hall, facing the altar, seemingly in prayer.

Religious, after escorting Alyssa back, had quickly left, as if in a hurry, likely to attend to his ascension preparations.

It seemed the arrival of the “Theologian” had put some pressure on him.

After Religious left, Luo Ling’s consciousness regained control of Alyssa.

“Again… addicted to fleecing me, are you? I’ll make you pay for this one day…”

Luo Ling grumbled, examining the object Educator had given her with her spore vision.

It was an ornament-like object, a dark stone sphere suspended within a metallic, openwork frame, resting on a stone pedestal.

It had been prepared by Educator beforehand. Luo Ling could sense the White Witch’s aura on it, even a faint semblance of her presence.

This aura likely came from the White Witch’s dormant fungal threads in Jiangcheng County, perfectly preserved within this strange ornament.

Luo Ling had sensed its unusual nature upon receiving it, but only now did she realize it was an incredibly intricate Sacred Tool.

Although she seemed to possess several Sacred Tools, especially with Fiona gifting her one every time they met, they were incredibly valuable.

Even an unsuitable Sacred Tool was rare.

For example, the combined points earned by the entire Twintails Supreme team during their recent Incubation Barrier clearing missions weren’t enough to redeem even the lowest-level Sacred Tool.

Crafting Sacred Tools was costly and time-consuming. Even the lowest-level ones were from Grotesqueries within the top three hundred Sequences. Anything lower wasn’t cost-effective, their power too weak, the success rate too low.

Such Sacred Tools were usually practice pieces for apprentice crafters, their effectiveness far inferior to ordinary Sacred Tools… yet they were still in high demand.

However, after a thorough examination, Luo Ling couldn’t discern this Sacred Tool’s purpose.

The aura was just that, an aura. Although it mimicked the White Witch’s presence, it lacked any real power.

After activating her “Kingdom” Authority, Luo Ling tried channeling the Puppet Ballad’s power into the ornament, only strengthening the aura, nothing else.

“How strange…”

Luo Ling placed the ornament on the altar, as instructed by Educator, then performed the sacrificial ritual.

The sensation of sacrificing to herself was strange…

But it was technically Alyssa sacrificing to the White Witch, and Alyssa was her Godchosen, so… it was normal.

In fact, this was what Godchosen and God’s Favored were supposed to do, even Iris. Her and Elsa’s relationship was an exception.

After the ritual, Luo Ling sensed that the Sacred Tool had gained a bit of the White Witch’s power, while she herself had lost a negligible amount.

Such a small amount, like scraping a bit of dust from a skyscraper, easily overlooked if she wasn’t paying attention.

“Not much different from before, except this lost power is now within the Sacred Tool.”

Luo Ling frowned. What could such a small amount of power do? Even accumulating it for years wouldn’t be enough to cause a Dangerous Grotesquery level disaster.

But she quickly dismissed the thought. She would figure it out later. For now, the Sacred Tool was in her possession. If anything happened, she could use Naraku’s power to change its ownership.

Normally, a Sacred Tool’s ownership couldn’t be changed, unless its owner was dead, but for Naraku, it wasn’t a problem. She could simply “rewrite reality.”

—Regardless of the previous owner, after rewriting reality, the owner would be her.

In a way, Naraku’s first ability, “Ensnare,” was quite versatile, capable of disrupting the established order, as long as… she didn’t use it on herself.

As Luo Ling was about to leave, allowing Alyssa to handle the Church of Light’s affairs, she heard a sound at the door.

Luo Ling paused, then realized who it was.

“…Sister?”

Stasha whispered.

“What’s wrong, Stasha?”

Luo Ling turned her wheelchair towards the door, seeing the flaxen-haired girl peeking in hesitantly.

Hearing her sister’s voice, Stasha sighed in relief and rushed over.

She tripped midway, and Luo Ling, anticipating it through her spore vision, moved her wheelchair slightly, catching Stasha.

However, since she was maintaining her blind persona, she didn’t reach out to steady Stasha, allowing her to fall into Alyssa’s arms.

A softness Alyssa didn’t possess cushioned Stasha’s fall, her face buried in it.

“Oh! Sister, are you… alright?”

Stasha struggled to get up, but somehow just shifted her position, still in Alyssa’s arms.

“I’m fine, but you, Stasha, should be more careful.”

Luo Ling was amused by her clumsy sister, her lips twitching slightly. After helping Stasha up, she asked, “Why are you here so early? Shouldn’t you come later?”

Alyssa usually had work to do, taking an hour or two, until the moon was high in the sky, before Stasha came to take her home.

“I… I was afraid…”

Stasha’s face was still slightly flushed, not from the physical contact, but from embarrassment.

She hesitated, not finishing her sentence, but Luo Ling understood her concern.

Afraid that, like before…

After a casual parting, she would find her sister missing her legs, or her eyes gone.

Or even worse, hearing that her sister had been dismembered. If Stasha hadn’t rushed to the church and seen her alive, it would have been a lifelong trauma.

The past tragedies were like nightmares, even these three months of unbelievable happiness couldn’t erase the shadows, Stasha still fearing their recurrence.

“That won’t happen again, Stasha.” Luo Ling stroked Stasha’s hair gently. “Sister… will be fine from now on.”

“Okay… I know, sister.”

Stasha felt like her sister had returned. She looked at her sister’s smile, a bright smile appearing on her own face.

“But I still have to finish my prayers. You can sit here and wait, and we’ll go home together later, alright?” Luo Ling said gently.

“Okay.”

Stasha nodded, finding a seat and taking out a notebook, reading under the moonlight filtering through the stained-glass windows.

This reminded Luo Ling of her high school days, always carrying notes for studying, a nostalgic feeling.

…No, best not to dwell on high school.

After reassuring her sister, Luo Ling withdrew her consciousness, allowing Alyssa to continue her duties.

She had considered helping, but she didn’t know how to do Alyssa’s work…

It was better to be a leader. That was a job she could handle, even without any specific skills, as long as she could manage her subordinates… which was practically instinctual for the Puppet Ballad.

Back in her body, Luo Ling heard Elsa’s snores, closer than usual, her warm breath brushing against Luo Ling’s collarbone, her arms wrapped around her, even her little feet pressed against Luo Ling’s.

“Is she afraid I’ll sneak away at night?”

Luo Ling chuckled, but didn’t move.

Night fell.

………..

Unlike the desolate Slocken District, Victoria’s most prosperous district, London, was still brightly lit, even the performances at the Victoria Opera House hadn’t ended.

However, Fiona, the opera house’s manager, wasn’t in her office, but in her room.

Contrary to most people’s expectations, her living quarters were simple, just a bed and a dressing table.

Even the bedside table was just a small stand, holding a candle that had been refilled countless times.

This wasn’t due to frugality, but a long-standing habit.

Fiona sat at her dressing table, her gaze fixed on the long-barreled firearm Sacred Tool, gently tracing its surface, then sighing softly.

Even after hearing from Luo Ling that Linna might still be alive, she still couldn’t quite believe it, especially since Linna hadn’t returned after all these years… she couldn’t understand.

Fiona’s expression turned serious.

She took out a lamp-shaped Sacred Tool. As the lamp was lit, something seemed to shift within Victoria.

Fiona’s presence…

Vanished from Victoria’s past and present. The Fate Society now had only two constellations, and even in the “Hunt” team’s file, Frick was now listed as the captain.

Although there were inconsistencies, they were difficult to notice immediately.

…Even Philosopher of the Harbingers and the “old man” of the Company.

“Now… it’s time to examine the results.” Fiona took out another Sacred Tool—as Victoria’s foremost Sacred Tool crafter, she had plenty.

This Sacred Tool contained the results of her half-month investigation. The information was sensitive, and Fiona didn’t want to risk exposure.

Her previous investigations had been fruitless due to interference, preventing her from finding any clues, let alone the culprit.

Only after Luo Ling’s information had she finally found a starting point.

Fiona’s high status granted her access to information far beyond Luo Ling’s surveillance network, especially the deliberately concealed truths.

Under the lamp Sacred Tool’s protection, Fiona began to examine the information.

“As expected…”

After reviewing some of the information, a cold smile appeared on Fiona’s lips, her gaze sharpening as she looked towards the door.

The other constellations were also involved, although not directly, their inaction a form of complicity.

The Fate Society’s three constellations didn’t have a designated leader, maintaining a delicate balance of power, but Fiona’s exceptional talent in Sacred Tool crafting had earned her the support of many members, her influence gradually surpassing the other two.

Of course, as fellow Fate Society members, they wouldn’t directly harm Fiona, merely withholding information.

The result was the “Hunt” team’s tragedy.

The “Hunt” team was Fiona’s most elite squad. Their annihilation was a devastating loss, and coupled with her years of grief, the other two constellations’ influence within the Fate Society had surpassed hers.

However, the Torchbearers weren’t a monolithic entity either. This operation had been highly classified, known only to a single leader and a few high-ranking officials.

If exposed, the Torchbearers would also face immense pressure.

Even so, they had still paid a price.

“You’re ruthless, Cheng Jianming…”

A glint of anger flashed in Fiona’s eyes. She wasn’t one to be bullied without retaliating.

As for who had obstructed her investigation…

—Everyone.

Including the Fate Society.

No one wanted the truth revealed, except for a mother.

“Simply saving the world… seems impossible now…”

Fiona looked at a photo on her dressing table, a young Linna with a serious expression, Fiona smiling gently behind her.

“Linna… this world is cruel, we’re struggling.” Fiona sighed deeply.

There were also some fragmented pieces of information.

Fiona examined them, sensing a connection.

She remembered something Luo Ling had told her.

“Victoria was about to experience a Taboo disaster, ‘Immortality’.”

“Wait, this…”

A terrifying thought formed in Fiona’s mind, connecting all the pieces.

“It… it can’t be!”

Fiona covered her mouth in disbelief.

“The ‘Immortality’ disaster was orchestrated by the Company, and…”

Fiona stopped the thought from surfacing.

It couldn’t be revealed, even thinking about it… could be detected, even in her current state, hidden from Victoria.

If discovered… she would be killed.

The directors would stop at nothing to silence her.

They had the power.

Because this thought, this truth, was the Company’s deepest secret.

Fiona took a small hammer-shaped Sacred Tool and struck her head, erasing the memory, but the unease lingered.

She knew… it might be too late.

And this truth couldn’t remain hidden.

“I should leave a message for Miss Luo Ling.”

Fiona took a deep breath.

But the next moment, the candlelight flickered and died.

The room was plunged into darkness.

Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Theologian

The faint moonlight filtered through the window, illuminating the apartment. Beside Luo Ling, Elsa’s soft snores echoed, her face nestled near Luo Ling’s collarbone, her nose twitching slightly, as if sniffing something.

Luo Ling opened her eyes slowly, a thoughtful expression on her face.

She had finished examining the memory. Religious’s early emergence from seclusion wasn’t entirely unexpected. Judging by the memory, his preparations for the ascension ritual hadn’t been going smoothly.

He seemed less composed than before, more impatient, like someone teetering on the edge of a cliff.

“Did something happen within the Harbingers?” Luo Ling pondered, filing the thought away.

The Harbingers’ inactivity was unsettling, and the Company’s cryptic actions felt like the prelude to a storm. Despite her intelligence network, Luo Ling felt like she was grasping at straws, her understanding of the current situation incomplete.

However, even the Company directors and Harbinger leaders hadn’t noticed the hidden third party, their attention focused on each other. This was Luo Ling’s only advantage.

“It seems Religious doesn’t like cults either. Before leaving the cathedral, he even attended mass, seemingly repenting… but why did his prayer sound like he was shifting the blame to the state religion’s deity?”

Examining Felix’s memories, Luo Ling gleaned some insights into Religious’s true character, noticing a familiar trait shared by the other Harbingers she had encountered.

A hint of madness…

“At least I’ve gained his trust. Even if he tries to search my soul, it doesn’t matter. I’ve prepared a false memory.”

Luo Ling composed herself, her eyes narrowing slightly. “It’s time… to meet the Harbingers as the ‘Saint’.”

One of the Harbingers’ operations was now under her control, but this was just a small step. The upcoming meeting with Religious was crucial.

Luo Ling believed her bait was tempting.

Especially… for the current Harbingers.

“I should go check on the situation.” Luo Ling closed her eyes, a part of her consciousness merging with Saint Alyssa.

Elsa, nestled against Luo Ling, stirred slightly, pulling closer. “Mmm, don’t go…”

…….

Under the dim candlelight, a young woman with short, flaxen hair was writing intently, a blindfolded nun sitting beside her, her expression gentle.

Even after becoming the Saint, the two sisters still lived in this humble dwelling, only making minor repairs for shelter.

The nun’s demeanor suddenly shifted, then quickly returned to normal.

As a precaution, Luo Ling hadn’t directly dominated Alyssa, instead observing as a bystander, not interfering with her actions.

Even Stasha could sense the subtle difference, although due to their close bond, it meant that… Luo Ling couldn’t perfectly impersonate Alyssa.

For her initial contact with the Harbingers, Luo Ling wouldn’t risk any mistakes. A single slip-up could ruin everything.

“However, what is Stasha doing…?”

Luo Ling glanced at Stasha’s writing, interpretations of classical texts, including the Victorian state religion’s scriptures.

This was considered taboo in Victoria, only high-ranking clergymen, like bishops, were allowed to interpret scripture.

Alyssa had been brought before the ecclesiastical court for this very reason, eventually excommunicated, forced to live in the slums with Stasha.

However, the rise of the Church of Light was also due to a trial. The state religion had initially considered them heretics, especially Alyssa, the excommunicated nun.

But this trial had a different outcome.

During her first trial, Alyssa had been timid, coerced by the church through her sister, unable to defend herself.

The second time, however, Alyssa had single-handedly silenced the bishops with her calm and reasoned arguments, forcing them to recognize the Church of Light as a legitimate branch, paving the way for its current growth.

“It seems this little girl isn’t as docile as she appears… wait, Stasha and I are the same age, she might even be a few months older.”

A knock echoed on the door, followed by Felix’s respectful voice. “Your Holiness, are you… resting?”

“No.”

Alyssa replied softly. Stasha, hearing the knock, quickly hid her writing.

Glancing at her sister, she retreated to the back room silently.

“May I disturb you for a moment?” Felix asked. “A priest has come from afar, wishing to speak with you.”

“Certainly.”

Alyssa wheeled herself to the door and opened it, a tall man in priest’s robes standing before her, Felix beside him, bowing respectfully.

“You must be Saint Alyssa.”

Religious studied Alyssa with interest, slightly surprised that such a frail, disabled woman had managed to outmaneuver the Victorian state religion’s bishops.

On the way, Religious had learned from Felix about the Church of Light’s recent growth, confirming that most of the credit belonged to Alyssa.

As a former priest, Religious admired this Saint, even willing to discuss religious scriptures with her, regardless of her other identities.

However, there were more pressing matters to discuss.

“The banks of the Thames at dusk in early spring offer a rare beauty. Would Your Holiness be interested in a stroll? I can accompany you.”

Religious’s invitation was impeccably polite, befitting his interaction with Alyssa, a potential new colleague.

“I’d be delighted. Let’s go, Father.”

Alyssa smiled and nodded, and Felix dutifully pushed her wheelchair.

The priest and the nun strolled along the Thames, another priest pushing the wheelchair. Although a noteworthy sight, the passersby seemed to ignore them.

Contrary to Luo Ling’s expectations, Religious didn’t get straight to the point, instead engaging Alyssa in a theological discussion, their conversation filled with obscure terms and concepts.

Even Luo Ling, with her access to memories, could barely follow.

Possessing memories wasn’t enough. Her attempts at cooking and makeup, based on memories, had been disastrous.

After walking for a while, Religious suddenly stopped. Luo Ling’s spores’ vision vanished, her perception limited to Alyssa’s senses.

In the darkness, she heard Religious’s voice, unusually humble and respectful. “Greetings, sir, I’ve brought her.”

A childish yet world-weary voice replied, a single word.

“Good.”

It was… Educator!

Alarm bells rang in Luo Ling’s mind. She could almost see the boy in scholar’s robes standing before Alyssa, his gaze scrutinizing her.

Her scattered spores were deactivated, seemingly suppressed by Educator or Religious.

However, Luo Ling could still withdraw her consciousness at any time. This suppression couldn’t sever the connection between her and Alyssa, but it would prevent her from using her abilities.

“Father, who is this?”

Alyssa asked Religious, puzzled.

Religious didn’t answer. Without her spores, Luo Ling couldn’t see what he was doing.

This was the first time she had encountered such a situation, making her slightly nervous, but she quickly calmed down.

After an agonizing silence, Educator finally spoke.

“Your Holiness, you may call me Educator, just a senile scholar nearing his end.”

Educator said slowly, his voice undeniably childish, yet his tone carried a weariness that couldn’t be faked.

Luo Ling sighed in relief. It seemed Alyssa had passed Educator’s initial assessment. The Puppet Ballad’s power was truly remarkable, remaining undetected even in this situation.

“Educator is my teacher.” Religious finally spoke. “I apologize for summoning Your Holiness in this manner, but it was necessary…”

“I’ll explain.” Educator interrupted. “Your Holiness, do you wish to heal your legs and eyes?”

Alyssa hesitated, then nodded. “Of course, but…”

“Your desire is enough, Your Holiness.” Educator said. “Let’s make a deal. For your legs, your eyes, and… for this world.

“We invite you to join us, to join the ranks of those who seek to save this world, to become a Harbinger of Calamity, a pioneer guiding humanity, before this broken world reaches its inevitable end.”

As Educator spoke, Luo Ling suddenly saw something.

Not through her vision, but directly in her mind, similar to the Leader’s method, a projected illusion.

Through Alyssa’s perspective, Luo Ling witnessed countless scenes of destruction and despair, the world’s bleak future, accompanied by an indescribable sense of urgency.

“This is…”

Luo Ling focused, and Alyssa’s expression shifted slightly.

“The Harbingers’ recruitment video?”

Having witnessed Boundary collapses, Boundary annihilations, and even a glimpse of Boundary transcendence, Luo Ling found this video incredibly crude, its scenes exaggerated and unrealistic.

She didn’t believe the Harbingers’ understanding of Boundaries was this limited. The likely reason was that… their new recruits couldn’t comprehend such abstract concepts. This easily digestible portrayal of disaster was likely more effective.

“Is… is this real?” Alyssa’s voice trembled, filled with fear and unease. “Our world…”

…It seemed clergymen were indeed skilled actors. Luo Ling sensed Alyssa’s calm inner emotions despite her seemingly distraught facade, remaining silent.

“This… is the true world.”

Educator’s voice echoed, followed by a deep sigh.

Luo Ling wanted to retort that this childish old man was also a good actor, but she sensed a genuine weariness in his sigh.

But the weariness quickly vanished, Educator’s voice returning to its usual calmness.

“Your Holiness, along with those images, I’ve bestowed upon you a power for awakening. Sense it carefully, try to feel the call of an unseen entity.”

Luo Ling instantly recognized the stimulating power accompanying the images, her heart sinking after a brief examination.

“It’s the aura of an Authority…”

Although she didn’t know which Authority it belonged to, directly giving it to an ordinary person was reckless. No wonder even weaker Harbingers like Performer could perceive Boundaries.

They used Authorities for awakening!

If they couldn’t withstand the Authority’s power, they would explode, not even leaving a trace behind.

However, considering the Harbingers’ twisted ideology, it seemed reasonable.

If they couldn’t even withstand an Authority’s power, how could they lead the new world?

The Harbingers didn’t need “weaklings.”

Luo Ling focused, her consciousness touching the Authority’s power. The next moment, it was devoured by her.

“…”

This was awkward.

Luo Ling hadn’t intended to devour it. Such a small amount of power wasn’t even worth her time, especially in this delicate situation.

Alyssa’s sharp hearing picked up some movement. Educator seemed to have sensed the Authority’s disappearance. Luo Ling could imagine his shocked expression.

“This…” Educator hesitated. “Your Holiness, did you feel the sensation I mentioned?”

He asked directly, not noticing anything amiss?

Luo Ling’s mind raced. Perhaps… consumption was normal, but complete consumption wasn’t?

“No.” Alyssa shook her head, then asked hesitantly, “Educator, is it because I lack the aptitude…?”

“No, no, no…” Religious’s voice was filled with shock. “How could you not? Even the former leader—”

“Silence.”

Educator, as a Harbinger leader, quickly regained his composure.

“Yes, sir.”

Religious knew he shouldn’t speak, retreating respectfully.

He was inwardly shocked. He had known the Saint’s aptitude might be strong, but not this strong.

If he didn’t know her past, he would have suspected that a high-order Awakened One who had encountered an Authority was playing a prank on them.

But even high-order Awakened Ones wouldn’t be completely unaffected by an Authority…

“Apologies, Your Holiness, I underestimated you.” Educator’s voice turned grave. “Please try again.”

Another, even stronger surge of Authority’s power flowed into Alyssa.

Luo Ling didn’t interfere this time, knowing it would be devoured anyway. Alyssa focused on sensing the power.

As the Authority’s power was gradually consumed, after about half was gone, Alyssa’s body began to change.

Previously, all of Alyssa’s power had been bestowed by Luo Ling, her body merely modified to better channel the Puppet Ballad’s abilities, not truly awakened.

Perhaps that was why Educator had initially deemed her an ordinary person.

Only after encountering this awakening power did Alyssa truly become an Awakened One.

Luo Ling estimated that Alyssa had consumed about eighty percent of the Authority’s power. If she hadn’t interfered, it should have been… enough.

“Phew…”

Luo Ling seemed to hear both Educator and Religious sighing in relief.

At least this level of consumption was considered normal. Any more… and they would suspect she was a Grotesquery’s avatar.

“I seem to feel… a warm power.”

Alyssa extended her hand, a life force swirling around her wrist, an unseen entity seemingly watching her, guiding her onto a Path.

—Myriad.

A genuine Myriad path Awakened One, although her true identity was a Grotesquery’s Agent.

“Congratulations, Your Holiness, you and I walk the same Path, the Myriad path.” Educator clapped his hands. “And welcome to our ranks. Please remember—”

Educator’s voice turned serious.

“Nothing is true, everything is permitted… in this broken world.”

“We… are the Harbingers of Calamity, those who seek to correct the root cause of the Disorder.”

A wave of sadness washed over Alyssa, and she couldn’t help but shed tears.

“Yes… Educator, we will save the world…”

Educator nodded in satisfaction, exchanging a look with Religious. “I have no doubt, Your Holiness. With your aptitude, you might even become our fourth leader… I mean, fifth.”

Alyssa shook her head. “I only care about the world and its people. Leadership… is irrelevant.”

They were all such good actors…

Luo Ling couldn’t help but feel impressed.

“Within the Harbingers, each member has a specific role, to guide civilization in the new world. Your theological expertise is remarkable. How about… you become our Theologian?”

Educator said gently. He was completely different when speaking to Alyssa compared to Religious, even Religious was surprised.

Especially his slip of the tongue about the “fourth leader,” almost making Religious think his position was gone, given to this newcomer.

“As you wish, Educator.”

Alyssa’s gentle demeanor and frail appearance, blind and crippled, evoked sympathy.

“From now on, all matters regarding the Church of Light are entrusted to you.”

Educator paused, then took out an item and handed it to Alyssa. “By the way, please worship this being from now on. Her true name is—the White Witch.”

“…Again?”

Luo Ling was shocked, then her expression turned grim.

Unlike their previous small-scale attempt, the Harbingers were now fully committed to stealing the White Witch’s power, even risking discovery by the main body.

Wait…

Perhaps not risking it, but not fearing it.

“No problem, Educator.”

Alyssa’s fingers traced the item. From its aura, Luo Ling sensed that it wasn’t ordinary, unlike their previous simple offerings.

“Are the Harbingers making their move…?”

After a few pleasantries, Educator quickly left, and Luo Ling’s suppressed spore vision returned.

She saw the conflicted expression on Religious’s face, like a resentful housewife, and almost laughed.

Educator hadn’t even spoken to Religious properly, only bidding farewell to Alyssa before leaving.

“Father, I’d like to pray alone in the church, seeking guidance for the salvation of mankind. Would you mind escorting me? My legs aren’t very convenient.” Alyssa smiled gently, her blind eyes politely looking towards Religious.

Religious’s expression was complex. He sighed and said,

“Certainly, Your Holiness… I mean, Theologian.”

Chapter Fifty-Six: The Loyal Felix

Even at night, the grand cathedral bustled with devout believers, soothing hymns echoing through the hall, the choir singing solemnly from the gallery.

Passersby, seeing the middle-aged man in church robes at the entrance, bowed respectfully, their faces adorned with gentle smiles, an air of peace and contentment pervading the atmosphere.

“This… isn’t right, is it?”

Religious was filled with disbelief, his first thought being that he had gotten lost and somehow returned to his former workplace.

However, no matter how he checked his location… he was indeed in the right place, near the dilapidated church in the slums.

Had the city government funded its renovation?

But that seemed unlikely. A cathedral of this scale, second only to Victoria’s most famous one, would require immense resources and manpower, something only the wealthiest districts could afford.

Slocken District was among Victoria’s poorest, with countless problems to address. Where would they find the funds to renovate the slums and build such a grand cathedral?

So… what was going on?

After a long period of hesitation, Religious finally entered the cathedral.

Everything was familiar, so familiar that he could navigate it blindfolded.

He had once been a priest here, a devout follower of the state religion, until he became an Awakened One, witnessing the true nature of the world, realizing the absurdity of his former faith.

After a series of events, he had joined the Harbingers of Calamity.

A flicker of complex emotions crossed Religious’s eyes, quickly suppressed as he walked towards the area where the priests and nuns rested, intending to inquire about the cathedral’s situation.

With his demeanor and attire, no one stopped him, only bowing respectfully as he passed.

At the same time, he contacted Felix, asking about the new location of the Church of Light.

Before his seclusion, Religious had entrusted all matters to Felix, believing him capable of managing all the Harbingers’ churches, but he hadn’t expected such a catastrophic blunder.

Religious’s expression darkened.

“It seems these blind fools are unreliable after all…”

He hoped they hadn’t lost too many churches, even retaining a third would be enough.

Starting from scratch would take time.

His premature emergence from seclusion was due to unforeseen circumstances, and Educator was already displeased. If his own arrangements had also gone awry… Philosopher would surely reprimand him.

His unexpected good fortune might be over, the position of the fourth Authority wielder perhaps taken by another Harbinger…

With a sense of unease, Religious inquired about the priest in charge of this cathedral, quickly making his way to the designated room.

Standing before the door, Religious took a few deep breaths, composing himself, pushing aside his worries, a gentle, benevolent smile appearing on his face, just like when he was a priest.

Now, he truly resembled a fellow clergyman paying a visit.

After three knocks, a familiar voice answered, and he pushed the door open.

“Excuse me, Father… huh?”

Religious’s words were cut short as he saw the priest’s face, his mind racing.

He searched his memories, trying to deny what he saw, but only one conclusion remained.

“Felix…?”

“Indeed, Educator.”

Despite wearing the same robes, Felix still bowed respectfully. “I just received your message and was about to reply, but I didn’t expect you to…”

“What is going on here?”

Religious’s expression turned cold, the atmosphere in the room instantly chilling. His previous warmth vanished, replaced by a menacing aura.

As a high-order Awakened One, his presence was oppressive, and Felix immediately knelt down, his knees trembling.

Felix hesitated for a moment, then felt an invisible force constricting his throat, his face turning red, his eyes bulging.

“Ah… ugh…”

He struggled, but an unseen power held him in place.

“Why… did you betray me?”

Religious stared at the struggling Felix, his killing intent undisguised.

His fingers twitched. A single wrong answer from Felix would be his last.

As a former priest and religious scholar, Religious was well-versed in various religions. Everything within this cathedral was familiar.

The layout, the mass procedures, and most importantly… the statue on the altar, clearly belonging to the Victorian state religion, completely different from his previous instructions.

Religious’s goal was to establish a connection with a Grotesquery through sacrifices, to steal its power or perform other rituals.

The state religion’s deity wasn’t a Grotesquery, what was the point of sacrificing to it?!

If sacrifices to it were effective, the previous churches wouldn’t have struggled so much, their scale limited to a few dozen or a hundred members, requiring multiple locations to barely function.

As a scholar of religion, Religious despised cults, but his own methods couldn’t solve the problems of traditional religious practices, so he had resorted to cults and coercion, quickly establishing sacrificial sites.

The advantage was that it didn’t require promoting faith or proselytizing, only brute force, although Religious disliked such methods.

Seeing Felix as a priest in this grand cathedral, Religious’s first thought was betrayal.

After his departure, Felix had abandoned the cult, converting to the state religion, even attracting official support, building this grand cathedral.

If Religious were still a pure religious scholar, he would have been happy about Felix’s return to the “right path.”

But as “Educator,” he was furious that Felix had betrayed his trust, abandoning the cult for the state religion!

Damn him!

“I… didn’t… betray… Educator…”

Felix managed to choke out the words, but Religious didn’t relent, the pressure intensifying.

Only when Felix was on the verge of suffocation did Religious release him, allowing him to collapse to the floor, gasping for air.

“No betrayal?” Religious sneered. “Then why did you abandon the Church of Light and convert to the Victorian state religion? Which kind-hearted priest led you back to the right path? I’d like to meet him.”

“I… I… didn’t… abandon…”

Felix gasped, struggling to speak. “This… is… the Church of Light’s… main cathedral…”

“You’re lying, Felix. I know the Victorian state religion. You can’t fool me.”

Religious looked down at the trembling Felix coldly. “Do you think you can escape my control? Don’t even think about it… you’re just a dog, expendable.”

Felix, finally catching his breath, bowed deeply again. “Educator… you can check for yourself. I haven’t neglected your instructions…”

“Impossible.”

Religious didn’t believe him, but after a moment of hesitation, he contacted Philosopher mentally.

All the church arrangements were under Philosopher’s direction, including the change in the sacrificial target.

However, Religious didn’t know Philosopher’s motives. Stealing his Authority? Or experiencing the sensation of being a Grotesquery? He had no idea.

Religious contacted Philosopher and, after a respectful inquiry, received an answer that silenced him.

The sacrificial rituals were continuing, uninterrupted, even more stable than before.

Previously, there had been occasional shortages or surpluses of sacrifices. Now, it was consistent, with rituals performed daily.

Philosopher was very satisfied, even praising Religious and expressing his support for Educator’s choice of him as the fourth Authority wielder.

With two out of three leaders supporting him, Religious’s ascension was practically guaranteed.

“Wait…” Religious muttered, looking around in disbelief. “Is this… really my Church of Light?”

“Yes, Educator.”

Felix prostrated himself, trembling, fearing another attack.

Religious’s expression turned strange, then he coughed awkwardly. “That was just a small test, Felix. I knew you wouldn’t betray me. Very good, very good… get up, the floor is cold.”

“I wouldn’t dare, Educator.” Felix remained prostrate, his voice filled with fear. “I would never betray you! I’m just a dog, expendable!”

“Cough, cough…”

Religious coughed even harder, feeling that Felix was mocking him by repeating his words, but his trembling… indicated that he was sincere.

He sighed, helping Felix up. “Don’t be ridiculous, Felix. You’re my most capable subordinate. I wouldn’t let you die.”

With the misunderstanding cleared, Religious was even more pleased with Felix, having achieved his goal through orthodox methods.

Although he didn’t know how Felix had managed it, it was impressive.

Despite abandoning his former faith after witnessing the truth of the world, Religious still held some respect for it.

Completing Philosopher’s task without resorting to Grotesquery worship or cult practices was a remarkable achievement.

Religious even considered helping Felix become an Awakened One after his own ascension.

Methods for forcibly awakening ordinary people existed, even within the Company, though the resources required were significant.

Not for the awakening itself, but for maintaining sanity afterwards. Such resources were rare, and the opportunities limited.

“You flatter me, Educator. I’ve merely done my duty.”

Felix continued respectfully, presenting Religious with a map of the Church of Light’s current territory. “This is the result you instructed me to achieve within three months. Please examine it.”

“Did I… instruct you to do this?”

Religious took the map, searching his memories, his expression changing slightly. “Wasn’t that just a figure of speech? Educator often says that to me…”

He unfolded the map and gasped, staring at Felix, wanting to accuse him of fabricating the data.

But remembering the previous incident, Religious’s expression contorted before he finally spoke.

“This… is your achievement?”

The Church of Light’s territory had expanded several times over, even reaching several prosperous districts, the number of followers far exceeding his expectations. The results achieved in three months surpassed his own three years of effort.

If this were true, Religious would question his own competence.

Felix immediately knelt down again. “I have failed you! Please forgive me!”

“…Is it fake after all?”

Religious thought, then heard Felix continue,

“I know my achievements are insignificant, unworthy of your satisfaction. Please punish me!”

Religious’s lips twitched. If this was considered insignificant, his own previous efforts were practically dust.

However, judging by the current situation, Felix seemed to be telling the truth…

He had underestimated this ordinary person. Despite being blinded by the disordered world, he possessed remarkable talent.

And most importantly, unwavering loyalty, remaining respectful even after the earlier incident, a valuable asset.

Religious was increasingly pleased, his gaze filled with admiration.

However, he was also puzzled. How had Felix achieved what even he couldn’t, maintaining the sacrificial rituals while practicing orthodox faith?

It wasn’t simply a matter of hiding the sacrificial target behind the altar. The believers’ faith had to be focused on the target, even if not entirely.

Philosopher had nothing to do with the state religion’s deity…

Religious reached out, wanting to search Felix’s soul, but hesitated, remembering the earlier awkwardness.

However, Felix’s loyalty had been proven. He could simply ask directly. Felix wouldn’t lie to him.

“Having a trustworthy subordinate is truly a blessing…”

Religious smiled faintly, finally feeling like a leader. He would soon be the Harbingers’ fourth leader, he had to get used to it.

He shouldn’t micromanage, he had to delegate and trust his subordinates… like this time, if it were up to him, he couldn’t have achieved this.

Religious withdrew his hand, placing it behind his back. “Felix, tell me… what has happened to the Church of Light in these past three months?”

He smiled warmly, his gaze filled with trust.

“I want to hear about the remarkable achievements of my most capable subordinate, especially regarding the sacrificial rituals. Tell me everything, in detail.”

“Actually… I deserve no credit,” Felix lowered his head. “It’s all thanks to your teachings, and also…

“Her Holiness, Saint Alyssa.”

“Oh? Tell me more.”

Religious’s interest was piqued.

He knew that the previous “saints” were merely sacrifices, their status insignificant, unworthy of being addressed as “Your Holiness.”

This Saint must be unusual.

Trusting Felix, Religious didn’t suspect any foul play, simply wanting to learn more about this Saint.

“Yes, Educator.”

Felix nodded and began recounting Saint Alyssa’s story.

Mostly information already known throughout Victoria, including how Alyssa became the Saint, her subsequent experiences, and the fact that the Church of Light was essentially a branch of the state religion worshipping her.

In other words, within the Church of Light, Saint Alyssa was the living embodiment of their deity.

Besides that, Felix highlighted the most crucial point: how the sacrificial rituals were maintained, through Saint Alyssa’s naturally powerful “Forbidden Puppet” constitution and her method of transferring faith.

“Hmm…”

Religious gasped, his expression turning thoughtful, then a hint of joy appeared.

From the description, Religious deduced that Saint Alyssa possessed a natural affinity for Grotesqueries, destined to become a Grotesque-side Awakened One, precisely the kind of talent the Harbingers needed.

More importantly… her aptitude might even rival the three Harbinger leaders.

Performing sacrifices for months without fatigue far exceeded the capabilities of an ordinary Forbidden Puppet.

Religious didn’t suspect that Alyssa was already an Awakened One. She had been sacrificed twice before, her injuries still unhealed.

Even a newly awakened Awakened One wouldn’t be sacrificed by ordinary priests, let alone twice.

Awakened Ones had a significant advantage over ordinary people, even those not on the Judgment path. Even a frail little girl could knock out an adult man.

As for transferring faith… Religious had never encountered a Forbidden Puppet being worshipped while simultaneously sacrificing to and worshipping a Grotesquery, so he didn’t understand the specifics.

“The Harbingers lost two leaders in the Jiangcheng County incident, forcing them into hiding, a very passive state, desperately needing new members. And now, such a promising candidate has appeared…”

Religious’s eyes lit up, his voice filled with eagerness.

“My most loyal Felix, quickly take me to this lady… I mean, Her Holiness.”

Chapter Fifty-Five: Reshaping Bella, The Return of Educator

The distorted trees surrounding the lush, towering tree withered and collapsed, scattering countless yellow leaves and choking dust.

“Cough…”

Eve, who had delivered the final blow, inhaled the dust and coughed violently. The others, having anticipated the collapse, had retreated to a safe distance, covering their noses and mouths.

“What a thrilling battle.” Lu Manqing remarked.

“Thrilling my ass… cough…”

Eve coughed, brushing the leaves and dust from her clothes, emerging from the decaying trees. She was the only one with any signs of battle.

“Captain Eve, you know I’m just a healer. And you weren’t injured, so I couldn’t very well attack.”

Lu Manqing walked over, punched Eve in the face, and patted her hands. “There, healed.”

Eve’s coughing subsided as she rubbed her reddened nose, then turned to Cen Xiangyun.

“You know my abilities are ice-related, Eve. But the Bodhi Ancient Tree is already dead, I can’t freeze it.” Cen Xiangyun shrugged. “And with so many trees, my ice shards wouldn’t be effective. It’s better for me to stay away, so you don’t have to protect me.”

“Sister Eve, you should also know about my abilities…” Elsa chimed in.

“Stop, stop.” Eve raised her hand, then looked at Luo Ling, who hadn’t moved from her spot. “Miss Luo Ling, you’re a Judgment path Awakened One like me, why did you stay so far away?”

“I… tried to chop down the tree with this?”

Luo Ling hesitated, holding up a short dagger.

It wasn’t “Severance,” the Sacred Tool crafted from a High-Risk Grotesquery Sacred Relic, usually wielded by Company office heads.

No one in Jiangcheng County recognized Severance, but it was different in Victoria, so Luo Ling rarely used it.

The dagger in her hand was merely a weapon imbued with special power, purchased by Elsa with all her Company points.

Even with the points from the Spirit Walker incident, it wasn’t enough for a proper Sacred Tool, but this was still a weapon imbued with a Dangerous Grotesquery’s power.

“…Never mind.”

Eve’s lips twitched. It seemed Miss Luo Ling was a speed-type Judgment path Awakened One, unsuitable for fighting such a large creature.

“Commission D213, ‘Clear Distorted Forest Incubation Barrier,’ successfully completed. Confirmed as an ‘egg’ of the Bodhi Ancient Tree of Silent Demise, Grotesquery Sequence 145. Completed by: ‘Twintails Supreme’ team.”

“Clearly, I did all the work…” Eve grumbled.

“Why is our team name so ridiculous?” Luo Ling looked shocked, but for a different reason. “No one in our team has twintails. It should be ‘Ponytails Supreme,’ right?”

Indeed, except for Elsa’s long, curly hair, the others all wore ponytails for combat, even Luo Ling.

“I chose it, I chose it!”

Lu Manqing stepped forward, hands on her hips.

“Cen Xiangyun’s suggestions, like ‘Rose Knights’ or ‘Thorned Roses,’ were all taken. I wanted to use ‘All the Good Names Are Taken by Dogs,’ but they stopped me, so I settled for this.”

“Also, Miss Luo Ling, don’t you think twintails are supreme? Ponytails are just practical, twintails are a dream!”

“Not really, but I understand.”

Luo Ling nodded, finding the explanation reasonable.

“I don’t want our team name to be this when we complete an S-rank commission and it’s announced citywide…”

Cen Xiangyun sighed. She would rather die, but with Lu Manqing around, everything went sideways. She had to choose the lesser of two evils.

The Twintails Supreme team had cleared three Incubation Barriers today, all of this level. A Dangerous Grotesquery itself would be dangerous, but its “egg” was manageable for their team.

This was different from Iris’s sapling in her twilight Kingdom. Although weak, the sapling was the Bodhi Ancient Tree itself, while this towering tree was merely an avatar.

And with the high-order Sacred Medicine from Luo Ling, Eve had advanced to high-order Awakened One, her combat strength significantly increased.

However, Luo Ling had barely participated in the battles. The Twintails Supreme team’s coordination had improved significantly after two months of working together, while Luo Ling felt slightly out of sync.

So, she mostly slacked off.

Of course, she wasn’t completely idle, observing Elsa’s combat style, thinking about how to improve her strength.

Elsa wasn’t an ordinary Awakened One. Although registered as an Oneiric path Awakened One in the Company’s files, she actually walked the Nightmare path, a Grotesquery path.

Awakened Sacred Medicines weren’t very effective for her. She relied on the Grotesqueries sealed within her for power, but she had reached a bottleneck.

Luo Ling was already preparing a high-order Sacred Tool for Elsa, and she also had a living Grotesquery she hadn’t used yet.

Luo Ling didn’t want to seal more Grotesqueries within Elsa, even with the White Witch’s suppressing aura, it was too dangerous.

If a sealed Grotesquery targeted Elsa’s consciousness, an area the Puppet Ballad couldn’t reach, it could cause irreversible damage. Therefore, Luo Ling was observing Elsa’s combat style, considering other uses for the living Grotesquery.

“However, the Company’s assessment of Elsa is quite interesting…”

Luo Ling watched her teammates banter and Elsa diligently taking notes on the day’s battles, lost in thought.

When they first arrived in Victoria, Luo Ling and the others had separated, and she hadn’t reported to Company headquarters.

The others had followed protocol, but Elsa’s situation was unique. She was the only successful subject in Scientist’s inhumane and absurd experiments.

In other words, Elsa might hold clues to the Harbingers’ plans.

But unfortunately, there was nothing.

Because Elsa wasn’t truly a success. She had merely survived.

Before the Harbingers and Scientist could complete their experiments, Elsa had escaped the lab, even leaving Victoria’s Boundary.

Therefore, to the Company, Elsa was just an ordinary Awakened One.

And the reason her unique constitution wasn’t noticed was because of Luo Ling’s intervention, concealing the fact that Elsa’s abilities came from Grotesqueries.

However, unlike Elsa, her companion who had escaped with her, the teddy bear Bella, had a different fate.

Bella, originally one of Artist’s “artworks,” had somehow developed self-awareness.

However, it was still a product of the Myriad path ability, which explained its sudden deactivation in Baiyan Village and later battles. Artist’s Myriad path ability had been suppressed by the Silent Demise Incubation Barrier, forcing Bella into dormancy.

After Artist’s death, all his “artworks” gradually lost their power, even the living clock in Philosopher’s cabin succumbed to Silent Demise, and Bella was no exception.

When Elsa reported to Company headquarters, Bella could no longer speak. The Company’s Myriad path department, interested in Artist’s creations, examined Bella, their conclusion disappointing Elsa—it was just an ordinary teddy bear.

However, a few specialists believed they could reawaken Bella, so Elsa left it with them.

But eventually, they lost interest, and Bella was returned to Elsa, placed on her bedside table, seemingly just an ordinary toy.

But Luo Ling knew the truth.

Bella’s consciousness still resided within the teddy bear, trapped and unable to speak, its physical body destroyed.

Unfortunately, Luo Ling wasn’t skilled in matters of consciousness, nor did she possess Artist’s ability to animate inanimate objects. Destroying the teddy bear might annihilate Bella’s consciousness completely, so she couldn’t help.

The Puppet Ballad’s flesh domination might be a solution, similar to Linna’s situation, but using it on Bella now would attract the attention of all three factions.

Bella wasn’t Linna, lacking her adaptability and strength.

However, reviving Bella would be a significant boost to Elsa’s power.

“Wait, perhaps…”

Luo Ling had an idea. Since she didn’t want to seal the living Grotesquery within Elsa, what if… she sealed it within Bella?

Or rather, transferred Bella’s consciousness into the living Grotesquery?

It seemed feasible.

Bella’s consciousness had originated from a flesh construct. In a way, she could be considered a Grotesquery, perhaps even listed on the Sequence.

The living Grotesquery in Luo Ling’s possession was a phenomenon-type, lacking consciousness, driven only by instinct.

Having Bella’s consciousness control it would achieve two goals: utilizing the living Grotesquery and reviving Bella.

Luo Ling decided to ask Elsa first.

Elsa readily agreed, even happy about it.

Bella was a dear friend to Elsa, despite her teasing and occasional insults… at least before meeting the White Witch, Bella had been her only companion.

As for the method…

“I used ‘Ensnare’ in Iris’s twilight Kingdom without any problems. This means that within a limited scale, ‘rewrite reality’ is reliable.”

That evening, Elsa, the household chef, prepared a feast, celebrating Eve’s move into the apartment, officially becoming the captain of the “Twintails Supreme” team.

Although they had been calling Eve “Captain,” she had been volunteering until today, her official promotion finally recorded in the Company’s files.

Luo Ling, worried that Elsa would be tired from cooking, had offered to help, only to be met with resolute refusals, even Elsa forbidding her from entering the kitchen.

Elsa had even said something that hurt Luo Ling deeply.

“Miss Luo Ling would only make things worse.”

After enjoying the meal, which Lu Manqing described as having “a mother’s touch,” Luo Ling and Elsa returned to their room, quickly finishing their nightly routine before Elsa’s biological clock signaled bedtime, ready to try and revive Bella.

Luo Ling took out the crystal bottle, transformed into her Naraku form, and walked to Elsa’s bedside table, looking at the now silent Bella, sensing its fading consciousness, a wave of melancholy washing over her.

The Jiangcheng County incident had only been a few months ago, yet it felt like a lifetime ago.

“I wonder how An Yu and the others at Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital are doing.”

But it was just wishful thinking. They were still in their original Boundary. Unless under special circumstances, Awakened Ones who hadn’t encountered an Authority couldn’t perceive the existence of Boundaries, unable to follow Luo Ling and the others to Victoria.

Luo Ling composed herself, placing Bella on the floor.

Elsa squatted beside her, anxiously watching Luo Ling’s every move.

She had a bad feeling about this…

The living Grotesquery within the crystal bottle was still instinctively terrified of Luo Ling, previously because of the White Witch, now because of Naraku. Both forms exuded an aura that suppressed the Dangerous Grotesquery larva.

Luo Ling’s web domain unfolded, her dark eyes coldly observing everything within, like a predator patiently waiting for its prey.

“First ability, ‘Ensnare,’ rewrite reality, consciousness transfer.”

Like an omnipotent wish-granting ability, “rewrite reality” always fulfilled the user’s desire, though with slight deviations.

The teddy bear trembled violently, then the last vestiges of life within it vanished.

Elsa’s expression turned worried, but she didn’t dare to interrupt Luo Ling, simply watching anxiously.

The living Grotesquery was released from the bottle, attempting to escape, but was caught in the predator’s web. At the same time, a consciousness slowly merged with it.

Under Naraku’s power, Bella’s consciousness and the living Grotesquery began to fuse, the core and its surrounding aura shifting and changing.

Finally, the living Grotesquery stabilized, no longer trying to escape, yet still silent.

“Did it work?”

Elsa asked cautiously, her fingers twisting her dress, her palms sweating.

But the living Grotesquery remained motionless, seemingly lifeless.

Luo Ling retracted her domain and transformed into her White Witch form, sensing carefully before sighing.

“Speak, Bella. Don’t scare Elsa.”

“Holy shit, you saw through that! You’re truly amazing, White Witch!”

The fawning, profanity-laced voice, although clearer and more pleasant than when it came from the teddy bear, was undoubtedly Bella’s.

The aura surrounding the core shifted, forming the image of a little girl.

A combination of Elsa and Luo Ling’s White Witch form, but even younger.

“Bella!”

Elsa wanted to hug her, but the formless phenomenon was intangible.

Bella, however, floated towards the window.

“Murderous Demon King, I hear you! Where are you?”

“…”

Luo Ling watched Bella float past her, seemingly not noticing her, then fell silent.

Had something gone wrong?

“What the hell, why is everything so blurry? White Witch, did you eat my eyes?” Bella asked, frowning.

“Don’t worry, I don’t like those.” Luo Ling paused, then said, “I think I know why.”

It wasn’t blindness, but unfamiliarity with this new form of vision.

Luo Ling understood. The spores’ vision was different from a living being’s. Using it directly could cause mental instability, a common ailment among the patients at Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.

Unless processed like the fungal threads she gave away, converting it into a normal vision, it was dangerous.

Bella’s consciousness had originated from a living being, accustomed to its vision and senses. Suddenly inhabiting a phenomenon-type Grotesquery, this problem was understandable.

Luo Ling communicated with Bella, understanding her current situation, but could only offer a helpless shrug.

Unless she could place Bella’s consciousness within a suitable physical body, she would have to remain in this formless state, adapting as best she could.

Bella couldn’t see clearly, and even sounds were distorted, but her perception of energy fluctuations was incredibly acute.

“But this sensitivity is agonizing…”

Bella’s face contorted in pain, the sensations becoming increasingly distorted, until she was rolling on the floor, clutching her head.

“What should we do, White Witch? Bella seems to be in pain…”

Elsa looked at Luo Ling, her eyes filled with tears.

“…Let’s put her back in the bottle.”

Luo Ling sighed, retrieving Bella.

Back within the crystal bottle, surrounded by darkness, Bella relaxed, sighing in relief. “Oh my god, I would have gone crazy…”

Inside the bottle, Bella, delicate like a little fairy, sat cross-legged, leaning against the glass, a picture of resignation.

“But at least this living Grotesquery has some combat strength. Bella just can’t stay out for too long. This shouldn’t be considered a failure, right?”

Luo Ling pondered, considering this another successful application of “Ensnare,” further confirming her theory: as long as the scale was limited, there wouldn’t be any problems.

Elsa was overjoyed to be reunited with Bella, whispering to her until her biological clock signaled bedtime, yawning repeatedly.

Placing the crystal bottle on her bedside table, Elsa climbed into Luo Ling’s bed, her beautiful green eyes shining with anticipation, hoping Luo Ling would join her.

Unable to resist Elsa’s expectant gaze, Luo Ling sighed and got into bed.

There was nothing else to do anyway. She might as well rest.

“Hehe…”

Elsa smiled contentedly, then glanced at Bella.

Bella seemed to sense Elsa’s gaze and winked in response.

The two little ones seemed to have been plotting something.

Luo Ling saw everything, but she wasn’t concerned. Elsa wouldn’t harm her.

The candlelight flickered and died, soft snores echoing in the room.

A silent night.

……..

In the following days, Luo Ling accompanied the Twintails Supreme team on missions, clearing out Grotesquery Incubation Barriers, while also analyzing Elsa’s combat style, searching for a way to eliminate the hidden dangers of the sealed Grotesqueries within her.

Meanwhile, the tea party remained quiet. The Leader hadn’t convened another meeting, nor summoned Luo Ling privately. The other members, having received the information on the path to godhood, were likely pursuing their own plans.

Unlike Luo Ling, they weren’t interested in the specific Sequence Philosopher was targeting, merely using his hard-earned method for their own ascension, so they wouldn’t interfere with his plans.

A Grotesquery Sequence position wasn’t something to be chosen lightly. It had to be the most suitable, otherwise, the consequences could be fatal.

Therefore, Luo Ling had eliminated a group of potentially powerful competitors.

Iris seemed to have uncovered some clues about the Harbingers’ plan, though nothing concrete yet.

However, her temper had been short recently, her words laced with resentment, like a frustrated housewife. Luo Ling suspected she was going through menopause.

The most unsettling news, however, concerned the various factions in Victoria.

Under the surveillance of her intelligence network, the Company’s higher-ups remained quiet. Although the Incubation Barrier clearing operations continued, their scale and frequency decreased, as if the tide of Grotesquery activity was receding.

The Harbingers had vanished completely. The twenty or thirty members hadn’t appeared within her network’s surveillance, indicating complete inactivity.

Victoria was experiencing an eerie calm, like the quiet before a storm, the brewing tempest unsettling to those who could perceive it.

But this calm didn’t last long. As Luo Ling slept with Elsa, a memory transmission from Alyssa suddenly arrived.

This was the first emergency alert from the final review mechanism.

Luo Ling quickly closed her eyes, accessing the memory.

The owner of the memory was bowing subserviently before a tall, middle-aged man in church robes, his expression a mixture of shock and disbelief.

“Wait, is this… really my Church of Light?”

Educator had emerged from seclusion.

Ten days early.

Chapter Fifty-Four: The Kept Miss Luo Ling

The quiet cafe was a suitable place for discussing important matters, but for the two women present, the atmosphere was anything but “quiet.”

A waiter carrying coffee froze mid-step, nearby patrons casting curious glances, their eyes blinking at the wrong moment.

In this time-frozen world, Luo Ling’s casual words struck Fiona like a thunderclap, making her stand up abruptly.

“What did you just say?”

Fiona stared at the girl with the strange makeup, her calm demeanor giving her an unexpected air of elegance, her gaze fixed on the girl’s eyes, searching for a flicker of doubt.

A hint of falsehood.

But she found none.

The girl’s eyes were as calm and indifferent as her expression.

“Should I repeat myself?” Luo Ling asked softly.

“…I’m just surprised, not deaf.” Fiona composed herself, though her rapid breathing betrayed her inner turmoil.

She sat down again, her expression now a mixture of anxiety and anticipation.

After a moment of hesitation, she asked, “Did you really… see Linna? And the ‘Hunt’ team?”

“Aunt Fiona, do I seem like the kind of person who jokes about such sensitive matters?”

“I-I apologize…”

Fiona quickly lowered her head, an unprecedented display of vulnerability—rarely did anyone witness such unease from a high-ranking member of the Fate Society.

Luo Ling smiled faintly. Fiona’s flustered expression slightly appeased her earlier resentment.

Serves you right for treating me like Linna!

When the real Linna appeared before Aunt Fiona, she would surely feel guilty.

Before Luo Ling could speak, Fiona raised her hand, took a deep breath, and said,

“Wait a moment, Luo Ling, let me process this… this news is too shocking, I need some time to calm down.”

Luo Ling nodded. After a while, Fiona regained her composure, her expression turning serious.

“This must be related to your experience in the Realm of Nothingness.” Fiona said gravely. “You must have experienced an illusion… witnessing the past.”

“Something like that.”

Luo Ling wasn’t surprised that Fiona had guessed it.

However, Fiona couldn’t possibly imagine, or rather, hadn’t dared to imagine, that Luo Ling had not only witnessed the “illusion” but also actively participated in it, influencing the past.

Through her recent exploration of the Realm of Nothingness and Naraku’s unpredictable abilities, Luo Ling had a theory about her return to the past.

It wasn’t time travel, but Naraku’s “rewrite reality,” somehow triggering the Realm of Nothingness’s “Transcendence,” allowing her to enter the Boundary before its annihilation.

As long as she left the Incubation Barrier, the brief “Transcendence” would end, and she would return to the present.

However, the causal relationship was complex, whether intentional or not, it had led to the current outcome.

“Linna’s Sacred Tool…”

Fiona said hesitantly.

“Yes, I obtained it in the illusion.” Luo Ling nodded.

Luo Ling omitted her own involvement and Linna’s transformation, recounting the events within the Incubation Barrier, including the Company’s scheme, the Speakers’ participation, and the untold truths.

She withheld some information, as her own involvement, related to “Transcendence” and her other abilities, was difficult to explain. As for Linna’s situation… she would let Linna decide.

“I can’t believe Frick was a Torchbearer agent…”

Fiona shook her head wryly. “The Torchbearers rarely recruit Westerners, let alone train them to ninth-order… perhaps that’s why we overlooked him.”

From Cheng Jianming’s letter, it was clear that although the Torchbearers used tarot card code names, they leaned towards Eastern culture.

The Torchbearers’ presence in Victoria was unique. They were merchants from the East, trading tea, spices, and other Eastern specialties.

“However, this likely involves more than just the Torchbearers and the Company…”

Fiona’s expression turned grim.

She hadn’t been able to uncover the truth all these years. There must have been some interference…

Fiona looked at Luo Ling and said, “Luo Ling, don’t get involved in this anymore. It’s too dangerous for you.

“The Sacred Medicines from the Torchbearers weren’t just a gesture of goodwill, but also a warning. And the Company… those directors aren’t kind. I suspect that the ‘old man’ himself orchestrated a part of the Torchbearers’ plan.”

“The old man?”

Luo Ling was surprised. She had a favorable impression of the elderly director.

He seemed kind and approachable, even expressing remorse for the Company’s past actions.

“That’s all true. He wasn’t being deceitful. He was sincere.”

Fiona shook her head. “But that sincerity is what makes him terrifying… If the board decides to silence you, he will be the one to make that decision.”

Luo Ling nodded, her expression turning serious.

It seemed she needed to re-evaluate the threat levels of the various factions…

Fiona seemed reluctant to discuss the Company directors further. She paused, then continued, “I’ll handle the rest. You just focus on being a Company employee.”

Fiona didn’t suggest that Luo Ling abandon her Company identity and join the Fate Society. She knew that would only put her in greater danger.

How could she let this girl, so similar to her daughter, face such risks? She would handle it herself.

“Okay.”

Luo Ling nodded, knowing she needed to keep a low profile.

“But… are you sure Linna is really alive?”

After a long hesitation, Fiona finally asked the question that weighed most heavily on her mind.

According to Luo Ling’s account, Linna had escaped the Incubation Barrier at the last moment, then vanished without a trace.

“Yes, of course, I wouldn’t lie about this.” Luo Ling nodded. “I told you before, Miss Linna might not be dead.”

She had merely omitted some details. The main points were true. Luo Ling hadn’t lied.

Even Luo Ling, Linna’s master, didn’t know her current whereabouts… Although the term “master” was embarrassing, it was true. Linna had become a part of the White Witch, her consciousness even invaded by the Puppet Ballad.

“I thought… that was just a kind lie, to comfort me.”

Fiona’s expression was strange, a mixture of hope and disbelief. Her long-dormant emotions stirred, yet it still felt unreal.

Luo Ling, knowing herself well, said, “I’m not that considerate.”

“That’s true, heh…”

Fiona chuckled, her expression lighter, the recent good news bringing a smile to her face for the first time in years.

“By the way, Aunt Fiona, there’s something I’d like to ask you for help with.”

Luo Ling took out a box and pushed it towards Fiona. “I heard the Fate Society specializes in crafting Sacred Tools, right? I have a Sacred Relic I’d like you to craft into a Sacred Tool.”

“Hmm?” Fiona’s eyes lit up, taking the box. “Crafting a Sacred Tool is no problem, but I have to tell you, the success rate isn’t very high. Most of the time, it just becomes a weapon imbued with special power. It has to contain a Grotesquery’s ability to be considered a Sacred Tool.”

“I’ve heard that, but… does the success rate depend on the crafting method?” Luo Ling asked.

“It’s a factor, but the most important factor is whether the Sacred Relic contains a Grotesquery’s ability, and the amount of power it contains.”

Fiona opened the box, wrapped tightly with tape. “What level of Grotesquery is this from? If it’s close to Dangerous Grotesquery level, I can personally craft it for you. If it’s too low-level… it’s not worth my time.”

Fiona was the highest-ranking Sacred Tool crafter within the Fate Society. Her services were expensive, and she wouldn’t even bother with lower-level Dangerous Grotesquery Sacred Relics, only those within the top hundred Sequences.

Of course, for Luo Ling’s request… it was a different matter.

“Oh, it should meet your requirements,” Luo Ling said. “It’s from ‘Core of Fear’ of Nightmare, Grotesquery Sequence 37.”

She had retrieved the Sacred Relic from Elsa before meeting Fiona.

For some reason, Elsa had been keeping it in her bed… likely the only person who would do such a thing with a Grotesquery’s remains.

“One hundred thirty-seventh? Alright, no problem.” Fiona nodded, then took out a crystal orb from the crude, almost package-like box.

“It’s thirty-seventh.” Luo Ling corrected her.

“…Thirty-seventh?”

Fiona recalled the thirty-seventh Sequence. It was indeed “Core of Fear.”

Her expression changed, feeling the powerful aura emanating from the orb, almost dropping it. “Luo Ling… this is a High-Risk Grotesquery Sacred Relic! You kept it in this shoddy box?”

“I couldn’t find another box. Oh, and when I drew it, the description said, ‘Used appropriately, it can effectively suppress most Oneiric and Nightmare abilities’.” Luo Ling said.

“…It has the potential to become a Sacred Tool!” Fiona’s eyes lit up. For a Sacred Tool crafter, this was a treasure.

However, she was puzzled. “How did you obtain such a valuable item? Even the Company requires a P9 or higher annual bonus to redeem this.”

Luo Ling hadn’t been able to see the more valuable treasures in the vault because of her low rank. Higher ranks had access to better items.

And some particularly valuable items, like this High-Risk Grotesquery Sacred Relic with Sacred Tool potential, required multiple vault access opportunities.

“I drew it.” Luo Ling replied.

“You drew it?”

Fiona’s disbelief was even greater than when she learned that Linna was alive. “Seriously, can you actually draw something like this from the Company’s vault?”

The general consensus regarding the Company’s vault lottery system was that it was a scheme to drain employees’ annual bonuses…

But there were always gamblers, hoping to win a prize worth several years’ worth of bonuses.

“You drew it yourself?”

Fiona asked suspiciously.

“I drew it myself.”

Luo Ling’s expression remained unchanged.

…A lie.

Fiona saw the flicker of guilt in Luo Ling’s eyes and chuckled.

She put the Sacred Relic away and said, “But I have to tell you, even I can’t guarantee creating a Sacred Tool from a High-Risk Grotesquery Sacred Relic. Besides the necessary conditions, it also requires some luck. I can only try my best.”

“Of course, I understand.” Luo Ling paused, then asked, “How much will it cost?”

“Between us, do we need to discuss such things?” Fiona raised an eyebrow. “Of course, if you insist on paying, I won’t refuse. I don’t lack resources or money. What I lack is…”

“Since you’re being so evasive, Aunt Fiona, I won’t stand on ceremony.” Luo Ling interrupted, knowing what Fiona wanted.

“Oh, what a pity.”

Fiona shook her head, her expression turning regretful.

She really wanted to adopt Luo Ling as her daughter…

Even if Linna was still alive, who said she couldn’t have two daughters?

Linna would definitely like Miss Luo Ling too.

“Time’s almost up. Don’t mention any of this after the time stop is lifted. It might attract unwanted attention.”

Fiona said, “The ‘old man’ is an Other Shore path Awakened One, constantly monitoring Victoria… be careful.”

And Philosopher, he was a This Life path Awakened One.

Luo Ling’s expression turned serious. Fortunately, her original body had a natural cloaking effect, and she never transformed into her White Witch form without her domain, leaving no detectable traces.

Although she had been cautious, she would be even more careful now.

“But there’s one more thing, Luo Ling… don’t you think your makeup is a bit… much?”

Fiona studied Luo Ling’s face, unable to suppress her amusement. “Even I’m struggling to see you through rose-tinted glasses. You look like you just escaped from a mental hospital.”

“Really? I think it’s fine.”

“Fine…?”

Fiona touched Luo Ling’s face, her fingers coated in powder.

“Here, let me fix it for you.”

Fiona sighed, taking out a small makeup kit from her bag, and began fixing Luo Ling’s makeup.

“As the general manager of the Victoria Opera House, I can’t let you go out looking like this… hey, don’t move.”

Luo Ling giggled, then quickly suppressed it, her face twitching slightly as Fiona continued.

After a while, Fiona clapped her hands, satisfied. “Alright, although not perfect… it’s much better than before.”

Luo Ling looked at herself in the mirror, feeling like Fiona had simply removed her previous makeup… but looking closer, she did look different.

More heroic, and strangely familiar.

Luo Ling quickly realized why.

“This looks like Linna!”

Luo Ling looked up, seeing Fiona’s mischievous smile.

“As payment for crafting the Sacred Tool—I accept.” Fiona mimed eating. “I’m very satisfied, Miss Luo Ling.”

Fiona stood up and left, leaving the clock Sacred Tool on the table.

Luo Ling picked it up, wanting to return it, but Fiona was gone.

A note, still slightly wet, lay on the table.

“Even the Torchbearers sent you high-order Sacred Medicines, how could I be less generous? Keep the Sacred Tool… I have plenty.”

Luo Ling remained silent for a moment, then put the Sacred Tool away, sighing.

“Aunt this, Aunt that… I feel like I’m being kept.”

Chapter Fifty-Three: Little Elsa’s Big Change, A Mother’s Pain

Luo Ling hadn’t initially told Fiona about her experiences in the Incubation Barrier partly because the situation wasn’t clear, she wasn’t even sure if it was real or an illusion.

And…

She didn’t fully understand the Company and Victoria.

As her investigation deepened, Luo Ling realized that Victoria was like a massive whirlpool, silently consuming everything.

The more she learned, the more unfathomable this whirlpool seemed, like a bottomless abyss.

The Harbingers and the Company used Victoria as their chessboard, everyone, including the Company itself, merely pawns, the players being the six figures in the shadows… or perhaps five.

And the relationships between these pawns were incredibly complex.

Not just the entanglement between the Company and the Harbingers, but also the power struggles within the Order-side factions, and the Grotesquery Apostles and Agents lurking in the darkness, ready to seize any opportunity.

The Speakers, the most enigmatic faction, seemed to exist outside this game, their true allegiance unknown.

Fortunately, Luo Ling had also transcended this game. Although not yet a player, she could observe the entire board, even influencing the players to a certain extent.

Essentially, backseat driving.

As one of the Fate Society’s three constellations, Fiona was undoubtedly a crucial piece in this game, perhaps not the “king” or “queen,” but at least a “rook” or “knight.”

Therefore, regardless of her motives, Luo Ling had waited until she had a general understanding of the situation before revealing it to Aunt Fiona.

Now, the time was right.

“I’ll see if Aunt Fiona can use the remaining Sacred Medicines.” Luo Ling thought. “If not…”

Only Eve seemed interested in them. Perhaps she could trade them for something useful.

Giving them away wasn’t impossible, but given Eve’s personality, she likely wouldn’t accept them, or would feel indebted, even though she could be frivolous at times, she was a reliable senior.

Therefore, a trade was the better option.

After everything was settled, everyone except Luo Ling was exhausted, so despite it being New Year’s Eve, there were no special activities, and they quickly retired to their rooms.

Eve, who would be moving in a few days later, having received the valuable Judgment path Sacred Medicines from Luo Ling, rushed home.

She had enough experience and qualifications within the Company, only lacking the strength of a high-order Awakened One and a formal review for promotion to P7.

Those below P7 were considered low-level employees. Only those above P7 held any real power within the Company, considered minor leaders.

Their treatment and access to resources were significantly better, even allowing them to occasionally snag some food from the Company’s private kitchen…

Luo Ling had experienced quite a bit today, the tea party and the twilight Kingdom had been mentally taxing, and then experiencing the Leader’s memory, witnessing the other side of the Seventh Path, Transcendence.

Even the Leader had only known about Doomsday.

Hearing her sister’s voice again had lifted Luo Ling’s spirits, prompting her rare attempt at cooking, which had even received praise—at least they had eaten it.

Only now, after relaxing, did Luo Ling feel the mental exhaustion.

As the clock struck eight, Elsa yawned, changed into her pajamas, and climbed into bed, only to find the opposite bed occupied, a few strands of black hair peeking out from beneath the covers.

“Hmm?!”

Elsa’s drowsiness vanished as she tiptoed over, seeing Luo Ling lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.

“Miss Luo Ling, why are you sleeping so early today?”

Elsa was startled, reaching out to touch Luo Ling’s forehead.

“Don’t worry, Elsa, I’m not sick.” Luo Ling said softly, not moving Elsa’s slightly cold hand. “I just want to sleep, but I can’t.”

Although mentally exhausted, she couldn’t close her eyes, simply lying in bed, her heart pounding in her ears, making her anxious.

An inexplicable unease lingered, like a nameless anxiety.

“But you look so tired.”

Elsa leaned over the bed, her face filled with concern, seeing Luo Ling’s exhaustion.

Yes, she was tired.

Luo Ling was alone, facing the Company, the Harbingers, and even the Grotesque-side tea party… various dangers, endless schemes and power struggles.

The more she learned, the more she realized that even as a High-Risk Grotesquery, she was still insignificant in Victoria’s game.

The Harbingers had killed a twelfth Sequence High-Risk Grotesquery to obtain Philosopher’s “Traveler” Authority.

And Educator’s domain, casually eradicating all life within a ten-mile radius, was terrifying, his Sequence likely no lower than twentieth.

The Company directors, capable of rivaling them, must be equally powerful.

If her identity as the White Witch were exposed… she would be considered merely a sacrifice on their path to godhood. With enough preparation, even a Silent Demise Grotesquery could be silenced.

“…I’m not that tired.”

Luo Ling turned away slightly, seeing the worry in Elsa’s beautiful green eyes.

That worried gaze… felt familiar.

She had seen it before…

No, there was no need to think about it. The answer was obvious.

“But Miss Luo Ling, I can’t even help you.” Elsa sighed, her expression filled with self-reproach. “Even though I’m your Apostle…”

“Godchosen.”

Luo Ling corrected her. She found the terms “Apostle” and “Agent” a bit unsettling.

The tea party’s terms, “Godchosen” and “God’s Favored,” sounded much better.

“Oh right, Godchosen.” Elsa nodded repeatedly, then frowned. “But I’m only equivalent to a seventh-order Awakened One…”

“Hmm?” Luo Ling paused. “You’re already seventh-order?”

“Yes.” Elsa nodded, then demonstrated her abilities. “I’ve killed three of the Grotesqueries sealed within me, absorbing their power.”

The six Grotesqueries forced into Elsa by Scientist had been her greatest fear. Even Scientist simply entering Elsa’s consciousness space could trigger a mental breakdown.

After Luo Ling suppressed them with the White Witch’s will, their lives had become increasingly difficult.

Previously, Elsa had to pay a price to use their abilities. But now, they couldn’t even scare her, let alone demand payment.

Therefore, whenever Elsa used their abilities, it consumed their very existence.

And after accidentally killing “Soul Torture,” the most troublesome of the six, in her consciousness space, Elsa had discovered that she now completely controlled its ability.

It was no longer channeled through the Grotesquery, but her own.

The former was difficult to control, often causing friendly fire, while the latter, although consuming her own Inspiration, was completely under her control.

After that, Elsa had sent two more Grotesqueries to their demise, the remaining three submitting to her, allowing her to use their powers at the cost of her own Inspiration.

With three Grotesqueries’ abilities and three more willingly offering their power, Elsa possessed six abilities in total.

Both in terms of power and Inspiration reserves, she was a true high-order Awakened One.

“Do the others know?” Luo Ling asked.

“No, I’ve kept it a secret. They think I can only use ‘Proverb’.” Elsa lowered her voice. “I’m only telling you, Miss Luo Ling.”

“You should use them when necessary.” Luo Ling reminded her. She couldn’t stand by and watch her teammates in danger just to hide her abilities.

“Of course, I know. But Eve always takes us to low-level Incubation Barriers, so ‘Proverb’ is enough.” Elsa puffed out her chest proudly. “They think I’m incredibly strong just with that.”

Elsa had been hiding her true strength, unable to reveal her accomplishments.

Now, before Luo Ling, she could finally share her secrets.

“Elsa is amazing.”

Luo Ling pinched Elsa’s cheek, soft and squishy like a marshmallow.

“Hehe.” Elsa giggled, then sighed softly. “But I’m still too weak to help Miss Luo Ling…”

“You’re already very strong, Elsa. You’ll be able to help.” Luo Ling gently brushed aside Elsa’s bangs. “Trust me, your potential is far greater than this.”

Luo Ling thought of the living Grotesquery and the High-Risk Grotesquery Sacred Relic fragment she had given Elsa. These could make her even stronger.

Elsa possessed a unique talent for controlling Grotesqueries, something neither Scientist nor Elsa herself had fully realized.

Although she could currently only control those below Dangerous Grotesquery level, with Luo Ling’s help, she might even be able to control High-Risk Grotesqueries, or perhaps even… Taboos.

“Really?”

Elsa’s eyes widened.

“When have I ever lied to you?” Luo Ling smiled faintly. Seeing the adorable little Elsa, her anxiety subsided slightly.

Drowsiness, brought on by her biological clock, washed over Elsa, and she yawned.

“Ah~ ha~”

Elsa rubbed her eyes.

“Miss Luo Ling, I can’t take it anymore, I have to go back to sleep… tomorrow…”

“Go back?” Luo Ling chuckled. “Don’t you always sneak into my bed?”

“Huh?”

Elsa’s drowsiness vanished, staring at Luo Ling in disbelief.

“Come on, sleep with me, if you don’t mind.”

Luo Ling lifted the corner of her blanket, patting the bed.

They usually slept separately—mainly because Elsa slept early, while Luo Ling stayed up past midnight.

Only upon waking up would Luo Ling find Elsa in her bed.

This time, Luo Ling was taking the initiative.

“I… I don’t mind! Ah~ ha~ of course I don’t mind… I’m coming…”

Elsa yawned as she snuggled into Luo Ling’s bed, pressing close to her.

“Miss Luo Ling…”

Elsa seemed to want to feel Luo Ling’s warmth, but her drowsiness was overwhelming, her eyelids growing heavy, soon drifting off to sleep.

“A bit cold…”

Luo Ling took Elsa’s small hand, warming it with her breath.

Elsa’s slightly trembling body relaxed.

Looking at the adorable sleeping face, framed by messy red hair, her small chest rising and falling gently with each breath, a warm smile appeared on Luo Ling’s lips.

No, wait…

She wasn’t alone, facing Victoria’s terrifying whirlpool.

At least now, she had Elsa, always by her side.

Luo Ling wrapped her arms around the small, red-haired girl and closed her eyes slowly.

“Elsa… it’s good to have you here.”

A dreamless night.

………..

Bright red lipstick, thick white foundation, crayon-like eyebrows, and blush that looked like spilled ink.

This woman sat in the cafe, even the waiters avoiding her, not daring to ask for her order.

“Is she crazy?”

“Definitely crazy…”

Whispers echoed around her, and Luo Ling frowned, wondering if she had done something similar to the patients at Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.

But examining her memories, she couldn’t find anything amiss.

Everything was normal.

Miss Luo Ling—or rather, Ms. Luo Ling—waited for about ten minutes, then a brisk figure appeared before her.

But the figure immediately stood up after sitting down, bowing apologetically. “Sorry, I mistook you for someone else.”

“Aunt Fiona, stop joking.” Luo Ling said helplessly.

“…You’re really Luo Ling?” Fiona asked, her face filled with shock.

“…….”

Luo Ling remained silent.

This was a disguise.

Meeting Fiona required caution, especially now, with Luo Ling in the spotlight. She didn’t believe the Company and the Harbingers weren’t monitoring her.

Fortunately, the Speakers couldn’t scry her, even Ji Shinian, the most skilled among them, had failed, which would have been even more troublesome.

Therefore, Luo Ling had left the apartment in disguise, even leaving a decoy behind, pretending to be reading.

However, she wasn’t skilled at disguises. Theoretically, she could alter her appearance with the Puppet Ballad’s “Proliferation” ability, but to avoid growing extra limbs on her face, she had abandoned that idea.

She had heard that makeup could transform a person, and since Luo Ling never wore makeup, she decided to try it.

After finding some makeup tutorials in the puppets’ memories, she had confidently applied some of Cen Xiangyun’s cosmetics, and her “masterpiece” was born.

“…Truly a masterpiece.”

Fiona gasped, her heart sinking.

Then, after a moment of hesitation, she covered her mouth, as if about to cry. “So similar… she didn’t wear makeup either…”

“…….”

She really wanted to drag Linna back here.

Luo Ling had informed Fiona of the meeting through her spores, planted in the Victoria Opera House during her previous visit.

Hearing Luo Ling’s serious tone, Fiona knew it was important, so she had made arrangements to avoid the Company’s surveillance, meeting Luo Ling at the designated cafe.

She hadn’t expected to see Miss Luo Ling—Ms. Luo Ling—like this…

“Luo Ling, the saying ‘makeup can transform a person’ means making them look better, not worse.”

Fiona said earnestly. “However, turning such a good foundation into this… is a special skill indeed.”

“Do I… look that bad?” Luo Ling asked hesitantly.

“Not just bad,” Fiona shook her head. “Exceptionally bad.”

She also heard the whispers around them, her expression a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

Like her daughter Linna, Miss Luo Ling’s sense of aesthetics was disastrous…

“I see…”

Luo Ling nodded thoughtfully.

“This puppet’s memories are useless. I’ll have to find another one.”

Her previous cooking “success” had given her confidence. With the puppets’ memories, she could learn anything.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

“But as a disguise, it’s perfect. No one would recognize you as Luo Ling, even I hesitated for a moment.”

Fiona smiled, then her expression turned serious. “You wouldn’t meet me like this unless it was important.”

“Yes.”

Luo Ling nodded, then hesitated, looking around.

Fiona placed a clock-like Sacred Tool on the table.

Time seemed to freeze, everyone’s movements stopping, only Luo Ling and Fiona unaffected.

“A Chaos path Sacred Tool, ‘The World.’ I don’t know why the creator chose such a strange name, but it’s quite useful.”

Fiona explained, “It creates a three-meter radius domain where time stops relative to the outside world, lasting up to half an hour.

“Meaning, we can talk here for half an hour, and only a moment will have passed outside.”

Even the Speakers’ Other Shore abilities couldn’t penetrate this domain. This was one of Fiona’s methods of concealment.

“Indeed, very powerful.”

Luo Ling was impressed. This Sacred Tool must have been crafted from a High-Risk Grotesquery Sacred Relic, even she was slightly envious.

Unlike Luo Ling, Fiona was one of the three highest-ranking members of a large Awakened organization, the Fate Society, renowned for its Sacred Tool crafting. She had easy access to such items.

The Sacred Tool she had given Luo Ling, and the one Linna used, were both crafted by Fiona.

“If you’re interested, I can give it to you.” Fiona chuckled, then her tone changed. “However, I have a small request…”

“Stop right there.”

Luo Ling raised her hand, anticipating Fiona’s words.

Absolutely not.

Impersonating Linna once was enough.

“What a pity.”

Fiona said regretfully.

Before Fiona could offer more temptations, Luo Ling got to the point.

Her expression turned serious. “Aunt Fiona, did you know that the ‘Hunt’ team’s annihilation wasn’t an accident?”

Fiona’s face fell, a bitter expression appearing.

“Of course, I know.”

How could she not?

Having reached her current position, Fiona wasn’t naive. She had her suspicions.

But…

Who was the culprit?

Their rivals, the Torchbearers? Or the Company? Or the Harbingers of Calamity? Or even… another faction within the Fate Society?

Fiona didn’t know.

Every time she tried to investigate, an invisible barrier blocked her, preventing her from finding any clues.

She knew Linna had been murdered.

But she didn’t know by whom, who to avenge.

As a mother, Fiona had suffered for years, only finding some solace in Luo Ling’s presence, a distraction from her grief.

“Perhaps, it’s time to let go.”

Fiona had resigned herself to the unknown.

Until Luo Ling’s next words.

“I know the culprit, and everything that happened.” Luo Ling said slowly. “I witnessed the entire conspiracy, the deaths of every member of the ‘Hunt’ team.

“And… I also met Linna.”

“Yes, Aunt Fiona, your daughter, Linna.”