Chapter Twenty: A New Transaction
The commission ended fruitlessly for the team. Fortunately, they hadn’t lost anything… except for Eve’s pride. She remained unusually quiet on the way back.
The team didn’t mind. They could simply take on another commission.
However, Cen Xiangyun wondered if she should be the one choosing the next mission… Miss Eve didn’t seem like a very reliable senior.
The only one who gained anything was Luo Ling. Having received all the information from Educator, a faint smile played on her lips, her steps lighter than usual.
“It seems he’s really eager to disengage…”
Relying on ordinary people was definitely not the most crucial part of the Harbingers’ plan. His eagerness to withdraw was understandable.
But Luo Ling hadn’t expected him to hand over the entire operation without even waiting for Felix to take control of a few churches first.
This was beneficial for Luo Ling. The number of churches didn’t matter. She could simply refine the wicked priests into “Lambs” and find a place to settle the sacrificed saints. She had no concerns about losing control.
These matters could be entrusted to Alyssa and the black-robed priests. Luo Ling didn’t even need to be involved.
All she needed to do was offer a small portion of the Grotesquery power converted from refining the “Lambs” during the sacrifices to “Philosopher.”
“However, this information also includes… interesting.”
After providing all the church information, Educator had inadvertently revealed another crucial piece of information… Of course, he might have been aware of it, but assumed ordinary people wouldn’t notice, so he was careless.
It was a non-mandatory requirement for the sacrifices… the “Forbidden Puppets.”
In other words, they should prioritize finding “Forbidden Puppets” meeting these specific conditions.
Currently, all churches were sacrificing to Philosopher. This strongly suggested the Path of Philosopher’s Authority, “Traveler.”
This hadn’t appeared in previous church sacrifices. Educator, trusting Felix, had relayed these requirements.
Too bad, too bad…
“Even soul-searching isn’t foolproof. Even memories can deceive.”
This was the true terror of a complete High-Risk Grotesquery. Even their corresponding Apostles or Agents couldn’t achieve this level of deception.
“Judging by these non-mandatory requirements, the Path of ‘Traveler’ should be… This Life.”
Luo Ling fell silent.
If she had to choose the Paths she disliked the most, Other Shore and This Life would definitely be on the list.
Glimpsing the future, revisiting the past, altering the present, reversing causality… these were the abilities of Other Shore and This Life.
And due to the nature of their abilities, they were almost all cryptic.
Furthermore, unlike other Paths, Other Shore and This Life weren’t opposites. They were parallel paths, one wielded by Awakened Ones, the other by Grotesqueries.
This Life Grotesqueries were rare and generally harmless to humans. Some Awakened Ones even believed that This Life Grotesqueries shouldn’t be classified as Grotesqueries, but merely “anomalies.”
“However, what kind of This Life Authority could instantly annihilate several cities…”
Luo Ling recalled the massacres attributed to Philosopher in the Company files, lost in thought.
Regardless, she now had some information on “Traveler.”
“I’ve noticed… Miss Luo Ling seems to enjoy smiling like that recently.”
Lu Manqing leaned down, her gaze level with Luo Ling’s, a playful smile on her lips.
“Do you also find Miss Eve’s immediate backtracking after her boasting amusing?”
Eve, already embarrassed, stiffened, quickening her pace.
It was bad enough without being mentioned, mentioning it only added to her humiliation.
And that “also”… meant this little minx had been watching her suffer!
Eve finally understood how Cen Xiangyun felt… This little brat!
“…I never said that.”
Luo Ling knew that Lu Manqing was simply using her to tease Eve.
Just then, she felt a warmth on her forehead.
“Hmm?”
Luo Ling paused, realizing that this was the signal for the tea party.
So soon?
It had only been half a month since the last tea party. Could there be new information already?
Or perhaps, some unforeseen event?
And, what a coincidence…
She had just obtained some information on “Traveler,” and the tea party was immediately convened?
Luo Ling thought it might be a coincidence, but considering the enigmatic leader, she wasn’t so sure.
“You guys go to the Company. I just remembered something I need to do back at the apartment.” Luo Ling stopped and said. “Elsa, let’s go back together.”
“Should we wait for you before taking on the next commission?” Cen Xiangyun asked.
She didn’t ask what Luo Ling needed to do. Adults had their secrets.
Minors were no exception.
“No need.”
Luo Ling shook her head.
After confirming that Sacred Medicine was less effective than nibbling on a sapling, she had lost interest in the Company’s low-level commissions.
If it were a commission offering some unique item, she might be interested.
Everyone knew that Elsa and Luo Ling were practically inseparable, perhaps because they were among the few minors in the team, or even the entire Company, so no one found it strange.
Thus, they parted ways.
Back at the apartment, Luo Ling asked Elsa to keep watch as she prepared to enter the lost Kingdom.
Constantly disappearing for periods of time was too conspicuous. Occasionally changing her method of disappearance was more prudent.
She brought Elsa back to avoid bumping into the others if they returned to the apartment while she was gone.
Stroking Elsa’s soft, fluffy red hair, Luo Ling closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she was surrounded by endless swirling grey fog.
Moments later, the fog dispersed, and the familiar grey garden appeared before her.
But unexpectedly, only one figure, shrouded in the mystical veil, sat elegantly at the head of the table.
“Amethyst, you’ve finally arrived.”
The leader’s distorted voice was as elegant as ever, yet somehow, warmer than before.
Perhaps because the other tea party members weren’t present?
“Where are the others? Did they leave after the meeting, or are they late?”
Luo Ling approached and sat down in her previous seat.
“There are no others, Amethyst.” The leader said slowly. “This tea party is just for the two of us.”
Luo Ling, barely settled, stood up again.
“Why so nervous?”
The leader seemed to be smiling, though it was hard to tell.
“No…”
Luo Ling wondered if the leader had summoned her specifically because she knew she had obtained information on “Traveler.”
In that case, wasn’t she constantly under the leader’s surveillance?
More importantly, Luo Ling hadn’t obtained the information through conventional means, but through her Puppet Ballad abilities.
If the leader could even monitor that, how terrifying was she?
“You can sit closer. We’re alone.”
“No need…”
The more Luo Ling thought about it, the more uneasy she felt, suspecting that the leader was deliberately toying with her, her expression turning guarded.
As if finding Luo Ling’s cat-like wariness endearing, the leader’s smile widened.
“Very well, as you wish.”
However, to Luo Ling, the leader’s smile seemed more malicious than kind.
Luo Ling calmed herself and sat down again.
“Actually, Amethyst, this isn’t a formal tea party. I simply wanted to discuss something with you.” The leader shifted slightly, leaning forward, her gaze fixed on Luo Ling. “Something you might be interested in.”
“What do I need to offer in exchange?” Luo Ling asked calmly.
There was no such thing as a free lunch. There were only transactions at the tea party. The leader had said so herself.
Instead of directly addressing her knowledge, the leader used something that piqued her interest as a bargaining chip.
As expected, the leader knew.
Having confirmed this, Luo Ling’s anxiety subsided.
“Offer what you possess.” The leader’s intense gaze made Luo Ling uncomfortable. “However, this time… I’ll tell you first.
“Because I know, Amethyst, you’ll be willing to make the trade.”
Hearing this, Luo Ling wanted to be contrary, but circumstances didn’t allow it.
For some reason, the leader always spoke with an air of “I know you’ll agree,” and she always did.
She would find an opportunity to defy her one day, telling her, “But I refuse!”
Thinking this, Luo Ling nodded reluctantly.
“Go ahead.”
“Actually, I can’t directly tell you the truth about the Realm of Nothingness. It’s a concept that defies words.” The leader’s expression turned serious. “Some things, you need to experience firsthand to understand.
“For example, the collapse of a Boundary.”
The collapse of a Boundary led to the birth of the Realm of Nothingness. This was common knowledge among high-ranking Awakened Ones, but their understanding of the Realm of Nothingness was limited to that.
“You mean, I have to experience a Boundary collapse?” Luo Ling frowned. “But I don’t want to cause one.”
She could certainly do it. If a Grotesquery’s influence on the present world reached a certain threshold, it would trigger a Boundary collapse. But doing so would cause the deaths of many innocent people.
Admittedly, during a Boundary collapse, most people would simply be shifted to a previous era along with the collapsing Boundary. Their cognition, memories, and surroundings would also revert to that era.
But this process could trigger unpredictable chain reactions.
Like the butterfly effect.
And Boundary annihilation was the most terrifying outcome. Everyone within the current Boundary would perish, everything ceasing to exist, the location forever becoming a part of the Realm of Nothingness.
Therefore, asking Luo Ling to trigger a Boundary collapse was akin to asking her to deliberately cause a catastrophe with unknown consequences.
“Such a personality is rare among Naraku Godchosen… no, unheard of.” The leader said, her tone laced with intrigue.
After a moment, she continued, “Of course, you don’t need to trigger one yourself. Aren’t there plenty of ready-made examples in Victoria? Seventy-six, to be exact.”
“Previous collapses?” Luo Ling asked, puzzled, then shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“You possess remarkable talent, something a Naraku Godchosen shouldn’t possess. Yet, you also possess remarkable ignorance, something a Naraku Godchosen shouldn’t lack.” The leader said mysteriously. “So, if you are truly different from other Naraku Godchosen, in essence, you should be able to do it.
“You should be able to… ‘rewrite reality’.”
Luo Ling remained silent.
“I thought you’d be more surprised.” The leader raised an eyebrow.
“I thought you’d say something more surprising.”
Luo Ling had already suspected that other Naraku Godchosen couldn’t use “Ensnare” when she obtained this new ability.
Scientist’s state was the norm for Naraku Godchosen.
Oh, that explained why they were universally despised.
“Heh.” The leader chuckled noncommittally. “You can try it. Don’t you want to know why there have been so many Boundary collapses in Victoria?”
Isn’t it because of you Grotesqueries and your followers?
Luo Ling thought silently, but didn’t say it aloud.
“You should witness it firsthand. Such an opportunity will present itself soon.” The leader said meaningfully, then relaxed slightly. “Tell me, Amethyst, what intriguing information have you brought for me?”
“The Path of ‘Traveler’ is This Life.”
“One petal.”
They answered almost simultaneously. The leader flicked her finger, sending a beam of light towards Luo Ling. She felt a warmth on her forehead as a petal appeared on the blank amethyst flower.
“Anything else?”
The leader asked eagerly.
“…I don’t think so.”
Luo Ling was dumbfounded. She knew this information might not be that important, but the leader’s reaction… it seemed almost perfunctory.
She had received a petal without any further discussion, as if the leader had deemed it a fair exchange.
…Well, Luo Ling herself didn’t think it was worth much.
At least the leader had pointed out a potential use for “Ensnare,” a very useful one, which was quite important to her.
“Oh.” The leader looked slightly disappointed. “Then you still owe me one piece of information. Bring it to me next time, remember, something that interests me.”
She emphasized the word “me.”
“Um…”
Luo Ling didn’t know how to respond, simply nodding.
What did the leader like?
No, why should she try to guess the leader’s preferences?
She should just ask.
As Luo Ling was about to speak, the leader said softly,
“The tea party is over.”
The next moment, the swirling grey fog surged forward, and the lost Kingdom vanished.
“…”
Luo Ling rarely felt the urge to curse.
Seriously, boss, could you be more specific? What are you interested in? So I can get it for you!
Even if it’s the stars in the sky or the moon in the sea, you have to tell me, right?
Suddenly, Luo Ling empathized with Cen Xiangyun’s constant complaints about their superiors. In this moment, she was Cen Xiangyun.
Everyone laughed at Cen Xiangyun, everyone was Cen Xiangyun.
Touching her cooled forehead, Luo Ling smiled wryly.
Well, she would have to wait until the next tea party to ask any further questions. After all, communication with the leader and the other tea party members was one-way.
However, observing a previous Boundary collapse through “rewriting reality”?
Luo Ling pondered how to achieve this without affecting the present world.
“Miss Luo Ling, you’re back?” Elsa peeked out from behind the door. “You were gone for a while. It’s already evening. Miss Cen and the others have returned from their commission.”
“Oh?”
Luo Ling was surprised. Had it been that long?
It seemed that time flowed differently within the Kingdom and the present world.
But it didn’t matter now.
“Also, they said someone from the Company is looking for you. I think it was…”
Elsa frowned, trying to remember, then clapped her hands. “Right, it’s someone from the Fate Society!”
“Fate Society.”
“Yes, yes…”
“Another employer?”
Luo Ling glanced at the three employee IDs hanging by the bed. She was nominally an employee of the Fate Society… or rather, a “Diviner.”
However, she was more familiar with the Company, and the other two organizations didn’t require her services for now, so she hadn’t bothered clocking in.
“Did they say what it was about?”
“No…”
Elsa shook her head vigorously.
“I’ll check tomorrow.”
Luo Ling patted Elsa’s head, the little red-haired girl’s cuteness lifting her spirits. “Come on, I’ll cook tonight. I’ll let you taste my cooking!”
“Really?! I’ve never had Miss Luo Ling’s cooking before!”
“Heh heh, you’re in for a treat. I learned a few tricks from my sister. It’ll be delicious!”
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