Chapter Forty-Two: Shadows in the Firelight, Exchanging Tokens of Affection p1
“……”
The fire crackled in the hearth, the only sound in the otherwise still and silent cabin, a small comfort against the encroaching darkness.
The elderly man, shrouded in an air of weariness, sat hunched before the fire, the flickering flames casting long shadows across the wrinkles on his face.
He silently gazed at a photograph in his hand, a picture of a sullen, black-haired girl with a cold, expressionless face.
Her most striking features were her dark golden eyes and the faint blue-black scales on her temples, setting her apart from ordinary humans.
“Luo Ling…”
The old man’s voice was raspy and weak, like a broken wind instrument, each sigh carrying the weight of approaching death.
“Yes, that’s her.”
A grey shadow beside him spoke.
The shadow was completely enveloped in darkness, impervious even to the firelight, like an impenetrable fog, its form and features indiscernible.
It seemed to exist outside the mortal realm, merely a projection cast upon reality.
“I didn’t expect things to turn out this way.”
The wrinkles on the old man’s face softened as he smiled, a hint of joy in his voice. “The Company, and the directors… I didn’t expect you to lose the game either.”
The existence of a Grotesquery capable of annihilating Boundaries, such a shocking truth, had finally been confirmed. Compared to this reality, a mere failed ascension was insignificant.
The Taboo disaster that had forced the Company to sacrifice lives was indeed related to the Harbingers of Calamity, but not entirely their doing. The Company also played a part.
The Harbingers had attempted to use this Taboo disaster to create their fourth Authority wielder, similar to their previous three, and Artist had been their chosen candidate.
Unfortunately, the Company’s intervention had been timely, not only containing the Taboo disaster but also interrupting Artist’s ascension.
Even worse, Artist had suffered irreversible injuries, requiring special means to sustain his life—this was why Luo Ling, using her Puppet Ballad vision, had seen him as a fragmented being.
Thus, Artist had lost all hope of wielding an Authority.
Therefore…
Within the Harbingers, Scientist was more valuable than Artist. This was one of the reasons Artist had chosen to stay behind on the train.
Artist had no hope of wielding an Authority, while Scientist still had a chance, a significant one… That’s why Philosopher had risked using his avatar to rescue Scientist in Jiangcheng County.
But the subsequent events had defied all expectations, resulting in the deaths of both Artist and Scientist in Jiangcheng County.
Artist’s failed ascension had rendered the Harbingers’ previous efforts and sacrifices meaningless, not only leaving him permanently injured but also costing them over seventy percent of their members.
Even Educator and Philosopher had been injured, their wounds still unhealed.
The Company, however, had seized control of Victoria, eliminating the Harbingers’ influence, the Order-side forces completely suppressing the Grotesque side, forcing the Harbingers into dormancy, until now.
Therefore, the Harbingers considered this plan a complete failure, despite the heavy losses suffered by the Company and the Order-side forces.
But now… this past failure seemed to offer a new opportunity.
“Philosopher, do you want to target her?”
The shadow spoke, its voice distorted, genderless, devoid of emotion. “She’s hiding many secrets and likely knows more about this Grotesquery.”
“Why would we target her?” Philosopher looked up, his wrinkled face creased with a smile. “Don’t you think she and this Grotesquery… might be connected?”
“What kind of connection?”
“Like an Apostle, for example, is that a possibility?” Philosopher asked.
The shadow pondered, the darkness surrounding it swirling slightly. Its cold voice echoed,
“I don’t know. When we met her, she was a completely ordinary person… or rather, she possessed the ability to disguise herself as one. So, besides some vague information, we know nothing about her.”
And since this was the case, Luo Ling’s previous information was essentially useless. Without resorting to forceful methods, the board couldn’t discern her Path or abilities, so they had to give up.
The board didn’t doubt the possibility of her being an Apostle. Luo Ling’s background was clean, and the purpose of this commission was to comfort Fiona.
Judging by her actions, Luo Ling seemed to be on the Company’s side—or at least, on the side of humanity’s Order forces.
“Heh, let’s leave it at that for now, consider it a possibility.”
Philosopher chuckled noncommittally. “There’s no need. That little girl is still useful. Knowing that such a Grotesquery exists is enough for now.”
Stealing Grotesqueries’ Authorities and wielding their power was the Harbingers’ specialty, a method that had caused the Order-side forces endless headaches.
And this Grotesquery, capable of annihilating Boundaries, aligned perfectly with the Harbingers’ ultimate goal of destroying the world.
Philosopher had initially planned to trigger collapses and annihilations through more conventional methods, creating disasters that exceeded the Boundaries’ limits.
This Grotesquery’s appearance was like a new weapon, a new approach. Although they lacked the blueprints and materials, they now had a target.
If they could steal this Grotesquery’s power, Philosopher would only need to trigger a Boundary collapse, a far less demanding condition than before.
Furthermore, the most crucial point.
This Grotesquery aligned with their theory of the Seventh Path, likely related to the owner of the Taboo Slate, the being who created this disordered world.
Closely related to everything the Harbingers sought to end.
“We’re one step closer to victory.”
Philosopher carefully placed Luo Ling’s photo down, then looked up at the shadow, his cloudy gaze deepening. “When the time comes, Historian, which side will you choose? Or rather, where will you stand?”
“…”
The shadow, known as Historian, remained silent.
Its silence was its answer.
The board’s conversation was absolutely confidential. Besides the four participants, no one else knew the details.
Including Secretary Melissa.
She only received the results of the meeting, relayed by the directors. The specifics… were known only to those present.
Even Other Shore path Awakened Ones, even the Speakers’ Four Premonitions, couldn’t access these secrets—the modified imitation Realm of Nothingness wasn’t just a barrier against intruders.
It also blocked all forms of scrying. Only the true power of a Taboo could bypass this restriction, not even the Harbingers’ stolen, incomplete power.
However, despite these restrictions, Historian, the shadow, had relayed the entire conversation to Philosopher.
This… could only mean one thing.
—Historian was one of the three directors.
As Luo Ling had suspected, a Harbinger member had infiltrated the Company’s high ranks.
However, even Luo Ling hadn’t anticipated that this “traitor” would be one of the three directors, one of the leaders controlling the fate of the Order-side forces and the human world.
Even more shocking, the traitor’s true identity within the Harbingers was one of their three Authority-wielding leaders.
This was unbelievable.
“It seems, Historian, it’s not yet time for you to choose. But that’s alright.”
Philosopher sat on the sofa, huddled in his thick coat, seemingly cold. “It reminds me of the past, when we made our first oath in a place like this.”
He looked around nostalgically. It was a bare cabin, with only a fireplace and the sofa he sat on as furniture.
Besides that, there was only a small stool beside the fireplace.
“Unfortunately, it fell apart.”
Historian said slowly, its voice still emotionless.
“Indeed, it fell apart…”
Philosopher sighed. “They’ve been blinded by illusions. The disordered Boundaries offer only a false reprieve. The Company’s actions can’t save anything, only delaying the inevitable.”
Few knew that the Company was originally founded by five people.
This hidden history had been kept secret by the five involved, an absolute secret to this day.
The directors and the Harbingers had once been allies, but now, they were irreconcilable enemies.
“Philosopher, you don’t need to tell me this.” Historian’s voice remained cold. “You know my stance. That’s all.”
“…Just some sentimental thoughts.” Philosopher’s gaze dimmed slightly.
Historian, both a Company director and a Harbinger leader, wasn’t entirely aligned with either side, existing between the two, its path uncertain.
The Company’s three directors vaguely knew that one of them was Historian, the elusive leader of the Harbingers, but they didn’t know who.
And the Harbingers’ leaders, Philosopher and Educator, also didn’t know Historian’s true identity, but they tacitly avoided the topic.
Philosopher didn’t even know if Historian was his younger brother, whom he hadn’t seen in years.
And… Historian didn’t always side with the Harbingers. During the previous Taboo disaster, Historian had sided with the Company, remaining hidden.
Furthermore, Historian had revealed crucial information about the Harbingers’ plan to the Company, including Artist’s ascension ritual. That was why, after resolving the Taboo disaster through the Boundary collapse, the Company had also managed to interrupt Artist’s ascension, dealing a devastating blow to the Harbingers.
“Anything else?” Philosopher asked softly.
“No.”
Historian replied, “The board will continue to engage in formal transactions with Luo Ling. Her position is unique, considered a substitute for Fiona’s deceased daughter by Andromeda, one of the Fate Society’s three constellations. Targeting her directly would have significant repercussions.”
Fiona had already lost a daughter, her grief evident. Losing another “daughter” might push her to the Grotesque side.
If Fiona joined the Harbingers or became a Grotesquery Apostle, given her status within the Fate Society, the consequences for the human world would be devastating.
Not just because of her strength, but also because she possessed valuable information, including some regarding the Company.
This was the reason the directors had opted for a formal invitation instead of forceful methods.
Otherwise, they could have simply taken what they wanted. Why bother buying it, being held hostage by someone?
“Typical of the Company, prioritizing efficiency yet choosing a less direct approach. There must be a reason.”
Philosopher chuckled, then fell silent, staring into the fire, lost in thought.
Historian, seeing this, knew that its part was over.
The grey shadow faded, dissipating like dust, leaving no trace, as if it had never existed, leaving the familiar cabin.
After a long while, Philosopher’s gaze regained some of its focus, though still cloudy.
He stood up shakily, took Luo Ling’s photo, and walked slowly to the other side of the cabin.
Philosopher looked up at the wall, then, without hesitation, hung the photo of the black-haired girl.
The wall was covered in photos.
At the top were the Company’s three directors.
Below them were other important figures of the Order-side forces, including Fiona, one of the Fate Society’s three constellations.
And among them, a small, silver-haired figure.
—The White Witch.
The photo of the black-haired girl was placed at the very bottom, the least important among those he valued.
Philosopher stared at the wall in silence.
Compared to his avatar in Jiangcheng County, he had aged considerably, seemingly over a decade older.
The “price” he had paid was nearing its limit.
The end of everything wasn’t far off.
“Godhood approaches, yet death lingers.”
Philosopher closed his eyes slowly.
“It’s time… It’s time for me to embark on this path of no return.”
……
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