Amid the steam of the industrial revolution, mysteries surge beneath the surface. Cults and secret societies seek the extraordinary in the shadows, while hidden gods gaze upon humanity from the hea...
"Although the impact of this extraordinary event is huge, even involving divinity, fortunately there were no large-scale casualties or huge urban destruction on the material level. The biggest impact on ordinary citizens is that everyone suddenly fell asleep a few days ago. It is not difficult to deal with an impact of this magnitude." Misha commented, and Ed, who was standing aside, continued to speak.
"Yes, on the material level, the biggest impact Tivian suffered was that the entire church area within a few miles was gone. I was curious about how Saint Mountain would deal with this aspect, but I didn't expect that they were so good at it." As Ed spoke, he turned his gaze to the other side in the distance, where he could see the spires of the Psalm Church that should have disappeared in the distance, and he could even hear the bells from the church bell tower, as if the church was right there, but Ed knew that it was just an illusion.
After the Spider Queen's invasion, a large group of people from Mount Saint-Survivor quickly arrived in Tivian by various means. Under the orders of the Cardinal and the Bishop, they immediately took action in many directions to investigate the incident and deal with the extraordinary impact.
In order not to cause large-scale public panic or public opinion, the World Expo was continued after the citizens woke up. The church also sent many preachers to read special scriptures everywhere. This kind of scripture can stimulate the enthusiasm and faith of ordinary people. In the name of God, it can give a slight hint to the masses, suggesting that they ignore some problems that may make people feel strange, such as why everyone in the city suddenly fell asleep collectively.
At the beginning, this issue was hotly discussed among the awakened citizens, but after the church people came, no one discussed this topic anymore.
For the church's people in charge of the aftermath, the problem of collective sleeping was a small one, and the problem of the entire church area disappearing was a big problem. However, the bigger the problem, the bigger the means of Saint Linshan. After the people of the Gish family blocked the corresponding streets, they directly used extraordinary items to project an illusion of the church area and filled the position on the ground, so that citizens could see from a distance that the Holy Chant Cathedral was still standing there intact and had not moved at all. There were even absolutely realistic sound effects coming out. Except for not being able to let people in, no abnormalities could be found.
In that phantom, on the ruins of the Chant Church, which had become a huge crater, the Gish Family was rebuilding the Chant Cathedral at noon. With the support of various extraordinary powers and props, the church was almost rebuilt in just a few days. After a while, the phantom could be removed and the citizens could come in to worship. However, the cathedral built in this way was just an empty shell with nothing on the surface. It did not even have the function of a Radiant Temple. The function of the temple still required the Gish Family to spend a long time to reconstruct it under the new church.
"Speaking of which, the church in Tivian is really busy right now. Not only is it busy preaching scriptures, repairing churches and building temples, but it is also busy thoroughly investigating this divine invasion incident and eradicating the remaining poison of the evil god, and is busy reviewing and reorganizing the entire power structure of the upper echelons of Plit. Your side should be the busiest and most chaotic place."
Continuing to sit in his seat, Ed spoke to Misha in front of him. He knew that Misha was no longer in a state of suspended animation. She was officially returned to the official Prite and entered the Security Bureau. She immediately began to cooperate with the church members to conduct the review and reorganization work.
"It's not the most chaotic... but it's one of the most chaotic. His Highness Harold is still under surveillance and house arrest. The investigation by her and His Highness Spring is far from over. Now the entire security bureau is almost entirely under my control. There are so many things to do..."
Misha said this, scratching her head and sighing softly. Now the Security Bureau has to maintain its function of coordinating the country's extraordinary defense, and conduct large-scale review and reconstruction of power. The things that need to be dealt with are far from being solved overnight. The current status of the Security Bureau can be said to be a microcosm of the entire Pritt upper power structure. Although on the surface, the entire Tivian is still immersed in the festive atmosphere of the World Expo, various chaos have filled various government departments. If it were not for the church's assistance, Tivian would be in chaos now.
Fortunately, as one of the core elements that led to the chaos, Dorothy had nothing to do with it.
Sitting in his seat, Ed paused slightly after listening to Misha's words, and then asked again.
"So, what's the situation with the royal family? They should be the hardest hit by the censorship."
"Yes, now basically all the royal family members with names and surnames are under house arrest, and even many nobles with royal blood have not been spared. The focus of the investigation is on them... To be honest, I feel that the people in charge of this aspect of the church have gone a bit too far. It is clear that the influence of the evil god has faded, but they are still investigating this group of people as if they were cultists. Fortunately, although His Majesty has passed away, his soul is still there, and he is organizing and communicating, so there are no conflicts now."
Misha said this to Ed. Although Charles IV is dead now, his soul has stayed to help Pritt deal with the aftermath. With the maintenance of various extraordinary means related to "silence", Charles IV's soul can be maintained for a period of time without distortion or mutation so that he can deal with the unfinished business. However, after the time is up, he still has to go to the netherworld with other souls. According to shamanism, they must make a pilgrimage to the great soul. If the soul does not make a pilgrimage for a long time, there is a risk of dissipation or alienation. Even if there is no overwhelming resentment, it may become an evil spirit.
The situation in Preah Vil is unstable now, so the news of Charles IV's death will not be announced in a short time. It is estimated that it will take quite a long time before the king's funeral will be held.
"Even after death, you will have to continue to be busy for the country for a while, which is considered hard work... Then what about the issue of succession? Does Charles IV have a designated successor now?" Ed couldn't help but say with some emotion after listening to Misha's words, and Misha immediately answered Ed's question.
"The issue of succession... It's not clear yet. I don't know if His Majesty intends to follow the law of succession to the throne, or if he has other ideas... I guess he will make arrangements before he officially dies."
Misha repeated this, and then she chatted with Ed for a few more sentences. After answering many of Ed's questions about the current situation of the senior management of Pritt, she finally stood up and prepared to leave.
"Okay, I have to go now. I have a lot of things to do. If nothing unexpected happens, this should be the last time I meet you in this way and bring you information.
"This time finally has a result, although it may not be qualified... but I still want to thank you on behalf of the real fathers of this country. It was you who saved this time... This is also the main reason why I came to see you this time..." Misha said so, and then she stood up and bowed solemnly to Ed. After seeing Misha's salute, Ed couldn't help but smile slightly, pressed the brim of his hat with his hand, and then spoke softly.
"Thank you, and I accept it on behalf of our organization. It's time for me to go now. By the way, since you are so busy, why don't you find some helpers? You should have someone to choose." Ed said as he stood up, patting his windbreaker, and Misha responded immediately.
"We originally wanted to find a helper, the insider Gregos that you planted in the bureau, but he suddenly decided to take a long vacation and travel recently, so we have to forget it. You don't want to summon him..." Misha said this to Ed. After listening to Misha's words, Ed pondered for a while and slowly answered.
"No... He wanted to leave the Security Bureau temporarily. This was his own idea..."
"What?"
…
At 12:00 pm, East Divian.
Under the dark clouds, drizzles fell on the streets of Dongcheng District. Although the number of pedestrians on the streets decreased due to the rainy weather, there were still many pedestrians braving the rain to attend various activities held on the streets for the Expo.
On a street in Dongcheng District, in a restaurant, a silver-haired girl in casual clothes was sitting in a window seat, looking at the young man sitting opposite her with a playful look on her face.
"Greg, do you mean... to leave Tivian for a while?" Dorothy asked curiously, looking at her relatives in front of her, while Greg said while eating a piece of cheese bread.
"Well... yes, because of something at the company, I may need to go on a business trip. I guess I won't be staying in Tivian for a long time. You have to be more careful when you stay in Tivian alone."
Greg spoke to Dorothy with a very serious look. Dorothy nodded slightly after listening to Greg's words, and then spoke after drinking a cup of tea.
"On a long business trip...So where are you going, Greg?"
"For now, the specific location still needs to be decided within the company. After all, there are multiple targets for the assignment, but it has been confirmed to be abroad. It will probably take some time, so I came to explain it to you in detail." Greg said to Dorothy, then took out an envelope from his clothes and handed it to Dorothy, and then continued to speak.
"There are bank checks in here, which are your living expenses for a long period of time. The amount is more than what I gave you before, so remember to use it sparingly. There are also several contact information in it, which are some of my trusted colleagues in the Tivian headquarters. If you encounter any difficulties, just contact them and they will help you solve them." Greg said this, and while speaking, he handed the envelope in his hand to Dorothy, and Dorothy also reached out to take it.
After seeing Dorothy take the envelope, Greg was startled again, then he took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and took out an exquisitely shaped locket from his clothes.
"Also, Dorothy, take this. There's a note inside. Open it when you get home, and then memorize the contents on it and keep them in your mind. Don't worry about what it means for now, just remember it. If you encounter an emergency and don't have time to notify other contacts, just recite the contents silently in your heart." Gregor said in a solemn tone, and while speaking, he handed the object in his hand back to Dorothy. After taking it, Dorothy looked at it curiously, and then spoke.
"Will you write it down? Okay, I get it...but Greg, you suddenly asked for this and that today...Is this place dangerous? If it is dangerous, then just don't say it..." Dorothy said to Greg, and Greg immediately shook his head in response.
"No, no, no... Dorothy, you don't have to worry about danger. I can handle the trouble myself, and I have the company to take care of me, so nothing will happen. But you are alone in Tivian, so you need to take care of yourself more." Gregor said this, and Dorothy spoke with a hint of worry on her face after hearing this.
"Is that so... Then you must be more careful."
Dorothy said this and then continued to eat the dessert in front of her. Greg, who was sitting opposite her, looked at Dorothy for a few more times, hesitated for a while, and then continued speaking.
"By the way, Dorothy, there is one more thing I want to ask you. Have you dreamed about your mother recently?"
"Mom?" Dorothy's eyes narrowed slightly after listening to Greg's words, and then she responded after seeming to think seriously for a while.
"To be honest, it does seem a little strange... I have never seen my mother before, but the last time I fell asleep during the opening ceremony, I dreamed of a familiar and intimate feeling... I clearly fell asleep in the stands at the time, but I felt very safe and comfortable... I don't know... What happened? I don't know if this can be considered a dream about my mother... By the way, Greg, why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
Dorothy was thinking about her answer while tapping her chin with her finger. Hearing Dorothy's response, Greg couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and then continued to answer.
"Nothing, just a quick question. Let's eat quickly. There's still a lot left."
Greg continued talking, and then began to eat seriously. Dorothy watched Greg's actions and didn't care about anything else, so she continued to eat.
Afterwards, Dorothy and Greg finished their meal, and after Greg paid the bill, they walked out of the restaurant together and came to the side of the road. After a brief farewell, Greg sent Dorothy to a carriage and watched Dorothy leave.
Sitting in the carriage, Dorothy thought thoughtfully about her previous conversation with Greg. If it were a normal conversation, Dorothy would probably be confused by Greg's words just now and didn't know what Greg was trying to do. But the good thing was that Dorothy and Greg's relationships had never been normal.
While thinking, Dorothy, who was sitting in the carriage, took out her own "Wenhai Navigation", opened it on her knees, and then turned to the conversation page with Greg. After Dorothy's mind moved, the words on the conversation page that they had just exchanged yesterday appeared out of thin air on the page and appeared in front of Dorothy, and more than half of them were in Greg's handwriting.
"Mr. Bachelor... at the end of the incident the day before yesterday, I was exhausted from the battle and fell into a deep sleep when the miracle of the moon appeared... and in my dream, I felt something strange."
"You may not believe it, but at that time I felt a little... a familiar and intimate feeling similar to that of my mother. Although my mother disappeared when I was a child, and my memory of her has long been vague, the feeling in that dream allowed me to recall my childhood, which I couldn't remember very clearly. This is amazing..."
"In that dream, that familiar, intimate feeling, while comforting me, seemed to be guiding me in some way. It seemed to guide me to leave Pritt and go somewhere else... After I woke up, I tried to think about it, but I could only remember the direction, not the exact location."
"So it feels incredible... even a little unreasonable. I kind of want to follow that guide and take a trip to see if I can find something, even though the guide is vague. But I feel like if I just walk in that direction, maybe I'll remember something?"
"My mother is very mysterious...Except for my sister, she may be my only living relative. I always feel that this journey...may be able to find some information about her. So I want to leave Tivian and go out. During this process, I may encounter risks again. I hope that you, Mr. Maester, can continue to help me."
"By the way, after I left, my sister stayed in Tivian alone. Now that the Eight-Pointed Cult has not yet completely eliminated its remnants, I'm worried about whether she will encounter any risks, so I also want you to take care of her..."
Sitting in the carriage, Dorothy read all the conversations between Gregor and herself on the pages of the book bit by bit, then paused silently, then took out the pendant box that Gregor had just given her from her pocket, and after opening it, she took out a small note as expected. After unfolding it, her eyes swept over the few lines of words written on it, and finally her eyes stayed on the first line of it.
"... the door and key to infinite truth, the great Akka who records all things..."
Looking at the words on the note that she was very familiar with, Dorothy pursed her lips, then folded the note again, put it in the locket, and then put it away carefully.
"Thank you for your kindness... bro..."
Dorothy murmured softly, then sat back in her seat and began to think seriously about all the strange things about Greg.
'The feeling Gregor felt on the day of the opening ceremony was undoubtedly from the power of the Mirror Moon Goddess. Although the specific situation cannot be clearly confirmed at present, Gregor's mother and I are undoubtedly inextricably linked to the Mirror Moon Goddess. It is not surprising that Gregor would have such a feeling under the glory of the Mirror Moon Goddess...
"But the interesting thing is that Jingyue seemed to have some kind of guidance in the 'feeling' that Gregor felt. This guidance was really the reason why Gregor suddenly wanted to go out for a trip. Could this be considered as a 'revelation' that Jingyue gave Gregor specifically? It seems that it's not just me who has contacted Jingyue..."
Dorothy thought so in her heart. Because of the tight schedule that day, Jingyue did not explain many things to Dorothy clearly. Dorothy did not know how she dealt with the aftermath. Now it seems that He gave Athollie and Greg different degrees of "revelation".
It is easy to understand the revelation to Atree, after all, she is a saint of the church and needs to be told something specifically. But the revelation to Greg is more intriguing. Does this mean that Greg is expected to go to a certain place and do something? Does it have to be Greg? What are the places that are being guided?
All kinds of doubts arose in Dorothy's mind, but after thinking for a while she did not go into them too deeply. She thought that as long as she accompanied Greg on his journey, Jingyue's intentions would become clear.
From Jingyue's point of view, Dorothy does not believe that this guidance is harmful to Gregor. Moreover, during Gregor's journey, Dorothy herself will keep in touch with him as a "bachelor" and provide various assistance at any time. Dorothy is not too worried about the risks of Gregor's trip.
The boat naturally went to the bridgehead. Anyway, by the time Greg found a place, Dorothy should be able to roughly understand Jingyue's intention.
Dorothy yawned and was about to put down the "Wen Hai Hang Zhi" in her hand. But at this moment, there was a spiritual reaction in the "Wen Hai Hang Zhi". Someone really contacted her through the "Hang Zhi". Dorothy paused slightly after seeing it, and then immediately opened the corresponding contact page and found that the person who contacted her was Atollie.
"The first batch of tons is Divian..."
"Is it already? It's really quick..." Dorothy thought to herself as she watched Atollie's brief reminder. Then she immediately controlled the puppet disguised as a cab driver and drove to the agreed delivery location.
Afterwards, Dorothy quickly rushed to the place and manipulated the zombie to receive the goods from Shenglin Mountain in the base of the Artisans' Union in Dongcheng District. It was a large suitcase filled with tons of transmission.
"Oh... so much, with Atoli as a channel, I don't need to worry about spirituality anymore." Dorothy couldn't help but smile as she thought of this, looking at the box filled with travel supplies through the vision of the corpse doll. With so many tons of transmission, and a continuous supply, she would never need to worry about spiritual tension again.
After finishing the first batch of goods sent by Artoli, Dorothy immediately took a car all the way to her home in Green Town in the northern suburbs. Then, after taking out a dozen books from the suitcase, she happily went to the study alone, closed the door, and began to read the books carefully one by one.
Dorothy looked carefully at the contents of the biographies. Most of them had no practical significance for Dorothy now and could only provide spiritual enlightenment. It was only after Dorothy had read several biographies that she found one with very interesting content.
This biography belongs to the Third Age Empire period, an Imperial archaeological manuscript. Dorothy did not understand the Imperial language before, so this time she asked Artoli to send it to her. The biography specially contained a translation comparison and learning tutorial between the Imperial language and the current common language summarized by the old scholars of the Sijing Court after many years. Dorothy read it first, and then learned the Imperial language well.
Now Dorothy was finally able to read Imperial biographies more smoothly. The first Imperial document she read after she had just learned Imperial was this historical research manuscript.
This manuscript records that during the Imperial period, an archaeological team was conducting archaeological excavations deep underground. Under layers of strata, which were buried with countless artifacts from the early Tertiary and even the First Period, they discovered relics of an ancient civilization that was beyond ordinary times... a truly ancient era.
They discovered the magnificent remains of the giant civilization that existed in the barbaric era of the First Era, and found clues to the belief culture of the barbaric civilization.
Among these clues... they vaguely discovered some information about the three Savage Gods.