Chapter 207 Gaze

The believers' daily prayers became more devout, and the power of faith they provided became more pure and gentle, which greatly alleviated the mental burden brought about by my frequent use of power, and even allowed me to further improve my control over the illusory authority.

However, the string in my heart never relaxed. Gali's clear whisper that day was like an icy mark engraved deep in my soul, reminding me all the time.

We need to find a way to get more information and more accurate intelligence about Gali's resurgence.

But at present, the only channel that can provide this kind of information is the Secret Garden Association.

It just so happens that a new round of salons is about to begin.

It was late at night and everyone was asleep. After making sure that no one was disturbing me, I jumped through the mirror to the designated location and passed through the twisted door.

My consciousness was drawn and descended into the mysterious starry sky palace again.

It was still the same huge round table, but there was a solemn atmosphere in the air, not as relaxed and leisurely as before.

Communication between members also seems to have become more concise and purposeful.

As soon as I appeared, several thoughts vaguely swept over my position.

After the last exchange of supplies and private contact with suspected "Night Raven" members, the code name "Lord Starry Sky" has obviously attracted some attention.

I ignored those inquiring thoughts and walked straight to the task handover and exchange area on the side of the hall, which was condensed by starlight.

I submitted a carefully processed report - the content was simplified to "clear a small stronghold contaminated by the 'Molten Fire' belief, encounter and drive away unidentified scouts, and obtain a small amount of supplies", focusing on the efficiency of mission completion and resource acquisition.

Soon, my contribution points increased. Without hesitation, I exchanged them for the high-quality crop seeds that the base urgently needed, a batch of basic antibiotics, and the blueprints for a simple water filtration system.

These things are crucial to improving the long-term viability of the stronghold, and are far more practical than exchanging them to directly enhance one's own strength.

"A very pragmatic choice." A processed, neutral and calm voice echoed nearby. It was Night Raven, who had quietly appeared nearby. "It seems that Lord Starry Sky's territory is steadily developing."

"It's just what I need to survive." I responded calmly, but I was alert in my heart.

“Pragmatism is a virtue.”

Night Raven's voice was emotionless. "Especially in these increasingly urgent times. However, not all members agree with this model of slow accumulation. Being overly 'gentle' can sometimes be misinterpreted as... weakness, or as having ulterior motives."

This was a subtle reminder to me that someone within the Secret Garden Society had noticed my "unusual" way of development and might have formed a negative opinion of it.

I'm afraid those radical members cannot understand this approach of "managing believers" and may even think that I am wasting resources and time, or accumulating strength to do something wrong.

"Thanks for the reminder." I replied calmly.

Honestly, even though the other members of the Secret Garden Society were similar to me, and some were even stronger, I didn't really care about them. I was simply following the path I believed was right. If they tried to thwart me, I wouldn't mind fighting back with all my might. In the end, no one would benefit.

"very good."

Night Raven didn't seem to expect any other reaction from me. "It's necessary to stay focused. Then, perhaps you will be interested in this joint commission that has just been released."

As soon as he finished speaking, Guide 07 floated to the center. In the center of the round table and in front of each member, starlight suddenly condensed, and a line of extremely eye-catching words appeared, even with a hint of scarlet border:

[High Priority Joint Commission: Signs of the Old God "Gali" awakening are rapidly intensifying]

[Content: Monitor energy fluctuations at its core revival node (coordinates attached), record abnormal data, and assess its awakening progress and potential impact range as much as possible. Warning: The target is extremely dangerous. Multiple followers of the Old Gods and fanatical cults have been confirmed to be active in the area.]

[Reward: Huge Contribution Points, Old God Knowledge (Specific), Customized Relic (Optional)]

As the commission message came out, the entire Starry Sky Hall seemed to fall silent for a moment. Almost all members' attention was focused on the past, and the air was filled with a complex mixture of tension, greed, and fear.

Gali! As expected!

My heartbeat quickened uncontrollably. The Secret Garden Society had indeed been monitoring Gali's movements, and the situation was clearly critical; otherwise, they wouldn't have issued such a high-profile and dangerous commission.

"Gali..." I feigned hesitation. "The ancient god who controls 'illusion'... His awakening might disrupt the current situation."

"That's right," Lin Hanning said. "Once He fully awakens, the impact on reality will be catastrophic. The Association needs as much data as possible to predict and respond. Any relevant intelligence is extremely valuable."

Her words seemed to be addressed to everyone, but they also seemed to have a specific meaning.

I quickly browsed the attached coordinate information and found that one of the abnormal energy fluctuation points was not particularly far from the Black Dragon Gang's stronghold, about a day's journey away.

This is definitely not a coincidence, and may have something to do with me. I have placed some mirrors nearby for surveillance, so the mirrors now also become Gali's "eyes" to watch me.

Passive waiting will only lead to a dead end.

But the risk of facing the old gods directly is enormous. Just as I was weighing the pros and cons, several powerful thoughts fluctuated, as if they had accepted the commission, and then quickly dimmed, obviously ready to set off immediately to prepare.

These are undoubtedly the strong or extremely confident people in the Secret Garden Society.

"It seems that many colleagues are interested." The voice of Guide 07 sounded again, with a hint of imperceptible urging.

I didn't make a decision right away.

I glanced at the redemption lists, and the contribution points I had just obtained were still warm.

I could choose to exchange for some powerful offensive relics or life-saving means, but that would use up all my gains this time, and the development of the stronghold would stagnate again.

Should we prioritize the future of the base or the chances of survival for this mission?

After a moment's struggle, I made my choice.

I spent some of my contribution points on a "Shadow Amulet," which greatly enhances my mental concealment for a short period of time, and a detailed guide to the types and characteristics of the Old Gods' followers. The rest, I exchanged for seeds and medicine.

"Accept the commission." I announced to the starry sky.

A starlight imprint fell into my consciousness, indicating that the mission was successfully accepted.

Another guide robot's voice rang out beside me: "May you bring back valuable information. Remember, survival is the first priority."

Then it slowly floated away.