"Oh, that's wonderful. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please accept this book as a gift."
His thin, bony hand reached into the pocket on his chest and handed over a small booklet.
Among several hardcover books, this one appears small and shabby.
However, Phil Gray knew that the quality of a book wasn't determined by its appearance. The booklet's cover was badly worn, indicating it had been read at least a hundred times, so the content must be interesting.
"Thank you. May I ask your name, sir?"
“Dwyer.” The old man smiled at him, his gaze deep and distant.
Phil Gray almost lost control of his expression for a moment. He hadn't expected that the master whose name he had heard of when he was still a wanderer would be standing in front of him so soon.
Fate is indeed wondrous.
The face of that fake Dwyer was still vivid in his mind.
A hint of surprise flashed in Eli's green eyes, but then a look of delight appeared on his face. Just a few days ago, he was thinking about when to go to the Light of Wisdom to find out the real reason for his transformation. Little did he expect that this gentleman would "deliver himself to his door" like this.
“I have long admired your name, Mr. Dwyer. I have heard of your theory of believer selection for a long time and have wanted to discuss it with you.” Phil Gray no longer hid his admiration.
"Oh? Most sects consider that heresy, and the Light of Wisdom has explicitly forbidden me from spreading it maliciously." His voice was unreadable, but Dwyer's expression turned cold. He turned and left, showing a reluctance to get close.
Phil Gray realized he had been reckless; he shouldn't have brought up this topic in public, especially with other cult members around. There was a moment of silence.
He held the book in his hand, sighed, and gestured to Eli to be patient and visit later.
"Your Highness, we have also prepared a gift for you. Look at our little snacks." A gentle female voice broke the silence. A curly-haired woman wearing a green robe from the Food God Cult handed over a wooden box. She looked to be around thirty years old and had a friendly, neighborly demeanor.
"Hey? This isn't very nice of you guys... Everyone's giving gifts, if I don't give one..." The burly middle-aged man next to him muttered under his breath, then reluctantly took out a crystal ball.
Phil Gray had already accepted the snack box and praised the Cult of Cookery's superb culinary skills, while the middle-aged man on the other side was still hesitant, looking like he wanted to give it away but was reluctant to part with it.
"Come on, you've already taken it out, why are you putting it back?" The woman from the Food God Cult turned around and said to the man, her voice still gentle, but with a hint of mockery.
"What do you know? Even a hundred, no, a thousand boxes of your pastries can't compare to my treasure. Sigh, I only brought this with me this time." The man said with a pained expression, but he had no choice but to carefully hand the crystal ball to Phil Gray.
The lady in the green robe elegantly rolled her eyes.
Phil Gray was intrigued by the crystal ball in his hand. He examined it repeatedly but seemed to find nothing unusual.
"Try infusing it with divine power," the man said smugly, thinking to himself, "My teacher said that we must make good relations with Dawn during this alliance, and we must not let other sects seize the opportunity. He gave us such a good gift, so this holy son will probably have a much better impression of our sect afterward."
A soft, golden light entered the crystal ball, and Phil Gray felt as if his consciousness was connected to it. Although he was still in the same spot, he felt as if he had entered a virtual space where he could see dense writing all around him. What was that?
His expression turned strange. The handwriting kept appearing, with a unique icon in front of each line. It was as if many people were chatting remotely.
This feels like watching a group chat on Earth!
"This is an invention I taught Master Frederick Wright. It's been around for two years, but it's still being modified and improved, so it hasn't been made public. Although I've sent out quite a few semi-finished products in the past two years, yours is the most perfect one," the man said with considerable pride, but he didn't explain what it was.
"So what kind of treasure is this?" The woman from the Food God Cult felt a little disheartened after hearing his praise without explaining its purpose.
“This should allow many people in different locations to communicate in real time, right?” Phil Gray said, feeling somewhat shocked that a “cell phone” had appeared in the world of theology?
“That’s right! The text displayed inside comes from the people who are talking right now. As long as you inject divine power, you can communicate with the other people who hold the crystal ball. Your Highness is indeed wise!” the man said admiringly. He could count the number of people he had met who could see through the secrets of the crystal ball on one hand. The Church of Dawn was indeed not to be underestimated.
Phil Gray gave the man a deep look. The Cult of Creation truly lived up to its reputation!
“Currently, the crystal ball is only circulating within our church. Oh, and some distinguished guests who have made significant contributions to our church also possess it. My teacher's idea is that it can be promoted to other churches after a period of time, which would make communication between churches much easier,” the man continued.
"Your teacher was Master Wright?"
"Yes, hehe, how did you know? Your Highness is too clever." The man was surprised for a moment, then deliberately flattered him.
“I’ve heard of Master Wright before, but I never imagined you were his student. If I have the chance, I will definitely visit your esteemed church.” Phil Gray’s gaze toward the crystal ball held a hint of nostalgia.
He hadn't been in the world of Will for very long, but after experiencing so much, he had almost forgotten his life on Earth. Those peaceful days had become hazy, as if thousands of years had passed.
"My teacher will definitely welcome you," the man said happily, adding in his mind that it would be even better if he could bring some funds and materials as well.
Phil Gray smiled, walked out of the hall with them, said a brief goodbye, and then had his servants arrange their accommodations.
“I want to visit Mr. Dwyer,” Eli said eagerly.
He wasn't interested in novel things like crystal balls, nor was he particularly worried about the missing people; he only wanted to unravel the mystery surrounding himself.
“Okay.” Phil Gray, of course, wouldn’t stop him. He put the crystal ball into his spatial storage, intending to study it later.
...
The three stepped into the castle where the VIPs were located, the most prominent building in the second ring of the City of Light.
To highlight the power and grandeur of the sunrise, the 59th Pope designated this place as a lodging for visitors from all faiths and named it "Fortress of Friendship".
Two low-ranking attendants dressed in golden robes respectfully led the way for His Highness the Holy Son.
The white staircase, made of an unknown material, is engraved with sun-patterned reliefs and ancient characters. The walls on both sides are covered with portraits of famous figures from various dynasties, silently telling the story of those distant yet glorious years.
Upon reaching the second floor, before even seeing Dwyer's door, they heard a murmur of discussion in the hallway.
"So, afterwards, all the land belonging to the Plague Control Team was assigned to Dawn?"
"It's understandable that Chenxi fielded their main force."
"That's..."
"It's not just the epidemic control zone; it's a bloody calamity..."
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