Perhaps it was because the director of the Environmental Affairs Office bowed and apologized from a more appropriate angle, even God was moved. At noon on May 6th, a sudden torrential rain poured down, quickly washing away the atmospheric dust created by the fireworks of the music festival last night.
Correspondingly, the Jade Light's sailing ceremony at the Saka Cruise Terminal had to end in a sorry state. The respectable gentlemen and ladies waving to each other on and off the boat quickly disappeared under the blooming umbrellas.
The deep flute sounded, and the Jade Light sailed out of the cruise ship dock.
Yin Le stood in the crowd and controlled the information projection on her retina. It was a list of passengers on the Jadeite Light. He didn't find anything unusual on the list. If he had to nitpick, it would probably be that there weren't too many important people on the luxury cruise that had just left.
In fact, among the people on the ship, there were not many who were qualified to participate in the high-level high seas auction in ten days.
A real big shot would never follow the rules of others.
Just like the lord she served.
However, it was precisely this kind of person who truly dominated the course of events.
The ceremony ended in a hurry. In the chaotic scene caused by the heavy rain, people could finally release their true emotions. Yin Le heard many sighs of relief. In her view, it wasn't only because the cruise had just left, but also because it was out of everyone's sight.
At this moment, his wristband vibrated.
"Flight NH5753 has arrived."
Yin Le also let out a long sigh and unknowingly blended into the surroundings.
Mo Ya, who had been in a rush for five days, returned safely as the direct flight from Saka City to Xia City landed.
At this point, Yin Le's two major missions in coming to Osaka City — finding Snake Tongue and protecting Mo Ya — could be considered to have been smoothly completed. Yin Le made a summary of her own work.
He didn't play any key role, and his support position was still stable.
Coupled with the departure of the Jade Light Cruiser, the stormy Ban City should be able to calm down for a while, right?
That might not be the case.
Over the past two days, even Yin Le, an "outsider", had noticed the subtle and tense atmosphere in Ban City. Compared to pure perception, some changes on the market level might be more convincing.
His wristband vibrated continuously. He received a short message and an instant message almost at the same time. Yin Le carefully read the message before picking up the call.
"Hello, Mr. Opin."
The voice on the other side was cold and alienated: "Ms. Yin, the handover work with you is going very smoothly. At present, the yacht has sailed into the Ohori River. It is expected to arrive at Beishan Lake in an hour."
"Yes, Mr. Opin. We have confirmed it."
Yin Le slightly deviated from the direction of the crowd and approached the edge of the viewing platform. This was the highest point of the cruise ship dock. She could see that in the opposite direction of the Emerald Light that had just set sail, there was a small and exquisite private yacht going against the current along the man-made flood channel that had been dug after the war.
The exterior of the yacht had the same design style as the "Ray" that had been docked for overhaul. They did indeed belong to the same manufacturer and the same production line, so they could be considered as sisters.
Having such a yacht would allow Mr. Luo Nan to adapt to his living environment without any obstructions … … Even if he didn't care about it.
Being able to quickly find a substitute and successfully purchase it at an unexpectedly low price was mostly due to the treacherous atmosphere in Ban City over the past two days.
As the representative of the owner of the yacht, Mr. Opin took this money-losing business to heart. He wasn't in the mood to be polite at all: "I hope that you will follow the agreement and pay the final payment on time and accurately."
"Okay, Mr. Opin. We will definitely pay all the relevant funds in strict accordance with your requirements. In fact, another payment has already been made. "
"... Yes." Mr. Opin confirmed the change in the account, and his tone also subtly changed. A second passed before he spoke once more: "Right now is the transaction window period. I hope that our cooperation can continue."
"Of course."
The call was soon ended, but another message came in soon after. It was still from Mr. Opin. The message contained the coordinates of an address that didn't exist in the secular world, as well as the time.
Yin Le smiled. Her gaze shifted away from the river and fell into the depths of the boundless curtain of rain.
Just looking at this yacht transaction alone, it was nothing more than an exchange of luxury goods. It was purely an act of consumption. But as a qualified businesswoman, Yin Le also made full use of the other conveniences brought about by the transaction.
For example, information.
Okira Rongsan was an important figure in the Great Ze Church, a local church in Ban City.
The Great Ze Church had already existed before the Third World War, and it was a rare veteran that could be revitalized in the Era of Distortion. In the span of a few decades, it had changed from a simple faith group to a mysterious church that could produce supernatural powers. In the tangled and complicated territory of Ban City, they had their own faction of power.
Dealing with such an old-school church, especially when it came to matters involving the transfer of large amounts of funds abroad, could often reveal a lot of interesting things.
During the transfer process of the yacht, the Great Ze Church behind Okira Rongsan had indeed given a large discount and reduced the transfer fee. And most of the "discounts" were lost in the secret circulation of funds.
In other words, in addition to money, the Great Ze Church also needed to use Yin Le's financial channels.
Moreover, they also made some hints, asking Yin Le if she wanted to take over some of the real estate by Beishan Lake. Even some "special materials" that weren't easy to transport.
This was simply the standard mode of quickly liquidating assets and the escape of important figures.
During the transaction negotiations, Yin Le also heard some subtle rumors from various relevant channels. Some were evidence, and some were counterexamples that needed further analysis. But no matter what, it was better than nothing. Without a considerable transaction as a starting point, she wouldn't be able to fight her way into this closed ecosystem.
And now, the information in Ban City could be compared with Ti City, Xia City, and even Chan City. She could dig out a lot of sensitive information from them.
A part of it was directly related to the Amaterasu Church.
Yin Le had personally witnessed a series of battles of wits and courage in a certain laboratory with Luo Nan's support. Of course, she understood what Luo Nan was concerned about.
Mr. Luo Nan would be interested in these things.
After finishing her work at the dock, Yin Le turned around and blended into the crowd. Soon, she entered the parking lot of the port. Just as she got into the car, her wristband vibrated again and automatically switched to the internal channel of the Great Ze Church.
"These mercenaries from Ti City really can't be trusted. When things come to a head, each and every one of them is indecisive. No, they've always been staring at the money. They have no fear for the Bloodflame Will!"
"Yes, yes. Old Jiang, you're right."
"Especially that Cadman. He's the root of the prisoners and has the temperament of a fox. When the First Oblatum was around, he was extremely good. But now that he's in seclusion, he's greedy to no end. He's fiddling with the Ti City branch to the point where it's leaking air everywhere. He's infiltrating everywhere into a sieve. He's clearly using the capital of the Great Ze Church to do that 'extracorporeal circulation.' Shouldn't we deal with this kind of person early on? Shouldn't we just wait for him to bite us in the back?"
Yin Le signaled the driver to go back. Then, she closed the rear compartment and responded warmly, "Old Jiang, don't get angry. Don't get angry and harm your body."
"My body is very hard. Even if he really bites me, he'll break all his teeth! But the key right now is the backbone. Recently, the First Oblatum has been paying less and less attention to mundane matters. I know she's brooding over the matter in Xia City, but when it comes to hard power, we can't compare. This isn't something that can be made up for in a year or two. "
Jiang Yuanzhen chattered for nearly ten minutes before hanging up. Yin Le shook her head and used her knuckles to scrape the space between her eyebrows. She let out a long sigh, but the breath she exhaled wasn't able to unfurl the lines between her eyebrows.
Compared to the smooth progress in Ban City, the situation in Di City's headquarters wasn't optimistic.
The Bloodflame Order had just moved not too long ago. Their foundation was still shallow. They were surrounded by wolves, like tigers eyeing their prey. On the surface, the call just now was Jiang Yuanzhen's old pedant complaining. But in reality, he was transmitting information. He had also misled them regarding the possible eavesdropping.
The person Jiang Yuanzhen spoke of was Cadman.
He was the local representative of the Order's power in Di City. Perhaps he was just a snake and a rat at the moment, but as long as this local snake was around, there was always the worry of an unforeseen event that would lead a wolf into the house.
Currently, Chan City was leading a global "major investigation" operation. This gave Cadman an excellent opportunity. During the "sensitive period of time that may involve despicable murder," the Bloodflame Order's solidified configuration in the Abyss Region, the Bloodsoul Temple, was indeed in a highly active state.
Naturally, the Bloodflame Order was included in the "pending investigation list."
If you want to incriminate someone, you can always find a pretext.
What's more … this side wasn't necessarily innocent.
Yes, the "major investigation" operation in Ban City also gave some people an excuse to use force.
It felt like these few sides really had a tacit understanding!
Yin Le sighed again and leaned back. Every time she faced this kind of problem, she had no choice but to admit that she still couldn't be considered someone who could take charge of an area by herself. Just thinking about it made her feel mentally and physically exhausted.
From the most realistic point of view, this wasn't the level and problem she should be thinking about. At times like this, she especially missed Mrs. Halder and the young boss she had just attached herself to.
If those two were here, what would her job be … … Feeding the fish?
Yin Le shook her head. She took out a small ornament-like crystal ball from a secret pocket she kept close to her body. She gently and carefully rubbed it in the center of her palm, feeling the indescribably subtle tactile sensation.
The inside of the crystal ball seemed to be sealed with a cloud of smoke. It also seemed like a turbid liquid. It was ash gray in color. And there was a flat living creature swimming back and forth within it.
It was the devil ray that Luo Nan had tamed.
This Mutant possessed a terrifying killing range in Luo Nan's hands, but right now it was like a pure plaything. She couldn't see any threat from it.
Being able to control this existence, at least temporarily, gave Yin Le an enormous sense of satisfaction and stability. It was also through this method that she could truly feel the existence of the "backbone".
No matter what, as long as she was able to attach herself to Luo Nan, who could easily create such miracles, then she and the Bloodflame Order would have a bright future!
Yin Le raised the crystal ball in front of her eyes and observed it seriously. She followed Luo Nan's arrangements and grazed the devil ray twice in the past two days. The devil ray's appetite was great, and it was very obedient. But for some unknown reason, the colorless and transparent filler inside grew more and more turbid. It constantly switched between a gaseous state and a liquid state. The change was extremely obvious.
She remembered that her teacher had said that the crystal ball was just a speculum. The devil ray's true sealed location was within a spatial fault … … What did this change foretell?
Yin Le was puzzled no matter how she thought about it. Her thoughts drifted back and forth. Plus, she hadn't rested well recently. Her mind was exhausted, and she actually fell asleep in the back seat of the car.
And then she had a dream.
In the dream, Yin Le's consciousness arrived at the Bloodsoul Temple in the Abyss District.
She maintained a subtle state of half-consciousness. She had a bit of independent thought, so much so that she couldn't determine whether this was a pure dream or a cultivation instinct brought about by her decades of life as a priest.
Yin Le only knew that her consciousness was floating in the lava lake of the stone forest at the lowest level of the Bloodsoul Temple's structure. She was at a loss, not knowing where to go.
Suddenly, a cluster of light appeared. The outline of the light was like the crystal ball she was playing with in her hand. It emitted a bright and precious light, becoming the most eye-catching existence in the turbid and chaotic lava lake.
Yin Le's consciousness couldn't help but shift over. She was pulled by the light source and coiled a few times. She vaguely felt that it wasn't some sort of crystal ball, but a mirror. Her image was reflected on the mirror, but it wasn't too realistic. It was a bit like the effect of a ha-ha mirror. Her habitual image was warped under the irregular refraction and focus of light. But where did this physical effect come from?
After another bout of confusion, Yin Le suddenly had a different feeling. At this moment, what attracted her spirit was neither a crystal ball nor a mirror, but a clear and sharp eye that was staring at her coldly. The eye pierced through all her disguises, tore apart her usual image, and recorded only the most essential elements of her into her mind.
She didn't even know what some of the elements gathered in it were.
Yin Le instinctively wanted to avoid it, but she couldn't help but want to see the result of the reflection. After hesitating for a while, she finally made eye contact, only to find that too much information had been recorded in the mysterious eye. Not only her, but also the stone forest, the lava lake, and the surging emotions, as well as the detailed composition of desires in the lava …
If it was extended further, perhaps the structure of the entire Bloodsoul Temple and even the hearts of the entire Bloodflame Order were also recorded.
Everything formed a complicated yet distinct structure, which was then condensed into an insignificant spot of light in the mysterious eye. Like a star in the hazy night sky, it melted into an even more immeasurable universe.
It had a real meaning of existence, but that was all.
As for Yin Le, she was merely an insignificant speck of dust on this star. She didn't even have the value of special attention.
Grandeur and insignificance. Loftiness and lowliness.
The intense contrast that touched her body and mind instantly clutched Yin Le's heart, giving her a shock that was hard to endure. It also caused her to suddenly wake up.
The crystal ball that sealed the devil ray was still in her hand. She couldn't tell if it was cool or hot. She couldn't find an accurate word to describe it, but it was able to calm her mind.
"It shouldn't be … a dream, right?"
As an ability user, Yin Le believed that such a clear memory couldn't be a dream without reason. She wanted to believe that it was some sort of revelation.
Perhaps it was related to Mr. Luo Nan?
She raised the crystal ball once more, confirming that the devil ray inside was in good condition. Yin Le carefully put it away a moment later. She looked at her watch and looked out the window. The car had just gotten off the high-speed magnetic rail. It was gradually lowering the level of traffic, so its field of vision was quite wide.
Through the curtain of rain outside the window, one could see the outline of the southern shore of Northern Mountain Lake.
A large part of the reason for this was that the surface of the lake had been painted with the color of cheap plastic. These were the simple raincoats worn by the music fans who braved the rain to participate in the event.
The sudden rain brought quite a bit of trouble to the recently opened Ban City Music Festival. Then again, perhaps the music fans who were able to explode in joy under the curtain of rain would prefer a similar atmosphere?
The sense of reality diluted the dreamy feeling, and Yin Le subconsciously let out a breath.
A few minutes later, the car stopped outside the pier on the southern shore of Northern Mountain Lake. A fishing boat was parked there, serving as a transfer boat. It carried her to meet up with the newly purchased yacht.
Later on, she would go to a specific area on the lake to do a preliminary inspection. She would make preparations for the upcoming deal with the Great Ze Order. Basically, she wouldn't spend any more money, but she had to gather information. She had to put on a show.
After the car came to a stop, the driver in the front seat picked up the umbrella in the car. He jogged over to open the door for Yin Le in the rain. In this world, the sense of service of the lower-class people was always on point.
Yin Le believed that this was something she could learn from. Especially since there was a competitor of the same kind who was born here right now, appearing by Mr. Luo Nan's side …
There would be trouble in the future.
Yin Le got off the car in an elegant manner. Her heels stepped on the water film that had accumulated on the surface of the road. A cool breeze wrapped in the smell of water blew over, bringing with it the fragrance of vegetation. She subconsciously raised her eyes to look into the distance. She cast her gaze at the huge camphor tree behind the boundless curtain of water.
Even though they were separated by nearly a kilometer, Mr. Jordan was still the most eye-catching landmark on the southern shore of Northern Mountain Lake. Aside from it, it would be very difficult for people's gazes to be attracted by other targets.
However, just a second later, Yin Le's line of sight shifted to a different angle. She looked in that direction, but it was not a target belonging to the Jorge. Thanks to the sharp senses of an ability user, even though they were separated by a kilometer, she was still able to grasp the most crucial element.
Yin Le patted the car window, indicating the driver to return to his original position. "Go forward. Go under the tree."
The driver revealed an awkward expression. "Boss Yin, there are roadblocks and warnings up ahead because of the music festival. Motor vehicles are prohibited …"
Yin Le didn't wait for the driver to finish speaking. She snatched the black umbrella from the driver's hand. She blocked the falling rain from above and quickly walked forward. The distance of a kilometer from the embankment pier to the camphor tree was only around two hundred seconds, even though she intentionally restrained herself.
Outsiders felt that this elegant and stylish office beauty was truly well-trained. She was able to walk like the wind even though she wore ten centimeter high heels. However, they didn't know that Yin Le was afraid of neglecting an important person.
She didn't know that she was afraid of neglecting an important person in broad daylight. Her heart was extremely conflicted.
She arrived under the tree with great difficulty. She was an ability user, but her legs actually went slightly soft. She didn't care about the state of her body. She directly faced the young man who was looking up at the tree and bowed down. She greeted respectfully.
"Sir, you've returned."
The young man under the tree was undoubtedly Luo Nan. Actually, he had made a few modifications to his face. There was a clear difference from his original appearance, but Yin Le was able to recognize him with a single glance.
The reason was very simple. Luo Nan had an ancient-styled bamboo umbrella on top of his head, shielding him from the wind and rain. The person holding the umbrella was none other than Snake Tongue in kimono.
The formal kimono of Sakura City women weren't suitable for traveling in the rain. A single misstep would result in a sloppy and embarrassing appearance. It just so happened that this woman named Kitayama Yuehui was wearing a white kimono. Because she was holding an umbrella, her sleeves drooped down, revealing her jade-like arms. Even Yin Le couldn't help but take a few more glances.
Snake Tongue smiled and bowed when she saw Yin Le's gaze move over. She was dignified and respectful, just like in the past. Who would've thought that she was actually a Curse Master with a fierce reputation in the inner world?
But why did Mr. Luo Nan find this person first after returning?
Yin Le's state of mind fluctuated a bit. This was because Luo Nan's behavior was a bit cold. He clearly heard the greeting, but the angle of his head and neck didn't change at all. His gaze was still patrolling the branches and leaves of the Zuojia Guard Gate. He only let out a grunt from his nostrils in response.
Yin Le didn't dare to say anything when she saw this. It wasn't good to steal Snake Tongue's position either. She could only maintain a slightly bowed posture and quietly ponder and size him up.
Luo Nan was still in the same attire he wore when he left the ship the day before yesterday. He wore a wide-brimmed hat on his head, and there was the support insignia of a certain band on it. He should've bought it recently, and his body was quite refreshing. The lush branches and leaves of the camphor tree had already blocked a portion of the rain. Snake Tongue's bamboo umbrella blocked a large portion of the rain. Even the drizzle that was blown over by the cool breeze from the lake was deflected to the side of his body, unable to touch his body in the slightest. It was as if there was an invisible barrier existing. It was quite miraculous.
In addition, there was also …. there was also!
Today, Luo Nan was actually wearing glasses. Moreover, it was an extremely retro monocle. It was a monocle that practically no one used in reality. He wasn't like the characters in movies and TV shows, where the lens was clipped to his eye socket. The soft facial contours of Easterners weren't necessarily able to accomplish this.
The lens was floating in the air. It was absolutely not a projection effect. There really was a mirror-like object stuck to Luo Nan's cheek, floating in front of his left eye.
Yin Le was walking in the other direction. She wasn't able to discover it immediately due to her angle.
Special external equipment?
Yin Le subconsciously moved a step forward. Her angle changed, allowing her to see it more clearly.
But at this moment, Yin Le didn't just notice the structure of the monocle. She also noticed the special texture, luster, and even the image that stabbed into her heart.
It was very familiar …. It was clearly her first time seeing it. Oh no!
Yin Le drew in a small breath. She suddenly understood that this was the mysterious eye that had appeared in her dreams.
Luo Nan was using this eye to observe the Zuo Jia Wei Men at this time. Just like how he had seen through Yin Le and the Bloodsoul Temple, he directly attacked the core of the Zuo Jia Wei Men.
Perhaps it was because of her first impression, but Yin Le kept feeling that the enormous plant type Mutant before her eyes was shivering in the wind and rain.
Luo Nan didn't do anything else aside from watching. He was like a foreign tourist who had come because of its fame. Under the guidance of the two beautiful tour guides, he lingered on the scenic spot for a bit. He sighed with emotion for a bit before finally leaving in a straightforward and efficient manner.
Snake Tongue and Yin Le glanced at each other. They fell a bit behind as they followed behind. This time, it was Yin Le who was holding the umbrella to block the rain. The two women cooperated quite well.
There was a young man dressed casually, a beautiful and capable office lady, and an elegant and dignified woman in a kimono. The three of them were quite eye-catching when they walked together. It was just that their attention wasn't placed on these minor details.
Luo Nan turned his head halfway and spoke to Snake Tongue, "The structure and design of your Order is too crude. The imaginary configuration on the mental plane already has many flaws. The efficiency of entering the plane of reality is even worse …."
"Yeah. When the Order was established, it was just for the sake of a cover. Most of it was scraped together."
"It's too wasteful."
"I'm very sorry."
From Yin Le's perspective, this conversation was a bit out of the blue. Luo Nan, who had been silent for two days, had suddenly appeared. Then, he studied the so-called structure of the Myriad Spirit Order together with Snake Tongue. In the end, what was his intention?
"There's also your side."
"Ah, yes."
Luo Nan suddenly turned his head, causing Yin Le to instantly raise her attention by a hundred and twenty percent.
"The Bloodsoul Temple also has room for correction. The main thing is …."
Luo Nan spoke halfway through, but the floating monocle in front of him suddenly burst open with countless fine cracks. Some parts even burst forth with fine water droplets. The water droplets soon merged into the curtain of rain. If it weren't for the fact that Snake Tongue and Yin Le were both ability users, they wouldn't have been able to see it.
Judging from the material, the lens seemed to be condensed from water vapor?
It was truly a magical technique.
The shattered and warped lens blocked Luo Nan's eyes. It looked a bit ridiculous, but Yin Le could see that this lens was clearly alive. At the very least, there was some sort of incorporeal power at work. Even though it was shattered, it continued to squirm. It seemed to want to recover to its complete state.
Luo Nan furrowed his brows. In the end, he reached out with his hand and smoothed out the lens. However, there was still a relatively large hole in the center. Fine cracks could be seen on the periphery.
In this way, the lens overlapped with Luo Nan's eyes. The black pupil just happened to be embedded in the hole in the center. Looking at it from the front, the eyes of a normal human suddenly turned into the cold vertical pupils of a viper. There was a kind of dizzying impact.
"... Mister?"
Luo Nan rubbed the lens again, but he wasn't able to repair it a step further. He flattened his mouth in a bit of dissatisfaction and continued with his previous topic.
"The problem of the Bloodsoul Temple is the same as my current problem. There's nothing wrong with a configuration design on the mental plane. But in order to perfectly reflect it in the material world, I need to find a compromise plan. This is especially true for complex designs. Otherwise, even if I can support it for a while, problems will arise sooner or later …. Speaking of which, Dean Wan promised to teach me the Art of Creation. I wonder if he still remembers it? "
Yin Le automatically ignored the last sentence. Her mind was completely led away by the phrase "problems will arise sooner or later".
As the Deputy First Oblatum of the Order, she couldn't be any clearer. In the early years, the foundational sacrificial vessel that reflected the structure of the Bloodsoul Temple in the Abyss District followed Luo Nan's judgment. It collapsed from within …. The internal strife of the Order was just a natural extension of this matter.
She unconsciously tightened her grip on the handle of the umbrella. When she spoke again, her throat was a bit tight.
"Can this problem be solved?"
"It can be …. In theory, it's possible."
Luo Nan responded in an extremely relaxed manner. "It can be compromised with material properties. It can also be changed. Of course, there should be suitable materials in the vast world, waiting for us to unearth them. These are no longer the thoughts of configuration. They belong to the domain of Creation. The difference is like a thought experiment and a physical experiment. The core lies in the cost of reality. "
"As for the cost …."
"It's the cost of reality. First, it has to conform to reality. Then, it's the cost. I came back this time to understand the conditions of reality. I want to take the opportunity to do a few experiments. I need your help. "
"We will follow your will."
"Sir, please instruct us."
Yin Le and Snake Tongue spoke at the same time to express their opinions. The two glanced at each other and revealed polite smiles.
Luo Nan didn't pay attention to these small details. He spoke with his fingers. "The experimental base requires all sorts of processing equipment and testing instruments. Oh, I have these ready made, but I still need to replenish them. Moving and the like is quite troublesome."
"Raw materials. Large amounts of raw materials to choose from. From basic minerals to artificial compounds. There are also extraordinary materials in the direction of the Mutant species ….
Yin Le had already opened up her work area. She quickly recorded and filtered suitable items from the database at the same time. The experimental base was fine, but when she heard the need for raw materials, her eyes lit up. The Great Swamp Order seemed to be just right!
"There's also the experimental environment. The noise from the interference of space and time has been quite serious these past two days …. Things haven't calmed down in Ban City yet?"
"Mm. Yes. I was just about to report this to you, sir."
。 m.
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