Snake Tongue sank into a dream that was hard to wake up from.
She was originally at the side of the enormous altar in the movie theater, resonating with the countless believers and praising the inconceivable lord. Her soul nearly melted into it.
But she didn't know when it started, but she had already entered an even more absurd space. There was no process or transition, no sufficiently convincing logic. It truly was like a dream. But this dreamland was becoming more and more real.
Snake Tongue seemed to have arrived at a battlefield filled with endless cannon fire.
That's right, it was a battlefield.
The logic of the dream was rapidly becoming complete, giving her an incomparably deep and conclusive impression.
She had sunk into the center of the chaotic war zone. She was surrounded by impregnable fortresses. Rumbling war machines could be seen everywhere. Countless soldiers, wearing exoskeleton armors, operated fighter aircrafts, shuttles, and large-scale mechas. They were currently engaged in a selfless slaughter.
As for their enemies, they were extraordinary life forms similar to mutants. Many of them were once elements of the movie theater in front of her. There were also some that were simply the giant bloody apes flying back and forth in the cloud world...
The battle between the two sides was so intense that Snake Tongue couldn't avoid being drawn in.
She couldn't even tell who was friend and who was foe. She was only driven by some unknown power. She confronted every threatening target that appeared in her surroundings and was killed.
It was that simple.
Snake Tongue's strength was too mediocre in this battlefield. The most frightening thing was that she couldn't keep up with the rhythm of the war.
As a Cursemancer, she wasn't used to this kind of chaotic, intense, and tornado-like killing situation. It was as if she had sunk into an enormous meat grinder. The gaps she could survive through were narrow and cramped. The slightest bit of carelessness would cause her to be crushed into meat paste.
After the pain of death passed, she would be reborn in a different location on the same battlefield and once again sink into an endless battle.
At first, Snake Tongue was at a loss. What was going on? What kind of logic was this? But later on, she was killed so many times that she didn't have any room to ponder.
This was because even if it was a dream, the pain she felt at the moment of death was so real that it made one shiver.
Beheading, piercing the heart, chopping the waist, dismembering the corpse, incinerating it, corroding it...
In the meat grinder of the battlefield, the "death" that Snake Tongue had once abandoned her dignity and self to avoid came in different forms.
There was only the strong and the weak. There was no way to avoid it.
Even though the endless "rebirths" had partly reduced the horror between life and death, the instincts of life still made her try her best to avoid such an ending. She fought with other people and defeated the enemy, but it would not take long before she was killed again and had to experience a new way of death.
Death might be like a dream, but the pain was accumulating.
Perhaps when things reached an extreme, they would turn in the opposite direction. When people were too numb, they would eventually gain calmness. She didn't know how many times she'd died, but in a split second, Snake Tongue suddenly had an epiphany!
At that time, when she was in a state of chaos between life and death, a beam of light pierced through her and made her whole body transparent. She shivered subconsciously. Then, what she sensed was not only the noisy and bloody battlefield, but also a pair of cold and penetrating 'eyes'.
The 'Eye' was embedded in a corner of this Dreamscape. It could even be said that the entire Dreamscape was the embodiment of the 'Eye'.
That's right. The 'eyes' were coldly watching her, watching her struggle for her life, displaying everything she had learned and revealing every trump card she had. They were also watching how much her flesh and skin could withstand, and how she would collapse and decay.
Just like that, Snake Tongue was seen through from inside out.
Snake Tongue was no longer confused. It was Luo Nan!
She didn't know when it started, but all the inconceivable things she encountered were inextricably linked to Luo Nan. And as long as she had this central axis, all logic would be straightened out.
Snake Tongue suddenly understood her current role.
A test subject, a test subject tied to the table.
She didn't have any strength to fight back. She could only watch as the cold boy reached over and cut open her clothes, skin, and all her barriers and defenses.
The cruel battlefield was the operating table.
Luo Nan used this method to strip her, dismember her, and dissect her. He took apart every inch of her flesh, every organ, every bone, and every nerve. He tested the process of them twisting, deforming, and falling apart under different conditions. Then he reassembled and reassembled them. He even smeared oil and waxed them. He preserved and maintained them. He waited for them to recover to their original state before throwing them into a new round of experiments.
This was how Snake Tongue felt.
She struggled and fought within this absurd dreamland. But in the more realistic dimension, she just let Luo Nan do as he pleased. She didn't have the strength to fight back. Luo Nan used this method to understand the limits of her fleshly body, the limits of her mind, and some details that even she herself didn't know about.
The sudden realization was unable to alleviate any of the pain. Instead, it made her feel even more despair because of the clarity.
Snake Tongue didn't know how long this experience would last.
She was going to collapse. She was really going to collapse.
Even if it was a nightmare, even if she clearly knew it was a nightmare, thousands of reincarnations had already crushed the barrier of her will.
Snake Tongue wanted to beg Luo Nan, but no matter how she struggled, whether it was bitter tears or mournful moans, it was all meaningless. Her cries and screams were unable to reach Luo Nan at all.
In this moment, she understood the distance between an ant and a god more than any other time. In a certain sense, this made her feel even more despair than the endless pain.
Later on, Snake Tongue even began to envy the soulfires that once sat side by side with her under the altar, buzzing in praise. She would rather become a chaotic and ignorant soul. She didn't have any extravagant desires, nor did she pursue the meaning of her self. She just attached herself to Luo Nan's system. She only wished to be able to escape this cruel torture and the despairing reincarnation.
This thought was like a highly corrosive poison. It instantly spread, causing her mind, which was already riddled with holes, to practically lose all activity.
If that was the case ….
If she could escape reincarnation like that, then Snake Tongue didn't mind sinking into that state at all, as long as it was the ultimate release!
"Northmont, Northmont?"
The sudden call, as well as the intense vibrations, suddenly attacked, shaking the entire Dream Space. It felt very violent.
Snake Tongue wasn't angry at all. On the contrary, her mind was gushing with positive emotions …. This was the feedback she had been begging for a long time. Finally, someone responded to her, called out to her, treated her as a normal person, a life on the same level!
This scene was like someone tossing a lifeline to her when she was about to drown in deep water without a speck of light. No matter who it was, Snake Tongue would do her utmost to reach out and grab it, struggling upwards.
A second later, the barrier between dreamland and reality shattered with a rumble.
Snake Tongue suddenly opened her eyes. What entered her eyes was dusky darkness, followed by a chaotic burst of colorful light. Countless complex remains of the barrier were mixed within. The elements of reality and unreality were mixed together, forming an inexplicable flood of information. It crushed through the depths of her brain and heart.
After no less than five seconds, Snake Tongue found her own logic. She was finally able to clearly distinguish the blurry silhouette of Yin Le in front of her.
In the next three to five seconds, she could feel the touch of the tatami beneath her, the structure of the wall behind her, and the sound of flowing water in the outer layer.
Numerous layers of innumerable details gradually formed an incomparably solid existence in her mind and around her body.
The familiar yet unfamiliar world of reality was like a sturdy escape pod. It firmly protected Snake Tongue inside, isolating her from everything in her dream. It was only at this time that Snake Tongue was able to clearly feel the situation of her body.
She was completely drenched, both inside and out. Sweat soaked through her clothes, and the tatami beneath her was also soaked. She was already showing slight signs of dehydration. In the darkness, she didn't even know if she was bleeding or sweating.
Her complexion was probably terrible. Otherwise, Yin Le, who had a normal relationship with her, wouldn't reveal such a worried expression.
"Are you alright?"
"You …."
Snake Tongue originally wanted to say, "Don't tell me you didn't have that experience?"
Just as this thought arose, she suddenly stared blankly. What had she just experienced?
Snake Tongue's memories abruptly turned chaotic.
A certain dream-like memory that caused her to feel fear and despair blurred at an astonishing speed. No matter how she tried to trace it back, she could only recall a rough layout at most. In her dream, there seemed to be a fortress where soldiers were stationed, a cloud that swallowed and spat out Mutants, and a lava mountain range that was like a blood prison …. They existed together, but they also conflicted with each other. Together, they constructed a chaotic world.
As for herself, she seemed to be trapped inside. She had experienced a past she couldn't bear to recall. As for the concrete details of the process, she couldn't remember them.
The injury that might have existed was buried deep within that chaotic dreamland world. It also sunk into the depths of her heart. No matter how she pondered over it, it was difficult for it to stir up great waves. The only thing she could be sure of was this:
What had she really experienced …? Oh, there was also that Yin Le probably didn't have such an experience!
Jealousy involuntarily rose in Snake Tongue's heart. Yet, she still had to thank Yin Le for waking her up from that mysterious and terrifying nightmare. Her chaotic and complicated thoughts tangled together, causing her to be sluggish and dazed for a time.
Of course, Yin Le could see that Snake Tongue's current state was terrible.
That was rather strange.
Yin Le put herself in Snake Tongue's shoes. Although the things she had experienced were shocking, they shouldn't have caused Snake Tongue to become like this.
Yin Le's thoughts spun in two circles. She analyzed the situation from her own experience and suddenly thought of a possibility. "Beishan, could it be that you were disrespectful to Mister in that sort of situation?"
"Disrespectful?"
Snake Tongue subconsciously shivered. She lost control of herself and shook her head. She wanted to speak to defend herself, but she was powerless to speak.
This made Yin Le even more certain of her judgment.
Yin Le had worked in secret orders all year round. She had seen quite a few similar things.
It had only been a dozen or so days since Snake Tongue had become Luo Nan's disciple. Even though Luo Nan had displayed deference and obedience that left her flabbergasted, it was unknown if she was unwilling in her heart.
As a believer, disrespectful thoughts were ingrained in their hearts. It was fine normally, but if they were to reveal such thoughts during the state of the great sacrifice, even for a sect as idealistic as the Bloodflame Order, the backlash they had to endure was rather terrifying.
Needless to say, Luo Nan had already displayed the clear image of a god. As the saying goes, the gods of heaven and earth are clearly visible. They cannot be slandered. Snake Tongue was extremely intelligent. How could she have made a mistake in this matter?
Looking at Snake Tongue's current situation, especially her gaze, she was in a weak and sensitive state. She had avoided the extremes of numbness and despair. She might not be in too much pain, but fear was deeply rooted in her heart. She was like a dark fire in an underground coal seam. It was silent, but it couldn't be extinguished. It was unknown how it would burn for hundreds or thousands of years...
She had probably been beaten quite ruthlessly!
Yin Le was inexplicably proud of herself. She felt that she should say a few words of comfort and comfort. The change in her mind was quite subtle. Her wristband vibrated at this time. She looked at the caller ID. It was Aopin Rong Three.
Aopin Rong Three had been maintaining a frequency of contact with Yin Le every two or three days for the sake of discussing business. It wasn't a big deal. However, it was hard to avoid people thinking a bit more under these circumstances.
Yin Le put aside the matter of Snake Tongue for now. She pondered for a few seconds, and after another vibration, she connected the call. Aopin Rong Three's gentle voice, which was quite different from his appearance, rang out.
"Mrs. Yin, good day."
"Hello, Mr. Aopin. Is there something you need?"
"There is indeed something..."
Sure enough, Aopin Rong Three called at this time to talk about the matter of "registration."
With the Amaterasu Order behind the scenes, the bureaucratic system of Osaka City was mobilized. The so-called "registration" could really be played around with. For a business entity like the Great Marsh Order that spanned the secular world and the inner world, there were many items to be filled out for registration.
Not to mention the clergy of their own shrine, the employees of the association, and those with an inner world background, they had to send over a name list. Even people with recent business cooperation, as long as they were ability users, had to write a brief so that they could "mutually verify."
If they found it troublesome and didn't report or omitted to report... well, they might violate the relevant public security regulations. At that time, even if they had already signed a cooperation agreement, they might not be able to pass the Peace Trade Council or even the Osaka City government's investigation. Any business could be ruined.
Most importantly, they would definitely offend the Amaterasu Order.
The registration had to be done. Aopin Rong Three had called to give his greetings before the registration was submitted. He also wanted to see if there were any "inconveniences" on Yin Le's side so that they could both be aware of each other.
Yin Le couldn't tell them if there were any "inconveniences". She could only calmly express her understanding. She didn't forget to worry for Aopin Rong Three. "It's just that there are quite a few people in the processing plant. Do they all have to be registered?"
Aopin Rong Three sighed a few times. "A large portion of the workers employed in the factory come from the tribes of the wilderness. Many of them are infected by deformities. According to the requirements, they all have to be registered. Each and every one of them has a complicated background. It's very difficult to count them... Normally, this sort of thing would be done with everyone's eyes closed. Today, it won't be so easy to pass. "
After sighing and chatting idly for a while, both sides ended the call.
Yin Le immediately turned to look at Snake Tongue. "Not too good. It sounds like Old Hand and the Hengduan Tribe have run into some trouble."
Aopin Rong Three could have warned them, hinted at them, or apologized in advance. In short, they had definitely run into some trouble that was difficult to resolve.
After a few minutes of buffering, Snake Tongue's spirit was a bit better. Although it was still hard to conceal her weakness, her brain could finally spin. "Next door, that operation team. They've always been very interested in Old Hand and the others..."
As she was analyzing, Yin Le's wristband vibrated again.
This time, it was an unfamiliar number. Through AI matching, it showed that it was the office number of the ability user association's Saka City branch. Yin Le furrowed her brows. She connected the call again, but this time, she asked despite knowing the answer.
"Who is this?"
A woman's voice rang out from the other side. There were no fluctuations in emotion. She spoke in a business-like manner. "The Bloodflame Order's Deputy First Oblatum, Madam Yin Le? This is the external relations office of the ability user association's Saka City branch. "
"Oh, hello."
"We have here the inspection report of your entry and the signed security agreement. According to the relevant clauses, we are here to notify you of a special event."
Yin Le's gaze met Snake Tongue's. She continued to play dumb. "What's the matter?"
"May I ask if you already know of the notice issued by the Saka City branch?"
"I'm not too clear."
"Then please take a look at the highlighted topic on the ability user association's internal forum. The title is... please follow the requirements of the notice and report as soon as possible the members of your esteemed order in Saka City, their location, and other relevant matters. All information please be submitted through the designated channels before 1: 30 PM in the afternoon. "
"1: 30 PM in the afternoon? Our order also has property in Saka City. We also have quite a few ability users. It's not easy to calculate. Isn't the time a bit tight? "
"There's no room for discussion. If Madam Yin Le still doesn't understand the gravity of the situation, then please take a look at the relevant notice and immediately begin the relevant work... Huh?"
There seemed to be someone speaking on the other side. It paused for a few seconds before suddenly changing to a different person. It was clearly a man's voice. His throat was rough, as if he always had phlegm stuck in his throat, ready to spit out at any time.
"Deputy First Oblatum Yin?" The other side asked despite knowing the answer. It felt like she was an extremely powerful person.
Yin Le said suspiciously, "You are..."
"The administrative department and SA have sufficient evidence to prove that a portion of the restricted personnel of the peaceful trade market are suspected of making false registrations in this matter. These people maintain close contact with you. In order to clear the suspicion of your order, please immediately submit the relevant information. "
Yin Le furrowed her brows. "I just said that the statistics are very difficult..."
The other side responded firmly, "If there are difficulties, then overcome them! I'll give you an hour to submit all the information before 11 AM, or else bear the consequences! "
Yin Le was so angry that she laughed. This group of people from the Saka City branch were all cowards in front of the Amaterasu Order. How dare they put on such a show at this time!
The tone on the other side became even more ruthless. "Listen up, Saka City is not the Bloodflame Order's territory, and the peaceful trade market is even more so. You can do business if you want, but if you mix in sand, I'll make you regret stepping on this land!"
This didn't sound like the tone of the Saka City branch. It sounded more like a violent person.
Yin Le stopped laughing. "Who are you?"
"A judge to confirm your crimes and hand them over to the flames of Heaven to carry out the holy judgment."
"..."
The other side directly cut off the communication.
Who was this inexplicable fellow?
Yin Le had a deep impression of that person's voice and domineering attitude. However, what left the deepest impression was still the words "flames of Heaven". "He's definitely not a member of the Saka City branch. He should be someone from the Amaterasu Order..."
"That's not the case." Snake Tongue said in a low voice from the corner, "From his tone, he should be an important figure in the Heaven faction. He's most likely the leader, Gotou Masayoshi."
"Gotou Masayoshi!"
Upon receiving Snake Tongue's reminder, a certain piece of information hidden deep in the corner of Yin Le's memory was activated.
Should it be said that it reverberated like thunder?
Everyone knew that the True God and Pope of the Amaterasu Order were admittedly famous Extraordinary experts under the heavens. They also had a group of top-notch talents under them, such as Fatty Dragon, one of the Three Heroes of the Secret Order. But compared to the other two great orders, and even the majority of the famous secret orders in the world, the Amaterasu Order's organizational structure and efficiency were really mediocre.
Even in Saka City, the Amaterasu Order didn't penetrate too deeply into the various industries of Saka City. They only cast the ominous name of the Extraordinary as a shadow in the hearts of others and spread it when necessary.
Under these circumstances, the large and small orders in Saka City possessed the conditions to grow unrestrainedly. This resulted in Saka City being known as the "City of Ten Thousand Gods".
Of course, everyone now knew that this was nothing more than the leek planting techniques of the True God and Pope. After one crop was cut, another crop would grow... However, it was an indisputable fact that their organization was weak.
There were some matters that one couldn't just pay attention to the deterrence of the higher-ups. No matter how useful the True God and Pope's names were, they couldn't be used as calling cards under normal circumstances, right?
It was precisely under these circumstances that organizations like the Heaven faction came into being.
There were many such organizations on the periphery of the Amaterasu Order. The composition of their members was complicated. Many of them were nomads from the wilderness or wanted criminals. They had a close relationship with the Amaterasu Order, but on the surface, they didn't have any official relations. They were more like "enthusiastic citizens" and so on.
The Amaterasu Order wouldn't acknowledge everything they did. Sometimes, they would even beat them down. However, as long as one lived in Saka City for a long time and mingled in the inner world circles, they would understand the twists and turns involved.
These xx groups, xx groups, xx groups, and so on were the hired thugs raised by the Amaterasu Order. They didn't even need to give them any realistic benefits or money. As long as they lent them the tiger skin of the Amaterasu Order and provided a few key people with the Extraordinary power of the Fuso Tree Great Divine Treasure, as well as the true meaning of cultivation, there would naturally be countless ability users who would pounce on them like flies chasing after a smell.
To be able to stand out in this group of organizations, Gotou Masayoshi's Heaven faction naturally had its own extraordinary aspects.
Snake Tongue had a rather good understanding of this person. "Gotou Masayoshi is the Saka City branch's deputy secretary-general and a director of the Equal Trade Association. It's said that he also has a position in the LRF..."
Yin Le said curiously, "He doesn't seem like someone who's smooth and slick."
"Of course, he's more like a mad dog that can't be provoked. Currently, the leash is in the hands of the Amaterasu Order. "
Without a doubt, this was a vicious dog raised by the Amaterasu Order. It was a knife in the hands of the Pope and the True Gods, the kind that could be thrown away at any time.
Even Gotou Masayoshi himself should understand this point.
However, this was a guy who was deeply addicted to gambling. He used the time in the hands of the Pope and the True Gods to put on enough tiger skin for himself. He also possessed the corresponding strength and status.
It was this kind of guy. Once he set his mouth, he wouldn't let go until he tore his target to shreds.
This kind of organization, this kind of guy, was very compatible with the current environment. They turned the absolute superiority of the Amaterasu Order in Saka City into a substantial threat that was pressed against everyone's throat.
Yin Le could almost hear the "snoring" sound coming from the throat of the vicious dog. She already had a headache before they even started fighting.
In such a short period of time, Yin Le also couldn't think of a suitable solution. At this time, an internal communication call came in. It was from Captain Kuroishi on the front deck.
As Yin Le's most capable subordinate in Saka City, this senior retired officer reported with some worry, "The authority of the yacht has been cut off. If we can't get the follow-up permission from SA, the yacht can't even drive out of the passenger terminal."
As an ability user, no one expected to rely on a yacht to do anything. However, this was undoubtedly a warning, and a very impolite one at that.
Yin Le's face sank. She seriously thought for a few minutes. Finally, she decided to call Ryozo Okuhira again to understand the situation.
In fact, she wanted to call the "veteran" directly. However, the status of the two sides was still a bit unequal. No matter what happened to the "veteran", if they were caught talking to each other, it would be hard to avoid suspicion that they paid more attention to the "veteran" … although this was the truth.
Yin Le didn't want to provide Gotou Masayoshi with a bargaining chip to threaten him.
The call to Ryozo Okuhira didn't go through immediately. However, thirty seconds later, the other side sent back a video call request.
Yin Le felt a bit strange. However, she still chose to accept it. Of course, before that, she didn't forget to turn on the lights in the living room.
"Mr. Okuhira …" Just now, Yin Le forcefully swallowed back the words she wanted to say.
Because in the projection screen, not only did the ugly but familiar face of Ryozo Okuhira appear, there was also a man who was almost two times thinner. His skin was deathly pale, like a skeleton.
This guy who looked like a drug addict maintained a rather intimate distance from Ryozo Okuhira. He grinned and said, "Ms. Yin Le, right? Unfortunately, I caught evidence again. You secretly colluded with your business partner to confess! Don't explain. I gave you an hour. In the end, you did these meaningless things. This is disrespect to me! "
She didn't need to look at this face. Just by listening to the greasy throat that seemed to be filled with phlegm, Yin Le knew who the person in front of her was.
The mad dog with many layers of tiger skin, Gotou Masayoshi.
The real contact, Ryozo Okuhira, expressionlessly stood at the side. He didn't give Yin Le any hint. Or, it could be said that his iron-like face was the most obvious hint.
Gotou Masayoshi grinned a bit more. "Ms. Yin Le, you really are a beauty. This makes my mood a lot better … I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm just stating the truth. Otherwise, I wouldn't even say a word more. The inspection of the factory is about to be over. After solving the matter of the Daze Processing Factory, I will continue to communicate with you. I hope that at that time, you can give me the name list of the relevant personnel. Otherwise, I will have another explanation. "
Yin Le coldly stared at Gotou Masayoshi. She had already labeled him as a "scum of society" in her heart. However, this guy's background was really strong …
Speaking up to here, Gotou Masayoshi suddenly turned his face and looked outside the projection screen.
"That lady, please wait!"
Ryozo Okuhira spoke for the first time. "Mr. Gotou, this is the technical director of our factory …"
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