Open the Gate!

Karen was still far from fully developing the capabilities of the Eyes of the Dark Moon. A major reason for this was that the path he walked was Order. The light transferred from the Finger of Light on Pu'er's tail during his servant purification; the Allen family faith system transferred over after their symbiosis contract; the Dark Moon, Sea God, and other systems converted from that light; and even the Inmerles family faith system his grandfather had given him—all of these were, in truth, merely branches. His true trunk was Order. That had never changed since the moment he became a divine servant. Therefore, when it came to things like the Eyes of the Dark Moon, Karen merely borrowed their techniques without truly treading their path. It was like solving a math problem: he knew applying the formula would solve it, but he did not understand how the formula had been derived or how it could be developed further. Even so, the probing by the Eyes of the Dark Moon had fulfilled its purpose flawlessly. Muri's grandfather would rather erase the last shred of hope for his grandson's survival just to improve the odds of Lord Gaetanbert's return. Captain of the Holy See Gate Guard, Captain of the High Priest's Personal Guard—perhaps a connection had existed between them all along. No. Even taking a step back, having the reborn Lord Gaetanbert walk the mortal realm once more in a body bearing the bloodline of the Benda family was, in itself, a supreme honor for the family in the eyes of its patriarch. To put it plainly, their standpoints were different, so their values and inclinations were naturally worlds apart. What seemed inconceivable to you might be entirely taken for granted by them. "In the future, I must be even more cautious when dealing with these old men." Karen brought out the coin Piro had given him once more, silently warning himself again and again. Talent was the main reason he attracted extra attention from those elders, but that did not mean he could truly trust them. He could smile playfully to display closeness with them, but the line of defense in his heart could never be lowered. After all, even Grandpa Hoffen had clamored to kill him at the very beginning. "Heheh..." Karen suddenly chuckled. An amusing thought had occurred to him: if Diss had been replaced by Delon or Muri's grandfather, Mobiten, then when faced with Karen's advent, they probably would have handed him over to the church immediately to be caged and sliced open for study. And then they would have happily gone off to become Temple Elders, fulfilling the glory of their entire family. Sigh. The farther he traveled from home, the more places he visited, and the more people he met, the more he realized just how extraordinary that old man currently lying back at home truly was. There really was only one Grandpa. *** Knowing Ventura and the others would be back before long, Karen was in no rush to sleep. Instead, he picked up a travel brochure-like magazine in the hotel room and flipped through it idly. The illustrations inside were quite intriguing. In Samsara Valley, one could even go to the town boundary to watch parades of walking corpses and the wandering of ghosts under the cover of night. Below the pages were contact details, like a travel agency. Pay enough point coupons, and they would arrange a Samsara Guardian—an organization akin to the Whip of Order—sufficient to protect you and guide you deep inside for an up-close tour. The last few pages were entirely dedicated to introducing "art studios," clearly promoting them as a flagship local attraction. "Talk about living off whatever resources you have. Dark Moon Island has mermaid services, and Samsara Valley has soul services. Adapting to local conditions to the extreme." A knock sounded at the door. "Come in. It's unlocked." "Captain, look what we bought for you!" Ashley walked in carrying bags and parcels of all sizes, and Blanche behind her was just the same. As for Bart, Ventura, and Mars behind them, the three of them were laden with packages—pretty much the standard outcome of accompanying girls shopping. Karen asked, "Why didn't you just mail them from the hotel front desk?" "We're going to buy more!" Ashley said with a grin. "I haven't shopped enough yet. Once we come out of the Gate of Samsara, I'm going to do some proper shopping. For now, we'll leave the things here. We mostly bought six portions of everything, though Blanche and I specifically picked out some jewelry for your fiancée, Captain. Heheh." Blanche chimed in, "Exactly! Besides, courier fees are really expensive. When we head back, we can hitch a ride on the church's teleportation array. However much luggage we have counts as baggage, so we won't need to pay extra postage!" "Yup, yup, exactly what I thought! Haha," Ashley clapped her hands. "This is a great chance to take advantage of the church!" "I think we can find time to make a shopping list, but definitely not tonight." "Yeah, we should head back to rest too. Everyone, make sure to sleep well tonight and get plenty of rest!" Ashley pumped her fist and led everyone out. Ventura began tidying up the room, saying as he worked, "Mars actually suggested mailing it all back from the front desk, but Ashley chewed him out. She said the captain will definitely come out safely with us." "Mm." "Captain, I believe in you," Ventura said earnestly, turning to look at Karen. "Take a shower, then get some rest early. I'm going to sleep first." "Good night, Captain." Karen slept soundly until eight-thirty in the morning. After washing up and gathering his gear, he arrived at the private dining hall at exactly nine o'clock. The chefs in the dining hall were cooking authentic Samsara Valley specialties for everyone; Karen chose to ignore them entirely. Fortunately, the buffet area still offered ordinary foods like boiled eggs, sausages, and meat floss buns. Karen filled a plate with plenty of food, walked over to a table, and sat down. Ventura brought over two glasses of milk for him. Ashley, Bart, Mars, and Blanche came down as well. After picking out quite a few local specialties, they sat down with them. Next came Muri's squad, who took the table next to Karen's. Everyone chatted in hushed voices as they ate breakfast, without any air of tension or gloom. After all, they were young. Setting aside all the messy worries, the thrill of novelty still trumped everything else. When breakfast was finished, Growen and his companions were already waiting at the entrance of the dining hall. Each team member who passed through was issued a mountaineering backpack. The backpacks were huge, packed full of supplies and potions—a high-end standard kit for adventurers—yet they did not feel heavy to carry. An array was branded onto the bottom of each pack, which not only reduced the weight but also featured a small halo of Lesser Purification, though it had to be activated manually. Twelve people, matching mountaineering backpacks, all clad in black Order clerical robes—marching out of the hotel in formation, their presence was immediately imposing. A large carriage was parked outside the hotel, drawn by three skeletal lizard-dragons. Karen couldn't help joking inwardly whether the meat had been stripped off and roasted before the bones were recycled to pull carts. Roast lizard-dragon meat was delicious and Captain Neo's favorite. The carriage was very spacious inside, roomy enough for fifty people. Once everyone took their seats, the carriage set off. Karen leaned the Sword of Arius against his knee. Paxio from Muri's squad couldn't resist leaning over to touch it, murmuring enviously, "The craftsmanship of Dark Moon Island." "Mm." "A token of love?" Paxio teased. Karen shook his head. "Actually, I heard about you before, though at first I wasn't sure it was you. Thinking about it now, what does Leon amount to? What right did he have to compete with you for a woman?" Karen said, "Quiet." "Alright, alright, quiet it is." Paxio slunk back to his seat. The carriage rolled out of town and continued along the mountain road. Muri fetched a glass of red wine and a glass of ice water from the drinks counter inside the carriage, handing the ice water to Karen. Karen reached out and took it. "If we make it out of the Gate of Samsara alive, have a sword fight with me." "Do you rarely watch movies?" Karen asked. "Yeah, I rarely go to the cinema." "If we make it out alive, I suggest you go more often." "Is there something magical about movie theaters?" "There is. For instance, if you watch enough movies, you'll stop saying ominous things like that right before facing danger and the unknown." "Alright, I think I get it." "That pill—did you bring it?" Karen asked. "Of course." Muri touched his pocket. Karen opened his hand and held it out in front of Muri. "What is it?" Muri asked. "Give it to me." "Why?" "To boost my own survival rate a bit more. It's better for one person to survive than for both of us to go down." Hearing this, Muri swallowed hard. After a moment of hesitation, he retrieved the purple pill from his pocket and placed it in Karen's palm. A faint smile curled Karen's lips as he slipped the pill into his pocket. Muri took a deep breath and leaned back, resting his head against the seat back. His fists clenched tight, tears dripping down. *** "Look, the Gate of Samsara!" Ashley cried out. Everyone inside the carriage turned their gaze in that direction. The carriage had just emerged from a mountain pass, and the view ahead broadened instantly. A towering golden gate pierced the clouds, standing between heaven and earth. It was difficult to find words adequate to describe its solemn majesty, for this was an architectural feat far beyond human reach. A miracle! A genuine divine miracle, crafted by the hand of a main god. This was an era when gods no longer manifested, yet countless divine miracles still testified to the greatness of gods to mortal men. "Phew..." Karen exhaled, quickly steadying his emotions, and clapped his hands. "Watch your mental state! Don't forget the themes of our two selection rounds. The moment you face the magnificence of a divine miracle, you might already be affected." "Yes, Captain!" "Yes, Captain!" The members of Karen's squad immediately closed their eyes and began composing themselves. Muri had already gathered his composure and said, "Did you hear that? Follow suit." Almost everyone closed their eyes, and some went so far as to cast Order Purification on themselves to force a state of calm. Karen himself continued staring at the massive gate. He had no fear of its influence, because he could deconstruct its holiness. Toward the end of the last era, his dog had dumped garbage in here a few times. Now, he needed to enter and track down two pieces of garbage dumped back then. Well, the consolation was that his dog couldn't wrest control of his body from him, so the garbage it tossed back then probably... no, definitely wouldn't be able to either. The carriage kept rolling forward, turning and heading straight for the Gate of Samsara. The closer they drew to it, the more they felt its vastness and grandeur. A mere gate was already like this; it was hard to imagine what kind of scene it would be if a god arrived in person. Karen looked down, unzipped his backpack, and said, "Check your gear." Nothing in the pack was likely amiss—everything had undoubtedly been checked several times when packed—but proper caution was imperative for items they were about to use and carry inside. All the members of Karen's squad began checking their backpacks. Muri unzipped his backpack too, and his squad members followed suit. Karen said to Muri, "Something just occurred to me: I suspect our two squads might not end up in the same place once we pass through the gate." "That wasn't in the handbook, and an omission like that shouldn't happen," Muri pointed out. "Who knows? Thirty slots in total: twelve for us, twelve for the Church of Samsara, and six given to other churches. How convenient—five six-person teams? "If it wasn't written in the handbook, either it was an actual oversight, or they thought it wasn't worth mentioning at all." Muri was taken aback. "Is that so?" "Don't look at what's written or said—look at what they do. The six-person team size gave it away early on. "Maybe it wasn't like this before, but the participants in this trial are a mixed bunch, so separating the entry points makes perfect sense. "Our original plan was for both squads to stick together and complete the three tasks in descending order of difficulty. Now that's been flipped on its head, proving the higher-ups know full well how to push us to do their bidding. "They don't need to ask for our consent, because they make the rules." "What should we do then?" "After entering the Gate of Samsara, if our two squads aren't in the same place, the first thing is to secure our surroundings. Once safety is confirmed, the formation masters of each squad will immediately set up a communication array to link up. After pinpointing our respective positions, we'll decide whether to advance toward a common rendezvous or have one squad wait in place." "Understood." Karen met Muri's gaze, reached out, placed his hand on the back of Muri's neck, and drew his head closer. Muri didn't resist, bringing the side of his face near Karen's lips. Karen snapped his fingers, casting a simple barrier. Seeing this, the surrounding squad members turned their backs. Karen whispered into Muri's ear, "If Gaetanbert and Furnites really still exist, come to my side before Gaetanbert finds you, and I can save your life." Muri looked at Karen in astonishment. "You don't believe me?" "I believe you. There's no logical reason, but if you say so, I believe you can do it." Muri smiled faintly. "I just find it absurd. The church abandoned me, my grandfather abandoned me, yet the one who chose to help me in the end is you. Do you know? Ever since we were on the ship, I felt as if I were drifting on the brink of being lost." "Hold fast to your faith, Muri." Karen released his grip, and the two separated. The simple barrier dissolved, and Karen spoke to Muri—and to every squad member present: "No matter where you are, no matter what time it is, you can always believe in Order." *** The carriage came to a halt. Ahead lay a high platform, though its steps were terrifyingly tall—each riser dozens of meters high. They formed the base of the Gate of Samsara. Bart remarked with awe, "Divine miracles truly weren't made for mortals." Ashley quipped, "The less practical it is, the more artistic it becomes—isn't that how it goes?" Everyone stepped down from the carriage and fell into formation. Beside them were two other large carriages. From them descended the twelve representatives of the Church of Samsara and a six-person squad composed of members dispatched by six orthodox churches. They were not far apart, but at this moment, no one felt like coming over to exchange pleasantries. On the perimeter stood a vast crowd: priests from various major churches, staff from the foreign missions, and reporters. There were also hordes of believers from Samsara Valley, forming a dense sea of people. Every opening of the Gate of Samsara was a grand festival for the followers of Samsara. "Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!" The heavy roll of drums sounded. The ground before them began to sink, and five silvery-white giants rose from beneath the earth. Their eyes were open, but their sockets held only a dull gray. Metal cages were embedded into their backs, serving as seats. Bart said, "A war weapon of the Church of Samsara... Lost Giants." "Did they appear during the war?" Karen asked. "They did. In one sacred ground, several dozen appeared. But the Church of Samsara seemed to have forgotten how to deploy them effectively—they actually had those dozens of Lost Giants launch a frontal charge against our knight orders without even fitting them with armor. "Then halfway through, the knight order's catapults smashed them into paste. They accomplished nothing." Mars added, "Compared to gaps in formation craft, the gap in the art of war is far more severe." Bart said, "Indeed. Even if the art of war is preserved in writing, it's hard to achieve genuine results with it. One slip, and it can even backfire." Karen asked, "Then during the last war..." Bart whispered, "Captain, I heard my father mention once that during the 'First Day War,' even the order commander had to report battlefield situations to someone. Who do you think could make our current commander take orders?" Reviving commanders who had been dead for who knows how long—men who had lived through church wars and possessed rich experience—to direct the modern conflict. Thus, the First Knight Order held not only the Church of Order's military might... but also its experience and wisdom. The five silver giants turned their backs to everyone, crouched, and leaned forward until their foreheads rested against the ground. They turned their arms outward, with the backs of their hands against the ground and their palms facing upward, creating a walkway from their palms along their arms to the seats on their backs. Five giants, corresponding to the five squads. Karen and Muri exchanged a look, then led their respective squads onto the giants' backs. The giants slowly straightened their legs, hunching over like hunchbacks to keep their passengers balanced, and began clambering up the towering steps on hands and feet. *Hum!* At the same time, the Gate of Samsara slowly opened.