The hospital room still held the lingering smell of Old Man Linham's tobacco. Karen sat on the hospital bed, and Neo sat in his wheelchair, facing each other.
For the first quarter of an hour, neither spoke. Both were deep in thought.
The events of the past few days had just erupted all at once in an unexpected manner.
Moreover, they were both acutely aware that their next choice would determine their future trajectories, and was of paramount importance.
Karen finished his thoughts first. After waiting a moment and seeing Neo still lost in thought, he reached over to take some grapes from the fruit basket on the bedside table.
Before Karen's hand could touch the grapes, Neo looked up, signaling that he had finished thinking as well.
Karen pulled his hand back.
Neo began, "Originally, the Church of the Moon God and the Church of Samsara had quite good relations. Well, 'good' relative to the Church of Order, at least."
Karen said, "But the foundation for that good relationship fell apart after Samsara's defeat. Back then, the Church of the Moon God was already encroaching on the Church of Samsara's territory and believers across the archipelagos in that sea region. The Church of the Moon God originally wanted to draw Dark Moon Island into its fold as well, but our Church of Order intercepted and got there first.
"Furthermore, during the peace conference on Dark Moon Island, the Church of Samsara had privately approached our Church of Order regarding their conflict with the Church of the Moon God."
"But judging by how things stand now, that notice has expired," Neo said, folding his hands in front of himself. "Especially after the Rielsa incident in Samsara Valley, which dealt another heavy blow to the Church of Samsara and exposed their current weakness to outsiders."
"Yes. That's why it's so difficult for divine churches to form genuine alliances. Within an existing alliance, if anyone's strength declines, the first to bite into them might not be the enemy, but their own allies tearing them apart and devouring them.
"This time, the Church of the Moon God wanted to escalate—or rather, they've already declared war.
"The Moon Wheel coupon was pegged to the Order coupon, and Salayina pushed her injured, weakened body just to see that political show through to the end. She doesn't seem to plan on leaving Yorktown anytime soon. It's clearly a calculated diplomatic posture to imply that the Church of the Moon God's war against Samsara has received the consent and backing of the Church of Order."
"She made it a bit too deliberate," Neo said. He reached for a bunch of grapes, lifted it, and bit off five or six in one mouthful, chewing as he spoke. "So deliberate that it makes me suspect our church was outright played by them."
Karen nodded and reached over to take the bunch of grapes from Neo's hand. Neo hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he wasn't thick-skinned enough to refuse, and let Karen take them.
"It's possible our church's high-level leadership wasn't prepared, or perhaps internal consensus hasn't been reached yet. The Church of the Moon God deliberately borrowed our church's prestige as a tiger's skin."
"A tiger's skin? Ah, I see what you mean. Yes, a tiger's skin."
"That can only mean one thing: this affair has already entangled the internal factions and rift within our church."
Neo nodded. "You could even say this entire thing was enabled precisely because of our internal factions.
"Back when High Priest Rasma was in office, he suppressed our church's internal friction with very gentle methods. Once High Priest Norton took office, his style became far more radical. And once things turn radical, preexisting tensions easily flare up.
"The assassination attempt at the Ankara Hotel was likely one manifestation of that. I'm curious whether a deeper investigation could uncover the truth.
"Then again, it probably never will. At this level, the result no longer matters. Political struggles don't care about minor details like that."
Karen popped a grape into his mouth and said, "It feels like we're straying from the topic."
"Right. As grassroots civil servants... well, section chief and deputy chief?"
"You should count as a director by now."
"Too messy. Forget it, let's drop the analogies. In short, we're still small fries—not in terms of raw power, but strictly in position and status. We're still in the phase of building up our credentials and advancing."
"Yes, exactly."
"Now this opportunity can accelerate that process. That's likely why Bernie gave it to us."
"It's because of your arrangements."
"Bah, it's not like he was the only one I sent gifts to. Besides, it was bought with riels, so it was nothing. Bernie is someone who conceals himself very deeply."
"Just like you."
"I get that feeling. If I recall, he was transferred from the Dinge Region. Looking at it now, the highest echelons of the Whip of Order must have planned to restore the Whip of Order to its former glory long ago."
"And they probably foresaw long ago who the next High Priest would be. Only an aggressive leader like High Priest Norton could satisfy the Whip of Order's need to reclaim its glory."
"Yes. Looking at it this way, our High Priest Norton was chosen well in advance. No wonder High Priest Rasma stepped down without hesitation the moment he decided to."
"So Bernie is offering us an opportunity on behalf of the Whip of Order's strategic positioning in Yorktown."
"No, you're mistaken. Bernie isn't giving us an opportunity on behalf of the actual high-level leadership of the Whip of Order. He's creating an opportunity for himself. Understand? Regardless of the level, everyone has their own initiative to exercise.
"More importantly, getting me to believe that this self-funded observation delegation was planned in advance by the high-level leadership? That's hard to swallow. It's far too stingy. The leadership isn't quite that shameless yet."
"Did he catch wind of something?"
"Or maybe he figured it out on his own."
"Then he acts very decisively."
"Yes. We were the candidates he scouted long ago. Heh, it actually had nothing to do with whether I sent him gifts or not."
"Makes sense."
"We'll see tomorrow's special edition of the Order Weekly. That should reflect the leadership's stance. It'll probably be... a soft alignment?"
Karen spat out a grape seed and answered, "It feels more likely that they'll call for peace."
"Mm, I think so too. Heh-heh, this is where it gets interesting. Think about it: an itinerary for a self-funded observation delegation that's already locked in, hahaha!" Neo chuckled as he spoke. "Under normal circumstances, only someone with water in their head would take on a mission where they have to pay out of their own pocket. But right now, it can produce a colossal impact—one that could allow you and me, after this trip, to..."
Neo gathered his thoughts and continued, "...break out of the ranks of grassroots civil servants."
"Your sights are set remarkably low."
"Keep your goals low, and anything higher is pure profit. The Church of the Moon God and the Church of Samsara just declared war, and the Moon God has deliberately staged an impression that our Church of Order is backing them. And right after the declaration of war, we show up at the Church of the Moon God as an observation delegation."
Karen nodded. "The Church of the Moon God will be thrilled out of their minds."
"Exactly. Even though we're going on our own dime, the Church of the Moon God will treat us like honored guests on a pedestal, viewing it as a further political declaration."
"Right."
"And in your squad, there are plenty of wealthy young masters and ladies, as well as several youths with knight order backgrounds. That makes for a fantastic observation group—our pedigree is rock-solid!
"Bernie had no choice but to pick me—it has nothing to do with gifts, sentiment, or returning favors. He had to pick me because I'm your former superior and current company commander. And he had no choice but to pick you, because your squad is precisely what he needs."
"Yes, that's true."
"When the time comes, no one will care—no, nobody will genuinely believe that we formed a self-funded delegation. They will only see us as a statement from the Church of Order, and the Church of the Moon God will hold us up high.
"The only drawback is that we'll offend other factions, because our actions are unquestionably an act of insubordination from below, forcibly binding the church's stance for our personal gain."
"But we will also gain the backing of some factions. At the very least, the Whip of Order would love to see us steal the spotlight."
"Exactly. The side effects are negligible. As long as we're small enough, we have nothing to lose. It's not like they're going to assassinate us when we get back."
"So, this observation delegation?"
"We're going!"
Karen chimed in, "Then the sooner, the better."
"Right. Going right after the war is declared will have the greatest impact. The earlier we go, the greater the political leverage we gain from this linkage, and the more valuable our chips become.
"In the end, if this gamble pays off, Bernie might actually stand a chance to contend for the position of Whip Bearer in this region. If he can take advantage of the momentum to restore the regular hierarchy of the Whip of Order here and separate the current Whip of Order squads from the regional administration office,
"then when the two of us return... we'll both step into positions with real authority.
"Because the regional Whip of Order headquarters is currently nothing more than an empty shell. In the past, the vast majority of promising individuals from the Whip of Order chose to transfer to other branches for career growth, treating this place merely as a training ground. That left a massive vacuum for us.
"Karen, an opportunity for nobodies like us to climb to the top is right before our eyes. If this gamble succeeds, it'll save us ten years of striving."
"Yes, you're right."
Neo leaned back slightly, looking at Karen with a trace of envy. "Your luck is truly incredible. You just happened to catch several of these trains in a row."
Karen replied, "One's progress depends not only on individual effort, but also on the course of events."
"Then, shall we set off tonight?"
"Your injuries?"
"No problem. Last time was when you injured me, so I had to stay in bed longer. This time, I injured myself. It looks bad, but it heals much faster. It won't hinder me now.
"What I'm curious about is: can you get your subordinates to pack up and take the teleportation circle out of Wien right away?"
"No problem."
"Mm, excellent. Looks like you have strong control over your squad. Twelve spots in the observation delegation: me, you, plus the members under you—it works out perfectly. I'll head over to the Church Affairs Building right now to check the schedule for the teleportation circles tonight. To be safe, we won't take the most direct route; we can leapfrog through several stops."
"Understood. You go handle the arrangements, and I'll assemble my people. Meet at the Church Affairs Building?"
"Deal." Putting strength into his body, Neo pushed himself up from the wheelchair. Swaying slightly, he braced a hand on Karen's shoulder. "Trust my instincts. We'll return laden with rewards this time. My luck in gambling has always been pretty good."
"Actually, you didn't need to add that last sentence."
"You don't trust me?"
"Not at all. I'm just curious whether a tiny part of your decisiveness comes from wanting to flee town to dodge your debts?"
"How could that be? Speaking like that defiles my devotion to the God of Order."
"Alright, understood."
Karen stood up and was about to walk out of the ward when Neo called out,
"Hey."
Karen stopped and looked back.
Neo raised his left hand toward Karen and rubbed his fingertips together.
"Where's that card? You can give it to me now. Reserving spots on the teleportation circle takes points."
Karen took out the hundred-thousand-Order-coupon card that Salayina had given him and handed it to Neo.
Neo took the card with a grin. "Actually, you should be grateful to me."
"Grateful?"
"The probability of a person losing twice in a row is definitely lower than losing once. I just lost once, so doesn't our chance of success shoot right up this time?"
"Your logic is truly unassailable."
...
"No wonder the Church of the Moon God pegged the Moon Wheel coupon to the Order coupon. That way, they can stabilize the value of the Moon Wheel coupon once the war starts," Alfred said while driving. "Furthermore, it shows the Church of the Moon God has already prepared for the worst-case scenario in this war."
"Alfred, I originally thought you were going to bring up something else—like our entire squad packing up tonight to leave Wien and head to the territory of the Church of the Moon God for an observation tour."
"That is something you have already decided, Young Master. Whatever you decide, I, Alfred, will certainly obey."
The car pulled up outside the funeral parlor, and Karen got out. Alfred continued driving toward Allen Apartments to wake the rest of the squad members, who were resting after finishing their mission, and assemble them.
Karen walked into the backyard and entered his study. Xili followed him in and asked, "Young Master, do you need me to prepare dinner for you?"
"Make plenty of noodles. Everyone will be coming over to eat shortly."
"Right away, Young Master."
Karen opened a cabinet and retrieved his limited edition Trial of the Gate of Samsara backpack.
He pulled several books from the shelf that he planned to read recently and placed them into the backpack. Pausing for a moment, he also took the black notebook kept inside a wooden box on the desk and put it in as well.
As for the rest, he didn't bother packing; Alfred would pack them for him when he returned.
Walking into the bedroom, he found Purr sitting on the bed. Surrounding her were several toys she had asked Xili to custom-order from a doll shop, their appearances and clothing somewhat realistic.
As for Kevin, he was lying on the floor with a spectacle frame perched on his snout, absorbed in reading.
It was no exaggeration to say that more than half of the household's intellectual atmosphere was upheld by a dog.
"I have an announcement to make..."
Karen laid out the situation in concise terms.
After listening, Purr tilted sideways and flopped onto the bed, staring at Karen. "What a massive turn of events."
"Woof." Kevin nodded.
"So, my little Karen, have you been influenced by that captain of yours?" Purr flicked her tail. "When a guy who lives solely for cheap thrills suddenly loses everything, he becomes... well, even more extreme."
"But this really is an excellent opportunity."
"Sure, I'm not denying that. Going to the Church of the Moon God as an observation delegation, being treated with high honors, taking a stroll around the battlefield, and then coming back to either be suppressed and sidelined or use the experience to gain special status and backing.
"Oh, my little Karen, as an elder, I feel obligated to cool you down with some ice when you're acting hotheaded. Honestly, even if you don't take this gamble, developing steadily will still earn you a good position in the future. You already have wonderful starting conditions; all you lack is time to pad your resume."
"Getting caught up in an assassination during a mission, and knowing full well the moment it happened that no investigation would ever yield results... that feeling left a bad taste in my mouth."
"I understand, I understand. But that's a rite of passage for adulthood, isn't it?" Purr continued. "Truly, take my advice. You're still young, and you have a long life ahead of you."
"I plan on bringing you all along this time."
Hearing this, Purr immediately sprang up in excitement, waving her padded paws and crying out, "Youth needs vigor! It needs the fighting spirit to charge forward and blaze a trail, to face the boundless unknown and forge one's own future!
"Go! How could you pass up such a golden opportunity? Do you really want to let your youth wither away in the dull drudgery of padding your resume? Do you want to keep taking these security gigs and squandering the best years of your life?
"This kitty supports you!"
Beside them, Kevin, who was reading his book, dragged down his spectacle frame with a dog paw, incidentally covering his doggy eyes.
Alfred's efficiency was equally swift. Most importantly, after a full day of duty, everyone had been resting at the apartments, and even those with homes locally hadn't gone back.
By the time Karen came out of the study, everyone had already assembled in the courtyard, carrying backpacks or pulling suitcases.
Ashley and Blanche in particular each brought several trunks.
Karen pointed at their luggage and said, "Pack lighter. Checked luggage costs extra points."
Everyone laughed.
Xili, Madame Laike, Dora, and Doreen came out carrying bowls of noodles and side dishes. Numerous small tables and stools were set out in the courtyard.
After Karen sat down, everyone silently began eating. Though many had just been woken up from insufficient sleep and lacked an appetite, they still wolfed down their noodles.
Karen noticed a detail: half the squad had actually copied him and were using chopsticks, while the other half used a combination of forks and chopsticks.
Alfred squatted beside Karen, holding a bowl of noodles in one hand and chopsticks in the other. Dressed in a sharp suit and leather shoes, his squat was remarkably authentic.
"Young Master, I've briefed them briefly. Everyone roughly understands the situation."
Karen nodded and addressed everyone present, "This matter is a personal gamble on my part. Many of you come from extraordinary backgrounds and have no need to gamble like me. Furthermore, this might affect your future standing and development within your own families."
Richard spoke up, "Captain, say no more. We understand full well. Mr. Alfred was right: do we want to become true eagles soaring through the heavens, or remain quails sheltered forever beneath our families' wings?"
Bart chimed in, "War, guys! It's war! We have the chance to witness a divine church war with our own eyes! I can hardly wait, hahaha!"
"A security gig on one hand, a battlefield on the other—is that even a choice?"
"Exactly! I want to see that with my own eyes. Just imagining the scene makes my blood boil!"
This took Karen somewhat by surprise. He had intended to take a step back to gain ground, identifying who needed reassurance or encouragement before using persuasive rhetoric to get them on board.
Yet it turned out they needed no urging from him at all; they were even more eager than he was.
But Karen soon realized why. He couldn't measure them by the calculus of profit and loss he had grown accustomed to.
Because,
they were young.
Chapter 445