Caked in Mud

The hotpot was eaten under the pavilion inside the Disciplinary Department office. The whole group had gathered, but Karen, who had been the first to claim he was hungry, was also the first to put down his chopsticks. Once he walked into the lounge, those who had tasks to attend to stood up one after another and left for work, and the crowd thinned by half in an instant. Richard, however, was still attentively timing the beef tripe and duck intestines he was swishing in the broth for Philomena. Alfred walked over to the door of the lounge. Just as he was about to push it open and step inside, he saw Purr riding over on Kevin. "Coming in together?" Purr patted Kevin's bald head and said, "Radio Goblin, you go ahead. I'm taking this stupid dog for a walk in the garden outside. Its legs are still shaking even now." Alfred looked down at Kevin. Kevin offered an honest, silly smile, though the jowls drooping on either side of his muzzle twitched faintly. If for everyone else, facing an outbreak of Karen's hunger addiction remained in the realm of imagining how horrific the outcome would be, Kevin was an eyewitness who had experienced that terror firsthand. Back in the mourning hall of the funeral parlor when Karen uttered that sentence, "I'm hungry," Kevin had nearly wet himself. So Purr felt the stupid dog needed comforting far more right now. "Understood." Alfred pushed the door open, stepped into the lounge, and casually pulled the door shut behind him. Karen sat on the bay window in the bedroom, gazing out at the scenic view outside. "Young Master." "Alfred, I almost didn't make it back." "I have never doubted you, Young Master." "And yet, with some things, confidence alone does not guarantee success." Alfred smiled faintly. "Yet the doctrine of Order has always taught us to use our finite lives to forge a better future together. A true believer of Order never expects to see true success within their own lifetime, but is willing to merge their entire life into this grand cause. Had you not returned, Young Master, I would not know what I should do right now, nor what our group ought to do. But since you have returned..." Karen chuckled. "Since I didn't drop dead in my sleep, I still have to catch the tram to work once I wake up." Though he was not certain he could suppress the hunger addiction and preserve his existence in their next clash, that did not stop him from continuing to strive toward the greater goal: preventing the gods from returning. Alfred replied, "People cannot live on encouragement, inspiration, or passion alone. Those things are transient, unsustainable, and fleeting. People live on inertia—and that inertia stems from the goals they set for themselves." "Well said." "It is what you wrote in your notes, Young Master." "Oh, I forgot." Karen lightly tapped his forehead. "Have Old Saman lead the craftsmen from the relevant departments in the region immediately to forge a new sealing coffin for me. Install it in the performance hall of Allen Manor, occupying one teleportation slot. Have keys made—" Alfred produced his notebook and pen, jotting it down as he asked, "Three?" "One is enough. You keep it." "Understood, Young Master." "Pavaro Funeral Parlor has been closed for a long time now, hasn't it?" "Yes, Young Master. Do you need me to reopen it?" "Never mind. Madame Laike is living a peaceful life with Dora and Doreen; don't disturb them. Just acquire the funeral parlor from today, and do not interfere with its normal operations." "Understood, Young Master. Have you found a way to counter the hunger addiction?" "Not a way to counter it, but a way to soothe myself. I don't really want to dwell on fighting it anymore. As long as this confrontation persists, I can never win, because the ultimate outcome of confronting it is that I will only merge further into it." "Young Master, on this matter, I believe we could ask Mr. Neo to share his experience." "It's different. His is a personality; mine is..." Karen recalled the image of himself walking down the street under the hunger addiction's control. It bore an uncanny resemblance to the sight he had witnessed during his first purification: the God of Order walking with his eyes closed upon the rules of Order, ceaselessly answering the prayers of believers. "By the way, where is Neo?" "He did not say goodbye. He left after the legion returned." "Did you not arrange an office for him?" "Two doors down from your office. The layout and furnishings are identical to yours, and the door plate was hung early on. He knew about it as well, because the cleaning priest's log noted that the bed linens and the bathtub in the room had both been used. Mr. Neo likely slipped away without saying goodbye, but made a special trip back to sleep in his office for a night." "Heh." Karen chuckled. That was indeed something Neo would do. "Young Master, should I send people to trace his whereabouts?" "No need. Give him his freedom." "Yes, Young Master." "About today's incident..." "The Moon God Church stronghold came under attack by the Life God Church, and the Moon God Child of God Salayina perished. Our side eliminated the Life God Church assassin and seized a branch of the Tree of Life. The matter has been settled cleanly; there won't be any surprises or loose ends." Under normal circumstances, if a major violent incident occurred in his jurisdiction, Karen would bear responsibility. But since the assassin had been eliminated and key, precious 'evidence' had been seized, Karen bore no fault at all. God only knew what the Moon God Church and the Life God Church were up to. Who was to say they hadn't been holding a secret meeting that escalated into an argument and then an all-out brawl? Karen nodded. "The three matters I had you arrange earlier." "Right away, Young Master." Alfred flipped forward a few pages in his notebook. "According to my investigation, the First Knight Order regularly holds visitation events open to specific groups. Piro and Liwen's senior citizens' club happens to have that perk, scheduled for early next month." Hearing this news, Karen remarked, "Doesn't that sound like a sightseeing tour cemetery developers organize for the elderly?" Alfred smiled. "It's essentially the same concept. Given your relationship with Piro and the others, you could easily apply to accompany them. You need only drop a hint, and they would likely volunteer to apply on your behalf. That way, your motives can remain as concealed as possible. I believe this is far more suitable than applying for a visit directly under your own identity." "Concealed?" "I worry that your visit to the First Knight Order might trigger certain disturbances..." Karen fell silent, then said, "You've thought this through thoroughly." "As for the second matter, I plan to have Vic apply for a visit to the containment space. Before his mentor, Rasma, became the High Priest, he once served in the containment space. Now that Vic has gotten his career back on track alongside you, those old favors will be much easier to call in. Once Vic secures visitor credentials, you can accompany him under some pretext, and the containment space will naturally elevate its reception protocol." "Mm, this arrangement is quite good as well." "Regarding the Time Project team, I suggest having Head Bishop Bern conduct the investigation. Although he relinquished power and stepped back into legitimacy long ago, that is merely nominal; he still wields considerable influence in the shadows. Because your official record clearly shows prior contact with that project team, if you mobilize the Whip of Order to investigate, there will be far too many troublesome tracks to cover when it comes time to snatch it under the pretense of 'Light remnants.' Head Bishop Bern is best suited for the task. Since you have already reserved a coffin slot for him, assigning him a mission in advance to test him is only fitting." "Let's do that. Go see Bern on my behalf; I won't step forward in person." Staying behind the scenes was not Karen putting on airs. Bern was an eccentric man who could see through many things yet deliberately refrained from pointing them out. If Karen brought it up in person, Bern would resent it; having Alfred speak with him made it much easier for Bern to feign ignorance. "These are the arrangements for the three matters you entrusted to me. I will follow up and push them forward so they can be set in motion as soon as possible." "Very good." With Karen's current rank and standing, handling certain matters was straightforward enough. However, pulling rank directly could cheapen the effort; having the people around him drive things forward yielded far better results. Alfred had considered this with great nuance. "Additionally, regarding Mr. Rottini, whom you asked me to investigate: it has now been confirmed that there are indeed Order priests protecting him, just like the treatment Mr. Luther once enjoyed. The relevant surveillance and positioning are being established step by step. If you intend to act and put an end to this matter, I will need a little more time." In truth, had Karen's hunger addiction not run rampant midway through, this matter would have progressed even faster. "What became of the people punished over the previous pollution incident?" "I reviewed the archive records. Most were penalized, but a core group was retained. On paper, they were demoted and reassigned to other posts, but in reality, they are still continuing that research." "This time, we cannot leave them any seeds. Pay close attention to when their project officially launches, and before then, try to conduct a thorough background check on the entire project team. Since those above refuse to harden their hearts and deal with it, we will round up everyone who deserves arrest and punishment and ship them off to the expansion space. Don't they love shouting that this research is to make contributions to Order? Then I will give them an opportunity to make honest, down-to-earth contributions." "Understood, Young Master. Please set your mind at ease." "Finally, there is one more thing..." Alfred reopened the notebook he had just closed. "Young Master, your orders." Though on paper the work of the region and the department had been handed off to Leon and Vic, Alfred's workload was actually heavier than before. Every single matter Karen assigned required Alfred to organize and push forward in person. Karen opened his palm. A wisp of Order's aura began to condense in his hand. After a moment of adjustment and familiarization, it formed a tiny dagger. Alfred leaned closer and examined it carefully. This dagger was no mere magical condensation; it possessed exceedingly intricate patterns and grains. Even as a simple phantom image, it already gave off a piercing, sharp sting. After gazing at it for only a brief moment, Alfred was forced to close his eyes, a stabbing pain throbbing in his mind. One had to remember, he was the inheritor of Compasini. "Young Master, this is..." "Ankara's sidearm." Karen pointed to his nightstand. A book lay face down there, a church monograph dedicated specifically to Ankara. The Light of Order was the main trunk of the Church of Order's mythological narrative, but the four great attendants, the twelve Order Knights, and a series of other de facto branch deities had dedicated treatises recorded by later generations. These works were richer in detail than the Light of Order, and incorporated records from other churches as well. Alfred walked over and turned the book around. On the left was a mural illustration depicting a blade. "The Blade of Sighs." A blade forged by Langelot, one of the twelve Order Knights, for Ankara, daughter of the God of Order. Every part of its blade was crafted from exceedingly precious materials, and upon its completion, its edge was honed by soaking in a pool of blood formed from the corpses of three deities. Although in rank the Blade of Sighs could not compare to the God of War's Scythe of War, it could certainly be counted in the second tier among war-type divine artifacts. Karen well remembered that Ankara had only needed to conjure a phantom image of it to effortlessly pierce the multiple layers of restrictions set by the hunger addiction. In other words, had Ankara wished it at that moment, the commotion would have undoubtedly reached the outside world. "Young Master, how did you..." "Absurd, isn't it? The hunger addiction absorbed Ankara, which left me with a portion of Ankara's legacy. Heh." In the past, Karen had been the one who loved hauling things home, once turning the depths of his soul into a general store. Now that Karen had cleared his inventory, it was the hunger addiction's turn to haul things home. Yet everything the hunger addiction hauled back were products of Order. "Its physical form is caked in rust right now. It isn't preserved in a containment space, but remains lost to the world. I can roughly sense the direction of its location; I calculated its coordinates just now." "However, Young Master, if that is the case, why didn't Salayina—or rather, the Moon God Church—retrieve this divine artifact sooner? Could it be that Ankara's consciousness did not want a divine artifact of Order to fall into outside hands?" Karen shook his head. "I doubt that fragment of Ankara had the vigilance to protect church property from leaking out. More likely, they simply couldn't manage it, because the coordinates I sensed lie within an expansion space. The clearance level of that expansion space is exceptionally high, a primary target suppressed by our church." "If it is in an expansion space, then that will be easy to arrange." After all, to a certain extent, the expansion spaces were half of the Whip of Order's power base. This was partly thanks to Fuden having overseen work in the expansion spaces before becoming the Whip-holder; once taking helm of the Whip of Order, he naturally incorporated that sphere of influence. This was also why the elite forces forming the Whip of Order legion were drawn from various expansion spaces—the grassroots Whip of Order system across the regional districts had been utterly rotten, beyond saving, making it better to build anew from scratch. "Let us retrieve this divine artifact. It should be... quite useful." "I suggest having Count Rekal lead the team to recover it. He is well suited to this task." Sending a pirate to search for treasure—it was right in his line of work. "Then let him go." "Understood, Young Master." Having concluded their business, Karen could not help chuckling, and Alfred smiled along with him. Both understood what the other was smiling about; it was an unspoken sentiment, a sigh of reminiscence that needed no explanation. In the past, just to complete a mission with slightly higher rewards, Karen had to run around day and night in person. Now, even recovering a divine artifact could simply be delegated to subordinates. "All right, nothing else. Go see to your tasks, Afu." "Young Master, please rest." "No rest for now. I'll have Vic bring me the case files. Next, it's time to clean out the parasites within the church. That is the main duty." "You are quite right, Young Master." Alfred withdrew from the lounge, just in time to run into Vic waiting outside the door with an armful of case files. Once Alfred closed the door, Vic spoke up. "I'm curious: why did the minister, during his brief lapse of control, choose the Moon God Church stronghold?" "What do you mean by that?" "My intuition tells me that aside from the known reasons, there must be another one. There wasn't just one option; in fact, within our region alone, there were far more suitable targets. If it were solely for Ankara, that makes sense, but that was merely a tiny fragment of Ankara." "You are fretting over this?" "I noticed that the moment you learned it was the Moon God Church stronghold that had met with trouble, Mr. Alfred, you visibly relaxed." "Fine, I can tell you why. This matter goes back to earlier times. Back then, you weren't with our team yet; it was likely after that event that we crossed paths with you on Fire Island." "Yes, that's correct." "Before that, we visited the sacrificial island of the Goddess of the Dark Moon." "I know of that. On that island, the minister obtained the Dark Moon Bone, and Philomena acquired a wisp of the Goddess of the Dark Moon's divine consciousness." "More than that. Beneath the mouth of the well, the Young Master swore an oath to the Goddess of the Dark Moon in the name of Order to help her achieve her vengeance." "So..." "So the hunger addiction chose the Moon God Church." ... Karen read through the dossiers until dawn. He was truly exhausted, yet he wanted to use work to numb himself, preferably wearing himself out to utter exhaustion before getting a good sleep. Once he had finished reviewing every dossier and appended his instructions, Karen took a shower and lay down on the bed. He closed his eyes. *Tick... tock... tick... tock...* The scythe was already growing impatient; before he had even fallen asleep, it had already begun urging him. Still, it had been a long time since he had dreamt of its presence, and he felt a hint of nostalgia for the sensation. In his dream, Karen opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the Scythe of War, swinging back and forth incessantly before him. Only now, the Scythe of War was caked in mud from top to bottom, making its back-and-forth swing much more sluggish than before, like an ancient pendulum clock. The pool, once clear and profound, had turned into a muddy mire. A statue of Order, the size of an ordinary human, stood there, mud endlessly coating it and sloughing away—a suppression, and a confinement. The grime covering everything around spoke to the unrest that had transpired here before, the fierce struggle that had once unfolded. Karen subconsciously wanted to take a step forward to get a closer look, only to discover his footsteps were heavy, each step an arduous effort. He looked down at his own body and let out a sudden, self-mocking laugh: "Oh. Turns out I'm caked in mud as well."