The Out-of-Control High Priest!

"High Priest, that is the entirety of the situation as we currently know it." "Mm." On the other end of the communication array, the High Priest held a cigar between his fingers, giving off an air of absentminded distraction. Karen knew full well that the High Priest was a master of disguise. Any emotional posture that appeared "casual" was an intentional gesture meant to convey some sort of message, whether actively or passively. Yet the question was: at such a critical juncture, what was the meaning behind this near-indolent attitude? Karen even began to wonder if the High Priest's clone communicating with him had spun out of control. Originally, according to his itinerary, Karen was scheduled to return to the Holy See tomorrow morning to deliver an in-person report. However, Daina had relayed the High Priest's request for communication, forcing Karen to come to the independent array built specifically for him at the communications camp to conduct this remote briefing. "There are three matters. *Cough, cough...*" The High Priest coughed slightly. The hand holding the cigar pressed lightly against his forehead, as if wearied. Karen's gaze narrowed. He saw clearly that there was a wound on the High Priest's forehead. "Yes, High Priest. Please instruct me." "First, restore the framework of the Garden of Life's temporary headquarters. You will temporarily serve as director." "Understood, High Priest." After the Church of Order breached the Garden of Life, the High Priest had stayed there for a period. The so-called temporary headquarters was essentially a provisional administrative temple. Yet judging by his tone, the High Priest seemed to have no intention of coming over anytime soon. By all reason, he should have arrived here the moment the new wave of anomalies began, fully shifting the focus of the church's operations here. Yet half a month had already passed, with only half a month remaining, and he was still merely erecting a provisional framework with no inclination to depart immediately. No matter how dire one painted the anomaly in the Garden of Life, it would not be an exaggeration. If the Church of Order failed to plug the breach here, allowing the two chief gods of Life and Augurev to break out, the other breaches would in all likelihood fail as well, triggering an extraordinarily catastrophic chain reaction. Moreover, the title of director of the temporary headquarters held little real significance for Karen. Ever since taking on the concurrent role of secretary-general to the High Priest, as long as he did not deliberately keep a low profile or stand by coldly as an onlooker, everyone across the church had to show him deference. In particular, the supreme commander here was Daan, an old acquaintance and a direct confidant of the High Priest just like Foden. Karen's recommendations would carry real weight. "Second, ensure uninterrupted communication with Mink Street. Make certain that individual and that deity are stationed here ahead of schedule." "Understood, High Priest." "Third, I had Foden sink a coffin into the Black Sea. Counting the days, it should be floating back right about now—if it can return at all..." Karen felt a pang of confusion; he didn't quite grasp this statement. Did this mean he was supposed to intercept it? Yet the problem was that he had not been given the holy relic required for reception, which meant another squad was secretly handling the mission—undoubtedly an arrangement made by his old superior, Foden. Even so, after the upheaval in the Black Sea half a month ago, what kind of probe could possibly make it back? Karen had just briefed the High Priest on what he had scouted near the core barrier. Given that foundation, the High Priest's lingering concern over the coffin suggested he was certain it could bring back critical intelligence from the true core. "High Priest, if the coffin is found, I will immediately have it delivered to the Holy See." "No, that won't be necessary." The High Priest waved a hand and closed his eyes. "You should take care to rest as well." "Understood, High Priest." The communication array shut down. Karen stood there in silence for quite a while. By now, even the cinemas in Yorktown had stopped showing silent films, yet communicating with the High Priest felt more obscure than watching one. Neither side intended to conceal anything, yet the resulting exchange led to profound mutual bewilderment. Karen did not enjoy such direct dealings. He found himself missing the days when his old superior acted as the intermediary. Without Foden, a vital layer of lubrication was missing. Exiting the communications camp, Karen saw Alfred waiting for him outside. "No need to return to the Holy See. The High Priest ordered me to establish the temporary headquarters here." "Very well, Young Master. I will arrange our personnel to fill the ranks immediately." "Mm." "One more thing: the observation delegation from the Church of Principles has just arrived." "I thought it would be people from Samsara or the Moon God Church." "The people of the Church of Principles would never pass up such a rare research opportunity." "Go handle their reception." "Understood, Young Master. However, the deputy head of this delegation is your partner from Principles, Xinyali." "Her? I'd almost forgotten about her." "I previously handled liaison and cooperation with her. Later, as your standing continued to rise, Young Master, her position within the Church of Principles was elevated accordingly due to her status as your partner. Young Master, I believe you should meet with her." "Why?" "Because if you intend to press a claim on the Church of Principles in the future, her role as your partner would allow her to serve as an excellent bridge within it." Hearing this, Karen turned to look toward the distant Black Sea and chuckled. "Ha. Kanna complained to me that even with gods about to descend, Mr. Hoffen was still assigning her homework. "I'm feeling much the same right now. The gods are practically breaking through the door, yet here we are plotting such matters?" His complaint was not directed at Alfred. It stemmed mostly from the High Priest's baffling attitude during their call. "Young Master, I believe looking ahead to the future is inherently built upon supreme confidence in the current situation." "When will Luoya arrive?" "The spatial expansion personnel are currently erecting an altar to summon her. It should take about two hours." "I'm hungry. Let's have a meal first. Invite her to join us." "Understood, Young Master." Karen entered his tent. Little Kanna was already fast asleep inside. It seemed the black phoenix feed had proven a bit potent for her. In truth, that purple mushroom was meant to be brewed into a broth shared among an entire battalion of black phoenixes. Little Kanna had effectively devoured a battalion's worth of nutrition in a single meal. Karen stepped over to examine her. Finding nothing amiss, he saw she simply needed sleep to accelerate the absorption. Just then, Ventura walked in carrying a large pot, setting it atop a fire-attribute crystal in the tent to heat it. Karen walked over, lifted the lid, and saw a hodgepodge stew bubbling inside. "Why are we eating this?" "Ah? Mr. Alfred said you were hosting your Principles partner here, so I arranged the meal currently popular in the army—the Order Pot." "The one Neo invented?" "Yes, but please rest assured, this isn't the authentic version. There are no leftover scraps or swill in it; everything is fresh." On the desert battlefield, the biggest logistical issue for the Church of Order's legion had not been a shortage of food, but a lack of skilled cooks. Consequently, the rations for many legions consisted of nutrient-rich mush for all three meals. Back when Neo had commanded the legion in Karen's stead, he had used hotpot soup bases from Karen to revamp the hodgepodge stew. It eventually spread throughout the army, becoming a signature dish of the Church of Order's forces. Karen looked at the pot of spicy broth, sighed helplessly, sat down, and ladled a bowl for himself. At that moment, Philomena led two people inside. One was a middle-aged man, the head of this Principles observation delegation and the director of the Truth Institute. The God of Truth was a branch deity of the Church of Principles, making the director of the Truth Institute a figure of noble standing within their faith. As for the other, it was Xinyali. Having not seen her for a long time, Karen noticed she had grown taller. Though her bun hairstyle and thick spectacles remained unchanged, her complexion had improved, her face had settled into an oval shape, and her entire appearance had become noticeably clearer and prettier. "Secretary-General Karen, hello." Evidently, in the eyes of outsiders, his post as head of the Disciplinary Department had been completely overshadowed by his concurrent role. "Mm. Hello. Please, have a seat." Karen did not stand to receive them, continuing to eat his meal. The atmosphere of the meeting was hardly warm from the outset. The director seemed to misunderstand, assuming his presence was causing the awkward chill. Making an excuse that he had delegation business to attend to, he took his leave, leaving Xinyali behind. Once Karen finished eating, he set down his bowl and cutlery. Xinyali set her bowl down as well. "Go on, keep eating." "No, I'm actually not hungry." Xinyali took out a handkerchief to dab her mouth. "I must thank you. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today." "You're welcome. Though rather than thanking me, you'd be better off mourning before Neo's tombstone." The partnership between him and Xinyali had been born entirely out of the fellow-patient bond forged when Neo was severely injured and hospitalized. "I visit often," Xinyali said. "Mm. I imagine he would be quite pleased up in Heaven." "You Order believers don't believe in the existence of Heaven." "Still, we believers of Order harbor fond wishes for life." "Right now, many churches outside are waiting to watch the spectacle unfold here, including people within Principles." "I know." "Why did the Church of Order make such a choice?" "You're mistaken. We had no choice. This is our duty, our destiny, and our honor." Xinyali nodded. "I don't know what else I can do for you now. As a partner... the gap between you and me is far too vast." "Work diligently, and live well." "You really are perfunctory." Xinyali drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "My church's stance is that, to maintain a good relationship with you, they will permit me to consult our taboo archives on your behalf." "My apologies, but there is no need for that at the moment. If the need arises later, I will seek your assistance." In truth, with Grandpa Hoffen at home, there really was no use for Xinyali. What Grandpa Hoffen possessed was equivalent to the very foundation of the Church of Principles. "Are you busy?" "I still have a little time." "Alright. I'll sit a while longer." Xinyali picked up her bowl and resumed eating. She wasn't being gluttonous. Her action was much like how Karen had once deliberately dragged out his time in the Whip-Wielder's office—she needed to seek an endorsement of influence. Watching her, Karen felt as though he were looking at his past self, though even she was shedding her greenness. "I'm done." Xinyali set down her bowl once more and patted her chest gently; she had overeaten. "You could have just sat there. There was no need to force yourself." Xinyali shook her head. "If my mouth isn't eating, I have to talk, and that would be even more awkward." "Am I that frightening?" "Well, your High Priest, who never appoints secretaries, suddenly made you secretary-general. Doesn't that signal you're being groomed as the next High Priest? I am sitting across from the High Priest of Order." Karen stood up and said, "Then I also wish that you become the Teacher of Principles one day." Rising to her feet, Xinyali continued to shake her head. "No. I'd just become your puppet." "Haha." Karen chuckled. Xinyali smiled as well. After seeing his nominal partner out of the tent, Karen saw Muri approaching with a bronze box in his arms. "Minister, Luoya is here." "Mm." Karen placed his hand over the box, unraveling the seal. The bronze coin inside drifted upward and slipped into his pocket, adhering to the original coin on his person. Immediately, Luoya materialized, dressed in an attendant's uniform. The moment they met, she leapt onto Karen and wrapped her arms around him. "Brother Karen..." The posture was somewhat improper, especially with Ukonga's precedent fresh in memory; it was hard not to invite unwanted thoughts. Yet Karen did not push her away. Instead, he lightly rested a hand against her back, politely maintaining contact. The instant he touched Luoya, the restlessness, depression, anxiety, and other negative emotions brewing in his heart were thoroughly absorbed by her. His mind cleared instantly, as though he had pushed open a window and inhaled a deep lungful of crisp, dew-laden morning air. Indeed. There was no need to worry about what others thought or how they saw things. The task lay right before him; he only needed to do his duty. "Brother Karen, I missed you so much." Karen released his hold, and Luoya slid down, clutching the hem of his divine robe as she looked up at him. "Mmh..." Little Kanna, who hadn't been woken by the commotion of the meal or the guest earlier, rubbed her eyes and walked out of the tent at the sound of "Brother Karen." Spotting Luoya, she glared warily, pouting her lips. "Ah, our Little Kanna has grown so much since I last saw her, and your skin is getting fairer and fairer." Luoya walked over and wrapped her arms around Little Kanna. She looked like a young girl herself; standing together with Little Kanna, they resembled sisters. In terms of allegiance, Little Kanna was unquestionably in the same trench as Sister Purr—or rather, standing in Eunice's trench alongside Sister Purr. Yet every time they met, Luoya was remarkably gentle and caring toward her, even complimenting how fair her skin had become. Muri reported, "Minister, a captain claiming to lead a special squad of the Whip of Order requests an audience." "Bring them over." "Yes, Minister." Karen turned and said to Luoya, "We must begin our work first." Luoya's nose twitched slightly, her voice tinged with a slight whimper. "Mm, yes, work comes first. Brother Karen only ever looks for me when there's business to attend to." Seeing this, Little Kanna also showed a faint trace of guilt. Karen flicked Luoya on the forehead and chuckled. "You can stay a bit longer this time." "Really?" Luoya broke into an immediate smile, hugging Little Kanna before planting a kiss on her cheek. "Ouch!" Little Kanna tried to shove her away, constantly warning herself in her heart not to be corrupted. Yet every time defensive, resistant emotions welled up within her, contact with Luoya drained them clean. The captain was brought over by Muri. She was a female captain, and she bowed respectfully to Karen. "Greetings, Minister Karen. I am Mihachi, captain of the special squad." Officials of the Whip of Order preferred addressing Karen as "Minister" rather than "Secretary." "Hello." Mihachi produced a black gem. At that moment, a halo of light was radiating from within it. "Minister, by order of the Whip-Wielder, I hereby hand this over to you. Our target should have floated back by now, but..." Mihachi glanced at their surroundings. "We lack the capability to carry out the recovery operation." Due to the upheaval half a month ago, the Black Sea's surface area had expanded several times over, multiplying the difficulty of the recovery mission. As a special task force of the Whip of Order, they had no authority to mobilize the Knights' scouting units to assist in salvage. Mihachi continued, "Once it is salvaged, our squad has a dedicated awakener. Please entrust it to us to—" Karen gently turned the gem in his hand, speaking in a calm, measured voice. "This matter no longer concerns your squad." "Minister..." "Return and report your mission complete. Say it was by my order." "Yes, Minister." Mihachi led her team away. Karen raised the gem. The light radiating within was expanding continuously, signifying that the coffin was drawing nearer. "Kanna, Luoya, we're heading out. Muri, inform Daan that I am conducting the next round of reconnaissance immediately. Also, tell Morindi to assemble by my side." "Yes, Minister." Without waiting for Daan's reply, Karen stood atop Little Kanna's back and flew into the Black Sea once more. Morindi, the Grand Archmage of Necromancy, took the gem from Karen's hand and asked curiously, "Young Master, why did the High Priest want you to recover it?" "Because the High Priest wants to know the answer." "Then why didn't the High Priest have you bring it before him?" Recalling the High Priest's nonchalant demeanor and the wound on his forehead, Karen answered, "Because... the High Priest might already know the answer." Morindi sighed. "He has always been like this. No matter what he faces, he remains entirely self-centered, rarely sparing a thought for how his subordinates feel." Mid-flight, Little Kanna twisted her dragon head and asked, "Who are you hinting at?" Morindi immediately bowed toward Karen. "Young Master, I would never dare show you any disrespect." Karen paid it no mind. As he gazed down at the Black Sea below, he also watched Little Kanna steadily becoming stained once more by the waters' corruption. Before long, while still some distance from the core barrier, the gem emitted its strongest signal. Little Kanna lowered her altitude. Floating on the surface of the sea, they spotted a black coffin wrapped in specialized chains. It made one wonder whether this was an exploratory probe or an instrument of torture. Karen extended his hand. The seawater condensed into a pillar, lifting the coffin and depositing it onto the bone dragon's back. "Are we heading back, or pressing forward?" Little Kanna asked. "Stand by here." "Alright." Little Kanna descended further, soon soaking herself in the Black Sea. She flicked her tail now and then, seemingly hoping another Rapas would appear to fight her. The child who once had a clean freak's habits had, after indulging once, grown increasingly fond of rolling in the mud. Rather surprisingly, the iron chains and external seals on the coffin had not been eroded by the corruption, still retaining their function. At Karen's nod, Morindi placed the gem atop the coffin. As the gem shattered, the chains snapped, and the coffin's seal broke apart. *Crack...* The lid slid open, revealing an elderly man who appeared young. His appearance bore a slight resemblance to Ukonga: his face looked youthful, yet every detail of his body betrayed his true age. "Who is he?" Morindi asked. "Schumiller Bourne. Buken's former superior, and once the High Priest's greatest rival." Though his rivalry with the High Priest had ended in defeat, anyone capable of contending to the very end against the High Priest and Foden's faction was by no means ordinary. That the High Priest had specifically instructed Foden to arrange for him meant the High Priest had never forgotten him even now. "Young Master, what next...?" "You awaken him." "Yes, Young Master." Karen was unwilling to awaken him personally. Even without bestowing the status of the Twelve Knights, a simple awakening involved an instant of spiritual contact; if the target was sufficiently extraordinary and powerful, they could still perceive some of his secrets. The entity inside this coffin had just emerged from the core zone that Karen had yet to penetrate. God only knew what tainted him. The prelude to war was about gaining vision, but it was equally vital to conceal one's own secrets as much as possible. Morindi began her incantation. As a Grand Archmage of Order-aligned necromancy, her capabilities were not inferior to those of a senior awakener. Furthermore, bolstered by her faith in Karen, her power had seen a pronounced amplification. During her years imprisoned in the underground cavern, she had continued her cultivation; in a sense, Little Kanna was partly her creation, though she had been utterly depleted when she first met Karen and Neo. Inside the coffin, Schumiller slowly sat up and opened his eyes. Karen immediately raised a hand, condensing his law body to seal off the surroundings. Schumiller's gaze was forcibly redirected skyward, erupting in midair and blasting away the surrounding black mist, creating a rare expanse of clear sky above the Black Sea. That single glance packed the force of a high-tier magic crystal cannon shot. "Whoa?" Soaking in the seawater, Little Kanna shuddered involuntarily. Anyone would jump if fireworks of such magnitude were set off on their back. Seeing this, Morindi reflexively moved to terminate the awakening state, but Karen stopped her. "Augurev?" Among the branch deities of Order, only Augurev's gaze possessed such terrifying might. If Rapas, the tattoo on the Second God of Life's shoulder, could detach itself to swim and feed in the waters, why couldn't Augurev do the same? Except that the vessel carrying Augurev had been personally dispatched by the Whip-Wielder on the High Priest's orders. So had the High Priest intended to negotiate with Augurev through him? Yet why had he chosen to terminate it? Schumiller slowly closed his eyes, and the clear patch of sky overhead was swiftly swallowed once more by the black mist. Yet the awakened state had not ended. With his eyes closed, facing Karen, he spoke: "Believers of Order, your 'Lord' has returned." Karen said, "You have betrayed Order." A smile surfaced on Schumiller's face. "Even I didn't expect to return so quickly. Do you know what this signifies?" "What does it signify?" Schumiller raised his head and lifted both arms. "It signifies that the Lord has also betrayed Order. The Lord has returned; the Lord is calling to us." Karen replied, "I imagine the Lord would prefer to kick you right back in." Morindi inhaled sharply, her mouth half-open. In such a solemn, awe-inspiring setting, she suddenly felt an urge to laugh. "You are quite brave. I am curious: how many rebels like you are left within the church today?" Karen pointed in a direction—toward the edge of the Black Sea, toward the shore, where the Knights were stationed. "Many. They are all on the shore, preparing to blow you to pieces." "Heh. Do the believers of Order dare raise their hands against their Lord?" "Augurev, your current status is that of an apostate." "It matters not. We will establish a new Church of Order; we will correct all of this." "You are dreaming." "Dreaming? Hasn't Tyranus already returned?" "Tyranus is different from you." "Different from us?" Schumiller's expression darkened. "In truth, he is the same. He and us, us and him—we are all the same." Pausing, Schumiller revealed a deeply meaningful smile and continued: "All of you have been deceived by her." *** "Whip-Wielder." "Mm." Foden exchanged nods with Mobiten and walked straight toward the administrative temple. Ever since Karen became secretary, the High Priest seemed to treat Karen like one of his clones, drastically reducing his contact with Foden. Naturally, Foden did not view this as being sidelined, nor did he harbor any jealousy toward Karen. In fact, he was quite pleased with the arrangement; he only needed to focus on minding his own duties. The test-maker and the test-taker had come together, perfectly poised to torment each other in mutual strife. As for him, he even had the leisure to enjoy two cups of shaved ice every day. Entering the administrative temple, a stream of water rippled across the floor. Foden followed the flowing water into the private tea lounge, shielded from outside view. Two people sat within: one was the High Priest, and the other was also the High Priest. The sight reminded Foden of the two identical cups of shaved ice Viguline brought before him every evening after work. The High Priest reading a book looked up at Foden and said, "Have a seat." "Yes, High Priest." Foden sat down. Just then, the High Priest beside him, holding a cigar between his fingers, asked, "Who said you could sit?" Foden: "..."