Chapter 696 : The Hint

In the dead of night atop a tall clocktower in Monte, the corpse marionette man calling himself Nei stood in the cool evening breeze, facing the young general—Addus’s highest authority. As arranged beforehand via correspondence in the Literary Sea Logbook, they had come for a clandestine meeting tonight to exchange information.

“In my many years of treasure-hunting, I did come across some intelligence about Heopolis. I can give that to you. But before that, I’d like to clarify something: how much do your people actually know about Heopolis? And what’s your purpose in going there?”

Shadi’s expression was solemn as he posed the question to Nei. The latter responded without delay.

“What I can tell you is limited: Heopolis is a major ruin from the First Dynasty. It was once called the Land of Divine Revelation and was a key region of worship for the great Heaven’s Arbiter. We've been guided to return there. For us, revisiting Heopolis is a trial—a test. So we need more data to analyze.”

Nei’s words were calm and direct. Shadi was silent for a moment, then spoke seriously.

“The Land of Divine Revelation, huh? Sounds like you’re seeking to draw even closer to that ancient power…”

He then fixed his gaze on Nei and shifted the conversation.

“As for rumors of Heopolis—I heard them from an elder back when I served in a treasure-hunting syndicate. According to him, Heopolis was a vast and mysterious ancient city. It wasn’t part of any of the First Dynasty’s pharaonic kingdoms but was instead directly governed by the priesthood of the Heaven’s Arbiter, ruled absolutely by the Heaven-Decreed Sage, the High Priest. Over the millennia, many large and small treasure-hunting syndicates and Beyonder groups sought to find it and unlock its secrets, but all attempts failed. Not even a shadow of it was ever discovered…”

With his hands clasped behind his back, Shadi recounted slowly, lost in thought. He turned to gaze out the window at the bright moonlight, then continued.

“Stories of Heopolis have long circulated through treasure-hunting circles. People search for it constantly, but no one’s even managed to pinpoint a general direction. Nowadays, many simply believe Heopolis is just a myth—completely nonexistent. That elder told me one thing: ‘Heopolis does not exist in this world—it exists only in history.’”

Shadi finished, turning back to Nei, who now furrowed his brow.

“‘Exists only in history’? What did that elder mean by that? Was it a clue—or just poetic lament?”

“I wouldn’t know. That’s all he told me about Heopolis, and now I’ve passed all of it to you. How you interpret it, what you can glean from it—that’s on you.”

Shadi waved a hand dismissively.

Nei gave a slight nod and replied.

“Understood… we’ll investigate on our own. Thank you for sharing this information, General. I hope it proves useful.”

Shadi then added.

“I don’t know where you heard that Heopolis is in Busalet, but if you really want to trace the First Dynasty’s legacy, I recommend going to Bastis. That place was the capital for several of Busalet’s short-lived kingdoms. It’s probably the most relatively stable region in all that chaos—and the best place to gather intel.

“Besides, if you’re entering Busalet alongside the Church delegation, you’ll end up there anyway. It’s the most populous settlement in Busalet—and the most fitting place for that nun to carry out her ‘mission of salvation.’”

At this point, Shadi narrowed his eyes slightly and asked with curiosity.

“Speaking of which… what exactly is your relationship with Sister Vania now? She’s clearly quite close with your people. Whether it was in Yadith or here, your movements have been completely aligned. Don’t tell me again it’s just coincidence—your connection clearly runs deeper than what your people claimed before.

“Sister Vania holds a high position in the Church and is fully backed by the Redemption Faction. You must’ve invested quite a bit of effort into influencing her. Don’t tell me… you’re plotting something against the Church?”

His tone serious, Shadi pressed the question. As the ruler of Addus, he had to be cautious about diplomatic ties with the Church. The mysterious Heaven’s Arbiter Sect had already assisted him in seizing control of Addus during the Thunder Judgment incident—now their seeming maneuvering around the Church smelled like something deeper. It reminded him of how the Savior’s Advent Sect once tried to co-opt Addus to oppose the Church. He feared the Heaven’s Arbiter Sect might one day force him to take a side.

Shadi’s suspicion was met with a chuckle. Nei smiled faintly and replied.

“General, you worry too much…”

He then continued.

“We have no designs on the Church. It’s not our target. Do you really believe we’ve ‘corrupted’ Sister Vania?”

Shadi didn’t answer immediately. Nei’s question hung in the air before Shadi responded bluntly.

“What else am I supposed to think? If she hasn’t been corrupted, why would she risk violating Church canon just to remain this close to you?”

“Heh… General, have you never considered another possibility? That Sister Vania’s closeness with us might not require any secrecy from her superiors…”

Nei’s smile carried subtle meaning. Shadi froze. As if realizing something, he asked in disbelief.

“You mean… the Church is cooperating with you? The Radiance Church working with heretics?”

“Not entirely—but let’s just say… with one of its factions, at least,” Nei said, still smiling.

“Let me give you a small hint, General: the Church of today is not the Church of old. These days, the cardinals care less about spreading the Gospel of the Trinity, and more about amassing power. As long as it benefits them, former taboos are now just… bargaining chips.”

With a mysterious smirk, Nei began walking toward the stairs, clearly ready to leave.

“Wait—can’t you tell me more about the current state of the Church?”

Shadi called out after him, his expression serious.

But Nei didn’t stop.

“I’ve said all I’m authorized to say. Perhaps next time, I’ll be allowed to share more… For now—farewell.”

Waving a hand behind him, Nei descended the stairs of the clock tower, the creaking wooden boards fading into the night as he vanished into darkness—leaving Shadi alone on the rooftop.

“Tch… Judging by that puppet’s words, there must be some serious power struggle happening within the Church. That at least partly explains why that little nun dares communicate with a puppet cult without worrying about being discovered from above… If those above her are also compromised, then it all makes sense.”

In Shadi’s mind, the ancient revenant named Setut spoke with a gloomy tone. Hearing him, Shadi paused slightly, then replied just as gravely in thought.

“The Radiance Church is known for its unwavering faith. Even low-ranking clergy are hard to corrupt—let alone high-ranking ones. Would they really violate Church canon to cooperate with heretics? It just doesn’t seem likely… I can’t fully believe what that guy said.”

“It’s right that you don’t fully trust that puppet,” Setut replied, voice dark and solemn.

“But saying that the high-ranking ‘Lantern’ adherents are all loyal to their god and doctrine—that’s a major mistake… You don’t understand these Lantern fanatics at all.”

Shadi blinked in surprise, replying inwardly.

“What do you mean? Are you saying the high-ranking Lanterns aren’t devout?”

“No—on the contrary. They’re too devout. Devout to the point of lunacy. Listen—no matter how strict the doctrine or rigid the rules, zealots like these always develop their own ‘understanding’—their own interpretation. And they believe in it obsessively. These interpretations can be wildly distorted from the original teachings, leading them to do anything in the name of their faith—including making deals with heretics.

“They always have an explanation—and often, entire systems of logic to back it up. Unless their god personally descends to stop them, they’ll march blindly down these twisted paths, never to return.

“And in this current age… who knows what’s become of the gods? One thing’s for sure: they’re not as responsive as they once were. That makes it entirely possible for high-ranking Lantern zealots to go ideologically astray.”

Setut’s voice echoed in Shadi’s mind with dire gravity. Shadi furrowed his brows slightly and murmured.

“Even Lantern adherents… can fall to this kind of madness? That’s hard to believe…”

Then his thoughts shifted.

“Right. I passed on the info about Heopolis just like you told me. So—what did you think of Nei’s reaction?”

“Nothing too telling from his response alone,” Setut answered.

“The real question is whether they’ll be able to find Heopolis based solely on that clue.”

“And if they do find it?” Shadi asked.

“Then that means… they’ve truly inherited the legacy of the Divine Mentor. That they are the true rebirth and rightful heirs of Revelation in this era. In that case, I—and the rest of us ancients—will have to officially make contact with them…”

Setut’s voice faded into a brooding silence.

Standing alone, hands clasped behind his back, Shadi turned to gaze at the moon outside the window—imagining what might come when Setut and that cult finally intersected, and how it would reshape the world.

…

“Heopolis… only exists in history…”

Elsewhere in Monte, inside a high-class hotel, Dorothy sat upright in her room, mulling over the intelligence she had just received from Nei.

“That line Shadi quoted… it feels too meaningful. Could a senior member of an ordinary treasure-hunting syndicate really know something that profound?” she mused, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

Many ideas surfaced in her mind, but lacking sufficient clues, she set them aside for now.

“Forget it. No use overthinking. Who knows if that bizarre intel will even be useful. We’ll deal with it once we get to Busalet…”

With that final thought, Dorothy stood up to wash and prepare for bed—recharging for the journey ahead.

…

Dorothy and Nephthys remained in Monte for one day with Vania’s Church delegation, then set off again toward their true destination: Busalet. Since the purpose of the Church mission was to provide relief, they carried large quantities of humanitarian supplies. In addition to the Church’s own personnel and escorts, they had hired many locals in North Ufiga for logistical support. Dorothy and Nephthys used Vania’s presence as cover, blending into the rear logistics team that departed alongside the Church convoy.

After leaving Monte, the delegation first took a train to Liaka, another city in Addus. From there, the southwest-bound railway reached its terminus. Vania’s party had no choice but to switch to a caravan of pack animals as they approached the border.

At the Addus–Busalet border, the Church team encountered Addus Revolutionary Army soldiers tasked with handling plague refugees. It was there, in one of the border quarantine camps, that Dorothy and Vania finally saw the devastating illness spreading through Busalet firsthand.

Beneath the blazing sun, inside a wide temporary tent, Vania—clad in a white robe, masked and fully protected—stood with several medical personnel from the delegation. Before them lay rows of simple cots, each holding emaciated, weakened patients moaning feebly.

“Sister Vania, we’ve examined most of the patients. The symptoms are fairly consistent—pain, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, accelerated nutrient loss… Symptoms worsen over time. Many who’ve been infected for more than two weeks are completely bedridden, unable to move on their own,” reported a Black Earth-rank nun of the Holy Mother Path respectfully.

After a brief pause for thought, Vania asked.

“What about fatality and recovery rates? How many in this facility have died from the disease? How many recovered on their own?”

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The nun hesitated, then replied.

“Well… it’s strange, Sister Vania. According to the records from this site, not a single patient has recovered naturally from the illness. The spontaneous recovery rate is zero.

“As for deaths… that’s strange too. Not one person here has died directly from the plague or its complications. Every death so far occurred only after the illness peaked and patients became fully incapacitated—and then, due to severe shortages of staff and supplies, they perished from malnutrition.

“This disease… it doesn’t seem curable, but it also doesn’t kill directly…”