In the special command reception room, adorned with an ancient and dignified decor, Da Jyeer, wearing a faded pale red robe, along with two other members of the Hellfire Sect, joyfully made the acquaintance of people from other nations across the world.
They had never met before, and some among them were unaware of each other’s existence at all. Upon learning that the region under their jurisdiction was a small northern tribe thousands of miles away, the older man wiped his eyes with a touch of melancholy.
“I had thought that in this era, few would still wear these clothes. “
The aged voice echoed slightly in the spacious reception room.
“Nowadays, Fogfolk are tasked specially with vanquishing demons and disasters. If it weren’t for my father and grandfather both being part of the sect, I might not believe so strongly that praying to the Campfire would naturally make demons recede. ” A woman in her sixties, her hair neatly combed, took a glass of water and responded with equal delight.
As the three chatted congenially, someone entered through the door carrying fresh fruit and a hearty dinner, along with three bags full of clothes.
“Gentlemen, these are your changes of clothes, ” the newcomer said in a voice both gentle and firm.
Soft yellow lamplight streamed through the glass window, falling upon the sight of the three large bags. The three older members of the Hellfire Sect, still wearing their old, shabby clothes, immediately stood up.
“Are these for us? “
They looked incredulously at the tall soldier delivering these gifts before them.
“Why exactly is this? ” a man in his fifties asked. “Does it have something to do with us? “
The male officer with a firm, muscular jaw in front of them stated:
“We are merely following General Ross’s orders. Your dormitories will be in nearby apartments from now on, with each of you having a separate suite and proper meal arrangements. This has little to do with you personally, so please, the three of you, relax. “
After setting things down, he left a guard behind and walked out.
The three sat down, somewhat bewildered.
“General Ross? “
“Isn’t that a world-renowned hero? “
Under the steady coverage of recent newspapers, the common populace had gradually come to grasp the “truth “: without General Ross’s tireless lobbying, the seawater redirection plan would never have begun.
They believed that the eldest prince of Heventzic had entrusted certain Fogfolk groups, operating secretly under General Ross’s leadership, to carry out this grand salvation plan and achieve a hard-won success.
The newspapers also detailed the origin of the “Rooting Plan, ” vaguely interweaving with the history of the Hellfire Sect.
Yet, in all that promotional material, nothing about the Hellfire Sect was ever mentioned.
“If it has nothing to do with us, maybe the authorities have finally realized that the underground spiderweb left behind by that Rooting Plan is connected to the success of the exorcism ceremony our Hellfire Sect performed over two hundred years ago. “
As they chatted, the few of them opened the food boxes before them. Gazing at the dazzling array of colorful vegetables inside, they couldn’t help but swallow their saliva. It had been so long since they’d seen food like this. They all began to eat slowly and cautiously.
Before long, there was a sudden sound from the door. The three of them looked up to see a young man in a red robe standing there with wide eyes, pushing the door open and looking their way.
Laying his eyes on the three weathered old faces, Edgar Jin Christie felt a rush of excitement mixed with a pang of bitterness.
“Were you newly invited here, son? ” Seeing such a young new face appear, Da Jael wiped his hands and stood up.
“No, ” Jin Christie said excitedly, walking over. “My friends and I are the ones who invited you here. “
“What? “
The other two, with grains of rice still stuck to the corners of their mouths, looked up as if they hadn’t understood the meaning.
“Is your friend General Shang? “
Jin Christie placed the documents and pen he was holding onto the long table. “My friend is the initiator of the World Ark Committee, Chairman Yang, the one who set up those mobile broadcasting screens up in the sky. “
“Impossible! ” The three of them immediately straightened up and exchanged glances. Now they were completely in the dark about what was going on.
……
On the ocean, a train hurtled at high speed towards the boats tossed about by the churning waves.
Through the turbulent sea fog, the half-submerged vessel, after some hesitation, suddenly regained its bearings as if recovering from a state of blind confusion and steered directly toward a specific direction.
Ambassador Kai Ussy silently awaited the ship’s acceleration. With the staff in his hand gently tapping the deck of this ancient sea vessel, the ship seemed to merge with the surrounding sea mist from time to time, appearing and disappearing as it raced across the surface—like a true ghost ship.
……
By Yang Zicang’s side, Ma Shuo and his two companions, along with He Yishu and Zorro, had gathered at the entrance of the administrative office.
He Yishu was almost certain that he had only come to earn a share of the “Glory Light. ” He never imagined that in the short span between his unconsciousness and awakening, such revolutionary changes would have taken place. Although it was regrettable not to have participated in many events that could have spawned radiances, what was particularly strange was that he seemed to have been nurturing a “Glory Light ” within himself all along, and it had not ceased even now.
He looked at the notebook that Chairman Yang held in his hand. Ever since leaving the inn, even with only the moonlight to read by, the Chairman had been engrossed in it, nothing like his usual habit of skimming through certain documents in a single glance.
“How much longer do we have to wait? ” asked Jean Ussy.
“There should be enough time, ” Yang Zicang said, glancing at the moon in the sky. There were still one or two hours until midnight. “The train will return later. With it, our exploration will be much more convenient. “
Finally, one person arrived, waiting. The figure beside the guard was a farmer in his forties, his bearing simple and honest, his face weathered. On a night like this, he still wore travel boots with tied pant legs, seeming both formal and a bit excessive. Perhaps the farmer had no better shoes, or maybe he didn’t expect to return home to rest tonight, using them to keep warm.
“Who is he?” both The Biologist and the botanist asked curiously, poking their heads out from beside Yang Zicang.
“The Goatherd,” Yang Zicang said softly.
“Oh.” Ma Shuo responded indifferently, but noticed both the natives and Yang Buchen’s friend named Zorro all widened their eyes in unison, as if this word had some special significance to them.
“What’s wrong?” Ma Shuo looked at them, not understanding.
Zorro watched the farmer’s figure, slightly limping from years of outdoor walking, emerging from the shadows of trees under a flickering streetlight, step by step draw nearer. He took a deep breath, swallowed it back into his chest, and said:
“To be precise, he’s a battle Goatherd. On one hand, he uses his flock to drive away demons; on the other, it means it’s safe to proceed with the slaughter.“
Yang Zicang glanced at the notebook in his hand.
— May 5th, Year 298, Sunny.
— The arrival of the fishmonger means the slaughter will soon begin.
He snapped the notebook shut.
“Let’s go.“
Inside the gate, General Ross’s new secretary, who had waited for a good few minutes, welcomed them in.
……
In the reception room.
Amidst the cheerful conversation between several elders of the Hellfire Sect and Kim Klench, a slightly noisy sound of footsteps rang out from the entrance. Then those inside the room saw the stalwart middle-aged man, who almost daily appeared in one newspaper or magazine or another, with the appearance of a general, wearing a wide-brimmed military cap with a black brim. Accompanied by a tall, slender young man of a different ethnicity, he stepped into the large reception room while talking.
Following them were several soldiers, as well as a few Fogfolk in different attire and men with plaster casts on their limbs.
The general said with a slight smile, “Are you sure it’s no problem for us to just listen in? “
“If my guess is correct, then it shouldn’t be a problem. I’m just still not quite certain what the reason behind this is. “
Saying this, Yang Zicang glanced at the patrol passing by outside the courtyard. He then adjusted his expression and altered his demeanor, putting on a gentle smile as he swiftly walked forward to greet the elders, who had already risen and were moving toward him.
“Greetings to you all. Please, do sit down. “
“So, you are Mr. Yang Buchen. “
“General Ross, we finally meet you! Wuwu, how would so many of us manage without you? “
“Chairman Yang, your efforts are truly inspiring! So many people are sighing with gratitude that our world still holds hope and that there’s something to look forward to in the days ahead. “
These people spoke, explaining words overflowing with emotions they could hardly contain, some on the verge of tears. It took quite a while for them to calm down. This elderly woman of around sixty years one was already sobbing, tears streaming down her face.
After a round of comforting and introductions, General Ross signaled for some people to leave, leaving only a guard by his side.
“Alright, the rest of the time is yours. ” He sat down on the other side of the reception room, making it clear he would not be part of this conversation.
The older adults and the newly arrived farmer all sat somewhat stiffly at one corner of the table.
“May I ask, Chairman Yang, why have you brought us here? Edgar here refuses to say a word either. “
Zorro and He Yishu sat by the table to act as recorders. They looked at Yang Zicang, who took out a notebook and placed it in front of the three of them.
They still had no idea what had happened.
“This is a diary and notebook I found, written by a traveler about two hundred years ago. Besides many private experiences and trivial records, it contains content about the Hellfire Sect. I believe this is the personal notebook of a distinguished man from your sect. “
“This… “
The three of them looked at it. The farmer, who had been sitting upright with his hands on his knees, also leaned in to take a glance.
“It records some events. It seems about two hundred years ago, roughly two hundred and forty years ago, there were many man-eating demons appearing in this world. I discovered that the major demonic incidents recorded in it are all linked to iron vines that grew from underground. “
Da·Ja’ir opened the notebook and glanced at it for a bit. The other man nearby said, “This is actually the manuscript of Elder Karol Ken. “
“That name sounds a bit strange. “
“He is a nomadic tribesman. Over there, in their homeland, similar kinds of demons often appear, ” said the man in his fifties from the Hellfire Sect.
“Really? Then why are there hardly any records of this in other parts of the world? ” someone asked.
Yang Zicang also said, “Right. Apart from some accounts in this diary of birds and beasts being devoured, this Elder Kaluozhen didn’t mention much related to this. Instead, he lamented that the people in the central and southern parts of the continent often suffered from demonic invasions because they didn’t know how to show reverence. “
Dar Jair tapped his fingers on the table.
“The prevailing theory at the time was that demons might prefer the north, but were unwilling to disturb the residents there. Therefore, people in that era believed that demons could be communicated with and driven away. “
“And because there are so many kinds of demons, this Iron Vine Demon, with its peculiar origins, mixed in among them and was not given particular attention, ” the old grandmother also spoke in a low tone.
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