Section 1
In Area 51 of the White Eagle Federation, within a clandestine underground command hall, a man in a black leather suit stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
“Leader, Captain Lei Quan of the Third Secret Combat Team has returned,” his assistant reported.
The man in black leather remained silent for a moment. “What did Lei Quan say?”
“Captain Lei Quan…” the assistant chose his words carefully, “besides being captured by a strong individual from Dong Huang, there was no other information. We only know that many Dong Huang powerhouses appeared in Wanta Country that day, an extremely large number, and the Third Secret Combat Team was no match for them.”
That was utter nonsense!
If not for a significant numerical advantage, how could the Third Secret Combat Team have been defeated and all its members captured?! They were simply useless! If it weren't for the leader’s awareness of Lei Quan and the others’ strength, and the current need for personnel, he would have handed the Third Secret Combat Team over to the research department.
Having been disappointed many times before, and with sufficient mental preparation, the leader was not overly angered this time. He merely fell silent for a moment before saying, “Reduce the welfare benefits of the Third Secret Combat Team to the lowest tier. As for anything else… has there been any new progress in the search of the Shattered Lands?”
The assistant shook his head. The Shattered Lands were truly just a mess. Not a single item of high value was found, as if it had already been plundered. It was clearly just a derelict place to begin with. After saying this, he quickly added, “But, as you instructed, we have made progress in searching for various confidential matters in the Ou Luo Continent.”
The black leather-clad man raised his eyelids slightly.
The assistant continued, “The origin of the Red Moon Ritual is related to a certain cult. Today, countries like Ri Luo and Lang Hua are also aggressively pursuing cultists, but…”
“On the continent of Ou Luo, many new churches and secret organizations have emerged.”
“Some churches preach the end of the world, and many secret organizations are scamming people under the guise of supernatural powers. However, after sifting through them, we discovered that there are also churches and organizations within them that possess real power.”
“It’s not just a matter of awakened forces. Several of these organizations appear quite mysterious.”
“The first is the Society of Truth, whose purpose is to pursue the truth of the world. Its president is very mysterious and powerful, having once defeated the third strongest individual in Lang Hua Country. We suspect this person possesses top-tier anomalous artifacts.”
“The second is Eternal Life Technology, funded by multiple financial groups. Its reach extends across Ou Luo, even into our White Eagle Federation. However, the influence of mere secular financial groups on the cultivation of awakened individuals is limited. Eternal Life Technology seems to have developed potions that awakened individuals can use. We suspect a mysterious force stands behind this conglomerate.”
“The third is the Twilight Cult. This cult has been designated a cult by countries like Ri Luo and Lang Hua, and there have been attempts to crack down on them, but with little effect… This cult seems to aim for world destruction and might be connected to the previous Red Moon cult.”
“The fourth is Torch Town. It began as a town spontaneously formed by awakened individuals, and later grew in strength. Its leader, Roland, is rumored to be extremely powerful.”
“The fifth is the Coven of Witches. Like the first three, it is an awakened force that suddenly emerged after being publicly revealed as mysterious. This organization is quite unique, only recruiting potential female members, and not accepting older ones.”
The assistant elaborated on the Coven of Witches’ various peculiar rules.
But,
“A top-tier powerhouse from this organization once intervened, forcefully eliminating a large-scale anomalous evil. The entire process was effortless and swift. We estimate her to be a third-level awakened! Furthermore, this organization has numerous second-level powerhouses, far more than what we have currently discovered.”
“Hm?”
The black leather-clad leader turned around, capturing the key point. “Three-awakened?”
They only had two three-awakened individuals in Area 51, and they had achieved that level through special means. An unofficial awakened organization possessing a three-awakened powerhouse was indeed hiding a great secret.
“Is it the leader of the Coven of Witches? Interesting.”
“No, it is not.”
The assistant replied, “The leader of the Coven is a young woman who calls herself the Scarlet Witch, but we have not found any record of her taking action.”
“Therefore, among the five special forces we have discovered, according to our analysis, Torch Town is the most ordinary and holds the fewest secrets, while the Coven of Witches is the most powerful and the most mysterious!”
The leader pondered for a moment.
“Unearth their secrets.”
…
Within a secret hiding place of the Twilight Cult.
Priest Vawada sweated profusely. “Damn it, what’s wrong with this world?!”
He had descended ten days ago. By chance, he had detected this world being consumed by the demon realm. Carrying the glory of the supreme ‘Ancient Twilight’ Lord, Vawada used a special item to mold his avatar and enter this world.
A world called Blue Star.
He was an old priest, having spread the Lord’s glory many times, and was well-versed in this line of work. After a brief rest upon arriving on Blue Star, Vawada established the Twilight Cult. This was a crucial step. He needed the collective strength of the cult’s believers for his avatar, which was being repelled by the native environment, to gain a foothold in this world and slowly recover his strength. Simultaneously, using the believers’ strength as an anchor, Vawada could establish contact with his main body and open a gap in the Blue Star world to receive support from his main body. This would allow him to continue strengthening the cult, continue spreading the Lord’s glory until it encompassed the entire world. As for the native resistance encountered along the way? It would be crushed.
This was the original plan. This world did not seem to be polluted by any other evil gods, so the beginning was very perfect.
But, why was it that as soon as the cult was formed and believers were recruited, it was subjected to fierce attacks from native forces? He had clearly created a righteous cult! He hadn't even shown his fangs yet! But he was targeted so quickly? It was illogical!
Vawada had spread the Lord’s glory in several worlds without ever encountering such a situation, and he couldn’t understand it. After being heavily besieged by Ri Luo Country, and his newly cultivated believers suffering heavy casualties, Vawada left Ri Luo Country with the words, "I will return for revenge."
He gathered information. He discovered that the awakened power in this Blue Star world was not weak, but this native world was fragmented, with no unified forces. Since Ri Luo Country was not a suitable place for development, he would go to another country. For safety, for his plan, and for the great Lord, Vawada endured humiliation and came to a small country, intending to recreate the glory of the Twilight Cult there. He completely went into hiding, and recruiting believers became a cautious endeavor.
But all his endurance was worth it. The Twilight Cult soon cultivated dozens of awakened individuals. Just as he was preparing to expand his influence and accelerate development… he suddenly encountered several women. Female awakened. Then, the dozens of believers he had painstakingly accumulated were annihilated, all of them! The Twilight Cult suffered a heavy blow.
Vawada felt wronged, angry, and enraged. He no longer wanted to endure humiliation. Even if it meant being expelled from the Blue Star world, he would destroy these people who ruined his grand undertaking! He unleashed the full power of his avatar.
Twilight descends! Vegetation withers!
Power surged from within him, and then… he was beaten. He was bombarded by more than a dozen giant fireballs, blasted into the ground, his body cracking, and engulfed in flames. If he hadn't immediately used an escape technique, he might have lost his life.
Such a powerful individual in a small world like Blue Star? Vawada was both shocked and indignant, and wronged. Wronged that he, of all people, had to run into such a powerhouse, who was likely the strongest in the world. But it didn't matter. He was still alive, and while alive, there was hope. Once he rebuilt the Twilight Cult, performed the consecration ceremony, and reclaimed the power of his main body, it would be the day of his revenge! You will all die!
…
In Ri Luo Country,
The high-level round table meeting of the Night Watchmen organization.
“The Twilight Cult is likely a true cult church, similar to the Red Moon Church, but we cannot find any trace of it within Ri Luo Country at present.”
“We don’t know if it’s truly absent or if it’s hidden. We need to continue searching. The latter is more likely, as we failed to detect the Red Moon Church’s concealment last time.”
“We need a method to truly identify cult churches. Has that mysterious organization been found?”
“Currently, there is a powerful active organization in Ou Luo called the Coven of Witches, but it doesn’t seem to be them.”
“Could it be Eternal Life Technology or the Society of Truth?”
“Even less likely. This organization’s conduct is very low-key. Finding them might require…”
Suddenly,
Yul, one of the high-ranking members of the round table meeting, received a message and smiled.
“Found it! The secret is in Snowdrift City!”
Yul, and even the foremost figure within the Night Watchmen organization, Archmage Antonie, personally paid a visit.
Initially, their sole objective was to obtain the secrets behind the Red Moon Ritual from the mysterious organization and find methods to identify cultists. However, soon, as great secrets, special potions, awakened weapons far beyond their level, and the Sky Eye system were revealed, the leaders of the Night Watchmen department experienced shock, surprise, astonishment, dread, and elation! Their expressions changed several times in a short period, like a performance of facial contortions.
The Ri Luo Country Night Watchmen department quickly reached a transaction with the Hearthfire.
Because Ri Luo Country possessed a secret realm and had a three-awakened powerhouse stationed there, and its wealth far surpassed Lang Hua Country, negotiations were originally smooth. Furthermore, for some unspoken reason, the already rapid cooperation discussions became even faster, concluding within half a day. Yul even lavishly purchased thirty training slots.
On the way back, he remarked, “Hearthfire excels in potions and awakened equipment, and may also possess some special training secret methods.”
“By purchasing thirty exchange slots, we might truly learn something. Even if we don’t, it will facilitate exchanges with Hearthfire personnel.” After all, learning and training would require them to be together, fostering familiarity over time. This would deepen the connection with Hearthfire! That was the most important thing! Paying tuition fees was for making friends; the learning and training were just a bonus.
…
In White Bear Country,
While collecting information from various countries and organizations, Ice King Sergei suddenly discovered,
“It’s him, it’s him, it’s him!”
“The Chairman of the Pei Family Security Group is the mysterious powerhouse who appeared that day!”
…
In Lang Hua Country,
Anderson’s position within the Super Combat Department was as firm as ever.
“Heh~ Today is an important day. Hearthfire has promised us that the Sky Eye system has been fully deployed, and the next step is to thoroughly clear the anomalies from all cities.”
“Soon, the public will understand that Lang Hua Country is the safest country in the world, even safer than the White Eagle Federation!”
“We are at the forefront of the times!” He was excited, he was pleased! He would lead Lang Hua Country to the pinnacle of the new era!
Just then,
A subordinate ran over and whispered in his ear, “Minister, the people from Ri Luo Country have contacted Hearthfire, and… and the cooperation they reached is far more extensive than ours, much more!”