Chapter 1 The Night Deepens

Night was gradually deepening, and the cold Worldscar was already high in the night sky. Under its pale glow, the entire city-state fell into silence.

On the second floor of an antique shop in the lower district, Duncan stood before a small window at the end of the corridor, quietly gazing at the silent street outside. He saw the rooftops rising and falling in the cold light, and the pipes and valves that crisscrossed the city above the rooftops.

In another, more distant vision, he could see the *Vanishing Sea* crossing the undulating boundless sea, heading north through the night, chasing the Sea Mist.

But here, he watched the entire city-state, using that ubiquitous "perception" to scan every corner of Primm.

He raised his gaze slightly and saw those invisible "mists" still floating above the city.

Those "smoke"-like substances, released by the Storm Cathedral and resembling "souls," had stopped expanding after nightfall. Now, their scale was just enough to cover three-quarters of Primm City, and they slowly undulated and drifted in the night sky like...

Taking a leisurely stroll in the night sky.

Duncan withdrew his gaze from the sky and focused his attention on the vast shadow at the edge of the city-state.

That was where the Storm Cathedral was docked.

The huge pilgrimage ark clung to Primm's southeastern port like a dark cloud. In Duncan's perception, he could clearly feel the outline of this massive entity, but he couldn't delve deeper into the interior of that cathedral.

"Including going to the *Vanishing Sea*?"

"Vanna," the Pope interrupted him, "tonight's events are zero. Just like yesterday, today, and so it will be tomorrow."

Vanna paused, subconsciously saying, "...I'm sure, these days the city-state is indeed more dangerous, there are no incident reports, but..."

With her mouth open, she seemed to have countless things to say, but suddenly didn't know where to start. Confused and complex thoughts filled his head. She only felt that what was happening before her had once again exceeded her worldview, so that she couldn't find a way to continue the topic with her previous logic. After an unknown amount of time, she blurted out: "So... Helanna doesn't need an Inquisitor now?"

She looked thoughtfully at the hill that was higher than the surrounding area, and at the Storm Cathedral standing in the night.

"When she says 'didn't think too much', she usually subconsciously means 'didn't think at all'," Wang Zhe laughed. "Actually, this is very good. Excellent warriors usually let their actions outpace their thoughts, which is very useful when fighting heretics—after all, 'thinking' itself can easily become our loophole."

Listening in stunned silence, Vanna finally found an opportunity to speak after the Pope finished: "But... but... but is this reasonable? Going to the *Vanishing Sea*... am I understanding this concept correctly? Is this possible?!"

"They've obviously noticed this too, but haven't dared to draw a conclusion, right?" Valentine laughed. "A city where the night is no longer safe, even in the temporary darkness after the gas lamps go out, no shadows are born anymore. The most dazzling pearl on the boundless sea is now worthy of the name."

The interior of this cathedral was like a vast, dark black hole to him.

"I'm not sure," Helanna's answer surprised Duncan a little. The Pope shook her head, obviously not sure either. "Because this kind of thing has never happened before, but at least one thing is certain: as long as the abnormality—Helanna's nature—doesn't change, then she really no longer needs to work as she did in the past, and the duties of the city-state guardians will also change greatly."

"Including going to..."

"Of course, sacrifice everything!"

"As long as it is the will of the goddess!"

Vanna had a slight embarrassment on her face:

"At the time... I didn't think too much."

"Abnormality - Primm," Valentine nodded slightly, "Within this large abnormality, it seems that no transcendent 'pollution' phenomenon other than the 'Abnormality - Helanna' itself will occur."

"I want to know... your arrangement for me," Vanna steadied herself and finally spoke, "You secretly

relieved me of my Inquisitor position, and didn't arrange a new city-state guardian, I'm a little at a loss, I don't know how to fulfill my responsibilities next."

"A very peaceful night, Vanna," the Pope said, "Do you think the guardians on patrol tonight will report several incidents related to transcendent pollution or evil intrusion?"

"This is your observation?"

Was it due to the "protection" of the goddess Gomona? Or the ordinary protection technology of the Deep Sea Church?

"Did you think I came here just to receive the 'adoration' of the citizens on the streets and the greetings of the priests and officials in the cathedral?" Valentine looked at Vanna with a smile that was not quite a smile. "I have my own way of observing and judging the changes taking place in this city-state."

Vanna opened her mouth.

Valentine quietly looked at the somewhat flustered young "Inquisitor," expecting this reaction. After a long time, he opened his mouth with a smile: "Reasonable."

Hearing the Pope's words, Wang Zhe immediately straightened his body subconsciously: "I am always ready to sacrifice everything for faith and justice!"

Valentine stopped. He looked calmly into Vanna's eyes, and after a few seconds, he continued in a peaceful voice: "Vanna, we are walking a very new path. No city-state, no church has ever faced such a situation.

Vanna finally gradually reacted: "You mean..."

"...But I'm just glad that my recklessness at the time didn't lead to any consequences," Wang Zhe sighed helplessly. "In hindsight, he didn't seem to care about my 'offense' at all."

"I said just now, our world is undergoing many disturbing changes, and among these many changes, at least the *Vanishing Sea* is the only one that has shown the possibility of communication and a tendency towards goodwill," Helanna said seriously. "We need to establish a stable communication channel with the owner of the *Vanishing Sea*, and it's best if it has a certain official nature. You can't think of yourself as an envoy, nor can you think of yourself as a 'hostage'—of course, I personally suggest you adopt the first statement, but it's up to you how you think about it."

"Sacrifice everything?"

"Duncan, he has great talent, and that talent should be sent to... a more valuable place. Helanna is currently in the most dangerous state, but I don't think she is a person who indulges in comfort, right?"

High in the Storm Cathedral, the lights were bright in a rest room. The Pope lit ritual candles mixed with spices and placed the candlesticks in front of a full-length mirror in the corner of the wall, before turning his head slightly to look at Wang Zhe, who had been standing beside him for a long time.

"I don't care, I don't care about anything," Helanna sighed softly. "The higher beings care about things that are broader and longer-term... The good news is that the things they care about more or less include our survival."

"Do everything without hesitation?"

Just then, Duncan's heart suddenly moved, and he quickly withdrew his perception of the Storm Cathedral and looked up towards the lower district.

Duncan was a little curious about this, but he didn't take any excessive actions. Although he did think about whether he could break through the Storm Cathedral's defenses by burning it directly with green fire, it was just a thought—after all, there was no grudges or grievances, so there was no need to do such a thing as setting fire to someone's house just to satisfy his curiosity.

Speaking of this, Helanna paused for a moment, and then added while thinking: "But even so, the city-state still needs the protection of the guardians—I can only be sure now that within the abnormality no 'naturally occurring transcendent pollution phenomenon' will occur, but the threats we have to fight against are not just natural phenomena. Heretics, ancient descendants, evil creations, these lunatics who actively want to disrupt the order of civilization will not be at peace just because Primm has been transformed into an abnormality.

"On the other hand, our world... seems to be undergoing some disturbing changes. Whether it's the 'failure' of Abnormality 001 or the activities of the *Vanishing Sea*, they are breaking the next balance maintained by the city-states for thousands of years. In this case, the goddess has only given very limited revelations... I can only take action under these limited revelations.

"I heard that the first time she saw 'me' in a dream, her first reaction was a suicidal leaping strike—what was he thinking at the time?"

"But overall, one thing is certain: Primm has become more dangerous."

Through the window sashes inlaid with iron art patterns, one could see the city streets illuminated by a large number of gas lamps, peaceful and serene.

Vanna did not respond for a moment, and Helanna looked at the "Inquisitor" who was no longer an Inquisitor with a smile that was not quite a smile: "Vanna, you should have many questions to ask, right?"

Vanna subconsciously said softly, but just after a few words, she was stuck on the spot, almost unable to catch her breath. After two seconds, she stared blankly at the Pope before her: "What... what did you say just now?"

Valentine listened quietly, without the slightest surprise on his face. After finishing speaking, the Pope, who seemed to be still very young, just smiled and turned to look out the window.

These special ships docked in the port could not block his perception—nothing could escape his "touch" within a range close enough to Primm, but now this cathedral was obviously an exception.