Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 192 Homeward Journey (4k3)

We stayed one last night at the Wolf Hunt Tavern.

The next morning, Luo Xiu packed up his things and went to the tavern restaurant with Index to enjoy the wild breakfast made by Isaac himself. Then they went to the first floor of the tavern to say their final goodbyes to Isaac.

But unexpectedly, Isaac did not seem to be in the tavern. He just left a note on the table beside the inner room.

The note read: "I am Isaac, Isaac Neves, and I have to go out urgently. If any old friends come to see me, they can wait for me until the evening; if you are a guest, the price for one night's accommodation is two gold coins, leave the money and go upstairs, the key is in the room on the second floor; if you want to return the key after checking out, please leave the key on the table..."

"..."

After quickly reading the rough handwriting, Luo Xiu showed a helpless smile, took out the key of the previous room from the bracelet, and placed it on the table, then turned back to Index and said:
"Let's go. When Isaac comes back and sees this key, he will know that we have left the store."

"Now, it's time to return to Sina City... There are still many things to do when we get back."

As he spoke, Luo Xiu walked out of the inner room of the tavern, left the tavern, and walked onto the main street leading to the outside of Songyuan City.

They first went to the post station to get two fast horses, and then left Songyuan City, galloping on their horses on the way home, occasionally looking back at the outline of the Songyuan City wall in the distance.

It became increasingly blurred, and finally converged into a point and disappeared.

……

One day later, outside Songyuan City, there was a dark and hidden camp.

The "violent swordsman" Bagli, after recuperating in Songyuan City for half a day, he disguised himself as a refugee again, mixed in with their team, and left Songyuan City.

Just as Luo Xiu had ordered him to do before, after leaving the city, Bagli went straight to the hidden camp where the "Executioner" Koros was entrenched to "report" the results of the operation to Koros.

At this time, the "Executioner" Koros was in a large tent in the center, sitting in front of a long, quaint table with many strange hanging lamps on it, thinking deeply about something with his eyes.

At the same time, Koros heard hurried footsteps.

He turned his head slightly and saw Bagli, the "Fang Head" and "Guillotine" he had sent out before, walking quickly into his tent.

"…You made it back alive, 'Guillotine'."

A deep light suddenly flashed in the eyes of Executioner Koros. He nodded slowly and said, "Very good, very good."

"..." Bagli did not respond to him immediately, but knelt on one knee behind Koros and said in a low and sad voice:

"I apologize to you, Lord Koros. I failed to complete the task you assigned me. Please punish me."

Hearing this, Koros's expression did not fluctuate much. He just nodded slightly and said:

"Yes... I knew it a long time ago. None of the 'Black Fangs' we sent out this time survived... I knew that the enemy would be more difficult than we thought."

"Stand up and tell me, 'Guillotine'. As the only survivor, what did you experience? What did you notice?"

"..."

When he realized that the "Executioner" Koros did not seem to have any intention of sentencing him for the time being, Bagli did not say anything more, but slowly stood up from behind Koros and said in a low voice:
"Master Koros. The target you designated, the 'priest', does have the Quadruple Fate."

"And the thing you want, the remaining pages of the manuscript, is indeed in his hands."

"..."

"……really."

Koros nodded, his eyes becoming dark and deep, "And then?"

"Then, Master Koros."

Bagli continued, "The Supreme is also involved in our operation, and two 'Throne Knights' with fourfold destinies are protecting him."

"You mean the Supreme?" Koros asked with a surprised look on his face, "How could the Supreme be involved in our operation... However, if that's the case, sending only one of you, the 'Fang Chief', is indeed not enough... For the next mission, I need to send three people, at least three..."

"No, Master Koros, there is no need for that."

Bagli interrupted him at the right time and said:

"He is just a retired throne knight. The relationship between him and the 'priest' is just an ordinary hired guard relationship."

"And now, this employment relationship has ended. Because that 'priest'... he is not a clergyman of the 'Holy See', but from the 'Pure Order'."

"..."

Bang! Koros stood up suddenly, and the chair fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

Koros's eyes were now filled with astonishment and confusion.

He turned around, stared at Bagli with deep eyes, and asked in a cold voice:
"You said 'Pure Order'? Are you sure it's the 'Pure Order'? If they are members of the 'Pure Order', why would they possess something that could be [Intelligence]?"

"I think that may be the case, Lord Koros."

Bagli was not intimidated by Koros's sudden rise in momentum, but said calmly:
"We know that the 'Pure Order' and the 'Hidden Omniscient One' are both hostile to each other and use each other."

"I think that the manuscript, which may be the forbidden knowledge of [Intelligence], may be the key for the fanatics of the 'Pure Order' to check and balance or lure the members of the 'Hidden Omniscient'."

"..." Koros didn't say anything, but frowned and thought about it carefully.

"But why would the 'Lord of Blood Sacrifice' have this note? Although the 'Black Devouring Runes' and 'Rotten Bone Alchemy' recorded in it do seem to be something that the 'Lord of Blood Sacrifice' would be interested in..."

Through studying "Side's Notes" in the past few days, Koros also roughly understood the general content of the forbidden knowledge recorded in it.

"But that shouldn't be the case... If this codex has always been hidden by the 'Lord of Blood Sacrifice', it is understandable that he is related to the 'Hidden Omniscient', but how could he be related to the 'Pure Order'..."

"..."

Koros thought about it in his mind, but he felt that he was getting deeper and deeper into trouble and could not find the key to the problem.

He then bent down again, straightened the chair that had been thrown aside, and sat back on it with his body lowered.

Koros' fingers began to tap the armrest rhythmically again and again.

His brows were sometimes furrowed and sometimes relaxed, as if he was struggling with an important decision.

Finally, Koros made up his mind.

"You did well, 'Guillotine', and the information you brought back is valuable."

Koros said to Bagli: "Therefore, although you did not complete my task, I will not punish you."

"It's just that you have to do another thing for me."

"Go find the 'Hidden Omniscients' nearby and their leader, the 'Hidden Elder' Baberon, and tell him about what you told me before and the fact that Sayid's Notes is in my hands."

"..."

"I understand."

Bagli nodded, "I will follow your instructions."

Then, "Executioner" Koros waved his hand backwards, indicating that Bagli could leave.

Bagli did not stop there. He retreated silently and soon disappeared from the corner of Koros's sight.

What Koros didn't notice was...

In the eyes of "Guillotine" Bagli, whom he trusted and regarded as his confidant, the originally scarlet pupils were now mixed with a deep dark purple.

The dark purple light was flickering at this moment, and it would eventually evolve into a raging fire that would burn away all the darkness.

……

Songyuan City, Wind Chime Square.

Attorney General's Office Branch.

"Arbitrator" Randall had just finished his work when the door of the arbitration room was knocked hastily. Randall looked a little impatient, so he summoned his "spiritual body" and asked it to walk forward and open the door of the room.

"'Arbitrator' Randall, I am a messenger from the mansion. Please arrive at the 'Round Table Hall' on time before 4 o'clock this afternoon."

The moment the spirit opened the door, Randall saw a "messenger" wearing a crimson robe and a gorgeous long-brimmed hat.

He did not greet Landauer, nor did he exchange extra greetings. Instead, he told Landauer directly:
"Lord Gawain Bakar has issued an order to all the Supremes of Songyuan City who are at or below the fourth level. Everyone must gather at the Round Table Hall before the specified time. At that time, the Lord will make an important decision."

"..."

"I got it." Randolph nodded and said, "I will go to the Round Table Hall on time, Lord Gawain, please rest assured."

"..."

"That's good."

The Messenger nodded with a satisfied look on his face. "Sorry for bothering you, Arbitrator Randall. You can continue with your work now."

After saying this, the "Messenger" turned and left the arbitration room, and the door of the room automatically closed without any wind.

After the "messenger" left, Randall's face showed an expression of confusion.

"Didn't we just hold a meeting at the Round Table? It's only been a few days since then..."

"Gawain... that lord, what important resolution does he want to announce?"

Randall murmured, and many possibilities occurred to his mind at the same time.

But soon, he gave up thinking, leaned back on the soft chair, and enjoyed the precious relaxing time between finishing work and heading to the Round Table Hall.

But good times are always so short. Suddenly, Randall opened his eyes abruptly.

He remembered something else that was quite important to him.

"That priest... the 'Holy Judge' of the Church of Sina City..."

"My token...hasn't he returned it to me yet?!"

"..."

Landauer began to look grim.

"Oh, my God... and that damn debt of 382 gold coins and 18 silver coins, all of which he owed me for his extravagant shopping..."

"..."

Randall gradually felt that the happiness he had finally gained during his rest time suddenly disappeared, and was replaced by dark lines that covered his face.

He originally wanted to find the priest from Sina City to get his token back.

But after thinking about it, Randall found that he didn't seem to know where the other person lived...

Randall then gave up this idea and chose to wait for the priest. When he was about to leave Songyuan City, he consciously returned the token to him.

"He should... still be in Songyuan City, right? This morning, I received a receipt from a merchant showing his purchases in my name..."

As Randall thought this, he waved his hand and summoned his spiritual body back to him.

"My spirit body... [convey these messages for me]."

Landauer's spirit then stood in front of Landauer with a respectful attitude, waiting for its master to issue a new decree.

"You go to the Law Office and [submit an application for reimbursement of these bills], with the reason being [handling official business with the Holy See - Sina City Church]."

"..."

Upon hearing this, the spirit nodded slightly, indicating that he had remembered it, and then walked towards the door.

"Yes, there is more."

Suddenly, Randall called out to his spirit body.

The spirit body stopped, turned around, and made a listening gesture.

"Add [the previous proposal]."

Landauer added the edict, saying:
"That's the proposal for a new 'subsidy' to the Church in Sina City."

"Many of the items were also [applied for reimbursement from the Law Office], and the reason was also [handling official business with the Holy See - Sina City Church]."

"..."

The spirit body took note of this, nodded to Randall, then turned around and walked out of the room again, disappearing around the corner.

……

Three days later.

Nolan Empire, Songyuan Territory, Sina City.

"We are back, Intis."

A young voice said with a cheerful tone.

In front of the city gate, Luo Xiu and Intis got off the post horse, walked through the crowd of people queuing for inspection on both sides, and went straight to the guards guarding the gate.

The middle passage is the exclusive passage for people with relatively respected status or identity in Xina City and even in the Empire. Two guards crossed their long spears and stopped Luo Xiu from entering the city.

"Who are you?" The guard looked at Luo Xiu, who was dressed in plain clothes, and could not see anything "noble" about him.

In the past, after Luo Xiu showed his "priest certificate", the guards would let him pass.

But this time when he returned to Sina City, Luo Xiu did not do so directly.

With the mentality of giving it a try, Luo Xiu took out the token of the previous "Arbitrator" Randall and showed it to the guards in front of him.

When the guard saw the token, his eyes widened, he quickly stepped aside, stood at attention, and said:

"Welcome to Xina City! Please come into the city. The City Lord's Mansion will take care of your daily life and travel..."

"No need." Luo Xiu said calmly, and then he and Intis entered the city. Their figures became smaller and smaller and farther away under the eager gaze of the guards.

……

While walking on the long-missed streets of Sina City, Luo Xiu looked at the token of the 'Arbitrator' Randall in his hand, with a happy expression on his face.

"This local specialty of Songyuan City is more useful than the 'Priest's Certificate'..."

Luo Xiu thought happily, and then he told Intis beside him:

"Go to the White Antelope Hotel first and ask the maids and waiters there to clean up the room. I will go somewhere else first, you don't have to follow me."

"Okay, I understand." Index nodded, and then parted ways with Luo Xiu at the fork in the road.

After letting Index leave first, Luo Xiu took another path.

He made a detour to the Place de l'Arc de Triomphe and came to the door of a blacksmith's shop with a shabby facade.

——[Authentic Dwarf Blacksmith Shop].

He came to collect the crops, specifically the ancient materials that he had previously commissioned the dwarf Mil to purchase, as well as the last piece of the "Broken Heart of the God".

……

(End of this chapter)