Mystery: Big Alarm Clock Ghroth Path

Chapter 344 Angel-level Sealed Artifacts and a Show of Force
Roger made this conjecture based on his own reasoning.

As is well known, due to the special nature of the "forsaken land," the soil here is almost unsuitable for growing any crops. This is not only because of soil pollution, but also because there is no sunlight, plants cannot perform normal photosynthesis, and they cannot synthesize starch or other substances that can provide energy and nutrition to the human body.

However, the miniature sun in the "Underground Midnight City," which is suspected to be a sealed artifact, not only provides light but also seems to purify the evil and pollution in the soil. In addition, given what Ikamia said, if Roger hadn't possessed divinity, simply looking up at it would have caused his death. Therefore, Roger can reasonably deduce that this is a Sequence 2 level angel sealed artifact.

As for plants, Roger, with his limited botanical knowledge, was able to identify a number of sweet potato-like foods, some legumes and nightshade plants, and even some low shrubs bearing small purplish-red fruits.

"……Yes."

Ikamia nodded:

"In fact, this is the essence of our 'Underground Midnight City'."

After saying that, she didn't say anything more, but continued to lead Roger and the other man through the sunlit, wide field ridges and up the stairs at the end.

At this moment, Roger finally had the opportunity to see the internal structure of this "Underground Midnight City". It was a huge, circular structure built inside the mountain cavity, like a tenement building. Roughly speaking, it had about 25 floors, and each floor had hundreds of doors.

Although it is unknown why all these doors were closed, the sheer number of them suggests that the "Underground Midnight City" has a considerable population.

In addition, a small river formed by groundwater flows through the interior of this "tube-shaped building," irrigating the surrounding fields, and also seems to serve the function of providing drinking water for the residents of the "underground midnight city."

The river flows downstream into deeper underground, and Roger guessed that one of its main downstream tributaries must be the culvert he had seen earlier.

From all perspectives, the "Underground Midnight City" is an extreme anomaly among the "Forsaken Lands." It not only has sunlight that brings light and heat and removes pollution and evil, but also green plants and a stable water supply, making it truly unique.

As for meat, Roger didn't see any domesticated livestock here yet, but with the sun in the sky, which has a purifying effect, the residents of "Midnight City" could dry some meat products that were not heavily polluted and obtained through hunting directly in the sun, and then soak them in soup to eat, thus satisfying their basic protein needs.

Perhaps it is precisely because of these unique conditions that the "Underground Midnight City" has been able to stand against the monsters within the "Midnight City" for thousands of years without being destroyed.

In the most extreme scenario, with ample food and meat reserves, the people in the "underground midnight city" could keep their doors closed for more than two months. In even more extreme cases, they could even survive by eating beans to supplement their protein intake.

"Lady Ikamia, may I ask where we are going?"

At that moment, Roger looked at Ikamia's back and asked a question.

"The 25th floor is the closest place to the 'Eye of Glory,' and it's a place that only those with divinity can approach."

“That is where the sanctuary of ‘Midnight City’ is now located, and it is also where we discuss important matters.”

Ikamia offered another brief explanation.

"'Eye of Glory'... is that the sealed artifact of the 'Sun' pathway?"

Roger now understood that Ikamia had mentioned this name before, and said that the 'Eye of Glory' could reveal the situation inside Midnight City.

This should be the manifestation of the "Darknessless Realm" at the angelic level. Geographically speaking, the "Underground Midnight City" should be located below the "Midnight City".

As for where the tributary of the "Chaos Sea" was sealed by the two Angel Kings, Roger could guess from a rough sense that it was deeper in the "Underground Midnight City," but the exact location would have to be determined after further investigation.

"On another note, I have a feeling."

At this moment, Alexis suddenly spoke in a low voice:
"Shortly after I came into contact with the sunlight, I felt much better."

"This applies to both physical strength and mental state."

There could be two reasons.

Roger thought for a moment, then answered:

"On the one hand, it's because the power of the 'sun' pathway itself has the effect of purifying and uplifting the spirit. On the other hand, it may also be because you don't get enough sun exposure for a long time, so your body can't synthesize certain specific... uh, vitamins, leading to calcium deficiency."

"Calcium is a special substance that is very important for muscles and bones."

"For ordinary people, simply being exposed to sunlight for a period of time will not cause any significant changes, but for demigods of the 'Mystic' pathway who are skilled in the authority of flesh and blood, this effect is particularly pronounced."

"I see."

Alexis nodded slightly, feeling quite envious. If "New Fog City" also possessed such a sealed artifact, perhaps they wouldn't be forced to eat contaminated meat for so long, barely surviving and surviving.

Roger and Alexis followed Ikamia up the stairs, and after about ten minutes, they finally arrived at the 25th floor.

Here, Roger was extremely close to the "Eye of Glory," and he could feel the terrifying heat wave hitting him.

Alexis's reaction was even more intense. This Sequence 3 "Tri-Headed Sanctuary" was shrouded in a shadow that seemed to have a physical presence for a long time. When facing the "Sun" pathway angel-level seal that was extremely restraining of its abilities, it also felt terrifying pressure.

Even if this miniature sun did not exert its full power, the radiation and heat it emitted far exceeded the limits that extraordinary beings below the level of demigods could withstand. Mid-level extraordinary beings such as "corpse collectors," "mystic prayer people," "sleepless ones," "prisoners," and "criminals," who are somewhat associated with evil, spirits, and corrupt abilities, would probably be instantly killed on the 25th floor.

Based on this, Roger speculated that in this 25-story collective building of the "Underground Midnight City," low-sequence extraordinary individuals and ordinary people likely lived on the 10th floor and below, while mid-sequence extraordinary individuals lived on the 11th to 20th floors according to their strength level.

As for floors 20 to 24, there is a high probability that they are inhabited by extraordinary beings at the demigod level, as well as places where food and meat are dehydrated.

These materials require a certain amount of heat to dry, in order to prevent moisture and decay, and to avoid the growth of harmful bacteria that could cause illness or even death if consumed.

On the other hand, he also found something strange: Ikamia was not a demigod, but merely a Sequence 5 "Priestess of Light".

Why she is not afraid of the "Eye of Glory" is a big question.

However, Roger did not inquire about these details at this time, because there was still an information gap and a lack of trust between the two sides. It was only possible to learn more about these things after the two sides communicated and broke down the misunderstandings.

Soon, the group arrived at a double door about 2 meters high. Ikamia pushed the door open with both hands and then led Roger and Alexis inside.

This was an extremely spacious, curved room. Roger and Alexis looked to their left and saw a circular hall with eight chairs. At that moment, two different people were already sitting in the two chairs at the head of the room.

The leader was an extremely old man with long, white hair and beard. He wore a pristine white robe and held a brass scepter with a golden tip that seemed to contain a faint eye in the center. His wise blue eyes looked at Roger and Alexis without any emotion.

The other person was a short-haired middle-aged man in his forties, who looked to be about the same age as Greer Yossol, but his skin was much paler and he was thinner, with brown eyes and an overall air of listlessness.

If Roger hadn't been able to sense the divine aura emanating from him, he might have immediately thought the other was a sickly person.

Just as the two were sizing each other up, Roger heard a series of hurried footsteps behind him.

Roger turned around and saw that it was Greer Yosor who had arrived late.

He glanced at Roger, nodded to Ikamia, and then stepped forward, kneeling on one knee before the old man with the scepter.

"Your Excellency Saint Andreid, I am late, please forgive me."

"The One Without Darkness" whispered.

"Get up."

The man named Saint Andreid tapped his scepter:

“I have learned the whole story through the ‘Eye of Glory’. You did a good job and don’t blame yourself.”

"Thanks you."

Greil Yossol nodded, then stood up and sat in the empty chair next to him.

"Please, Ikamia, have a seat."

Saint Andreid nodded to Roger and Alexis, gesturing for them to sit in the chairs opposite him.

Roger nodded when he saw that the other party was friendly. He and Alexis bowed slightly to Saint Andreid, then stepped forward and sat down opposite him.

Ikamia sat to Roger's left, right between the short-haired, brown-eyed man and Roger.

"Gentlemen, let me introduce myself. My name is Gaia Andreid, the current chief and city lord of 'Midnight City'."

"Greetings, Your Excellency Saint Andreid."

Roger and Alexis spoke at the same time, using the honorific title that Greer had just mentioned as a sign of respect.

During this process, Alexis consciously took on the role of translator, promptly relaying the content of the communication between the two parties.

This action startled both Ikamia and Saint Andreid, but the latter quickly composed herself and continued speaking:
"This is Nick Elliott, who is in charge of all internal affairs of 'Midnight City' and also serves as the chief of the exploration team."

"And this is someone you should have already met, Grell Yosor, my disciple, and currently the leader of the 'Midnight City' garrison."

Saint Adriand introduced the two men, and Roger and Alexis greeted them in turn.

Compared to Greer's relatively polite behavior, Roger could clearly sense that Nick Elliott seemed to be somewhat hostile towards him.

He didn't know where this hostility came from, but he didn't say much for the time being.

"This is Ikamia Vico, the daughter of the former city lord, and currently an advisor to the council of elders of 'Midnight City'."

Upon hearing this, Ikamia smiled at Roger and Alexis, and then remained silent.

Let me introduce myself as well.

Roger nodded slightly:

“My name is Roger Abraham, a servant and messenger of the First Creator.”

"This is Lady Alexis, the former Archbishop of 'Mist City' and the current Chief of 'New Mist City'."

"We came here to rescue the residents of Midnight City, who had been besieged for thousands of years, following the guidance of the 'Angel of Time'. All the monsters in Midnight City have now been wiped out, and the city's interior has returned to normal."

"My Lord's chosen ones? 'Angels of Time'?"

Upon hearing Roger's words, all four people present showed strange expressions.

Greer's expression was one of shock, while Ikamia's was one of surprise.

Nick bit his lip and stared at Roger with a suspicious look, while Saint Andreid narrowed his eyes and looked over cautiously.

After all, from the perspective of the believers of the "original creator," the title of His favorite is extremely valuable. Among all the beings they have ever encountered, only the "pure white angel" dares to call himself His favorite.

In addition, the name "Angel of Time" is too prestigious, which gives people the feeling of using someone else's name to make a big show of things.

"fraud."

A moment later, Nick shook his head and muttered something under his breath.

"Lord Elliot, what makes you say that?"

Roger wasn't angry. He smiled and looked at Nick Elliott, asking a question.

"As far as I know, the last time the great 'Time Angels' appeared was nearly two thousand years ago."

"He and the 'Angel of Fate' redeemed the lost refugees of 'Midnight City' and gave us a chance to survive."

"These two angel kings have never shown themselves in the past thousand years, so why are they now sending so-called divine messengers to help us?"

"Moreover, if you are truly a follower of my Lord, why not use His authority directly instead of seeking something far away instead of something close at hand?"
"Don't think we didn't know the whole process of how you wiped out those monsters in 'Midnight City'... It was clearly some kind of evil force."

“I have reason to suspect that you are in cahoots with those monsters, trying to cause the fall of ‘Midnight City’ through a charade!”

Although Elliott's last sentence was indeed a bit nonsensical, the logic preceding it was actually correct.

Because if Roger was truly a chosen one of the "original creator," then even if his strength did not reach the level of an angel, he should still be able to use His power.

However, Roger's current strength is not at the angel level; at most, he only possesses a sealed artifact of the angel level. Moreover, according to the observation of the "Eye of Glory," the power Roger used when he destroyed the monsters in "Midnight City" seemed to have some evil characteristics.

Whether it's the red mist originating from the "Fallen Mother Goddess" used to lock down the monsters within "Midnight City," or the projection of the "Abyss," both look extremely unsettling. "So, what you're saying... means the power of the 'Black Knight' isn't evil?"

Roger suppressed the urge to complain, because as soon as he entered the room, he had already used "Secret Insight" to see the path sequence of the people in front of him.

Aside from the fact that Grell Yossol is a “Dark One” already confirmed, Saint Andreid is most likely a “Sun” pathway Sequence 3 “Mentor of Justice” and Nick Elliott is a “Hanged Man” pathway Sequence 4 “Black Knight”.

As for Ikamia, it was even stranger. As a Sequence 5 Beyonder, she was able to become an advisor to the Elder Council. Roger simply did not believe that she did not have some special background.

“Lord Elliott, if I may say that your doubts are based solely on the information you currently have.”

Alexis shook her head, and then said:
"In fact, when Lord Roger first came to rescue 'New Fog City,' some of us had doubts about him. But later, he not only provided 'New Fog City' with supplies and the inheritance of the magic potion system from the world of light, but also brought us the astronomy and calendar that had been lost for thousands of years... In legends, these powers are all related to the 'Time Angels'."

"On the other hand, I have met the great 'Angel of Fate' and was able to ascend to demigod status because of His help."

"The 'Angel of Fate' has a saintly subordinate who is a colleague of Lord Roger, a fact that can be verified from many angles."

After hearing what Alexis said, Elliott wanted to continue refuting, but then he heard Saint Andreid cough beside him.

Elliott stopped speaking and turned to look at the chief of "Midnight City".

"Lord Roger, please forgive me."

Saint Andreid sighed:
“Since you once saved ‘New Fog City,’ you should be able to understand that our situation is similar.”

"Elliot's reaction just now was actually for the safety of 'Midnight City'."

"How about this, I propose a compromise... Would you be willing to accept the scrutiny of the 'Eye of Glory' to verify the truth of your words?"

As a high-ranking seal artifact that acts as a "notary," the "Eye of Glory" also possesses similar abilities, capable of notarizing what certain people say and promptly detecting potential lies.

"That's incredibly rude."

Before Roger could speak, Alexis expressed her dissatisfaction:

"To put it bluntly, if it weren't for Lord Roger single-handedly eliminating those monsters, the people of 'Midnight City' would still be facing life-or-death threats right now."

"Yet you don't even have the most basic respect, and you expect Lord Roger to prove his innocence? What kind of logic is that?"

Seeing that Elliott was about to retort again, Roger smiled and raised his hand to stop him:

"I can accept the test, but if the test results show that what I said is true, Lord Elliot, what are your plans?"

"What do you mean?"

Elliott was slightly taken aback; he didn't understand Roger's meaning for a moment.

"What I mean is, if the test results show that what I said is true, what responsibility should you bear?"

Roger had a smile on his face, but his tone was very impolite:
"In fact, although the 'Angel of Time' gave me guidance, I don't necessarily have to save you 'Midnight City'. I could have just left."

“I fully acknowledge your concerns about security, but if you cannot take responsibility for what you have said, you will truly lose the only chance for salvation in a thousand years.”

"I am willing to take any responsibility for what I say."

Elliott slammed his fist on the armrest of the chair in anger:

"If what you say is true, then I will be your servant from now on, and I will do whatever you want me to do!"

"That's what you said."

"I swear on my life!"

Unlike Elliott's sickly appearance, his roar was now full of energy and contained his anger.

"Then it's a deal."

Roger's eyes lit up. To be honest, he had also felt that Midnight City's attitude was not good. Andreid and Elliott were obviously trying to put on a show to intimidate him, so he originally wanted to leave with Alexis first and leave these people waiting for a while.

While finding the potion to digest the "Living Star Chart" and locating the tributaries of the "Chaos Sea" are important, they are not this urgent.

Roger could go and take care of other things first, and come back to clean up the mess when Midnight City has corrected its attitude.

However, he did not expect that Elliott would say the words mentioned above in a moment of impulsiveness, which was tantamount to sticking his face out to Roger and letting him hit him. How could the latter not take the hit?

For Roger, arguing about the short-term outcome was meaningless, because he had already realized that the council of elders in Midnight City must have very high authority within the city.

Even if Roger did indeed eliminate the monsters in "Midnight City," the other party would definitely keep adding layers of demands and making all sorts of excessive requests in subsequent cooperation.

After all, compared to "New Fog City", "Midnight City" is in a much better situation. With a sun, even if they don't leave "the land forsaken by the gods", they can still reproduce and survive normally until the end of time, even in the worst case.

Because they have a wide range of options, they have more leverage in negotiations and are less likely to feel grateful for the help they receive, unlike the people of "New Fog City".

Now that Elliott has made his statement, if he doesn't fulfill his responsibilities and take the lead in cooperating with Roger's work afterward, the entire council of elders of Midnight City will lose face.

Most importantly, having already offended Roger, if it can be verified that Roger is backed by the "Angels of Time," then the entire "Midnight City" will not only face the question of whether it can leave the "Forsaken Land," but its very survival may be in jeopardy.

As for verification, Roger wasn't afraid at all, because everything he said was true, even more so.

Judging solely from the fact that Roger is a follower of the "True Creator," his mystical identity far exceeds the meaning of the title. Rather than a follower, it would be more appropriate to call him a "follower."

If it weren't for the need to avoid offending Alexis, Roger wouldn't have had to settle for second best—but it didn't really matter, because "familiars" are a type of "familiars," just at a higher level.

Roger's reaction surprised Saint Andreid, who was much older than Elliott. At this moment, he could see that Roger was trying to turn the tables on Elliott.

This arrogant behavior caused him to waver, but since things had already come to this point, as the lord of "Midnight City," it would seem too submissive to show weakness now.

"Since everyone agrees, let's begin."

After a moment of contemplation, Saint Andreid spoke.

Upon seeing Roger nod, he raised the scepter in his hand, and in an instant, the scepter lit up with light.

Through a subtle occult connection, Roger could sense that the power of the scepter resonated with the miniature sun outside.

As a golden light enveloped both Saint Andreid and Roger, the latter spoke:

"Sir Roger, please repeat your main argument."

“I came here to offer salvation to Midnight City by the guidance of the ‘Angel of Time’. I am a follower of the Lord whom Midnight City believes in, and I have the ability to lead Midnight City out of this dark world.”

Roger finished speaking calmly, avoiding mentioning the names of the "original creator" or the "true creator" to prevent errors in the "notarization" process. Instead, he simply stated "the Lord whom Midnight City believes in," a more specific and targeted statement.

After he finished speaking, Roger saw that the sunlight between the two of them remained at its previous intensity, neither increasing nor decreasing.

"...The test passed. What Mr. Roger said is true."

After a long while, Saint-André let out a sigh of relief, released the "notarization," and then stood up and walked to Roger.

He placed his hand on his chest, bowed to Roger, and then knelt on one knee:

"Please forgive Midnight City for its previous disrespect. We will follow your guidance."

Although Saint Andreid was the leader of a city-state, his prestige paled in comparison to the favored one of the "True Creator."

Although he was old and bowing to Roger, a young man, seemed out of place, it was precisely because Andreid had experienced so much that he understood that age meant nothing in the face of status and strength.

The core reason is the belief of "Midnight City" in the "True Creator".

Like Alexis, Saint Andreid was not only the leader of a human survivor city-state, but also a religious leader. From this perspective, Roger, as one of his followers, was a true messenger of God, and it was only natural for Saint Andreid to kneel before him.

From a realistic perspective detached from faith, Roger is a close associate of the "Angel of Time" certified by the "Eye of Glory" and a follower of the "True Creator." If the other party is truly displeased, even if "Midnight City" also possesses an angel-level sealing artifact, the latter still has a considerable probability of destroying "Midnight City."

Nothing is more important than survival. Right now, the powerful have given Midnight City a chance to escape the Forsaken Land, and all they can do is be grateful.

"Elliot, it's time to keep your promise."

Saint Andreid did not turn around, but spoke in a cold voice.

These words carried a warning tone. After a brief moment of stunned silence, Elliott took two steps forward and knelt before Roger, just like Saint Andreid.

On the other side, Ikamia and Greer also knelt down, their attitude towards Roger now completely solemn.

"Please forgive my rudeness, Your Excellency the Divine Messenger."

"I am willing to keep what I just said. Please give me a chance to atone for my sins."

Upon hearing Elliott's words, Roger's lips curled up, revealing his white teeth:
"Okay, I'll give you a chance."

Hearing Roger's words, Elliott breathed a sigh of relief, then spoke with some nervousness:

"Please give your orders."

"Answer me a question first."

Roger thought for a moment and then spoke again:

"How many households, how many people, and how many extraordinary individuals are there in 'Midnight City' right now? What are their pathways and sequences? How many demigods are there?"

"Reporting to the divine messenger, there are currently 1768 households in 'Midnight City' with a total population of 4465. There are 77 extraordinary individuals, of whom 39 are extraordinary individuals of the 'Sun' pathway, 33 are extraordinary individuals of the 'Mystic' pathway, and 5 are extraordinary individuals of the 'Warrior' pathway."

"As for demigods, there are only three of us. Ikamia is not a demigod, but she should be able to advance to Sequence 4 soon."

As a demigod in charge of internal affairs, Elliot was well-versed in these matters.

"I was just about to ask, why isn't Ikamia afraid of 'Eye of Glory'?"

Roger, upon hearing this, spoke with some curiosity. He knew that if he could figure out this question, he could determine why Ikamiya was qualified to be an advisor to the council of elders.

“Reporting to the messenger of God, the angel who was the predecessor of the ‘Eye of Glory’ was my great-grandfather.”

“My great-grandfather loved me very much before he died from severe injuries, and it seems that this is why I am not afraid of the radiation from the ‘Eye of Glory’.”

Roger nodded slightly, indicating his understanding.

Within the sealed artifacts formed from extraordinary characteristics, there are often remnants of the personal will of fallen extraordinary individuals. This personal will can affect some of the characteristics of the sealed artifacts, and what Ikamiya is describing now should be a typical case.

He thus understood why Ikamia was able to become an advisor to the council of elders; it was most likely because of her angel great-grandfather.

"Ok."

Roger nodded slightly and smiled again as he spoke:

"Your Excellency Saint Andreid, please write a proclamation in the name of the city lord to inform all the citizens of my arrival."

"Then, Your Excellency Elliott, please make a copy of this proclamation 1768 times and deliver it to every single household."

"As for the time to copy it... it must be completed within 200 lightning strikes."

"what??"

Upon hearing this, Elliott's facial muscles twitched immediately.

(End of this chapter)