Thousand-Faced Dragon

Chapter 220 The Path to Knowledge
Paladins are typical heavy tanks.

There's basically no way to save someone with short legs. Their attacks rely on stacking various divine spells and extraordinary abilities. Their defense depends on their armor and their class abilities. A normal paladin's holy armor's main magic resistance is actually divine power, while Rean uses the power of the Classical Oath.

Fighting against all sorts of evil spellcasters, as well as extraordinary monsters, demons, devils—in short, a whole host of strange and evil supernatural beings—is the paladin's most painful and helpless task.

Sometimes, don't criticize the paladin's impulsive enforcement of the law. If you hesitate even a little when facing such an opponent, you might get hit by another spell and be gone.

This is why some veteran law enforcement officers on the front lines have become increasingly irritable. When they see certain key points, such as "A mage," "A mage," "A mage," they immediately enter a stress response mode that clears their mind and magazines.

There's no way around it; they can't, and don't need to, differentiate between the numerous branches of spellcasters.

Kuku and Rean said that resistance is never a panacea; it only increases the survival rate when forced to take a hit. But "with armor" and "without armor" are still two different concepts.

"Uh... It seems I can just tough it out and kill a regular spellcaster." With the enhancements that the Ancient Oath Knights have in this area, it seems there's not much difference in terms of resistance, just like a regular Grand Knight.

Tier 3 professionals are already the backbone of their respective industries, representing the pinnacle of many middle-aged professionals' lives, and naturally, they have everything they deserve.

Rean was very satisfied with this promotion. At this point, he had finally digested "Sul's legacy" and received what he was entitled to.

Previously, we were just digesting the information; now we're entering the pioneering phase, and the progress ahead will likely be quite difficult.

The path of pure goodness is notoriously stingy, likely taking at least three or four times as long as a divine paladin, unless...
"Unless I run into trouble on the level of an enemy or a world-ending crisis when I go out. Ha, I can't be that unlucky."

After laughing for a while, Rean sighed and couldn't laugh anymore.

This time, it's hard to say whether it was a friendly tip or a death trap for the pursuers. Even highly skilled professionals could suffer heavy casualties if they encountered such a trap.

Especially the poetry collection that the whisperers were discussing at the time, which was clearly about the hero and the second princess, was either the malice of fate or the mockery of the schemers.

Rean unearthed the scrolls and books he had been searching for. His snake-like abilities allowed him to easily decipher them, but the contents were quite subtle.

"I would give my life to find out who the biological father of my child is—Rama Stark."

"He's Rama's younger brother. He seduced his sister-in-law while Rama was away at work. Soon he'll be the true master of that house, living in your house, playing with your woman, and beating his children. Aren't you heartbroken?"

"I gave my life, and now I wonder if my parents, who are far away, are doing well? — Sofia Scarlett"

"They were doing well. They had recently cultivated two acres of new land and were in good health. But after learning of your death, they both passed away two years later, deeply saddened."

These are mostly things filled with malice, and they are also the last records of some victims.

Their deepest desires to know were activated. But the very act of asking these questions after activating these desires was drained of their life force by the "Great One."

However, the "whisperers," who act as conduits and intermediaries, are also full of malice.

Rean found his goal in that basement.
[Phenomenon: The Path to Knowledge]

Its scale and duration are unknown; rumors suggest it originated from a well-intentioned wish—that all beings would not be limited by ignorance, and that their search would ultimately be answered.

It is said that initially it was just a global knowledge search network, jointly operated by several large worlds. Later, more and more worlds joined, forming a multiverse-level knowledge network.

The source of this observation is a phenomenon: that as long as a request is made and an equivalent price is paid, an answer can be obtained.

[Note: The 'idol (server)' is generally half immortal being in a life form and half a local symbolic timer, signifying life's eternal pursuit of truth.]

[Warning! This phenomenon was completely distorted after the birth of a malevolent entity.] [Warning!! This phenomenon is considered an extremely twisted and evil worship in most of the multiverse, and those exposed may face eternal persecution.]

[So-called malicious librarians have emerged; those who were originally devout contributors of knowledge have become profiteers exploiting this "phenomenon." They have accumulated a large number of lives and use the knowledge and lives gained from this authority to seek everything.]

[Outer God: The Whisperer, part of the Path of Knowledge, or perhaps a remnant of a Grand Librarian who ascended to immortality. It accepts all comers and turns the land of life into the land of death. Its librarians are quite active, frequently turning planets into food for "knowledge."]

Rean pieced together the most ironic part of this knowledge from the materials: this knowledge itself was the "knowledge" that the museum curator had obtained with his life.

He was probably the originator of this matter. After obtaining "part of the knowledge," he created a "god statue" tailored to his needs, using ghouls to replace the so-called immortals and a resurrected clock to represent "time and space (eternity)," thus fulfilling his religious and symbolic requirements.

He did indeed successfully summon a portion of the Whisperers, or rather, he connected a part of the area around the idol into the Whisperers' Great Library, transforming that area into a place of divine descent (server-side).

He himself seems to have become the first victim, dying on the spot after obtaining the knowledge of the "Whisperer/Path of Knowledge" that he most desired.

This knowledge was recorded in its entirety, and even included his signature.

The missing deputy librarian? That's the demon that was turned into a statue.

Ultimately, once it began to function properly, more and more lost souls were drawn into it, becoming its victims. This was not limited to this area; people throughout the city and its surroundings continued to suffer. Rean saw numerous skeletons and ghosts, including those of dark elves and dwarves.

“Phenomena and truth themselves may not be good or evil, but the individuals who use these phenomena are definitely good or evil.”

The mere prospect of immortality, the long life gained by drawing upon the life of the questioner, would be enough to drive those "scribes" mad.

"In a sense, we should thank the curator for his self-destruction. Otherwise, if this knowledge had spread, who knows what would have happened."

Will it generate a large number of cult members? The number won't be large, but they will probably be quite difficult to deal with.

After all, this source is just a "truth/rule," and how it is used depends on the individual. Heaven knows how difficult it is to deal with those librarians who have been eating for hundreds or even several worlds.

Is that monster going to stop talking if the deal is actually done, when faced with Rean who only has one limb? This distorted "beautiful rule" is itself a threat to the world.

[Knowing part of the truth: 48%]

The improved information in the Heroic Spirit Encyclopedia indicates that the events of that year definitely involved this kind of trouble.

Was the Grand Scribe involved? Did he die in the Dragon Plague? But if they were completely wiped out, where did these scrolls and knowledge of the local believers come from?

"Thirty years of history."

What really sent chills down Rean's spine was this: the Whisperers' Book Club had existed here since it was just a small fishing village.

Rean asked Talia to help him investigate the relevant personnel, especially the founders and long-term associates, but he didn't have high hopes.

"Perhaps, the person who delivered the note actually hoped I would exchange my arm for the truth or something."

Rean sighed. He had guessed some of the things, but it seemed he was powerless to solve them now.

Time is running out.

Queen Marianne is almost here.

(End of this chapter)