My setting is above yours!

Chapter 44 The Patrol Bureau's Work, Digesting the Potion (7k)

The cold blade struck like a storm, and Idrila could feel her flesh tearing open, as if a sword would slice across her neck in the next second, and death was just around the corner.

But she knew that what she needed most right now was patience.

The potions of war are inherently violent. The arrogant blessings of the Lord of Strife test their recipients, condemning them to corruption the moment they drink the potion.

But pollution is also part of the blessing.

Just like the fire chasers in ancient mythology—

They embarked on a long journey, pursuing the rebellious king who had stolen the divine fire, hunting him down, and turning him into firewood...

The Lords of Cinder's hatred surged in the flames, the fire was reclaimed by the Fireseekers, and a curse was always with them.

But... this violent power was eventually completely tamed, becoming another source of fuel for the Fire Chasers on their long journey.

Idrila knew that as long as she could endure and withstand the damage from the invisible blade, she would be able to successfully accept the power of the [Overseer] and advance to the seventh level of the sequence.

She held on.

Having long since fully digested the legacy left by the [Military Priest], Idrila had enough leeway to draw upon her spirituality to resist the contamination from the potion.

As she resisted, the invisible blade gradually disappeared and ceased to exist.

She could feel her torn flesh and tendons burning, the power of the potion flowing into her blood and surging forth to mend her wounds.

But, at this time.

They had already survived the pollution, they had already brought the potion under control...

A strange feeling arose in Idris's heart.

She felt as if her mind was starting to wander and her thoughts were becoming muddled...

As a result, even the magic potion that had just been brought under control and integrated into the blood began to stir inexplicably!
A sharp chill swept over her, and even in this dazed and confused state, Idrila's spirituality was frantically warning her—

If she couldn't withstand the sharp chill, the potion she had been able to control would inevitably go out of control, and she would go mad, becoming corrupted and transformed into a twisted monster.

But... what should we do?
She strained with all her might to open her eyes, using the [Overseer]'s extraordinary abilities to block out the sharp chill.

But it was like suddenly falling into the deep sea hundreds of meters below; the unimaginable pressure suppressed Idrila's spirituality in a mystical sense, rendering her unable to move an inch.

Idrila could only stand there, desperately feeling the icy coldness rushing towards her, threatening to drive her out of control...

Is she really going to lose control here without any explanation?
This is the heart of the academy, and Mr. Ron is right there. If things get out of control...

But just as the thought surfaced in her mind, she suddenly heard a subtle sound, like a bubble bursting—

"Bo'er".

Instantly, the oppressive pressure and coldness that stifled my spirituality vanished, as if warm sunshine were shining on me, instantly dispelling the chill...

Idrila opened her eyes and saw Ron reaching out and grabbing a gray arrow that gleamed with a cold light, shattering it instantly.

The cold, gray mist trembled and dissipated. In a daze, Idrila seemed to see Ron lose all his magic in that instant, becoming as ordinary as a mortal—

But his spirituality exploded and expanded rapidly in that instant, as deep and profound as the starry night sky!
But it was only for a moment. After swallowing the gray mist arrow, the power suddenly disappeared, as if it had never existed.

Ron also returned to his previous appearance, and the magic of Sequence 8 shone steadily in the magic vision.

Idrila's chaotic thoughts had been sorted out again. She looked at Ron now and found him looking at her seriously, his eyes full of doubt.

Thinking back to that dazed state, and those inexplicable gray mist arrows...

Idrisla immediately realized what had happened.

"Is this... the extraordinary ability that controlled me before?"

She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "You... used the power bestowed upon you by that lord?"

[Dispelling Illusions] To ordinary people in the "Potion Age," its incomprehensible power was indeed not much different from the blessing bestowed by a hidden being...

Ron nodded: "Indeed, I have once again used the blessing bestowed upon me by that lord."

“He has blessed me so that I am not misled by others or corrupted by magic—this is the second time I have used this power on you.”

He looked at Idris with an inquisitive gaze and asked in a serious tone:

"And this kind of fog that can confuse people and control their thoughts... has appeared for the second time."

“Idrila, I think you should seriously consider why this power is clinging to you like a leech…”

"Its influence is far too wide—what kind of containment object did Father Suer possess to wield such power?"

Ron frowned and drew a conclusion:
"Is it the mask from the [Trickery] Sequence Four demigod transcendent, or some other containment object you don't know about?"

Idrisla pondered for a moment, then shook her head:

"No... Although the [Trickery] sequence is indeed extremely adept at manipulating people's minds, and it is said that the [Persuasion Master] of sequence seven can influence people's minds with words, I can still be sure that the demigod's mask could not possibly possess such power."

She said this with absolute certainty:

"I witnessed firsthand the battle that nearly destroyed Evening Bell City, and I also saw the blessing His Holiness received when he took out his mask—"

"According to His Excellency the Bishop, because of the special nature of that demigod of [Trickery], His extraordinary characteristics did not manifest as the 'trickery' that could deceive everything. Instead, He possessed the power to allow the holder to break through the limits of the physical body."

"And this kind of power, capable of influencing the minds of others across vast distances and even tempting them to lose control, absolutely does not exist in the sanctuary of Evening Bell City..."

"Perhaps this power comes from some containment objects that Suer has acquired that I have never heard of before..."

As she spoke, a hint of sorrow and sadness crept into her eyes:
"Perhaps... this is the reason why he suddenly changed his personality, framed and controlled so many people, and prepared to sacrifice them at the Fire Chasing Ritual."

Is Suer's drastic change in temperament related to this power?
Ron seemed to be deep in thought, then suddenly asked:

"The Fire Chasing Ritual... They keep talking about the Fire Chasing Ritual, but I've never really understood what it is."

"Could you tell me what the Fire Chasing Ritual is used for?"

"It is a custom that imitates the fire-chasing journey of ancient civilizations and is used to pray to the gods."

Idrila was already used to Ron's cluelessness and calmly answered his endless questions:
"In the past, when the language of Ancient Rodland was still a common language, and this land was only home to scattered city-states, it is said that there existed a divine object called the 'Primordial Fire'..."

“These flames were considered to be the light that illuminated the world, but at that time there was a rebellious king who wanted to become a god and usurped the divine fire, dividing up the flame that illuminated everything and seizing his own throne.”

"The world was plunged into darkness. In order to reclaim the light of the world, the heroes who chased the fire killed the rebel king, reclaimed the stolen fire, and once again passed on the 'primordial fire' to illuminate the world."

"It is said that those who inherited the flame eventually became new gods... By imitating their past rituals of killing rebellious kings and sacrificing blood and fire, one can receive their blessings."

She said this, but then shook her head:
"However, this all happened in the previous era before the Great Cataclysm... Similar stories and legends were sung across the land, but no one actually profited from them."

"The Fire Chase gradually became a ritual that only some churches still hold—such as the Scorched Earth Sanctuary."

“The sanctuary holds a fire-chasing ceremony every year at the end of the year, but it has always only been used to sacrifice death row inmates who have committed unforgivable sins. In many cases, because there are no such sinners, only cattle and sheep are sacrificed…”

"At that time, the whole city will participate, singing the praises of the war and giving thanks to the gods for their protection over the past year... but that's all."

After listening to Idrila's explanation, Ron thoughtfully stroked his chin, guessing at the reason.

Could it be that... the reason why Suer has become so crazy is actually related to this so-called fire-chasing ritual that can "receive blessings"?

He hadn't forgotten what Idrila was chanting the moment he first saw her atop the Sanctuary Tower...

[The great master of war, the restless heart of strife, the source of all conflict...]

She was reciting the name of the god of war, praying for His blessing!

But this was clearly not real prayer; it was more like a form of advance training.

Father Suer controlled Idrila, making her practice prayers for "war" beforehand, so that she could be sacrificed to pray for the blessing of "war"!

However, Idrila will certainly not be the one to receive the blessing; she will die as a sacrifice during the Fire Chasing Ritual. Only Father Sull, who will preside over the Fire Chasing Ritual, will be able to live and receive the blessing...

Having received this blessing, Father Sull would likely have a new opportunity to advance to a higher rank.

It's truly heartbreaking... Is this what happens when a superhuman goes completely mad because they haven't had a chance to advance for so long?

"Perhaps... he just hasn't accumulated enough merit for promotion in a long time, and he's trying to sacrifice you with this so-called Fire Chasing Ritual to pray for the blessing of [war]."

Ron shook his head, no longer focusing on Father Suer, and instead looked at Idrila, who was clearly deep in thought and somewhat anxious from being frightened by the gray mist arrow, and reassured her:

"You don't need to worry too much... The fact that he chose to try to control you remotely means that he has learned that you are indeed untouchable to him."

"The same applies to the Lost Church we're going to later; I doubt it would dare invade the territory of any true church."

“Father Suer failed to catch us when we were escaping, and now he can only resort to these petty tricks, which pose no threat to our safety at all... We should be glad.”

Ron patted Idrila's slender shoulder in a relaxed tone, encouraging her:

Instead of worrying about these things, be happy and think about your recent promotion...

"Now, you're a Sequence Seven [Overseer]—just like Suer, a [Overseer], so what do you have to be afraid of?"

really……

I'm already a [Commander-in-Chief].

Listening to Ron's comforting words, Idrila breathed a sigh of relief, completely casting aside any slight lingering positive feelings she had towards Sue.

Both are Sequence 7, and if we exclude the influence of containment objects, Idrila and Sull are not that different at all.

Besides, Chairman Elvis will be back soon, then there will be even less to fear...

Seeing that Idrila's expression had softened, Ron chatted with her while mentally calculating the power they could currently utilize.

The newly promoted Sequence Seven, Guild Master Elvis who will be back tomorrow, and the Lv.3 [Vector Manipulation] that he can use again after a short rest upon returning to Ideal City...

I imagine that even if Chairman Elvis doesn't choose to intervene, Ron and Idrila alone should be able to defeat Father Harvey, right?

After all, no matter how much he has, he's only a Sequence 7... So, as long as Ron goes back to Ideal City to rest, the future of obtaining the [Death] Sequence 7 potion will be just around the corner.

However, despite this, Ron was not in such a hurry and chose to return to Ideal City immediately...

Instead, he quietly waited until the next day, sitting with the impatient Idrila at the bookstore entrance, awaiting the return of the old Chairman Elvis, whom Charles had promised would soon return.

"Dingling bell~"

The brass doorbell rang crisply, and an elderly gentleman in a dark blue robe, leaning on his cane, pushed open the door.

He had a kind face, wore glasses, and had a long, silvery-white beard that hung down to his chest, the end of which was curled into an exquisite spiral.

His silver hair was loose and disheveled, giving him a lazy and easygoing air.

As soon as he entered, he saw so many people sitting by the door watching him, and he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in confusion.

Soon, his gaze fell on Idrila, and his eyes revealed obvious surprise.

But the next moment, he calmed down, and his grey-blue eyes, like those of someone holding a sea of ​​clouds, scrutinized Idrila, his tone clearly wary:
"Oh... [Commander]?"

As he spoke, the gemstone pendant hanging from his waist, resembling stars and the moon, inadvertently began to glow.
“Sul, I don’t recall you having any ability to change your appearance… Selvis Bookstore doesn’t welcome any elusive customers. Don’t show your face at the Truth Society until you release our honorary members.”

His tone was serious, and a faint light seemed to shine in his gray-blue eyes.

Ron could see the surging magical radiance emanating from the old man—a radiance more intense than anyone he had ever seen before!
Among those who are Sequence Seven, including Idrila, Harvey, and Sue, none of them possess a magical radiance stronger than this person's!
"No... it's me, Chairman Elvis."

Idris shook her head and took out a shimmering book-shaped cross pendant: "I've advanced to Sequence Seven."

Elvis adjusted his glasses, examined the pendant carefully, and only relaxed after confirming that the spiritual energy attached to it had not changed.

The shimmering star and moon pendant dimmed, and Elvis sat down beside the group, setting down his cane and top hat, clearly quite surprised:
"Oh, I didn't expect it to really be little Ellie... It seems Kurt has safely delivered the letter to you?"

"So Kurt was the messenger... no, he wasn't the one who delivered it to me."

Idrila muttered to herself, shook her head, and pointed to Ron beside her:

"I was able to escape only because of Mr. Ron..."

"Oh? It was this gentleman who delivered the secret letter to you?"

Elvis looked at Ron, never expecting that this unfamiliar face would become Idris's biggest help in escaping the tower.

"Nacott is now..."

Elvis instinctively asked, and Ron omitted the part about how he had deceived Kurt by pretending to be an angel, and simply explained Kurt's situation:

"I'm afraid he's still trapped in the Scorched Earth Sanctuary's Prison of Limbs..."

After hearing Ron's words, Elvis's expression quickly turned serious.

“If Kurt were in the Limb Prison right now… kids, I don’t think we should keep chatting here.”

He gripped his cane, shook the snow off his scarf and top hat, and stood up again:
“I’ll go and bring him back right now… Kurt isn’t like little Elizabeth; he’s just a member of the Society and there’s no reason for him to be detained by Sue.”

No! You absolutely mustn't go!
Seeing Elvis's confident demeanor, Ron knew that he knew nothing about the demigod mask.

After all, that was the Scorched Earth Sanctuary's own secret... If Elvis was truly confident in his abilities and recklessly tried to save Kurt, he might end up getting himself killed as well.

Idris was well aware of the danger of this matter, but considering that this was not inside the "door," she dared not say anything secretive and could only try to dissuade her indirectly...

Fortunately, Elvis was a smart man. This seemingly wise old man immediately understood what Ron and Idrila meant when he saw their hesitant expressions. He then went with them to the underground hall and into his office.

Only then did Idrila dare to tell Elvis in detail about the demigod mask...

Taking this opportunity, Ron also briefly explained Father Harvey's request and clarified the special gray mist that might be the source of Sull's power.

After carefully learning about the current situation from Ron and the other man, Elvis sat at his oak desk and pondered quietly for a long time.

After a moment, he looked at Idrila and Ron and said seriously:

“If Suer possesses a containment object that is a manifestation of the transcendental characteristics of a Sequence Four [Trickery] demigod... I think this matter will not end so simply.”

"I don't actually know much about Suer's situation. It's just that I happened to discover that he's been slandering and detaining innocent superhumans, and he's also taken control of little Ellie, which is why you haven't been able to come to the school for over a month..."

"Although I can guess from his behavior that he is related to the fire-chasing ceremony, whether he is really praying for the blessing of [war] is still debatable."

"After all... War doesn't bestow its blessings so easily. According to descriptions in many ancient texts, the best way to receive the blessing of war is to participate in a war and achieve military merit."

As he spoke, he sighed, and helplessly took off his glasses and wiped them.
"We can't figure it out by guessing... I will report it to the Society of Fog City and send a letter to the Sanctuary's Inquisition. This matter is no longer something we can handle."

"As for the other matter you mentioned..."

He shook his head and said seriously:
“I am the president of the Truth Society branch in Evening Bell City. I would never take action against Father Harvey before he has truly shown hostility.”

"Although I will protect you from behind and prevent you from encountering any real crisis..."

As he spoke, he looked at Ron and said in a tactful tone:
“But I have to tell you, Mr. Ron—Father Harvey—may seem a bit unapproachable, but he is indeed a good man.”

"I think there might be some misunderstanding between you and him..."

"Perhaps we can discuss this matter after we have completed the commission—perhaps it really is just a misunderstanding on my part, but ultimately it depends on Father Harvey's performance."

Ron shook his head, ending the conversation.

He knew Elvis wanted to soften his stance on Father Harvey, but he didn't really care.

Whether it's a misunderstanding or not doesn't matter... What Ron cares about is never whether Father Harvey is hostile, but whether he can obtain the extraordinary potion of Sequence Seven of Death.

The reason Ron didn't return to Ideal City directly, but waited until now, was to obtain Elvis's promise.

With the protection of former Guild Master Elvis, the newly promoted Idrila to Sequence Seven, and Ron himself...

Now, the potion of [Death] Sequence Seven is within reach.

If Ron completes Father Harvey's request now, he will definitely be able to obtain the [Death] Sequence Seven potion.

Whether or not one chooses to be hostile to him does not affect the final outcome.

Everything is ready... all that's left is to go back to Ideal City for rest and recuperation.

This time, arriving in the "Potion Age," Ron is completely out of resources, having exhausted almost all the established rules of the "Superpower Age"...

It's time to go back.

It took Ron a full day and night to watch over Idrila's advancement, so he should take a good rest.

With that thought in mind, Ron clicked on the manual's light screen and selected "Enter World Save".

The current world save files are: The Era of Superpowers and The Era of Potions (already loaded)

[World save file "Superpower Era" selected, joining the world...]

Ron's vision went black for a moment.

The next moment, a familiar room appeared before him. He lazily collapsed onto the bed, deactivated all settings, and charged the "ability amplifier"—

But instead of resting immediately, he picked up his phone and started browsing job search platforms...

Even with the [Death] Sequence Seven potion right in front of him, Ron dared not drink it without preparation as he had done before.

After seeing how many wounds Idrila suffered from the invisible blades after drinking the Overseer's potion, Ron fully realized the risks involved in taking potions.

Even extraordinary individuals like Idrila, who had already digested the Sequence Nine and Sequence Eight potions long ago, encountered this kind of damage. If Ron continues to mindlessly advance without paying any attention to the digestion problem...

It's likely that by then it won't be the "Out of Control" that's hindering his real-world advancement, but rather a complete loss of control, where the contamination in the potion will twist him into some kind of deadly monster!
Therefore, Ron planned to take advantage of the time spent revising the settings to properly digest the potions using role-playing, so as to avoid the embarrassing situation of not being able to fully digest them and being afraid to drink them to advance in rank...

But things backfired.

Early in the morning, Ron yawned widely with dark circles under his eyes, looking at the job postings on his phone with a sense of despair.

Noah Pharma...it's all Noah Pharma!
In Ideal City, because "corpses" are considered a precious resource, both the professions of "gravekeeper" and "corpse mortician" are strongly associated with pharmaceutical companies...

Noah Pharmaceuticals, which monopolizes the pharmaceutical industry in Ideal City, also monopolizes all crematoriums and cemeteries!

Ron searched frantically all night but couldn't find a similar job that had nothing to do with Noah's Pharmaceuticals...

At first, Ron didn't believe it and called Ms. Irina, only to be told that when Tian Ting Media tried to get into the funeral industry, it was easily defeated by Noah Pharmaceuticals in the market.

Therefore, even though the professions of gravedigger and mortician do not have high barriers to entry, Ron still cannot get a safe job.

How could Ron possibly work at Noah Pharma?
Putting aside the contract issue with Tianting Media... even if Tianting Media were really willing, Ron wouldn't dare risk his life!

Who knows, on his first day at Noah Pharmacy, just a few hours after his personal information was entered into the work system, he might die in a "work injury" accident...

Does this mean... I have no choice but to go to the "Potion Era" to complete my role and digest the potions?

Just as Ron was feeling somewhat helpless, a phone call pop-up suddenly appeared on his phone.

He answered the phone, and on the other end was Xia Zhi's somewhat tired voice:
Good morning! How did you sleep last night?

"Slept pretty well..." Ron replied instinctively, then realized that Xia Zhi had called to ask for something:
"Wait, have you finished handling the case over there?"

"That's right. I briefly accompanied the forensic team to examine the body, waited overnight in the morgue, and prepared a case report. For now, there's nothing else to do..."

Xia Zhi yawned, then forced herself to stay awake and asked, "So, do you have time now?"

"I'm not sure if there will be any more trouble later, so I'm planning to bring you into the patrol bureau right now..."

Before she could finish speaking, Ron interrupted her.

You mean... the forensic department? The morgue?

He keenly grasped the key point in Xia Zhi's words, and the drowsiness in his mind vanished instantly.

"Sister Xia Zhi... does our patrol bureau need a 'gravekeeper'?"

(End of this chapter)