He is the leader of the Tantric sect in Chagdu.

Moon Bar

"Is he out of his mind...? I've heard that even after people who have lost control are cured, they still drool."

Looking at the dazed-looking Ai, Wilting shook his shoulder and could only sigh helplessly, "Damn it, we've lost a high-quality colleague."

Sherlock pushed aside Lynn, who was joining in the fun, and squeezed to the front, trying to lift Ai's upper eyelids—"He seems to be awake, and his mind is normal, hmm... like he's spacing out?"

"Brother." Nie climbed up the high stool onto Ai, tightly gripping the green ring on his middle finger with both hands, and called out simultaneously into his ear, amidst the red liquid and air, "Brother?"

Ai's pupils trembled violently, as if waking from a deep dream. She shoved Sherlock away, lowered her head, and clutched her neck, breathing heavily.

"Cough cough—"

He let out two painful retches, his intracranial fluid tilted, and a line of small words on his pupils glowed faintly before slowly fading away, accompanied by flowing, mottled patterns.

"Imitation and imitation, licking and replacement—the moth responds to your survival strategy with patterns. It was once mottled and variegated, then settled in the quiet of the forest. Its feathers are black and white, like the glossy black of a crow, or the pure white of a dove. Sometimes agile, sometimes sluggish, it seems to soar in the night like a winged creature, or crawl like a shelled creature."

moth……

Ai gently stroked the scar on his abdomen. Having just returned to the real world from the vessel, the healing power from the door made the "Moth" principle incredibly exciting, subtly responding to the change in his state of mind.

Moths are delighted to see Aye mimic others, just as they once fooled birds with their mottled wings and worms with their scales.

Then, something invisible rose from the pool, and in her drowsy state, Ai heard a faint, rustling sound, like the fluttering of wings, as if telling an ancient and distant story…

"You have heard the secret knowledge: 'The Secret of Fur and Feathers': Moths once covered themselves with fur and feathers to move in the night, deceiving the eyes of winged beings and shelled creatures, and were simultaneously recognized as birds and worms, briefly joining their ranks... This is the principle of variegation, the principle of multicolored."

"You seem to have mastered a new skill: camouflage—the moth tells you: from now on, night is your skin, darkness flows between the lines of your skin, the uneven bark of trees conceals your tracks, you will linger among the interplay of light and shadow in the branches, enjoying the pleasure of blending into all things."

"You tilt horizontally in the direction where something flaps its wings."

Current preference: Moth 3, Ash 3.

.

.

It's a moth again.

Ai looked at his arms, where the pores that were already barely noticeable were now almost invisible—the dissolved flesh was permeated with mottled black and white patches, like a new layer of skin, invisibly covering his entire body.

A sense of security, an unparalleled sense of security, yet still flawed. Ai squinted at the glaring lights on the bar's ceiling, feeling a little uneasy—he had a premonition that if he were in the dark now, he would completely dissolve into the night.

It's not invisible, not mimicry... it's more like a drop of water flowing into the ocean, enveloped in completely blended colors and medium.

More like... a moth clinging to tree bark.

…However, this “experience” quickly faded from her mind, and her secret consciousness transformed into vibrating red liquid that flowed into the vessel. A hazy, fragmented illusion flashed before Ai’s eyes…as if she were in a dream about to end at dawn.

He slowly came to his senses from his daze, looked at his arm again, and tentatively placed it in the shadows under the bar. This time, there was no longer that feeling of dissolving into the darkness; it was just something that made him subconsciously ignore it, its presence seemingly faint.

This made him a little disappointed.

Sure enough, that feeling was just a beta test experience of the skill. At this stage, before the skill level has been raised, it can only achieve the ability to conceal one's aura.

But it's already quite useful—clearly, abilities like stealth are often like a bug in chaotic places.

Moreover, this ability can even evolve.

Thinking about it this way, Ai didn't feel so sad anymore.

He recalled what he had seen in the pool yesterday, which seemed to have given him a secret knowledge called something like "Dissecting the Sacrum of a Slug"... but he had no idea what it was for, so he gave it a bad review.

This time, at least he gained an extra skill and was given a horizontal line of the Moth's Guide, which is an improvement. Now he has tilted three lines towards the direction of the Moth and the Ashes, and both sides can be used as the main body to build the inclination.

Ai shook her head slightly to clear her mind.

Now that we've decided to establish a foothold in this world, let's pull ourselves together and start making some plans.

Amid the cawing of crows in his ears, he recalled the secret knowledge recorded in the Silent Tantra and silently pondered his future direction.

Now that the path of divine light has been lost, he now only has the path of "revelation" at his disposal. Before finding a way to rebuild the divine light, he can indeed consider taking a path of revelation first. This path seems to be related to death and revelation. Those who are familiar with death can often avoid ominous signs, and revelation strengthens the ability to foresee danger.

In short, it sounds like someone who's very good at surviving.

The moth is clearly also a player whose primary strategy in the early stages is to survive.

Ai felt this suited him perfectly. He had decided to become a "scumbag in the city" and was prepared to flirt with both the Foundation and the Cult, engaging in ambiguous relationships with both sides.

Therefore, survival is very important in this situation, and it is best to also consider escaping and hiding.

Ai Yi pondered silently—

We're still two steps away from the implied inclination towards enlightenment. Veltin is someone who leans towards that path; perhaps we can find a way to obtain the principles of enlightenment from her...

"Wei—" He slightly raised his eyes, his unfocused gaze refocusing on everyone's faces. He looked at Virtin standing to the side with his arms crossed and his head tilted to the side. He was about to speak when he was interrupted by the force of the force that pulled him into his arms.

"elder brother!"

It was Nie calling him loudly. She let go of Ai's hand, snuggled closer to him somewhat uneasily, and remained silent.

Ai was momentarily dazed, then gently greeted Nie, and silently looked at her right hand, where a somewhat withered mistletoe ring was revealed—this ritual object was a living plant, and it was unclear whether it had consumed its power when anchoring the mind or simply been covered by Nie for too long, as it was clearly in poor condition, with its leaves looking a bit yellow and a deep red mark left on its middle finger.

It seems I've made someone worry.

Ai patted her head gently, suddenly unsure of what to say, and after a long pause, managed to utter only the words "It's okay."

How embarrassing!

He glanced helplessly at the group of onlookers. Virtue was holding her hat, seemingly lost in thought, her eyes darting around. Ai quickly spotted her in the crowd and decided to use her to change the subject.

He said in a deep voice, "What happened to me just now...?"

This is a normal reaction. Of course, a newbie doesn't know what it means to be out of control, and Ai is happy to let the two officials think so.

"You just lost control—it seems to be due to the growth of the Ash Criterion... Unbelievable, without reading the secret manual or obtaining any nourishment, you've actually taken another step deeper into the Ash Criterion..."

During the time Ai lost consciousness, Veltin was not idle either. He had almost figured out the reason for the loss of control, but he still couldn't figure out where this extra "ash" came from.

Of course you wouldn't know that Si Chen personally pecked my eye and fed it to me mouth-to-eye.

Ai thought to herself, while simultaneously feigning just the right amount of confusion, surprise, and lingering fear: "Out of control? Is it serious?"

"Of course, if mistletoe hadn't pulled you back, your red fluid would probably have leaked out completely, and you'd be either dead or an idiot."

Veltin's expression was strange: "I originally wanted to help Nexus mitigate risks, but I didn't expect to use it on you first... It's quite a coincidence."

That's actually a good thing.

The girl thought to herself, a slight smile playing on her lips—she had already discerned Eileen's talent on the path to advancement: having obtained her qualification not long ago, she had already acquired two horizontal lines of the Ash Criterion, a level that would be considered "astounding" even at the Foundation headquarters in Upper City…

If a professor specializing in the mystical arts of the Ashes were here, they'd probably berate him, saying things like, "Does this kid know Mo Ya?"

So, Virtue had made up her mind, and she exchanged a glance with Sherlock:

"Please, how could we possibly let go of a colleague of this quality?"

It's like a Level 1 pseudo-legendary Pokémon popping out of the bushes in Pallet Town—if you don't smash a Poké Ball over its head, you won't be able to sleep well at night.

Moreover, as the first official force Ellen came into contact with, she had the "advantage of first impression" and had already formed a team. As long as she maintained a gentle attitude and got along well with him, and casually taught him some basic secrets and made a few promises, she would be able to capture him successfully.

How can we lose like this?

So even the usually proud Inspector Wei lowered his stance at this moment, silently chanting "I need to learn how to win people's hearts" while giving Ai a somewhat awkward smile:

"With your talent, you might become a significant asset to the Foundation in the Lower City. Perhaps we can continue our collaboration after this expedition to the outskirts concludes..."

At first, Sherlock listened with great interest: as expected of the genius girl from the Countermeasures Bureau, her mastery of the Academy's rhetoric was superb. Even if she didn't become a powerful executive officer, she would still be a high-level negotiator for the Foundation in the future.

Wilding continued his free-flowing monologue:

"The grand path related to Jhin is documented in the Countermeasures Bureau's internal think tank. If you wish to choose among Jhin's inclinations, we can provide you with a great deal of assistance regarding that path—acquiring the criteria, constructing the inclinations, and even gathering materials and raising the ritual, as long as…"

ah…?

Ai didn't react much, while Sherlock's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Oh no, Miss Wei has gone mad with empty promises.

"Haha, am I getting a bit off-topic...?"

Suddenly realizing something, Virtue quickly fell into a state of extreme embarrassment. She pulled her hat down low, her voice gradually fading until she fell completely silent.

The girl glanced furtively at her subordinates, as if she had messed something up and was seeking help.

"Smack."

Sherlock, unable to bear watching, covered his face with his hands, making a crisp sound that was especially pleasant in the silence.

He was heartbroken.

Witnessing the negotiation disaster firsthand, my boss played all his cards in the first round and was still making empty promises!

Sherlock started sending her private messages on the think tank's internal channel—

"Wei Sir, my dear mother, has anyone ever told you that, let alone this wretched place like Beihe, the entire Lower City! They can't even get a few 'Grand Path' slots a year... You're an executive officer, with a bright future ahead of you, walking on a righteous path, but you haven't even entered the decision-making level yet."

"You just gave away one of these spots with a single word?"

"I forgot..." Veltin bit her lower lip, falling into a sullen silence. She tried to explain in a private message, "I got a spot through the family path right after I graduated. I forgot how precious that thing is (cat sticking out tongue.jpg)."

As expected of a young lady from the upper city, she speaks with such confidence.

The two from the countermeasures bureau stared at each other blankly, while Ai, completely oblivious to what was happening, was simply too busy secretly amused.

It seems that my own tacit guidance has been found.

Before I even opened my mouth, everyone saw that it was Mr. Wei who brought it up first. I suppose it's normal for such a large organization as the foundation to offer job placement, employment, and a complete promotion process.

Having been exploited by the company for so long, Ai was thrilled to finally see a glimmer of humanity—she had finally found her long-lost family in the Nest City, the Foundation, my hometown that I had been separated from for 24 years!

Great!

Ai tilted her head and said with a smile, "Actually, I'm not in a hurry—do you have an employment contract? Where do you sign it?"

Veltin remained still, giving Sherlock a look that seemed to say, "How do we resolve this?"

Sherlock blinked, a forced smile playing on his lips, and sarcastically messaged in the private chat: "Sir, I can't be responsible for what you're giving away yourself. You still have to sign it. How about we tamper with the contract a little? Anyway, what we just said was just empty promises, and making promises without fulfilling them is a necessary step towards becoming a mature leader..."

.

Veltin took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, forcing herself to appear calm. She reached out and touched her hat.

"Quiet down, I have a plan."

"?"

Sherlock was in a daze for a moment, but soon sensed something was wrong. What was Mr. Wei muttering to himself?

Listen carefully...

Wilting's flat, monotone voice sounded like he was dialing a number for an operator:

"The sublime veil, the king of the plateau, the dome that seals off Eden, the guardian of Paradise Lost—"

and many more……

Sherlock stood frozen in place, feeling a chill run through his body, which then instantly turned into intense heat... His body felt as if it were imprisoned by the air, or covered by some enormous, incomprehensible cage.

It can't be...

Ai was already furious: "Seriously?! Not again?"

Is the foundation's onboarding process really that impressive?

It seems like they're going to teach him the way of the Ashes, but are they going to invite Moya over to host his welcome party again?

Ai shrank back: We have to meet again in just half an hour, I hope He won't be angry...

.

On the other side, Virtue's faint voice was gradually growing louder:

"I am a disciple of the gate, a guardian of the keys to the sacred treasury. Today I call upon your holy name here, not to seek your help, nor do I need your descent."

The meaning of this prayer is: no need to transfer to a human operator; I know that person is very busy, so don't bother them. What I need to do is also very simple: AI customer service will suffice.

"I invoke the name of my gate as a measure of the dome, and inquire of your permission—to request a place on the magnificent path!"

The call went through successfully, and then some kind of automatic reply was triggered.

An invisible influence begins to accumulate here.

What does that mean?

Sherlock pondered for a moment with his not-so-bright brain, then realized a fact that was in progress.

"My beautiful female boss has completely gone mad."

No, buddy?

It's just making empty promises to recruit people, isn't it normal for leaders to make promises that are too big to keep?

Besides, this kid isn't even one of us yet, he's so incompetent he doesn't even know what the "Great Path" is, so why would we need to use such a back door to deduct a spot from his enrollment?

Damn, this is insane!

Applying for a spot on the Path of Glory normally takes a year and a half, and most of the time it's not even going to happen. After all, there aren't enough of these spots even in the upper cities; it's already a miracle if they get any scraps for the lower cities.

However, there are exceptions. Just as you can use the fast track to fill out an application form, you can also use the back door to get a spot on the Grand Path, provided you have real "connections" and can get in touch with those "big shots" outside the foundation.

My beautiful female boss actually has that level of "connections".

Because Wilting himself was a tilter on the path of grandeur, and was born into a distinguished family, and had a nominal position at the Foundation headquarters, he was regarded as one of their own by those "big shots".

She's now making a direct call to the top echelons of the system, just like calling the White House on some planet. She's going through the bigwigs' exclusive internal procedures, bypassing the system to get a result letter first, and then trying to complete the procedures for the lower city later.

Wow, he acted first and reported later, my boss is unbeatable.

Sherlock stared blankly at a book projected into the void, a book that seemed to condense an invisible veil, small in size yet capable of obscuring everything. One of its pages, as boundless as the sky and as luxurious as silver, was turned straight towards Ai.

"I beseech: The Supreme Divinity of the Firmament—'Doctrine'!"

"etc……"

Ai was dumbfounded.

Shouldn't the path related to Ash lead to the Silent Raven and His silent continuation?

This is clearly a different original text!

He stared wide-eyed at the silver sheet in the air, and with some kind of permission, quickly absorbed the secret consciousness into the red liquid:

-Pathway: Tabernacle

- Demand preference: Sky 3, Ashes 2

-Required: The Gift of Sprouting, Remnants of the Old Sky, Silver of the Queen, The Absolutely Sealed Sandbox, Secrets of the Dome, A Memory, The Influence of the Dome

- Ritual: Ascending amidst lockdown

-Phase One: Silver Hand

...