An infinite journey starting from paradise

"It's okay, I'm here."

As an orphan, Lin Shangren found it difficult to understand the strange feelings that children have for their parents. Even with all the relevant knowledge in his head, he still couldn't understand it. He could only use the Eagle Finger to soothe Ximei's emotions.

After Yumi calmed down, they met the imprisoned Chiyo Takigawa accompanied by two prison guards.

Through a layer of black iron protective net, Lin Shangren and Takigawa Chiyo on both sides looked at each other.

[Name: Takigawa Chiyo]

[Race: Human female]

[Identity: Fortune Teller]

[Status: Doubt, Magic Infection, Spell Sequelae]

[Note: Once an ordinary female teacher, she became obsessed with magic after witnessing an evil ritual. However, due to her lack of knowledge of demon language, she was unable to enter the realm of magic and ultimately became a charlatan.]

"mom, Mom, Mom."

However, Takigawa Chiyoko seemed not to hear her daughter's call, and just stared at Lin Shangren. She suddenly said, "Are you the Messiah? Are you... Jesus Christ?"

The sudden words sounded like the ravings of a madman, and Lin Shangren and Xi Mei were both stunned.

Lin Shangren asked, "Mrs. Takigawa, what do you mean?"

"Are you here to save the world? Or are you here to save the world?" Takigawa Chiyo continued nonsensically, "No matter what... the world should love you. They failed eleven years ago, but you still came."

"mom!"

Ximei felt that her mother had gone crazy again, but Lin Shangren asked calmly, "Eleven years ago, Mr. Takigawa, do you know what happened eleven years ago?"

"Teacher... hehe... haha, what a long-standing name."

A fanatical look suddenly flashed in Takigawa Chiyo's eyes. "Takagi Hiroko, Komada Nami, I still remember them, and Kitami Reika. Those girls were so stupid. They thought they could control magic, but they didn't understand the true function of the Bible at all."

She stood up suddenly, making the chains of her handcuffs clang, and pressed her face against the mesh. "They think they have control, but everything is God's will."

"Hey, be quiet!"

The police wanted to stop Chiyo Takigawa, but was stopped by Naoto Hayashi.

"Go on, Mr. Takigawa, what exactly happened back then? What did Takagi Hiroko and the others do?"

"Revenge!!" Takigawa Chiyo said enthusiastically, "Takagi Hiroko and Komada Nami. Takagi Hiroko found the Bible, and she used the magic in the Bible to take revenge on the student council president Komada Nami who often violated other female students, making her fall in love with a homeless man and have a relationship with him.

After the magic wore off, Madoka tried to cleanse herself again by violating the woman named Kitami Reika. But she failed.

Everything's out of control... The ritual, they want to offer a sacrifice to the Virgin Mary. They chose Kitami Reika, but she's not the one. Hahahaha, they're all dead... But I copied down the Bible, and I can resurrect my deceased husband. The Messiah saves the world, amen.

Hahahaha, fake! The Messiah is fake, God is fake. There is only the devil, only the devil from beginning to end. Jesus is a liar, St. Peter is a liar!!!”

Chiyoko Takigawa's expression became more and more manic. The prison guard beside her wanted to hold her down, but she threw him to the ground.

"But... you are real! What's in you is real! Give me, give me the Bible!!!"

Looking at her mad mother, Takigawa Yumi huddled in fear, while Hayashi Shangren, who was standing beside her, stared at Takigawa Chiyo's status bar.

[Status: Magical power infestation, the demon is about to complete possession.]

"A demon, huh?"

Lin Shangren stretched out two fingers, and unlike before, this time his fingers were coated with a layer of gold.

[Skill: Physical Transcendence Blessing]

Lin Shangren just bent his middle finger and thumb lightly, and then slammed his head on Takigawa Chiyo's forehead.

Chapter 100: Outrageous but Reliable Guess

Half an hour later, Hayashi Naoto and Takigawa Yumi walked out of the Bunkyo Ward Prison.

It was midday, and the sun was still warm in late February.

Lin Shangren looked back at the prison behind him and sighed softly: "At least I have figured out the whole story of what happened eleven years ago. Although it's only part of it."

Takigawa Yumi, who was beside Lin Shangren, gently grasped Lin Shangren's sleeve. She lowered her head, feeling a little sad. Because of herself, and also because of her mother.

"Brother Shangren, is my mother okay?"

"It'll be fine. He'll wake up in a few days."

Half an hour ago, Lin Shangren used [Physical Transmigration Blessing] to stabilize Takigawa Chiyo's condition. Her [Magic Infection] and [Demon Possession Impending] disappeared after Lin Shangren's brain exploded, replaced by a coma, similar to Tokisaka Reito's. However, her coma would be shorter, and she would wake up in about a week.

"What happened to her?" Takigawa Yumi asked, "What about those things she and you, Brother Shangren, said? Those crazy words..."

Lin Shangren rubbed his neck and thought to himself, "I want to know that too. Why did she call me Messiah and Jesus Christ? Was it because the Dark Bible was in my possession, or was it because of something else?"

Body fluids can heal diseases and feed the hungry. This is the common point between Lin Shangren and Jesus Christ recorded in the Bible, but Lin Shangren cannot walk on water, resurrect from the dead, or make believers fanatically love him.

No, he can do it!

The Dark Bible contains magic about resurrecting the dead and making people fall in love with themselves.

Lin Shangren looked at the magic called [Curse of Fall] in his skill bar.

"This magic, originating from the Dark Bible, can make someone fall in unconditional and passionate love with just enough mental strength. It's perfect for cultivating religious zealots.

And after I inexplicably gained this ability, it seemed as if something was guiding me to obtain the "Dark Bible" and use the magic in it.

More importantly, the author of the Dark Bible is none other than Joshua the Messiah, also known as Jesus. This is very interesting.

Is it possible that the Dark Bible is the true Bible? Is it possible that Jesus wasn't some grandson of God, but a wizard mastering the demonic magic of the Warp? He used the spells in the Dark Bible to win over a large number of followers. He attempted to establish a Jewish theocratic state, only to be murdered by determined Shinra soldiers?

Isn’t this speculation a bit too far-fetched? And…assuming it is true, how does it relate to the current situation?”

As he pondered, Lin Shangren began to look through the various contents recorded in the "Dark Bible" in his mind.

"Shangren-hyung…?"

"Oh, sorry, I was thinking about something else." Lin Shangren scratched his head. "Huh, don't worry, your mother will be fine. As for what she said... just forget it."

Lin Shangren had no intention of telling Ximei about things like sub-space demons, cults, and magic. Knowing too much would not be beneficial for a young girl like her.

"Let's go." Lin Shangren forced a smile. "Let's go eat something first. Then we'll go to the shopping street in Ueno and then go to the art museum."

……

Sitting by the window on a national railway train, Tsubomi Shimonomiya gazed at the fleeting scenery outside. The gentle breeze swayed the light, making her feel like she and the others on the train were migrating birds, riding the wind. And the noises on the train were indeed as noisy as those birds, disturbing her.

"I have absolutely no inspiration!" Tsuiko patted her nonexistent chest. "What should I write? Damn it, even for a sensual novel, I don't have any suitable material."

Tsuzuru was feeling incredibly irritated. So many things had happened around her recently that were perfect for a novel, but she just didn't know where to begin. Furthermore, her best friend, Tokisaka Yukari, had become mysterious lately.

"What on earth is Zi Zi doing? No one's home, and she won't tell me what's going on. And she's so close to Mr. Gao Cheng..."

Regardless, I'm here today to find inspiration, and more importantly, to meet with Mr. Ge Cheng. Ah, a senior writer, he's about the same age as me, and I have no idea what kind of person he is.

As she was lost in thought, the train arrived at the Taito Ward station. She got off the train and walked a few blocks until she finally reached the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, where she and Ge Chengxin had agreed to meet.

"Zi Zi and the others are going to come here tomorrow to visit some art exhibition..." Zhuizi thought.

Her eyes were always searching for a painting called "Girl in the Shell". She and Ge Chengxin agreed to meet at the place where the painting was exhibited, and they would each hold a copy of the other's work as a token of their meeting.

Zhuizi gently stroked the "Egg of Nennis" in her hand and thought to herself, "My novel hasn't been printed yet. Could he be holding a magazine of amazing fiction?"

Zhuizi and Ge Chengxin didn't know each other and had never interacted with each other before. However, yesterday, Zhuizi suddenly received a call from the magazine editor, who said that the writer Ge Chengxin wanted to meet with her, saying that she admired her work very much and wanted to help her print and publish it.

In that era when telecom scams were still common, the carefree Tsuiko simply believed the editor's words and went to the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum alone without any precautions.

"I don't think anything will go wrong, right? I've already told Dad about my meeting with Teacher Ge Cheng. Hmm?"

Tsuiko suddenly noticed that a fair-skinned blonde girl was looking at her. Judging from her appearance, the girl seemed to be Russian.

"Um, is there anything wrong?" asked Zhuizi.

The girl looked at Tsuchiko in confusion but did not answer.

"Ah... do you understand Japanese?"

"what?"

The Russian girl finally answered, her Japanese pronunciation a little strange.

"Stella." The girl said.

"Stella? Is that your name?"

She, Stella nodded slightly and said in broken Japanese: "I, the commentator, can ask me if you have any questions."

"Eh? The narrator of the work?" Tsuiko pondered. "Is it really okay for him to explain with this level of Japanese?"

Thinking of this, Zhuizi asked, "Can you tell me about this painting?"

Zhuizi pointed to a painting with a scarlet and bloody picture and full of broken walls.

"This is a postwar work by Mamiya Shinso, depicting the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. He spent several months collecting inspiration from the city devastated by the atomic bomb. The painting, with its delicate brushwork and bold colors, has received high international acclaim."

Stella suddenly introduced herself in fluent words.

"Is the working state completely different from the usual state?" Zhuizi complained in a low voice.

"……what?"

Stella tilted her head and looked at Tsubomi.

"Nothing..." Tsuizi smiled awkwardly, "Just continue."

Stella nodded slightly and continued, "This painting fits the theme of this exhibition very well, 'Rebirth'. However, this is a unique work, as most of the other works are centered on religious paintings such as the Resurrection of Jesus.

In addition to the collections from the Osaka and Kurashiki Museums of Art, paintings from Mamiya Shinzo’s own collection are also on display.”

"That's right..."

Tsuiko now believed that the girl in front of her was indeed a reliable guide, so she asked, "Ms. Stella, do you know where the painting 'Girl in the Shell' is?"

"This way."

Stella took Tsubomi's hand and led her forward.

At this time, Zhuizi heard a familiar voice.

"The big mushroom smokes straight up, and the long core sets in the plains. The explosion is really gorgeous."

Zhuizi turned around and happened to meet Lin Shangren's eyes.

"teacher LIN?"

"I was wondering why he looked so familiar. It turns out to be Mr. Shishinomiya." Lin Shangren said jokingly.

Beside him, Takigawa Yumi hugged Hayashi Naoto's arm tightly. After seeing Tsuiko's chest that looked like Little Red Riding Hood, she tried to straighten her chest. The result was the same for A, which was unacceptable.

"Why is the teacher here?"

Tsuiko didn't care about the teasing name that Hayashi Naoto called her. Instead, she looked curiously at Takigawa Yumi who was hugging Hayashi Naoto's arm.

"Hey, is this your girlfriend?"

"Obviously." Lin Shangren replied, "Why are you here?"

"I have an appointment to meet someone here." said Zhuizi.

"Boy friend?"

"What do you care?" Zhuizi said angrily.

"Just a reminder, the school rules against premature dating haven't been revised yet. So, Shishinomiya-san, you don't want the dean to know you're here on a date, do you?"

"Ah! What a weird line! I have to write it down. I think I can use it in my next novel." Zhuizi said in surprise.

"Ha, what you wrote is indeed not a serious novel!"

"The fact that you reacted so quickly shows that you are not a serious person either." Zhuizi immediately retorted.

"Brother Shangren, are you... friends?" Ximei asked a little jealously.

"It's just a teacher-student relationship." ×2

"Ah, this..." ×2

Looking at the three people gradually forming an unstable triangle, Stella asked in a slightly awkward Japanese: "Kara no Gyou, are you still going? I'll take you with me?"

Chapter 101: Knock Down

"Shell Girl?"

"It's a masterpiece of the mind, you must see it." Stella said intermittently. Although she stuttered a little, her tone was very serious.

"A masterpiece."