The Envoy of Abundance from Onphalus

One belonged to all Onphalus people, while the other cared only about their own power and regarded the common people as worthless.

Russell's gaze refocused on the saintess of Janusapolis before him, a chilling determination flickering deep within her pale blue pupils.

He has always been like this: once he sets a goal, he will go all out; if he does something, he will do it to the best of his ability.

……

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Amber Seed Medicine Scroll: Chapter Nineteen - The City-State Imprisoning the Titans

After Russell made up his mind, Tirispius quickly revealed her plan, the core of which was simple and direct: in her palace, there was an emergency escape passage that originated from the era of priesthood and was specially prepared for the saints of each generation.

This secret passage leads to the location of the Titan Janus. Her goal is to communicate with Janus and, ideally, peacefully obtain His fire.

Without the support of the Titans, it would probably take Tyresipeus a hundred years to travel to all the city-states of Onphalus and persuade them on his own.

She needs this power as proof of the prophecy's truth. If she escapes empty-handed, it's hard to predict what crazy things the enraged Senate might do.

This secret passage is one of Januspolis's most closely guarded secrets, known only to the saintess and the high priest.

The exit was set up in an inconspicuous storeroom in the Hall of the Three Aspects of Destiny, ensuring that the escape would not be immediately exposed.

Its original purpose was to preserve a spark of hope for the saintess in the event of the city-state's annihilation.

After the priestly rule was brutally replaced by the Senate, many priests who knew the secret died tragically. The information about this secret passage faded with time and eventually became a secret passed down only by word of mouth by the contemporary saintess—this was also her last trump card against the Senate as a puppet saintess.

Together, the two slowly moved the heavy bookshelf. Dust settled, revealing a hidden door about half a person's height behind it. The door was covered in a thick layer of dust, with even tiny cracks visible, silently telling the story of how it had never been used since its construction.

Tirispius placed his hand on the keypad. With a soft click of a mechanism, the hidden door slid open, revealing a dark, deep passageway that smelled faintly of mildew.

Without hesitation, the two ducked inside and then worked together to push the bookshelf back into place, concealing the entrance.

After groping their way forward in the darkness for a while, they gently pushed open the exit cover. Tirispius cautiously confirmed that it was safe outside before the two of them crouched down and crawled out.

Standing once more inside the magnificent Hall of the Three Fates, Russell looked around, his heart filled with mixed emotions. His journey had begun with healing and saving lives, but he had unexpectedly become an accomplice.

But at this moment, a long-lost sense of exhilaration welled up in his heart, just like the determination he had when he followed Cecis to study. For the future of Onphalus, he was willing to do so.

“Miss Saint, the guards of the Temple of the Three Phases of Fate are on leave today. I suppose that was your arrangement as well?” Russell brushed the dust off his hair and clothes, his pale blue eyes looking at Tirispius beside him, his tone knowing.

"Whatever you say goes." Tirispius had no intention of explaining, his steps unwavering. "We don't have much time left. The Senate only gave us two hours for the consultation, and now we only have one hour left. We must hurry!"

Russell followed closely behind. What struck him as odd was that the paths that had been blocked by obstacles or closed doors would always seem to be moved aside or opened up by an invisible force as they approached, revealing a clear way forward. A few barely perceptible flashes of light would appear, and the obstacles would vanish without a trace.

“It is the power of time,” Tirispius explained in a low voice, quickening his pace. “Elonius is helping us. Don’t hesitate, Mr. Russell, we’re almost there!”

Soon, they stealthily approached the vicinity of Janus's temple. Looking at the heavy gate, a symbol of the Titans' abode, both men felt an overwhelming surge of excitement—persuading a Titan to offer up fire was no easy feat.

The elite guards protecting the Temple of Janus, however, were now the biggest obstacle. Fully armed, they patrolled vigilantly, clearly not on leave. Even Oronis's power seemed unable to directly influence these guards.

But this didn't stump Russell.

A doctor who has been proficient in medicine for thousands of years will naturally be well-versed in the art of treating people effectively, and will also have unique insights into how to effectively prevent harm to people. In terms of toxicology, Bertrand Russell was by no means dabbling, but rather possessed profound expertise.

While Tirispius was anxiously searching for a solution, Russell had already silently pulled out more than ten fine needles from his medical kit. His eyes were sharp, and with a flick of his wrist—

A flash of silver light!

The flying needles pierced the guards' necks or arms, which were not covered by armor, with incredible precision, moving in the blink of an eye.

The needle tip was coated with Russell's specially formulated powerful numbing agent. It was originally invented to calm patients struggling in excruciating pain on the operating table and prevent them from tearing open wounds and causing massive bleeding.

It combines the essence of various potent sedative and paralyzing plants. A small amount is enough to knock out a strong man for up to twelve hours, during which time he will be unable to wake up even if he suffers injuries.

Even the slightest deviation in the formula could turn it into a deadly poison that kills instantly. Russell had an unparalleled grasp of dosage; the amount he used against these guards was just right, enough to put them to sleep for five or six hours, essentially a forced vacation.

The guards felt a slight sting, like a mosquito bite, followed by a wave of intense numbness that quickly swept through their bodies. Within ten seconds, they collapsed to the ground one after another, snoring loudly. Some tried to raise their voices in warning, but their lips wouldn't move; they could only watch helplessly as their consciousness faded into darkness.

Throughout the long millennium, Russell did not merely bury himself in the books of the Divine Enlightenment Tree Garden. He devoted himself to studying combat techniques in Suspended Peak City, and even made it into the top ten in the Suspended Peak Grand Tournament.

He ultimately suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of a powerful figure named Gnaeus. This needle-throwing technique was the culmination of nearly three hundred years of arduous practice. Paralyzing a few guards was merely a small test of his skills.

A polymath like him, proficient in medicine, toxicology, combat, research and development, teaching, and diplomacy, would have had enough time over a thousand years to hone many of his skills to a considerable degree.

“Mr. Russell, they…” Tirispius looked at the fallen guard with some concern.

"Don't worry, it's just a numbing agent. You'll be fine after a few hours of sleep." Russell gestured for her to follow.

With no further obstacles, the two quietly approached the heavy Titan Gate.

Tirispius took a deep breath, her mind racing as she formulated her persuasive words to Janus. She gently pushed open the heavy temple doors—

The sight before them made the two of them hold their breath instantly.

In the center of the magnificent hall, the figure representing the gateway Titan Janus now appears in a chillingly weakened state.

His core—the spark that should have shone brightly—floated in mid-air like a flickering candle in the wind, its light dim and swaying. The massive Titan body was bound by an invisible force, its life force weak, as if it might be extinguished at any moment.

This is hardly the noble abode of the Titans; it is clearly a prison for the gods!

Russell's pupils contracted slightly, and he subconsciously touched his chin. The scene before him answered a long-standing question: why the Senate acted so recklessly in the city-states of the Three Titans of Fate, yet had never been punished by the gods.

It turned out that they had already brazenly imprisoned one of them! Janus, who usually manifested most often in public, was now imprisoned here, so naturally no one could restrain the Senate's perverse actions.

……

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Amber Medicine Scroll: Chapter Twenty - The Panicked Senate

Russell's fingers gleamed with a cold light, several silver needles poised to be fired, his sharp gaze sweeping over every possible shadowy corner inside the temple, on guard against any potential lurking guards.

Normally, imprisoning a Titan would require guards to monitor the temple. But Russell was overthinking it. The Senate members lacked both real courage and were extremely insecure, daring not to allow more guards to touch this blasphemous core secret.

The fewer people who know about these dirty and sordid things, the better. They are nothing but a bunch of cowards obsessed with the game of power, riddled with internal factions and infighting. Even the Senate itself is a disorganized mess, never producing a true leader who can control the overall situation.

Even so, Russell did not put down the silver needles in his hand. His senses were heightened to the extreme, and he was constantly on guard against any patrol that might appear outside the door. At this moment, no amount of caution was excessive.

Tirispyos then walked step by step toward the fading light source—the core of the gateway Titanian Janus.

A few steps away from the floating, dimly lit flame, she stopped, solemnly straightened the saint's skirt, slowly knelt down, raised her head, and gazed devoutly at the flame that symbolized the existence of the Titans.

She closed her eyes, clasped her hands together in front of her chest, and began to chant an ancient, ethereal, and rhythmic language—Titan.

One man and one Titan began a silent exchange in the quiet temple.

Russell, not far away, could only sense an indescribable, vast, and profound emotional fluctuation flowing in the air. The language of the Titans was not an ordinary sound, but rather a divine thought that directly conveyed ideas and emotions.

Only those born with exceptional talents, the Golden Blood, or a very few favored by the Titans, can understand this language. In city-states that worship the Titans, they are often revered as holy sons or daughters.

Tirispius was such a being. Russell remembered that scholars in the Temple of the Gods had attempted to study the Titan language, but ultimately had to change their research topics to graduate.

The exchange was brief. After a short while, Tirispius slowly opened her eyes, stood up, and with a resolute expression, stepped forward again towards the floating flame. Strangely, the dim flame seemed to be summoned and also moved closer to her.

When the flame finally touched Tirispius's outstretched hand, an indescribable, pure, and dazzling light suddenly erupted, instantly filling the entire temple! The intense light was so blinding that even Russell had to abruptly turn his head and raise his hand to shield his eyes.

The light, like a tangible torrent, surged into Tirispius's body. Her aura seemed to be elevated in the light, but the instant the light faded, Russell saw her face turn deathly pale and her body arch in agony!

She couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed to the ground. Her previous calm and collected demeanor vanished, replaced by clenched teeth and barely suppressed pain.

"Tirisippius!" Russell's pupils contracted, and he instantly retracted his silver needles, rushing to her side. She was the key to the prophecy, the starting point of the Golden Blood's salvation plan! She absolutely could not be harmed!

"How are you feeling? Where does it hurt?" Russell's voice carried the urgency of a healer's instinct, his fingers already on her wrist, quickly checking her pupils and breathing. A human fused with the Titan's fire? This was beyond the scope of his millennia of medical experience.

“Thank you…” Tirispyos’s voice trembled with pain, and a fine layer of cold sweat beaded on his forehead. “I… am fine… it’s just… the power of the fire… is too great… I can’t bear it for a moment…”

"Don't push yourself!" Russell said sternly, taking a vial from his medical kit without room for argument. "Drink this; it will relieve the pain and calm you down. Now, listen to the doctor!"

He knew the excruciating pain that forcibly fusing with unknown forces might bring, and the saintess's pretense was meaningless to him.

With Russell's help, Tirispius struggled to sit up and drank the potion. A cool, gentle sensation quickly spread throughout her body, and the intense pain subsided like the receding tide, easing her tense nerves and restoring a sliver of color to her face.

“Thank you, Mr. Russell.” She gasped, glancing gratefully at Russell before her expression hardened. “But we must leave immediately! When we were merging the spark, I saw through the doorway—the Senate is heading to my room! They’ll soon discover we’re gone!”

Russell's eyes darkened, and without saying a word, he quickly took out all the remaining silver needles from his medical kit and neatly clipped them into his fingers and cuffs for easy access.

Now that Tirispius has acquired the power of the gate and foreseen the pursuers, he will likely face Janusapolis's entire army of guards next.

Supporting each other, the two quickly walked out of the temple where Janus was imprisoned. Outside, the dawn light of Cephalus still shone on the three cities of destiny, but at this moment, the light falling on the two only brought heavy pressure.

How to break through the numerous blockades and leave Janusapolis? A shadow fell over Russell's mind.

……

Inside the Senate chamber, the arguments never ceased.

Some elders, accustomed to judging others by their own darker perspectives, believed that two hours alone was an absurdly long time, enough for Russell to harbor ill intentions towards the saint—despite Russell's millennia-long reputation, the symbolic value of the saint was paramount to them. The other faction, however, insisted that Russell possessed high medical ethics and would not do anything inappropriate.

After an hour and a half of wrangling, a compromise was finally reached: a team of guards would be sent to the door of the saintess's room to politely knock and inquire about the progress of her treatment.

This makes sense, right?

However, when the guards arrived at the saint's magnificent door, no matter how respectfully they knocked and inquired, there was only deathly silence inside, with no response whatsoever.

A sense of foreboding gripped the captain of the guards. He ordered the door to be forced open!

The room was empty. Saint Tirispius, the physician Russell, and even their shadows had vanished without a trace!

The guards panicked instantly, frantically searching the room like headless flies, hoping to find the person in some wardrobe or under the bed, or at least find some clues to report to the Senate.

Finally, someone noticed the unusual drag marks and scattered dust on the floor in front of the bookshelf.

"Here!" the soldier shouted.

With everyone working together, they pushed aside the heavy bookshelf, revealing a dark, musty-smelling entrance to a secret passage!

The news was quickly relayed back to the Senate.

After a chaotic discussion and mutual accusations, the elders came to a conclusion that was easier for them to accept: Saint Tyresipeus had abducted the highly respected Dr. Russell and escaped!

Yes, Russell's reputation was indeed unshakeable. Even faced with irrefutable evidence of the saint's escape, they subconsciously believed that Russell was a forced victim, not an active accomplice.

They absolutely cannot lose the saintess, this crucial tool for maintaining the legitimacy of their power! The panicked Senate immediately issued the highest level of martial law.

A large number of elite guards were mobilized and surged like a tide to guard the entrances and exits of Janusapolis. The members of the Senate quickly learned of the two men's whereabouts.

Amber's Medical Scroll: Chapter Twenty-One - Amber's Inquiry

"Your Grace, please halt." A cold voice echoed in the corridor, carrying an unquestionable tone of command. Tirispius and Russell passed through the last magnificent door, only to be stopped in their tracks by a group of figures standing guard.

The members of the Senate stood blocking the way, their postures relaxed and their expressions arrogant, as if they had already anticipated that their prey would step into this trap.

“Please return immediately for treatment. This is the best option for you and for Janusapolis.” A white-haired, stern-faced elder struck the ground heavily with his scepter, the resounding clang demonstrating his authority.

“And you, Mr. Russell,” another smiling elder with narrowed eyes turned to Russell, his tone seemingly gentle but laced with sarcasm, “a doctor’s duty is to heal the sick and save lives. Her Majesty the Holy Maiden is young and impetuous, and may act rashly. Please do not let her coerce you into playing along with her antics.”

The Senate's full-scale mobilization was not simply due to the Holy Maiden's escape. If it were merely the Holy Maiden's disappearance, they could still cover it up. But if the accusation that the Holy Maiden kidnapped the ruler of the Divine Enlightenment Tree Court is confirmed, the nature of the matter is entirely different.

If mishandled, Janusapolis will face an unprecedented diplomatic crisis, and their hard-won power will be in jeopardy.

Faced with the Senate's aggressive stance, Tirispius appeared somewhat helpless. Her long experience of being kept in captivity made it difficult for her to speak harshly to these nominal guardians. Her gaze instinctively drifted to Russell beside her, a silent plea for help.

Russell received the signal. He stepped forward, blocking Tirispius's path, his gaze sweeping over the arrogant faces before him. Three hundred years of old grudges surged within him, and a thousand years of suppressed anger churned within him like molten lava.

Because of these people's obstruction, Onfaros missed the best opportunity for unification! After that failed attempt at unification, the horns of conflict sounded again, and countless lives were lost in the flames of war and the Black Tide. Russell seemed to hear the cries of the dead and see the tears of broken families.

For three hundred years, power has changed hands six or seven times, but the Senate's greed and shortsightedness have remained unchanged, even intensified! They imprisoned gods, manipulated saints, and falsely proclaimed divine pronouncements, turning Janusapolis, this sacred city, into a chessboard for their power struggles! How many families have been destroyed because of their lies? How many hopes have been extinguished by their selfish desires?

The desperate looks in the eyes of those innocent people before their deaths, contrasted sharply with the smug and arrogant attitude of the people in front of them, created the most glaring irony.

"enough!"

The last trace of gentleness in Russell's eyes vanished completely, replaced by a cold, furious rage burning in his pale blue pupils. At this moment, he was a completely different person from the benevolent and skilled physician he had once been.

The air froze instantly, and the heavy pressure made the elders' hearts skip a beat—they suddenly realized that Russell was by no means a coerced person, but rather the mastermind behind the saintess's escape!

“Mr. Russell!” The stern elder forced himself to remain calm, his tone shifting from reprimand to accusation. “Doctors should adhere to their duties. Isn’t it going too far for you to interfere in the internal affairs of Janusapolis like this?”

"Excessive?" Russell's voice suddenly rose, booming like thunder, instantly drowning out the other person's voice. "You dare to talk about the word 'excessive'?!"

The question, brimming with resentment accumulated over a century, startled even Tirispius standing nearby. Russell's body trembled slightly with extreme anger.

“Mr. Russell, please calm down,” the smiling elder immediately smoothed things over, pushing aside his companion and deepening the wrinkles on his face. “Whatever the reason, this matter was indeed inappropriate. I apologize to you on behalf of Janusapolis.”

"How about this, we'll pretend this never happened. You give up taking the saintess away, and she can return to the holy city in peace. Let's just let it go, shall we?" He tried to use the grand pretext of the holy city to restrain Tirispius.

Russell's lips suddenly curled into a cold smile, the anger in his eyes seemed to subside somewhat, and his tone became calmer: "Good suggestion. As long as you can answer one question for me, the Holy Maiden... I will not take her away."

"Please ask! I will answer anything you know!" The gentle elder was overjoyed, thinking that things had taken a turn for the better.

“Three hundred years ago,” Russell’s voice was as clear as shattering ice, “your Senate, in the name of Janusapolis, declared that the Titan Janus of the Gate had sent down an oracle, judging my plan to organize all Onphalus people to fight against the Black Tide as a blatant hoax. Tell me, was this oracle… true or false?”