Chapter 247: The Burial Ground of Gods

Chapter 247: The Land of Divine Burial

"Silence is never a good sign. Give me your answer within ten seconds, or I shall sever your head.

Ten, nine, three, two..."

"I yield!"

Neo tilted his face slightly, as though closely scrutinizing the woman.

"Oh, there is one more condition. You must apologize to my subordinate. Tell him you were wrong, and that you should not have been discourteous to him. Another ten seconds to consider...

Three, two, one!"

"I yield!"

A flicker of regret crossed Neo’s face. He drew a syringe from the side of his boot and said, "This single injection will leave your body weak for ten minutes, stripping away your command over the spiritual power within. Relax your muscles; no purifications allowed.

Rest assured, I merely wish to remove my boot from your body and withdraw my blade, not to violate you."

The woman stared at Neo, remaining silent.

"Very well. If you object, I suppose I shall have to cut your head off after all."

"I agree!"

"Mmh, that is more like it."

Neo plunged the needle into her neck, plunging the fluid home.

The efficacy was swift; the aura enveloping the woman began to wither away.

Neo retracted the boot that had pinned her to the earth.

The scarred, grey armor she wore dissolved at that moment, reverting into that white, fluffy creature. Only now, its snowy down was speckled with blood; clearly, it had also sustained grievous wounds in the preceding battle.

Neo reached down to snatch it up, wiped it against the stone step beside him, and then tossed it back to the ground.

Upon that newly cleansed patch of stone, Neo seated himself.

"Who... who are you, truly?" the woman asked, turning her head with great difficulty to look at Neo.

"A bloodthirsty aberrant demon who believes in Order, yet remains a remnant of Light."

The woman’s mouth parted slightly. Evidentially, such an identity would require a long time to digest. Most importantly, she had witnessed with her own eyes the abilities this man had displayed; she knew he spoke the truth.

"And you? I cannot discern your origins."

The woman hesitated.

"You know, I could change my mind at any moment and silence you forever. Your failure to slay my subordinate and his manservant earlier was a grave mistake in my eyes. And I, for one, endeavor to avoid such errors.

Speaking more at this moment and sharing secrets will only improve your chances of survival."

"I am a descendant of the Tomb-Keeping Clan."

"The Tomb-Keeping Clan? What an unseemly name." Neo raised a finger, tapping it gently against the center of his brow as he dredged through 'its' memories. "Ah, that family."

The Tomb-Keeping Clan was not actually a lineage bound by blood; its structure resembled a syndicate, a collective organized by a band of people.

It originated two epochs ago, an antiquity far more ancient than the Church of Order.

Gods were not eternal existences. Aside from the War of the Divine Swords and other unforeseen calamities, gods could, in truth, die of old age. The Church of Principles had long since established this truth, having explored many rumored lands of divine burial.

Within certain lands of divine burial, the deliberate arrangements of the gods remained visibly preserved, as though they had known their end was nigh and had begun preparing for their own funerals.

This meant that gods could foresee their own demise.

Two epochs ago, a principal god had championed the creation of a "Graveyard of the Gods" where deities might rest in eternal slumber. He had buried himself there, and subsequently, several other gods chose to take their final rest within its grounds before their own ends.

At that time, the gods had chosen a group of mortals specifically tasked with tending to the graveyard, much like old Saman's occupation.

Yet this custom among the gods did not endure for long, for during the transition between the end of the second epoch and the beginning of the last, a terrifying cataclysm erupted within the graveyard.

The God of Light had personally journeyed there to suppress and resolve the crisis, strangling the great turmoil in its cradle.

This was explicitly recorded within the *Chronicles of Light*, and not merely once, but thrice in total.

The account of the third instance was somewhat more detailed, mentioning that the God of Light had entered the graveyard to conduct negotiations.

In the *Light of Order*, a similar record existed, though it was far more concise and absolute: the God of Order journeyed to the Land of Divine Burial and sealed it completely.

This was entirely in keeping with the God of Order’s manner of governance—especially since this event occurred at the end of the last epoch, a period during which the God of Order stood as an absolute, supreme existence among the pantheon.

Where Light had failed to fully resolve the matter, he stepped in to conclude it.

Ever since the God of Order completely sealed that graveyard, the original faction of tomb-keepers suffered a devastating blow. It was said that the vast majority were sealed within alongside it, while the remaining remnant reorganized themselves into a tomb-keeping tribe. Yet, they no longer had any tombs to keep.

Upon entering the current epoch, the Tomb-Keeping Clan had already withered and scattered, leaving virtually no trace of their existence behind.

This was only natural. After all, they belonged neither to a system of ancestral devotion nor to a church of faith. Once they lost the foundation upon which they relied, disintegration was inevitable.

As these fragments of lore resurfaced in his mind, Neo looked back at the woman, a faint, amused expression playing upon his features.

He crossed his hands before his chest and inquired:

"What is your name?"

"Anita."

"And your surname?"

"The Tomb-Keeping Clan possesses no surnames. Only names."

Much like the Island of the Dark Moon.

However, while the Island of the Dark Moon acted out of absolute piety toward the Dark Moon, this custom of the Tomb-Keeping Clan was likely a measure to forge a tighter communal bond. Evidently, they had failed.

Just then, the rumble of an engine drifted closer as a black sedan pulled up at the gates of the factory compound. Cullen stepped out of the vehicle.

Seeing his captain seated there and the woman sprawled upon the ground, Cullen understood clearly that the victor had been decided.

"Captain, are you injured?"

Neo shook his head and replied, "Nothing of consequence."

Cullen cast his gaze toward the woman on the ground, who was likewise staring up at him.

After a long silence, Anita spoke: "I apologize to you for my previous discourtesy."

Cullen hesitated for a moment, then nodded to her. "I accept your apology."

Anita then turned her eyes toward Neo, who sat nearby.

"I shall honor my word. Once the effects of the drug subside, you may depart."

Hearing this, Anita closed her eyes and began to rest.

Cullen reached down to scoop up the white, fluffy creature from the earth, cradling it in his hands.

The creature was covered entirely in snowy down. As Cullen lifted it, it blinked its eyes open—large eyes and a tiny mouth, presenting a rather endearing visage. Yet its spirit was utterly withered now, indicating it had been severely wounded.

Neo spoke up: "It is useless to you. It is her symbiote. Once this covenant is forged, it is virtually impossible to unbind."

A symbiote?

So, the relationship between this creature and the woman was identical to the bond between himself and Kevin?

If that were the case, it would perfectly explain why its pleas for mercy had proven so effective.

Cullen drew a bottle of energy potion from his pocket and fed it to the little creature. The small thing gulped it down with a succession of hearty swallows, then extended its tongue, leaving a damp lick across Cullen's palm.

After that single touch, the little creature froze, lifting its head to stare at Cullen with unvarnished curiosity.

The woman, who had kept her eyes tightly shut until now, opened them and asked, "You possess a symbiotic entity too?"

"Yes," Cullen murmured in response.

Only, your symbiotic entity can fight alongside you, while mine is currently fit for nothing but sleeping at home.

Though it could be brought along, the present Pu'er was only capable of summoning a meager fireball, rendering the creature practically useless in an actual bout.

Cullen gently placed the little thing back beside the woman, then took a seat on the steps next to the Captain, speaking softly, "Thank you, Captain."

"Heh." Neo glanced toward Cullen, though his finger pointed directly at the woman. "She was simply unlucky, that is all."

Immediately following his words, Neo stretched his limbs lazily and added, "Regardless, I have had to maintain a perpetually shocked expression in front of you lately. As your captain, I do have a modicum of dignity to uphold."

One must always find an opportune moment to manifest their presence.

In truth, when Neo arrived on the scene, he had naturally discerned that the woman had already spared Cullen and his companion. Yet, he had still chosen to pursue her, beating her down until she lay prostrate.

"Captain, do you truly intend to let her leave?"

Hearing Cullen suddenly press this question, the woman's expression instantly tightened with renewed anxiety.

"Yes, let her go, seeing as she has already acceded to my terms."

"Before her, you used..."

"I did, and she witnessed it."

"And yet you still permit her departure?"

"It matters not." Neo fixed his gaze upon the woman. "I hold the clues to the Divine Burial Graveyard."

"You know them?"

"Indeed, I do, though it requires time to reconfirm and differentiate them. The one who originally resolved the crisis of the Divine Burial Graveyard was the God of Light, and the one who ultimately sealed the graveyard permanently was the God of Order. Consequently, the clues reside within the chronicles of both churches, and those records happen to dwell inside my mind."

"Ought I to believe you?"

"You have no obligation to believe me. I remain ignorant of whether you stand alone or possess a small clan, but I know that your lineage of grave-keepers has always dreamed of rediscovering that sealed graveyard. It is the sole purpose of your existence.

I can proffer assistance, or rather, it is a matter of mutual exploitation between us. I, too, harbor a desire to visit that graveyard.

However, it shall not be now. At present, I am not yet prepared."

As the efficacy of the medicine waned, the woman made no attempt at disguise, beginning to struggle to a sitting position. She first gathered the white, fluffy creature into her arms:

"Remer."

Neo spoke up, "Leave a means of contact, and you may depart."

Remer opened its maw and spat out a lusterless black pearl. Anita proffered it toward Neo, saying, "When you require communication with me, you may use this to dispatch a message. Remer can perceive it."

Neo accepted the pearl into his possession.

Anita stood up, cradling Remer as she walked a few paces outward before halting, turning back to face Neo:

"Roughly how long must I wait?"

"A half-year? A year? Three years? Five years?" Neo shrugged his shoulders lightly. "Whenever I find myself overcome by boredom, I suppose."

Anita inclined her head slightly, uttering, "Very well."

The woman departed, taking her pet along.

As a mere onlooker to the affair, Cullen still retained a sense of profound unreality.

"Have no fear, she will safeguard my secret. The graveyard constitutes another form of faith for her."

"Captain, do you truly discern the location of the graveyard?"

"I have no inkling."

"No inkling?"

"Is there truly a need for such astonishment? Who could possibly know where the God of Order banished and sealed it? If the God of Order simply chose to end the matter once and for all by sealing it and exiling it into the space of counter-currents, then finding it becomes an utter impossibility."

"Then you..."

"Being unable to locate it now does not dictate that it cannot be found in the future. Furthermore, I can employ this justification to summon her for service whenever a need arises hereafter. This woman is rather formidable to contend with."

Saying this, Neo turned his gaze upon Cullen, inquiring, "Do you harbor the impression that I am playing with fire?"

"A little."

"I have detected it as well. A few alterations have recently transpired within my temperament, rendering me increasingly emotional. The former me, heh, bore a striking resemblance to Inquisitor Pavarotti.

How peculiar. Having absorbed the doctrines of Light, ought I not to have become more tranquil?"

"To outsiders, you appear more serene, yet internally, you may well be more emotional. After all, emotions must invariably find a channel for release; they cannot simply vanish into nothingness."

"Your words possess a great deal of merit."

Neo stood up, using his hand to massage the region of his chest, delivering a sudden twist and a firm shove.

Cullen caught the distinct, successive sounds of misaligned joints snapping back into place. The sensation was so simple and natural, it mirrored the Captain merely cracking his knuckles.

"Next time, you might consider arriving a bit earlier. What a pity you failed to witness the spectacle of my bout with her with your own eyes."

"I am well aware of how formidable she is, which only serves to make me more cognizant of exactly how powerful you are, Captain."

"Still, I pale in comparison to your grandfather."

"It is entirely different. Grandfather stands too high, far beyond my reach. Your strength, Captain, is something I can touch, thus my perception of it is deeper and my comprehension more intuitive, leading me to find you all the more powerful."

Neo knitted his brows slightly, pointing a finger at himself. "Are you paying me a compliment?"

"Indeed."

"Very well, I shall take it as truth. It must be said that appearing in the same sentence as your grandfather is a rather glorious distinction."

Just then, two crows came flying through the air.

Neo extended his hand to receive them, then permitted them to take flight once more, remarking:

"I informed Fanny and the others that the matter has concluded, bidding them return to rest and prepare for the missions that might commence within these next two days. Should they journey all this way only to find nothing to occupy them, I would be obliged to treat them to late-night supper."

"Captain, shall I treat you to a late-night supper?"

"Next time, next time. It was originally agreed that I would partake of a meal prepared by your own hands; let us leave it for the next occasion. At present, I must return home to make a few minor adjustments to my ribs. It still feels somewhat uncomfortable, as though they were not aligned quite correctly."

"Captain, allow me to escort you back."

"No need. Ah, yes, should you encounter another incident where your subordinates are apprehended in the future, there is no requirement to contact me or Fanny. You may simply place a call to Richard directly. The reputation of the Guman family's young master remains highly efficacious; do not perceive their household as a mere lineage of simple spell-judges."

"Understood, I shall keep that in mind, Captain."

"Then, farewell for now."

Neo strode forward, retrieving a dagger from the ground, whereupon his form dissolved into a dark mist and drifted away.

Cullen, for his part, climbed back into the vehicle and drove homeward.

Before the doors of the funeral parlor, Alfred stood waiting in a state of anxious anticipation. The moment Cullen brought the vehicle to a halt, Alfred stepped forward, inquiring with deep concern, "Young Master, are you unharmed?"

"It never came to my turn to fight. The Captain single-handedly beat her into submission."

"It's all my fault for leading you, Young Master, into such peril tonight."

"It has nothing to do with you; I brought this upon myself. If we're strictly being fair, it was only because of your connection with that little thing that we were given a pass in the first place."

That little fellow named Romer had probably come out to play, joined the club, got to know Alfred, and subsequently took a liking to him.

It seemed he would have to warn his own cat and dog in advance that once they possessed puppet vessels, they were absolutely not to go fool around outside.

Shouldering the Sword of Alius, Karen pushed open the bedroom door and returned the greatsword to the refrigerator.

Three thousand Order Vouchers for a fight—no, it couldn't even be called a fight, merely an exchange of a few rounds—yet it wasn't a total loss. If he hadn't managed to force the other party back at the start, they might well have killed him and Alfred then and there, leaving no chance to even wait for someone to plead on their behalf.

"Karen, are you alright?" Purr leaped onto Karen's shoulder, her eyes sweeping over him from head to toe.

"I'm fine."

"What was that woman Alfred mentioned all about?" Purr immediately pressed.

Karen recounted his experiences after separating from Alfred. In truth, there wasn't much he could say; after all, he hadn't witnessed the combat scene between the Captain and that woman, though he had gleaned quite a bit of information from the subsequent conversation between the two.

"The Tomb-Guarding Clan?"

"You know of them?" Karen looked toward Purr.

"I do. Years ago, I too knew a woman who claimed to belong to the Tomb-Guarding Clan. She was proficient in summoning hands or feet that reeked of curses. According to her, those were their enshrouded summons, inherited from that Divine Burial Cemetery."

"Yes, that woman used that kind of palm against me today as well, though it didn't have much of an effect on me."

With this body of his, there was no need to worry about being corrupted—at least, not by corruption of this caliber.

"Your Captain is truly formidable, laying this bait the moment her identity was known. The Tomb-Guarding Clan's obsession with tracing that cemetery is practically demonic. Back then, that woman and I went adventuring together.

We went to a very dangerous place, and just as I was planning to flee, she claimed that the underground might be the entrance to the cemetery."

"Did she find it?" Karen asked.

"No, it was just the family vault of some ancient lineage, not the Divine Burial Cemetery. She was gravely injured because of that mishap and couldn't be saved. She died, and it was I who dug a pit and buried her."

When speaking of this past experience, Purr did not use her playful tone; she sounded quite calm, which meant that the woman might have once been a very dear friend of hers.

Alfred brought over a glass of ice water and handed it to Karen. Taking a sip, Karen couldn't help but ask:

"Why would a place where gods are buried breed calamities? Do the corpses of gods turn into sources of corruption as well?"

If that were the case, then the very definition of a god's existence would have to change once more.

Purr immediately perked up, saying, "That's an easy question to solve. Let's dig a pit, bury the stupid dog, and then observe the changes in that gravesite. We'll have our answer."

Promptly, Purr expressed her confusion: "Where is the stupid dog?"

Generally speaking, after she mocked the stupid dog, it would give her a retort.

At that moment, Kevin walked out from the partition space and sat down in front of Karen, his expression somewhat solemn.

Karen said to Purr, "Have your interrogations of him been too harsh lately?"

"No way!" Purr immediately denied it. "Stupid dog, what are you doing!"

"Woof! Woof!"

Purr spoke up: "The stupid dog says that to prevent what happened last time from recurring, he wants to confess in advance this time."

Karen grew interested and asked, "What do you want to confess?"

"Woof! Woof!"

"The stupid dog says..."

Alfred immediately cut in: "Kevin says he knows the exact location of the Divine Burial Cemetery."

"Hey, radio sprite, you've gone too far!"

"Woof! Woof!"

Alfred immediately continued to translate:

"Raniandal says: back then, it was he who helped the God of Order seal the Divine Burial Cemetery."