Chapter 250: Dark Moon Island

Chapter 250: Dark Moon Island

Cullen had changed into a fresh black divine robe. The requirement for this gathering was a unified uniform; rather than providing security for Wolfrun, the Chief Bishop of the York City Area, it was more akin to an honor guard representing the district at the event.

After all, Cullen's side barely needed to worry about actual security. The internal forces of the Church attending the negotiation were already numerous, and furthermore, Dark Moon Island was a neutral third-party territory in name, but in reality, it belonged to an ally of the Church of Order. The island would certainly take full responsibility for the security of both sides—well, at least for the Church of Order's side.

Peggy and Fanny arrived in a car to pick Cullen up, though it wasn't the VIP vehicle, as that car wasn't suitable for teleportation.

While the pick-ups and drop-offs at the very beginning had been mere conveniences, as Cullen played an increasingly vital role within the team and his status grew higher, such "in-team service and privileges" naturally followed.

"Are you bringing the sword with you too?" Peggy asked as she watched Cullen board the car carrying the sword box.

"Yes, I'm bringing it."

Although it wasn't suitable to use this sword on Dark Moon Island, it was, after all, a "token" given to him by that side. In terms of both emotion and reason, it was best to carry it along if possible.

The car drove to the entrance of the new Clergy Building. Everyone carried their luggage inside and took the elevator to the eighteenth floor. Turning a corner after exiting the elevator led straight into Neo's office.

It lacked the prestige of the "private entrance elevator" in the old Clergy Building office, but the new office offered much more space and even featured an exclusive recreation room.

Quincy, Zelma, and the others were currently playing pool.

The Captain was not in the office, but Mr. Memphis was sitting on a sofa in the corner.

Cullen was somewhat surprised by his presence. It seemed his uncle had truly "pushed away" his primary duties as a Law Speaker to single-mindedly experience life in the Whip of Order.

"Come on, everyone pool your luggage. Luggage needs to be teleported separately. Remember, no living creatures inside."

"Does a little bird count as a living creature?" Marlo asked jokingly.

"Then I pray your little bird undergoes necrosis directly during the teleportation."

"Hiss... how ruthless!"

Marlo immediately clamped his legs together, then he looked toward Cullen.

Cullen smiled at Marlo, and Marlo returned the smile before quickly running off to watch the pool game. Anyone with discerning eyes could see that Marlo dreaded Cullen; after all, Cullen was someone who had nearly blown his brains out with a gun.

"I didn't expect you to come." Cullen sat down opposite Memphis, picking up the teapot to pour himself a cup of water.

"I wanted to come, so I came." Memphis picked up the cup Cullen had just filled and took a sip.

Facing Cullen, he was actually quite nervous.

Cullen could only pour himself another cup.

Just then, Richard walked in carrying several sets of divine robes. Evidently, he had just gone to fetch clothes for the others. Garments could be stored, repaired, or enhanced with embedded array formations inside the Clergy Building.

Of the three off-staff members, two were sitting there drinking tea, leaving only Richard to bustle about. Yet he didn't feel bullied at all, appearing quite cheerful instead.

Someone even teasingly asked about the injury on his face, and he spoke quite frankly, saying it was a beating delivered by his old man at home.

Fanny called out, "Alright, everyone to your positions, tidy your appearance."

Everyone put away their games and began to adjust their attire very seriously. Finally, they all silently put on their silver masks.

Having learned his lesson from the last experience, Cullen did not slack off by wearing the mask left by his grandfather this time, opting instead for the one issued by the team.

The Captain walked into the office at that moment, spinning his mask in his hand:

"Assemble!"

Everyone stood up and began to form a line.

They hadn't practiced how to form a formation, nor did they need to excessively pursue perfect uniformity, because the identical robes and masks, coupled with their similar auras, already produced a matching effect.

Cullen remembered that when he first met Neo’s squad, he could clearly perceive that this team was out of the ordinary.

Although three off-staff members had joined recently, Cullen and Memphis were undoubtedly existences that elevated the squad's strength, and even Richard was not the type to drag them down.

"This mission is very simple, but the simpler the mission, the less room there is for mistakes. I don't require you to constantly mind your appearance, but I hope you understand that we are participating in this negotiation as the victorious party. Therefore, you need to lift your spirits and energy for me, understood!"

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

"Move out."

Neo led the group out of the office and took the elevator to the basement. The basement space was vast and deep, laid out with many teleportation arrays. Each array was separated by barrier stones; walls of this material not only served structural purposes but also isolated the influence of surrounding energy fluctuations.

Cullen saw Wolfrun standing there talking with two Cardinals, with Leon and Laure standing behind Wolfrun.

The appearance of these two young gentlemen here meant they were clearly going to Dark Moon Island as well, but their inclusion this time wasn't strictly a move to pad their resumes.

Because Leon was originally the candidate the Church of Order intended to promote for a political marriage with Dark Moon Island. Although Dark Moon Island's enthusiasm for the marriage had suddenly plummeted recently, his grandfather was attending the negotiation as the representative of the York City Area, so he naturally had to bring him along; it could be considered... a precaution.

There was no need to worry about the people of Dark Moon Island thinking the Church of Order was rushing to force a marriage. Having just concluded the war against the Church of Samsara, the Church of Order now possessed immense confidence.

As for Laure, he was Wolfrun's secretary. He had lived on Dark Moon Island for a period during his childhood and was familiar with the place, so he was naturally selected.

According to the regulations, each district would only dispatch one bishop—usually the Chief Bishop—equipped with a secretary, and then by tradition, a Whip of Order squad would serve as the honor guard.

Leon counted as an exception brought along, taking up no official slot.

Neo stepped forward and stood beside Wolfrun. Wolfrun glanced at Neo, nodded, and then continued giving instructions and arrangements to the two Cardinals.

Cullen felt that the Chief Bishop shouldn't be this busy. The reason he deliberately put on this performance right before departure was probably to project an aura that the York City Area could not function without him.

Laure was using a ledger to take notes; his work had already begun.

Leon purposefully swept his gaze across the crowd. Cullen figured he was likely looking for him.

Then, Cullen watched Leon walk up to Richard, reach out to hook an arm around his neck, and smile:

"Remember to bring snacks this time."

"Have you mistaken me for someone else, Leon?"

"Hmm?" Leon froze.

Richard took off his mask, looked at him, and reached out to brush away the hand hooked around his neck:

"How did you become so disgusting now?"

Evidently, Richard knew Leon.

"Why is it you?" Leon asked, somewhat bewildered. "When did you join the Whip of Order?"

"A long time ago."

"Then why didn't I see you during the last mission?"

"I was responsible for covert protection."

Richard didn't directly say that he had spent a week acting as an elevator girl during the last security mission.

However, it was clear that the relationship between Richard and Leon was mediocre, just mutual acquaintances. After all, if the Chief Bishop's family hadn't built up a true ancestral heritage yet, the Guman family—with four Law Speakers in one house—was truly not much lower in status. Most importantly, the Guman family was no ordinary household of Law Speakers either.

"Heh, where is Cullen?" Leon asked.

"Over there. What, you two know each other?"

"Yeah."

Leon looked toward Cullen, and Cullen took off his mask.

"You too, you didn't even greet me when you saw me arrive, making me mistake the person," Leon complained to Cullen with a smile.

"I smiled and nodded back," Cullen replied.

That was exactly how Leon had simply nodded and smiled at him before walking past when they last crossed paths in the corridor of the Ankara restaurant after their mission.

Leon clearly understood what Cullen meant by those words, yet he did not take offense; although choosing how to treat people based on personal whim was a privilege reserved for wealthy young masters like himself, he actually found it rather refreshing when Cullen paid him back in kind.

"How petty."

"Heh."

Leon took a few steps closer until he stood directly in front of Cullen, lowering his voice. "I am being dragged off to the Dark Moon Island again this time. I am certain some of those rumors from Ophelia’s recent visit to Wien have made their way over there. Do you know what that means for me?"

"You will lose face."

"Actually, I do not mind losing face all that much. It is mostly about my grandfather's side. So, once we arrive at the Dark Moon Island and you come into contact with him, you had better watch your step."

"I have faith that the Lord Chief Bishop would not punish a loyal believer of the Order based on mere rumors."

"Trust me, if he were not my grandfather, I would also find it hard to believe that a Chief Bishop could be so narrow-minded."

"Leon!"

"Present."

Leon was summoned over by his grandfather. Once Wolfrun finished giving his instructions, he offered a nod to Neo.

The group stepped into the teleportation array, with Wolfrun standing at the very front, followed immediately by Leon and Lore, while the entire Neo squad brought up the rear.

As the array was activated, Cullen felt his body enveloped by a peculiar medium; then, a gust of wind blew past, and in the mere blink of an eye, everyone materialized within a completely new environment.

This place appeared to be somewhere deep underground, where a massive array had been fully constructed.

More than twenty other teams with identical configurations were present, and even more teams were continuously being teleported into the space.

No words were exchanged between the bishops, each standing silently in their designated places.

The respective Whips of Order squads stood steadfastly behind the individuals they were protecting, everyone maintaining an aura of reserve and meticulous discipline.

Roughly ten minutes later, the large array ahead was activated, and from its very center, a blue gateway of light slowly manifested.

Beginning with the foremost groups, one team after another began to march into the gateway of light.

When it was Cullen’s turn, Wolfrun took the first step forward while the others followed closely; the moment he passed through the light, all of Cullen's senses instantly failed him, the effect far more severe than the previous teleportation.

This indicated that the first teleportation had covered a short distance, meaning that underground space had likely not left the boundaries of Wien, whereas this time was a true long-distance transit, bringing about a physical toll.

Once his senses returned, Cullen felt a soothing warmth spreading over him, accompanied by a gentle ocean breeze that evoked a distinct sense of pleasure.

Opening his eyes to survey his surroundings, Cullen realized he was standing inside a palace crafted from white stone, possessing an ancient and solemn grandeur, situated right upon a mountain peak.

From this vantage point, one could gaze out at the distant ocean, as well as the dense yet orderly towns sprawled below.

The Dark Moon Island enjoyed a perpetual spring.

Cullen's immediate realization was that the Dark Moon Island was far larger than he had imagined, and its population was naturally much greater; it was not a single family controlling the island, but rather a collective of islanders whose shared faith lay with the Dark Moon.

Of course, now that the Church of the Order had established a missionary outpost here, the inhabitants of the Dark Moon Island gained a new spiritual option.

Ahead, rows of carriages stood waiting, with specialized attendants stationed to receive the negotiating representatives of the Church of the Order; Cullen noted that a single horn grew upon the head of each horse pulling the carriages, while the interiors were embedded with arrays, yielding a shock-absorption capability that rivaled or even surpassed luxury automobiles.

In short, arriving at the Dark Moon Island from Wien instantly granted a sense of visual displacement, as if one had stepped straight from a civilized society into a fantasy world.

Yet, in truth, this was the authentic face of this world.

Even though colonial armies had long since entered the era of muskets and ironclad warships, the cold-weapon cavalry regiment he had witnessed marching out of the cavern that day remained the most terrifying force in existence.

There were many others looking around curiously just like Cullen; not only the members of his own squad, but the surrounding Whips of Order squads behaved in the exact same manner, given that most were visiting the Dark Moon Island for the very first time and were naturally struck with wonder by the unique cultural landscape.

"Ahem..."

Neo cleared his throat lightly, prompting all team members to immediately snap back to attention.

However, the captain did not intend for them to merely mind their posture; instead, he pointed toward the carriage pulled by the unicorns ahead and remarked:

"Riding in that is bound to be more comfortable than a car, and it might not be any slower either."

Immediately following this,

The captain spoke once more:

"But out of ordinary people, how many possess the right to ride in such a carriage?"

Neo scanned the surroundings before finally concluding, "The world outside does not look this way as a matter of course; it looks this way because it is under the jurisdiction of Order."

Bishop Wolfrun, who was just about to board the carriage, paused in his tracks, turning his head to look back at Neo with an approving nod.

"You speak with great insight."

Neo bowed his head toward Bishop Wolfrun.

Nevertheless, the Lord Bishop seemed to have no desire to deliver a sermon upon just arriving at another's territory; after offering Neo a small smile of appreciation, he stepped inside the carriage.

Leon and Lore joined him, and the carriage began its journey.

Neo then split his squad members into two columns to escort the carriage on foot.

Accustomed to executing missions in automobiles, Cullen now felt as though he were filming a period drama, missing only a blade strapped to everyone's waist.

With this thought in mind, Cullen softly inquired of Fannie ahead, "Where is our luggage?"

Fannie pointed a short distance away, saying, "The luggage is being sorted and distributed over there; it will be delivered to our lodgings shortly."

"Understood."

Cullen nodded, signaling his acknowledgement.

Inside the carriage;

Wolfrun half-closed his eyes and remarked, "This captain is remarkably discerning."

"He is the captain of the highly renowned Hound Squad," Leon immediately introduced.

"So, the one involved in those rumors with Miss Ophelia is also within this squad?"

"Yes, Grandfather, but those are merely rumors."

"I am not so petty as to harbor a grudge over such matters," Wolfrun dismissed with a wave of his hand. "The Dark Moon Island is not a servant to our Church, after all; she possesses the right to make her own choices."

"Understood, Grandfather."

"However, upon our return, I must still question the department responsible for these arrangements about how they managed this setup. Assigning this particular squad to me—were they gambling on the breadth of my magnanimity?"

Evidently, Bishop Wolfrun had detected the flaw in the arrangement.

Logically speaking, the organizing department could not possibly commit such an oversight as to pair a leader with subordinates they might resent for an official trip.

It was precisely for this reason that when Neo had learned of this assignment ahead of schedule, he had not entertained the slightest thought of pulling strings to secure the mission.

Lore chimed in at this moment, "My Lord, our next destination is the Bernard Hotel, which is the sole establishment on the Dark Moon Island designated for hosting external guests. It is situated halfway up this very mountain, Mount Kenna. The hotel grounds are vast and feature hot springs, making it highly suitable for recuperation. You may indulge in the springs tonight before taking your rest."

"Very well, I see."

During the descent down the mountain, they traversed a long promenade lined with coconut palms, where the pebbles covering the ground gleamed with an array of vibrant colors, appearing exceedingly exquisite.

Cullen admired the scenery flanking both sides of the path as he walked; ever since his awakening, he had spent his time either in Rueland or Wien, both of which suffered from poor climates where even the summers lacked this degree of balmy humidity.

The Dark Moon Island was quite simply a paradise for a holiday.

Because the vistas were so utterly splendid, the journey did not feel long at all, and the procession quickly arrived at the mountainside.

They arrived at the hotel. Descending the mountain earlier, Karen had glimpsed its interior layout. It eschewed the towering, modern architecture of Ankara, consciously preserving a classical aesthetic. Divided into distinct, secluded villas, it bore a stroke of the Eastern artistry familiar to Karen, yet its finer nuances leaned toward the ancient Greek style.

Barring any surprises, each delegation would likely receive its own traditional courtyard, complete with a private, scenic pond.

The living comfort was undeniable, entirely free of the stifling oppression that came with high-rises. Yet, as a venue for summit meetings, it possessed a distinct flaw: the gathering time before any assembly would inevitably be prolonged.

The grand entrance loomed ahead—The Bernar Hotel.

Beholding the hotel's massive sign, Karen had not expected to encounter Purr’s admirer so soon, a testament to Lord Bernar’s enduring legacy in the history of the Dark Moon Island.

Assigned attendants guided the carriage deeper into the hotel grounds, where it could be driven directly into the designated quarters. There, the carriage would remain, fully staffed with an accompanying butler, driver, and attendants.

For every daily session hereafter, the Bishop would require the carriage, for though the grand hall resided within the hotel complex, it lay at a considerable distance.

Bishop Wolfrun took residence in the master suite, while the remaining rooms on either side, all standard twins, were available for the others.

Richard had intended to share a room with Karen, but Neo cut in first, saying, "Richard, you and Memphis share a room."

"Oh, alright." Richard dared not defy the Captain’s orders.

Neo looked at Karen and said, "You’re with me."

"Yes, Captain."

Fanny spoke up, "The luggage has been transferred. Come and collect your own things."

Karen retrieved his bags and settled them into the room.

Neo threw himself directly onto the bed and said, "There are no duties today or tomorrow. Only three people need to remain on standby to await orders, the rest can seize this chance to wander the island and have some fun."

"This is a wonderful assignment."

"Indeed, as the victors, things are bound to be easy.

By the way, do you suppose Miss Ophelia knows you’re here? If she knows and still hasn’t made a move to see you, that would be rather unseemly."

"Captain, there really is nothing between Miss Ophelia and me."

"Keep talking, I believe you."

Just then, Laure appeared at the doorway and knocked. Karen went to open it.

Laure nodded to Neo, and Neo, still sprawled on the bed, nodded back.

Turning to Karen, Laure said, "Let’s go out for a stroll. I’ll be the guide. Leon is coming too, and I’ve called Richard along."

Strictly speaking, those three belonged to the upper crust; that they included him was a considerable gesture of respect.

"Go on out and look around, it’s a rare opportunity," Neo smiled.

"Alright," Karen agreed.

"Come, I’ll take you to try the local delicacies of Dark Moon Island." Laure clapped a hand on Karen’s shoulder, motioning him out.

Karen stepped outside to find Richard and Leon already standing in the courtyard.

"I wanted to ask earlier, what happened to your face? An injury sustained during the mission?" Leon inquired.

Richard nodded and said, "Mmh, yes."

Leon pressed, "Which family of aberrant demons targets the face specifically?"

At that moment, Laure and Karen approached. Laure pointedly flashed his wallet and asked, "Order vouchers can be used directly on Dark Moon Island now. You all brought yours, right?"

"Isn't the organizer treating us, Laure? You cheapskate," Richard said petulantly.

"Dinner is on me, but the activities after dinner—like experiencing the island's signature Mermaid Theater—aren't suitable for someone else's treat. You generally use your own vouchers to negotiate with the mermaids directly, bypassing the front desk entirely."

"The Mermaid Theater? What kind of place is that?" Richard asked.

Laure explained, "In essence, it is Dark Moon Island's specialty pastry shop."

"Fair enough, I’ll go grab my wallet. Karen, if you didn’t bring yours, don’t bother. I’ll share mine with you later."

Leon laughed, "You two really get along well."

Richard said, "Of course, Karen and I are true brothers."

With that, Richard walked back to his room, where Mr. Memphis sat staring blankly on the bed.

Pulling his wallet from his bag, Richard said:

"I’m going out with them now to sample the local pastry shop, hehe."

Mr. Memphis lifted his head, fixing his gaze upon Richard.

Unaware of the stare behind him, Richard opened his wallet, peered inside, and sighed:

"Ah, my savings could have given me a grand time here, but now only half remains. My old man really is a piece of work."

Saying this,

Richard reached out to pat Memphis on the shoulder, saying, "I’m tagging along with others, so it wouldn't be right for me to bring an extra guest. But don’t worry, when I get back tonight, I’ll take you out privately."

Memphis frowned, staring intently at Richard.

Richard misread the look, assuming the man doubted his stamina—an insult that absolutely could not be tolerated!

He immediately thumped his own chest,

and said:

"Rest assured, it's merely twice a day, no trouble at all. I'm still young, it's not as if I'm my father's age."