Chapter 476: Missing Each Other in Fate

Chapter 476: A Near Miss Destined by Fate

Was their counterparty one of their own? That was the immediate reaction on both sides.

Yet, the second reaction that instantly followed was a wave of deep suspicion.

The woman was bewildered: the Abyss Cult clearly had no missionary outpost here, so why had an elite force of this size, radiating such a grim, battle-ready aura, suddenly materialized out of nowhere?

What purpose did this cohort serve by being on Fire Island right now?

She kept in mind that before their departure, the elder had repeatedly drummed it into their heads that they were only here to "witness," strictly forbidding the three of them from making a move and exposing their identities.

Karen’s doubt lay in the knowledge that, by the standards of the Order of Light, dispatched Clerics were generally split into three categories:

The first were diplomatic Clerics, who possessed their own established offices—which Fire Island manifestly lacked; the second were department personnel engaged in special, clandestine missions, a classification that did not square with how these three had outright flaunted their identities; and the last were squads from the Whip of Order executing other duties, but if they were indeed from the Whip of Order, they ought to have recognized him.

It wasn't that Karen was trying to flatter himself, but he had made his debut in the Whip of Order after all. While he might be obscure in foreign churches, the youth within the internal system of the Order's own Whip should have seen the reports about him, not to mention that the Goddess of the Moon Cult was currently making a massive public uproar over the tragic fate their observation group had suffered at the hands of Samsara.

Most importantly...

The three pirate families on Fire Island held a bitter grudge against the Order of Light, which backed Dark Moon Island. Against such a backdrop, to dare casually and blithely announce one's identity as a Cleric of Order seemed, no matter how one looked at it, somewhat brainless.

Unless, they simply weren't Clerics of Order at all.

Karen smiled faintly. "I truly never expected to run into a friend from Order here."

The woman responded in kind. "Yes, I too never expected to meet a friend from the Abyss here."

"Since we're making friends, why not step inside for a chat and get acquainted?"

"Alright, of course."

At Karen's invitation, the woman stepped into his room.

Karen followed her in.

Left where they stood, one of the two young men instinctively took a step forward, intending to follow, but his companion reached out and held him back.

"Why are you pulling me?"

"We'll just stand right here."

"Oh, alright."

Standing at the doorway, Alfred closed the room door and spoke up. "Rest assured, we are merely making friends. Everyone will be perfectly safe."

The man who had previously wanted to follow inside chuckled. "No, I'm worried about your..."

"Young Master."

"Right, I'm just worried that your young master might not be safe."

Alfred gave a slight smile and said, "Have you two had lunch yet?"

"Not yet, but we don't eat food provided by strangers."

"Very well. Bring a few chairs over, we'll sit and wait." Alfred glanced at Ventura.

Before long, Ventura brought out a few chairs.

"Thank you."

The two young men sat down.

Alfred keenly noticed that when the pair sat, the chair cushions compressed and then swiftly bounced back. It was an incredibly subtle nuance, but Alfred, possessing the Eye of the Succubus, had naturally superb perception and caught it instantly.

When the cushions were pressed down, the faint puff of air squeezed out was laced with a heavy amount of dust, which meant that these two young men... were immensely heavy.

It was a weightiness that far exceeded the physical mass of an ordinary human body; no matter how obese a person was, they could never reach this standard. It was just that they seemed accustomed to regulating and dampening the inconvenience their own weight might cause in daily life.

Alfred sat down, pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and asked the two young men seated before him, "Smoke?"

"Yes."

"No."

Alfred drew out a cigarette and offered it to the one who said yes, but the man shook his head. "I don't accept cigarettes from strangers when I'm out."

"True, one must always maintain caution when out and about; that's a good habit. Then, do you mind if I smoke?"

"Not at all."

"Mm, thank you."

Alfred lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then slowly exhaled it downward in front of him, adjusting his posture slightly to make himself more comfortable, though his gaze remained locked on where the smoke brushed against the others' boots and shins.

He saw the slight tremor produced in the smoke the moment it made contact with their bodies...

Sure enough, his previous suspicion was correct.

These two fellows were absurdly heavy. Just what kind of physique could possess such weight, and still rely on internal strength to regulate and conceal it to this extent?

At this moment, Alfred felt an urge to warn his young master that these three "Clerics of Order" were absolutely not simple characters.

However, Alfred quickly felt relieved again; if he could discover it, his young master surely could as well.

...

The woman walked into the room and saw that there was also a dog and a cat inside.

The dog was curled up beneath the bed taking a nap, not even lifting an eyelid when she walked in, while the cat was busy using its paws to fiddle with the yarn of the carpet.

As the woman walked past her, Purr stared with a hint of perplexity at the spot on the carpet where the woman had just trodden. Sharing the same carpet, she distinctly perceived that when the woman's feet touched the floor, not a single vibration or tug was transmitted.

Furthermore, on the rather light-colored carpet, no trace of the woman's boot soles was left behind.

It was true that divine robes possessed self-cleaning properties, but the woman was not wearing a divine robe, her boots were normal, and not a single piece of the attire on her body radiated the energy fluctuations of active "work."

Purr's mind grew suspicious: *So light?*

Kevin opened his eyelids. Clearly, lying on the ground, he too had detected the anomaly. After his eyeballs rolled in a circle, they began to tilt upward.

"Meow, meow, meow." (This woman is so light, I feel like if she stripped naked and jumped out the window she wouldn't fall, but would float up instead.)

"Woof, woof." (Yes, exactly. She is deliberately controlling her footing, trying her best to give off a perfectly normal impression.)

"Meow, meow, meow." (So, what on earth is her identity?)

"Woof, woof, woof." (It's hard to be certain right now, but isn't Karen pretending to be a Cleric of the Abyss Cult? There happens to be a certain kind of existence within the Abyss Cult like this.)

"Meow?" (The Abyss Cult? Don't tell me you mean... Angels?)

"Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof." (The God of the Abyss opened up Hell and Heaven, connecting the two. Ever since, among the believers of the Abyss, there began to appear Hell's Eternally Fallen and Heaven's Angels. However, this probably isn't a case of actual fallen beings and angels becoming Abyss believers, but rather that descending into the depths of Hell and ascending to Heaven were inherently two ability traits possessed by the God of the Abyss. It's likely that his believers studied this sequence and obtained the corresponding abilities.)

"Meow, meow, meow, meow." (I actually encountered an aged Angel once before. She was an Abyss apostate hiding in a secret realm, but ended up discovered by the people of the Abyss Cult. In the end, when facing their deadly ambush, she summoned an angelic phantom and wiped out half the pursuing force with just a single strike.)

"Woof, woof, woof." (The Angel sequence of the Abyss Cult is essentially a mobile, humanoid ritual altar, while the Eternally Fallen possess extremely formidable physical attributes. They are very few in number and highly precious, but usually when they come out, they like to pair an Angel with the Eternally Fallen for protection.)

After sitting down, the woman said with a smile, "Your pets are very lively."

"Yes, they are usually quite noisy, and they like to converse among themselves even more when they see a stranger.

What would you like to drink? Conditions are limited here, is ice water alright?"

"Of course, thank you."

Karen poured two glasses of ice water and walked over. As he handed one glass of ice water to the woman, he introduced himself:

"You may call me Silva."

"First name or last name?"

"Is there any difference?"

"Not really, no. You may call me Laura."

"Very well, Miss Laura."

"So, what brings a man like you here, Mr. Silva? I imagine it is hardly for pleasure or tourism."

"No. We were executing another mission nearby and are now on our return journey. Our plan was to stop by Fire Island to utilize the teleportation array, but since they have all been shut down, we find ourselves stranded. And what of you, Miss Laura?"

"The same," Laura said, offering a light shrug. "We cannot return now either."

"Then let us drink to our shared misfortune."

"Agreed."

The two clinked their glasses together, each taking a brief sip of iced water.

"I have heard that within the Abyss Cult, there lies a secret garden that nurtures all manner of flora long since extinct. I happen to enjoy keeping potted plants in my spare time, so I have always been quite curious about that place."

Karen offered a polite smile. "Yes, that is the garden left behind by the great Lord Solima, known as 'Dreamland.' However, apart from certain specific ritual occasions, I am not permitted to enter."

"Is that so? I see. By the way, I also heard your Abyss Cult has a place where..."

"Yes, indeed it is so..."

Karen happened to know a few things regarding the Abyss Cult from Mr. Hoffen’s notes, and coupled with the fragments of information he had kept an eye on during his own work, he was well-equipped to answer general questions. Any inquiry he could not answer, he simply deflected by stating it was internal security and inconvenient to discuss.

"Meow." (What a dull and pointless conversation.)

"Woof." (It is a probing game.)

"Meow?" (Then why is that woman the only one questioning Karen?)

"Woof." (Because Karen is already certain she is not an Order Inquisitor, but she still suspects whether Karen is an Abyss Priest.)

Finally, both felt enough time had passed and stood up almost simultaneously. Karen escorted Laura to the door, and after bidding him farewell, she led her two companions down the stairs.

Muri stepped forward and inquired, "Captain, should we have someone follow them?"

Karen shook his head. "There is no need."

Once outside the inn, a young man asked Laura in a hushed tone, "Are they our people?"

"I am not certain," Laura replied.

"Should I go test them?"

"There is no need. Whether they are our people or not, their attitude is quite clear—they wish for no trouble."

...

"Angels and the Eternally Fallen?" Karen laughed after listening to Purr's account. "Does that mean they possess immense strength?"

"That remains unclear, unless we actually exchange blows. But I suspect they are stronger than we perceive them to be."

"That, I can believe," Alfred remarked, pointing a finger to his own temple. "The two fellows standing guard at the door gave me a sensation rather like Philomena."

Standing nearby, Philomena showed no change in expression upon hearing herself being invoked as a mere adjective.

Alfred looked at her and explained, "I mean the sort of presence where one's strength absolutely cannot be underestimated."

"Never mind. Whatever their identities may be, it no longer matters. Let us return home. There will be a mountain of work waiting for us when we get back. If we delay any longer, your families might well have finished preparing your funerals."

At this, a wave of laughter rippled through the room.

In truth, what Karen cared about was that this political gamble had concluded successfully, and it was time to head back to cash in.

What followed was purely a matter of waiting.

Purr leaned against Kevin’s belly, waiting for the arrival of Jiragon’s consciousness ripples; the cat intended to bid a proper farewell to that "useless hound."

True to expectations, Jiragon had indeed listened to Purr’s words and set aside an extended period this time, and soon enough, the ripples of consciousness swept across once more.

The three-headed dog must have been waiting in absolute agony, much like a small child pacing restlessly outside a friend's front door.

Kevin flicked his tail, and Purr caught the signal. Adjusting the position of her "golden retriever pillow," she closed her eyes.

Before shutting her eyes, she cast a deliberate glance toward Karen.

Karen hesitated for a brief moment, then stood up, walked over, and took hold of Kevin’s tail.

Across the entire island and the surrounding waters, those capable of perceiving Jiragon’s consciousness ripples could be counted on one's fingers.

Karen had originally been one of them, but later Jiragon had locked onto a single target, refusing to respond to anyone else. Yet, through Kevin’s role as an "antenna," Karen was able to patch into the signal.

Closing his eyes and opening them again, Karen found his vision shrouded in a hazy gray expanse.

He stilled his mind, waiting for

Yet he also discovered that Pu'er seemed to possess a peculiar charm entirely her own; a spoiled, ill-tempered young mistress who could so easily provoke loathing and resentment, yet just as easily inspire affection and intimacy.

Even a piece of scum like Bernard... could fall in love with her.

Hmm? Why did that analogy feel so jarringly out of place?

It should be noted that even Dis, before falling into his deep slumber, had explicitly charged him with its care. If his grandmother was a woman who had conquered Dis, then what of Pu'er? To vent his frustration on its behalf, Dis had personally stepped in to hang a temple elder upon a crucifix to wither in the wind.

Furthermore, Karen could placidly accept the prospect of Ranyedal betraying him at some point in the future, but he believed with greater conviction that when Ranyedal did betray him, he would not harm Pu'er.

"Do not blame me for being in such a hurry to leave," Karen began, his voice breaking the silence. "It is my lack of strength that forbids me from staying. My current pursuit of advancement within the Order is also so that when I encounter such matters again in the future, I can choose my course with greater composure; if my words carried enough weight, I could simply submit a report to have the Order of Order dispatch men to receive it, and remain certain that after being brought back to the Order, it would still be kept well within my sight."

"I understand, I know. Karen, you resemble Dis in so many ways, but in one respect, you are different from him. Would you like to know where?"

"Speak."

"You and Dis both possess a terrifying talent, and in truth, you both dread complications, yet you are willing to pick up those complicated matters and see them through. If Dis had been like that back then, perhaps during his time at the church on Mink Street, he would not have resorted to detonating the temple directly with the fragments of a godhead.

The stupid dog is the same. If it had been willing to expend the time and energy to nurture its own believers and establish its own church during and after its ascension to godhood, it would not find itself with nowhere left to go now except our house."

"I cannot compare to Dis, nor can I compare to Kevin."

Karen leaned down, reaching out his hand with the intention of patting the dog head of Jiragon.

He routinely stroked the dog head of an evil god, so he did not feel that the head of a cerberus was something beyond touching.

Yet Jiragon was clearly unfamiliar with Karen, and being patted on the head carried an undeniable connotation of "submission." It resented this deeply, and so it recoiled, evading the touch.

Seeing this, Kevin's canine maw nearly split wide with a crooked smirk.

To dispel Karen's embarrassment,

And to ensure that the effort Karen expended in leaning down and raising his hand would not go to waste,

Kevin immediately pressed forward on his own initiative, positioning his bald head in the most optimal spot.

Karen rubbed Kevin's head, chuckling as he spoke, "Why is it that even in an environment resembling a dream, the fur on your head still fails to grow back? Ah, it seems this baldness is incurable. When we return, I shall have Pu'er design a hat for you as well; after all, she was the one who singed you bald."

"Woof!"

Kevin barked excitedly, wagging his tail to signal his profound delight.

Then he instantly whipped his head around to glare at Jiragon standing off to the side, his eyes flashing with unmistakable disdain and mockery:

Sometimes, an individual's destiny truly hinges upon their own choices.

Do you honestly believe that the person who broke your seal would allow you to simply slip away just like that?

Therefore,

You will likely never comprehend what exactly it was that you evaded during that retreat just now!