Chapter 34: Further Probing |
Nemus could not help but chuckle at this moment.
"One truly cannot underestimate anyone." Nemus, after all, was not someone who could calculate everything without omission.
He merely had a different perspective and had experienced a few more years of deception in the Abyss; it did not mean he was completely infallible.
"Life is like this as well. People will always make mistakes, but what truly matters is how they respond to them."
"It is a test of one''s own tolerance for error."
Nemus considered this point seriously.
As things stood right now, the old pastor had to die, no matter what.
The man knew entirely too much. If he reported these matters, Nemus''s advancement within the Precept Church would highly likely run into problems.
Although Nemus could always seize a new identity, and he certainly did not fear soul inquisitions anyway.
''The God of Precepts is probably still looking for me,'' Nemus thought. ''He will be paying attention to any relevant information.''
''If reports of "a cleric who passed soul inspections without issue but suddenly betrayed the faith" are passed up the chain, it will likely provoke a reaction from the God of Precepts. If that happens, even if I change my identity, infiltrating the Precept Church again and securing a rapid advancement will become incredibly difficult.''
Nemus''s True Spirit, hidden deep within Nels''s soul, pulsed slightly, radiating a faint chill.
However, this was quickly suppressed and concealed by Nemus.
Under the current circumstances, he was not entirely certain he could kill the old pastor.
Moreover, even if he did manage to kill him, there was no guarantee he could do so without exposing his own secrets.
He had to seize the perfect opportunity and then execute his optimal solution.
''...I still need to use someone else as my scout to probe for more information.''
''After going in circles, it all comes back to this.'' Nemus could not help but marvel at the irony of reality.
His original purpose for infiltrating the Material Plane, hiding within the Demon Idol, and forming a pact with Nels was to have Nels kill the old pastor so he could monopolize the faith of this village''s church.
Later on, he had even brought the demon-possessed Downs to test the old pastor.
It was only after discovering that the old pastor was an Iron Rank that he slowed down his hostile actions against the man.
Following that, matters like the Watchman, Whale Transformation Sickness, Whalehide Ore, and the arrival of Church personnel had diverted his attention.
He never expected that, after all these twists and turns, he would be right back where he started. He needed to test the old pastor once more, and then kill him!
''It is just that the choice of the scout requires some careful consideration.'' Looking at the constantly struggling Leah, Nemus slightly activated the Oath Rope attached to the Watchman.
The current situation presented an excellent opportunity for a probe.
''Let me see how you will respond to this!'' Nemus knew that he absolutely could not panic at a time like this, but neither could he play the coward and turn a blind eye to potential dangers.
Allowing someone with hidden motives to operate in the shadows would only increase the enemy''s advantage. By the time the opposition finally overwhelmed him with sheer momentum, he might not be able to escape at all.
Therefore, probing was essential. And after probing, making a decisive response based on the gathered intelligence was equally imperative.
Once the Watchman arrived, Nemus immediately assigned him a task—to steal internal organs.
The Watchman paused in shock, but then promptly agreed.
In the pact Nemus had originally signed with him, there was a clause guaranteeing Leah''s safety, providing her with food, water, and other resources, and promising to do everything possible to ensure her successful Whale-ification.
The Watchman, in turn, was bound by a clause allowing Nemus to use him at will. Naturally, Nemus factored this into his definition of doing "everything possible."
It could be said that this was a contractual loophole Nemus had deliberately buried.
If this had been earlier, the Watchman might have harbored ulterior motives, but now, he genuinely did not dare.
The previous Nest Beast attack had resulted in the deaths of over a dozen people. These individuals had been quickly buried, sealed tightly within underground coffins where oxygen could not circulate.
According to local customs, the bodies had also been washed with herbal sap before burial. Since the sap possessed preservative properties, their internal organs would not decay into nothingness so easily underground.
After just ten days, they were still usable.
"When you go, activate your Whale-ification in advance."
"Then, ensure that Isabella is present at the church during that time."
"If possible, find a way to draw Isabella''s attention." Nemus issued this command right after.
The Watchman''s eyes trembled slightly, but he still nodded in agreement.
Exposing himself directly to a cleric was tantamount to throwing away his life.
If a thorough investigation were launched, it would be incredibly difficult for him to remain hidden.
Furthermore, given Nemus''s current objectives, there was a high probability that he was meant to be sacrificed.
"Please, Lord Nels, just keep my daughter alive." In the end, this was the only thing the Watchman could bring himself to say.
"...I will do my best," Nemus said, after a brief moment of silence.
Neither of them brought up the pact. The Watchman knew very well that he could never outplay someone like Nemus.
A so-called pact might seem to guarantee safety if one only looked at the clauses, but in reality, the very nature of all clauses was that they were born to be broken.
When facing an entity of pure evil like Nemus, violating a pact was as simple as breathing.
Their evil was a pure malice that despised all other existences, driven solely by their own self-serving goals.
Under these circumstances, the words "I will do my best" hardly seemed reliable, yet the Watchman still felt a certain degree of reassurance.
It was right at this moment that Nemus sensed a message transmitted from his Divinity—
[Precept Change]
[Main Precept: Oath-keeping]
[Precept Feedback: New Addition — (Father''s Watch): The protective power of a father''s love provides others with a mountain-like sense of security, enhancing the defensive capabilities of the Qi Instrument.]
Nemus narrowed his eyes slightly. He had never expected that reaching a verbal agreement akin to a pact outside of a formal contract would actually yield Precept Feedback.
Nemus carefully comprehended the nuances of this Precept alteration.
His response to the Watchman had not been mixed with any so-called emotion.
He certainly would not be moved by the Watchman''s supposed paternal love. Everyone possessed such feelings to some degree, but so what?
Whenever there was a conflict of interest, Nemus would never spare someone just because they were a good father or a good son.
Just as Nemus had promised the Watchman—"I will do my best"—as long as his own interests were not compromised, he had no need to waste energy killing people.
''I am afraid this is not because of me, but rather the Watchman''s intense conviction toward our agreement that spurred the change in the Precept,'' Nemus subsequently concluded, gaining a deeper understanding of how the Precepts operated.
After the Watchman set out, Nemus departed as well.
He strolled leisurely toward the church.
On the surface, there was currently no significant connection between him and the Watchman.
Once Isabella discovered the issue with the Watchman, given her lack of trust in him, she was bound to notify the old pastor.
So, let us see exactly how the old pastor will deal with this kind of "evil" when the situation is exposed!