Chapter 35: Cover-up |
Isabella studied peacefully, without displaying the intense aggression that the departed Jacques had shown.
She knew that only by doing this would those people gradually lower their guard.
Between herself and Jacques, one in the light and one in the dark, these next few days were their final opportunity.
If those people did not make any unusual moves during this time, she would miss this last chance.
After that, she would be left completely alone.
With no one to rely on in this village, it would likely take much longer to catch the evildoers.
She might not even be able to find any flaws in them for a very long time.
All these thoughts filled Isabella with anxiety, keeping her from returning to her room to rest even as dusk approached.
However, Isabella soon noticed something amiss.
The Meditation Method focused on developing the soul and Mental Power.
At the Black Iron Rank, every advancement unlocked certain sensory perceptions.
It granted a person exceptional hearing and sharp eyesight.
They could even vaguely sense faint traces of energy.
Upon reaching the Iron Rank, Mental Power could forcibly command the physical body, thereby stimulating its hidden potential.
In terms of reaction speed, they were not necessarily much slower than cultivators on the Life Path.
Because their physical perception had been twisted into a single strand by their spirit, allowing them to view the world from a transcendent perspective.
This unique ability was known as Primary Transcendent Perception.
This was also why Nemus knew that if the Watchman stole organs near the Cathedral, he would never be able to hide it from Lao Mushi.
Isabella''s current Attribute Value was around six.
Her sense of smell was essentially fully awakened, allowing her to detect the sudden stench of decay.
"It comes from the Cemetery out back!"
Isabella instantly realized the problem. She slowed her pace, lightened her steps, and quietly made her way toward the area behind the Cathedral.
A Priest''s combat capability varied depending on the situation.
If they were in an Outside Location alone, even a slightly muscular, ordinary person might have a chance to kill a Priest in single combat.
The truth was that a Priest''s Spells were difficult to cast, and their early-stage Spells were mostly functional, such as healing, repelling insects, detoxifying, illuminating, and soothing the mind.
Among Clerics, Holy Knights were the true combatants. Priests rarely needed to fight; they were more of a supportive profession.
However, that was only the case in an Outside Location. When near a Cathedral, a Priest''s Spells could undergo Sublimation into Divine Arts.
They could harness the Power of Faith to a certain extent, infusing it into their Spells to trigger special transformations.
The effects of Divine Arts were incredibly potent, and most of them displayed fierce offensive capabilities.
Because when a Priest was in a Cathedral, they were the representative of Shen, symbolizing Shen''s shepherding of the mortal realm.
Against any provocation, the shepherding Priest could deliver direct punishment.
Isabella took a deep breath, preparing herself to unleash her Divine Arts.
But at that very moment, Isabella heard the creak of a door and saw Lao Mushi walk out from the side.
"Isabella, what''s wrong?" Lao Mushi asked, seemingly worried about his student.
"Phew, Teacher, I..." Isabella was just about to say she smelled decay behind the Cemetery, but she suddenly realized that the Lao Mushi standing before her also carried that same stench.
More accurately, it was an ''old person smell.'' When a person grew old, their bodily functions were far inferior to their youth. It was quite normal for dark sores to appear on parts of the body, festering and rotting slightly.
At this moment, Isabella suddenly felt a sense of absentmindedness.
Her previous absolute certainty about the stench of decay in the Cemetery was no longer quite as firm.
''Did my anxiety cause me to misjudge everything?'' Isabella doubted herself.
A Priest''s perception was influenced by both physical senses and Mental Power. If one''s mental state was unstable, their perception would inevitably deviate.
Furthermore, Lao Mushi''s Strength was far greater than hers. If he hadn''t sensed any issues, it meant she was highly likely experiencing hallucinations.
"What is it?" Lao Mushi asked again.
"No, it is nothing. Perhaps Jacques''s departure has left me a bit unsettled," Isabella said, shaking her head to justify her behavior.
"It will be dark soon, be careful..." Lao Mushi started to say, but suddenly paused.
"Nels, why is he here?" Lao Mushi muttered to himself, causing Isabella''s spirit to jolt.
This kind of ''anomaly'' was exactly what she needed right now, because anomalies meant clues, and clues meant they could finally grasp the underlying problem within this village.
The Sun gradually set, while the candlelight battled the fading afterglow for Territory.
Under the intertwining flames of light, vision was hindered, giving everything an eerie, surreal sensation.
Nemus pushed open the doors to the Cathedral and immediately saw Lao Mushi and Isabella emerging from the rest area.
"You''re both here," Nemus greeted with a smile. At that moment, the doubts in his heart had already found some answers.
"Nels, is there a reason you''ve come over so late?" Lao Mushi asked.
Ever since Lao Mushi had rescued Jacques from Nemus''s hands a few days ago, Nemus had only come by once to retrieve a Treasured Sword and hadn''t been back since.
For him to suddenly appear at this hour meant there was undoubtedly an issue.
"Yes, the Probationary Village Guardian found me. He mentioned that during his forest patrol, he saw someone acting suspiciously on the side of Finback Mountain from a distance."
"They seemed to be carrying tools for digging something and were heading toward the back of the Cathedral, so I came over to check." Nemus naturally wouldn''t let this probe end so hastily.
Hearing Nemus''s words, Isabella was initially startled. ''Could it be that Jacques has been discovered?''
However, Isabella quickly dismissed this thought. Jacques knew full well that Lao Mushi was an Iron Rank Priest equipped with Primary Transcendent Perception.
Therefore, Jacques would absolutely never appear behind the Cathedral. ''So, was it the abnormal movement I sensed in the Cemetery earlier?''
''My previous perception wasn''t an illusion?!'' As this thought flashed past, Isabella felt as if her Brain had become somewhat clearer.
Instinctively, Isabella felt an inexplicable, chilling sensation.
But it came and went quickly, and Isabella soon appeared to return to normal.
"Nels, I will go with you to check the Cemetery out back." Isabella fixed her gaze on Nemus, though her heart was filled with hesitation.
She vaguely had a hunch, but the feeling was like something out of a dream—it felt entirely surreal to her.
At this moment, Isabella realized she had still made a mistake: she had been influenced by Jacques. She had never actually interacted with Nemus, yet she instinctively treated him as an enemy.
"That works. After all, this is near the Cathedral," Nemus nodded.
"You two be careful. I am old and cannot be of much help," Lao Mushi instructed from the side, making it seem as if everything was perfectly normal.
But Nemus could acutely sense the subtle atmosphere in the air.
These turbulent waves within the human heart were truly quite...
"Pleasing."
End of Chapter