Chapter 130: Evil God, Borrowing Your Power |
Chloe had just returned not long ago when news arrived, Isaac had agreed to Hughes’ proposal and was willing to take the Oath of the Moths Chasing Fire under his witness.
Hughes thought for a moment and decided that the ceremony would take place in the underground cave, with Ash witnessing on his behalf, he needed to go to the Golden Throne and descend into the body of Worker Hughes to listen to the prayers of his followers.
Before that, he had a conversation with Isaac.
Isaac was a man of few words, with an aura of deep-seated bitterness that was evident to the naked eye.
Hughes needed to understand Isaac’s conditions and requirements, as this task, once undertaken, would likely take years to build an intelligence network from scratch, a task that would be both arduous and meticulous.
The result was somewhat unexpected.
Isaac’s condition was simple: as long as Hughes did not align himself with the Candlelight Church, that would be enough.
This puzzled Hughes.
His refusal to side with the Candlelight Church did not mean he would help Isaac seek revenge, so why was his request so broad?
Isaac’s response—
The man with a cloth strip covering his eyes remained silent for a moment before lifting his head.
Though Hughes could not see his eyes, he could still feel that he was being observed.
"My Lord, I have encountered many organizations, some official, others hidden in the shadows, but none of them operate with the efficiency and flexibility of Castel."
"At the same time, I noticed that despite the many regulations here, they are thoroughly enforced."
"You are not merely modifying an existing system, you are building one entirely from scratch."
"Such a system can sustain more than just a small fiefdom, it has the potential to support an empire."
Hughes raised an eyebrow.
"An interesting perspective, but forget an empire, Castel isn’t even large enough to be a true County."
In terms of sheer size, Castel was not particularly vast.
The Empress’s decree had only managed to classify it as a County by incorporating large tracts of ocean territory into the claim.
It was, to a large extent, an overstatement.
"That is irrelevant, even to your own intentions."
"As long as Castel continues to develop, it is bound to become such a behemoth."
"Empires do not become powerful because they are called empires, it is because they are powerful that they earn the title. Castel has that potential."
This was a novel perspective.
Hughes was even tempted to discuss it further.
Isaac had evaluated his territory’s potential through administrative efficiency, and to a large extent, his reasoning was sound.
For any organization, administrative efficiency determined its upper limits.
A giant incapable of controlling its own limbs, no matter how strong, was ultimately nothing more than a slowly decaying corpse.
However, this perspective had a flaw, Isaac had overlooked the influence of national scale.
Castel was merely a small island, where Hughes’ will could be fully implemented.
If it were a vast nation, he would require more sources of information and a more complex administrative system.
Wait a moment, was that why he was bringing this up now?
Isaac smiled faintly.
"Let me build an intelligence network for you, one that extends beyond your sight, an extension of your will."
"When your domain expands and your armies cross the Storm Ocean, I will be your eyes."
"The farther Castel advances, the less space will be left for the Candlelight Church."
"I see this as the most effective form of revenge, personal strength is insignificant, but I trust in Castel’s future."
Hughes took a deep breath, his gaze toward Isaac shifting.
He had spoken with Chloe before, she might be a competent leader, but her grasp of the overall situation was not as precise as Isaac’s.
Isaac’s words were not just an explanation of loyalty, they were also a display of his insight.
With only limited interaction with Hughes’ subordinates, he had deduced Hughes’ plans.
The intelligence network was a preparation for external expansion.
The establishment of an efficient and strictly enforced administrative system was the same.
Careful observation, precise logical inference, and sharp judgment, these were all qualities crucial to intelligence work.
This quiet man had proven his value with just a few sentences.
Even if he lacked supernatural abilities, Hughes no longer doubted his competence.
Hughes immediately stood up and extended his hand.
"Mr. Isaac, Miss Chloe was right, you are indeed the best candidate."
"Once you take the Oath of the Moth Chasing Fire, you may assume your position."
"My apologies, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but I must be responsible for the people of Castel."
"Of course, I understand."
"If you had waived the oath, I would have been the one to doubt you."
"People’s hearts can change, but oaths do not. Your choice to bind me with both an oath and a system reassures me."
Their hands clasped firmly together.
Later that evening, Isaac performed the Oath of the Moth Chasing Fire ceremony in the presence of Chloe, Connor, Ash, and others.
Hughes, however, was delayed by certain matters and was not present.
At that moment, Hughes was hiding in the eastern testing ground.
It was far from the populated areas, making it easier to contain any potential incidents.
"Let’s see what this Oath of the Moth Chasing Fire is really about."
After confirming his surroundings, Hughes used his Mind Link to deploy two squads of Sirens to patrol the island.
The timing had also been carefully chosen, it was already dark, and the night school students had gone home, leaving the island mostly deserted.
Even if something went wrong, the banshees could handle it.
Hughes locked the door to his room and lay down on the bed.
The room was meant for temporary residence by researchers, but since the test site had only recently been established, neither personnel nor equipment were fully in place yet.
『Ash, when will they begin?』
『Soon. The Moths Chasing Fire have finished preparing the ritual. They should be starting any moment now.』
『Alright, you take over from here. The two patrol squads are on standby. I have other matters to attend to.』
『Understood.』
Ash never questioned Hughes.
When given an order, she simply carried it out.
Perhaps because of this, Hughes instinctively relied on her.
As he lay down on the bed, a thought stirred in his mind.
His consciousness seemed to be drawn away, his senses vanishing completely.
In the next moment, he opened his eyes on the Golden Throne.
"Hmm, everything seems normal."
Glancing around, he saw that everything remained the same as when he had last returned.
He turned to look at Worker Hughes.
The body smiled shyly.
Hughes descended once more.
But the moment he opened his eyes—
Something felt off.
(End of Chapter)