Chapter 37: Underlying Currents Surge |
While Jiang Chen was still planning the exploration of the ruins, quite a number of people had already arrived one after another at the place in the old district of Silvermoon City where he had been earlier.
Some of them were members of certain churches hidden in the shadows, while others were sent by various families to investigate the situation.
Although Jiang Chen had been inside a room, the fluctuations of Mana and the aura of a god that had been released at the time could not be concealed.
Naturally, the situation here had been noticed immediately by those with keen awareness.
“It can be confirmed—it’s the aura of a god.”
“Someone should have performed a ritual here.”
“But why choose this place?”
This was something many people couldn’t understand.
Because those who usually performed rituals here were, in most cases, followers of the Evil Alignment.
But clearly, the divine aura here was not of that nature.
“So which god was it?” This question lingered in everyone’s mind.
However, at that very moment, all those hidden in the shadows suddenly changed expressions.
Their gazes almost simultaneously turned toward the distance.
At this moment, a burly man with a thick beard, wearing gray chainmail and holding a greatsword, appeared in everyone’s field of vision.
Behind him followed two subordinates clad in mithril armor, each holding massive cross-shaped shields.
“The dogs of the Church of Light really do have sharp noses.”
“Now that he’s here, looks like there’s nothing left for us.”
Many of those hidden in the dark immediately chose to withdraw.
Andrew Gallagher, a member of one of the three great knight orders of the Church of Light—the Silver Oath Guardians,
a Paladin with Sixth-Tier strength.
As soon as he arrived, Andrew’s sharp gaze swept across the surroundings before quickly retracting.
“A bunch of rats in the gutter.”
Ignoring those hidden in the shadows, Andrew entered the room.
Before long, following the traces of residual Mana, he arrived at the spot where Jiang Chen had previously stayed.
“This aura…”
Andrew frowned. “It’s the Goddess of Waukeen.”
This only made him more puzzled.
A neutral deity like this could perform rituals anywhere within Silvermoon City.
He simply couldn’t understand why the other party would come to such a desolate place and create such a huge disturbance.
However, soon after, Andrew sensed another aura—much fainter, yet distinctly peculiar.
“This aura is…?”
Andrew frowned. Clearly, he did not recognize this strange aura.
After searching around and finding nothing, Andrew let out a sigh.
Immediately after, a powerful force spread outward from him in all directions.
In the next moment, the already unstable wooden house could no longer hold, collapsing with a loud “boom.”
At the same time, the traces left behind by Jiang Chen’s previous actions also dissipated.
When everything returned to normal, Andrew stood calmly amid the ruins.
As a Paladin of the Church, for Andrew, as long as it wasn’t Cultists, that was enough.
As for why the other party had come here to perform a ritual, that wasn’t important.
Presumably, they had their own reasons.
Since they weren’t Cultists, Andrew was more than willing to lend a hand by covering things up.
“Knight Andrew, I didn’t expect to find you here.”
Hearing the voice, Andrew instinctively looked in its direction.
The sight of the newcomer made him frown slightly.
Connor Watson, from Silvermoon City’s allied city, Sundabar of the Steel City, of the Watson Family.
This was a family that had recently risen to prominence in Sundabar, and Connor was the youngest son of the family, possessing extremely high talent.
A genius who had obtained the Sword Saint Class at just Third-Tier.
However, for some reason, Andrew could never bring himself to feel any liking toward this young genius who wore exquisite noble attire and constantly carried a smile.
As for the reason, even Andrew himself didn’t know.
“To think I’d encounter a genius of the Watson Family here. I didn’t expect Young Master Connor to also be interested in such matters.”
“Of course. After all, it involves a god—and I’m not the only one interested in this place.”
As he spoke, Connor glanced around, a hint of regret appearing in his eyes.
“But it seems I came too late.”
“Since Knight Andrew is still working, I won’t disturb you any further.”
With that, Connor waved his hand, signaling his butler as he turned to leave.
After walking some distance, the middle-aged man dressed as a butler beside Connor shook his head.
“Young Master, all traces have been cleared by that man.”
“I understand.” Connor thought for a moment before continuing, “What about the Empire’s Twin Stars?”
“Lilith is still under our surveillance, while Vivian purchased quite a number of Sacred Artifacts not long ago.”
“Our people also attempted to track Vivian afterward, but lost her.”
The butler paused before adding, “Young Master, do you think she might have…”
He did not finish his sentence.
But Connor naturally understood what he meant. “The secret of Sacred Artifacts isn’t that easy to uncover. And even if it is discovered, it has nothing to do with us.”
After thinking for a moment, Connor continued, “As for Vivian… arrange for someone to invite her over.”
The butler nodded. “Understood, Young Master.”
.......
Meanwhile, on the other side.
“Th-Thank you so much, Senior Beatrice and Senior Karen.”
Beside Lilith stood a young woman wearing a silver-blue long dress, with light blue eyes and long silver hair, exuding an extraordinary temperament.
Next to her was a young man dressed in dark noble-style attire, with an embroidered ancient family crest of intertwined thorns at his collar, a straight nose, and a serious expression.
Around them lay five men clad in black robes.
“Junior Lilith, do you know which faction these people belong to?” Beatrice asked as she looked at the unconscious figures on the ground.
At this moment, Lilith, holding a transparent glass bottle filled with clear liquid, shook her head in confusion.
“I don’t know either…”
Hearing this, Karen stepped forward and lifted the hood covering one of the men’s faces.
An utterly ordinary face.
Then Karen’s gaze fell on the man’s calloused hands.
“Thieves. A bunch of rats that only know how to hide in the gutters.”
“It seems, Miss Lilith, you’ve been targeted by some shady individuals.”
Hearing this, Lilith made a distressed expression.
Although she had already anticipated this, when it actually happened, she still felt a headache coming on.
Ever since yesterday’s events, Lilith had already expected what she might face.
That was why she had clung tightly to Vivian.
But who would have thought that not long after separating from Vivian, she would be followed?
And she hadn’t noticed anything at all.
If she hadn’t run into Beatrice and Karen—who had come looking for them after hearing about what happened yesterday—she would have already been captured.