Chapter 43
This is the self in the simulation. Why, after reactivating the deep simulation, did I descend into madness, writing characters that do not exist in this world?
Even just a glance at those characters left Xia'er severely affected. Not only did she see fragmented images, but her mind was also eroded by frenzied murmurs.
"Father Hiu, there's another question. Just now, when I saw certain symbols, I witnessed some strange scenes, there was light..." Xia'er was about to ask Hiu about this when a thunderous ringing erupted in her mind, causing her eardrums to throb painfully, halting her words.
"I'm sorry, Miss Xia'er, but please refrain from describing the sights of the Otherworld to me," Bishop Huiguang paused, her voice in Xia'er's mind shifting to a slightly urgent tone. "Not everyone can maintain their sanity after seeing and hearing those things like you can."
The Otherworld?
"What is the Otherworld?" Xia'er asked.
"The 'Otherworld' is just a term. I don't know its true name; I've only heard fragments from the Saint." Hiu's voice returned to its normal tone as she continued, "It is a place where one can communicate with the messengers of the Goddess."
If I reactivate the deep simulation, can I see the Otherworld?
Is this the reason for my madness in the notes?
Xia'er looked at the bell tower church, now so close, seeing the dried corpses struggling for life on the ground, and the thin mist that had covered the entire church area without her noticing.
The scene of the church triggered a few blurry images in Xia'er's mind.
One of those images slowly aligned with the scene before her, each radiant light symbolizing a corpse. As the layers of light representing the corpses were lifted, it revealed a green ring with a black core beneath, resembling an eyeball...
"Hiss..." Xia'er stopped in her tracks, curling up as she held her head. The reappearing image felt like a heavy blow to her mind, and her spirit began to wane.
"Underground..." Xia'er, supporting herself against the shadow, swayed back to her feet and gasped, "There's something underground..."
**Chapter 46: The Glitching Bishop Huiguang (Part Three)**
As soon as Xia'er finished speaking, the white robe of Hiu behind her fluttered without wind, and a torrent of yellow-white light mist poured from her sleeves, hem, and collar, forming one phantom after another beside her.
These phantoms scattered, rummaging through the corpses in the square.
Soon, Hiu's gaze fixed on a direction, and her voice rose in Xia'er's mind.
"There’s a stone sewer inspection hatch, Miss Xia'er."
"Let’s go..."
"No, Miss Xia'er, you stay here."
Hiu's figure behind Xia'er flickered continuously, gradually transforming into a phantom, while the phantom ahead that had found the inspection hatch was solidifying.
Several yellow-white phantoms protected Xia'er, while Hiu opened the sewer inspection hatch and leaped down.
Upon landing, Hiu looked toward the end of the hatch leading to the church. She followed the stone path on the right, heading into the dark sewer.
Halfway through, she suddenly stopped, crouching down to gently brush her gloved left hand over the ground.
Just moments ago, a faint warning buzz had sounded in her mind; the places she passed had become contaminated with bacteria.
She stood up and continued deeper into the sewer, soon spotting a circular disk suspended in mid-air.
It was entirely round, with a dark green edge, etched with stripes, resembling a dark green ouroboros.
At the center of the ring was an eye embedded within it, a rope piercing through the pupil and pulled from the other side, suspending this single eye above the sewer.
As if sensing her presence, the eye turned, gazing in Hiu's direction, silently watching her.
"A sealing object..."
Hiu slowly raised her hand, and a phantom stepped out from behind her, moving toward the direction she pointed.
The suspended black eye seemed to sense danger, its pupil rapidly rotating, its body expanding and contracting like a beating heart.
A faint alarm in Hiu's mind transformed into a buzzing sound; she could feel a mass of bacteria gathering around her, causing a slight dryness in her throat.
She suddenly stepped back, pulling the phantom back into her body. At that moment, she noticed a dried corpse lying not far from the eye.
The corpse was unrecognizable, reduced to a skeleton barely clinging to its skin, as if it would shatter at a touch.
Draped in a black robe, the only identifiable features were its withered silver hair and a silver beak mask that had fallen nearby.
Hiu took a deep breath, her figure gradually becoming ethereal. In the next moment, she appeared behind Xia'er.
"Miss Xia'er, I found it; it’s a sealing object." Hiu's voice echoed in Xia'er's mind, and soon she briefly relayed everything she had just seen.
The dead person was Adele.
Xia'er could guess who the dried corpse lying unattended in the sewer was.
Upon hearing the activation method of the eye, Xia'er let out a slow sigh.
Was it Adele who first investigated that area...?
Did the unsuspecting Adele trigger the eye's defense mechanism prematurely?
So, the violent infection erupted ahead of time...
"What is the specific function of that eye? Is there any trace to identify who placed it?" Xia'er asked Hiu.
"This is a sealing object. We must secure this area before anyone can come with me to interact with it and seal it for safekeeping. Its specific abilities are still unknown," Hiu shook her head and continued, "The only thing we know is that it can catalyze bacteria, amplifying the effects of the original infectious disease several times over."
Amplifying the effects of the infectious disease?
In other words, this infectious disease might have been spreading earlier, but its effects were milder and less noticeable. When the person who activated the sealing object stimulated it again, it caused this sudden lethal outbreak?
Xia'er shared this hypothesis with Hiu, receiving her agreement.
"So how do we find that extraordinary individual?" Xia'er inquired.
"They have already successfully ascended," Hiu replied flatly. "The ritual to ascend to 'Source of Plague' requires killing at least ten thousand people within a month using a self-made infectious virus. They have met the criteria and will not remain here."
Upon hearing this, Xia'er fell silent.
The ritual required ten thousand people, but once these viruses spread, how many more would die?
"Miss Xia'er, we have uncovered the matter; we can return to the Church now," Hiu said, noticing Xia'er's silence.
"The square may not have ten thousand people... What if that person hasn't completed the ritual yet?" Xia'er pressed on.
They've already fled... If that's the case, wouldn't the clues be deadlocked here? Should I simulate again, warn them about the sealing object, and see how things unfold?
Let’s not forget there’s a mole... Until we identify which link in the chain leaked, every warning from Xia'er would only accelerate the other party's plans.
"If they haven't completed the ritual, then there won't just be these corpses; there will be a third-tier monster gone mad," Hiu paused briefly before explaining, "The replication ritual has two types: one is to drink the potion when completing the ritual, and the other is to drink the potion first and then initiate the ritual."
"For example, the 'Avenger' replication ritual allows you to drink the potion anytime after meeting the conditions."
"But the potion for the 'Toxicologist' path must be consumed first, and the ritual must be completed within a time limit."
"They usually prepare for a long time, drinking the potion when everything is ready, then observing the situation, completing digestion before the time limit ends."
"To ascend to 'Source of Plague,' one must kill ten thousand people within a month using a self-made virus."
After hearing the explanation, Xia'er frowned slightly.
If what Hiu said is true...
In the last simulation, the outbreak occurred on July 4th. If the potion was consumed a month earlier, then the individual must have started preparations before June 4th, and they might have drunk the potion as early as June 4th.
That sealing object could have been hanging there, quietly waiting to be triggered.
"Bishop Hiu," Xia'er spoke, looking at Hiu.
"Yes?"
"If I were to prevent their ritual in front of them, would they lose control?" Xia'er asked.
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