Chapter 151
Aivina instinctively thought that yet another extraordinary event had occurred, one that required her assistance in the investigation.
At that moment, Aivina had no desire to sleep; she was looking for a case to crack, hoping it might spark some drowsiness.
As she approached the changing room, still waiting for Nia's response, she turned back in confusion to find Nia standing there, staring at her.
“No… Miss…”
Nia's voice emerged from the metallic crevice, “It’s… it’s…”
Nia fell silent for a moment, then continued, “The Buren and Southeast Railway Company, a steam train numbered 3472, experienced an unexplained explosion and derailment while en route to Augusfu…”
“Currently, there are 34 missing and 291 dead. Police forces from Buren and the surrounding areas are still being dispatched toward the railway…”
“That ‘detective’ came to report this to you…”
Hearing Nia's words, Aivina felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. She blinked, took a deep breath, and said, “3472, is it…?”
“Yes, that’s the train Miss Char and her sister were on.”
Nia nodded slowly.
Aivina struggled to maintain her composure, instinctively raising her left hand to cover her mouth, but as her fingers brushed her lips, they fell to her chin instead, as if she were deep in thought. Just as her left hand was about to touch her chin, it shot back up to adjust her glasses, only to find nothing there.
She wasn’t wearing her glasses at all.
Finally, she used her right hand to support her left elbow, her left fist pressed against her upper lip. After a moment, she lifted her head and looked toward Nia, asking, “Have you found Char?”
Though Aivina tried her best to keep her voice steady, anyone could sense the tremor of barely contained emotion.
It was she who had suggested Char leave Buren for Ansu…
For a fleeting moment, Aivina felt as if a black fog had enveloped her. Even with Nia standing right in front of her, it was as if she saw nothing at all. She couldn’t even tell what Nia had said next, or if she had spoken at all.
“We need to go to the tracks.”
Aivina looked up, ready to head out of the room, but Nia firmly pressed down on her shoulder.
“Let’s change clothes first, Miss.”
Nia gently but insistently guided Aivina toward the changing room.
At that moment, Nia felt a weight in her heart.
Though she hadn’t interacted much with Char, she could tell that Char was a good person, someone who treated her friends with great kindness. Knowing that misfortune could befall her, Char would often reduce her meetings with friends to avoid putting them in danger.
But now, Char’s misfortune had intensified, and the disasters she faced had reached a level that made Nia doubt whether Aivina could be kept safe.
For instance, in this train explosion and derailment… If Nia and Aivina had been on that train, Nia might have emerged unscathed, but she couldn’t guarantee she could protect Aivina at the moment of the explosion.
Char was in grave danger.
Even if she survived this steam train disaster, the threat still loomed over her, and the dangers brought by this misfortune could greatly affect Aivina.
Nia knew that if she told Aivina about this, Aivina would undoubtedly rush to find Char without a second thought. Yet, Nia still chose to speak up… Sometimes, the harm caused by concealment is far greater, and it could lead to a fracture in the trust between herself and Aivina.
Now, having chosen to reveal the truth, Nia had to muster all her strength to face the situation.
In contrast to Aivina, Char, who had already entered Buren, had found her target for mischief.
…
Buren City, Gem District, at the entrance of 132 Cat's Eye Stone Street.
A red-haired girl stood at the door of the apartment building, raising her hand to knock.
After knocking, Char took two steps back, waiting for a response from inside, her thoughts drifting.
If her hypothesis about the “rules of misfortune” was correct, she had encountered two third-tier individuals today and spent some time at Creek Mountain outside the city.
In this situation, if misfortune was still locked onto her, her survival was nearly impossible. The only way to escape would be to use the “Lucky Coin” in her hand.
If she was still targeted, she would have to toss the “Lucky Coin.” If the lock had disappeared due to the save file, the investigation would have to continue.
After all, the conditions of misfortune piling up on her were already substantial; it was either death or tossing the coin. It would be better to continue investigating a few more people while the misfortune hadn’t struck yet.
Her next target was the archbishop of the Saintly Church, Tara, who had been lurking in the Gem District.
She was knowledgeable and might know something. However, in the simulation, Char had avoided too much contact with this archbishop to prevent her from being discovered, which could skew the simulation process.
Moreover, Tara was a member of the Saintly Church. Even if misfortune befell her, affecting Archbishop Tara, Char wouldn’t feel any guilt.
It would be just a matter of ridding the world of a menace.
After waiting a short while at the door, footsteps soon echoed from within.
However, as the footsteps approached the door, they suddenly halted.
Then, a white figure burst through the gap in the door, lunging straight at Char.
A shadow leaped up from beneath Char, wielding a flaming hand axe, and struck at the white figure, only to have it catch the axe handle barehanded.
“Heretical scum… you dare to come searching for me!”
The door swung open violently, revealing a petite girl with waist-length dark green curls, baring her teeth at the unexpected visitor, muttering low curses.
“Die…”
As she pointed toward Char, three white figures behind her surged forward. But with the moonlight illuminating the scene, the dark green-haired girl recognized the visitor at the door.
That person, though clad in the damned garb of the Tribunal, was…
In an instant, the white figure in front of Char flickered, and the next moment, the dark green-haired girl solidified before Char, dropping to her knees with a thud and clutching Char’s leg.
“Mother…”
Just as the girl was about to shout something, a shadow swiftly covered her mouth. Char raised her hand, grabbing the girl by the collar of her nightgown, and pulled her into the house, while the shadow closed the wooden door behind them.
Char set the girl down in the living room like a chick, looking down at her and saying, “Quiet.”
Only after seeing the girl nod did Char withdraw her fist from her mouth.
Tara, the archbishop of the Saintly Church, held a rank even higher than that of the Bishop of Prague, yet her behavior was extremely erratic, showing no awareness of how to conceal herself.
It seemed she had always been conducting research within the secret court of the Saintly Church, and when she went out, she was followed by a large entourage of plainclothes guards, never considering any need for discretion.
Char had learned that this archbishop, who appeared younger than herself, was actually 36 years old. It was unclear what experiences or supernatural ailments had kept her in a perpetual state of a child.
Now, Tara knelt on the ground, staring blankly at Char’s face and the shadow behind her. After a moment, tears began to flow down her cheeks.
“Mother Goddess… so you’ve come to reclaim your power? No wonder you haven’t visited Tara these past few days. Mother Goddess, I am willing to offer everything…”
Tara sobbed, suddenly kneeling before Char, murmuring incomprehensible prayers.
It was no wonder that in the simulation, Char had noted in her journal that she found it impossible to interact or communicate with Tara; she was a thorough, extreme, and fervent zealot.
If it weren’t for the sealed divine servant behind Amy, Char might have already been killed by Tara, who would have forcibly abducted Amy back to the secret court of the Saintly Church.
“Shut up.”
Tara’s ramblings irritated Char, who interrupted her, saying, “I need to ask you some questions. Just answer my questions; there’s no need to say anything else.”
“Understood, great, revered, all-knowing Mother Goddess.”
Tara sat on the wooden floor, straightening her slender waist, gazing up at Char with devotion.
Char was about to ask her questions directly, but upon hearing Tara’s last words, “all-knowing Mother Goddess,” she closed her mouth.
If she were to ask questions, even if Tara was fervent and devoted, she would likely uncover some of her own issues.
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