Chapter 553
Was that pendant obtained at that moment?
Xia'er shifted her gaze to the neck of the corpse, focusing on the golden necklace.
She crouched beside the body, extending her right hand to grasp the necklace, lifting it slowly.
Crack—
With just a slight movement, the corpse's spine snapped like a brittle potato chip, and the skin in contact with the necklace began to rot, oozing a thick, foul liquid that flowed down...
Xia'er pulled the necklace directly from the neck, effectively "severing" the corpse's decayed neck. Dark red, putrid blood pooled on the floor, starkly contrasting with the half-broken vertebrae, reminiscent of fries laid atop a dollop of ketchup.
Blood dripped down the golden chain, yet not a single drop clung to its surface. The pendant at the bottom swayed gently, reflecting the flickering light of the oil lamps around.
It was a base formed by the symbol of the Holy Ascendancy, but the crystal that had once been embedded in it was shattered, now scattered across the wooden floor.
Indeed, it was a relic of the church.
But Xia'er had no idea what it specifically was; she would have to ask Tara or Peirxi.
Xia'er stood up, holding the necklace, and presented it to Tara.
Tara extended her hands, respectfully accepting the necklace from Xia'er. Just a glance was enough for a hint of confusion to cross her face.
"What is this...?"
Tara's slender fingers pinched the base of the pendant as she examined the engraving inside.
It was an abbreviation of a name, with a small symbol following it that indicated a title.
"This is a necklace belonging to an archbishop." Tara furrowed her brow, deep in thought. Unable to recall the name, she turned to Peirxi and said, "Peirxi, come take a look at this."
"Sure, Teacher." Peirxi stepped over to Tara's side, scrutinizing the item in her hands.
"Eloise... that's the name of the archbishop who went missing," Peirxi recognized the abbreviation instantly. "She was previously undercover in the Deyton Group, serving as the regional manager for Bliss..."
The regional manager for Bliss?
Wasn't the pirate-turned-archbishop, Blague, developed into a member of the Holy Ascendancy in Bliss City?
"Is Archbishop Blague one of her baptized followers?" Xia'er asked.
This Blague was the "Glowing Archbishop" Xia'er had encountered in Boren City, and also the first true Tier 3 enemy she had faced.
It was through the sacrifice of Blague and several members of the Holy Ascendancy that the divine servant was summoned.
"Yes, Bliss City is indeed the diocese that Eloise was responsible for," Peirxi nodded.
The Holy Ascendancy had always maintained a one-way communication; clergy members were often unaware of each other's information. It was normal for Tara, also an archbishop, not to know about Eloise.
On the other hand, Peirxi, a cardinal, clearly had knowledge of Eloise's situation.
The one investigating in Boren City was Lucy; she probably knew something...
"Have Lucy come over..." Xia'er looked at Tara, then added, "And Aivina."
She needed to consult Lucy for information to validate her suspicions.
As for summoning Aivina...
That was to make the corpse speak.
Aside from the "coroner," the only other way to make a corpse "speak" was through the "Listener" pathway.
The "Soulwalker" might have a method to glean something from Keleisi's body.
"Yes, my lady Xia'er."
Tara left to carry out the orders, while Xia'er began to gather the shattered crystals from the ground, collecting them on a cleared space of the dining table, attempting to piece them back together.
...
"I wonder how Miss Xia'er and the boss are doing..."
In the luxurious office on the top floor of the Deyton Group headquarters, Lucy lounged in her chair, her feet crossed on the desk, lazily taking a puff of snuff.
After gently wiping her fingers and the remnants of snuff from her nose with a handkerchief, she slowly closed her eyes, planning to take a short nap.
She had no intention of going home to rest today; if the negotiations succeeded, there would be plenty for her, as an executive director, to handle.
"Under Miss Xia'er's leadership, the entire Ansu is starting to thrive..." A faint smile graced Lucy's face.
If this deal went through, her position would likely rise again... perhaps she would even be allocated more shares, promoted to an executive director, and it wouldn't be impossible to stand on equal footing with those old-timers.
Choosing to align with Xia'er might just be the best gamble of her life.
Knock, knock, knock—
Just as Lucy began to relax and enjoy her downtime, a knock at the door interrupted her daydreams of the future.
"Who is it?"
Lucy frowned slightly, glancing toward the door.
At this late hour, couldn't any issues wait until tomorrow?
Click—
The office door swung open, revealing a secretary wearing a silver-white chip mask, who stepped inside and looked toward Lucy.
"What is it?" Despite her reluctance, Lucy placed her feet back on the floor and turned her attention to the chief secretary at the door.
"Executive Director Lucy," the chief secretary bowed slightly at Lucy's conference table and said, "Archbishop Tara from the Church of the Savior has brought you a letter."
"A letter?" Lucy blinked, instantly sitting up straight and rising to say, "Alright, let me see."
If Archbishop Tara personally delivered it... it must be related to Miss Xia'er.
Then I definitely need to stand up to read it.
Lucy took the envelope, opened it, and looked inside. There was no detailed message, just an address and the note, "Lady Xia'er is looking for you."
The fewer the words, the bigger the matter.
Did they succeed?!
Lucy quickly tucked the letter away into her pocket, smiling at the chief secretary as she said, "Prepare the carriage!"
Along the way, everyone who saw Lucy bowed respectfully, and she wore a radiant smile, full of vigor.
...
Mafiel District, 22 Yiselin Garden, Xia'er's residence.
Lucy trembled uncontrollably, beads of cold sweat rolling down her forehead, pooling at her chin before dripping onto the floor.
"Are you the one responsible for investigating Blague?"
A cool, melodious voice thundered in Lucy's mind, causing her legs to weaken, nearly bringing her to her knees.
"I... I..." Lucy's lips turned pale and cracked, the dryness in her throat made her swallow hard. Though she tried to respond, she had no idea what she was hearing or what she was saying.
She gasped for breath, her gaze darting around as if searching for something to focus on, but her chaotic thoughts left her unable to control where her eyes landed.
In the end, her attention was completely drawn to the headless corpse on the floor... the owner of that body had recently smiled at her, telling her to wait for news...
This wasn't a dream...
"Lady Xia'er is asking you a question."
A softer, more delicate voice chimed in from the side, but the tone was filled with authority and dissatisfaction, completely at odds with the voice's gentleness.
Lucy, drenched in sweat, widened her eyes and turned to the source of the delicate voice. Upon seeing the dark green hair, she finally took a deep breath, managing to regain some composure.
"Blague... uh, yes... Blague, the Holy Ascendancy's... uh, follower... I was the one investigating... yes, in Boren City, that's right..."
Lucy stumbled over her words, completely flustered, her mind consumed by a single thought.
The boss... is dead!
Keleisi Xuechou! Dead! In Xia'er's residence! Without a sound! Instantly killed, head severed!
Everyone knew that she, Lucy Xiluofa, was acting as the intermediary between Keleisi and Xia'er, benefiting both sides! Keleisi was her direct superior; once her death spread, Lucy would be doomed!
And a deal?! An executive director?!
Would she even survive a day after the news broke?!
"Lucy? Lucy?"
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