Chapter 660
Xia Er sensed Ai Wei Na's concern. He didn't offer any comforting words; instead, he simply reached out and took her hand, leaning in to gently kiss her soft cheek.
"Did you encounter danger?" Ai Wei Na looked at Xia Er and asked, "Is it... about Bei An Su?"
"It's not me who's in danger," Xia Er shook his head and replied, "It's the whole world that's about to face peril."
"A hidden 'deity' wants to descend upon the world smoothly. I'm just trying to drag it out from its rat hole."
"Right now, I'm still searching for where the rat's minions are."
Deity... minions...
Ai Wei Na realized that what Xia Er was up against seemed to be on another level, perhaps even from another dimension.
A tightness gripped her chest. If Xia Er didn't speak the truth, she would feel sad; but if he did, she would suffer from her inability to help.
"Is it... going to descend soon?" Ai Wei Na asked Xia Er in a low voice.
"At least not in the short term," Xia Er replied, shaking his head. "Its arrival can't be imminent. If its minions are to act, the commotion won't be small, because it needs the power of belief..."
With the rapidly rising Church of the Savior Goddess, other deities would find it much harder to harvest faith. However, Xia Er also knew what the "Day of Descent" would truly entail...
If her abilities were related to time, could her future self, or the future witch, give her a hint...?
Xia Er's thoughts began to scatter uncontrollably as she looked at Ai Wei Na.
Ai Wei Na... time... hint...
Time...
Suddenly, it felt as if a flash of inspiration struck Xia Er's mind, and she sensed something was off.
Time... hint...
If there was ever a time Xia Er had felt puzzled about time, it was indeed one particular incident.
And it was the only one.
"Ai Wei Na, where did you put the business cards?" Xia Er quickly asked, turning to her.
She had handed most of the cards she received to Ai Wei Na for safekeeping. Upon hearing Xia Er's question, Ai Wei Na didn't hesitate and quickly opened one of the drawers.
"They're all right here," Ai Wei Na said.
Inside the drawer lay two boxes. One was stuffed full, containing Ai Wei Na's business cards, while the other held just a few cards—Xia Er's.
Xia Er rummaged through them quickly and soon pulled out a beautifully crafted black card.
Saint Year 770—Horexiao Malin.
This was a business card. Although Xia Er had questions at the time, she still passed it on to Ai Wei Na... After two rounds of the Old Days shuffle, the card still existed.
Besides the year and name, there was a simple gold-embossed symbol that Xia Er didn't recognize, one she had never seen before.
Additionally, the back of the card bore an address... right in the South Bank District.
The South Bank District housed An Su's most important port and was also home to countless factories, making it densely populated...
The address on the card was that of one of the factories.
Taking a deep breath, Xia Er stood up.
"I need to go here," she said, preparing to head out the door.
"I'll go with you... um..." Ai Wei Na started to rise to follow, but as she stood, the ache in her body made her wince.
In her current state, it was indeed not suitable for her to walk; she should be resting at home.
"It's fine, there's not much danger... this might just be a hint left behind," Xia Er turned to Ai Wei Na, speaking gently yet firmly. "Stay here and wait for me to come back."
After reassuring Ai Wei Na, Xia Er quickly changed into an outfit that covered nearly all her skin, donned a trench coat, and a hat with a veil before stepping out of the room.
Once outside, she instructed Tara, who had been waiting at the door all night, to prepare a carriage for her. After getting into the carriage, she headed toward the Church of the Savior Goddess.
To be safe, she decided to bring Elinor and Pei Er Xi along.
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**Chapter 338: Anchor Points and Cyclical Simulations**
An Su, South Bank, Woles District.
This area is the closest to the coal and timber transfer zones, as well as the factory district. It has a few factories and a dense cluster of row houses.
The haphazardly arranged row houses resembled a beehive, with at least one person living in each cramped space.
In addition to the large number of workers, the disordered and impoverished environment has given rise to a plethora of black markets and gangs, making it one of the most chaotic areas in the South Bank.
Compared to the luxurious West District, the South Bank, also extending from the canal, feels like a city of sin supported by steam, filth, and child labor. Here, you might even see children picking through hemp ropes by the canal.
In a place like Berun City, where the Church of the Savior Goddess holds more influence, these children would likely be taken to the church's orphanage, educated, and then placed in factories that collaborate with the church.
But this is An Su City, the heart of the Empire. After the turmoil at the Bei An Su base, the Church of the Savior Goddess has long lost its former influence and no longer has the energy to manage such matters.
The most telling example of this is the Holy Church District in the East District of An Su City. The "Holy Church" itself is where the Church of the Savior Goddess was once stationed for protection, but now, due to its waning influence, it has become a haven for criminals.
While church integration might slightly alleviate the situation, a complete resolution is unlikely to be achieved in the short term.
*Thud*
Xia Er stepped down from the luxurious carriage, her hard boots sinking into the muddy ground.
She surveyed the area, which appeared even poorer than Berun City, making it hard to believe this was the southern part of the capital, An Su.
The stench of hydrogen sulfide from the meat processing plant filled the air, a strong odor reminiscent of rotten eggs, so potent it could numb the olfactory nerves.
Compared to Berun City, which only had heavy industry, this place had more factories and a wider variety of pollution.
Xia Er pulled out a handkerchief to cover her mouth and nose, at least blocking out most of the foul smells.
Elinor and Pei Er Xi, dressed in black church robes, followed closely behind Xia Er as she got out. Pei Er Xi stood beside Xia Er, dressed in a maid outfit, while Elinor walked ahead, leading the way.
Having lived in An Su for several years, Elinor was more familiar with the area than the others.
At that moment, she held a piece of paper with a string of addresses written by Xia Er, comparing it to the numbers on the street as she walked forward.
Their presence stirred quite a ripple in the South Bank. As they passed, some vendors who had been selling drugs and smuggled goods quickly packed up and scurried away, rushing through the streets to warn others.
However, some ragged poor people and children approached them instead, with the tattered-clothed children reaching out their hands toward Xia Er and her companions.
"Sister, the goddess officer, could you spare some food...?"
"If you could give me half a loaf of bread, I promise to pray the 'Goddess's Hymn' a few more times before eating."
"May the Lord have mercy, ma'am, my child hasn't had a crumb of bread since last night..."
"Sister, what are you here for...?"
When Xia Er had previously ventured into the East District alone, dressed like a noble, no one dared approach her, fearing they might provoke her.
But this time, with two members of the Church of the Savior Goddess present, people grew bolder and approached, asking for money and food.
Yet it was clear that some of these children might have been sent by gangs to specifically block them and gather information.
Elinor's mask and the attire of the Tribunal seemed to have no effect on the poor; it was as if they knew that those dressed like this would surely give them some coins and food.
"Don't come any closer," Tara stepped forward, blocking Xia Er with a cold expression before Elinor and Pei Er Xi could say anything.
She didn't want these dirty hands to touch Lady Xia Er's skirt, tainting her sacred presence. In her eyes, those who were not believers, who did not trust the Church, were no different from the stray cats and dogs on the street.
This is where the beliefs of the Holy Church and the Church of the Savior Goddess diverge... It seems that when the churches merge, they should retain some of the good aspects from both sides while discarding the dross...
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