novelnext Chapter 286 The World in the Painting
Chapter 286 The World in the Painting
Chapter 286 The World in the Painting
Led by Steve, Fors and his group entered the oil paintings that covered the walls.
The moment I stepped through the door in the painting, the surrounding light dimmed instantly, and a faint, salty smell of the sea reached my nose.
Fors looked around curiously. It seemed to be the base of a round tower made of huge stones. The door they came through through had disappeared, leaving only a spiral staircase leading upwards.
The circular walls, formed by neatly stacked boulders, have holes of varying sizes that allow air to circulate and let in sunlight, resembling dense, bright stars in the night sky.
After the group had satisfied their curiosity, Steve gave them directions: "Please follow me."
Audrey and the others followed behind him, climbing the spiral staircase.
As they went higher, they found that the surroundings became more and more spacious, as if the space was being expanded by an unknown force.
After climbing for two or three minutes, the physically weak "Pharmacist" Grylint began to pant slightly.
He glanced at the three women who looked perfectly normal, and at the dog running happily up the stairs, and for a fleeting moment, he felt a pang of self-doubt.
His physical strength was inferior to that of the three ladies, which could be explained by the difference in extraordinary paths, but he had become an extraordinary being, yet he was still no better than a dog!
Noticing Grelint's self-doubting expression, Audrey lowered her head and curled the corners of her lips into a smile.
...This isn't funny, but Grelint certainly wouldn't have guessed that even Susie was a Sequence 8 Extraordinary, oh no, Extraordinary Dog.
Steve, who was leading the way, stopped at the end of the stairs and pushed open the half-closed door in front of him.
With a creaking sound, the bright, warm, orange sunlight shone down on each of them.
The salty sea breeze swept over me as the sun shone, and the faint sounds of waves, sea breeze, and seabirds could be heard in the air.
Grynt took a deep breath, the fatigue from climbing the stairs vanishing instantly. He felt as if he were back on vacation in Dixi Bay, where everything was so pleasant.
Steve, wearing a hood, stood in the doorway and gestured for everyone to sit down: "The party will start soon, please find a seat."
Fors nodded slightly and was the first to walk out.
As her view opened up, she discovered that it was a viewing platform standing on the coast, in a great location with the best angle to watch the sunset.
After admiring the picturesque scenery before her for a while, she looked away and muttered softly, "It still seems like morning, doesn't it?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the white-robed figure with his back to her suddenly spoke up: "This is a world within a painting. Haven't you noticed? Whether it's the sunset in the distance, the clouds in the sky, or the waves on the beach, although they appear to be moving, their positions have actually remained unchanged."
"I see." Fors looked around more carefully and nodded slightly.
Then she looked at the figure with its back to her, seemingly admiring the sunset, and felt a little curious.
The other person's voice sounded relatively young, yet inexplicably carried a sense of age, like a young old man who had seen through the coldness and warmth of human relationships.
After letting her thoughts wander for a moment, she casually struck up a conversation: "Sir, are you also here for the party?"
She regretted asking the question as soon as she asked it. If the other person wasn't there for the party, why would they be there?
Fortunately, the other party didn't mind her silly question. Instead, they answered seriously, "I guess so, but I'm also considered a part-time employee here. I'm responsible for maintaining order and also participate in the gatherings."
"Gentlemen, please find a seat. You are the last group; those who arrived late have already lost their right to participate in the gathering."
...Luckily, we timed it perfectly; we were almost late.
Slightly relieved, Fors nodded slightly: "Okay."
She then exchanged glances with her companions behind her, and found two adjacent small round tables to sit down separately.
As soon as Fors and his companions sat down, they found that their positions had suddenly changed. All the empty seats on the platform had disappeared, and the remaining occupied seats had been gathered in one area.
Fortunately, this was not a random distribution. Those who sat together like the four of them still sat together, but they were more clustered together and no longer scattered.
As an "observer," Audrey observed more carefully than her companions, discerning from the body language of those around her the shock they were trying to hide or their indifference.
...Judging from everyone's reactions just now, most of the people who came to the gathering are not of high rank, but there are some who are likely to be extraordinary individuals of mid-rank or even high rank, such as the gentleman who was talking to Fors just now.
In addition, there is a kind of psychological suggestion effect here, making it difficult to see or remember the faces of the people participating in the gathering.
Even with people I know very well, like Gretel, Hugh, and Fors, I always subconsciously ignore their appearances.
As it stands, this gathering is more magical than any other gathering I've ever attended except for Tarot meetings, and even surpasses the internal seminars of the Psychological Alchemy Society.
This is more in line with my previous imagination of a gathering in the mysterious and unpredictable world of extraordinary beings.
As her thoughts drifted, a voice that sounded somewhat familiar, yet she couldn't quite place it, rang out: "Welcome everyone to this gathering I've organized. You can call me 'Mr. Painter.'"
"As for your codenames, they were already determined when you chose the white robes."
"This isn't fixed. If you're not satisfied, you can change it next time you attend a party."
Enveloped in a layer of darkness, making it impossible to discern his face or figure, Cyril sat on the front single sofa and snapped his fingers.
Snapped!
A thin, invisible curtain hung down, dimming the surrounding light considerably.
At the same time, everyone at the party noticed that their white robes were glowing with a fluorescent light, outlining various simple patterns of animals, plants, and tools.
These patterns are unique; no matter which angle you look at them from, they always face you directly.
"How amazing."
"Why is the pattern on my body a strange, hairy turtle?"
"Mine is still the Scarface Gray Wolf."
Hearing the deliberately hushed whispers around him, Cyril chuckled, "In the world of paintings, the concept of direction is not entirely the same as in reality."
"As for the pattern on the white robe, you can change it each time."
After a brief pause, he continued, "Since this is the first time for all of you to participate in a gathering, let me first explain the process and some points to note."
"First, there's the meeting process, which is divided into two categories: transactions with me and free transactions between you. The order isn't fixed and can be interspersed."
"Regarding trust issues in transactions, I am skilled in divination and can also act as your notary."
As he spoke, he snapped his fingers again.
Golden rays appeared out of thin air, growing purer and purer, eventually evolving into a seal-like projection, within which the aura of the solar domain was clearly revealed.
This was not the extraordinary ability of the "notary" he recorded, but rather a product of fantasy.
This is a painted world that has come close to another dimension, created by utilizing the extraordinary characteristics of the "traveler". His fantasy is also close to reality, although there are still some differences from the original.
The phrase "creator of the world in the painting" in the title "Higher Dimensional Observer" may refer to omniscience and omnipotence, being omniscient and omnipotent in the world within the painting.
Composing himself, he glanced at the crowd below. Seeing that no one dared to stand up and object, he continued, "Before we officially begin today's trading session, let me first explain what you can trade with me."
"First, there are potion recipes: the Apprentice pathway, the Diviner pathway, the Hunter pathway, the Lawyer pathway, and all potion recipes below the High Sequence level via the Audience pathway."
"Also included are potion recipes from the 'Assassin,' 'Secret Seeker,' 'Sailor,' 'Singer,' and 'Mystic' pathways."
"Extraordinary materials, mystical knowledge, and magical items are also within the scope of trade. There are too many types to list them all, and I cannot guarantee that you will find what you need, since the materials and magical items we collect cannot be kept forever."
"Besides these, I also sell and collect some valuable intelligence."
"Note that these are valuable resources, such as those related to the Aurora Society, vampires, the Psychological Alchemy Society, the Witch Cult, the Iron Cross Society, and the Secret Order, etc..."
"You can sell to me, or you can buy from me."
After he finished speaking, the crowd below fell silent.
After a long pause, someone finally couldn't help but ask, "Do you really have all those potion recipes?"
Cyril nodded slightly: "Of course, every transaction needs to be notarized."
Fors reached out and patted Hugh, who was sitting next to her, showing her the small blackboard in her hand: "Do you want to ask about the sheriff's extraordinary materials?"
Hugh shook his head slightly and wrote on his small blackboard: "Wait a little longer and observe first."
The others who were attending the party for the first time seemed to share the same thought, and for a moment everyone fell silent.
After a silence of about four or five seconds, the first person (crossed out), the first to raise their hand, stated their request: "I need the 'Magician's' potion recipe, along with the corresponding extraordinary ingredients."
Whether it's Mr. "the painter" or any of you here, we can make a deal.
Cyril looked around and, seeing no one else respond, chuckled and said, "The Sequence 7 potion recipe costs 750 pounds, and I have one of the main ingredients here for 600 pounds."
"The notarized contract is already on the blackboard in front of you. If you agree to the deal, just sign your name. Otherwise, erase the contract. It remains valid until the end of today's meeting."
"Furthermore, I do not accept bargaining, because the price I quoted is already reasonable."
"I... okay." Owen, as the first to speak, was very enthusiastic because he really wanted to give the 600 pounds that was part of the materials.
Amidst the curious or inquisitive gazes of those around him, Irving quickly wrote his name on the small blackboard in front of him.
Then, beams of golden light shone from the small blackboard in his hand, outlining a stamp-like projection.
The projection split in two, turning into two grains of light that entered the bodies of Cyril and Owen respectively.
"Deal reached."
Cyril beckoned, and Steve, wearing a comical headgear, stepped out from behind him, carrying a tray as he approached Irving.
Having witnessed the transaction, Fors patted Hugh beside him again.
The latter nodded thoughtfully, about to speak, when another voice interrupted, "I need a Sequence 4 potion recipe for the 'Hunter' pathway, one that includes the complete ascension ritual."
Sequence 4!
In an instant, everyone's attention was drawn to the person who suddenly spoke.
Sequence 4 is already a truly high sequence, a demigod or half-human, which means that the person speaking now is most likely a seasoned Sequence 5, at the level of a pirate general.
Even in the seven major ecclesiastical churches, a Sequence 5 Extraordinary is already a bishop or deacon.