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Page 242
Upon hearing this, a look of confusion appeared on Gray Scar's face, as if he didn't understand.
"The Sleeping Sand Bell Tower uses Hail's secret techniques and skills, making it far more durable than ordinary buildings. Even the thunderstorm and tsunami that accompanied that natural disaster failed to destroy it... For it to be burned down by fire, it would have to be a fire that sweeps across the entire block."
Upon hearing his question, Bai Jing simply stroked the strands of hair around his neck and pouted slightly, looking somewhat annoyed.
"The Hail are an ancient race from the sea, so dealing with the natural disasters of the Abyss is naturally second nature to them. But their buildings can be destroyed in other ways. Just spend a few minutes placing explosives on the main load-bearing pillars, and you can turn them into pieces in no time."
"If we rely solely on 'fire,' we would need several Sunsmiths to provide a continuous high-temperature heat source. However, those guys have some grudges with the Moon of Metamorphosis, and the two sides don't get along very well. They haven't appeared in Gormouth for many years."
Just then, Cuyu spoke up again, adding an extra point.
"Actually, I think it's fine if the Sleeping Sand Bell Tower burns down. It was stolen from the Star Abyss Academy anyway, and seeing it there is just bad luck. Compared to that, there's more important information..."
"That night, the sky was clear with hardly any clouds, but suddenly a thick fog rolled in. Even with Goreid's night vision, it couldn't see through the fog. However, it was certain that it sensed the presence of the Apostle, which appeared and disappeared just as suddenly."
Lin: "Alright, that's all I know. If you want to know anything else, you'll have to wait for my informant to make another round trip, or go and see for yourself."
4. As he spoke, he raised his hand to cover his face and yawned, seemingly uninterested in participating in the upcoming meeting discussion.
He simply ignored it, completely unconcerned. Clearly, he was already used to this man's unruly and dissolute nature, just like his comrades.
"The burned-out Sleeping Sand Bell Tower, the apostle's aura appearing and disappearing suddenly in the mist..."
The vague and conflicting intelligence made him hesitate for a moment before he finally came up with a specific action plan.
"That's enough. The incident has already happened, and it's too late to investigate further. Don't send anyone to Morion for now. The fallen city is now a land-based lair for the evil creatures of the Abyss. Ordinary spies and informants will only become bait. Even sending higher-ranking raiders there carries unacceptable risks."
"However, we must pay close attention to the movements of other cults recently, and not be negligent. If I'm not mistaken, those guys who have made arrangements in Morion should react noticeably..."
Aside from deciding on the general direction of the plan, he did not issue detailed operational instructions. After all, the Six-Eyed Raven Order had a relatively loose structure, and its execution could not be as swift and efficient as that of the Hunters, so some leeway was needed.
"Yes, Mr. Yimu."
Gray Mark and White Neck nodded simultaneously, agreeing to the order to leave behind their legacy.
Cluster Feather merely nodded slightly, seemingly indicating that he had heard. However, after this rather arrogant gesture, he quickly removed his felt hat and gave a standard, fluid bow to the deceased, showing the respect due to the current leader of the Order.
Looking at his posture, which resembled that of a silent actor, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of absurd amusement.
This guy is as unpredictable as ever.
……
Modwell, Naurmaran Grand Hotel.
This hotel is located in the most bustling central district of Modwell, and its décor is visibly expensive and luxurious. Apart from the waiters, only well-dressed so-called "high society" people come and go. Even when it is late at night, the lights and shadows are still burning.
As you can see, the sign in front of the hotel is decorated with a pattern of the Dreaming Flower. "Naurmaran" is actually the local slang for the Dreaming Flower in Golmouth. The Dreaming Flower Grand Hotel in Foy is a branch that opened many years ago.
However, the reason why the main store and the branch store have different names is not to make it easier to distinguish between them. Rather, it's because Foy's branch store was acquired by someone else long ago, and now the two are completely independent and there is no subordinate relationship between them.
"Yes, it's true, this feeling of 'something big is about to happen'... no matter how many times I experience it, it still feels uncomfortable. Is this what it feels like to have my period? Luckily, I don't have that..."
After letting out a sigh, Tu Yu dispersed the eagle owls and shrikes perched on his shoulders. Although he could use a secret technique to store them and carry them with him, he preferred to distribute these little creatures around him in advance to maintain his surveillance of the entire area.
He was at the side entrance of the hotel's back alley, which is usually used as a staff entrance, and there was a sign on the door that read "Hotel guests please do not enter".
Before entering, Cuyu removed her black raven feather robe and then began to use some kind of unnamed secret technique.
As the shadow that enveloped him twisted and turned, a moment later he had changed into a brand new outfit.
The unsettling raven-beak mask was removed, revealing a pale, delicate, and even exquisitely beautiful face, who looked no more than twenty years old. The robes that symbolized the high priest's rank were transformed into the attire of a maid at the Naurmaran Grand Hotel.
As the most upscale hotel in Mortway, the waitresses' uniforms here are exquisitely crafted. Instead of the usual fluffy ruffles at the cuffs, they are adorned with delicate and crisp embroidered lace.
As for her legs, they were covered in translucent black silk, and through the slender, shapely curves with a touch of softness and fleshiness, one could vaguely see the openwork pattern of the Dream Flower.
After completing the disguise, Cuyu took out a small copper key and opened the hotel's back door.
At this moment, his demeanor and temperament were completely different from before. He had transformed from a carefree and frivolous high priest into a cheerful and friendly hotel maid. The transition was seamless and natural, without any sense of awkwardness.
"Speaking of which, Karmion actually activated [Floral Banquet Garden] ahead of schedule, even at the cost of many side effects from an incomplete form, in order to force an upgrade... Perhaps he was under pressure from some external factors, and thus had no choice but to do so."
"But the major sects either collude with him in secret or ignore him. There shouldn't be anything in Gormouth that could threaten him now... As for his sudden disappearance of his aura after transforming into a gardener, that makes even less sense."
Behind the door was an empty, secure corridor leading directly to the workshop and kitchen. However, it was rarely used, so Cuyu wasn't worried about her whispers being overheard.
Of course, his confidence mainly stemmed from the hidden rank of the high-ranking Raven Feather High Priest. Even in disguise, nothing around him could escape his perception.
"Could it really be that guy Yaheng? But according to the Secret Service's communications, he should be far away in Atilia right now. And before carrying out a decapitation operation of this level, he usually gets a copy of the intelligence from me first; he rarely acts alone without a word..."
"It seems I'll have to change my identity at the hotel first. I need to find some time to investigate this matter more thoroughly. It's a pity that Silver Feather Hydra is too busy in Norrington, otherwise she could help me with a lot of work."
Tuyu gently stroked her cheek and sighed softly. Then she quickened her pace and walked deeper into the hotel corridor.
Oh, perhaps no one would have guessed that this high-ranking priest of the Six-Eyed Raven Order, second only to the Remnant in seniority, has some little-known side jobs in addition to his primary role.
For example, the young and beautiful head maid of the Naurmaran Hotel, the middle-aged driver smoking while waiting for passengers at the harbor, the cleaning lady over fifty at the Foy Daily, the street vendors selling flowers and jewelry...
Or perhaps, the "Secret Minister" of this generation of Hunters. (Qi)
-
——jiu
soup!
Chapter 137 The Edge of the Snow Country
Foggy Street Clinic. 3
Depending on changes in the clinic's staff, Fran would occasionally add new functional rooms.
For example, Sigrid's foundry, or Haida's training room, sanatorium, and bedroom. Speaking of which, Lady Shitia brought the entire underwater ruins of Heil with her, saving her the trouble of preparing her own residence... quite the grand gesture of a wealthy family.
As for Luya... she seemed to hate being alone in a closed room. So she would either curl up on the velvet sofa in the main hall or sneak into Fran's bedroom, find a cozy and warm corner on the doctor's bed, and steal most of her blankets.
At this moment, Haida was in her room, carrying out her daily training as usual.
The human body is like unrefined iron; once fatigue sets in, rust will silently grow until it is completely covered, turning the body into a weak and decaying thing. Even the most valiant self-improvement can only delay the onset of decay.
"307,308,309..."
Heida was performing one-handed push-ups in a methodical manner, following the rhythm of her heartbeat and breathing. At the same time, to increase the weight, she was also carrying her power sword "Nirvana," which was almost as tall as her.
Beads of sweat, still warm from the heat, slid down his cheeks and neck, dampening his hair tied back and his thin, tight-fitting black shirt. Many transparent streaks of sweat could be seen on the ground.
In fact, Haida didn't usually engage in such high-intensity training. After all, Hunters primarily fight with weapons, and compared to pure muscle mass, body coordination, weapon proficiency, and cardiopulmonary function are more important.
As for the amount of exercise she is currently doing, which far exceeds the normal amount, it is because she is trying to find the limits of her current body.
Two hearts, muscles that rarely tire under normal circumstances, rib plates strong enough to withstand steel-core bullets, and highly spiritual and active blood... In some ways, she is no different from those non-human beings, except that she still wears a human skin.
From the dawn when the night fog had not yet dissipated until the midday sun was high in the sky, she finally felt a slight sense of reaching her limit, and then stopped moving after a long sigh.
For Haida, exhaustion is also proof that she is still human.
Her habit is to drink some warm, salty water after exercising, and then wait half an hour before taking a shower. This also gives her a good opportunity to study the Book of Proverbs and, incidentally, reinforce the esoteric model in her mind.
Just then, a light knock came from outside the door.
"Boom, boom."
"Please come in." Haida picked up a rolled-up towel and gently wiped her cheeks before responding.
Usually, the person who would contact her at this time is either Sigrid or Dr. Fran. However, Sigrid has been frequently traveling to and from the Ridge Palace in Scythia lately, so she tends to prefer the latter.
Are you exercising?
Fran pushed open the door and entered the nun's room.
You could see that her amber eyes were slightly narrowed with a smile, and she was looking at Haida, who had just finished training and had not yet had time to change clothes and bathe, with an expression that was almost like admiring a work of art.
Oh, the naturally defined abdominal muscles are simply indescribably beautiful. The amount of muscle is just right, evenly proportioned and not bulky, perfectly coupled with the shark-tooth-like serratus anterior muscles, and the shape is so perfect—even the feel is unforgettable…
"Dr. Fran, um... what are you doing?"
Heda's whispers roused Fran from his reverie.
As you can see, the doctor is gently stroking the nun's muscular abdomen with a slightly ecstatic air, seemingly unconcerned about the warm sweat from his palms that has gotten on his skin.
"Oh, this... I'm checking the functioning of internal organs through skin examination. Palpation, yes, that's one of the procedures in palpation."
With a hint of lingering satisfaction, Fran withdrew his hand, then blinked, glancing away with a slightly guilty look.
In fact, she recently took advantage of a rare moment of free time to restart her research on "Original Wine Scars [Er〓咝san▲♀馓∵〇]《5 Search≤□QUn: Body Transformation", which is why she couldn't help but become absorbed in the beauty of the high-quality body she saw... It would be a real shame not to personally experience the touch of such a young, healthy, vibrant, and life-filled body.
"..."
Seeing the doctor purse his lips slightly, as if preparing to feign cuteness to get away with it, Haida clearly understood that... "palpation" was probably just a medical term she came up with on the spur of the moment to use as an excuse.
“Dr. Fran, if you need any medical check-ups, please feel free to do so. There’s no need to hold back. For a funeral maid, monthly check-ups by the medical court are part of life. I’m used to it.”
“Even if your examination methods are slightly different from Ms. Marian’s… I will accept it.”
After a moment, Haida breathed a sigh of relief and spoke to Fran, who still seemed somewhat reluctant to part.
“Dear Sister Heda, you are so understanding. I can’t accept this. It’s just a pity that the ‘Primarchization’ project is still missing some key data, otherwise we should be able to start the first part of the clinical trials this year…”
"However, my broad-spectrum drugs do need a round of iterations right now, so I'll take some more human bodily fluids to update the existing database."
Fran gently stroked his palm as Haida expressed her approval, and a nearly radiant smile immediately appeared on his lips.
As she spoke, she took out a delicate bone scraper and skillfully ran it across Haida's arm and neck, scraping away the still-warm sweat, before collecting it in a quartz test tube.
Fran used a scalpel that was not sharpened, felt slightly cool to the touch, and was a little itchy.
Once the doctor had finished her work, Haida finally asked her why she had come to see her.
“I suspect you’re not here just for a ‘medical checkup,’ Dr. Fran.”
“That’s right. There are other reasons for my visit this time… I’d like to invite you to accompany me to the vicinity of Prince Gunther’s hidden residence. According to a report from an informant of the Six-Eyed Raven Cult, there have been some unusual developments at their underground exchange recently.”
Fran didn't hide anything and stated his purpose quite clearly.
"Okay." Haida nodded slightly in agreement.
Actually, the word "invitation" Fran used earlier might be somewhat inappropriate. Heida had been the head nurse of the Foggy Street Clinic for some time, and a certain tacit trust had developed between them.
After all, this doctor disliked being rejected, while Heida was accustomed to silently accepting all the responsibilities inherent in her job and never refused reasonable requests or suggestions. Oh, but even unreasonable ones, Fran would make them seem reasonable and well-founded.
After a moment's thought, Haida carefully and meticulously confirmed the specifics of the task.
"Does this concern Prince Gunther? In that case, both the Gallonson Royal Court and the Star Abyss Society should indeed take action. The forbidden spirituality stirred up by the [Huayan Flower Garden] in Morion is impossible to conceal; they must have already noticed it."
Fran, however, seemed to have a different perspective on her idea.
"The unusual activity at the underground exchange can't be said to be unrelated to Gunther, but to say it was truly at his behest is a stretch. After all, he's a high-ranking nobleman of the royal court; even if he wanted to get involved in the slave trade, he wouldn't do it himself."
"The slave trade?"
Upon hearing this word, Haida's gray-chestnut eyes flashed with a chilling coldness.
Almost every hunter feels a deep aversion to the heinous act of trading and trafficking in humans. This is not only due to contempt for those who desecrate their fellow hunters, but also because the one most adept at this act is one of their own former members, now a traitor who tarnishes the name of the hunter.
"That's right, but we need to go there first and ask the people involved who are currently on the reconnaissance mission for more details."
Fran blinked her eyes rather cleverly.
Just as she had anticipated, Sister Heda would be very interested in news of the Northern Rebellion.
"Dr. Fran, let's set off now."
After calming herself down slightly, Haida was ready to set off immediately. She couldn't wait to purge those vile and filthy things.
However, compared to her eagerness, Fran seemed in no hurry.
"Hmm... Haida, I personally suggest you rest for a while first. After your heartbeat and breathing have stabilized and your skin pores have finished dilating and dissipating heat, take a good shower to relax your tired muscles."
"Or do you need a free and thorough body scrub service?"
-
Modway, Belfarin Street.
This is a villa complex in the capital's upscale neighborhood, where land prices are several times higher than those on Red Street in Norlington. However, there are also more affordable areas nearby, better suited for the middle class, and a more peripheral business district selling everyday goods.
In a secluded booth of a tavern decorated with an exotic flair reminiscent of the Land of Quicksand, Detricka sipped her "Sunflower Snapper" draft beer, awaiting the arrival of "Ms. Vivian." Having spent her childhood doing heavy physical labor at the docks, where near-expiry beer was cheaper than water, she had a surprisingly good tolerance for alcohol.
Of course, this is nothing compared to Barthele, who drank stout like water in the Black Sea tavern and remained unfazed even after a whole day of heavy drinking...
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Detrica.”
Just then, Fran lifted the beaded gauze curtain and entered with Heda behind her. Upon seeing her, Detrica's eyes lit up, showing both joy and a hint of fear.
After all, the identity of this "Vivian" warrior is far too mysterious, and her strength is equally unfathomable. The scene of her beheading a Moth Priest with a single sword strike outside the First Habitat is still vivid in my mind and hard to forget.
“Me too… It’s a pleasure to see you again, Ms. Vivian, and this unnamed nun.”