Chapter 1800 Train Journey <TOC> Chapter 1802 Prophecy Method
Translator: SumTLMan
Muse recounted everything that had transpired earlier, emphasizing that Angel must exercise caution. Only after saying this did he terminate the communication.
Once the signal tower went silent, Angel lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingers, seemingly lost in contemplation.
On the other hand, Gloria muttered under her breath, “The bottom line is, not only did we not gain any information, but it seems we might have exposed Angel. I overestimated the response capability of Sky Mechanical City.”
Angel looked up and said, “We can’t really blame Sky Mechanical City for this. After all, when Silkvine’s memory was inspected by the followers of the Bud, Lord Rosen might have still been in good health.”
Gloria responded, “That may be the case, but allowing Silkvine to leave then wasn’t a wise decision. If it were up to me, I’d have detained Silkvine for at least half a year. After all, she was once captured by this cult. Who knows if the followers of the Bud placed any mental suggestions in her? She should have been observed for a long period before being released.”
Angel did not respond further to Gloria. It wasn’t that he agreed with her, but he simply felt that, when using hindsight to justify a decision, nothing would ever seem risky. Yet, by the time we start discussing things in retrospect, the situation is already a failure. Everything becomes a paradox, making it pointless to discuss.
Now that things have happened, the focus should be on how to address them.
“Beast King has taken all the overt arrows upon himself, which is a commendable move. It can diminish your presence, making himself the primary target,” remarked Gloria. After mocking the crisis management of Sky Mechanical City, she began to seriously assess the situation, “Additionally, there isn’t much about you in Silkvine’s memories. Perhaps the followers of the Bud won’t see you as their primary target.”
“You’re right about that, Gloria. Nevertheless, even so, we should be prepared,” Sanders chimed in at this moment.
Angel nodded in agreement. He had been deep in thought earlier, contemplating how to ensure their defenses as well.
“Our understanding of the Bud is still quite limited. The only information we have is about the Arrow of the Vanquished,” Angel remarked. “So, all I can currently ponder upon is how to guard against this Arrow of the Vanquished.”
Angel also felt that Gloria’s analysis was spot-on. The likelihood of the Bud devotees launching an attack on him wasn’t high, and the probability of them using the Arrow of the Vanquished was even lower. This is because the Arrow of the Vanquished is a semi-uncontrollable Mysterious Object. Every time it is unleashed, it invariably exerts some adverse effects on its user. Utilizing such a powerful attack just for Angel — who might be involved in the affairs of the Bud but only peripherally — seems like an overly grand gesture.
However, even if the likelihood is low, it’s essential to be prepared to counteract with maximum readiness.
To guard against the Arrow of the Vanquished, one must first understand its characteristics:
First, the arrow is fired before choosing its target. Second, the Arrow of the Vanquished has an ultra-long-range attack capability. It can possibly transcend planes and inflicts considerable damage. Third, the harm it causes in the material world is only to its designated target. It won’t damage any other entities, people, or things other than the target.
From these three attributes, Angel couldn’t identify any weaknesses. The only silver lining is the third point, which at least confirms that the Arrow of the Vanquished won’t accidentally harm those around him.
However, these traits only describe the arrow itself. The most crucial aspect is the conditions required to activate the Arrow of the Vanquished.
This leads us to the fourth point. From the information previously sent by Muse, it’s known that the Bud devotees arrived in Sky Mechanical City in advance to ascertain Rosen’s condition and locate him.
Furthermore, because the Bud devotees were pressed for time, they didn’t gather much information, leading the Arrow of the Vanquished to miss its critical target, ensuring Rosen’s survival.
This implies that whether the Arrow of the Vanquished can successfully hit its mark largely depends on the precision of the target’s location.
Knowing this opens up avenues for possible manipulation.
Angel endeavored to obscure his traces, and at the same time, slightly alter his usual appearance, making it difficult for others to easily locate him.
Moreover, with the protection of Blood Night Sanctuary, even if someone tries to divine his location, pinpointing him would be impossible.
This would prevent him from being easily found by those who seek to track him down.
Angel expressed his thoughts aloud, and after hearing him out, both Gloria and Sanders concurred. If the activation conditions for the Arrow of the Vanquished were that stringent, and the tracker held such decisive significance, Angel’s approach indeed seemed prudent.
However, Sanders cautioned, “The chances of the Bud using the Arrow of the Vanquished against you might still be relatively low. Yet, it’s wise of you to be prepared beforehand. But beyond just the Arrow, you should also ready yourself for other unforeseen scenarios.”
Perhaps not as relentless as the Arrow of the Vanquished, perhaps ambushes, or maybe other methods; Angel definitely needs to tread cautiously.
“Once back in Savage Grottoes, I’ll inform Lord Rhine about this matter. Given Lord Rhine’s wisdom, he might have some insights,” Sanders said.
Angel nodded in agreement. Although there’s no need for excessive concern currently, as Muse pointed out, one must Remain Vigilant.
As the atmosphere in the cabin eased a bit, a series of knocks echoed again.
Without thinking, Angel’s gaze instinctively shifted to the door, only to discover that the noise still emanated from the mini signal tower.
——It’s likely that Muse has sent some new information.
“Good thing we haven’t packed away the signal tower yet,” Angel whispered to himself as he approached and expertly activated the device.
Shortly after, an enchanting silhouette appeared on the screen.
Undoubtedly, it was Muse.
…
Rewinding to ten minutes prior.
After initially establishing a connection with Angel, Muse had yet to depart from the signal tower when Rosen approached her.
Rosen’s expression was somewhat grim, remarking, “Her soul hasn’t appeared.”
Muse was somewhat puzzled, questioning, “The soul hasn’t manifested?” Typically, for the average person with a vague sense of spirituality, the odds of their soul materializing aren’t high. However, every extraordinary being possesses its own soul. After the physical body perishes, the Land of the Soul undergoes an unpredictable transformation. Ultimately, living souls transition to spirits of the departed, naturally emerging.
Therefore, upon learning that the soul of the devotee of the Bud hadn’t manifested, Muse expressed his astonishment, speculating, “Could it be that she’s a follower of some Demon God?”
From what Muse understood, typically, only those who worship Demon Gods would enter into soul contracts, and after death, their souls would plunge directly into the Abyss.
“It’s unlikely she’s a follower of a Demon God. I found no trace of any Demon God,” Rosen responded, then hesitated, adding, “However, I did sense…”
“A mysterious aura,” Muse interjected.
Rosen’s statement made Muse furrow his brows, probing, “Are you implying the Bud?”
Rubbing his temples, Rosen shook his head, clarifying, “I can’t be certain. It might be the aura of some other Mysterious Object, or perhaps it is indeed the Bud. In any case, her soul has vanished.”
“How did Apulia respond?” Muse was aware that Rosen had sought out Apulia, hoping to leverage the power of prophecy to extract some information from the body of the devotee of the Bud.
“There was no useful information on his body, and his soul, interfered with by this mysterious aura, couldn’t be prophesized,” Rosen paused before continuing, “However, it wasn’t a complete loss. Through a unique soul ritual, Apulia discerned that the individual’s soul has completely vanished from both the material and soul realms.”
“Do you mean to say…”
“I suspect her soul has either utterly perished or has been ensnared by the uncontrollable rhythm due to the Bud.” Rosen sighed, “At the very least, we can be certain of one thing: the followers of the Bud did not obtain her soul.”
“And her physical body?”
“It has been dealt with.”
Muse didn’t ask how exactly, trusting that Rosen would ensure her total dissolution, leaving no trace behind.
“You came here to see me just to tell me this?” Muse looked at Rosen, while it was indeed surprising that a follower of the Bud didn’t consolidate their soul, he wondered if it was significant enough to warrant a visit to the signal tower.
“There’s one more thing,” Rosen said and then glanced behind him.
Apulia, dressed in a white robe, slowly stepped forward.
Chapter 1800 Train Journey <TOC> Chapter 1802 Prophecy Method