Returning from the abyss

Chapter 1446 Crossing the Wasteland
Although he felt Vanessa had come up with another bad idea, Father Thorne, after much consideration, agreed to it. After discussing the matter with Lorda, Liu found a strong female merman for both Veronica and Vanessa—it's worth mentioning that Vanessa personally communicated with Lorda and made the final selection.

In contrast, Veronica was less proactive, but she still happily accepted the gift Vanessa had chosen for her.

The arrival of these fishmen unsurprisingly caused a stir, but after Father Thorne declared that these fishmen were tamed mounts for people, many daring individuals tried to tame them, and once one came, another followed.

Most of the fish-people couldn't speak, but Ryda had ways to command them, so everyone was very obedient. Once this was discovered, the people's fear gradually faded.

As for Lorda, Father Thorne had him walk beside him, which also highlighted his own status.

“Listen, they’re not just giving you mounts for free. Since they’ve given you such powerful assistance, Gale will train you before you leave the wasteland—those who aren’t up to the task, step aside! I’m not a philanthropist!” Father Thorne commanded the men who had been given the merfolk in a stern tone. “At least act like cavalrymen!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Gail grinned maliciously and walked up, whip in hand, looking on expectantly. "Don't worry, Father," he said. "If they can't even do this much, then these good-for-nothings deserve a good whipping. I'll make sure they can all sit still."

The pharmacist and Liu had no objection to Father Thorne's approach. Liu moved the box containing the remains into the car. As for the body, it was ultimately left underground, as there were no means to transport it now.

On the contrary, Veronica and Vanessa quickly became familiar with their merman companions. The two showed different talents. Vanessa communicated smoothly with Lorda and could communicate with each merman in a strange yet familiar way through gestures. Veronica, on the other hand, taught her merman a few common words in just a few days.

As the days and months passed, except for a brief training session with two nuns to practice fighting monsters, they spent the rest of their time traveling across the wasteland. Father Thorne didn't particularly demand a fast pace, so when they finally saw the landmark white tower of White Tower Town, they were two days later than expected, and their supplies were almost exhausted.

During this time, Gale managed to train the spirit of a group of people, though they only looked decent when riding the fishmen.

Upon seeing the town of White Tower, Father Thorne instructed Gale to retrieve a pile of weapons from the back of the vehicle and distribute them.

These weapons are just for show; a spearhead is sculpted from wax on a wooden cabinet, or a piece of wood is carved into the shape of a sword and then painted silver. In short, they are just for show.

“See? Doesn’t it seem quite true?” Father Thorne said to the pharmacist with a smile.

"The clothes these people are wearing... they don't look right. Their rough cloth clothes don't even qualify them as militia," the pharmacist said.

“Haha, of course it’s still a little short…” Father Thorne raised his head slightly, “but soon, we’ll be almost there in White Tower County.”

"Oh?"

Summer is here, and the rainy season is just around the corner.

=
Dark clouds hung over Baita Town, and every household began to close their doors and windows in preparation for the impending downpour.

However, the unfortunate guards could only take shelter from the rain through the not-so-spacious gate under the city wall, and could not go home to rest. Looking at the clouds in the sky, they could all imagine how soaked they would be on their way home after their shift.

"Brother, you all already have this impressive-looking suit of armor, so don't worry about getting wet," a man hurrying into the city chuckled as he overheard a guard's complaint. The guard glared at him and retorted, "You old drunkard, what do you know! This armor isn't without seams; if water seeps in, my boots could be used as buckets!"

The man laughed and shoved a cheap wine jug into the guard's hand: "Then I can't help you. You can warm yourself up!"

In White Tower County, the status of guards and ordinary citizens was not much different. This area was under the jurisdiction of Lord Prolius, and to be a lord in the gateway to Violet City, he was undoubtedly a capable minister under Grand Duke Toril, and his governance was considered quite effective—referring to aspects such as the city's crime rate.

However, one couldn't expect a high standard of living. The guard completely disregarded the regulations for being on duty, uncorked the flask, and took a swig. The pungent taste of the cheap liquor made him cough, but it did warm him up considerably.

"Damn it, it's summer already, and now it's freezing cold after this rain."

"Give me some, give me some."

The guards passed the wine jug around, and it was empty of wine. Finally, one of them threw the jug outside, where the weeds and soil would quickly bury this "evidence."

But just as the bottle hit the ground, a slight tremor came from afar. The guards all looked up, then gaped in astonishment.

Under the gloomy sky, a dark, imposing procession was approaching the city gate at a leisurely pace. The lead carriage bore the insignia of the church, followed by a dozen or so carriages, with several knights forming an arrowhead formation around them. But what shocked the guards most were the hundreds of shadowy knights following behind. Although they didn't ride horses, they were all uniformly positioned. Some knights carried swords, others lances, and each was covered in raincoats and straw hats, exuding an aura of menace.

Following behind were people walking, of varying heights and builds, who appeared to be ordinary people. However, there were also some people wearing straw raincoats walking in groups among these people, it was unclear whether they were escorting or protecting them.

Before the procession even arrived, a flash of thunder followed, then a torrential downpour that smashed several shallow craters into the unkempt muddy ground near the city gate, quickly filling with water. As the convoy drew closer, Father Thorne, wearing a straw hat, and Lorda, who seemed to be working even harder in the rain, stepped forward. Lorda's eerie appearance immediately sent chills down the spines of the guards, who grabbed their weapons.

Father Thorne gently patted Lorda on the shoulder, and Lorda immediately bowed beside him. Father Thorne didn't approach the city gate fully, but called out from about ten meters away: "Gentlemen, we are the Sixth Southern Cleanup Team of the Church. We have crossed the wasteland and hope to pass through here on our way to Violet City. We have important matters to report to the Church of East. We only need to spend this period of heavy rain in White Tower Town to purchase supplies. If you are unsure, please report to the local church. We will wait here."

After saying that, he stood there, while Luda lay on the ground, only occasionally letting out some hissing sounds.

This imposing force stood outside the city, and the guards felt quite pressured. They hurriedly sent two men, one to inform the garrison and the other to the church.

The pharmacist and Liu in the car saw all of this. The title of the Sixth Cleaning Team was provided by Liu. After all, unlike the regular army, the cleaning team was a church organization that was formed when necessary and disbanded when not needed. They could be used at will, since no one would check.

The apothecary watched Father Thorne's performance with a sense of anticipation, including the part where he had Lorda participate. Undoubtedly, Father Thorne had used the weather to mask many of the group's flaws, and if he could establish contact with the church in the city and propose the idea of ​​reorganization, the church would help him resolve many issues. If things went as expected, White Tower County would allow the group to pass. As for the murlocs… that was a matter to be addressed in Violet City. This was no longer a place like Rosetta Town; as a military garrison, White Tower County had over a hundred high-ranking warriors and mages stationed there. These people weren't afraid of any problems with the murlocs; in fact, if a riot broke out, they could even earn credit for suppressing it.

Sure enough, Father Thorne's wait was short; the church officials arrived even faster than the garrison commander. After Father Thorne spoke with the newcomers, the garrison commander arrived as well. The negotiations went smoothly, requiring minimal inspection. The group, guided by a squad of guards and several monks, headed towards the local church.

The church in White Tower County possesses far more than just a church. At this level of administrative division, the church owns a diocese. Even with over a thousand people arriving, the church can easily accommodate them. The church houses five cardinals, fifteen Sunday priests, and even nine paladins. The apothecary and Liu felt the calling emanating from the Eternal Sanctuary simply as they entered the church.

"Welcome... fellow countrymen."

A beautifully dressed middle-aged woman stood inside the Eternal Sanctuary. She had a kind face, and the holy emblem on her forehead was almost glaring to the two men.

“The Savior’s Knot…” Liu murmured, but naturally, it was Father Thorne, the leader, who stepped forward.

May the gods bless you.

“No need to be so polite, fellow countryman from afar. My name is Vagiya, the Archbishop of this place, and the head of the White Tower Diocese,” the woman said gently to Father Thorne. “And your name?”

"Thorne, you can just call me Thorne."

Father Thorne also showed the utmost respect in front of such a truly radiant lady.

"Okay... I will take good care of the people you brought. Don't worry, no one in the parish will question you again."

Listening to the conversation on the other end, the pharmacist suddenly said to Liu, "That cleaning team you made up... it's highly unlikely to fool a regional archbishop."

“No need. That’s Vakyria, ‘Radiant Star.’” Liu shrugged. “You don’t know her?”

The pharmacist naturally knew... the youngest archbishop of the Saviour's Cardinals, an impeccable saint, and also the most likely candidate to become the next cardinal of the Saviour's Cardinals.

Sure enough, after a few pleasantries, Vagiya said directly, "Thorne, you're using the excuse of the cleaning crew to try and enter the city. However, under the holy emblem of the gods, I expect an honest answer from you."

“Your Excellency Archbishop, I did not intend to conceal anything, but if we did not use this method, it would probably cause quite a stir,” Father Thorne said. “We are all refugees who have come here, as you can see, but White Tower County will not easily let a group of refugees into the city. However, if it is a group of church members, then it is a different story.”

"Including this strangely-looking gentleman?" Vagiya looked at Lördá, "Poor man."

“I came to the church. Mother, you guided me.”

“You are an intelligent being, and you deserve the ability to communicate smoothly with people.” Vagiya lowered his head slightly, a point of light gathered on his finger, and then touched Ledda’s brow.

"Please think and speak up."

“Our mothers told us to follow the church, and Father Thorne brought us here. We are only physically different from you, but we are faithful believers.”

A deep, resonant voice reached everyone's ears.

"This is..." Liu was somewhat surprised.

“The fifth-tier divine art ‘Communication’. It’s a divine art of the Savior Pivot, and ordinary people have no chance to come into contact with it. Its effective time is only one day, after which Slightly will revert to speaking one word at a time,” the pharmacist explained.

"It's still very convenient, no wonder it has five levels."

"I believe in your intentions, and I know that under the Holy Emblem, you will not deceive me with false words. Do you wish to stay here, or continue your journey to Violet City?"

“If possible, I hope the Archbishop will allow us to continue our journey to Violet City. We… need to report some matters, which must be reported to the Cardinals. Violet City should be the only place with the fastest means of communication,” Father Thorne said.

“If it’s just information, then as long as a saint delivers it to the Kingdom of God, it can be received by a cardinal saint. It seems that you also need to deliver physical objects.” Vagiya glanced at Liu. “Of course, if you can’t find a saint under the same cardinal, even information does need to be transmitted through special channels.”

"That's right. I wonder if the Archbishop could allow us some time to prepare?"

"Of course, no problem. I can also issue you a pass and a letter of introduction to ensure your team can enter Violet City directly. However, your excuse will probably become a reality. Such a team can only be accepted by both the Violet City army and the church itself, and they can only be integrated into the city in a reorganized form."

“Of course, this has already solved one of my biggest problems.” Father Thorne nodded.

"We'll prepare the supplies for you. You just need to pay the church the basic price. As for accommodation, it won't be charged. After all, we still have the resources to provide a shelter for our compatriots and those ravaged by war."

"Thank you," Father Thorne said hastily.

"Of course, you can stay in the houses near the church. I believe the living conditions there are much better than what you've experienced along the way. Rooms have already been arranged for you," Vagiya said with a smile.