Soul Trigger

Chapter 694 The Three Deadly Disciples
Birmingham, as the major city of the White Isle and the capital of St. Andrews County, also has a complex web of Awakened forces.

Although it's not as bizarre as Mirage City, it's far superior to Aurora City in Silla overall.

Besides the official undercover surveillance group and the containment investigation agency, the permanent forces remaining in the city include the Ludwig family and Flash Street.

If you include those secret societies and other powerful outsiders, there are even more, not to mention the Tower of Babel.

The local street, being located in the heart of Europe, had close ties with various countries, and its neutral status, unlike the street in Mirage City, was completely different.

The Flash Street here has close cooperation with two official agencies and the Ludwig family, a powerful lord.

Therefore, Ji Li was able to move into Flash Street directly under the arrangement of the Custody and Investigation Bureau.

This also exposes a problem: if Ji Li wants to cause trouble here, Flash Street might become an obstacle.

I wonder if Qin could mediate between them. Although she is now the Holy Maiden of the Blood Pact Hermit Society, given the organization's numerous families, it's hard to say.

Once all the procedures were completed and Angelica had finished reporting back, she immediately went to find someone for Ji Li.

A few hours later, she personally delivered a stack of documents to the hotel:
Ji Li took the file and saw the image of a woman with messy, unkempt hair, and a small white rabbit in prison clothes next to her. She fell into a brief silence.

"How are you doing?"

"Very 'lively,' causing quite a bit of trouble in the St. Martin Avalon vault, some of which was even handled by the teachers themselves."

However, the teacher is responsible for field patrols and containment. Touching on matters related to the St. Martin's vault would involve overstepping authority, which is a major taboo.

So it's unclear whether the Ludwig family did anything to her, but her safety is guaranteed.

Ji Li flipped through the documents, his expression unreadable:

"You know what I need, right?"

"Yes, I will arrange it for you."

They secretly stormed the St. Martin's vault.

Angelica paused, hesitated for a moment, and then said:
"Reports indicate that several important figures will be making short stops in Birmingham recently..."

"What are their backgrounds?"

"The powerful family behind the local Flash Street, the head of the Meursault family from the Blood Pact Hermit Society, is a Dark Knight."

Furthermore, the Dark Saintess of the Illuminati personally escorted and returned a reliquary, a Recollection-level Deception Master (Evil System)...”

Angelica's eyes flickered as she cautiously observed Ji Li's expression. Ji Li looked up, meeting her gaze, and grinned.
"You don't need to play these indirect tricks with me. I know the dangers of a direct assault on the San Martin Museum."

If I could infiltrate them silently, I wouldn't need to do this.

Angelica sighed:
"Of course I understand..."

Her behavior was certainly not because she was unwilling to help Ji Li infiltrate the group.

After returning to Birmingham, she had already met with her teacher, Veronica, and subtly inquired about the possibility of bringing someone into the St. Martin's vault.

The result is not optimistic.

You can enter the Saint Martin Museum, which is located on a real plot of land.

However, as for the St. Martin's Vault in the Limbo region... there are some changes that are difficult to discuss openly, and the outlook is not optimistic.

In short, she couldn't let Odin cause trouble here; she could only try her best and then report back to Odin...

After Angelica left, Ji Li looked at the empty room:
How long are you going to hide?

The ghost nun's head popped out from the center of the large bed in the room, looking resentful.
"How did you find out?"

"...Your mortuary object is on me. How do you think I found out?"

Ji Li opened her phone: "Perfect timing, I need you to do something for me right now."

Today's strike and demonstration gave Ji Li some unique perspectives. Although Angelica's strength as a ruler was somewhat weak, the power of the rules of the Anxi was undeniable.

There's nothing we can do about encountering an immortal, but we can still roam freely within the realm of the Overlord. It's a good opportunity to help him investigate the situation and see if we can spread our teachings.

But Angelica remained silent until Ji Li's gaze returned to her, at which point she said with a wronged expression:

Do you know how long I was inside?

She was blasted to death by the power of the shattered white ring, although Ji Li felt that her resurrection time was less than a week.

However, the time she actually spent inside was several decades! Because what killed her was the Broken White Ring, and she even abandoned her fear of loneliness to take a bullet for Ji Li and willingly died for him!

For decades, the belief that sustained her in regaining her sight was seeing Ji Li's heartfelt gratitude and warmth; she had completely forgotten about the Tower of Babel.

As soon as he came out, he saw the man he had saved with his life embracing Aiquier, all lovey-dovey. It was already a miracle that his Dao heart didn't shatter on the spot.

Now that I've called her out, the first thing I say is to assign her tasks?!

Clementine was so angry and resentful that she almost cried.

Ji Li's lips twitched; he had forgotten that this guy was sensitive and easily hurt.

Just as I was about to go over and comfort her, there was a knock on the door:
"Pulitzer! Angelica gave us two tickets to the full-armor fencing show. Let's go see the fencing performance later! We can also buy some souvenirs for Aunt Duke to take back with us!"

It's Eguiel's voice.

Being a young girl at heart, after a series of events and settling down in the big city, she was very curious about her surroundings and couldn't wait to drag Ji Li along to explore.
"I'll be going to preparatory school soon, and then we'll probably have even fewer chances to see each other..."

Angelica, you really do come up with one clever idea after another...

Why send Aquile gift certificates? Isn't it just to get her to pester you and give you more time to prepare?

It seems that Angelica was quite frightened by the threat of "attacking the Parthenon Museum."

Before Ji Li could respond, a cold yet soft body wrapped around him:
"You're not allowed to go!!!"

Clementine clung to Ji Li's entire body, her snow-white skin within reach.
"If you dare reply, I'll kill myself!"

Ji Li glanced at Clementine, whose face was resolute, and smacked her on the forehead:
"Why don't we just go together?"

"But…"

"I'll spend time with her first, then I'll spend time with you. Is there anywhere you'd like to go?"

Clementine paused slightly, recalling some of her pre-birth aspirations.

Having experienced a life of constant displacement since childhood, spending most of her time in Red Maple Town, she naturally yearned for the outside world.
"I...I want to eat Cadbury chocolate."

This is a well-known European chocolate brand with its headquarters, factory, and cultural district in Birmingham.

But how can you eat with your body like this? Ji Li looked at him suspiciously.

"I secretly attached myself to Aquil, and you fed me..."

Isn't that just feeding her?

Considering the nun's sensitive nature, Ji Li decided against revealing the information, as it might cause him trouble.

Outside, Aiquier was getting impatient. Ji Li walked towards the door while sending a message to the tombstone:
[How far is the gladiatorial arena from where you are?]
[Then I can change the meeting place slightly... But, do you like watching that kind of boring stuff? Mortal sword fights?]
[Go with the kids]

The tombstone did not respond.

Across from her, the tombstone stared blankly at the phone screen, its slender fingers tightening slightly. After a long silence, it quickly typed out a long string of characters, then paused, made some changes, and finally deleted it all:
Don't be late.
……

By the time Ji Li accompanied Aigui'er back to the Flash Street Hotel, it was already evening.

The little girl was very excited today, carrying a large pile of souvenirs.

As an important component of the White Island Awakeners system, the Spirit Knights have contributed to a large number of new-era popular cultures within the Human Spirit Society.

It also aligns with the principles of soul psychology, subtly influencing the human spirit community, which is of great benefit to the entire awakened system. Over time, many naturally evolving awakened directions will emerge.

"Aren't you going up?"

"I still have some things to take care of. You can go back first. Remember to write the greeting card for my aunt."

Aiquier frowned. Although Ji Li hadn't told her the plan, she knew this guy was up to something again.
"Who's going to be unlucky this time?"

"You're overthinking it. I'm just going to see a friend."

"...Is there anything I can do to help?"

Seeing Ji Li smile without speaking, Aiquier paused for a moment before saying, "Then... be careful..."

“My purpose in Birmingham is to retrieve a portion of my remains, which is in the vault of St. Martin’s.”

Ji Li's direct honesty somewhat eased Aiquier's unease.

She turned her head away from his gaze and pouted:
"It doesn't sound like there's anything I can do..."

"Become stronger, and protect yourself. Ordinary days are numbered. Valhalla may need your help to manage it in the future." "Wouldn't Angelica be more suitable?"

"She's not my sister."

Aiquier was stunned for a moment, her eyes almost bursting with laughter, but she still tried her best to keep a straight face and not show too much in front of Ji Li.

Today she and Ji left for many places.

The amusement park, the chocolate culture street, the fencing competition, and I also went to see a bullfighter, and... the university where the Pulitzer Prize was once awarded in the Olympiad.

This is not just a date, but also a farewell to the past.

After today, she will fully embrace the future, experiencing a sense of loss as she returns from sweetness to reality, a period commonly known as the "wise man's time."

"Wait a minute, chocolate."

Aquil glanced up and casually said, "I don't have any hands to hold it..."

While she was still in a daze, Ji Li broke off a piece of chocolate, bit it into his mouth, and then shoved it at her face.

While Aquile was stunned, black hair suddenly appeared in his eyes, and in a sudden change of expression, he took a bite.

The sweet taste intertwined with the soft touch of lips and tongue, carrying the sensations of two people:
“I will tell Angelica to take good care of you.”

After that long, passionate kiss in front of everyone, Aquile didn't even know how she got back to her hotel room.

However, the taste of chocolate still lingered on her lips and teeth. She pursed her lips and dialed Angelica's number:
"Sister Laurent, is there any training in preparatory classes today? Oh, it's nothing, nothing happened, it's just that I haven't been active for a while, and my body is a bit rusty..."

She didn't want Angelica to take care of her; Odin's girl had her own plans.

With his arrogant attitude, he'll most likely crash and burn eventually, and Lord Aiquill will definitely have to clean up his mess.

Ji Li strolled down the street toward the agreed-upon spot by the tombstone, with Clementine floating beside him, walking side by side, her expression pretty, occasionally brushing her pale lips with her finger.

Still savoring the memory?

Clementine snapped awake, turned her head, and coughed lightly: "Hmph..."

"Now that you've had your fill of reminiscing, let's get down to business."

"Are you really trying to get rid of me like this? That's a slum..."

"The first step was to gather intelligence to confirm the general situation behind the workers' strike, especially the leader of the demonstration and her background."

"I understand. Is there anything else?"

That's all for now. Feel free to add the rest.

This kind of intelligence work requires a lot of experience. Consider this first time as a training exercise for Clementine, but Ji Li doesn't expect her to make any valuable progress immediately.

Those groups facing oppression are more likely to develop followers and eventually merge with the Red Maple Town sect.

It certainly cannot form a viable force now, but it can advance the rudiments of Ji Li's future power.

Clementine seemed to want to act coquettishly, but suddenly her expression changed:
“Spiritual essence…”

"you go first."

She glanced at Ji Li in surprise, then her entire body transformed into a black hair tie and vanished quickly.

Ji Li stopped in his tracks. Before him stood an art museum shrouded in night, with a postmodern oil painting.

It was a coffee shop with a huge, eerie mirror hanging in the air. A man was facing the mirror, but only the back of his head was reflected in the mirror, emanating a strange aura.

He put on the skull ring and gently placed his palm on it. The man in the mirror slowly turned his head, revealing a terrified face staring at Ji Li, and then a shriek erupted.

The black and red threads surged and expanded, dimensions collapsed and shifted, and when everything before him became clear again, Ji Li was already in the café in the painting.

Everything here is frozen in time with the brushstrokes of an oil painting; he can almost hear the screams emanating from those marks—

This painting was created through the transformation of a human soul.

A tombstone and two unfamiliar faces were sitting at the coffee table:

"We've been waiting for you, Odin."

The tombstone still features the same Gothic armor, with the helmet's extended spiked crown seamlessly integrated. One hand rests on a cross-shaped sword, while the other rests on the armrest, the person sitting in the coffee chair exuding the aura of a throne.

The second was a dull-looking man with slicked-back hair. His expression was cold and eerie, with no eyelids and his eyes staring blankly at Ji Li. He was the same man from the painting.

The third was a humanoid figure made of a lump of mud, yet it had clear black and white eyes, its gaze filled with intense malice—

None of them are human.

"You're late, newcomer."

The dull man's voice creaked like rotten wood, his malicious intent undisguised.

Mud Bro, being the most honest of them all, unleashed a burst of spiritual energy, sending a clump of mud flying, causing countless crimson souls to scream in agony before instantly annihilating them, leaving everything in its path to decay—

The aura of the other world?!

boom! ! !
Gravity surged, light twisted and spiraled, and Ji Li had transformed into the Gravity Judge.

The mud vanished, the crimson faded, and the entire coffee table and the ground where the people were standing collapsed instantly.
"It is your honor to wait before me."

A silence hung between the three people in the basin. After a few breaths, the taciturn man revealed a strange smile:
"Welcome, seat number twelfth..."

Ji Li stepped forward and sat down, and the mud-man let out a sinister laugh:
"Odin the Arrogant... His tombstone does not lie."

With a clang of metal against metal, the tombstone clapped its hands: "That's enough with the pleasantries. Everyone's here, let's get straight to the point..."

It looked at Ji Li and introduced the main members of this operation:

The Bewildered Knight, a fully-fledged Dead Apostle, possesses the power to distort dimensions and directly inflict the pollution of the underworld with his bewildering power. He is the fifth seat of the Tower of Babel, also known as the dull-witted man.

This space was formed by his power twisting it, possessing the characteristics of the underworld; the living should not approach.

The Molten Knight, a fully-fledged Dead Apostle, possesses the ability to reshape malice and inject the aura of the underworld to create malevolent entities. He also has an extremely strong assimilation ability, wielding the evil of chaos, and is capable of single-handedly destroying and creating a ghost town.

Finally, there is the tombstone, the eighth seat of the Tower of Babel, the Knight of the Inscription, who wields an endless obsession.

It can drive obsessions into evil, summon the dead, use evil words, and possesses the qualities of the most elite warrior immortals.

The only problem is that, because its original body was lost, it is now a dead puppet clone.

Based on its characteristics, this clone will not affect his strength, but it will affect his endurance.

"As for my dear Odin... congratulations on his recent return to his full form as a Dead Apostle, possessing the most powerful destructive force against all spiritual matter and souls. He can join me in carrying out the decapitation operation."

The Mud Knight, lacking patience, spoke directly:

"Alright, let's skip this pointless process. The Chief's will won't wait for us to discuss it for long. The instigation of the general strike went smoothly, and the malice of these spirits is no longer concealed."

The next step is to transform them all into malevolent beings, directly overthrowing the entire city of Birmingham; this is the fastest way.

The bewildered knight's eyes darted around: "I can use the distorted dimension to create an inner world that can turn this place into a ghost town in the shortest time. At that time, the shattered white ring will naturally abandon this city and stop protecting it. Even if the royal family and the four dukes are present, there is absolutely no way to save it."

The tombstone chuckled softly: "St. Martin's vault is as solid as a rock, blessed by the broken white ring. Even if the whole of Birmingham falls, it will not be shaken, just like the most solid tortoise shell."

With Ludwig, the museum's director, in charge, this plan was doomed to fail.

The bewildered knight rolled his eyes: "Then let's focus on the Saint Martin Museum, let the chaotic evil of the molten mud cover it with a high density, and I'll pry open and distort dimensions to directly replace the Lingbo Domain with reality?"

"That won't work either. Directly provoking the power of the shattered white ring would be tantamount to suicide. Before we can complete the prying, the cluster of spiritual cores will be completely alarmed."

Rongni Bujian: "This won't work, that won't work, all you're thinking about is your plan?"
We don't have anyone suitable to get into the San Martin Museum; that would only lead to the cluster of spirits discovering our presence immediately, and everything would be stillborn…”

The tombstone turns its head:

"That's why I sent Odin over..."

Three pairs of eyes were fixed on Ji Li:
"Do you have a way to get directly into the Saint Martin vault?"

Their conversation was extremely fast-paced, and they completely disregarded whether Ji Li understood them or not.

However, this was not difficult for Ji Li to understand:

"My current identity is that of a seed recruit at the Royal Asylum."

Silence followed, then the two Dead Apostles let out strange laughter:

"Interesting... What are you planning to do?"

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P.S.: I'm currently traveling in Shanghai and am only updating occasionally. I'll be home on the evening of the 9th.

(End of this chapter)