Mystery: The Last Shepherd

Chapter 420 Klein: Huh? Sacrifice a ship?

Fool?
I've never heard of this being a new guise for some evil god, or a mysterious entity that has recently appeared.

Anderson savored the title, pondering to himself.

Although he remained vigilant, he still wore a smile when facing Lu Ze.

"Friend, are you a follower of the Fool?"

he asked.

"In a way, yes."

"If that's the case, you can hold the ceremony yourself, why do you insist that I believe in Him?"

Anderson pressed for an answer.

"Because I wanted to take this opportunity to spread the glory of Mr. Fool,"

Lu Ze glanced at him. "I won't save others for free."

“Actually, I gained some rewards during the adventure, and I can pay you more after we return safely,” Anderson tried to persuade Luze. “I do have some reputation in the Misty Sea.”

"unnecessary."

Lu Ze said calmly, "I'll give you two choices: either perform the ritual, pray to the Fool, and leave this place with me; or I'll abandon you and leave you to fend for yourself on this island."

"This"

Anderson hesitated.

He could tell that Lu Ze wasn't joking.

"Um, can I think about it first?"

he asked tentatively.

"Okay, I'll give you ten minutes to think about it."

After saying that, Lu Ze walked away along the beach.

Luna played at his feet, while the black cat seemed interested in the waves crashing against the beach, chasing the receding tide and running away quickly as new waves surged in.

"Only ten minutes."

Anderson shook his head with a wry smile.

He felt like he had entered a deadly maze, where he would either be trapped on the island to die or establish contact with a mysterious entity whose true nature was unknown—both were dangerous. As he thought about it, he grew increasingly anxious and felt his mouth go dry.

Anderson thought for a moment, then turned and walked behind a rock.

When he came out again, he was holding a coconut in his hands.

"Hey, want to try some coconut?"

He called out to Luze, "This is the last one on the whole island; I've eaten the rest."

You have five minutes left.

Lu Ze's voice came through.

"Well, it seems I'll have to enjoy it myself."

Anderson shrugged and sat down on the beach, clutching the coconut. He used a flame to burn a crack in the coconut shell, tilted his head back, and drank the sweet coconut water inside. Then, he opened the coconut shell, scooped out the coconut meat with his hands, and eagerly stuffed it into his mouth, chewing and swallowing with great relish.

Suddenly, his expression changed.

"click"

Anderson made a hoarse, strange noise, stretched his hands toward his neck, and opened his mouth wide.

"Clap!"

Both halves of the coconut shell fell onto the beach.

"Kaka."

Anderson's face flushed red, and after a dozen seconds it turned a deep purple, like a pig's liver.

A flicker of fire flickered in the eyes of the Sequence 5 hunter, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged. He fell backward onto the beach, began to convulse, and looked on the verge of dying from suffocation.

Just then, a figure appeared on him.

—Lu Ze raised his foot and stomped hard on his chest.

"Pfft!" A piece of glistening coconut meat flew out of Anderson's mouth.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Anderson's eyes widened immediately, and he began to cough violently.

"Whoo, whoo, whoo"

He was panting heavily, looking utterly disheveled.

"You're really something, almost choking to death on a piece of coconut meat as a Sequence 5."

Lu Ze looked down at him and said.

"Phew, phew, it's because my luck has turned bad."

Anderson grinned, revealing a smile that looked more like a grimace. "However, no matter how bad luck we've had before, it hasn't directly threatened our lives."

"You have been plagued by misfortune for too long. The curse will not disappear; it will only deepen."

Lu Ze said matter-of-factly.

This was what the knowledge of the "Mystic" potion within him told him. Anderson was probably cursed by the murals left by Urelius, his fate tainted with severe misfortune.

Anderson took a breath and his breathing gradually became even, but a strong sense of unease still lingered on his face.

After all, he had just escaped from the brink of death.

"No, I have to save myself."

The hunter muttered to himself, then suddenly looked up at Luze. "You seem to know a lot about these things. Do you know something?"

"probably."

Lu Ze said ambiguously, "But why should I help you?"

Anderson thought for a moment, then smiled. "If I pray to the Fool, can you help me?"

“For Mr. Fool’s sake, I can,” Lu Ze said. “However, you will need to pay him for it.”

"no problem."

At this point, Anderson no longer cared. The curse of misfortune was beginning to threaten his life, and he could only cling to this one last hope, even if it might bring other troubles.

"Let's get acquainted. My name is Anderson Hood."

He got up from the beach and said to Luze, "Over there in the Misty Sea, they all call me 'The Strongest Hunter'."

"Alexander Gascoigne".

Lu Ze gave himself a pseudonym, “a missionary.”

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In a second-class cabin on the steamship "White Agate" on the Sunya Sea Route.

Klein, who was disguised as Gehrman Sparrow, was resting with his eyes closed, waiting for dinner, when he suddenly heard overlapping prayers in his ears.

"Who could be praying to me at this time?"

He opened his eyes, took four steps backward in the cramped guest room, ascended above the gray mist, and then saw that on the high-backed chair belonging to [Temperance], the deep red stars were vibrating and emitting spiritual ripples.

Is it Lu Ze?
Klein extended his spirituality, making contact with the star. Soon, images appeared before him.

He saw Luze bowing his head in prayer, "Reverend Mr. Fool, I am currently in some trouble."

At the end of the Sunia Sea, the ruins of a divine war?

Klein was astonished as he listened to Luzer's story.

After briefly explaining his situation, Lu Ze continued, "I'm currently stranded on an island and desperately need a boat. Please pass this message on to [World], [Justice], and [The Hanged Man] to see who can buy me one. Thank you very much!"

What?
Buy a boat?

And from what he said, he intended to get the ship to him through me?
Klein was dumbfounded.

He felt a strong sense of absurdity, but upon closer reflection, the method seemed feasible. The only problem was whether the sacrificial ritual could actually transport something so large.

Never mind, I'll pass on his message first.

Luze asked me to contact three people because [Justice] has connections, while [The Hanged Man] and I are at sea. Unfortunately, I'm currently en route and can't go to buy them.
With that thought in mind, Klein repackaged the message and threw it toward the star representing "justice" and "the Hanged Man".

(End of this chapter)