Witch Redemption

Because the bullets of the steam rifle contain the magical core material of the monster, which can react violently with the magic of intelligent beings, once the magical connection is established, an extremely powerful kinetic energy will be generated. This kinetic energy will shatter all the constituent materials of the magical core, producing a huge amount of gas, and then the bullet will be launched.

The bullets are not actually made of steel, but rather of materials from the corpses of monsters. Depending on the materials, the damage caused by the explosion will also have corresponding elemental power.

"Tsk! Damn! This is totally illogical!"

Li Lan had tried to find a sense of reality in this absurd world for what seemed like the umpteenth time, only to be slapped in the face once again. After all that effort, it turned out he couldn't use this thing at all because he had no magic power whatsoever.

"Lachish, in the theocracy, do they have gunpowder or anything like that?"

"Gunpowder? What gunpowder?" Lachesis was confused for a moment, then understood it as something for starting a fire. "In terms of starting a fire, we usually use flint or something similar, or choose a material from the body of a monster called a lava beast. Lord Roman should have come into contact with this quite a few times."

I see. This world doesn't have the concept of gunpowder; explosions mainly utilize the body materials of monsters or the constituent materials of magical cores.

"Putting aside what gunpowder is, Lachesis, what do you think of the weapon's power?"

"It's very powerful and extremely useful for adventurers below the Gold rank. However, its effectiveness may decrease significantly after the Platinum rank. Personally, I still think magic is more practical and doesn't require the use of magic cores or anything like that, saving you extra money."

Lachesis frankly admitted that she preferred using melee weapons, which were more lethal and more flexible.

Li Lan simply shook her head. "Lachish, you missed the point. This weapon is incredibly powerful. You can't tell how strong it is when it's used alone, but once it's used on a large scale, by a hundred or even a thousand people at the same time, it becomes unstoppable. It can strike from all directions without any blind spots, and the power of each shot is comparable to that of a Platinum-level adventurer."

"The reason why the empire is so powerful is due to the results of this magic crystal technology. Actually, I am not interested in the manufacturing process of this kind of firearm. What I am more concerned about is the principle of the explosion of this bullet and how high the explosion can go."

I briefly explained that the British Empire possessed terrifying giant cannons, which were upgraded versions of this type of firearm.

This really surprised Lachesis. "I've heard that the Empire's giant cannons are powerful, but I never imagined their predecessor would be like this..."

"Different paths lead to the same goal. I originally wanted to research how to make this thing, but I don't have any magic power, so I can't use it and there's nothing I can do about it."

There was a hint of disappointment in his words. Li Lan had indeed copied the thing, hoping to steal some technology from the Empire, but it turned out to be wishful thinking.

This feeling is like the helplessness of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council in a past life, who could casually throw a nuclear bomb blueprint at a small country, and the small country would be unable to build a weapon of God.

Why...are you interested in this?

Mira, who had been eavesdropping for a long time, spoke up for once. She knew Li Lan much better than Li Lan knew her.

Perhaps she was the only one present who could discern the witch's desire for revenge from this seemingly insignificant incident, which may not be a good thing.

Li Lan did not give a direct answer, but casually said, "Because this thing is the best self-defense item for self-protection, and it is very intimidating. If it can be upgraded to the level of a giant cannon, that would be even better. Who knows, it might be useful someday in the future."

Using the Empire's technology to blast open the Empire's gates sounds incredibly exciting.

Mira lowered her head and pondered for a long time. Although her expression remained as expressionless as ever, a strange sense of self-reproach arose in her heart.

"Your status makes it impossible for you to learn the Empire's technology; it's not suitable for you. However, if it were Lachesis, it would be possible. I still remember the knowledge about manufacturing this steam rifle, the magic crystal cannon, or the Empire's most profound magic crystal bomb. It's just that the materials are hard to come by, and it wouldn't take a year or two to produce. It would take at least ten years."

In other words, the industrial base is weak—no, right now we have absolutely no industrial base whatsoever; we have to start from scratch.

From making basic bullets to steam rifles and magic crystal cannons, this process is similar to industrial upgrading. All the necessary supporting facilities are essential and cannot be made by an individual alone.

"Besides time, you also need manpower and financial support from a powerful organization. Although I'd be happy to help, I don't think you can succeed right now."

Mira's words made Li Lan think deeply. Indeed, it was as if they had traveled back to the primitive society. All modern technology was useless. Copper and iron smelting had become huge problems. Theory alone was not enough; they had to combine it with the course of history.

"As for our power, we can rely on the Dark Order. If the handover goes smoothly, we shouldn't have too much trouble learning the Empire's technology. Everything depends on Viscount Ivan and that Mr. Christian. It's unclear whether this will work out right now, but it's definitely necessary."

Having made up her mind, Li Lan calmly replied, "Teach Lachesis a lesson. Feel free to tell me what you need, as we might need it later. Even just blueprints will do."

Mira is becoming more and more mysterious. She knows the secrets of witches and now she even knows about the technology of the empire. Just what kind of amazing person is she?

"Huh?" Lachesis was a little confused after listening to their conversation. "Um, you mean I should..."

“If you steal the Empire’s technology, you might even be able to build the Empire’s legendary fleet in the future,” Li Lan said in a low voice, then added a few more words of encouragement, “Interested? In the future, you might be able to hire a whole bunch of handsome men and beautiful women as your crew, and then you’ll be the captain.”

As the captain, wouldn't it be wonderful to occasionally do a split in mid-air?

"Won't this be difficult to learn?" Lachesis was genuinely intrigued by this question. Influenced by his father, Ivan Hank, Lachesis had a deep cultural affinity for the British Empire.

"Whether it's difficult or not depends on Mira." Although Mira doesn't have much time left to live, Li Lan is currently trying to find ways to continue helping her, so the future shouldn't be a problem.

Besides, Li Lan also had her own plans in mind. "I might have to talk to Christian in a while. Sure enough, it's impossible for me to replicate the Empire's technology on my own. I have to start with power, and that will take time!"

...... ...... ......

October 26, 10003 (Gregorian calendar), late at night, at the Pilgrimage Church, a branch of the Dark Order in Kobe City.

Laurent Risson, the portly archbishop, changed into a black robe suitable for nighttime movement, making him appear extremely gloomy.

Also gathered here were Christian, a middle-aged man who looked somewhat aged, and another middle-aged man who looked somewhat plump.

The middle-aged man was also dressed in a black robe-style uniform. His square face was extremely serious, and he seemed somewhat reserved, perhaps because he was not used to the ill-fitting clothes. "Bishop Laurent, I need you to explain tonight's events!"

"Lord James, tonight's trip is very likely to involve a legend from ancient times. I hope you are mentally prepared and will go all out when the time comes."

Laurent straightened his clothes, not wanting to explain too much about the matter.

"Ancient legends? There are too many legends to verify one by one. So, tell me, where are we going tonight?"

"Your royal family should know more about the ruins of the goddess of the underworld's temple than we do. Legend has it that that place is very likely connected to another world. Otherwise, why do you think so many witch summoning experiments have been conducted there? The success rate there is indeed higher, at least the summoning rituals are quite elaborate."

James Richard’s expression changed slightly upon hearing this. He finally understood why the archbishop hadn’t been clear about it when he invited him over earlier, because this was the top secret of the theocracy!

"Has this matter been reported to the Twenty-Seven Supreme Leaders?"

"Of course, please rest assured. Archbishop Audrey of Silver Sparrow, the overall head of the southern region, has confirmed that she will come in person in three days. Before that, we will personally go to the ruins of the temple of the goddess of the underworld to confirm."

After Laurent finished speaking, he turned to his subordinate and said, "Priest Christian, lead the way!"

Christian took out three goddess statues made of black ironwood and presented them to the two high-ranking leaders respectively.

"Netherfire," one of the secret items unique to the Dark Order of the Viana Theocracy, can use the vengeful spirits of a large number of children to form a ghost fire that can block the writhing darkness. Once activated, it lasts for only seven hours.

The black ironwood vessel used as the goddess statue was actually a top-grade item, with a duration of up to nine hours, during which countless infants perished.

Christian inevitably felt a sense of unease towards such an evil object, unlike the two leaders who held it with a clear conscience.

"Please! Since the Goddess of Darkness's domain has disappeared, the night is not as safe as it used to be. We need to take a slightly longer route."

As the church doors opened, the deep darkness of the night rushed in, and Christian's steps trembled slightly.

What was bound to happen has finally happened. Whether we can succeed in the future depends entirely on today!

Chapter 63 originates from a legend from ten thousand years ago.

According to the "Secret Chronicles of the Ages," in the Viana theocratic kingdom, five hundred years before the new calendar, the space goddess Chronos, together with many other gods, publicly announced the approximate time of the "Prophecy Day" related to the destruction of the world, and called on all the gods to formally participate in the salvation plan.

In the same year, an unprecedented civil war broke out among the gods due to internal conflicts, and more than 100 deities, including the Goddess of Dawn and the Feathered God, were betrayed and perished.

The "Ross Royal Family," the oldest assassin organization, was also born in this year. It is said that it was its leader, "Nyarlathotep the Thousand Faces," who instigated this civil war among the gods and spread the so-called "evil god sacrifice" to many intelligent races.

The spread of "evil god sacrifice" not only led to the descent of numerous extraterrestrial evil gods' avatars, shattering the entire sky and bringing darkness to the earth, but also triggered a series of terrifying chain reactions.

Firstly, apart from the Goddess of Dawn and the Feather God, the corpses of many other deities were desecrated and became the initial materials for creating the seventy-two pillar gods. This gave birth to many pseudo-demon gods whose strength surpassed that of demigods and were only one step away from true gods. The pillar gods such as Agares, Belial, Valif, and Baimon, who were terrifying to the extreme, became the most outstanding killers of that era.

Secondly, the sky shattered, and the writhing darkness instantly destroyed more than half of the world's population. The remaining half could only eke out a living in the realm of the gods' protection, facing the constant threat of extinction. The entire world entered a true dark age.

The civil war among the gods did not end with the appearance of the pillar gods. The bloody price could only be paid with the blood of the same enemies. The ideological conflict brought the killing among the gods to a terrifying peak. Gradually, the many savior gods organized by the lineage of the space goddess Chronos were almost completely slaughtered.

In the year 490 BC, on the eve of the end of the Civil War of the Gods, the six most powerful apostles officially descended upon the world!

The arrival of the Apostles led to an even more horrific indiscriminate massacre. Gods and pillar gods alike were all subjected to a sweeping and fatal blow. The two terrifying demon kings, Sequence 02 Agares and Sequence 09 Baimon, were even torn apart by the Sixth Apostle, Kalamiti, in the plague field and perished completely.

No one expected that the apostles, who were supposed to represent the extraterrestrial evil gods, would all betray their original masters after their arrival and officially join the side of the space goddess Chronos, thus beginning a purge that would last for more than fifty years.

Over the course of fifty years, the shattered sky was repaired, and the once unimaginably vast world was reduced to only one percent of its original size. All the gods who dominated in ancient times perished, and the once extremely powerful seventy-two pillar gods were either killed or sealed away. Only six true god-level beings, the Apostles, remained in the world.

Four hundred years before the new calendar, the "Witch Summoning" was officially launched. The six apostles made an eternal oath with the leader of the surviving intelligent beings and then disappeared into the background.

This series of histories, the records of the Viana theocratic state, are largely similar to those of many other ancient kingdoms, differing only in the locations where certain ancient deities fell and the many secrets surrounding their fall.

The most confidential record in the Viana theocratic kingdom's "Chronicles of the Ages" is the place of death of Hades, the goddess of the underworld, and Chronos, the goddess of space.

"In the year 450 BC, the Goddess of Space went to the temple of the Goddess of the Underworld to construct the interdimensional connection channel that was necessary for the 'Witch Summoning'. The Goddess of Space became the first sacrifice in the Witch Summoning, and her soul slept forever in the temple of the Goddess of the Underworld. Her remains became the building material for maintaining the spatial channel."

"In the same year, the goddess of the underworld banished all her followers from the realm of the gods and sealed the location of the temple with a special barrier. She then prayed for the descent of the goddess of darkness, Shub-Niggurath, to provide her followers with final protection."

"The goddess of the underworld chose to commit suicide in the final moments of her life, taking all her secrets to the grave. Her remains still remain in this lost temple. Whoever can find the true entrance to the temple will obtain the prehistoric wealth and power, and restore the glory of the once-dead kingdom."

In the cold historical documents, there are no hymns to the gods, only facts and naked greed.

No one knows why this high and mighty deity took her own life, or what method she used to commit suicide. From the very beginning, no one cared what she had been through.

Throughout that long history, the indigenous people of the theocratic state, who had lost their faith and were in a state of panic, were tirelessly searching for the location of the lost temple, for the temple entrance that could bring hope. All they cared about was the wealth left behind by the god after his death.

Unfortunately, the ruins of the temple of the goddess of the underworld were eventually found, but the entrance to "wealth" was lost to history forever.

What will they gain once they can open the true entrance to the temple? The remains of two goddesses! A potentially promising passage to another world! The correct ritual and method for controlling the "Witch Summoning"!

Too many interests are tempting all informed people.

It was precisely because they knew that the ruins of the temple of the goddess of the underworld were likely to give birth to some strange entity, which must represent the true location of the entrance to the ruins, that Archbishop Laurent Risson and Grand Duke James Richard, who were in the know, were immediately overjoyed and extremely excited after learning this information.

At this moment, under the guidance of Priest Christian, these two, who could be considered high-ranking officials of the Viana Theocracy, quietly left the border city of Kobe and headed straight for the border between the monster-infested Olma Giant Forest and the Dark Swamp, guided by "Netherfire".

In fact, the creation of "Netherfire" and its ability to serve as a guide to the ruins of the Temple of the Goddess of the Underworld are also recorded in "Chronicles of the Past," but the specific source is no longer verifiable.

However, there is also a rumor that this method actually originated from an organization called the "Royal Family" and was passed down to the Viana theocracy, and that the person who recorded this method was a double agent.

Even now, despite being protected by a large number of densely packed, pale green will-o'-the-wisps surrounding them, the three still felt uneasy.

The reason is simple: this writhing darkness is too terrifying. With their current strength, they simply cannot touch it head-on. Once they do, they will only become bones on the ground, their flesh and blood devoured.

It was because of this sense of unease that they acted with unprecedented speed, reaching their destination in just two hours.

"arrive!"

When the three of them stepped onto this land with its numerous towering stone pillars, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Please come with me."

Christian walked at the front with a solemn expression, slightly moving the pale green will-o'-the-wisps that enveloped him to the sides, revealing his melancholy middle-aged face, and then silently calculating.

As he stepped onto this spot in the central arena, he silently said to himself, "Ivan, my dearest friend, let's begin!"

In an instant, a sharp whistling sound pierced the air. Before anyone knew what had happened, countless footsteps surged from the darkness. When they came to their senses, they saw hundreds and thousands of terrifying ghostly figures. All the vengeful ghostly figures were raising their black short blades made of magic, charging forward and unleashing their most lethal blows.

"Forehead......"

Christian's eyes widened suddenly, and he was the first to be hit before he could even react.

The incredibly sharp short blade grazed the side of his heart and pierced through it. Then, the swarming ghostly figures mercilessly broke off his hands, rendering him completely incapacitated in the first instant.

"Priest Christian!"

The sudden and unexpected turn of events caught everyone off guard. Archbishop Laurent and Grand Duke James were both slightly shocked as they watched the weakest priest fall down.

Fortunately, these two had experienced all kinds of hardships. Their on-the-spot reactions were also incredibly fast. They had been on guard ever since entering the monster area, and when they noticed the strange movements in the darkness, they immediately used their respective defensive measures.