Witch Redemption

"Of course, this little one is different. As a special being created by the true god, even if she loses her godhood, she can only survive for a year at most. After a year, her body will completely collapse. One year means that she will not use her power for a year. Once she uses it, she will die immediately. And that's what I'm curious about. Her body has used its power more than once since she lost her godhood, right? Why is she still alive and well? Unbelievable!"

“Incredible! Absolutely incredible! How fascinating! I’m so curious! How did you manage to do that? How did you create something that could replace divinity? No, it can’t replace divinity. What you created is like kindling, keeping her life flame burning just before it goes out.”

"Unfortunately, because she is not a true replacement for divinity, her body will continue to deteriorate, and the fuel you added will one day accumulate into the most excruciating pain. You don't actually think that what you created will be burned up inside her, do you?"

"It's impossible. Matter is conserved. After the energy is used up, the firewood will inevitably leave behind impurities after it has burned completely, just like a stove. More and more ashes will only block the air intake, until finally completely extinguishing all hope. When there is no ashes blocking it, she can still shine brightly, but once all hope is blocked, what will happen to her?"

"Death? Not so easy. She'll die a painful death, reduced to a worthless piece of trash without any dignity. Thinking about it that way is actually quite delightful, isn't it? Hahaha, here it comes! Here it comes! I've always wanted to see that expression on your face, that sad, desperate, and helpless expression..."

Li Lan, who had inadvertently shown sadness at these words, simply took a deep breath to calm her depressed mood, and said, "You talk too much nonsense!"

Unable to resist, I reached out and pinched the cheek of the black-haired Yu Hui, only to be met with an unbelievable, bone-chilling coldness.

"You...you...you rude bastard!"

The smug, mocking grin that seemed to be watching a good show vanished instantly, and the short man took two steps back.

"So, is there any way to save her? You know something, right?"

“Of course,” Yu Hui, with his black hair, said with a rather arrogant air, his arms crossed in front of him. “Losing her divine status, isn’t solving the problem a simple matter? Just implant the divine status back into her body, right?”

Isn't that obvious?

"Where can we get divine sparks?"

"Of course it's the true god. All the gods of the ancient times, no matter which one, can be traced back to the true god behind them. Note that each deity's divine essence has a corresponding origin, and a divine essence of the same origin must be implanted to coordinate the stability of their body. In other words, to save this little one, the true god who created her needs to intervene."

These words gave Li Lan a sense of "Why don't they eat meat porridge?" He felt somewhat helpless, "The true god cannot descend to this world, can he?"

"Of course, so she's doomed. There was no way to save her from the beginning, not even if my true form descended. The blood of a true god is not something that can be touched casually, so I am powerless to help her."

Seriously, I'm speechless. Why didn't you just say there was no way from the beginning? Why did you have to keep us in suspense and deny it indirectly, just to see that desperate look on his face?

"Forget it, you so-called true gods are too unreliable. I might as well rely on myself."

"Tsk, you really want to save her? You'll regret it. Let me tell you, although I'm not an omniscient or omnipotent being, I've at least managed to piece together what's been happening in this world over this period of time and witnessed the shortsightedness and greed of many intelligent beings," Black-haired Yu Hui shook his head. "Regarding her identity, she herself is unwilling to say, but that doesn't mean I can't remind you. She's your enemy. Now you'll know how foolish your actions have been."

"Enemy?" The sudden word of surprise caused Li Lan's expression to change, and a large number of thoughts in her mind began to develop in the direction she had been avoiding all along.

"That's right, they are my enemies. You'll find out someday, provided you live to see it."

Black-haired Yu Hui smiled knowingly, and decided to stop while he was ahead. "Looks like we're running out of time. That's all the information I'll reveal this time. Remember to tell me a story to lull me to sleep next time!"

Once again, it turned into black smoke and vanished without a trace, leaving only Li Lan alone in the entire space, silently guarding the bed in the deathly silence.

"An enemy?"

After spending so much time together, it would be impossible for Li Lan not to have vaguely guessed what kind of identity Mira the little girl might have.

Numerous intelligence reports have consistently pointed to the possibility that this "ancient relic" is actually the legendary god-level being, the terminator of the ancient mythological era, and an apostle.

The term "Apostle" is not a benevolent one in this world; it represents "evil." They are associated with the so-called "Crimson Night Flood," which replenishes the monsters that have perished in this world every full moon night to maintain a balance in the number of monsters.

If one of the apostles truly harbors a grudge against Li Lan, then that apostle must be...

It's unacceptable, no, it's unacceptable!

After nearly half a year of contact and spending every day together, this quiet little girl never showed any malice. There was often sadness hidden in the depths of her eyes. She had the same joys and sorrows as normal people. She was happy to help Li Lan with anything and relied on him like a child. How could such a girl be an apostle?

How could it be the apostle who killed the two predecessors, witches number 93 and 94?

"Hey......"

With incredibly mixed feelings, Li Lan, who had just gotten up, ultimately buried her suspicions deep inside. "She only has six months left to live. Whether for personal or professional reasons, considering all the times she has truly saved me, I must repay this debt of gratitude no matter what. Moreover, the one who actually killed Senior No. 93 and Senior No. 94 is probably someone else."

The icy blue fur, like a blue crystal, is still stored in Li Lan's magic book. There is a cause for every grievance, and even if revenge is truly desired, it must be taken down one by one. First, the owner of the icy blue fur must be eliminated, and then the person behind it must be dealt with by some means.

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

On January 8, 10004 (Gregorian calendar), the border city of Kobe in the Viana Theocracy was peaceful as always. However, on this day, Christian, the newly appointed archbishop of the Dark Order, secretly came to the Roman Clinic late at night and had a three-hour meeting with Li Lan.

The meeting involved three parties: Li Lan and Lachesis, Archbishop Christian and his confidant, a middle-aged man who remained silent throughout, and the long-absent pig-headed orc Austin Rune and the muscular elf beauty Rebecca, representing the faction to which the Sine Mercenary Group belonged.

During the meeting, Christian cut straight to the point without any preamble: "I've heard that Dr. Roman has done some research on the technology of the British Empire. To what extent has he researched it? Could you please tell us today?"

"No, my research is not in-depth. In fact, Lachish has always been doing the research."

At Li Lan's instruction, Lachesis took out a large number of blueprints and handwritten books for the newly appointed Archbishop Christian to review.

These drawings included designs for steam rifles, various types of bullets, steam locomotives, and even giant crystal cannons. They also included more complex designs for aerial warships.

An industrial product requires not only a large amount of raw materials, but also a variety of industrial chains, which is a threshold that all modern industries cannot bypass.

Although we currently have a large number of design drawings and design principles, we simply cannot proceed without the support of relevant talent and financial resources.

Technological innovation is never something that can be accomplished overnight.

Christian spent a long time reading through the materials, but he couldn't understand the design principles. However, the amount of material mentioned in the documents was definitely not small.

"To make various steam guns, you need to use various metal ores. If you can't find metal ores, then the corpses of crystal monsters are essential. Crystal monsters are currently mainly concentrated in another border city of the Divine Kingdom. That city is now under the rule of Luciala, one of the Twenty-Seven Supreme Beings. Although I can make contact with that place, if the quantity is too large, it will definitely arouse suspicion, which is not good for me."

"It seems that if we really want to start with the Empire's technology, the only way to trade crystal-type monster materials is to do so in small batches, or to directly consider starting from the black market. In addition, other monster materials are also a big problem. Judging from the Dark Order branch in Kobe City on the border, the current finances simply cannot support it."

In less than half an hour, this experienced middle-aged man had already learned the whole story and even had a clear understanding of the details.

"Thank you for your assistance, Dr. Roman. May I ask if you have any suggestions?"

Li Lan scratched his head. In truth, he didn't know much about the situation; he was practically a frog in a well, unable to articulate anything. For now, he could only offer a brief explanation based on his past life's experiences: "Talent reserves are paramount. Personally, I believe everything should be people-oriented. Let's first find trustworthy individuals to learn here in Lachesis. Industries can be further subdivided and delegated to the lower classes. Aside from some core tasks requiring hands-on involvement, basic components can be outsourced to lower-level workers through employment."

As the saying goes, "everyone has their own expertise," and everything should be left to the professionals. Modern society on Earth is an international society with division of labor and cooperation, which is worth learning from.

"I understand. In three days, I will secretly send six young people here to learn. They will come under the guise of patients. Don't worry, all personnel involved in core matters will not simply swear oaths."

As for the production of parts, Christian actually has a new plan. The work efficiency of any intelligent creature is ultimately no match for that of summoned creatures and machines. Once the division of labor in the industry is completed and scale is achieved, the efficiency problem will be easily solved.

The biggest problem right now is money!

Besides paying taxes to his superiors, Christian also had to figure out how to line his own pockets without anyone noticing. He had to evade taxes and make extra subsidies. Money never comes from thin air; it has to be earned in various ways. Even if he had to falsify accounts, he still had to have real skills.

"We'll consider that later. Right now, the border city of Kobe is still unstable because of the presence of the Sixth Apostle. Because of Prince Randall's death, the royal family and the order's leaders have repeatedly expressed their desire to kill him and take action against the imperial forces in the region, but ultimately gave up due to excessive fear. This chaotic situation may not improve until the Sixth Apostle leaves. In the meantime, all I need to do is make preparations in advance."

"Moreover, it is impossible to deal with the theocracy and the twenty-seven supreme beings without the help of the Empire's technology. Until then, no matter how much time it takes, I must remain in hiding."

Having reached a conclusion, Christian silently devised a preliminary plan before asking, "Vice Commander Rebecca, do you accept assassination missions?"

When assassination was mentioned, Rebecca, the elf, immediately thought of her three subordinates, Thomas and his two companions. Even the former captain, Wood Annason, had died without anyone knowing. If they were to carry out the assassination, it would surely be twice as effective, right? The problem was that they were on Dr. Roman Hydra's side, and they probably wouldn't accept such a mission easily.

"It depends on the target. We won't take risks with people of too high a status. Also, we don't accept every assassination mission. It depends on personnel allocation."

Although Rebecca is the vice-captain of the Sine Mercenary Group, she wields considerable influence within the group and is more reliable than the actual orc captain, Austin Rune. Handover matters are now largely being delegated to her.

"Those who need to be assassinated are basically prominent figures in this city of Kobe, whether they are royalty, members of the Dark Order, or nobles. The purpose of eliminating them is to break the current situation. Many powerful forces have monopolized the monster area for a long time. I think there needs to be competition, and then we should support more mercenary groups like yours to rise up."

In other words, Christian wants his own power to gradually replace all existing powers, which is a long-term endeavor and cannot be rushed.

"I understand. Please give us some time in this regard; it requires internal consultation."

"No problem, I look forward to your reply."

Christian nodded.

The three-way talks then lasted for more than two hours until they were interrupted by unusual noises from below.

"Sister Rebecca, Lord Roman, there's...there's a very fierce guy outside!"

As soon as Susan peeked out from the stairwell, her panicked and fearful expression was immediately visible.

"Ok?"

Li Lan quietly got up. "It's alright, you guys continue. I'll go down and deal with this, I'll be back soon."

The moment he stepped down the stairs, Mira and Yu Hui, who had been hiding all along, unusually gathered around him.

A sense of foreboding began to rise within him.

"Strange, I don't know many people left. Who could it be?"

Chapter 68 Demigods

Most of the kingdoms and tribes in this world are built on the temple ruins left behind by the gods, and many legends indicate that these temple ruins were actually part of the gods' own domains when they were alive.

Only the realm of the gods can provide shelter for all things and stop the writhing darkness that is capable of destroying the world.

However, in the land of dawn on the eastern continent, there is a kingdom that is different from others: the Viana Theocracy.

A pitiful kingdom that originally worshipped the goddess of the underworld, but was later banished from its realm by the goddess. All the inhabitants of this kingdom originated from one of the strongest kingdoms in the mythological era, the Kingdom of the Dead.

As humans born from the land of the dead, their most distinctive feature is that they are born with enormous spiritual energy. This spiritual energy is different from the "magic" at the soul level; it is a strange power with a certain degree of independent consciousness, which can manifest in the form of a black humanoid and is called a "spirit body" or "ghost body".

It is precisely because of the power of this special physique that they can enslave a large number of "vengeful spirits" on their own, becoming terrifying beings who can fight against hundreds.

However, this powerful bloodline was gradually diluted after they were expelled from the realm of the goddess of the underworld. Ten thousand years later, most of the original inhabitants of the Viana theocracy could no longer recapture the glory of that mythical era. They had almost all become ordinary people, not much different from regular humans.

Looking back to the mythical era ten thousand years ago, anyone born in the Kingdom of the Dead was a powerful demigod, renowned for their prowess. How could they have fallen to such a state today?

According to the "Secret Chronicles of the Ages" of the Viana theocracy, the goddess of the underworld believed that humans were ultimately greedy and would stop at nothing for power, even betraying their own gods. She was utterly disappointed in humanity, which is why she banished all humans from her paradise and left them to fend for themselves.

However, the goddess of the underworld left the true hope of "witch summoning" to many of the world's great powers, which was undoubtedly a great betrayal to the people of the dead kingdom.

It was this "real" betrayal that led to the complete severance of faith in the goddess of the underworld, causing the new kingdom, renamed "Viana Theocracy," to fall into the arms of an unknown evil god in prehistoric times.

This evil god, known as the "Goddess of Darkness" and named "Shub Nicholas," granted the Viana Theocracy hope for survival. With her unique domain of life and death, she protected the entire vast kingdom, preventing it from being swallowed up by the times when its national strength was low, and allowing it to survive for tens of thousands of years.

While most people were terrified of the existence of this evil god, this was not the case for some fanatical followers of the Viana Theocracy's dark cult.

They sang praises to this god who had never appeared before, prayed fervently every day, and were willing to dedicate everything in their lives to this great god. They regarded witnessing the god's descent as the highest honor of their lives.

Without a doubt, they seemed to have become puppets of the gods, insane beings.

Luciara, the Archbishop of the Dark Order of the Viana Theocracy, one of the Twenty-Seven Supreme Demigods, is a powerful figure who once participated in the hunt for the Abyss Monster Fenrir and the severely wounded Sixth Apostle, Kalamiti. She independently rules over the entire southern region of the Viana Theocracy and enjoys extremely high prestige within the Theocracy.

This powerful figure, who is over a thousand years old, is a fanatical follower of the Goddess of Darkness, and currently the only fanatical follower at the demigod level.

In her eyes, all talk of national righteousness and patriotism had to step aside in front of the Goddess of Darkness. In order to offer everything to the Goddess of Darkness, she even remained unmarried for her entire life, vowing that even this body would belong to the Goddess of Darkness.

In fact, she had always known that there were not many true fanatical followers of the Goddess of Darkness in this country; the vast majority of believers were just wolves in sheep's clothing.

Otherwise, why would the entire leadership be so unconcerned after the Goddess of Darkness has been missing for so long? Some of the leaders are even relieved by the Goddess of Darkness's disappearance, relieved that the country has escaped the control of this evil deity.

The reason is simple: the writhing darkness is still kept out, and the absence of this goddess of darkness has not made any difference.

"Great Lord, where are you?"

The long and fruitless search left this unusually bewildered and powerful individual in a state of anxiety and uncertainty, and he was in a daze.

At this moment, she was wandering aimlessly in the border city of Kobe, still wearing the white robe that represented her status as an archbishop, her face, hidden under the pure white hood, was full of sorrow and loss.

Unlike ordinary humans, demigods possess a unique aura, and their emotions can influence the environment to a certain extent.