Shadow of the Evil God

If someone had said he'd been tangling with the Faceless One for two days, Cesar would have believed it. He didn't know how his senses had returned to normal. In fact, he felt content to drown at the bottom of the sea, and it wasn't him who swam up, but a wave that swept him out.

He reached out his hand involuntarily, grasping a delicate little foot, and felt himself emerge from the blue waves of the sea. He was almost anesthetized; if he hadn't accepted the Dao, he would have been dead, but he gradually figured out the situation.

Cesar looked up: "How did you get here?"

"It's like this, how else could it be?" Firth said. She wrapped her legs around his neck, one foot on his stomach, the other on his chest. The dog continued to rise and fall like waves. Cesar tightened his legs, feeling her hips tighten, clamping tightly around him and grinding. He couldn't resist, and another surge of uncontrollable force came.

Cesar bit Fils's toes, then stroked the soles of her feet with his tongue. He felt a subtle awakening, as if she had cast some kind of spell. He opened his mouth to speak, but Fils groaned, moved her feet back, leaned forward, and sat down on his face. Her lips lowered to cover his mouth, sealing it before he could say anything. He tried to push her away, but the other guy held his waist and swayed, causing him to gasp.

It must be said that compared to the dog's, her buttocks were quite small, tightly pressed together, twisting slightly in front of his face, white and tender and lovely. When he changed to the faceless one, he could hardly see anything in front of him, but now he could see clearly, even looking up to see her youthful waist and drooping hair.

Cesar opened his mouth and took hold of Phils's lips, sucking them lightly and then hard, then using the tip of his tongue to pry them apart and push them forward. He licked and moistened her lips, forcing them apart, and gradually explored deeper. After a while, her waist had gone limp, and she leaned forward, holding onto his waist to prevent herself from collapsing.

He caressed her white buttocks, patting them gently, and then kneading them. Soon, her lips had gradually become sticky and warmer. Her wet mouth held his tongue and sucked it in, tightening with each twitch. Then, a warm stream of liquid flowed out uncontrollably, flowing along his tongue and filling his mouth.

"Woo..."

Fils leaned forward, practically collapsing against the dog's chest. Her panting was soft and gentle, a charming groan that made his heart tremble, followed by an unstoppable surge of sensation. Cesar realized that if he continued this way, he would waste the entire day. He forced himself to step back, just as Fils stood up and turned her face away. The liquid immediately splattered from her open mouth to her eyes, splashing all over her face.

"Uh," Cesar coughed, his voice a little hoarse, "I'll go find a towel."

He dragged Fils to the side of the bedroom to wash her face. Gouzi quickly regained her composure. She discarded her dancer's clothes and donned the cloak and leather armor they'd worn on their journey. She also wore the white mask of the Invisible Assassin, appearing behind him like a ghost. Aside from the blurry, undefined silhouette brought on by the journey, she was indeed not much different from the Invisible Assassin.

Cesar hopes that the Faceless One will maintain this impression to the outside world. Otherwise, she will cause too much trouble.

He couldn't tell how much blame he had taken on the old count so far. Many people wanted to kill him out of revenge for old Thane, whether it was revenge for old Thane himself or for the slaves he bought as sacrifices. In the end, the blame would always fall on Cesar.

He threw Nauzog into Neuen's castle, somewhat out of revenge.

Cesar washed Phils's face and found that she had already swallowed what was in her mouth. When she opened her mouth, she saw her bright red mouth and squirming throat. He wanted to ask her to open her mouth again and fill it up, asking her to swallow it in small mouthfuls. However, in the end, he just kissed her and walked out with her to the garden of the alderman's residence.

It was nearly dusk in this place. If one ignored the smoke and smell of blood lingering outside the fence, it would have been a perfect place for a tryst, reminiscent of the gardens behind the old Chateau de Seine. Not long after, One-Eye passed by the alderman's residence. He nodded slightly to Cesar, then frowned at the Faceless Man, cloaked in a pale mask. He even took a small step back before slowly walking away, wary.

One-Eye couldn't sense Firth's presence, even when she held his hand like a child, Cesar thought. Whether or not one could detect Firth seemed to have little to do with the mage's identity or the existence of the Tao. Sutik hadn't noticed, nor had the Invisible Assassin. Only those connected to her past could detect her.

Diana of the Yestren School is a descendant of Firth's biological sister and possesses Firth's coded manuscripts. The beastman Nauzog once encountered Firth herself during his journey through the Age of Gods and even struck a deal with her. Everything seems to make sense. But what about old Thane? And what about the witch who seems to be Firth's mother but definitely can't be? Ultimately, why did Firth appear in old Thane's castle?

There were so many things Cesar didn't understand, so many things he couldn't comprehend.

He's still lost in thought.

At that time, Diana walked out of the mansion into the garden. She first brought Fils a dessert from the alderman's residence, then patted him on the shoulder. "We've caught the banker who was secretly meeting with the alderman's family, Cesar. Aya hopes you'll go over and take a look. If we handle it properly, the funds we can obtain will be more than just the gains from looting noble estates everywhere," she said.

Cesar blinked, assessing the weight of the title "banker." Before he could reply, Diana couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "If I'm not mistaken, our long journey through the wilderness ended in the early morning, didn't it?" She measured her tone. "Are you spending too much time satisfying your sensual desires..."

"No, why is it sensual desire?"

"I can already observe the balance between desire and rationality in your soul," Diana said. "It's like an hourglass, do you understand? From observing Phils to observing you, it's just a process of learning from one thing to another. I can tell at a glance what you've been spending the most energy on lately."

She turned and walked away, leaving Cesar with a grin. This girl's terror was already beginning to show. If someone wasn't incredibly confident, it was hard to say if they could stand up to her.

Phils broke off half of the cake and held it to his face. "Do you dare to eat it?"

"No, I'm afraid that if I eat it, my desire will be poisoned."

"It's up to you. It's delicious."

Chapter 221 You two stop arguing

......

"Do you realize it's dusk already?" Diana asked.

"You're right," Cesar said.

"Where are we going?" Diana asked again.

"The temple."

"Things have to be prioritized," Diana insisted. "The prison beneath the alderman's residence holds the last remaining survivors, and upstairs in the conference hall there are bankers waiting for us to negotiate."

"You're right, but I think the temple takes priority."

"Hasn't it been you who spent the whole day doing ridiculous things?" Diana raised her voice.

"Humans need to relax after a long journey," Cesar explained. "Besides, haven't you been doing anything serious? We clearly agreed in the wilderness to meet Brother Levita."

"I'm maintaining Phils's sanity," Diana pointed out.

"I'm also using my methods to maintain the dog's mental stability." Cesar said nonchalantly, "Don't you think she's very different from the Faceless Ones in historical records?"

"You call that maintaining sanity?" Diana said, her voice rising higher. "And she's different because you feed her so many unbelievable things!"

"Not only that, but also my unremitting guidance." Cesar insisted.

"Guidance?" Diana asked him back. "Cesar, you're just a gardener wandering around with a pair of scissors. One day, you're in a good mood and you go to cut a few branches. The next day, you remember and you go back and sprinkle a few drops of water. But she's not a potted plant. She's a primeval forest filled with all kinds of plants, growing wildly and independently at all times. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Okay, I understand," Cesar said, adding, "So what do you think I should do?"

Diana sighed. "How should I know what to do? And why are you pushing the problem onto me, Cesar?"

"I think you should also research the existence of the Faceless Ones, Diana. You are a mage."

"Cesar, I must tell you that reliable theoretical research on the Faceless Ones ceased in the last era, and not a single manuscript remains."

"I think we could start from the beginning, Diana."

"Do you really have to repeat the name after me, Cesar?"

"You started it, Diana."

"Stop arguing," Fils said. "Researching from scratch requires dissecting enough individuals. After the Kuna people perished, all those faceless demons vanished. This guy is the only one left."

"That's fine," Cesar said. "But what is Noyen, as you put it? How could an old nobleman bring forth the extinct Faceless Ones?"

"You'll have to ask the Lord of Neuen," Diana said. "I don't understand what he did either. The Origin Society has conducted countless secret experiments over the past few centuries, hoping to create the Faceless to infiltrate the secular world, but none of them have succeeded. I don't believe there isn't something else behind Thane. Whether it's the Faceless, you, or the young Firiels emerging from Neuen, these things are all shrouded in mystery. You always say that the school behind me is shrouded in dark clouds, but I think you should first look behind your own backs."

"There's nothing behind me," Cesar muttered.

"You're not completely empty-handed." Diana said resolutely, "Have you ever considered why old Thane summoned an alien creature to the altar?"

"You talk like I can understand old Thane," Cesar said.

"I didn't know he was a creature from another world," Firth said thoughtfully. "When I was helping old Sean, I thought he was just a half-witted fool who could only say completely meaningless words. His name was also very difficult to pronounce."

"So where did Cesar get his name?" Diana asked.

"It seems to be the name of a dead person, but I haven't heard of it either. There are too many dead people under Neuen Castle." Firth said, "Besides, this guy said names are meaningless. He can call it whatever he wants."

"That's too random," Diana commented. "If I were to come up with a name, I would carefully consider its meaning, rather than just finding a corpse and discovering its name is Cesar and stealing the dead person's name."

"You haven't finished yet," Cesar said. "I tricked Gouzi into getting her with a series of promises. I tricked Fils into getting her when I was escaping. I tricked you into getting her by writing letters. Not only people, but even my noble status was tricked. I've always done whatever I wanted, cheated whenever I wanted, and stolen whenever I wanted, without any prudent consideration."

"If it was you who was unconscious in the wilderness, I would make a wooden box with wheels, stuff you in it and roll you on the ground, then stick a wooden wedge in your mouth and crush your tongue to death," said Diana.

"You should consider getting a wooden box for yourself, Diana. When I was walking in the wilderness, you were floating beside me. Ten minutes of walking would make me float for an hour. What's the difference between that and lying in bed and watching me suffer? The day you can no longer float beside me, that will be the end of you." Cesar replied.

"The day you can no longer lie will be the day you die."

"What do you know? As long as humans are not extinct,

I can cheat until the end of the world."

"We'll see," Diana said.

"Is this it?" said Phils, pointing ahead.

Just as Cesar had imagined ten days earlier—no, just as he had the previous night—the temple's exterior walls were still crudely constructed. Some damaged walls had been patched with mud bricks, reminiscent of a slum with broken boards. The Shawl Order claimed to be concerned about the plague and infectious diseases here, but it seemed they hadn't invested much, sending in an unfortunate monk to handle the situation before abandoning the effort. Not only had the Shawl Order, but the aldermen had also offered no financial support. It was hard to believe the temple had seen so many patients, and now even the medicine supply was running low.

"Yes, it's here. The local temple." Cesar said, pondering Xiel's original name. "When did Xiel become less and less like the God of Joy?"

"It's been around since ancient times." Diana surveyed the temple's surroundings. "Pleasure, after all, is merely an interpretation made by our ancestors. Gods exist and have always existed, naturally predating human definitions. You approached Xiel through art and intoxication, and you received a response. Just as you might receive a response by healing a patient in this dilapidated little temple. The gods' needs have always been vague, hence the existence of offshoot sects."

Cesar thought of the knights and priests who had fled in the Noyen Mines. "What about the heretical sects?"

"Heretical sects can also receive responses. How to define each branch of the sect depends entirely on secular influence and has nothing to do with God himself," said Diana.

"I feel relieved that they attach so much importance to secular influence," said Cesar.

"That's right, Cesar, but why should we go over again what we already discussed in the wilderness?" Diana asked him.

"Because I don't remember very well," Cesar admitted.

"You've been tossing and turning all day, you must have poured all your brains into her," muttered Phils.

"You swallowed a big mouthful yourself." Cesar poked her face with his hand. "Maybe this part of my memory was eaten by you."

Phils opened her mouth and bit his hand, leaving a trail of teeth marks. This guy wasn't good at handling sarcasm and jokes, but he was very good at getting angry.

"You two, stop arguing." Diana sighed helplessly, as if she hadn't argued before. "We're already at the temple gate. See the priest first and sort out the priorities. Do you understand?"

"Do you have any particular fondness for scolding and disciplining, Diana?" Cesar asked her.

"Did I scold anyone else?" She raised an eyebrow. "You should think about your own problems first, Cesar."

"Isn't it because you're so defiant most of the time?"

Diana turned her head. "Then tell me why I'm not arrogant now, Cesar. Back then, I was wandering in the shallows near the Sanctuary Abyss, observing the recent changes there. And then you sent a letter in the name of the deceased, claiming to be my teacher. How did you come up with such a ridiculous excuse?"

"Because the tide I raised hit the shallows, not only shattered your school's symbol of terror, but also soaked you like a drowned rat." Cesar said bluntly.

"No, it's because you're too lathered," Diana shot back.

Firth walked over and opened the door. Brother Levita stood at the threshold, seemingly on his way out to find a tavern. He wore a white robe, his nose red from drinking too much. Seeing the two of them a few meters away, he froze. "How did you open the door?" Levita muttered suspiciously, not noticing Firth scrutinizing his face. "Are you coming in?" he asked.

"I want to talk to you about medicine supplies," Diana said. "You know me, Brother Levita, right?"

"Everyone in Sodoris should have recognized you last night, Master Mage," the monk said. "Did this wandering monk follow you all the way here? Although it is common for people to pursue art and beauty, chasing a mage from Istria..."

Diana glanced at Cesar, and he shrugged, indicating that he had nothing to say.

"Let's not discuss him," she said. "Let's go inside. This is about your situation and the Temple's situation in Sodoris."

They soon arrived at the monk's quarters. Compared to the hut Cesar had seen at Brother Kallen's, this place was better, but not by much. It was still an old house. Brother Levita had his stipend, but it seemed he didn't spend it on improving his quarters. He spent it either getting drunk in the tavern or spending time with his mistress. He probably didn't even spend as much time sleeping here as he did at the waitress's house.

Chapter 222 I will talk to him all night long

The first thing that struck him was the shabby bed. Cesar noticed it had only three legs, with a piece of chopped wood supporting the fourth. The mattress was riddled with holes, thin as a pancake. The fireplace hadn't been used for a long time. Fortunately, Sodoris didn't need much warmth. Back in Neuen, the small chair at his bedside would have been chopped for firewood. Next to the medicine cabinet was a low cabinet piled with books. The oil lamp hadn't been used in ages. It seemed Brother Levita hadn't read the books on the cabinet in a while.

"We are re-establishing order in Sodoris." Diana walked over to the low cabinet. "There is not much money to repair the old house now. I hope you can move to a more suitable place."

"A more suitable place?" Levita looked puzzled.

"The alderman's residence is vacant, and we don't plan to move another noble family in. This place should be left to someone more suitable," said Diana.

"The alderman's mansion? I've had enough of the alderman's mansion, so I'm going to meet those suffering patients? At least I know what I'm doing here. If you've seen those noble officials meeting peasants and refugees with impatience on their faces, you'll know what it means to just go through the motions. If I wanted to avoid all this, I would have simply taken the transfer order and left, instead of living in the alderman's mansion and enjoying myself wantonly, pretending to share the suffering of my people."

Diana glanced at Cesar and said, "I'm quite sure you're an exception, Mr. Levita, but I'm going to go beyond that. The place for diagnosing plague and infectious diseases can also be located in the abbot's residence. We will demolish the abbot's family's magnificent courtyard, sell off all its valuable belongings, and convert it into the clinic you need."

"You could be more blunt," Levita said. When he faced the Origin Society mages, his attitude and language were completely different from those used in conversations between monks.

"To be more blunt? Then do you know what happened to the alderman's family?" Diana asked.

"I don't care what kind of miserable end they have, I just hope their successors are not worse than them in moral standards."

"Your expectations are quite low, Brother Levita," Diana said.

"Yes, if you ran into a lot of obstacles in Sodoris, worrying all day about the Black Sword coming to your door in the middle of the night, you would think so too. But you wouldn't, because you haven't been in such a place." Levita's tone was calm. "However," the monk said, "I can see that the wandering monk next to you has been there. If you don't understand what I'm saying, go ask him."

"I'll talk to him all night long," Diana said calmly, "but right now, I'm talking about the power vacuum of Sodoris."

"So be it," Levita said. "Anyway, whenever a powerful person falls, another one will appear. When one person leaves, another one will come. People who were strangers at first will eventually weave a complex network of relationships. People who wanted to govern at first will eventually go from governing the town to governing their own courtyards and castles. Sodoris sent away the alderman's family, and then welcomed you, but in the end, we got nothing."

Diana raised her eyebrows slightly. "Do you think you can withstand the test, Brother Levita?"

The other person's breath hitched, as if he'd thought of something, and suddenly he didn't dare to speak. Cesar felt that her words were truly stinging, like a noble man manipulating his servants. He could do it, but he had discussed it with Levita so much under the guise of a monk, and he simply couldn't bring himself to do it.

"I won't be in power," Levita suddenly said. "I know I can't handle it, so I don't want to put myself in a position where I'll be corrupted."

She pursed her lips slightly and said, "Sodoris doesn't necessarily need a powerful person, but it needs people and directions that can represent Sodoris."

"Isn't this the supply point for Gular Fortress? What direction can we take?"

"Maybe I mean to make it consistent."

"Consistent in appearance and reality...? I'm afraid I dare not presume to interpret your allusions, Master."

Diana cleared her throat. "To reform Sodoris and its surrounding towns, we intend to issue an order to eliminate those nobles whose corruption and material wealth threaten the kingdom's security, allowing people to move freely within the town. Aside from the clerks we appoint, the entire town will be under the control of the temples and workshops under your jurisdiction. We'll give you tasks, and you'll reward us. In reality, these clerks are paid personnel who are ready to be dispatched at any time. They won't settle down in Sodoris and become new nobles. We will ensure that the locals receive the rights they deserve when serving the kingdom, and ensure that these rights are not monopolized by the so-called alderman families."

"I want to say..." Levita seemed adept at deciphering the meaning behind speeches. "The nobles settled here to build their own castles and courtyards. In this moment of war, you waved Evered IV's edict, claiming to uphold justice. First, you captured the town, then abolished the alderman's family, and finally, piled corpses all over the streets. The smell of blood hasn't even dissipated yet, and you're still promising me a beautiful vision? Why don't we stop being so euphemistic and just tell me directly what's different between you and them?"

Diana was not surprised because of the previous discussion with Cesar. "Really?" she said, "Well, if you want to, then let me put it this way, what do you believe in?

It's completely irrelevant to me, and I don't care about your justice, as everyone's justice is different. We need to ensure that local production is managed without anyone else's intervention, and we need to dedicate the castles and courtyards of the local nobles to providing war supplies. Because the workers in the workshops and the temples providing healing are irreplaceable, unlike miners and farmers, and because this task demands extreme concentration, I hope you aren't being forced to perform these tasks, but rather that you are being paid fairly to fulfill your responsibilities.

"I can't say what will happen to the workshop, but there are not many people in the temple here, no matter what you say," Levik denied.

"Why make such excuses, Brother Levick? You and I are both clear-headed. If I spread the word, and add the intention of inviting Brother Levick to City Hall in the power vacuum created by the disappearance of the alderman's family, the Shawl Society will not only send a large number of personnel, but also deliver more medical supplies than you can imagine. Previously, this place was occupied by the local nobles and their guilds, and no one could interfere. Now that we have an opportunity, how can the Shawl Society not seize it? If we choose you, you don't have to worry about the Shawl Society kicking you out and transferring you elsewhere."