Chapter 676.
Chapter 676 The Rally
The leaders and bishops of the Church of the Four Gods would gather on a ghost ship returning from subspace to hold a rally – this kind of thing seemed overly explosive no matter what time of the year it was, and belonged to the level where someone would yell a sentence like that in a city-state, and anyone who heard it would have to deliberate for half a day whether they should report it to the Inquisitor or to the mental hospital.
But now it was really happening.
The Lost Country arrived at the appointed time at the appointed place – offshore of Lightwind Harbor, in the calm waters near the Storm Cathedral, where it stopped, and then the “visitors” from the four Arks of the Patrol arrived in small boats.
Shirley lying behind a railing on the aft deck, probing the central deck of the clergymen who are looking around nervously or calmly tense, while observing and muttering to the shadows beside her: “They really dare to come ah …… Did you see that bald uncle? His brain is so bright and sweaty ……”
Dog’s voice came muffled from the shadows, “It’s too scary …… In the past, in the city-state, not to mention meeting this level, when we met a few guardians, we had to hide ……”
“It’s not the same as in the past. …… That’s what the word says, right?” Shirley smugly, “Now they’re the ones who have to avoid us – at least on the ship. Hey do you want to jump out and scare them? That’s a chance that doesn’t come along very often ……”
“I’d jump out fine, but you’d probably get your ass kicked by the captain if you turned around – I’m really jumping, huh?”
“Don’t, don’t, don’t I’m just kidding ……”
On deck, Luni, the doll who had followed her mistress to the Lost Country, was methodically guiding the “visitors” through the center deck to the doors leading to the ship’s cabins, the clockwork doll glanced back in the direction of the aft deck and turned her head to explain to the bishop’s robed clergyman of the depths beside her: “That’s Ms. Shirley, she’s a ‘student’ of the old master, you don’t need to be nervous.”
“But I feel the aura of a Profound Demon ……” that nervous Deep Sea Bishop couldn’t help but say, “It’s right next to that ‘Miss Shirley’ Beside ……”
“That’s Mr. Dog, Miss Shirley’s guardian dog,” Luni explained with a calm face, “and a student of the old master, you don’t need to be nervous.”
Bishop of the Deep: “……?”
Luni didn’t care about the other party’s sudden strange look, she clapped her hands and looked up to introduce to the surrounding clerics who had just boarded the ship, “Let me emphasize some more common precautions-
“The ropes on the ship sometimes move suddenly, don’t worry if you’re tied up, they’re tied up for fun and will be loosened with a little greeting; don’t be concerned if you come across buckets rolling all over the place, they’re probably just transporting something; if you pick up the head of a silver-haired mannequin and can’t see a mannequin’s body in the vicinity, please take the head to the main mast and give it to a talking dove, and the pigeon will help return the head to you. The dove will help return the head;
“Also, don’t just go to unopened areas, and if you get lost, stay where you are immediately; praying to the gods is not forbidden on the ship, but the gods don’t help you get out of the blocked cabins, so it’s still important to keep in mind a few of the ‘rules’ that I mentioned earlier; if you’re in certain parts of the ship and you see individuals suspected of being children of the deep, remain calm and leave, they are fish; pay no attention to strange shadows suddenly appearing in mirrors or dark corners, it’s Ms. Agatha who is taking a stroll – she will not be entering the visitor’s lounge ……
“Always remember that the ship is safe and has a friendly atmosphere, and if you feel like you are dying, repeat this in your mind: the ship is safe and has a friendly atmosphere, and reflect on your actions to see if you are violating the code rather than questioning the environment gone wrong ……
“Finally, I wish you all a fulfilling day aboard the great Lost Country – meals will be served after the meeting. Please be assured that it is all human edible substances.”
The clockwork figure smiled and bent down to the visitors.
“Please follow me next as we head to the hall.”
The clerics who boarded the ship were either nervous, skeptical, or observing this ghost ship that was haunted by countless strange legends and dangerous auras with caution, and the “safety tips” given to them by a clockwork mannequin on the deck didn’t lower the tension in the hearts of these people with normal outlooks, but rather added to the Weird atmosphere – but in the mission and responsibility of the driving force, they can only dispel the worries in the bottom of their hearts, and honestly follow the guidance of the weird clockwork mannequins, toward the direction of the cabin.
Vanna stood far below one of the masts, looking a little worriedly at Luni, who was busy in the distance, and couldn’t help but mutter in a low voice, ”I don’t think Miss Lucrecia should have arranged for Luni to be the ‘receptionist’–it would have been better to let me and Mr. Morris go. let Mr. Morris and I go then ……”
“But I think that’s fine,” Helena’s voice rang out from the side, the airy Popeess standing beside Vanna with an inexplicable smile on her face, her gaze falling to the distant decks, and there was actually a bit of pleasantness in her tone, “It’ll make them realize why they’re on board in the shortest amount of time possible Before that I will emphasize with them ‘not to make a fuss’ and have them ‘take everything on the Lost Country for granted’.”
She paused and looked thoughtfully toward the massive silhouettes of those Ark ships on the sea in the distance, “…… The bishops have profound knowledge and high attainments in divine arts, but they’ve spent too much time on the ‘normal order’ of the Ark anymore, and this ‘normalcy’ won’t last forever.”
Vanna sensed that there seemed to be some deep meaning in the Pope’s words, but before she could open her mouth to ask a question, Helena spoke up first: “Are you still used to being on this ship?”
“Eh …… pretty good,” Vanna replied hurriedly after a moment’s pause, “Everyone is very kind, and I’m still exposed to a lot of unheard of knowledge, and I’m gaining experience in fighting heresy and blasphemy. ”
“That’s good,” Helena smiled up, and then without waiting for Vanna to say anything, she was already making her own way towards the cabin, “Let’s talk after the rally – can’t keep the ‘Captain’ ‘ wait too long.”
Vanna was stunned for a moment, and immediately afterward, she noticed what seemed to be a line of sight falling upon her.
She followed this sensation to the direction from which the line of sight came, only to see an extraordinarily tall and extremely striking figure among the crowd looking over at her from the far deck.
It was a Sanguine wearing a plain short robe, with skin like that of a gray rock and deep, steady eyes.
It was the leader of the Fire Transmitters, Frem.
This small giant-like Sanguine Pope nodded his head this way from afar before departing in silence.
Vanna drifted off for a moment, and the moment her gaze met those silent eyes, she couldn’t help but recall the sprawling desert, and the pale giant who had trekked with her across it ……
In the next second, Vanna suddenly snapped out of her trance, and after a brief moment of hesitation, she too took a step in the direction of the cabin.
The captain’s call was ringing in her mind – it was time.
Everyone gathered in the largest cabin in the upper section of the Lost Country. It was called an “assembly hall”, but in fact, it was just the dining room of the Lost Country – Lucrecia’s servants who had been sent in advance had tidied up the place, rearranged the tables and chairs, and set it up to look like a meeting place.
Compared to the gorgeous sanctuaries and magnificent temples on the Ark, this “assembly hall” is obviously not that magnificent.
But the people gathered here obviously do not dare to focus on the so-called “shabby” problem.
This is the Lost Country ship, a shadow returning from subspace, the “Fifth Ark” revealed by the four gods – any insignificant corner of this ship has a different meaning for the world.
Just being able to board this ship is enough to become an unforgettable experience for a person …… even if they are a highly respected bishop, or the “inner court magistrates” on the Ark of Ceremonies.
The uninvolved people have already retreated, the magical puppet servants sent over from the Bright Star to “support” closed the door as they exited the hall.
Ordinary clerics sat on the periphery of the assembly hall, dozens of bishops were divided into four areas according to the gods they followed, and in the center of the hall, a circle of chairs was set up, with Helena, Frem, Banister, and Lune sitting in four of the chairs, and across from them were the true master of the ship, as well as the master’s “followers”.
Duncan had deliberately asked Lucrecia to arrange the venue in such a way.
He could notice that all eyes were focused on him – and they were complicated.
The tension never dissipated from these people from the beginning.
But he didn’t care about that.
“We meet again,” his eyes first fell on Helena across the room – the “Popeess of the Deep” was the first Orthodox leader he came into contact with in this world, one of the starting points of his contact with the civilized world, “Welcome to my ship – I have kept my promise and still do. one of the starting points of contact with the civilized world, “Welcome to my ship – I kept my promise and remain on the side of ‘civilization’ to this day.”
Helena returned the salute politely and appropriately, while her gaze fell, however, involuntarily, on Vanna, who was not far from Duncan’s side.
The Popeess’ expression was always calm and serene, but there was something more than a little odd in the depths of her eyes.
Just now, Vanna naturally sat on the side representing the Lost Country ship ……
This Storm Saint and Inquisitor of the Deep Sea didn’t even bring hesitation.
However, she soon put away this bit of weirdness, and after briefly organizing her expression, she opened her mouth to break the somewhat frozen atmosphere of the scene.
“This is a closed-door meeting, the nature of which I’m sure you all already have some idea of – so let’s just dispense with all the red tape and let’s get straight to the point.
“Let’s discuss what has happened in our world, and what is about to happen.”
She turned her head, her gaze falling on Lune beside her.
“The most learned among us has brought something that may help explain what the …… ‘Great Annihilation’ is to some of those present who do not yet know the truth.”
Lune nodded, then waved aside.
A scholar immediately stepped forward and handed him an object covered in black cloth.
Duncan watched the scene curiously – he saw Lune open the black cloth, and what was there underneath took him quite by surprise for a moment.
It was a birdcage.
Inside the cage was nothing more than a small, plain-looking black bird in peace and quiet.
Yet Lune’s expression turned serious as he raised the birdcage in his hand and showed it to everyone on the scene.
“This is a black-feathered short-nosed puffin, and it has another hefty name that is widely known in the circle of scholars.
“The Madman’s Bird-the famous ‘Hepa Incident’ of 1726 gave this little bird this chilling name.
“With regard to the ‘Great Annihilation,’ I shall begin with this little bird.”
(End of chapter)