Chapter 3220: The Haze of Faraines (28)

Seeing this name, Schiller narrowed his eyes slightly. It couldn't be such a coincidence that there was a second person in this world named John Constantine, right?

"What do you want to do?" Schiller asked in his heart.

"In your memory, I am a character who exists in certain literary works."

"Yes," Schiller admitted. He said, "At least the first time I heard your name was in a novel."

"But I don't appear much."

"Yes, not much."

"Don't you have any opinion on this?"

"If you want me to tell the truth, although your appearances are few, you are famous because you are completely different from your kin and very special."

"Don't you think this specialness should give me more opportunities to appear?"

Schiller rubbed his eyebrows and said, "So you want someone to write a novel about you? You want to be the protagonist?"

"You are the protagonists," Nyarlathotep said. "Your kin have too many stereotypical prejudices against me."

"That shows my kin have eyes like torches."

"I hope someone can help me clarify."

"Constantine? Don't you think it's like a huge joke to put him and the word 'clarify' together?"

"This isn't his story," Nyarlathotep said. "It's your story. He just recorded all this. He is a quite good author."

"You really are birds of a feather," Schiller sneered and said, "You've wanted to do this for a long time, right? How much benefit did you give Constantine to make this cunning guy work for you?"

"This is just his interest. I didn't force him."

"Suit yourself," Schiller put the book away and put it into his arms, without any intention of reading it. He said, "I've already gotten the things. Our last deal ends here."

"Then what about the screws?"

"You didn't set conditions for this," Schiller didn't fall for his trap at all. He said, "Face-to-face transaction, silver and goods cleared. You didn't set conditions, so I'll take it as you giving it to me."

"I'm very happy, but don't you want to hear the new deal content? In your human words, new arrivals on the mall."

"You can't learn anything good from Greed," Schiller said very impolitely. "If you put discount labels on the face of everyone who contacts you like him, you will be kicked out of all their works by my kin."

"No, this is a special offer for you."

"Looks like you've learned the essence of Greed."

"Really don't want to take a look?" Nyarlathotep's tone was full of temptation. He said, "The Church people have arrived. They brought modern weapons and some other means. Without my help, you can't walk out of this village alive."

"Please clarify your positioning. The Beyonder said there are no demons in this game," Schiller remained very clear-headed. "I can listen to your conditions first, and then think about what I am willing to pay for these conditions."

"You are very good at making a fair deal sound like you suffered a loss. Is this also what you learned from Greed?" Nyarlathotep asked.

"If you don't say it, I'm hanging up." Schiller walked toward the outside of the cave.

"I think you should look at that novel first," Nyarlathotep finally opened his mouth and said, "I assure you, there is no mental pollution content in it, it just recorded your story. I hope you see how he wrote it."

"You should go to Pride for literary criticism."

"He watched it. He said he didn't expect Constantine to have such a level, and also said that he finally did some proper work."

"Then I'll take it that he wrote it well. What do you intend to do?"

"Publish," Nyarlathotep said a very modern word. He said, "Find a publishing house to publish it and let this novel be distributed to the whole world."

"In this game world?"

"Yes, this actually helps your goal, doesn't it? It can expose the Church's conspiracy and let people understand the truth of the strange events over the years."

"That's exactly why it can't be published. Do you think the Church will stand by and watch?"

"So you have to deal with the Church first."

"The Church has many modern weapons and special means."

"Then you publish the novel, and then I will give you power."

"But the Church won't let the novel be published."

"Then deal with the Church first."

"I'm hanging up."

After speaking, Schiller stopped paying attention to Nyarlathotep and unilaterally blocked his voice, walking back to the dark river again.

Now he has three choices: either return to the lighthouse to meet Batman, wait for Batman in the laboratory, or return to the small wooden house where they were at the beginning.

The third choice sounds like there is no necessity, but it is also to wait for Batman.

Schiller doesn't know which road the Church people came from. It's possible it's the waterway, or it's possible it's a helicopter. But anyway, no matter which road, they will definitely rush to the pier first, and they should also send people to explore the lighthouse during the period.

Batman should be able to retreat from the lighthouse unscathed, but he won't choose to go out and confront the Church people head-on, but will definitely retreat into the cave.

He has the pass for the laboratory, so he can go to the laboratory by himself to take the things he needs, but he won't stay there for long. After all, that is Old Siltek's territory. If the other party remotely controls the laboratory to lock it, then it is really catching a turtle in a jar.

So the best route of action is to retreat into the cave, go to the laboratory to take the things, and then leave quickly.

But they still need a base. Although the previous small wooden house has been burned down, there is a cellar underground. Just block the road between the cellar and the cave, and it is a safe base.

The small wooden house is outside the village, and the location is very remote. The Church shouldn't search there. Even if they searched, they could only see a ruin, and there is no need for careful inspection.

Schiller concluded that Batman would choose this route of action, so he actually didn't need to block him on the road, just rush to the finish line directly.

Thinking of this, he set off at the fastest speed. After all, the small wooden house is relatively far, and walking there still takes some time.

"I think we can talk about this problem again." Nyarlathotep still wouldn't give up.

"You can help me deal with the Church first," Schiller said. "Without the obstruction of the Church, the novel can naturally be published."

"You said it, fair deal, silver and goods cleared."

"But if you don't advance it to me, I can't complete your request."

"I think you should know the reason why I don't advance it to you."

"Then we have nothing to talk about."

Nyarlathotep was silent for a few minutes, until Schiller was almost at the small wooden house, before he opened his mouth and said, "I don't know if this novel is worth me taking such a risk."

"You still want me to take a look?" Schiller heard his meaning, and then said, "I know you didn't put any traps in it, but reading Constantine's work is a gamble in itself."

"I need you to stand from the human perspective and judge whether this is a good novel, and whether your kin will be interested in it."

"So you don't understand it yourself?"

"My angle is different from yours. Those things are too subtle for me, and it's always hard to notice, and there is no experience."

"This move is learned from Bruce, right?" Schiller said very mercilessly. "Why do you think I will sympathize with an Outer God?"

Before Nyarlathotep could speak, Schiller suddenly said, "You wouldn't be using this move to make Pride compromise, right? Also, this isn't in your office, aren't you afraid he will tell these words to Batman? He has always been very interested in you."

"It doesn't compare to his interest in you," Nyarlathotep said slowly. "He is clearly using one heart for two purposes."

Schiller felt he guessed right. Nyarlathotep must be speaking ill of him to Pride, and also had to bring a Batman. Two people and one god gathered together and whispered.

"You should change your name to the God of Gossip," Schiller chose personal attack. He said, "The knowledge you teach believers is how to speak ill of others behind their backs? Fortunately, my kin didn't give you too many scenes, otherwise their novels would have to be classified into the marriage and emotional consultation channel."

"I was just asking Pride how to communicate with you."

"What did he say?"

"He told me to give up. He said you are stubborn and the same as Greed."

"Then you look too highly of me. I'm just an ordinary investigator."

"Hmm..." Nyarlathotep made an unclear syllable, and suddenly he asked, "You were originally on vacation?"

"Yes

"Then let's make a new deal." Nyar finally compromised and said, "You read this novel and give an objective evaluation, and I'll give you something."

"What thing?"

"Something to use against the Church."

"Magic? Or something else?"

"I don't do magic, but I can give you knowledge."

"I wouldn't dare accept your knowledge."

"It won't cause any harm to your mind."

"So that means it will cause harm to someone else's mind?"

Nyar fell silent again.

"You went to Pride to badmouth me, didn't you? Brand, this isn't your office; aren't you afraid he'll tell Batman these things? He has always been very interested in you all."

"Nothing compared to his interest in you." Nyar spoke slowly, "He is clearly multitasking."

Shiler felt he had guessed correctly; Nyar must be badmouthing him to Pride, and dragging Batman into it too—two people and one god huddled together whispering.

"You should change your name to the God of Gossip." Shiler chose a personal attack, saying, "Is the knowledge you impart to your believers just how to talk behind people's backs? It's a good thing my kin didn't give you too much screen time, otherwise their novels would be classified under the marriage and relationship counseling channel."

"I was just asking Pride how to communicate with you."

"What did he say?"

"He told me to give up. He said you are impervious to reason, just like Greed."

"Then you overestimate me; I am just an ordinary agent."

"Hmm..." Nyar made an indistinct sound, then suddenly asked, "Were you originally on vacation?"

"Yes, why?"

"So you are working overtime now?"

"That's right, with no overtime pay."

"Is this the reason you are so angry?"

"I didn't know you were also proficient in psychoanalysis, or are you just Pride's mouthpiece?"

Nyar fell silent again.

"What did you think I would say? Ask you for overtime pay? I'm not Greed; what would I need so much money for? For an agent, the most precious thing is vacation time; no amount of money can compensate for it."

"What do you want?"

"You sound like one of those low-level devils."

"Since you're already here, you have to waste your vacation time on something meaningful. If the vacation isn't taken and the game fails, isn't that even more saddening?"

"You can help me win the game? How do you plan to help?"

"Let's make a deal..."

"A fair trade is not help."

"Then let's not talk about help. You give this novel an evaluation, and I'll give you knowledge you can use."

"You guarantee it can be used?" Shiler asked further, "Guarantee full guidance, with no slip-ups?"

"You cannot make such demands of an Outer God. We are not Batman; we are never associated with 'certainty' or 'precision'."

"So you intend to trade with a set of uncertain knowledge that could explode or harm me at any time? Do you think I'm that easy to fool?"

After a long silence, Nyar said, "Pride was right; I shouldn't try to reason with you."

"Then you..."

Shiler had just said this when he felt a chill under his robe. He reached out to touch the spot and felt a handful of dampness.

Shiler instantly grabbed the thing and threw it away, but it was too late. Blood began to flow from the cover of *The Cult of the Water God*, and the pages turned automatically.

Shiler couldn't dodge in time; the blasphemous patterns reflected in his eyes. He was instantly struck as if by a heavy blow, retreated a few steps, leaned against the cellar wall, and his vision blurred.

Not just the cover, but blood also began to seep from the pages. The entire book twitched and writhed like a person struggling on the ground. Blood quickly accumulated, forming a blood-colored lake beneath the book.

Fine threads formed by the blood spread in all directions like a giant web, or like the vascular network beneath human skin.

A voice rang in Shiler's ear.

"Rise up!

Nameless existence:

The time that belongs to you has come,

We are chosen by you personally,

Through your spells and magic,

Through your dreams and charms,

We know you are coming,

Coming to serve you,

For the master we love,

That knight of Cthulhu,

Sleeping in the green water,

Othuum..."

"Battle start."