Chapter 238: Prayer

Lei Kedun raised an eyebrow slightly; he suddenly felt that Medici's death was not unjust, and as the only sharp‑witted one beside the True Creator, only the divine Adam made the True Creator's temporary offline completely reasonable.

After a brief two‑second silence, he said with a slightly contemplative tone:

"The cooperation between the Luen Royal Family and the Witch Sect yields a Conqueror Trait."

"This is precisely why I have manifested."

"I intend to take that Conqueror Trait; I need your help."

Sasilier's voice rang out.

"." Lei Kedun opened his mouth but could not speak.

"The Aurora Society can no longer act further; this will affect the mission in Luen and will provoke the Furious People's savage assault."

"Furious People—so that's how you refer to that former subordinate of yours, instead of calling him a traitor or a double‑agent," Lei Kedun thought, his focus drifting a bit.

He showed no expression on his face, only furrowing his brows as he said:

"Snatching a Sequence‑One Trait from the Luen Royal Family and the Witch Sect— even an angel might not manage it."

Sasilier was not surprised by Lei Kedun's polite refusal; He said calmly:

"Wu Luoliu Si will arrive at the right moment; fate stands on your side."

"You can go to the Night Church and ask Him for assistance; He has sufficient reason and standing to act against the Witch Sect."

"You are more likely than Steam to become a Knowledge Demon; He will help you— He has always been inventive and willing to invest."

"Am I more likely than Steam to become a Knowledge Demon?" Lei Kedun asked with a doubtful expression.

His first reaction was that the other was trying to fool him, but upon reflection, perhaps it was true. Yet the one most likely to become a Knowledge Demon would be the Knowledge Wilderness itself.

After a brief silence, he inhaled deeply and continued:

"This is the deal between you and the Goddess of Night, but I can take you to the Night Church."

Lei Kedun politely declined the suggestion that he directly partake; a Conqueror Trait would likely cause the entire Witch Sect to hunt him down.

Sasilier won't stay by my side forever; I couldn't withstand the Witch Sect's pursuit.

"Secrecy can keep you unnoticed."

"The reward I can offer is a portion of the faith from the Abandoned God Land; and, when you later need aid, I will intervene once on behalf of the True Creator, which does not count toward your conflict with Steam."

"." The words of refusal got stuck in his throat; he couldn't utter them.

Lei Kedun reached up and pinched his forehead, wrestling with his thoughts for a while before saying:

"Negotiate the deal with the Goddess of Night yourself; He probably doesn't think highly of me. Moreover, when confronting the Steam God, I still need His tacit approval, even his assistance."

"No problem." Sasilier replied decisively.

The shadow before the bookshelf twisted and writhed, then returned to Lei Kedun's feet, becoming an ordinary shadow.

I must leave Beckland quickly; if I stay any longer, I'll become a tool of the True Creator.

After a moment of thought, Lei Kedun rose from his seat, donned the coat set aside, and prepared to go out.

Northern District, St. Samuel Church.

Lei Kedun's figure emerged from a hired carriage parked by the roadside, paused for two seconds, glanced at the solemn black‑toned church before him, steadied his emotions, and then stepped forward.

It wasn't a special day, and few came to pray; after Lei Kedun entered the church, he gave the surroundings a quick scan and walked toward a slightly open area.

He saluted a passing priest, tapping his chest four times to draw a Crimson Moon symbol.

He then found a seat, adjusted his posture, clasped his hands over his chest, half‑closed his eyes, and began a proper prayer.

"You are loftier than the starry sky, higher than eternity, Goddess of Night; you are the Crimson Lord, Mother of Secrecy."

Softly chanting the Goddess of Night's revered name, Lei Kedun felt his thoughts briefly hazy, then found himself in a sea of night‑scented grass blossoms.

The surrounding peace and tranquil atmosphere made him want to stay forever, to slumber endlessly until eternity.

Lei Kedun felt as if drowsiness wrapped him, his whole being hazy.

Reason told him that he was already asleep, and everything around was a dream.

Yet the scent of night‑scented grass lingered around his nose and skin so vividly, and the surrounding quiet urged him toward sleep.

"I'm already asleep; how can I enter deeper slumber? Sleep within the dream?"

Lei Kedun thought hazily, noting that time around him stretched unusually long yet silently, and he couldn't tell how much had passed.

Finally, the night veil shattered; the flower‑sea of night‑scented grass vanished, and the peace and tranquility faded.

Lei Kedun reopened his eyes, looked around with slight bewilderment, and confirmed he was still praying inside St. Samuel Church.

A dream—am I isolated outside? How petty!

He muttered to himself, rose, approached the offering box at the front, tossed a portion of his cash into it, then turned and left the church.

After a few steps, he saw Leonard walking from another direction toward the prayer hall.

The two locked eyes; Lei Kedun clearly saw a fleeting bewilderment and surprise in Leonard's gaze, which he quickly concealed, adopting a look of unfamiliarity.

A slight curve lifted his mouth, he averted his gaze, and brushed past him.

Exiting St. Samuel Church, Lei Kedun took a step forward while tilting his head slightly, as if listening.

"I have reached a certain cooperation with the Night; when seizing that Conqueror Trait, invoking His name grants a veil of secrecy."

Sasilier's voice echoed in his mind for a moment, then fell silent.

He sighed with mixed feelings, saying little. Sasilier's words were surely unfinished; if it were a simple cooperation, there'd be no need to keep me out—what else were they discussing? Likely something about me.

His mind kept dissecting the matter as Lei Kedun kept walking forward, seeking an empty corner; he raised his hand, opened a "door" in mid‑air, and stepped through.

South District of Great Bridge, Harvest Church.

Lei Kedun's figure emerged from a corner behind the church; Father Uttrafsky, who was praying before the Earth Holy Emblem, and Emlin, who was wiping the long table, both glanced toward Lei Kedun before looking away.

"Good morning, Father, I have come to pray."

Lei Kedun approached Father Uttrafsky, greeted him, then found a seat behind the priest.

He closed his eyes, clasped his hands, held them before his mouth and nose, and began a low prayer:

"Thank you, wellspring of life;

Praise you, mother of all things;

Praise you, Mother Earth Goddess!"

"Your faithful believer prays to you."

His mind slightly drifting, Rekton felt himself fall into a dream once more, only this time he was not left to the side.

He appeared on a vibrant plain, with tinkling spring water around him, wheat ears swaying in the breeze, all kinds of herbs and flowers, and even many translucent little animals like bubbles running and gliding about.

Rekton's gaze looked into the distance, and the image of a stick-figure infant surrounded by symbols of wheat ears, flowers, and spring water entered his eyes — this was a giant Life Emblem.

Then, sensing something, he looked down. At his feet, murmuring spring water carrying petals and leaves formed lines of words:

"Sequence 6: Biologist, able to crossbreed various creatures, with a profound understanding of their characteristics; but before becoming a demigod, these creations all lack souls."

"Main ingredients: the roots of a golden ancient oak tree, one heart of an adult winged unicorn;

Supplementary ingredients: 30 milliliters of water from the Golden Spring of Sunia Island, one golden-crowned sunflower, 20 milliliters of blood from a wasteland black wolf."

After Rekton memorized the Biologist's formula, the dream quietly shattered.

Inside the prayer hall, Rekton reopened his eyes, stood up, and bowed toward the Life Emblem at the front.

From Lilith's attitude, back when I was in Fenepot, my contact with the Earth Church also had Her pushing things along — was it for the portion of the Motherhive sealed on the Western Continent?

Rekton felt his conjecture was very likely correct. Lilith was different from the other true gods; the pathway She belonged to was that of the Outer Deities of the starry sky.

That Fallen Mother Goddess, in order to reclaim her own authority and complete her own status, had always been trying to influence the Moon and Mother pathways, and as time passed, this influence grew ever more severe.

The debts on my shoulders keep piling up!

"You finished praying?"

Emlyn had set down the cloth in his hand at some point and come closer, asking with a somewhat dazed and uneasy expression.

Rekton turned his head and glanced at Emlyn's rather conflicted expression — with the way this guy looked, the vampires were already egging him on to pray to the Fool?

Suppressing the urge to pat the other's shoulder, he gave a slight nod and said:

"Mm, is there something you need?"

Emlyn took a deep breath and spoke as if he had made a great decision:

"There's something I'd like to ask your advice about."

"Let's go chat over to the side." Rekton pointed at the table and chairs in the corner of the church.

(End of this chapter)