Chapter 582: Spiritual Plague

In the manor outside the Pas River Valley, Lei Kedun dines in the restaurant with Tu Ba Ge and the crow Anu, enjoying a lavish dinner prepared by undead.

These undead, specially selected by Anu, retain part of their former instincts as chefs, and through a secret pact ceremony have obtained from the Hidden Sage the knowledge they lost, becoming qualified chefs again.

After eating and drinking his fill, Lei Kedun puts down his utensils, leans back against the chair and rubs his temples; a dense gray mist suddenly wells up in his eyes, accompanied by Ke Lai En's deep voice:

"Miss Sha Lun has agreed; she will convey the specific information to you via messenger."

As the words finish, the gray mist in his eyes swiftly dissipates.

An angel went out to rob, which feels a bit shameful. Hmm. Can't say rob; I went to reclaim the plundered goods from the Southern Continent, that sounds smoother.

Collecting his thoughts, Lei Kedun lifts his hand, rubs Tu Ba Ge's head and says:

"What have those two artisan cats been up to lately?"

Tu Ba Ge puts down the teal fruit in his hands, reaches out and pats his belly, saying, "Gurgle~ Last time Rits seemed to say they were developing a radio receiver that could transmit sound directly, no, it's called an infinite electric voice transmitter."

"They've already invented a device that can record sound and replay it repeatedly, and another that can display simple images."

Lei Kedun raises an eyebrow slightly and says, "Such efficiency."

"Because many members of the Morse Ascetic Sect have arrived here; through repeatedly chanting a single prayer, the knowledge infused by the Hidden Sage gains a certain directionality."

"Ms. Ge Lan said this when they communicated, also noting that the danger of 'knowledge per person' does not diminish, because it is the necessary price for acquiring knowledge via shortcuts."

As she speaks, Tu Ba Ge shakes his head, looking as if he's straining to recall.

Crow Anu continues:

"Ms. Ge Lan and the members of the Knowledge Church are experimenting with the power of the Light Chaser to replace steam engines and gas. Recently, Pasnei is filled with the scent of the sun, and the undead that once occupied the city have all fled."

"Hmm, I think I understand now." Lei Kedun nods lightly, pinches Tu Ba Ge's ears, and continues, "Tomorrow you'll inform Miss Ge Lan; I've found her a very skilled mechanic assistant. Remember to fabricate an identity for them."

"You can count on me." Tu Ba Ge stands on the dining table, hands on hips, chest out, and says.

At night in Port Plitz, black metal gas lamps emit a dim yellow glow, illuminating the blue‑stone paved road below.

In the warehouse district a short distance from the dock, atop a warehouse's upper floor, countless streams of information invisible to the naked eye surge from the depths of the spirit realm, reconstituting Lei Kedun's figure among the stacked crates.

His gaze shifts to the ventilation shaft where Ma Li Qi, dressed in a white shirt and black vest, leans against the wall, holding a telescope and observing the outside.

"Good evening, both of you."

Lei Kedun nods separately to Ma Li Qi and the shadow beside him.

From the shadows, a figure wearing a black soft cap and a matching court‑style gown—Sha Lun—gradually materializes; her complexion appears paler than before, with a translucent, ethereal quality, like a genuine wronged spirit.

Sha Lun nods at Lei Kedun, her voice soft yet restrained, and says:

"Good evening, what do you intend to do?"

Lei Kedun's eyes look through the warehouse wall toward the distant dock area; his sight pierces the barrier, seeing steamships moored at the harbor, surrounded by exaggerated mechanical‑monster‑like steam vehicles, and soldiers atop various building roofs, wearing steam packs and holding heavy‑barrel rifles. After a brief survey, he says in a deep voice:

"I will create enough chaos to make those miraculous items they brought from the Southern Continent go out of control, then I'll direct‑exile that mummy. As a 'wronged spirit', you can freely enter and exit the spirit realm, so it should be easy to take that mummy away."

"Understood." Sha Lun nods lightly.

Lei Kedun lifts his right hand; specks of starlight spill from his fingertips, coalescing into a pair of eyes veiled in a cold, indifferent star‑glow.

He flicks his fingers toward Sha Lun and Ma Li Qi; the two star‑lit eyes fly out on their own, and he explains:

"These are 'Eyes of Peeking Secrets'; they can help you locate the items I have exiled within the spirit realm, and can also serve as temporary wondrous items. I have stored two 'Flash' charges on them; once used, they will collapse within a short time, whether used once or twice."

"We're too close to Beikelande; if serious chaos erupts, it may attract the attention of the two angels of the Augustus Family."

After Sha Lun nods gently, her figure quickly fades, merging with the surrounding dimness. Lei Kedun nods at Ma Li Qi; his form disintegrates into swirling masses of pure knowledge, flooding the spirit realm like a torrent.

Under martial law, a hybrid‑propulsion vessel with a smokestack and sails slows from fast to slow, gradually docking.

Shortly after, a gangplank descends from the ship and the crew begin to disembark.

Leading the way are sailors lugging wooden crates, followed by a major holding a crystal‑crafted box; his expression is solemn, surrounded by several crew members, each carrying a lantern that shines on the crystal box from different directions.

Within the spirit realm, a faint violet flash passes through Lei Kedun's eyes, deepening and darkening his gaze.

He lingers on the human skull inside the crystal box, which bears no trace of flesh, then looks toward the massive iron barrel cradled by a man in a black formal suit behind him.

The iron barrel is packed with chilling ice; at its center lies an arm forged entirely of pure gold!

The man bearing the barrel walks hurriedly, sweat dripping from his forehead; the ice inside the barrel he carries melts at a speed beyond normal.

Behind him, another middle‑aged man in formal attire steps off the ship, cradling a golden box adorned with symbols representing sun, light, and purification.

Lei Kedun's right hand, clasped over his chest, bears a bronze‑colored mechanical glove that cracks open like a mouth, emitting a thin, hoarse sound:

"Great master, that arm placed in the ice belongs to the 'Sun' pathway, probably sequence five or six. Its negative effect keeps the surroundings in a terrible heat, evaporating moisture in the air and igniting flesh."

"The skull sealed in the crystal box seems to be a fusion of 'Necromancer Mentor' and 'Nightmare'; it will affect nearby beings' spirits, causing them to die slowly in their sleep."

"The golden box appears to contain a 'Moon Messenger'; the box is too conspicuous for me to be certain, but it holds the aura of the 'Moon'."

"I can't see more unless I get closer contact with them."

"That's enough." Lei Kedun nods lightly, pauses half a second, then says, "Can you activate them all?"

"If I can get close, I can infuse these items with souls, making them alive, chaotic and mad."

"Without touching them, I can only affect them by breaking the seals that bind them."

The mechanical glove taps two fingers, the sound dropping slightly.

Lei Kedun nods gently, says nothing further, and quietly observes the Lu En Military moving items from the ship within the spirit realm.

About ten minutes later, four black‑full‑armor "knights" appear on the deck of the steam‑and‑sail ship, bearing a golden coffin; each step makes the deck thud thud.

The surface of the golden coffin is etched with motifs of strange birds, feathered serpents, masks, giving it an ancient, mysterious, high‑land style.

They lift the heavy coffin via a pre‑installed pulley system and move it toward a wagon stripped of its roof on the dock side.

As the coffin is hoisted by steel cables, the black‑armored "knight" at the front‑right suddenly emits a muffled groan and collapses without warning.

Clang!

The knight's helmet flies off, revealing a sunken eye socket and a rotted, desiccated brain‑flesh head; dark red blood oozes from the gaps in his armor.

The sight seems to trigger the remaining three knights' already frayed spirits; they howl in collapse, strip off their armor, and rush to the rail, leaping overboard recklessly.

On the dock's outer side, the four black‑armored "knights" prepared to receive the golden coffin, after witnessing this bizarre, terrifying scene, feel panic and fear take root, spreading rapidly and infecting them.

"Spirit Plague" seeds, with the help of the surrounding collective unconscious sea, spread various mental illnesses and extreme madness; before anyone noticed, the entire dock was already filled with "contagious mental illness".

Deep in the Spirit Realm, Leikdun's eyes turned into pale gold vertical pupils; on the mechanical glove he wore on his right hand, a gleam of gray‑white light arose, tracing out one complex, three‑dimensional mysterious symbol after another, extending into the surrounding void, as if communicating with something not of the real world.

In the deep, dark collective unconscious sea, several virtual personas identical to Leikdun appeared here, each persona's face showing clear emotion—either angry, happy, or sad. They turned some of their thoughts into mental storms that swept the surroundings, causing the "celestial phenomena" to change rapidly, the spiritual perception of the surroundings suffering strong interference, effectively destroying the mental barrier.

(End of Chapter)