Chapter 595: Fooled

Facing Gandalf's question, the "Bard" recounted the past plainly:

"I don't know. He never told me."

"After forming the 'Curly Baboon Research Society,' I eventually realized this guy exhibited behaviors and traits that suggested he'd been influenced by the Celestial Sovereign; similarly, he noticed I had similar signs, so we drew closer, tested each other, and ultimately confirmed our shared condition—leading to the plan for an 'April Fools' Group.'"

After asking further about the Celestial Sovereign, Gandalf and Hela had no new insights; Lu Mi, dressed as a "Muggle," looked at the "Bard" and said:

"What is your goal in disrupting the Qihai Ritual?"

"To seize control of the cosmic spacecraft beneath the sea—it would allow us to traverse the stars and resist angels to some degree..." The "Bard" revealed the "April Fools'" plan.

Lu Mi's lips slowly curled upward:

"Do you know what's sealed deep within that cosmic spacecraft?"

At this, Furanka suddenly noticed the key point:

Cosmic spacecraft?

Is that thing at the bottom of Sangtagang a cosmic spacecraft?

Isn't this too sci-fi, not mystical enough?

Does this world have everything?

—To quickly interrogate the living "April Fools" core member, Lu Mi and Furanka had barely communicated before entering the Land of Night.

"Cosmic spacecraft..." Gandalf repeated the term, his tone laced with unmistakable longing.

Hela remained silent as night.

The "Bard" answered Lu Mi's question:

"Based on our linguistic interpretations and the Celestial Sovereign's revelations, that cosmic spacecraft functions as an incubation chamber and gestation pod—it is nurturing a high-rank entity. Whoever controls the spacecraft controls that entity; otherwise, the spacecraft alone cannot resist an angel."

Aurora's lips curved more beautifully:

"Have you ever considered why the ancient angel who originally sealed the cosmic spacecraft never took control of it, never mastered that high-rank entity, or simply destroyed it?"

The "Bard" fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly:

"It likely required a long time for the high-rank entity to gestate. Controlling the spacecraft back then would have halted everything. Only in recent years, as the entity neared birth, could it be mastered."

Under his hood, Lu Mi's smile widened brilliantly:

"If that's true, the ancient angel who sealed the high-rank entity must have intervened. Do you truly believe you can defeat an angel and win control of the spacecraft—or do you think the angel failed to interpret or couldn't decipher the true meaning of those commands?"

"Over so many years, they may have perished..." Here, the "Bard" abruptly stopped.

He had seen the creature in the altar in his dreams—the creature suspected to be a fragment of that ancient angel. His own behavior proved the angel likely still lived, still watching Miluo Village and that stretch of sea.

"Why didn't we verify this before launching the whole plan..." The "Bard" voiced his inner doubt without visible emotion.

Lu Mi smiled in reply:

"Let me tell you this: the sealed object inside the spacecraft isn't a high-rank entity—it's a nascent, unformed black hole. Once you break the seal and pilot the spacecraft away, it will absorb the mystical matrix, absorb you, fully form, and tear apart and devour this world."

"The ancient angel never tried to control it because it's incredibly dangerous, you fools!"

The "Bard" froze again, as if he'd never considered this possibility.

After a pause, he hesitated:

"We... may have all been fooled..."

Though the "Bard" could no longer experience emotional fluctuations, the crimson fluid seeping from his crude bandages, sliding down the sides of his nose, gave him an air of misery and dread.

Lu Mi laughed aloud, bending slightly at the waist:

"You've only just realized you were all deceived by that Celestial Sovereign? His revelations were meant to mislead you—to use your deaths to break the seal, destroy this world, and achieve his own ends!"

"Ha! Of course it's 'April Fools'—a group of fools banding together!"

The "Bard" fell silent again, then spoke without resistance, voicing his thoughts:

"We are fools. Truly fools..."

On the other side, Gandalf and the others reacted differently.

Fuck, a black hole? Destroying this world? Furanka had thought the cosmic spacecraft was already shocking enough—she hadn't expected something even more terrifying.

And some entity could even create black holes?

Furanka, who had never truly grasped the scale of top-tier power, now felt firsthand what a Great Entity truly meant.

She had once believed she understood this world well enough; now she frankly admitted:

I'm still a fucking elementary student!

Gandalf took a quiet breath and said:

"If I became a god, research would be so convenient... black holes..."

Hela pulled a metal flask from her black widow attire, swallowed a gulp, lost in thought.

Lu Mi laughed for a while, feeling somewhat relieved—but pain still gnawed at his soul, echoing in the shadows within, impossible to erase or ignore.

Seeing a core member of the "April Fools" inevitably reminded him of Aurora's fate, of her death.

The "Bard" stood there, like a reminder of the truth he'd deliberately ignored.

That's why he couldn't help but say outright, "Kill the Medium," and half-heartedly acted on it.

Lu Mi looked at the "Bard" and asked casually:

"Did you know that 'Salted Egg Man' and 'Madwoman' went to Kerdou Village?"

"Yes," the "Bard" replied. "One part of our original plan was to find Nolphi's child, the 'Sea Maiden.' She lives in Lesdon Province of Intis, so we could conveniently visit Kerdou Village to confirm the 'Muggle's' status and the final outcome of the prank."

Hearing the word "prank," Lu Mi's temple vein throbbed:

"How did you confirm the 'Muggle' was dead?"

Hearing Lu Mi, dressed as a "Muggle," ask this, Gandalf sighed faintly again, and Furanka internally sighed, "Ah."

The "Bard" shook his head:

"I don't know. 'Madwoman' and 'Salted Egg Man' went. They told me the village was completely destroyed—no one could have survived. Perhaps they confirmed it with 'divination' or 'mediumship'."

"No one could have survived?" Lu Mi laughed. "Aren't I alive?"

The "Bard" looked at him and spoke his thought:

"You may no longer count as human."

That's not wrong—I'm now a sentient, fate-bound humanoid sealed object... Lu Mi first mocked himself, then said, "The number of survivors is far greater than you imagine. A certain Lady, her husband, steward, and maid all escaped."

Without giving the "Bard" time to respond, he pressed further:

"What did 'Loki' truly aim to achieve through the 'Muggle' incident?"

"I didn't directly participate. I only offered some advice—I don't know much," the "Bard" answered honestly. " 'Salted Egg Man' might know something—he's had other collaborations with 'Loki'."

"What kind of collaborations?" Lu Mi pressed.

The "Bard" slowly shook his head:

"I don't know specifics. It likely relates to the 'Eternal Sun' Church."

Related to the "Eternal Sun" Church? "Salted Egg Man" is a Sequence 5 "Light Priest" of the Sun Path... the humanoid sealed object on the ceremonial ship was lost by the "Eternal Sun" Church... Lu Mi suddenly had a thought:

"Do you have any core members in 'April Fools' who aren't transmigrants?"

Lu Mi and Furanka and the others had all held a misconception: that "April Fools" equaled fallen, corrupted transmigrants. But as an organization, it naturally tends to expand outward.

After so many years, "April Fools" might have acquired other core members!

The "Bard" nodded:

"Yes."

As expected... Lu Mi glanced at Furanka, dressed as an assassin, and confirmed with the "Bard":

"One of them is a 'Purifier' of the 'Eternal Sun' Church—and holds a high position?"

"Yes," the "Bard" affirmed again. "Because of him, we learned about a Level 1 sealed object we could exploit and dared to help it escape its seal."

"Who is he?" Furanka asked on behalf of the absent "007."

"Loki contacts him directly," the "Bard" replied—he didn't know the member's true identity.

Furanka chuckled:

"If the 'Eternal Sun' Church investigates, they might find some clues."

A Level 1 sealed object isn't a meat bun on the street—you can't just steal it!

Lu Mi glanced at Gandalf and Hela; seeing they had no further questions, he turned back to the "Bard":

"What do you know about Loki's castle?"

"It's called Dilan—a beautiful name," the "Bard" began. "Loki once told me the castle is hidden—normally impossible to find or see. That means you can't locate it by its appearance or history."

"I've always envied Loki—he arrived as a transmigrant and immediately inherited such a treasure, such a castle. Later, with the Celestial Sovereign's revelations and corresponding blessings, he succeeded. I once tried to trick him into giving me Dilan Castle—but failed."

(End of Chapter)