Chapter 65: Weapon (Seeking monthly votes)

In the form of a corpse?

Lu Mian felt his heart slowly sink.

If Raymond's corpse left the loop due to the sacrifice, then he couldn't be resurrected with the help of the loop. Once the anomalies in Cordu Village were lifted, he would be truly dead instead of missing.

Although Lu Mian wasn't very willing to admit that a guy as stupid as Raymond was his friend, they had known each other for almost five years, playing together, pulling pranks together, and experiencing many things together; no matter what, he couldn't treat him as a stranger he didn't know.

Looking back on the past, he discovered that besides Aurora, Raymond was probably the person he had contact with the most.

Didn't Aurora often say "the stupider the person, the more blessed they are," so why would it be like this? Lu Mian couldn't help but retort:

"Even if it becomes a corpse, there is a spirit, and it would trigger the loop."

Aurora sighed lightly:

"Perhaps the existence that was sacrificed to isn't interested in spirits, only wanting flesh and blood?"

"Perhaps it didn't want to trigger the loop, only claimed the flesh and blood, didn't want Raymond's spirit, and left him in Cordu or destroyed him directly?"

In that case, Raymond's corpse would be equivalent to pure matter without spirituality, which could leave the loop without causing a restart.

Hearing his sister's question, Lu Mian's mind instantly reproduced what might have happened at that time:

After everyone left the waterside, when Raymond swam to a place further away, he was suddenly grabbed by invisible power by his legs, his mouth covered, and he was dragged into the deep river water, drowning there.

Afterward, his spirit remained at the bottom of the river or was destroyed, while his corpse drifted to an unknown place, becoming a sacrificial offering...

Thinking of this, Lu Mian suddenly had an inspiration:

"Regardless of whether Raymond's spirit was left behind or destroyed, once the loop restarts, he should appear, right? In the form of a ghost."

"Logically, that's correct." Aurora nodded as if thinking. "After it gets dark, I'll hold a spirit medium ritual to see if I can summon Raymond's spirit. Hmm, it's best to have an item he often used as a medium."

Lu Mian responded without hesitation:

"After exploring the castle in the afternoon, I'll go to Raymond's house. Anyway, his father and mother are going to find me to ask about his whereabouts."

By then, with a "Hunter's" skills and Lu Mian's alertness, it wouldn't be difficult to get an item Raymond had used.

"Good." Aurora didn't object.

Lu Mian let out a breath and turned to ask:

"Aurora, uh, sister, you can also do spirit mediumship?"

"As a 'Reader', I know a little bit of everything." Aurora laughed at herself. "How was the talk with those three outsiders?"

Lu Mian hurriedly told her the conversation with that mysterious lady and the discussion with Ryan, Lyra, and Valentine from beginning to end, of course, not involving the prayer words for that existence.

Aurora listened quietly and sighed faintly:

"Actively bearing corruption is a very dangerous thing, but in order to explore the dream ruins, unravel the secrets there, and find the key to breaking the loop, it has to be done. It's wronged you..."

"What's there to be wronged about?" Lu Mian patted his chest. "This is self-rescue."

Aurora nodded slightly:

"Gray amber can use that bottle of perfume of mine, there are cloves at home, and I also have musk and materials for making candles. Only tulips have to be found elsewhere."

"Hmm, I remember Madame Pualis's garden has them, just don't know if they've bloomed."

"They have." Lu Mian was very sure.

In the last loop, when he and Aurora went to the castle to borrow a carriage, they discovered that many flowers in the garden had bloomed, which didn't quite fit the state of early spring in the mountains.

Aurora said "Hmm":

"Anyway, you are going to explore the castle in the afternoon, you can pick a few by the way."

"Afterward, it's also that lady who will send these things into the dream ruins?"

"Hmm." Lu Mian felt it should be like this.

Aurora thought and added:

"Before setting off in the afternoon, I'll give you the 'Integrity Brooch'. Madame Pualis's castle is clearly very filthy and might involve undead; it can play a very big role."

"No need, you keep it by your side to guard against Madame Pualis." Lu Mian saw his sister still wanting to persuade him and hurriedly explained, "That Valentine is a very fanatical believer of the 'Eternal Blazing Sun'. According to your statement, as a Beyonder, the path he chose should be the 'Sun' path, which is more useful than the 'Integrity Brooch'."

According to Aurora's observations over the years, fanatical believers of the "Eternal Blazing Sun" often choose the "Sun" path.

This also holds true in reverse; believers of the "Eternal Blazing Sun" who choose the "Sun" path often become increasingly fanatical, unless they didn't believe in this true god from the beginning.

"That's true." Aurora didn't insist, and instead instructed, "You can practice the simple method of opening your spirit vision, and then, take a nap at noon to replenish your spirit. After night falls, I'll teach you the Ancient Hermes and Hermes words needed for that ritual."

Hearing his sister's words, Lu Mian suddenly remembered a sentence she often said when rushing manuscripts:

"Time is tight, the task is heavy."

3:20 PM, the side of the hill where the Administrator's castle is located.

Lu Mian saw Madame Pualis wearing a slightly fluffy gray-blue exquisite long dress, holding a mature and elegant hairstyle, and bringing her personal maid Cassie, walking toward the village.

After their backs moved away, Lu Mian hurriedly turned his body and walked to the back of the hill.

Ryan, Lyra, and Valentine were already waiting here; they were still in their original attire, and it couldn't be seen where they had made preparations.

Lu Mian scanned their empty hands and asked in surprise:

"No weapons?"

Ryan, who was wearing a brown tweed jacket, light yellow trousers, black leather shoes, and a dark round top hat, and was just over 1.7 meters tall, smiled slightly:

"My weapons don't need to be carried on my person."

Valentine, who was wearing a white vest and a blue fine wool jacket, added immediately:

"I don't need weapons."

"My weapon is this." Lyra, who was wearing a white pleated cashmere tight-fitting skirt, a beige small jacket, and stepping on Masil long boots, took out a handgun from somewhere.

The handgun was silver-white all over, small and exquisite. Lyra even took out the magazine, let Lu Mian see the different colored bullets engraved with different patterns and symbols, and introduced casually:

"They possess different supernatural effects."

*Pop*, she put the magazine back, hid the handgun, and asked Lu Mian with a smile:

"What weapon did you bring?"

You guys, one doesn't need weapons, one doesn't need to carry weapons on his person, one has such a good-looking and powerful handgun, making me look so stupid... Lu Mian turned silently, lifted the dark jacket on his back, and revealed the iron-black axe tucked into his belt.

Without waiting for Ryan and the others to speak, he sighed and said:

"You guys really look like Beyonders, while I look like a gangster preparing to fight."

Lyra laughed with a *ding-dang* sound:

"Very good at mocking yourself."

"Self-mockery is better than being mocked by others." Lu Mian pointed to the somewhat steep back of the hill. "Let's climb up now, can't delay any longer."

"Good." Lyra, wearing a tight-fitting skirt, was the first to start climbing.

Her posture was light and agile, and her balance ability seemed quite outstanding; with the help of a few protrusions, she easily climbed to the top of the hill.

What was even more exaggerated was that the four small silver bells on her body didn't move at all, not making a sound.

Lu Mian followed closely behind; although not as agile and light, relying on the strengthening of his body by the "Hunter" potion, he also climbed up the hill he couldn't climb before by using stones, tree roots, etc., as footholds.

After standing firm, he looked back and down, discovering Ryan grabbed Valentine's shoulder and lifted him up.

Ryan jumped, directly landing on a protruding stone in the middle of the hill.

Then, he jumped again, steadily arriving beside Lu Mian and Lyra with Valentine.

Throughout the process, his physique seemed to have grown a bit larger.

This made Lu Mian somewhat stunned:

Although this hill isn't high, jumping up in only two jumps is too exaggerated, right?

Anyway, a "Hunter" definitely couldn't do it!

He quickly regained his senses, looked at the deep black castle with two towers and the garden half-enclosing it, and said to the three outsiders:

"Let's go around to the back door."

"Wait a moment." Ryan stopped him and cast his gaze toward Lyra.

Lyra didn't speak, and walked two steps toward the back door of the castle-shaped building.

Her mouth moved, muttering something silently.

The next second, the four small silver bells tied to her veil and boots began to *ding-ding-dang-dang*.

This sound wasn't loud, but it was very intense and urgent.

Lyra turned her body and said to Lu Mian and the others:

"This road is very dangerous, the problem is very serious."

Immediately after, she walked two steps toward the front door position.

*Ding-ding-dang-dang*, the bell sound not only didn't stop, but became more intense and urgent.

"Going through the front door will probably encounter big trouble." Lyra's tone was clearly very serious, but there was a faint smile on her face.

"Climbing through the window?" Ryan asked.

Lyra nodded and changed direction, walking toward the garden.

This time, although the bell sound was ringing, it was very light and slow.

"This road is okay." Lyra smiled and let out a breath.

Lu Mian, who witnessed the whole process, was somewhat confused, not quite understanding what these three outsiders were doing.

This is how Beyonders act? He recalled his sister's teachings and asked:

"Is divination dangerous?"

"Hmm." Lyra nodded and turned to say to Valentine, "I'll scout the path first, you get ready."

"Good." Valentine responded seriously.

"What preparation?" Lu Mian was confused again, asking if he didn't understand.

Lyra smiled:

"Preparing to use divine arts to create fire."

Then, why create fire? Lu Mian hadn't had time to ask when Lyra had already walked into the garden, walking along the path toward the side of the castle.

Not long after, she arrived at a certain window and used gestures to indicate there was no problem.

"Go." Ryan reminded simply and quickly moved toward Lyra.

Lu Mian and Valentine followed closely behind him.

Passing by a few tulips, Lu Mian was about to reach out and pick them, but was stopped by Ryan with his forearm.

He didn't ask why Lu Mian wanted to do this, just said gently:

"No need to rush, pick them when we come out."

"If picking flowers now brings about any accidents, our subsequent actions will have to be canceled."

That's true... Lu Mian fully absorbed the experience.

Not long after, they arrived beside a row of windows on the side of the castle.

PS: Seeking monthly votes~

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 66 =====