Chapter 707

When the male waiter left the table in the corner with the written menu, Lu Mian picked up the red, white, and blue liqueur, clinked it with Franca's, and took a sip.

Then, he looked left and right, lowered his voice, and recounted in detail the fragments of Mo Lan Avigny's fate he had observed.

As Franca listened, her expression gradually changed.

She frowned her beautiful eyebrows and said:

"The white, faint mist you mentioned reminds me of something.

"Does it also present a feeling of constant change?"

Lu Mian thought carefully and said:

"Yes."

Franca exhaled lightly and said:

"Then that's it. Didn't I tell you that when Jenna and I attended an occult gathering, we were followed by the client of the monastery gatekeeper disappearance case, and a battle occurred?

"When I performed spirit mediumship on that guy and asked which organization he belonged to, his body and spirit suddenly exploded, and my mirror shattered too. But before it shattered, it was permeated with constantly changing, white, faint mist."

Franca paused and said:

"'007' followed the intelligence I provided and tracked it to Deep Valley Town, where he also saw similar mist. There was also the name of the 'Carbonari' leader, Albert Goncourt, at the scene.

"You also know that the 'Carbonari' played the role of inciting riots in the 'Hostel Project,' and the person in charge of this matter was another one of their leaders, General Philippe, who is active under a new identity."

Lu Mian quickly understood what Franca wanted to express:

"You think the 'Carbonari' are cooperating with multiple evil god cults, that the white, faint, constantly changing mist belongs to one of the organizations, and that Mo Lan Avigny is also associated with this organization, and the encounter in the Forêt de Ciel was not a coincidence?"

"Yes." Franca took a sip of the liqueur. "What exactly do the 'Mirror People' want to do? They certainly don't just hope to replace the original owners."

Gardner Martin in the mirror hasn't succeeded yet, so it's understandable to use the "Hostel Project" to deal with the real Gardner Martin. But Mo Lan Avigny, this "Mirror Person," has replaced the original owner for decades, even has an illegitimate daughter, and has been living very well. Why would he still cooperate with evil god cults?

Lu Mian smiled and said:

"As a whole and as individuals, the demands of 'Mirror People' are definitely different. What the former specifically is remains to be investigated. In Fourth Epoch Trier, Gardner Martin in the mirror said that the one they serve and are loyal to is the answer to everything. Knowing who it is should reveal the ultimate goal of the 'Mirror People'."

Franca said "Hmm":

"We can do something in the direction of that strange mist. On one hand, dealing with Mo Lan Avigny is to obtain more intelligence on 'Mirror People,' which already counts as a clue. On the other hand, the opportunity to capture Mo Lan Avigny or perform spirit mediumship on him might be hidden in this."

Speaking of this, Franca smiled:

"Going to have to trouble '007' again."

After discussing Mo Lan Avigny's affairs, Lu Mian chewed on a piece of charred appetizer bread while chatting about the courtesan Perle and the coffee ground divination he had just seen.

"Probably not a 'Witch'." Franca made a judgment with slight disappointment.

Just from Lu Mian's description of Perle's appearance and reaction, she could be certain that the courtesan was not a "Witch."

—Unless deliberately disguised as ugly, the charm of a "Witch" cannot be hidden; even men who like the same sex wouldn't be able to resist and would take a few extra looks.

"Definitely not..." Speaking of this, Lu Mian suddenly paused, not knowing what he had thought of.

He turned to idle chatter:

"Does coffee ground divination really have occult significance? Can it really provide certain revelations?"

Franca swallowed the appetizer bread in her mouth, took a sip of the red, white, and blue liqueur, and answered with a smile:

"Of course it has occult significance."

Seeing that Lu Mian, who knew nothing about divination and only knew how to look at fate, was waiting for her further explanation, Franca smiled somewhat smugly:

"Actually, you don't have to think of divination as too sacred or too difficult.

"Each of our astral bodies is constantly interacting with the Spirit Realm, obtaining all kinds of information and receiving certain revelations, and this is reflected in reality in different forms.

"Beyonders are like this, and ordinary people are too, but those who aren't proficient in divination have difficulty actively obtaining revelations and cannot make effective interpretations.

"For example, if you get a fish bone stuck in your throat while eating fish, or choke on fish meat, if it's a Beyonder, they will quickly understand that this is a warning from their spirituality, containing corresponding revelations that need to be interpreted. But if an ordinary person has a similar encounter, they will only think they are unlucky or careless, and won't pay enough attention or be able to interpret what it represents.

"Of course, not every time you get stuck by a fish bone is it a warning from spirituality; most of the time it's just being careless. Those proficient in divination will keenly perceive which are revelations and which are not, while those who aren't will easily take the fake for the real, scaring themselves, while ignoring the ones that truly have problems."

Franca thought about eating fish later, so she used getting stuck by a fish bone or choking on fish meat as examples.

Lu Mian nodded slightly, gaining a deeper understanding of "divination."

He said thoughtfully:

"If there's no deliberate control over how it's drunk or the method of divination, the shape of the leftover coffee grounds could indeed indicate some things, but the meaning interpreted by ordinary people might not be correct?"

"Yes." Franca said enthusiastically, "In the most rational environment, coffee ground divination, which has been popular for ten or twenty years, can actually get extremely close to the truth, because one can correct the standard answer through every divination, until the revelation corresponding to each shape of coffee grounds is completely fixed, so that even ordinary people can make relatively accurate interpretations.

"But unfortunately, reality is not an absolutely rational world. People who believe in coffee ground divination, after getting a wrong interpretation, will self-suggest and unconsciously cooperate with that wrong answer, letting it gradually become reality. Those who don't believe will find that the interpreted revelation isn't accurate at all. Hmm, various contradictory situations intertwine, making it impossible for the standard answer to be revised, and in the end, it can only become a game."

While the two were chatting, the waiter followed the procedure, brought up different dishes, and collected the previous plates.

The pan-fried Felt fish, as the main course, was only brought out in the later stages.

Lu Mian cut a piece and put it in his mouth, feeling the fish meat was tender, the charred aroma and oily fragrance intertwined, and the taste of pepper and salt was just right.

"Not bad." Franca across from him made an exclamation of praise. "Not only does it taste good, but it also makes me feel warmer."

Lu Mian also felt a warm current rising in his body after the Felt fish entered his stomach.

"This is indeed an ingredient with something special." He gave a fair conclusion and teased Franca in passing, "Don't eat so fast, be careful of getting a fish bone stuck in your throat."

"Just these few bones want to get me stuck?" Franca laughed.

She looked left and right, and seeing that the waiter had moved away as instructed, she asked with curiosity:

"I've been thinking for the past two days, but I still can't understand the difference between using rituals and curses to influence the future development of a target's fate and directly propelling the change of fate.

"I can understand rituals; they rely on the target's blood, immediate family members, specific items, and contact that satisfies occult requirements to change their future fate. But isn't that just a curse?"

Lu Mian organized his language and said:

"In the occult knowledge related to 'Fate Masters,' a curse is a curse on fate. Compared to a ritual, it is more simplified and requires fewer conditions to be met, but the final effect that can be achieved has great limitations and cannot accomplish anything too exaggerated.

"Many Fate-bestowed ones like to call this kind of curse 'amplifying fate.'

"It can only target the tributaries of fate within ten seconds of the target, and it must conform to the current environment and what is happening. These are prerequisites and also necessary conditions for achieving a fate curse. And the tributary of fate that can be amplified itself must have a certain, not-too-low probability of becoming reality, otherwise the success rate will be very low.

"Simply put, it's first using the environment or changing the environment to make certain things possible, and then amplifying this possibility. Hmm, the premise is that this possibility isn't one with a very small probability."

Speaking of this, Lu Mian looked at Franca, raised his right palm, and while gesturing, gave a teasing example:

"For example, you are eating fish now, so I can amplify the possibility of you getting stuck by a fish bone through a curse, but I can't amplify the possibility of your chair suddenly collapsing and wood splinters piercing your body."

As soon as he finished speaking, Franca suddenly froze.

She made a choking sound, and there was some movement on the surface of her throat.

Within a few seconds, Franca spat out a fish bone with a bit of blood on it.

"You really did it?" Franca complained. "Fortunately, my current sequence has strong control over the throat, so I solved it myself. Uh..."

Franca suddenly paused, and it took several seconds before she said:

"Otherwise, I would have had to find a doctor for help. How embarrassing that would be!"

Lu Mian laughed:

"I could have helped you take it out and amplified the tributary of fate where it was successfully taken out."

Franca was speechless for a moment.

After eating another piece of Felt fish, she nodded lightly and said:

"I understand the difference between the three now.

"A curse, which is amplification, is used in battle. Its main function is to interfere with and influence the enemy, and it can't accomplish anything too exaggerated.

"A ritual is performed in advance, and when there are corresponding items, it can largely make the target's fate develop in the direction one hopes for."

"But this direction is relatively general and cannot be precisely specified." Lu Mian helped supplement, "For example, I can make someone plagued by bad luck, but I can't specify how they are unlucky."

Franca nodded:

"Is propelling fate a simplified version of a ritual that can be used in actual combat but with no reduction in effect?"

"The effect is even stronger and more precise." Lu Mian thought for a moment and said, "Moreover, because many abilities underwent certain changes when 'Fate Master' and 'Reaper' were merged, and there is even corresponding occult knowledge, I can't fully distinguish which were originally possessed and which are unique to me. I only confirm that 'Calamity Eye' and 'Propel Fate' are specialities brought by 'Reaper'."

For the rest of the time, the two enjoyed their lunch happily.

When it ended, Lu Mian pointed to the half-eaten Felt fish he had deliberately left behind and said to the waiter:

"Pack it for me."

The waiter didn't ask why and respectfully complied, while Franca teased with a smile:

"You're really frugal."

Lu Mian chuckled and said:

"This is the self-cultivation of a godfather.

"Besides, I also want to know what exactly is special about this kind of fish."

PS: Asking for guaranteed monthly votes at the beginning of the month~

(End of chapter)