Chapter 2360: The Seventh Candidate

"Speaking of which, I don't know if you've noticed."

Xia De asked:

"The ointment of the Poet-level 【Ointment Slug】, the special alloy of the Keeper-level 【Star Sword Stone】, the swordsmith of the Sage-level 【Apron of the Nameless Swordsmith】, the dragon of the Angel-level 【Ancient Dragon-Transforming Stone】... assuming these are all materials for the Chosen One's ritual, do you feel like this is like forging a sword?"

The purple-eyed diviner nodded immediately:

"The ointment is sword oil, the special alloy of the Star Sword Stone is the main material, the swordsmith is the swordsmith, and the giant dragon of the Dragon-Transforming Stone might be used to test the sword, or perhaps there is a need for the bones or blood of such a special giant dragon as auxiliary material. Yes, it really is like forging a sword."

"But are these four pieces really all that's needed?"

Difa asked again, and Xia De shook his head:

"A fifth piece might be needed. If the 【Ointment Slug】 corresponds to light and the 【Ancient Dragon-Transforming Stone】 corresponds to dragon, and the other two correspond to what is needed for sword forging, then there should at least be one more corresponding to 【Justice】. Those three most important functions of that Ancient God are light, dragon, and justice... they are all very ancient relics, and the purpose of the 'Light-Chaser' leaving this notebook behind is also unclear. In any case, let's go find the apron and the slug first. Afterwards, we'll still have to see what information the dragon scales can reveal."

"The four black, green, gold, and silver dragon scales correspond to the Black, Wood, Belindell, and Silver families. Bella and I will divine the locations of the remaining three as soon as possible; we have been busy with this recently."

Luweiya promised, and Xia De nodded without asking too much about their progress; he was still very reassured about Luweiya.

There was nothing much to say about the investigation records of the 【Eternal Light】; Xia De just let the maids help summarize and categorize the key points, and he would read them slowly himself later.

Everyone had lunch together in the manor at noon, but because the witches were all quite busy recently, they dispersed again after lunch.

Xia De certainly had things to do this afternoon, so after lunch, he went out with Luweiya to Spider Alley.

The meeting time agreed upon with John Flynn on the Moon Bay Bridge at the "edge of life and death" last night was two o'clock in the afternoon. Xia De originally wanted Luweiya to ambush somewhere around the street and just take a look at him to confirm his identity, but Luweiya went into the tavern with him instead:

"I'll sit by your side and meet him; I'll just disguise my face."

Compared to Xia De, John Flynn came alone. He appeared very punctually at 1:58, and seeing Xia De waving at the table by the wall, he walked straight over.

He certainly noticed that there was a stranger sitting next to Xia De this time, but given that Xia De was with different people almost every time he appeared, he was not surprised:

"Good afternoon, Mr. Watson."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Flynn. Let's keep it brief; everyone is very busy."

John Flynn sat down opposite Xia De and Luweiya, his hands clasped together on the table:

"That's my intention as well."

"I came this time because of the 【Light-Worshipper Training Society】; they are acting very strangely. The initial rumor was that they were cooperating with the 【Dragon Feast Sect】 to help the 【Dragon Feast Sect】, which has little influence locally, gain a foothold. But the 【Dragon Feast Sect】 has done so many things in Moon Bay over the past month or so, yet the 【Light-Worshipper Training Society】 has not made any moves."

He stared at the person across the table:

"I initially thought the 【Light-Worshipper Training Society】 was manipulating the local organization 【Eternal Light】 to do things in secret, but later it was confirmed that the two were only in a cooperative relationship, and the former even wanted to annex the latter but failed.

So, our encounter with the Light-Chaser in the fog last night can be considered one of the few active things they have done, and the loss of control at the edge of life and death was definitely caused by him... using a strange item. Although your people are few, the investigation progress is definitely not slow. I want to know, do you have any news about the 【Light-Worshipper Training Society】 here?"

John Flynn nodded, but did not take Xia De's pen and paper:

"Our four-person team is a standard adventurer team. Even if it's not in the dangerous wilderness but in a bustling city, there is still a place for us to exert ourselves. Speaking of which, Moon Bay is really prosperous. Over the past month or so, we have explored so many things in taverns, underground black markets, gang strongholds, noble manors, and underground ruins; it's almost more exciting than life in the New Continent."

He was certainly not changing the subject:

"Yes, I do have some news here. You saved us last Sunday, and I should be grateful, but my information is also very vague. I think you should know that the ultimate goal of those lunatics has always been to guide humanity to turn into light."

"Yes."

"Their purpose in Moon Bay is also this. Let the 【Dragon Feast Sect】 rush to the front, pretending that they, like those cultists, are very concerned about the Chosen One. This is actually correct; the 【Light-Worshipper Training Society】 has indeed not given up on the Chosen One.

But their real purpose is still to let the cultists divert attention, while they hide and operate in secret, only occasionally taking action to show their existence. From the information we have currently, they are preparing to launch a large-scale ritual on the day the prophecy in Moon Bay is fulfilled, when the city is destroyed, taking advantage of the chaos to turn the entire city into light."

Luweiya sat beside Xia De without speaking, and Xia De raised his eyebrows, guessing in his heart that the notebook from last night was simply the "Light-Chaser" wanting to divert their attention and help them find something to do. But if that were the case, the plan of the 【Light-Worshipper Training Society】 should be nearing completion:

"Your explanation can indeed explain many things. The 【Light-Worshipper Training Society】 has mastered the method of using that kind of peculiar light and has the ability to do so. However, what is your source of information?"

John Flynn shook his head slightly:

"Sorry, in order to protect the safety of the person who gave me the information, please allow me to keep the source confidential."

Xia De recalled the scene he saw in the memory of Mr. Bernhard from his past life. In the Sixth Era, where the Moon Bay Bridge was suspected to have been built, Mr. Bernhard died in that disaster that turned the entire city into light.

"Do you know what method they are going to use?"

He asked again, and the young man across the table thought for a moment before shaking his head:

"Not clear for the time being. In fact, the church has also been guarding against the 【Light-Worshipper Training Society】. Even without my reminder, the church could guess what those lunatics want to do. In the situation where they cannot be found, currently, they can only study how to safely defend against that kind of peculiar light.

Although some high-level relics have a weakening effect on that kind of light, it is obvious that what the church wants is a method that can be popularized."

John Flynn talked with Xia De for a while longer, and before leaving, at Xia De's request, he still looked at the note Xia De had written.

And when he really left the Spider Inn, Luweiya looked at Xia De:

"The second candidate."

"Are you sure it's the second candidate?"

"Of course. According to the current ranking, the first place is unknown, the second is John Flynn, I haven't seen that egg yet, but it should be that thing, Emilia is ranked third or fourth, and finally Priest Ao Gu Si. The Sword of the Wind King, the Bone-Sacrificing Sword, the Flute of Time, the Angel's Right Arm... the first place, if it's not a stranger who suddenly appeared and no one knows, it's probably the holder of 【Blood Sorrow】."

Xia De sighed and looked towards the direction of the morgue not far away:

"I think I should have the answer."

The purple-eyed girl raised an eyebrow:

"I can see you are hesitating."

"Yes, actually, letting him become the Chosen One of Light also has its benefits. 【Blood Sorrow】 is held by a vampire, so that Duke who likes red wine can seriously help me, but... I still have some concerns about him; his mental state is not as stable as John Flynn's, whom we just saw."

Xia De frowned:

"This time I really encountered a difficult problem. Except for that egg that absolutely cannot become the Chosen One, none of the candidates this time are bad people in the traditional sense."

"After all, it is light and justice; it is normal for the candidates who meet the requirements to be mostly good people."

Luweiya said with a smile; she was not annoyed at all, nor was she urging Xia De to make a decision:

"Anyway, the final battle hasn't arrived yet, and you still have time to think. Xia De, remember? Our original purpose was to witness the stories of the Chosen Ones; it doesn't matter if it's the best choice."

After all, the long-haired Luweiya of the past life had chosen the "best choice" many times, but obviously, those were not the correct answers.

"I understand, Luweiya, I understand everything."

Having confirmed John Flynn's ranking order, the identities of the candidates for the "Light" Chosen One were almost all clear. As long as a stranger didn't suddenly jump out and claim to be a candidate, it could basically be determined that the seventh Chosen One would be selected from these five people.

Luweiya was very satisfied with this result. According to her, although the number of candidates this time was a bit large, the quality of the candidates who could be selected was quite good. Emilia, Priest Ao Gu Si, and even John Flynn were all ideal candidates.

Of course, she would not interfere with the choice Xia De finally made.

Afterwards, Luweiya left to the south to return to the Belindell Manor on the "Radiant Messenger" at the pier. Xia De sat in the tavern for a long while before standing up and walking towards the morgue at the end of Spider Alley.

Unfortunately, this afternoon Xia De neither met Mr. Bernhard at the morgue nor saw Mr. Ptolemy Albert here. The latter was out dealing with his own private affairs, and he was not as Xia De imagined, always active in the morgue except for resting at home.

Of course, there were other coroners working here. After hearing that Xia De was a friend of Mr. Albert, the other party enthusiastically invited him to wait in a clean office without strange odors:

"Ptolemy said he would be back before dinner; he is a man of his word. Once he promised to give me a vase he didn't use at home, but he forgot to bring it the next day. Later, he specifically ran home to get it. He is the most honest guy I have ever seen... he will definitely be back before 5:30."