Ke-style law enforcement officers

Chapter 449 Bishop
In fact, Rebecca should have told Milo about Grasso's body much earlier, but she hesitated.

She didn't know how Milo would react, because Rebecca didn't really know how much the dead Grasso meant to Milo.

But the final reaction from Milo seemed a bit too lukewarm.

It's not that I'm only satisfied when I see Milo break down and lose control, but it just feels a bit strange. This isn't the normal reaction of a normal person when facing death.

……

Compared to the bewildered Rebecca, Milo had temporarily given up thinking about the problem.

Before figuring out the exact nature of the relationship between those in power and believers, Milo had no way of defining what Grasso's death meant to him.

But he could figure out what Grasso's death meant for the vampire seers.

...

Rebecca was probably giving Milo a heads-up: if he wanted to know the most detailed truth, the most direct and effective method would be to use the eyes of the dead.

But the reason Milo didn't do it immediately was actually quite simple. It wasn't, as Rebecca thought, about deliberately avoiding Grasso's death, but rather that Milo didn't believe the killer, the psychic, would be so foolish.

Everyone here is a visionary, and their most basic ability is to see the dead. If he could really leave some clues from the perspective of death, and then just deliver the corpse right under Milo's nose, there are only two possibilities: either he's a fool, or there's some kind of conspiracy involved.

At the very least, the deceased's memories should be erased before they die.

Raven had used this method before, so Milo was no stranger to it.

He can even filter memory fragments, erasing what he doesn't want Milo to see and retaining what he wants Milo to know. He can do this to such an extent using the techniques recorded in ancient texts.

……

But now that things have come to this, we have no choice but to give it a try.

So the first thing to do is to find that guy who's been missing for several days, Milo's personal funeral director.

After the Fractal World event ended, Milo never saw Dirac again.

In fact, he was a little puzzled.

After all, strictly speaking, Nanwei City is the territory of the church, and those who were most enthusiastic about "saving" the apostles in distress were the church's officials.

But in the current situation, all sorts of dark inhabitants, heretical believers, and clans have flooded into Nanwei City. As a result, the busiest people have become the hunters sent by the colony. The church's clergy seem to be on a long vacation, and not a single person has been seen.

To some extent, this is in line with the church's consistent style, since the scholars of the church's upper-level covenant organization treat all superiors with the attitude of "kneeling before them".

But they shouldn't be so indifferent, not reacting at all. Even if the contract organization has clearly given instructions not to let its officials interfere in the city's affairs, based on Milo's understanding of Dirac, he certainly wouldn't play dead.

……

Milo's guess turned out to be correct.

This guy really did run into trouble.

After arriving at the church that night, the blind nun wearing an eye patch on the Starry Clock Tower told Milo:
“We’ve been waiting for you for a long time, Mr. Valrocan.”

...

This is a choir nun. Although the nuns in the church all look extremely uniform, making it almost impossible to tell them apart, Milo remembers the nun's clear, gentle, and moving voice. This is the nun whose fate was intertwined with Daisy's and who was on the verge of death. At one point, she had no chance of survival. What Milo remembers most vividly is that when everyone in the church was concerned about the safety of Daisy, the Eye of Thinking, and no one cared about the nuns' lives, she was so calm as she faced death alone.

Perhaps this is what is meant by the power of faith?
Milo didn't know, and of course, he didn't have time to investigate further.

……

No matter how chaotic the outside world is, no matter how many believers and former relatives from different sects mingle in the city, the church's corridors and halls on the high bridge are always bathed in soft holy light, and the air is always filled with soul-stirring sacred notes. The shadows of the outside world seem to never be able to disturb the holiness here in the slightest. In the prayer square and in the Golden Tree Church, believers humbly bow their bodies, and each face is filled with a faint joy.

However, the words uttered from the blind nun's crimson lips revealed an unconcealable fear.

Unsurprisingly, something terrible must have happened within the church during the few days that Milo was busy with.

Where is Daisy?

Milo was very straightforward and didn't say anything unnecessary.

"The Holy Maiden of the Eyes led the Chief Clerk into the Unseen Land," the nun replied.

“Say it again in plain language…” Milo frowned.

“Mr. Dillashau is critically injured, and Daisy has taken him into the underground forbidden zone of the Contract Organization to seek a way to survive.” The nun nodded.

"An underground restricted area?"

Milo had never heard of any forbidden area called "the Unseen Land" beneath the church.

In fact, the only part of the church that is widely known is the section from the Prayer Square to the Cathedral. Beyond that, the Star Tower is no longer an area that outsiders can freely enter. Even Milo only knows about the Star Tower. In reality, there are many other buildings behind the Star Tower, and many parts are still unfinished to this day. Keep in mind that it has been almost seven years since the church became the state religion.

Despite having no problems with funding or manpower, the progress of church construction has been very slow.

Perhaps this has something to do with the underground ruins.

...

"Do you know what hurt Dillash?" Milo knew he was asking the wrong question as soon as he asked it.

As expected, the blind nun calmly shook her head. Milo then said, "Take me to Defoe."

“The priest… is dead,” the nun replied.

“Then I might need you to show me the way to the underground forbidden zone,” Milo said.

However, the nun said regretfully, "I am very sorry, sir, but the forbidden area means that no one has the right to enter the unseen land except the bishop himself and with his permission, including the choir and you, sir."

"So you said you'd waited a long time for me just to spout this nonsense?" Milo peered into the corridors on either side of the clock tower's main entrance.

“No, sir, I cannot disobey the canon to guide you. Even if I wanted to, I would not know how to get to the unseen place. The reason I am waiting here is that the bishop hopes to meet you.” The nun clasped her hands together in front of her chest, her movements serene and elegant.

However, Milo had no interest in meeting the Golden Rule Bishop; he was only interested in knowing what was going on with Daisy and De La Shaw.

"No, let's meet again when we have time."

"But..." The nun looked somewhat troubled; she wanted to say something to salvage the situation.

Milo asked first, "Did Daisy tell you anything?"

“The Holy Maiden said… she said that you would definitely try to force your way into the forbidden area, and she told me to make sure you are well.” The nun’s tone gradually became worried.

Milo grinned:
"You're a good judge of people."

Just as the nun opened her lips to say something, Milo snapped his fingers in front of her.

Then, the dignified and elegant nun went limp and slumped weakly against Milo's shoulder.

Milo glanced at both sides of the corridor again, making sure there were no clergy around, then picked up the nun and carried her to the steps inside the Star Clock Tower before closing the door and leaving.

……

After passing the long corridor behind the Star Clock Tower, the next stretch of road is one that Milo has never walked before.

The architectural style here is not much different from the cathedral in front, but perhaps because the function of facing the outside world and believers has been reduced, many complicated and cumbersome decorations, such as murals and reliefs, have also been reduced in principle, but the overall style and color scheme are still maintained.

The equally magnificent corridors and pointed towers, illuminated by the abundant firelight in the prayer square, appear incredibly sacred and elegant, and accompanied by the melodious strains of the chorus, they all inspire longing in the heart.

However, behind the Star Clock Tower, despite the similar architectural style, the lack of the golden tree's holy light intensified the eerie atmosphere in the surrounding air as Milo ventured deeper into the corridor.

It seems that splendor and holiness are only one aspect presented to believers.

But behind the light, there is inevitably a chilling shadow.

...

The courtyard, the corridor, the secluded walkway, and the tightly closed doors and windows all around. Through the glass, you can only see a corner of the curtains hanging inside; the rest is pitch black.

The journey to Milo was smooth and unimpeded.

He encountered the church's professors in robes, including elders and ordinary pastors, as well as deacons.

Milo, walking in the shadows, did not attract anyone's attention along the way.

For he had now become a true shadow, a shadow walking among the sanctuaries.

...

He walked through narrow, semi-underground passages and open courtyards, but still couldn't find the so-called entrance to the unseen underground place. Finally, he arrived at a cathedral with a design very similar to the one in Prayer Square.

Unlike the bright and magnificent cathedral, here only a few candles are lit directly below the golden tree sculpture.

That is also the innermost part of the church.

At the edge of Milo's vision, he could only see a slender, gray-white figure kneeling prostrate beneath the golden tree.

Inside the vast cathedral, the girl's clear prayers, filtering through the shadows of the massive stone pillars on either side, echoed faintly to Milo's ears.

"In search of the blood of the ancient gods..."

Let us pray…

Let us pray…

Anyone who prays sincerely can receive Holy Communion.

Let us participate in the Holy Communion and partake of the blood of the Old Gods…

Our thirst for blood satisfies us and soothes our fears.

Seeking the blood of the ancient gods…

However, we must be wary of human weaknesses: their will is weak and their minds are immature.

Blasphemous and filthy beasts will offer honeyed bait to lure docile souls into the abyss.

Beware of human weaknesses… their will is weak, their minds immature…

If not for fear, death would go unmourned.

(End of this chapter)