World Occult Usage Guide

Chapter 293 Mbambuka
Aside from the Burger King that appeared out of nowhere, Lin An felt that the email contained a great deal of information after reading it.

Leaving aside the unknown situations of the "conservative" families [Brahma] and [New Eden], the replies from the fat boy and the leopard-print president indirectly reveal the current situation of [Black City].

Back in outer space, Lin An had asked the Duke for as much information as possible.

Unlike most aristocratic families, the Black City is not a "family" bound by bloodlines. Its membership is similar to that of the World Tree, forming a kind of roundtable alliance.

The main body of the Black City is called the Abyss Hall, and Adria Hughes is the uncrowned queen who rules this hall. Under her are three organizers: the Chancellor, the Minister, and the Court Jester.

Their duties are different, and they are on the same level as Adria, although the latter holds most of the power.

The Abyss Hall is like a ranger of the World Tree. Apart from these direct members, the true influence and terror of the Black City lies in its "membership system".

Apart from the Abyss Hall, anyone can join the Black City while retaining their original identity, enjoying their benefits while also serving them.

For example, the head of the Red Poppy Merchant Guild can be both the head of a powerful family and a member of the Black Capital.

According to the Duke, not only the mystical families, but the Black City welcomes all secular forces.

The [Prime Minister] is responsible for receiving the family of the mysterious person; the [Minister] is responsible for managing high-ranking officials in politics and commerce; and the [Court Jester] is responsible for powerful people in non-profit organizations such as foundations and fraternities, as well as influential figures in society.

The membership screening process for [Black City] is quite rigorous, but Adria's knowledge of "Commes" and ancient relics attract people to join, causing the organization to grow like a snowball.

What's frightening is that once a leader joins Black City, it's equivalent to his entire organization becoming Black City's subordinate.

Not only will they obey the orders of the Abyss Hall, but in other battles, the members of the Black City will also unite and choose to prioritize eliminating those who have not joined the Black City, causing the latter to become weaker and weaker.

This information comes from more than a decade ago. The Duke believes that the main framework of the Black Capital has not changed, but some titles or rules may have undergone subtle changes.

The fat boy is likely the "Prime Minister" in charge of connecting the families, while the "New Seven Deadly Sins Demon King" is the head of all the "elite" families who have joined the "Black Capital".

They are all at the source level or above, and are mystics who have merged with the "Lady with the Lamp".

A total of seven people...

Lin An was at his wit's end. A newly established World Tree was simply no match for these behemoths that had been laid out over thousands of years.

What are conservative families doing?

The world is about to end, and you're still making me wait? Are you all possessed by the Dawn Association, which is just giving up?
Blaming others wouldn't solve the problem, so Lin An could only continue doing what he could.

The decryption continued, and the file showed checked characters containing intelligence about the Red Poppy Merchant Guild, which Kevin had already learned during his interrogation. He casually browsed the file while simultaneously organizing information from the World Tree Forum.

Until a headline caught my eye.

"A Record of the Search for the Secret Vault Project".

Lin An swiped the mouse and continued reading.

Who would have thought that the last remnant of that ancient dynasty was hiding in the church he once disliked the most, becoming an inconspicuous Pentecostal priest?

By the time we discovered him, he had awakened to the mystical through death, possessed a passerby, and escaped.

On his deathbed, he deliberately destroyed the clues to unlocking the secret treasure of the Four Living Gods. From then on, he would be the only person who knew about the last piece of the secret treasure.

The "Leopard President" offered the Red Poppy Chamber of Commerce a generous exchange to capture the man alive.

Having received the mission from Lord Jacob, I began my investigation on July 21, 2038.

Based on the deductions of intelligence teams in various locations, the remnants of the Pentecostal sect have gone to Mbanbuka. I arrived in the city on August 1st and am now trying to find out the whereabouts of each of them.

On August 2nd, with the cooperation of the local government, I arrested 51 Pentecostal religious followers based on a tip from the public.

On August 5th, all the followers had their items destroyed.

On August 11, based on clues provided by believers, I located a hidden market and arrested 220 Pentecostal believers, including 15 clergy.

On August 20th, all the followers had their items destroyed.

On August 25th, based on new clues, I successfully destroyed the last Pentecostal stronghold in Mbanbuka, capturing 550 believers, 35 clergy, and 2 priests.

On August 28th, the whereabouts of the "Four Living Gods" were obtained from the Pentecostal priest. He is currently hiding on Zay Stanislas Vabracombe, whose most distinctive feature is that he is blind. Further tracking has begun.

On August 29th, all the followers had their items destroyed.

On September 7, intelligence was received that Zay Stanislas Vabracombe was in the equatorial rainforest on the other side of the Kuba River.

On September 11, a purge of all Pentecostal followers in Mbanbuka and surrounding villages will begin, expected to last 7 days; I have dispatched Kevin van Hofwegen as an advance scout, who has made indelible contributions to the Chamber of Commerce.

On September 14th, an urgent call was received stating that the progress of the plan was pending.

On August 18th, all the followers had their items destroyed.

On September 19th, as requested, I will enter the rainforest tomorrow morning for a secret meeting with the mysterious figure codenamed "Forest Ranger" to try to gain his cooperation and use his influence to track down Zay Stanislas Vabracombe.

The written record details the Countess's mission over the past two months, and the seemingly casual statement "all believers have been destroyed" conceals the deaths of thousands of people.

After a moment's thought, Lin An asked a question.

"【Four Living Gods】?"

“According to your understanding, this is the name of the Bantu ‘family’,” Zai said. “My followers…may God bless those poor children.”

Lin An gave him a moment to process the information before asking, "You know the whereabouts of the 'Secret Treasure,' so you know what I'm trying to say, right?"

Zai remained silent for a long time, then sighed heavily: "Of course."

"Boom boom boom!"

As the two were talking, the door was pushed open, and Mezzo walked in carrying a pile of food.

Seeing her unsteady steps, Lin An took the plate and placed it on a rectangular coffee table.

The chefs at the Lambridge Grand Hotel, unaware of the new owner's tastes, cooked as much as possible according to jungle customs.

The plate was filled with venison, ugali (cornmeal dough), and simple vegetables cooked in palm oil.

The dishes looked greasy, and Lin An found it hard to swallow.

Aren't you going to eat?

The girl, who had been taking bites from the left and right, tilted her head as she watched the other person stop eating, still holding half a piece of venison in her mouth.

"I thought that once we got to the city, we could have dinner together."

"The thing I miss most about the city is coffee." Lin An glanced at the dusty coffee machine. "It's a pity there's only the machine, no beans. Oh well, I'll just keep watching you."

“Coffee…” Mezzo frowned slightly, blinking his large, dark eyes thoughtfully. …

That night, the first rain of the rainy season arrived with thunder.

Rain swept across Mbanbuka and fell all night, with misty moisture rolling through the darkness.

When Lin An got up, he was surprised to find a small red frog with huge webbed feet lying on the window, looking just like a cartoon character.

"Crench."

He pushed open the window, and a red frog jumped onto the wall in fright. Lin An reached out to feel the sparse raindrops, grabbed a waterproof hat, and climbed out of the fifth-floor window.

No one noticed his departure; Lin An arrived at the foot of the mountain like a gust of wind.

Five hours of torrential rain revealed the world, soaking it to the bone, with puddles everywhere.

Lin An changed into clothes similar to those of the locals, and carrying an umbrella with several broken bones, he sneaked into Mbanbuka at dawn.

As you move forward, the muddy clearing transitions into a long grassy slope, followed by a wide, well-trodden dirt road lined with countless avocado trees, palm trees, and towering wild sugarcane bushes, interspersed with densely packed houses.

The house has a simple structure, but the various bright red and purple "decorations," such as towels, buckets, and plastic stools, make it look full of life.

The first thing that reached Lin An's ears was the sound of chattering. A group of early-rising elderly people had gathered in an open space not far away.

This is a place similar to a city square, built around a large tree, where old men and women hide in the shade chatting about gossip and exercising their gums.

They wore clothes that were the same color as their skin. They had washed and worn them many times, but there were still many stains that could not be washed off. From a distance, it looked as if they were not wearing anything at all, just a hazy shadow with snow-white hair.

It is as old and poor as the city itself.

"I heard that the big hotel on the mountaintop has changed hands."

"Anyway, he's one of Kinsa's powerful figures, so who knows when he'll change the city graffiti."

"No, no, no, this time there was bloodshed! I heard from my aunt's cousin's nephew's wife that they were a tribe from the rainforest... They call themselves the 'World Tree,' and their leader is called the 'Forest Ranger'..."

The group of people were chatting about the latest happenings, unaware that the focus of their discussion was just a short distance away.

Lin An looked away. A tailor had set up a foot-operated sewing machine under a tree, and several women were chatting with him, trying to negotiate a lower price for the order.

On the other side, a hairdresser was soliciting customers. In addition to cutting people's hair, she was also doing palm oil business. A little boy, presumably her son, was pressing the oil out of the red oil palm fruit with a homemade juicer and then pouring it into plastic bottles.

"Auntie, do you know how to get to the herbal medicine shop?"

The barber looked up at him and pointed to a small alley.

"Pah, pah!"

Turning left from the square into the alley, Lin An almost bumped into several barefoot children who screamed and chased each other like piglets that had escaped from the ark.

Upon seeing Lin An, the children paused for a moment, then tiptoed after him, their eyes wide with surprise.

I glanced at the children; their eyes no longer held fear, only curiosity.

Looks like I've gotten tanned enough by the sun. Lin An twitched the corner of his mouth. Back in the Mazuz market, the kids thought I was from Flanders the moment they saw me.

The children whispered among themselves, when suddenly one of them took a few steps forward, shouted "cadeau!" and handed a pink sugarcane stalk to Lin An before running away, giggling.

And so, a touch of sweetness was added to Lin An's journey.

"Excuse me, how do I get to 'Pharmacie de Mbanbuka'?" he asked a few stylishly dressed teenagers in the alley.

"The pharmacy in Mbanbuka? I'll take you there!"

The group of idle teenagers were rummaging through the still-uncollected garbage heaps, some sitting in the stairwell smoking. When they heard Lin An's words, they jumped for joy and volunteered to lead the way.

About twenty minutes later, Lin An stood on a relatively spacious green lawn.

There was a herd of elephants grazing in the open space.

These are woodland elephants. Unlike their larger relatives that trample the grasslands, woodland elephants are smaller and have more delicate features. They are gently stroking the leaf-covered mud with their pink trunks and stuffing them into their soft mouths.

Behind the elephant, a red-roofed, white-walled building resembling Neo-Romanesque architecture rises from the ground.

Lin An tossed aside the sugarcane residue and said, "Zai, is this the place?"

"Who are you talking to?" The boys looked around in confusion. "There's no one here named 'Zai'."

"Because he is a ghost."

"So you've been possessed by a demon." The boys suddenly realized and started offering advice all at once. "No wonder you went to the pharmacy! The evil eye is terrifying! You have to be careful not to get stared at by it."

"Yes, yes, let's make a talisman quickly!"

"Do you have that much money?"

The chattering boys suddenly stopped talking and all looked in one direction. It turned out that someone had climbed up a palm tree in the distance.

High up in the tree, pale pink sunlight fell on the trunk and his thin limbs, and palm leaves swayed around his head like ostrich feathers.

"Is he harvesting oil palm fruit?" Lin An felt he knew Nanzhou well and made a reasonable assumption.

"Shh, don't disturb them." The boys shook their heads repeatedly.

At this moment, the man took down a large honeycomb dripping with honey with his bare hands. The bees were still buzzing around, but he remained unmoved. He took a deep breath of the smoky leaf roll at the corner of his mouth, exhaled a breath, and the smoke made the bees fly around wildly.

Wow, everyone who sees this gets a share!

The boys abandoned Lin An and surrounded him, their hearts fluttering with excitement over the honey, eager to taste its sweetness.

"Don't worry, I'll cut it off and share it with you all in a bit."

The man's eyes crinkled like chrysanthemums, but when he saw Lin An standing with his hands behind his back, his smile vanished instantly, as if he had suddenly become a different person.

“I haven’t seen any tourists in a long time,” he said cautiously.

"Can't tourists pick up their medicine at the pharmacy in Mbanbuka?" Lin An said casually.

In the empty mode, he could tell that this person was a mysterious figure whose true form was unknown, but judging from the fluctuations of the light spots, the herbalist's rating was not high.

"So, what illness do you have?" the man asked, squinting.

(End of this chapter)