World Occult Usage Guide

On January 25th, a press conference was held on the top floor of the Abishang City Centre building in Lacono.

Inside the conference hall, rows of seats spiraled outwards from the center of the red carpet. International journalists took their seats, holding recorders and cameras, writing and drawing on their notebooks and computers while preparing their questions.

The large screen at the front scrolled through the key points of the press conference, which could be roughly divided into three categories.

I. Speeches by the sponsors of this conference.

Second, President Qapandre Tshisekedi of the neighboring Bantu state is about to deliver a speech on the election, the civil war, and the next steps. Reporters will have 20 minutes for questions.

Third, the four successors of Lacoup, who each control their own territory, will soon gather in person or via video link to discuss the possibility of a peaceful resolution.

Aside from the rustling of papers turning, the only sounds in the conference room were suppressed coughs, the noise of a few technicians adjusting various equipment, and several video and audio recording devices pointed at the podium.

Although the press conference discussed the issues of Bantu and Lacomo, the live broadcast here was only available to viewers in the Western region.

"Test, test."

A host walked onto the stage and adjusted the microphone placed in the center, while a group of people filed out from behind him, and the reporters immediately stared at them intently.

After the host finished introducing the press conference arrangements, he picked up the remote control.

"Now we'll have a few advertisements from our sponsors."

"Even though order is on the verge of collapse, we still offer global logistics services you can trust. Receive or send your packages as freely as you did two years ago – choose Utopia Little Elf International Freight. Three times faster, five times safer, and enjoy next-day delivery with every order."

"To recycle antiques, family heirlooms, or any old items you wish to dispose of, in exchange for the supplies you desperately need, contact the [Ask and Embra Heritage Foundation]. Protecting the heritage of human civilization is a long and arduous public welfare undertaking."

"Zizi..."

The large screen suddenly flashed with static and bursts of noise. The reporters looked at each other for a moment, and then the audio returned to normal.

A handsome face appeared; the man was wearing a custom-made black and white suit, with a lifelike red poppy medal pinned to his chest.

"Everyone, we must give a voice to the voiceless."

The beautiful French attracted the attention of reporters and also caused whispers among viewers watching the live broadcast.

"He's a celebrity! Jacob van Hofwegen, the president of the Flanders Red Poppy Merchants' Association. It turns out he also sponsored the press conference."

"Who doesn't know the mess the Flanders made in Bantu back then? The Ghost of King Leopold is no secret. I guess the Red Poppy Merchant Guild also wants to treat the Southern Continent as their private garden."

"The Van Hofwegen family is different; they are dedicated to animal and environmental protection. For example, during the Lacoo civil war, they went so far as to send peacekeeping troops to negotiate with the military leaders there in order to protect the turtles of Ivory Coast."

Jacob paused for a few seconds, then continued.

"Whether we're talking about gender inequality, racism, queer rights, indigenous rights, or animal rights, we're all fighting against injustice in the world and against the idea that one side can dominate, control, use, and exploit another with impunity."

"We are facing the sixth mass extinction in cosmological history. Forests are disappearing and oceans are dying. Evidence suggests that this planet produces enough to meet the needs of all humanity, but never enough to satisfy human greed."

"The Red Poppy Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting healthy, planet-friendly lifestyles, such as vegetarianism—which addresses environmental, water, and health issues and ends the cruelty of slaughter. Meat causes many cancers and heart disease. But can you name a disease caused by vegetarianism?"

Jacob waved, and the half-body portrait on the screen switched to several real photos of the Bantu rainforest: chimpanzees, forest elephants, long-tailed macaques, civets, pangolins, antelopes, and the adorable okapis, bringing a smile to one's face.

The slide then transitioned to a picture of a group of people cutting up a sheep with knives, with a black-haired figure standing to one side, seemingly admiring or directing.

Several other photos show the same person hanging cut-up prey on trees to dry. Due to the mosaic and special filters, these images appear quite terrifying, giving people a chilling sense of unfamiliarity.

"These photos were taken by the Chamber of Commerce when they ventured deep into the rainforest, and it was the first time we met the [forest ranger]. All we know is that his background is inextricably linked to the recent fall of the United Kingdom and the ships on the high seas."

"Is he a terrorist who escaped from the Gulf of Cuba?" The audience was stunned and their scalps tingled.

Jacob glossed over the topic, leaving room for endless speculation.

"What can be made public is that the Forest Rangers bribed a group of savage, carnivorous tribes to overturn the existing peaceful order. When we tried to resolve the issue and sent envoys to negotiate with them, they brutally murdered our people."

"The most terrifying thing is that less than five months passed from his arrival in Bantu until he took control of Kinsasha—poor President Tshisekedi Kumasi unfortunately became the first victim!"

"Can you imagine what he would do if he became the Bantu president? The answer is obvious. He would export these animals to Western dinner tables, leaving the children of the South to starve in their mothers' arms, just as he did to this poor little lamb."

Jacob stopped talking and gestured for the reporter to ask a question.

Surprisingly, they, who are usually sharp-tongued, remained silent.

"He's making progress in a positive direction." Viewers watching the live stream were buzzing with discussion, their opinions varied and unfocused without professional guidance. "A great environmentalist—though his conclusions are somewhat extreme, does he have more evidence?"

What the audience couldn't see was that these reporters, with their backs to the live broadcast camera, sat stiffly, their pupils dilated, their lips moving as they mumbled incomprehensible lyrics. Jacob ignored them and continued.

"With this pursuit of justice in mind, I urge you to remember as you think that you are voting for the voiceless and vulnerable, and your decision will affect whether a poor child in the South will have food tonight."

“Recently I have seen some comments online about Kapend al-Zisekedi, suggesting that he is colluding with local cult groups. First of all, I would like to clarify that the picture has been edited and is a malicious fabrication.”

"After several days of investigation, we discovered that this rumor-monger comes from [World Tree], or some cyber hackers colluding with [Forest Rangers]—so why are they trying to divert public attention? What are they hiding?"

"Snapped!"

Jacob then put another bunch of pictures on the screen, and the audience couldn't help but gasp.

With the same silhouette, the same shooting technique, and the same filter application, they easily recognized that both series of photos depicted the same person.

However, the other corner of this photo is not a dismembered lamb, but a person locked in a cage!

Jacob cleared his throat and spoke sternly.

"Please remember that the terrible Guantanamo Bay prison is filled with unimaginable horrors. Because a person who has no compassion for animals will one day use a knife to cut off the necks of humans."

…………

"Pat, pat, pat."

As the sound of drums and footsteps rang out, Lin An opened his eyes.

He was in a very dark space, dotted with purple and green candles whose eerie light flickered. The aroma of mint and cinnamon filled the air, with a faint hint of burning grease and the strange smell of chili.

Moving his wrist, Lin An realized that someone had laid him on his back on the floor and drawn three outlines along his body with silver coins, knotted green rope, and the blood of some kind of creature, each one wider than the last.

The sound came from ahead. Lin An tried to sit up, but his limbs felt heavy and difficult to control.

He struggled to sit up.

Not far away, a bare tree rose from the ground, its leaves cut off, and it was covered with rustling colored paper, torn wood shavings, and printed photos.

Alexander Adamek, a doctor who tragically died in a murder.

His wife was tied to the tree trunk with three ropes, also in three colors: silver, green, and red, corresponding to the three materials surrounding Lin An.

This is probably why I can't move. Lin An thought.

Previously, Mrs. Adamek completed the soul-binding ritual through the exchange of blood. Now she has become the larger "voodoo doll" representing Lin An, and any abnormality of her will be transferred to him.

Between the two, someone is dancing.

He was dressed in a colorful haystack-like outfit, with five or six loose strings of colorful beads on his head, and stones clattered and rattled as he danced.

The shadow of a triangular top hat obscured the man's face, making his features indistinct; all that could be seen was that he wore a hornless ram's head mask with a stark white skeleton.

“Daddy, Samedy Daddy, open that forbidden door for me! Oh, Daddy, I am waiting for your response, and on my way back I will give you the appropriate reward.”

He sang in the language near Benan, a song with a melodious and poignant tune.

This person is likely the voodoo priest who supports the Kumasi family.

The number of "Loas" in Voodoo is almost countless. Lin An's mind flashed through all the known mysterious prototypes, but the system did not respond.

However, we can make some guesses based on the empty mode and the content of the incantation.

Samedi's father was one of the important Loas in Voodoo.

He is the husband of the Voodoo Loa Brigitte mother, the messenger of death and resurrection, and the guardian of the cemetery. He is known for his brutality, obscenity, cursing, and adultery with women other than his wife.

If this priest still needs to pray to the gods in exchange for the result, his rating will not be very high.

"Bang bang, bang bang... Da du du, da du du..."

Faced with Lin An's cold indifference, the priest seemed to sense something and stopped his incoherent chanting, calmly picking up the hourglass at his feet.

"8:21, exactly as planned." (End of Chapter)