World Occult Usage Guide

Chapter 82 The Other Side Shrouded in White Mist

Lin An woke up from his dream.

Unlike before, this time he had a vivid memory of the animal hidden in the fog. Even after brushing his teeth and washing his face, he could still clearly recall the animal and its words.

"The great Holy Spirit is calling you."

Lin An told Simon about the matter in detail. After a moment's thought, Simon guessed that it might be the Mysterious One and asked the Foundation's branch for the local wanted list.

The files contained no record of any suspected eyewitness accounts, and Lin An lacked intelligence and information, so he had no choice but to hold back for the time being.

Fortunately, he never saw the shadowy animal again until he left Virginia.

It was more like a hallucination that Lin An was having because he was so sleepy.

As midnight approached, Lin An lay in the back seat, the car making a rumbling sound as it swayed.

He closed his eyes, and an endless road rushed towards him; he opened his eyes, and the rapidly receding shadows of trees fell onto the carriage.

Simon was still driving and hadn't switched to Mish because they were almost at Nashville, the capital of Canaanese, and he said Lin An would definitely get a good night's sleep at a hotel there.

A hazy mist rolled in, and the Nashville road sign came into view.

Natural scenery has been replaced by chimneys, railways, and skyscrapers. The industrial lights are always bright and clean, unlike the stars which are sometimes bright and sometimes dim, which makes Lin An feel at ease.

He caught up on sleep at a chain hotel, reconnected to the long-lost WiFi, and even went to Chinatown to buy a few packs of instant noodles in case he got hungry during his trip.

Unable to explore the wonders of this music city, the group embarked on another journey.

Cannes is one of the poorest and most dreary regions in the country, but it also preserves many traces of the movements of native inhabitants.

About a day and a half after leaving Nashville, a group of people appeared by the dusty highway. They were walking hand in hand, their unusual skin and hair color proving their identity.

A true local.

Looking out the rear window of the car, Lin An unexpectedly met the gloomy gazes of a group of people.

The figure vanished in an instant, and Barry's voice came from the driver's seat: "We'd better not linger in these places."

"You don't think they'll eat people, do you?"

"No, it's just that I'm afraid of disturbing their lives."

Lin An pursed his lips, and just as he turned his head to the front, the animal reappeared.

"Ping——!"

"Barry, stop the car!"

This time, Barry didn't listen to Lin An's advice and gently advised, "It seems you're too tired, Lin. Get some more sleep. If you really can't hold on, we'll find a guesthouse to rest at night."

Lin An reluctantly accepted the suggestion, and when he woke up again it was already dusk.

Simon parked the car beside a beautiful canyon. Under the azure sky, a vast forest stretched as far as the eye could see, and ancient rocks were scattered on both sides of the stream.

It was sunset, and the river water reflected a golden light. Boys in shorts played on the riverbank, while young girls chatted, their legs bare, as they walked on the soft, wet sand.

A mist filled the air as they wiped their half-dampened, alluring breasts with handkerchiefs, their sun-darkened skin peeking through the mist.

"Come on, take a picture of me!"

Mishi made a "V" sign, and Barry took a picture of her, while Simon looked into the distance, stretching his limbs in the fresh air.

While his companions rested, Lin An pressed his head against the ground and carefully examined the undercarriage of the vehicle.

Just as Barry had said, there was nothing there.

Brushing the dust off his clothes, Lin An stood up and spoke to Simon, who was admiring the scenery.

"Captain, I think we should still get in touch—"

Before he could finish speaking, he stood there, stunned.

My companions, the RV, the children and girls playing... they were all gone.

All that remains is the highway that stretches to the horizon.

Lin An turned his head. Whether it was the way he came or the way he was going, the uneven road surface was shrouded in mist. There was not a single car, only forest, wilderness and thunderbirds.

—Thunderbird?
It didn't disappear along with the others!
In this unfamiliar world, this was the only thing Lin An was familiar with.

The statue of the deity stands where it should be bound, but unlike the isolation chamber, it is free of any restraints, revealing its rough carving and simple colors.

A gaze, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, fixed on Lin An, and he frowned.

Did Thunderbirds do all this?
They said they "couldn't move."

Foundation, your research department is as unreliable as ever.

"Brother Tongzi?"

"I'm here," the system's cold, mechanical voice replied.

"Could we analyze the current situation and then search for ways to 'get out of this predicament'?"

"Unfortunately, no corresponding entry was found," the system said. "It seems you have been struck by a mystic using arcane magic from a medium 'God of Truth'."

"The God of Truth? Not the Thunderbird?"

Lin An was taken aback. Although he often dealt with the God of Truth when using the "Complete Book of Magic", he didn't know much about this kind of divine medium that was attracted by a neutral mindset.

In addition to behavior, each medium locks in the direction of ability. For example, Lin An's "Seeker of Knowledge" is related to information and knowledge acquisition, "Dreamer" can always travel through space, "War Emperor" is linked to inciting emotions, and "Prophet" is full of psychological suggestion.

The only mystery item Lin An included, the "God of Truth," was the E-rank "Deep Frozen Old Man" from the ghost stories. Due to its low rating, its mystery spells were practically invisible.

Blizzards and resisting the cold. It's somewhat like "creating something out of nothing."

Just as Lin An was hesitating, a "tap tap tap" sound came from the other side of the road.

A clear breeze ruffled Lin An's sleeves, making them rustle.

It was an animal that resembled a moose. It had a huge body, every hair on its mane was pure white, and its two half-meter-long antlers were covered with colorful feathers. Its eyes, the size of a baby's fist, were like flawless gems, dark and clear.

It turned out that it was the illusion that Lin An had been seeing these past few days.

"Look at me." It opened its mouth, its voice only the howling of the south wind, but as it swept over Lin An, its words took on meaning, "Follow me, two-legged creature."

"Do we know each other?" Lin An took a step back, his fingers touching the wand at his waist. He hesitated for a moment, then finally put it down.

The power gap is too great.

The moose's antlers fluttered as it approached Lin An without saying a word.

No matter how much he urged, the system only offered a series of apologies, without even mentioning the "Stars and Me" that had led Lin An to take his own life.

Even if you die, you won't die...

Just how terrifying is this mysterious figure...?

Because of its conspicuous appearance, Lin An guessed its prototype without any effort, and the system placed the panel on the moose's holy head.

Name: White Deer
[Rating]: Source C

Radiation level: 21.4%
[Pollution Level]: 53.4%
[Medium]: God of Truth
A native deity of the same rank as the Thunderbird?
If it harbors ill intentions, let alone Lin An alone, Moose could easily kill not only his entire squad, but also wipe out the foundation in Cannasie.

However, according to the foundation's information, this mysterious figure has not been sighted by any of St. Anilov's branches.

I was the first person to come into contact with it.

What can Lin An say about bumping into a god of the source level while driving on the highways of the Eagle Nation?
What terrible luck!

Damn it, didn't they say that source-grade is extremely rare?!

A sense of absurdity and amusement welled up in Lin An's heart, as if he had returned to the day he unexpectedly encountered the [Dwarf Demon].

Could it be that the energy of "Comers" is really like in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, where Stand users attract each other?

"Brother Lu, at least tell me what happened..."

These were Lin An's last words before he was taken away, and surprisingly, the moose nodded.

It lifted Lin An up, and the latter felt light as a feather, all fatigue and exhaustion swept away. The moose took off with its four strong hooves and disappeared into the clouds.

Lin An lowered his head. The Thunderbird, left alone in place, grew smaller and smaller until all he could see was white.

Traveling through unknown lands, surrounded by air and drifting clouds, silence swallowed every sense, but the wind blowing in Lin An's ears became a whisper.

"Come and see! See your mission!"

Suddenly, the entire sky seemed to be watching Lin An dance.

"This is the land of the white giants!" The wind whispered in his ear.

In the far north, several colorful eagles appeared, flying past like a howling gale, roaring from their nostrils, leaving behind only a thick layer of dark clouds.

"This is a place where the sun shines forever!"

Lin An followed the wind and turned. A group of small, beaver-like animals emerged from the east. Their eyes shone faintly like stars in the night sky, both tenacious and weak.

"This is the place right in front of us!"

This time, in the south, a pack of burly wolves stood in the distance. Lin An had only seen them for less than a second when the harsh weather struck, shattering the vibrant scene.

What do you mean?
Lin An was already unsure of himself, and after watching the performances of the top riddle masters, he became even more confused.

Suddenly, he thought of the local legends.

In mythology, the Thunderbird of the North did not accomplish the feat of creation alone; it had a companion who worked with it to create mountains and rivers—the coyote.

It represents the South and symbolizes the power of growth for all things.

In addition, the muskrat of the East brought the flame of wisdom, and the divine deer of the West brought the purifying breeze.

Could the imagery of the clouds represent three mythical deities who protect nature and life?
The Thunderbird was shrouded in dark clouds, its pollution levels worsened, and it was brought under the control of the Foundation; the Muskrat's radiance dimmed, stubbornly shining only faintly.

Only when turning south do the winds howl and lightning flash.

If Lin An's guess is correct, the coyote's situation is more dire than the other two.

What does this have to do with me?
Lin An held his breath and continued to watch the strange phenomena in the clouds. However, various birds and beasts turned back into clouds, pure white and surging, transforming into a tent with a seven-colored rainbow at the entrance.

The moose crashed headfirst into the rainbow gate, the mist dissipated, leaving Lin An standing there dumbfounded.

Hundreds of locals sat together, beating heavy animal-hide drums, dancing the energetic Sun Dance, and singing ancient songs.

"They're about to appear, look!"

"The White Mist Clan is about to appear, look!"

"The animal spirits that protect our ancestors are about to appear, look!"

Before he finished speaking, Lin An's figure appeared from the shadows to reality, and the men, women, and children in the sacrificial ceremony all widened their eyes in unison.

"This is...! The great Holy Spirit...! It has truly appeared!"

Thank you to the pan-fried cod for the monthly pass, and thank you everyone for your recommendations and subscriptions!
Different Native American tribes have different versions of their myths and creator gods; this book uses one of them.

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(End of this chapter)