From the end of the world

Chapter 644 "Mysterious Force"

Although I asked the question reflexively, I wasn't truly unaware of what Jiao Shu had just said. "Zhuang Cheng's followers"—that's what she mentioned. My followers have actually come all the way to a southern city to join the fun?
After more than half a year of cultivation and development, the number of Zhuangcheng believers—I have mixed feelings about calling this force—has begun to take shape. Perhaps because I missed the four months of development in between, I still lack a sense of reality regarding the fact that I actually have a considerable number of followers. Thinking about it calmly, the fact that my followers are active in southern cities is not so surprising.

It was just something he'd heard about or encountered while out and about; he expected to encounter similar things frequently in the future. But judging from the strange tone Jiao Shu was giving, this matter seemed to be more complicated than it appeared.

"Those... Zhuangcheng believers, are they with your Xuanming believers? I mean, are they also enemies of the Peach Blossom Spring cultivators you mentioned?" I asked.

Jiao Shu seemed about to nod, but paused midway, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Well... who knows?"

"Could they possibly be in league with the cultivators from Peach Blossom Village?" I wondered.

“No, I mean, I’m not really sure either.” Jiao Shu shook his head. “Those Zhuang Cheng believers seem to have come to this city with some kind of purpose, but no one knows what that purpose is.”

"We can't find any useful clues from their activities, but one thing is certain: they are not collaborators with Peach Blossom Village. Countless monsters roaming the city attack them, and the cultivators from Peach Blossom Village have clashed with them several times."

"Because their numbers are far fewer than other forces, Peach Blossom Village seems to have temporarily shelved their existence and hasn't been particularly focused on hunting them down. Meanwhile, they are currently lurking in some corner of the city, seemingly secretly gathering the remaining local demon hunters, and I wonder what kind of plan they are brewing."

It sounds like my followers are actually a mysterious force shrouded in mystery.

What's concerning is that since a dozen or so Zhuangcheng followers entered the fallen southern city, Lu Chan, who was in charge of managing the followers and intelligence, should have been aware of their movements. Even if he overlooked it at first, he should have noticed it later when he was helping me collect and integrate intelligence on the southern city—he even noticed Xiao Qiao's movements. It's unreasonable that he didn't report the information about these dozen or so Zhuangcheng followers to me.

Wait, did he really not give me the relevant information?
I quickly searched my memory and soon found a picture of a document.

When Lu Chan gives me his work reports, he summarizes his work briefly and submits me a list of all the documents, big and small. The documents are divided into four levels of importance. I only need to carefully review the first and second levels of important content, including the news about Xiao Qiao, which Lu Chan will report verbally. The third and fourth levels are considered secondary content, which Lu Chan doesn't include in his verbal reports. According to him, I only need to glance at them briefly, or it doesn't matter if I don't look at them at all.

I much prefer being on the front lines to sitting in the rear pondering intelligence. Therefore, I only glanced at minor documents—saving their contents as photographic memory, without paying much attention to the specifics. I trusted Lu Chan with those tasks; since he said I didn't need to know, then I truly didn't.

The vast majority of intelligence is at level three or four; Lu Chan only submits those documents because of the work processes he sets up, as a form of self-discipline. It seems that this system isn't practiced outside of the Fazheng faction. I sense that Lu Chan seems somewhat uneasy about the immense power he wields among the believers, and perhaps desires some oversight from his superiors.

The reason I memorized those documents was partly because scanning them all would only take a little time, and partly out of a bit of curiosity. I planned to retrieve them from my memory when I had nothing else to do, to see what had happened in Luoshan recently, similar to hoarding trending magazines.

The news of the dozen or so Zhuang Cheng followers entering the southern city was precisely in the least important level four document. As for their specific purpose, the document didn't specify. It's noteworthy that they had reported to Lu Chan before setting off, but Lu Chan, believing the southern city was in a turbulent period, ordered them not to act rashly. They disobeyed the order and forcibly entered the southern city. Afterwards, with the enchantment of Taoyuan Township Master Meng Zhang's barrier and Xuan Ming's sea of ​​fire, they disappeared without a trace.

Strangely enough, although Lu Chan was not well received by the believers and the ruling faction, he always treated his own people very well. However, he classified the information about the dozen or so Zhuang Cheng believers who had fallen into misfortune as the least important level, which was not something he would do normally... Could it be that he knew something inside?

This is clearly intelligence that may have complicated details, yet it's classified as a Level 4 document. Is it because they don't want me to pay attention to this matter?
I've heard in some movies and TV series that some civil servants who serve high-ranking officials, in order to prevent their superiors from knowing certain important information within the legal scope of their authority and to create space for them to exercise their power, will deliberately put important documents at the bottom of the pile of documents, or deliberately write reports that are long and difficult to understand, etc... Could it be that I was tricked by Lu Chan in a similar way?

No, if that's the case, he wouldn't have needed to report to me at all, since I didn't ask him to anyway.

Jiao Shu said nonchalantly, "They're just some insignificant characters who can't cause any trouble. There's no need to pay them too much attention."

"You seem to have little affection for those Zhuangcheng believers?" I sensed her emotion.

Jiao Shu seemed to want to say something to Zhuang Cheng's followers, but in the end, it only turned into a disgruntled snort. I could roughly guess her state of mind.

After Xuanming defected to Luoshan, the Xuanming followers who remained in Luoshan were regarded as a scourge by Luoshan. They could no longer openly pray to Xuanming, let alone organize respectable sacrifices and ceremonies. Under these circumstances, I, a newly emerging fire god, overpowered the corrupted and appeared out of nowhere. Because of the overlap in elements with Xuanming, a small number of Xuanming followers with wavering faith converted to Zhuangcheng followers.

To steadfast believers, those who change their faith are undoubtedly despicable, and they will extend that hatred to me, the "source of evil."

As a believer capable of summoning flames of the illuminating attribute with his faith, Jiao Shu's unwavering faith needs no further explanation.

Jiao Shu seemed unable to contain himself and muttered under his breath, "It's clearly a newly formed belief system lacking historical foundation..."

I'm listening, please continue... I thought to myself.

To be honest, I also have a competitive spirit towards Xuanming. We're both Great Impermanence who manipulate flames, but he's been far more impressive than me. From killing Fu Hongchen and severely injuring Mingzhuo to later shattering the Void Realm, he always seems to be ahead of me in everything he does.

In addition, saying this might make me seem cynical, but the thought that Jiao Shu, this devout believer in Xuanming, is being slowly invaded by my spirit with the power of words gives me an indescribable sense of excitement.

That won't do; a person of taste shouldn't have such thoughts.

Speaking of faith and the power to summon, I am reminded once again of the mysterious call I heard when I invaded the city's barrier.

Could it be that a Zhuangcheng believer is praying to me from inside the city? Because the sound of prayer establishes a spiritual connection with me outside the city, and combined with my connection with the "fireflies" inside, I am able to barely intrude into the city's barrier like this?
While pondering this, I deliberately inquired further: "Based on what you said before, the mastermind behind this, the one called the Peach Blossom Village Master, should also be in this city, right? And what about Xuanming, whom you mentioned? Is he also in this city?"

Perhaps because of the numerous conversations, the power of words had been penetrating her mind more smoothly, and Jiao Shu became increasingly willing to speak. She nodded and replied, "Of course, Xuan Ming is also here. The destruction of the city some time ago was the result of his confrontation with the Lord of Taoyuan Township."

She did not add any honorific prefixes or suffixes to Xuanming's name, which may sound strange at first, but for Xuanming's followers, the name "Xuanming" itself is sacred, and calling him by his name is not disrespectful.

"So where is he now?" I asked.

Jiao Shu seemed oblivious to the suspicious angle of the question and shook his head, replying, "That's not something I can know. However, I do know roughly what the position of the Peach Blossom Village Lord is."

This was beyond my expectations. I asked, "Where is the Lord of Peach Blossom Village?"

Jiao Shu paused slightly, seemingly puzzled as to why I had suddenly turned to inquire about the Lady of Taoyuan Township. However, she quickly dismissed this incongruity and answered, "After her unsuccessful battle with Xuanming, the Lady of Taoyuan Township sealed herself in the city center with a barrier far more powerful than the one covering the city's perimeter. Xuanming tried several times to break through that city center barrier, but..."

As she spoke, she showed an expression of reluctance to admit it, but still continued: "...Even with Xuanming's power, it is impossible to break the city center barrier."

"Of course, that must only be temporary. Xuanming must be exploring ways and accumulating strength elsewhere at this moment. I believe that soon, that seemingly indestructible barrier will be destroyed, and the Peach Blossom Village Lord hiding inside the barrier will be caught and killed by Xuanming."

(End of this chapter)