Mystery: The Last Shepherd

Chapter 47 Azik's Advice
As Azik drew out the aura of the true creator within Luze, strange illusions gradually engulfed him.

The feathered serpents soaring, the bronze gates wide open—these were things he had seen before. But as the illusion deepened, more unfamiliar sights began to appear.

Countless bizarre creatures, rotting corpses, vengeful spirits, and skeletons; a mausoleum built downwards, resembling an inverted pyramid hollowed out; ancient people from the southern continent, their bodies burning with phosphorescent light, praying to the tomb in extreme agony.
Just then, the hallucination suddenly expanded, and he saw a battlefield resembling a mythical era. Beneath a leaden sky, dragons soared, giant beasts roared, and ordinary humans, like tiny ants, fought each other on a land ablaze with hellish flames. Among them were a few powerful individuals, small in stature, who could easily kill mountain-sized giants with a mere wave of their hand!
At the edge of the battlefield stood a towering black throne, upon which sat a majestic black emperor, as imposing as a mountain, overlooking everything below. He seemed to sense Luze's gaze, his eyes shifting, and he looked at Luze with a heavy, oppressive aura.
"Wow--"

The sound of the ocean waves rang out at just the right moment, and the illusion before my eyes vanished in an instant, like mist blown away by a gale.

"boom!"

The translucent tentacle on Luze's forehead exploded, and the undead creature, resembling both an octopus and a jellyfish, let out a mournful cry, dragging its broken body into the gate. The bronze gate then creaked shut and disappeared.

Luze opened his eyes and found that everything around him had returned to normal. Only Azik was sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed, his brows furrowed and beads of sweat on his forehead, as if he were trapped in a deep and long-standing nightmare.

Should we wake him up?
While Luze was struggling with his decision, Azik slowly opened his eyes, his usually calm and collected eyes now showing a hint of emptiness.

"No, that's not enough."

He muttered to himself, rubbing his brow repeatedly, as if trying to force out deeply buried memories. After about half a minute, Azik slowly recovered, gave a wry smile, and looked up at Luze, "Sorry to have kept you waiting."

"It's alright, Mr. Azik. Are you alright? I don't know if I was able to help you regain your memory."

Lu Zedao.

Azik shook his head.

“I’ve recalled many scenes from the past, but… I still don’t understand.” He noticed Lu Ze’s hesitant expression and smiled. “However, the effect to this extent has exceeded my expectations. I will pay the fee as agreed.”

"So, what do you need? Or is there any problem you need my help with?"

Just ask me what I need?

Wow, impressive! No wonder you're a high-ranking expert; even your words carry such grandeur!
Lu Ze gasped and exclaimed in admiration.

But then again, what am I lacking right now?

Lu Ze lowered his head and pondered.

Rather than saying what you lack, it's more accurate to say what you need to solve.

Since his transmigration, he has faced numerous troubles. Aside from those that have been resolved, the most pressing issues can be roughly divided into short-term and long-term problems.

There are two recent troubles. One is that the human trafficking case has not been solved and there may be hidden enemies who are hostile to us. The other is what Azik once told him: he and Klein both have a strange sense of disharmony with fate, which seems to be related to a house with a red chimney.

There are two long-term problems. The first is the inability to advance through my own means. The damned true creator has too much influence on the lower sequences. Becoming a listener will turn you into a fanatical madman who blindly believes in him. The second is Lanluus. That guy was ruined by me and must hate me to the extreme. Until I eliminate him, he will always be a hidden danger.

Of these, the cases of Lanius and human trafficking can be temporarily ignored. Since both are already on the Night Watchers' investigation list, the Church of the Goddess will naturally send people to handle them, so Luze, an ordinary Night Watcher, doesn't need to worry about them.

As for the remaining two matters concerning his own wealth, Klein is already investigating the Red Chimney issue. He has a better relationship with Azik, so it would be more convenient and appropriate for him to ask Azik.

With this analysis, the answer is quite simple—ask Azik how to advance to Sequence 8 while avoiding the influence of the true creator.

After figuring out his problem, Luze looked at Azik, who was waiting calmly.

“Mr. Azik, are you familiar with my sequence?” “The Mystic? I suppose I know a little about it.”

“The lower levels of my pathway are easily influenced by the top of the sequence. After advancing to Sequence 8,” Lu Ze explained his situation, and after Azik had digested it, he continued, “Mr. Azik, do you have any way to prevent me from being mentally controlled by the True Creator?”

Azik held his cigar, pondered in silence for a while, and then slowly nodded.

"There is one, but the risk is very high."

Really?
Lu Ze was overjoyed and quickly asked, "What is it?"

"To skip Sequence 8 and forcibly advance to Sequence 7, you need to consume two potions containing both Sequence 8 and Sequence 7 potions simultaneously."

".ah?"

Lu Ze was stunned.

Mr. Azik's suggestion was surprisingly radical.

"Is this...is this even possible?"

"Although it's dangerous, it's not impossible if a high-sequence Extraordinary is there to assist me. However, my current condition isn't quite right, and I'll need you to wait for me to improve. Besides, you don't have the corresponding potion recipe and materials right now, do you?"

"Yes."

Lu Ze nodded.

He only has this idea right now, but the potion recipe for "The Listener" is still unknown. Obtaining the recipe to verify its authenticity, and buying the materials, are even more difficult. Looking at it this way, even if he ignores the influence of the true creator and advances directly, it won't be an easy thing.

“By the way, Mr. Azik, I have another idea. What do you think?”

He explained his theory to Azik—in other words, he changed the audience, from the real creator to the goddess of night.

To his surprise, Azik nodded slowly after listening.

"Theoretically, yes, but..."

However, and yet again, this word has ruined so many good things in the world.

Azik said, “Only the true Creator will actively spread whispers so that His believers can hear them. If you want to change the listener to the goddess, the goddess must first actively sow the gospel in your ear—such special treatment from the gods is too luxurious, and probably only the higher-ups of the church or the goddess’s favorites have the opportunity.”

Those who are devoted to me, I certainly am not; I am not even a believer.

After listening, Lu Ze gave an awkward laugh. Indeed, why would a dignified True God cooperate with a mere Sequence 8 nobody like him to digest a magic potion?

However, this means that his promotion problem remains unresolved for the time being.

What should he ask Azik for?

(End of this chapter)