In the Solna River Valley, throughout Husum City, soldiers were everywhere searching for preachers and followers of the "God of Resurrection, Abundance, and Redemption," filling the entire city with clamor that didn't subside even at night.
However, the searches yielded virtually no tangible results. El's current followers had originally been converted from the secret adherents of the "God of Fire and Redemption." They were already well-practiced in concealing their identities and blending into crowds, leaving no impression on constables or soldiers. Unless the clergy of the Lord of War and other gods could be as numerous as those of the Church of Truth—able to perform Divine Arts on each individual one by one—finding them through surprise raids would be nearly impossible.
As for the superficial believers who had emerged after witnessing the theological debate and watching El strip the moon goddess of her divinity while "instantly slaying" the Netherworld Sovereign, finding them would serve no purpose. They had no current ties to the preachers, priests, or others and could only be placed under surveillance.
"Deliver these letters to those designated locations, then follow the instructions within. This is half the payment in advance. Once my friend sees the mark and finds you, they'll pay the remaining half." Ramiro, his appearance altered once again, stood at the roadside instructing a traveling merchant he had met during his journey.
The merchant nodded eagerly, accepting the dazzling gold coins and several letters. This half alone far surpassed the reward for a typical delivery job, making it utterly impossible to refuse—and there was still another half to come!
The thought set his heart racing. It nearly equaled the net profit from a single trading expedition. What a wealthy man!
Ramiro, wary of the concealed Ninth-circle Archmage and the Golden-rank Lord of War, decided to contact three high-ranking Night Watch members who had also entered the Eldo Peninsula, along with five senior clergy, two Golden-rank knights, and six Celestial Knights who had been investigating the meteorite incident from three years ago across the northern mountains and nations of the Eldo Peninsula. He would have them dispatch reinforcements. Something truly strange was happening here.
Due to the mysterious suppressive aura emanating from this other plane, the Church had only deployed teleportation circles in the countries it fully controlled and had not yet extended them to remote areas. Unable to communicate at a distance, they had no choice but to rely on primitive methods of contact.
As for requesting aid from Valensil—the ascetic leader and member of the Cardinalate who oversaw investigations across the nearby peninsula, mountains, and nations—there was no need at the moment. After all, there were no clues whatsoever about where the anomaly was located. Priority had been elevated merely because an Archmage from the Continental Magic Parliament and the mysterious figure Francis were known to be present. Besides, similar strange incidents among the surrounding nations and tribes were innumerable. If they turned to a Cardinalate member every time one occurred, those officials would be furious. If everything required their personal intervention, what was the point of sending people like him to investigate?
"Why did meteor showers and small meteorite falls occur in so many places across this other plane over three years ago, making it impossible to determine where the Silver Moon Aetna and the mysterious Netherworld entity actually fell? Perhaps they were the cause? Hmm, I need to find an opportunity to infiltrate that false god's church that seized the moon goddess's divinity." Ramiro shook his head slightly and turned to leave—for reasons unknown, any other plane inhabited by intelligent beings such as humans, regardless of its actual size, matched the Prime Material World in the length of its days and nights and the span of its year, while other planes unsuitable for human survival were the opposite.
At that moment, the hushed discussion of several commoners drifted into Ramiro's keen ears.
"I heard the Netherworld Sovereign was truly slain by the great God of Redemption. Let me tell you a secret—the statue in his temple suddenly cracked straight down the middle, and most of his priests no longer possess the power of Divine Grace. Only a few can still barely wield it," whispered a commoner who worked near the temple.
"Really? I remember the great God of Redemption only spoke two words at the time!" The commoners couldn't understand the ancient Babur language.
"Seems He really is the supreme God of Redemption, just as described. Once this search blows over, I..." This commoner suppressed his true thoughts, uncertain whether the companion beside him might report him.
"Hmph, if He were truly that great, He wouldn't have let the moon goddess Axin escape. She's ascended back to her divine throne, become the embodiment of love and beauty, the Morning and Evening Star, and is currently bestowing Divine Grace upon her priests again in the temple." A follower of Belo, the God of the Sun and Justice, spoke with dissatisfaction.
So many things had changed! The Netherworld Sovereign had truly died? Who had struck him down?
Moreover, false gods could indeed alter their divine offices and circumstances by absorbing divinity. No wonder they were influenced by divinity, their personalities becoming extreme, enslaved to their desires, their capacity for reasoning diminished. As Ramiro reflected on the Church's internal assessment of false gods, he noticed something amiss—among these commoners, one man was distracted, glancing around nervously and remaining conspicuously silent.
"Such a momentous event, yet he doesn't even feel the urge to discuss it. Could he be a follower of the Netherworld Sovereign? No—even if he were, he should be bewildered and dazed rather than angry or grieving. He wouldn't be warily surveying his surroundings like this. Something's wrong."
Watching the retreating figure of the short, young man, Ramiro quietly followed. As a Night Watch member who frequently altered his appearance for covert infiltration, he possessed exceptional judgment when reading emotional responses and psychological states, and was acutely sensitive to the subtlest anomalies.
Inside an ordinary mud hovel in the slums.
The short Rhys confirmed that no one had followed him, slipped inside, and said to the waiting Anxius: "Honored Covenant Herald, the great God of Redemption and several other Covenant Heralds have departed safely. The blockade at the city gates has loosened as well. I've also learned other news..."
Anxius had remained in the city as a contingency contact in case the operation encountered difficulties. After El, Francis, and the others had left, the intense manhunt had forced him to stay hidden here, dispatching his devout followers to gather intelligence and search for a chance to leave.
After hearing Rhys's report, Anxius traced the cross sign that Francis had proposed over his chest: "Our Lord's power reaches far and wide. The Netherworld Sovereign attempted to betray the true God and has naturally received His punishment. Very well, depart for now. Once things have settled, I shall spread the gospel of the great God of Redemption to you and devote myself to restoring His divinity and His return to the supreme throne."
"Faith in the God of Redemption alone." Rhys likewise traced the cross sign and backed away.
Watching him disappear into the distance, Anxius quickly shut the door, produced his materials, and began preparing his disguise. Suddenly, he felt a light tap on his shoulder, and a low chuckle reached his ears: "I, too, would like to hear the gospel of the great God of Redemption."
…………
The silver moon hung high overhead. The night was deep and still. Lucian waited for Anxius at their agreed-upon hidden spot along the riverbank.
After a good while, Lucian finally spotted a figure creeping over furtively. The newcomer then shed his disguise, revealing Anxius's face. "Leviathan, are you there?"
Confirming it was truly Anxius's aura, Lucian emerged from his concealment. "So late? Was the city blockade tight?"