501: Buying horse bones with a thousand pieces of gold

"The path illuminated by the Key of Radiance happens to coincide with the concept of inclusion held by the Abyss on certain levels."

"My God once revealed an intention during a revelation... If fate permits, He might wish to have a face-to-face conversation with the Lamp Bearer to explore the boundaries between 'Light' and the 'Abyss'."

These words were spoken tactfully, but the meaning was clear: Our boss is interested in you and wants to meet.

Inside the warm pavilion, Shang Wan Ning leaned forward slightly.

Candle Dragon reclined on the soft couch of light and shadow, fingers twirling a strand of hanging hair, offering no immediate response.

Silence spread across the cross-plane connection for a few moments.

"I appreciate the God of the Abyss's kind intentions." Candle Dragon finally spoke, voice still lazy, making it impossible for others to guess His true thoughts.

"It is just that I have been tied up with trivial matters lately, and this 'Candle Shadow Shaking Red' charade must continue for a while longer."

"As for meeting, why don't we discuss it later?"

Neither a yes nor a clear refusal. An excuse that seemed reasonable while leaving room for maneuver.

Star understood clearly in his heart, knowing the timing was almost right; pushing further might instead arouse the other party's vigilance.

He wore an expression of perfectly measured understanding and a hint of regret: "We must prioritize the Lamp Bearer's convenience. The gates of the Abyss are open to you at any time."

Candle Dragon nodded: "We have had a pleasant chat today. If you, Priest, have new discoveries regarding Ancient God scripts or questions about makeup and styling, you may send messages as usual."

"Having disturbed the Lamp Bearer for so long, I should prepare for today's evening lesson." Star rose, following the lead, and performed a farewell rite of the church.

"May the tranquility of the Abyss always be with you."

Candle Dragon bowed slightly in an ancient Eastern style.

The water mirror rippled violently, and the image and sound vanished together.

The video cut off.

"Phew—!!!"

Star slumped instantly, as if his spine had been pulled out, collapsing directly into the high-backed chair. The expression management on the cold, handsome, pale face belonging to "Alvaro" completely crumbled; the corners of his mouth turned down, and his brows furrowed into a knot.

"Oh My God..." He unbuttoned the top two buttons of the black priest's robe and gasped for air.

"It's finally over! Can this old monster stop speaking so pretentiously? Every sentence has to be turned over in my brain three times before I dare to answer! It's exhausting!"

"Good thing I didn't waste my time as the Chinese class representative back in the day; I still have a bit of ink in my belly, otherwise I would've had to perform what a 'cultural desert' looks like on the spot."

He rubbed his temples, feeling his brain buzzing; it was even more painful than working overtime for three days straight debugging the Department of Reincarnation's database.

"This counts as a work injury, right? This is definitely a work injury! Her Majesty has to reimburse me—mental exhaustion fees, acting overdraft fees, Classical Chinese listening comprehension fees... she has to reimburse all of them."

The booth door was pushed open, and Zhou Wenyuan and Liu Shuo rushed in. Zhou Wenyuan was still holding a notebook and pushed up his glasses: "Gang Zi, awesome! That improvisation at the end, you handled it so steadily."

Liu Shuo immediately gave a thumbs up: "Sister Star, with acting like that, the Underworld Best Actor award is yours for sure."

"We were listening outside just now, and our hearts were in our throats, terrified you'd stutter."

Old Woman Zhao Yun strolled in slowly, her prayer beads clattering as she turned them, squinting at Star: "Not bad, didn't show any weakness."

"It's just that you slumped too quickly at the end; if their divine sense was still lingering to take a look, you would have been exposed."

Star waved his hand weakly: "Auntie Zhao, spare me... If I kept acting any longer, my tongue would have tied itself in knots."

"Hurry up, when can I change back from this ghost of a look? Looking at myself in the mirror, I feel like a stranger."

As soon as he finished speaking, the effects of the flesh-and-blood reconstruction began to fade.

His bones made a faint crackling sound, his facial features rippled like water, and his deep chestnut curly hair shortened and turned black, restoring his original appearance.

The width of his shoulders and back also retracted, and he was once again wrapped in his slightly oversized hoodie.

The transparent prism that had merged into his chest was also expelled, dropping to the floor with a "clatter," and the energy simulation fluctuations dissipated.

The "Prayer Chamber" constructed by the Plane Fragment Mirror Generator receded like a tide, and the familiar walls and computer equipment of Booth 3 at Wangchuan Internet Cafe reappeared.

Star looked at his restored hands and let out a long sigh of relief: "My own face is still the most pleasing to look at."

...

Chenfeng Palace, warm pavilion.

The water mirror image went out.

Chen Yu let out an "Oww" sound, threw the crumbled osmanthus cake in her hand into her mouth, and mumbled: "Scared the hell out of This Old Lady, I thought Candle Dragon was going to flip out!"

"Thank goodness, thank goodness, Star handled it."

Ling Qi dismissed the virtual notes in front of her and reached up to rub her temples. "The response was acceptable. Candle Dragon's final attitude was less of a refusal and more of waiting for a better price."

Shang Wan Ning leaned back into the chair, her tense shoulders relaxing, a smile appearing on her face: "He hesitated. That is enough."

She looked around at the people in the warm pavilion.

Although only she, Ling Qi, and Chen Yu were there at the moment, her gaze seemed to pierce through the void, seeing Star, Zhao Yun, Zhou Wenyuan, and Liu Shuo in the internet cafe booth.

"Secretary-General, convey my imperial decree."

"All ghost officials participating in the 'Candle Dragon Contact Project' this time will have their annual salary and performance bonuses tripled."

"As the follow-up plan progresses, anyone who makes a contribution will have their rewards increased according to this precedent."

Chen Yu's eyes lit up "whoosh," and her white fur ears seemed to perk up: "Yay! Three times. Your Majesty is mighty!!!"

Ling Qi also nodded slightly, clearly agreeing with this heavy reward.

Dealing with a Ninth-Order existence was akin to dancing on the tip of a knife; under heavy rewards, there must be brave men, and it also highlighted the Underworld's importance and determination regarding this matter.

"Since Candle Dragon has shown signs of loosening, the next step is a slow, grinding process." Shang Wan Ning tapped the tabletop lightly. "Star must continue to play the role of the 'Abyss High Priest,' and it must be more natural and… 'sincere' than before."

"AQi, have the Research Institute hurry and compile a batch of daily scriptures and prayer annotations for the 'Abyss Church' that look authentic."

"Next time Star communicates with Candle Dragon, he can 'share' some harmless passages to fully solidify this identity."

"Subordinate understands."

Ling Qi replied.

"Also," a glint of sharpness flashed in Shang Wan Ning's eyes, "have Star, in subsequent casual chats, find an 'inadvertent' opportunity to leak a bit of information..."

She lowered her voice slightly, "Just say that My God seems to be in a deep slumber adjustment period in recent years, and the level of divine power revealed is approximately mid-Eighth Order."

Chen Yu blinked her colored contact lenses: "Mid-Eighth Order?"

"Your Majesty, wasn't the original plan to have Olexia pretend to be Him? Isn't she..."

Shang Wan Ning smiled and said slyly: "Precisely because it is a disguise, we must state it 'lower'."

"A mid-Eighth Order 'God of the Abyss' is an existence that has cooperation value to Candle Dragon without making Him feel overly threatened."

"If we say Ninth-Order, Candle Dragon will instead become suspicious: why would an existence of the same rank go to such great lengths to seek cooperation with Him?"