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His lower body consisted of slim-fitting trousers in the same color scheme, with a straight crease, paired with a pair of polished dark brown mid-calf leather boots. The material of his trench coat shimmered with a subtle yet luxurious sheen under the dim harbor lights, making his already tall and imposing figure appear even more slender and aloof. Combined with his pale yet sharply defined face and deep black eyes, an indescribable aura of mystery and authority naturally arose within him.
Kurokawa looked at Zhang Su, who seemed to have undergone a complete transformation, and his eyes flashed with amazement and awe once again.
"As expected, this is your true self! This demeanor... you must be a core member of some mysterious organization! That strange 'clothes' was just a disguise or some kind of accident."
He became even more certain of his guesses about Zhang Su's background and even more grateful for his choice.
As for the pajamas from another world that he had changed out of, Zhang Su had already quietly stored them in the void space without leaving a trace.
……
Meanwhile, in the central area of Twilight Harbor - 'Church of the Sea God'.
This magnificent church is built of huge deep-sea bluestone, with a soaring dome carved with surging waves, huge sea beasts, and majestic statues holding tridents and wearing crowns made of waves and coral.
The interior of the church was solemn and dignified, filled with the aroma of sea salt, cold seawater, and ancient incense.
Deep within the church, behind the massive altar, is an emblem crafted from deep-sea sapphire and mithril—a symbol of "the crown forged by the waves, the guardian of the abyss's order, the eternal ruler of the silent abyss."
At this moment, the deep blue sapphire at the core of this silent badge suddenly lit up without warning.
A pure, cold, blue beam of light, imbued with the majesty and endless depth of the sea, shot out suddenly from the center of the emblem like a tangible sword!
The beam of light pierced through the church's thick stained-glass windows, ignoring physical barriers, and pointed with unparalleled precision towards the port area—the direction where the Black Sea was docked!
Below the altar, a middle-aged man who had been kneeling on a bench, wearing a dark blue priest's robe with silver trim and a calm expression, suddenly opened his eyes.
He turned around abruptly, his sharp gaze locking onto the direction where the beam of light had disappeared—the port area.
He slowly stood up, his deep blue eyes turning cold and menacing. He muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the empty church: "By the sea god, is there any 'filth' remaining in the direction of the port that has not been purified? I will go and investigate!"
Book 1: Chapter 8: Bishop, Interrogation, Megastructure
Just as the altar emblem within the Church of the Sea God shone, Zhang Su's body suddenly stiffened, as if pierced by an invisible ice needle in his spine, and a strong sense of unease surged into his heart.
He felt like he was being targeted by a hunter!
This is a premonition of a deadly threat, locked in by a higher being!
At the same time, the cold, clear, and emotionless voice of the mysterious force warned him again in his mind.
[Warning! High-level psionic energy fluctuations detected approaching!]
[Target: Sequence 7 transcendent being (preliminary assessment), highly suspected to be a follower of the Church of True God (Church of the Sea God)]
[Hateful judgment: Ling Lu Si Liuqi has decided on the two-$ decision: High! Target locked on the residual pollution source aura in this area (Greedy Treasure Chest containment remnants)]
Threat Assessment: Extremely dangerous! Current condition (insufficient ability, shoulder injury) is unsuitable for handling! Recommendation: Avoid immediately!
Sequence 7, two whole ranks higher than Kurokawa!
Moreover, it was clearly hostile, its target being the lingering polluted aura of the Greed Chest he had just taken in!
Zhang Su's scalp tingled, and cold sweat almost soaked through the lining of his newly changed trench coat. He abruptly turned to look at Kurokawa, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, his voice slightly tense, and his speech extremely rapid:
"Kurokawa, we're in trouble! A Sequence 7 transcendent is approaching, in two minutes at most. It's someone from the Church of True God, after the remaining contamination on the ship. They're very hostile. I can't confront them in my current state; I have to leave immediately. I'm leaving this to you. I trust you can handle it."
Kurokawa's commanding expression froze instantly, replaced by immense panic.
"Sequence 7?! The Church of the Sea God?!" he exclaimed in a low voice, his tone trembling. As a Sequence 9, he knew all too well what Sequence 7 meant—it meant a true mid-level transcendent being, possessing power that could crush someone of his low sequence.
The church was indeed alarmed, and the people who came were not ordinary priests!
Because most ordinary priests are ordinary people or low-sequence extraordinary beings, it's already quite good if they can reach Sequence 9.
A priest of Sequence 7 can be a 'bishop' of a regional church!
Thinking of this, a strong selfish thought surged into Kurokawa's heart. This "sir" was unfathomably powerful. If he could keep him, he would undoubtedly have more confidence when facing the people of the church, and might even be able to take advantage of their power... But Zhang Su's unquestionable tone and the clear determination in his eyes that he "did not want to deal with them" instantly extinguished his illusions.
The fact that the other party could give a two-minute warning of the arrival of Sequence 7 demonstrates that their background and perception far exceeded my expectations.
Force him to stay? He doesn't have the guts, nor the right.
The struggle on Kurokawa's face lasted only a moment before turning into a heavy sigh, filled with resignation and a barely perceptible plea: "Understood, Your Excellency. You can leave with peace of mind. I will do my best to handle things here."
He straightened his back, trying to appear calm. "Having spent so many years at sea, I have plenty of experience dealing with various official organizations. Take care!"
Zhang Su gave Kurokawa a deep look, nodded, and said nothing more. His figure flickered, like a ghost blending into the night, instantly disappearing into the shadows of the mountain of cargo containers on the dock. With a few turns, he vanished completely into the dark, dimly lit alleyways leading into the depths of the port area, as if he had never been there.
Kurokawa stared in the direction Zhang Su had disappeared, his heart still pounding.
He rubbed his face vigorously, forcing himself to calm down, and quickly thought of what to say.
The powerful church leader at Sequence 7... the pressure is immense! He must be on his guard.
Time seemed to stretch out, yet also vanish in an instant.
Less than two minutes after Zhang Su's figure disappeared—
call!
A current of air, carrying the scent of the deep sea and a chilling pressure, descended from the sky without warning.
A deep blue figure, like a meteorite, carrying a powerful wind pressure, landed heavily three meters in front of Kurokawa, the wooden dock beneath its feet emitting a dull thud.
The newcomer wore a dark blue priest's robe with silver trim, the hem of which fluttered even without wind. His face was solemn, and his eyes, like the coldest abyss, instantly locked onto Kurokawa and the battered "Black Sea" behind him, which reeked of burnt decay.
It was that middle-aged priest who had come from the Church of the Sea God.
The priest's gaze seemed to pierce through the skin and look straight into the soul. He offered no pleasantries; his deep, authoritative voice cut straight to the point, like an interrogation before judgment:
“Hello, Captain.” The priest’s gaze swept over Kurokawa’s tired and panicked face, finally settling on the charred and corroded marks on the hull behind him. He spoke calmly:
“I am a priest from the Duskcloud Harbor branch of the Church of the Sea God. You can call me ‘Salem.’ Judging from your appearance and this ship… it seems you’ve had an unusual voyage. Can you tell me how your day has been? In these waters, or on your ship…”
He paused slightly, then his voice suddenly became more forceful, carrying a cold determination as if he were purifying filth, "...Did you encounter anything 'unclean'?"
The air solidified at this moment.
Kurokawa could clearly feel the psionic pressure emanating from the other party, as well as the undisguised skepticism in their words.
The interrogation began.
At this moment, the dockworkers who were moving cargo around and the young sailors who were in charge of supervising them all 'tacitly ignored' Kurokawa and the priest.
Their eyes were blinded—this was the effect of the strange object carried by Salem Julingliu 4 Tumor Wife 8, and he did not want to alarm too many people.
Kurokawa's heart pounded in his chest. The psionic pressure of Sequence 7 enveloped him like a tangible sea, making it difficult for him to breathe.
He forcibly suppressed his surging fear, and his instincts, honed from years of dealing with various forces at sea, compelled him to make a choice—faced with absolute power and the authority of the Church, either confronting them head-on or lying would be suicide.
He took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly, and tried to speak clearly: "Honorable Father Salem, hello. My name is Kurokawa Sigri. I am the captain of this ship."
He bowed slightly, adopting an extremely humble posture.
"Your insight is remarkable. Our ships have indeed encountered some problems. On our return voyage, we discovered and salvaged several exceptionally beautiful, alluringly glowing golden-red treasure chests from the sea."
He pointed to the charred marks on the hull behind him. "Not long after we brought it aboard, disaster struck. The hull began to corrode, and the crew... they went mad, became inhuman, incredibly strong, and felt no pain... The pollution on the ship was all caused by that monstrous thing!"
Salem listened quietly, his deep blue eyes revealing no emotion, only nodding slightly to signal him to continue.
This nod only increased Kurokawa's pressure.
"And then?" Salem's voice was calm and even. "As far as I know, the power of a 'Sea of the Deep' Sequence 9 is probably insufficient to deal with an anomaly capable of causing such large-scale pollution and distortion. How did you deal with it?"
He accurately pinpointed Kurokawa's sequence name and rank, just like Zhang Su had done before.
Kurokawa's pupils contracted sharply, his back was soaked with cold sweat, and a chill even greater than when Zhang Su revealed the sequence swept through his body.
In front of Zhang Su, he could at least guess that the other party relied on some kind of extraordinary knowledge or analytical ability.
But in front of this powerful 7th-order church figure, he felt as if he had been stripped naked and thrown onto an autopsy table, with no secrets left to him.
The other party may have even sensed the traces of pollution remaining in his body.
His throat was dry, and he forced himself to speak, his voice even more strained: "You...you're right. I alone really can't fight against that terrifying pollution."
"Fortunately, fortunately there was another superhuman on the ship at the time! He was stronger than me! He was the first to notice the anomaly, and then he joined forces with me. Before the pollution could spread completely out of control, we did our best to barely stop the anomaly and stop its spread of pollution."
Kurokawa deliberately obscured the specific methods of "prevention" and distributed the credit, hoping to reduce Zhang Su's mystique and make it seem that he was not entirely passive.
Salem's brow twitched almost imperceptibly, his deep gaze seemingly piercing through Kurokawa and landing on the dark alleyway where Zhang Su had disappeared.
He nodded slowly again and pressed on, "Where is that person? Where is he now? And where is that unusual object?"
Here comes the most crucial question.
Kurokawa's heart leaped into his throat. He dared not hesitate for a moment and could only answer quickly, half-truthfully, "He's gone. He left immediately after the ship docked. As for that strange object, he took it with him."
At this moment, his expression revealed just the right amount of helplessness and awe. "He is much stronger than me. I cannot stop him from taking whatever he wants, nor do I have the right to stop him. Because if he hadn't intervened, my ship would have sunk long ago."
Salem remained silent for a moment, his gaze slowly sweeping between Kurokawa and the ominous Black Sea, his deep, unfathomable eyes revealing neither belief nor doubt.
Finally, he nodded for the third time, his voice still calm: "I understand. I have heard your statement..."
"However, based solely on your account, I cannot fully ascertain the truth of the matter, nor whether any remaining risks have been completely eliminated. For the sake of the port's safety, and also for your own well-being, Captain Kurokawa, I request that you accompany me to the Church of Poseidon for a discussion, to cooperate with further investigation and the 'purification ritual'."
Although it was called an invitation, Kurokawa knew it was a forced summons and he couldn't refuse.
Once he's at the church, facing more professional interrogation and even possible psychological probing by church staff, how many secrets can he still keep?
"Priest!" Kurokawa cried out urgently, his voice pleading, "Could...could you grant me a little more time? Look at this ship, it's riddled with holes by that wretched thing, I really don't know how much longer it can hold on at the berth! If it sinks, all my cargo will be lost too. That's my entire fortune! Please let me finish unloading first, I promise I'll report to the church immediately afterwards!"
Salem raised his hand slightly to reassure her, "You need not worry about that. The Church of the Sea God will ensure the safety of your ship and cargo."
He had barely finished speaking when the silent command was issued.
Four figures, all dressed in dark blue priestly robes with silver trim and exuding a composed aura, emerged silently from behind several piles of cargo or the shadows of cranes, as if peeled away from the shadows of the dock itself, and quickly stood behind Salem.
Their movements were synchronized and their eyes were sharp, clearly indicating that they were well-trained.
“They will temporarily take over your ship, and the safety of your cargo will be guaranteed by the church.”
Looking at the lingering resentment and anxiety in Kurokawa's eyes, he finally revealed a faint, yet distant, "friendly" smile and offered a condition: "If you can fully cooperate with the church's investigation and prove that you are indeed an innocent victim in this incident and have not concealed anything, the church may consider reducing some of the port taxes and fees for this berth as a small compensation for your losses."
Using both soft and hard tactics, leaving no room for error!
Kurokawa looked at the four silent but powerful church deacons, and then at Salem's seemingly gentle but actually cold face.
He realized completely that he had no room for negotiation. Refuse?
Not only would the ship and cargo be lost, but they themselves would likely be immediately regarded as "pollution suspects" or even "heretics" and arrested.
A deep sense of powerlessness and a resigned weariness welled up inside me.
The struggle and pleading on his face vanished instantly, leaving only a blank acceptance.
He sighed heavily, his shoulders slumped, and his voice was hoarse: "Understood. Thank you for your understanding, Your Excellency and the Church."
He managed to utter those words, then bowed deeply to Salem, "I... am willing to cooperate with the investigation."
“A wise choice.” Salem’s smile deepened slightly, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
He turned to the side, made a "please" gesture, and pointed directly at the towering Neptune Cathedral in the center of the port area.
Kurokawa took one last look at his dilapidated ship, which was being watched by four church deacons as if guarded by a giant beast, and then glanced at the dark alleyway where Zhang Su had disappeared.
Then, he took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with the smells of coal smoke, the sea, and the incense emanating from the church members, and with heavy steps, he headed in the direction Salem had indicated, toward the church.
The lights at the dock stretched his shadow long, conveying a sense of helplessness and desolation.
Salem, like the most patient shepherd, silently followed half a step behind him, his deep blue eyes gleaming sharply in the night.
……
Having escaped the threat of the church's powerful figures, Zhang Su continued walking along the gradually widening, paved streets towards the city center.
The nights in Muyun Harbor are quite different from those in the dock area.
The smells of coal smoke and the stench of the sea were replaced by the rich aromas of baking, cheap perfumes, the stench of horses, and the clamor of the crowd. On both sides of the street, rows of old-fashioned but sturdy stone and wood buildings stood side by side, most of the ground floors of which were brightly lit shops.
A shimmering neon sign, an alchemy shop made of colored glass tubes and inert gas, emitting a soft hum.
The shop window displays a mechanical workshop with brass gears, steam valves, and precision pocket watches.
Restaurants filled with the rich aroma of spices and grilled fish, and taverns blaring loud music and boisterous laughter. Huge kerosene streetlights made of cast iron and glass stretched along the streets.
The dim, yellowish light spread across the damp flagstones, casting long and short shadows of hurried pedestrians, creaking horse-drawn carriages, and the occasional passing public railcar belching white steam. The towering chimneys remained clearly visible against the deep purple night sky, like the breathing holes of a giant beast, continuously spewing thick, gray-black smoke towards the stars.
Zhang Su tightened his expensive dark blue trench coat, feeling the fabric's slight coolness in the night breeze.
This outfit might intimidate thugs at the docks, but in the chaotic city center, it could become a source of trouble—a young man who looks wealthy but is all alone is the perfect prey for lurking in the shadows.
"trouble……"
Zhang Su knew his own limitations. He might be able to hold his own against those strange "abnormalities" with his mysterious cheat ability, but against street thugs wielding sharp weapons and harboring malicious intentions, or low-sequence desperate superhumans, his ordinary body, lacking training and with zero combat experience, had little chance of winning.