Free Web NovelAfter the meeting concluded and the projection screens displaying the various Spiritual Energy organization leaders went dark, the lights in the conference room came on.
After dismissing the two scribes, the four Night Watch Guardians sat around the circular conference table.
“Senior and Nameless Book, you both acted very well!” Lord Bing was the first to speak. “However, I am still very curious, how does Senior plan to deal with the Calamity? Does he really intend to personally intervene?”
“...” Zhang Huainan opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he heard Lord Huaiyuan next to him let out a wail, which startled him, and the words he was about to say were forcefully swallowed back.
“Huh? What? Was that an act just now? I thought the Old man was really angry!” Lord Huaiyuan said.
Lord Bing glanced sideways at Lord Huaiyuan, rolled his eyes, and said, “This kind of thing is too complicated to explain to you. Just listen obediently and don’t interrupt!”
Although Black Emperor and Nameless [N O V E L I G H T] Book acted very naturally, the timing of Black Emperor's appearance and his back-and-forth with Nameless Book still contained a bit of acting.
Of course, even if others saw through it, they wouldn't expose it as directly as Lord Bing.
Zhang Huainan looked at Lord Huaiyuan, then at Lord Bing, a benevolent smile appearing on his face. “What do you mean by ‘deal with’... This matter isn’t as complicated as Lord Bing thought! I promised them to make the Calamity disappear, so wouldn’t it be enough if the Calamity just didn’t appear anymore?”
He paused, then added, “Have you ever heard that in ancient times, in places where rivers often flooded, people would often sacrifice cattle, sheep, or even women to the so-called River God in exchange for peace?”
A hint of confusion appeared in Lord Bing's eyes, but he still nodded.
“That’s right, that terrifying and cruel ritual has evolved to the present day. The cattle, sheep, and women used for sacrifice have long been replaced by scarecrows made of straw or paper figures, along with simple Spells drawn by some low-level Psychic from the area. It’s easy to muddle through...”
“Coincidentally, I had an epiphany some time ago and gained a new Spell that can be used for this purpose.”
Although Lu Yibei's method of tampering with code f's authority cognition still seems somewhat peculiar and strange to many involved parties, Zhang Huainan did not intend to delve into it, simply attributing everything to his “omnipotent” Senior Brother Qingji.
However, not intending to delve into the reason does not mean not studying the principle.
As one of the Guardians of the sealed Pink Fluffy Rabbit, Zhang Huainan recently spent a lot of time researching the principle behind the Pink Fluffy Rabbit's tampered authority cognition.
People get old, you know, they always like to find something to do. Staying still for too long isn't good for your health!
Although limited by his authority, Zhang Huainan has not yet mastered the means to tamper with authority cognition. However, by glimpsing some superficial knowledge, combined with methods for creating puppets, substitute Spells, or Spiritual Energy items passed down in folklore and various ancient texts, he has indeed researched some new things that can influence cognition.
This kind of thing is not difficult for Qingji's “genius junior brother,” one of the strongest Psychic in the world, and the head of Da Chunyang Palace, Zhang Huainan.
Just like the Spell he is about to use on the Calamity... or more accurately, on the puppet representing the Calamity. Under the influence of that Spell, as long as others learn that the Calamity has disappeared through any means, they will subconsciously forget the Calamity, unless an event related to the Calamity causes a strong impact on them again.
From a certain perspective, this is like deceiving the River God with a scarecrow drawn with simple Spells.
Just fool them for now!
Even if that Lu Yibei causes more trouble in the future and people remember him, it doesn't matter.
Zhang Huainan had already prepared an excuse.
What's so strange about a urban legend, suspected of being a world-destroying factor, successfully escaping the Night Watch Guardians' pursuit through some method?
Black Emperor is not omnipotent.
Besides, if Black Emperor can't do it, then you do it if you can! fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
“But...” Lord Huaiyuan, who finally understood what was going on, looked at Zhang Huainan and said, “If you do this, won’t some people still act in secret?”
“Hmph!” Lord Bing snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s just a formality to shut up most people. Anyway, those more extreme guys will never give up, no matter what the Night Watch does.”
This kind of thing is like the Yumen Pass incident. Even if the Night Watch provided a solution, some Spiritual Energy organizations would still not approve and would act in secret. If you tell them the Calamity is gone, they won't believe it.
They won't accept it without seeing the corpse; even after burial, they'll dig up the grave and take the bones back for a complete series of tests before they reluctantly give up.
“Exactly.” Nameless Book nodded. “This is all the Night Watch can do. That guy already possesses Calamity-level power. If she can't even handle these remaining troubles herself, she might as well... Oh, by the way!”
Mid-sentence, she looked at Zhang Huainan and asked, “Didn’t you ever think of hiding her?”
“Hehe.” Zhang Huainan smiled without speaking, looking as if he had “his own arrangements.”
————
This is the old district of Free City. Unlike the Southeast rich district, this area was once a district established by a group of nobles during the European immigration period, so many traditional European-style manors were built here. freēwebnovel.com
Later, due to the city's planning tilt and the more superior geographical location of the Southeast, the rich district gradually moved from here to the Southeast.
By now, few of the descendants of those former nobles are willing to continue living here. Most of the old manors left behind are uninhabited, with 'for sale' signs hanging high, prices dropping again and again, yet few people buy them.
Coupled with the gradually lengthening nights and the surge in the number of urban legend, this once prosperous manor area became even more deserted.
Shootings, murders, urban legend attacks... various malicious incidents are happening almost every moment in this area.
If Free City is a city abandoned by the Black Night Alliance, then this manor district is an area abandoned by Free City.
This makes Arthur Constantine, who lives here, seem like an anomaly.
Arthur Constantine is a resounding name in Free City. He once served as a Mafia boss, was a terrifyingly successful lone urban legend hunter, and even held a position as a history Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Some even based several monster hunter films on him.
Of course, that self-proclaimed film investor also received punishment from the short-tempered Constantine, losing his nasal bone and three finger bones.
For someone like him, at the age when he should be retired, he should theoretically have enough capital to move to a place with a better environment, but he remained here, associating with urban legend all day long.
“Screech—!”
The old taxi stopped outside Constantine's manor, its brakes wailing.
A tall man with a smile on his face got out of the back seat of the taxi, stretched, and was about to walk forward when he heard a voice from inside the taxi behind him.
“Don’t forget, you only have two hours...” said the taxi driver, whose face was covered in dark circles, looking as if he could die from overwork at any moment.
“Don’t worry!” the man said. “I’m just going to say a few words to my dear Old friend. Two hours isn’t necessary, even twenty minutes would be enough... Oh, look, he’s here!”
Following the direction the man pointed, an Old man leaning on a cane, wearing a deep purple bathrobe, trembling with every step, and looking as if he would die if the wind blew, entered their view.
It was hard to imagine that this was the rumored Arthur Constantine, and he was less than sixty years old this year.
For a normal Calamity-level Psychic, this should be their prime.
Constantine walked towards the man with a grim face, asking in a deep voice, “You’re not dead yet?”
“Almost...” The man spread his hands, smiling wryly. “Just half-dead, and even coming to see my dear Old friend, someone is watching me! It’s like... medical parole? Something like that.”
Hearing this, Constantine looked at the taxi driver, then at the man in front of him, and got straight to the point, “What do you want from me?”
“Nothing major,” the man chuckled. “I just heard that there’s going to be big trouble here recently, and my child might appear here soon. I just want to ask for a small favor.”
“You want me to protect him?” Constantine frowned.
“No, no!” The man shook his head. “I just want you to... help him have fun!”
Constantine, “...”
