Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

After sending the meeting request through the skull- headed messenger, Franca turned on the wireless telegraph transceiver and small analyzer machine.

Click-clack, messages were typed onto paper by the mechanical typewriter one after another,

Franca read for a while before joining the group chat.

"I'm the group's early sleep assistant. Those members who haven't gone to rest yet must pay a fine-only gold accepted!"

As she sent out the telegraph, she recalled life in the dream city.

Group chatting over long distances in the real world is so difficult! Franca felt inexplicably melancholic and nostalgic, suddenly losing the desire to show off her honorific name.

What about Sequence 3? Even Sequence 3 can't solve the problem of real-time long-distance group chat!

If we ultimately survive the apocalypse, I hope the God of Steam and Machinery-no, the God of Electric Power and Information Technology will bring about a new industrial revolution.

I am a Demoness of Unaging, I can wait!

Moon King was the first to reply to Franca: "Look at my nickname-obviously the type who's only active late at night!
"By the way, Hidden Blade, you haven't been online for almost a month. What kind of mission doesn't even leave you time in the evenings?"

"Look at you, not even knowing that secret missions require turning off phones and cutting off all contact with the outside world. You clearly haven't dealt with such things before, 007, am I right?" Franca suspected Moon King was joking with her, but had no proof.

007 replied: "I was also locked away for a while."

Franca immediately perked up. "You... advanced to Sequence 4?"

"Yes, I got the qualification." 007 didn't hide it.

The other group members exploded:

"The demigod?"

"The first Saint among us!"

"Besides Hela and Gandalf, this is the Research Society's third demigod, right?"

"007, didn't you say that even with the qualifications, you'd have to queue and wait for a long time?"

After the rapidly spitting paper slowed down, 007 explained: "I also thought I'd have to wait longer, but recently, the Church not only brought out many stored Sequence 4 and Sequence 3 Beyonder characteristics, but also crushed some Grade 1 Sealed Artifacts. Most candidates who currently qualify and meet all prerequisites have been scheduled for advancement, though some failed.

"This situation makes me suspect major events will occur within the next year or two, which is why the Church is mass 'producing' demigods regardless of consequences and costs."

This matches the speculation about the apocalypse coming early-the Eternal Blazing Sun Church thinks so too? Franca noticed the other group members suddenly fell silent, clearly also thinking about the major crisis, wondering if they would be affected and whether they could handle it.

Franca could tell that 007 probably knew part of why the Eternal Blazing Sun Church was doing this, given that he was now a Saint, but he couldn't say directly and could only hint at it.

"Did you become an Unshadowed?" France changed the subject.

She actually didn't want 007 to continue advancing on the Sun pathway, feeling that the Unshadowed were too pure, and being within the Church, would inevitably become fanatical. If so, the 007 who would complain about her always finding things to keep him too busy to rest might never speak such words again.

This gave Franca the feeling of watching a friend gradually slip away before her eyes.

However, she had never tried to persuade 007, only pointing out the possible changes that becoming an Unshadowed might bring, letting 007 make his own decision with full knowledge.

Everyone's life should be their own to control-she had always believed this.

She was also grateful that when she was hesitating between becoming a War Bishop or advancing to Demoness of Unaging: Lumian and Jenna only presented options without trying to persuade her. Although they probably had their own thoughts and preferences, they never showed them, never manipulated, never pressured. Judge actions, not thoughts-that was very, very good, since everyone inevitably had dark and selfish thoughts, but ultimately not acting on them showed they'd overcome themselves, proving they're not that kind of person.

An Unshadowed might not have dark, selfish thoughts, but I actually hope 007 does... Franca silently sighed.

007 quickly replied to her: "Yes."

Staring at this word on the telegraph paper, Franca let out a long sigh. "Ah…"

007 continued: "Some colleagues have switched to other pathways, and some colleagues not in neighboring pathways have also gained advancement."

At this point, Franca quickly adjusted her mindset.

She kept telling herself, 007 just deliberately hinted and reminded everyone to prepare for major events and disasters, showing he still retains his positive emotions and humanity!

As people age, everyone changes and becomes somewhat different from before, 007 has just changed a bit more, but in terms of friendship, he's still that same 007.

"What major events will happen in the next year or two?" Another telegraph group member Wind Sound pressed.

"I'm not sure," 007 answered concisely.

"Stop asking, stop asking." Franca forcefully inserted herself into the conversation to prevent 007 from being put in a difficult position. "What we can do is take opportunities to improve ourselves and enjoy life in the meantime."

"Hidden Blade, you seem to know something?" Moon King telegraphed.

Franca wasn't bound by secrecy restrictions, but she didn't dare speak too clearly, fearing some group members might become too desperate and turn to extremes.

After careful consideration, she said: "If I tell you that the apocalypse is approaching, but there's hope of surviving if tall figures shield us and everyone is prepared, would you believe me?"

The previously constant incoming telegraphs suddenly stopped.

After a long while, 007 replied: "I believe you."

"Dammit, I'm panicking."

"Great Lord Hidden Blade, introduce me to a Demoness, I'm going all in!"

"Damn, I hope it won't be a case of dying before spending all my money."

"I need to buy land and dig a bunker..."

With 007's endorsement, Wind Sound and others truly believed Franca's words.

Those who could join this telegraph group were either laid-back, good-natured, or decent people. Although they were all quite nervous and worried at the moment, they could still express their inner emotions in rather lively and playful language, with no one particularly depressed or desperate.

Seeing her initial purpose achieved. Franca seized the opportunity to say: "I've actually become a demigod too."

"Now I really believe something big is going to happen."

"Good heavens, Hidden Blade has become a demigod?"

"Still a Demoness, or did you switch to the Hunter pathway?"

"…"

The group members Immediately burst into chatter.

Don't you know to chat! Franca snorted and responded: "Still a Demoness."

"Demoness of Despair?" 007 suddenly inquired.

What does 007 mean? Right, he's already an Unshadowed, a church higher-up, and while Demonesses mainly operate in Intis and the Southern Continent, even if he doesn't know the exact Despair potion formula, he must know ow the corresponding advancement ritual to detect anomalies and stamp out plague outbreaks early... Franca replied with understanding: "Don't worry, I didn't harm any innocent people, and I used a shortcut method."

"Shortcut? Rituals can have shortcuts?" Moon King's words revealed surprise.

Wind Sound sighed: "Hidden Blade, how can you advance so quickly, are you even human anymore? Oh right, not human, half-god half-human..."

Franca considered carefully before saying: "Actually. we transmigrators all possess certain special qualities.

When conditions are met and the pathway is suitable, these qualities manifest, helping us make tremendous progress at certain stages.

"In a sense, we are chosen ones."

Chosen by the Celestial Worthy!

Afraid the group members would become arrogant. she quickly added: "This isn't entirely a good thing."

"What special qualities?" 007, Moon King, and others telegraphed almost simultaneously.

Franca chuckled and typed quickly: "Can't say, if you know, you know. You'll know when you encounter it."

Not giving the group members a chance to ask follow- up questions, she quickly changed the subject: "007, are you still in Trier?"

Now that he was an Unshadowed, an archbishop or senior deacon, he would need to guard a diocese, and the Eternal Blazing Sun Church had sufficient forces in Trier, even with Angels hidden there.

"Still in Trier," 007 replied. "Many of the Saints who advanced this time have stayed in Trier as mobile forces."

Many stayed in Trier? Franca suddenly became alert.

Does the Eternal Blazing Sun Church think Trier is where problems are most likely to erupt?

Franca couldn't help but lower her head to look at the floor.

What she was really looking at was the Fourth Epoch Trier and the special mirror world sealed beneath Trier.

Will the apocalypse's outbreak start from beneath Trier rather than the high-altitude barrier? Franca slightly furrowed her brows as this thought fleshed through her mind.

At this moment, Madame Hela's silver skull-headed messenger returned, letting a paper held between its teeth float down before her.

Franca caught and read it: "Tomorrow morning at ten, Rue Ancienne, Little Dairy Cow Café."

…

Quartier de I`Observatoire, Rue Ancienne.

Franca, who only dared go out after using Lie to lower her looks and suppress her charm, arrived at the Little Dairy Cow Café fifteen minutes early.

She sat by the window, watching with interest as people came and went outside, as bicycles, bionic mechanical devices, and steam robots hurried past.

Soon after, Hela, dressed as a black widow, appeared at the door.

The moment she saw this lady, Franca suddenly had a strange feeling that she walked between darkness and sunlight, death and life.

Hela's complexion had grown slightly paler, the sense of being alive seemingly fainter.

Has Madame Hela advanced again? Indeed, if the Eternal Blazing Sun Church is mass-producing demigods, how could the Evernight Goddess Church not do the same? She switched back to the Death pathway, Sequence 3 Ferryman? Wonder what special abilities come from combining the Darkness and Death pathways... Franca now had very rich mystical knowledge.

"Good morning." She stood up, smiling in greeting.

After Hela replied, she said to the café welter, "A glass of absinthe, and a triple espresso shot."

After they both sat down, Franca fiddled with the veiled hat placed beside her and said with a smile,

"I went to a place recently with skyscrapers, electric cars, mobile phones, and the internet. Unfortunately, it was just a dream."

Madame Hele listened carefully before nodding slightly. "I know you went there."

"Uh Franca was stunned.