novel-bin Chapter 540 [Revised] Level 0 Sealed Artifact
Chapter 540 [Revised] Level 0 Sealed Artifact
Chapter 540 [Revised] Level 0 Sealed Artifact
"call!"
A chilling wind howled in, and just as Lu Ze was about to retaliate, he suddenly realized the source of the wind—it was a slip of paper, secretly passed over and carried by the airflow into his hand.
Bernadette's messenger remained hidden as always, not revealing himself to Luzer.
Lu Ze unfolded the note and looked down. The handwriting was delicate, but slightly messy. It was as if the Queen had written these words in such a hurry that she hadn't even had time to put them in an envelope.
There are only a few short sentences on it:
Intis and the Church of the Eternal Sun are searching for the "Black Throne," but their source of information is currently unknown.
Be extra careful. According to my intelligence, the Eternal Sun Church has dispatched a Sequence 3 member, who is also carrying a Level 0 sealed artifact.
A level 0 sealed artifact?!
After reading the note, Lu Ze's expression changed slightly.
The term "Sealed Artifact" is the official name used by the Northern Continent's Orthodox Church for extraordinary items. Based on their level of danger, they are categorized into four levels: 0, 1, 2, and 3. However, sealed artifacts of levels 2 and 3 are not interchangeable; each church assigns them their own designations.
For example, the title 2-11 has different meanings in the Church of the Night and the Church of the Storm, each representing an extraordinary item possessed by their respective churches.
This rule does not apply to level 0 and level 1 sealed artifacts.
Because of its powerful effects and potentially devastating consequences, the seven major churches reached a consensus. They agreed to share this intelligence to a certain extent, informing each other of what they possessed; therefore, the codenames for Level 0 and Level 1 sealed artifacts would not be duplicated.
Among these, the effects of Level 0 Sealed Artifacts are particularly terrifying. Ince Zangwill, the traitor to the Church of the Night who deserved to be killed a thousand times, used Sealed Artifact 0-08 to guide the story of a city to unfold according to his will.
Now, Lu Ze is facing a Level 0 sealed artifact whose specific abilities and effects are still unclear, and the level of danger involved is self-evident.
"What a pleasant surprise..."
He whispered, and a dark shadow surged in his palm. The note quickly corroded and decomposed until it disappeared.
On the other side of Arouca, inside the residence of the local governor.
"Your Excellency the Archbishop."
A priest, carrying a roll of parchment high above his head, respectfully entered the room. The room was very simple, lacking the gold decorations common in the Church of the Sun, containing only an ordinary single bed, table, and chairs... simple to the point of being somewhat rudimentary.
The only redeeming feature of this room is its floor-to-ceiling window. The governor's residence is situated at the highest point on Arouca, and this window faces the sunlit sea, allowing the sun's intense rays to flood the entire room.
The Archbishop of the Church of the Eternal Sun, Jean-Pierre, stood in the center of the ground, raising his hands in a gesture of praise to the sunlight.
He looked very old, with deep wrinkles on his face, and wore a long white robe, bathed in golden light. In this light, he appeared pure and dignified, as if his entire being had become clear and transparent, merging with the sunlight.
"How is it?"
The archbishop slowly withdrew his arm and asked calmly.
He turned to look at the priest, whose aged face revealed a pair of icy blue eyes that were both incredibly pure and majestic. His eyes seemed to possess a soul-stirring magic, representing absolute justice and authority.
"We have a complete grasp of that ship's trajectory."
The priest said, and went over to present the scroll of parchment.
Jean-Pierre picked it up, glanced at it briefly, and then handed it back to the other person.
"Give it to Major General François and tell him to take action tomorrow."
He said.
"No need to hand it over."
A laughing voice followed, and a young military officer with fiery red hair appeared outside the door.
He stepped into the room, taking the parchment from the priest's hand as he went. "But must we be in such a hurry? Why not observe it for a few more days, thoroughly confirming its trajectory before taking action?"
As the leader of this navy, he naturally had a deeper need for intelligence.
Pierre shook his head slightly.
"I heard the Lord's revelation."
He murmured softly, "Today's sunshine should shine on today's blooming flowers; justice that comes late cannot redeem yesterday's injustices."
The priest beside him bowed down excitedly, listening to the archbishop's sermon.
"That ship is a remnant of the imperial era, a symbol of Roselle's corrupt rule. He ruled the country with authoritarianism and enslaved the believers of the Lord with violence. He is a heretic, an enemy of the Lord!"
Golden light swirled around Pierre, making him appear righteous and inviolable. Even though his words were extremely extreme, they were the principles he believed in, his ideal of "justice."
His justice is simple yet twisted: a vehement resistance to Russell.
"...Yes, Your Excellency, I understand."
A strange expression appeared on François's face. It seemed that his hunter's instincts were urging him to make a sarcastic remark, but his survival instincts were controlling the impulse. His lips twitched suddenly. "You are the person in charge. Since you have made the decision, I will naturally obey."
As for what he was really thinking, that remains unknown.
After making a few adjustments, Lu Ze went down to the first floor of the hotel.
He needs to gather more intelligence to determine his next course of action.
The front desk is no longer as crowded as before. Those who can afford it have already checked in, while those who can't probably went elsewhere. Now, the busiest place is the restaurant and bar on the other side. Because of the sea closure, the fishermen who were supposed to go out to sea can only gather together in broad daylight to drink and chat.
"Have you heard?"
A drunken fisherman said, "Those sailors and church people came here to find that ghost ship."
"My neighbor, old Connie, saw that ship when he was young, and he was called in for questioning a few days ago..."
Others chimed in.
The Misty Sea is filled with thick fog, and people have a natural fear of what lies in the unseen depths. Strange tales are not uncommon here.
For example, rumors such as "someone has salvaged some Newinian-style artifacts again", "a ship was spending the night at sea when it heard strange noises coming from the fog, and the next morning it found that the night watchman was just a skeleton", and "a fleet was being chased by an unknown monster; of the fifteen ships that went out, only two returned".
This, of course, includes "ghost ships".
According to local legend, those who set sail from here occasionally brush past an ancient, black ship deep in the mist. The islanders call that mysterious vessel the "ghost ship."
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