Chapter 824: Conflict

It comes from a curly-haired baboon... Audrey was momentarily

unsure if Mr. World was referring to a real curly-haired baboon or

someone who couldn't be considered human.

In the Loen Kingdom, curly-haired baboons were a common term used to

mock others, often used as a joke for low intelligence.

*From the looks of it, Mr. World doesn't wish to provide any further

explanation. Alright then, I'll just treat its origins as that of a real

curly-haired baboon...* Audrey didn't ask further as she said,

"Didn't I visit a place that had the tradition of worshiping dragons

while seeking out the traces of a mind dragon?"

"But didn't you discover that the mind dragon lived in the sea of

collective subconscious in the local residents? And to ensure your

safety, you chose to leave?" Cattleya replied.

"You went back?" Fors asked with a guess.

Audrey shook her head.

"No, I've long left the area. I've only heard of a rumor recently.

"An archaeological team entered one of the villages in that area. A

member suddenly went mad at night, and the mental illness seemed

contagious. The other members went mad in turn as they killed each other

or themselves. Eventually, not a single member survived."

Alger was just about to say something when Cattleya said, "This matches

the traits of a mind dragon."

"I have no doubts about that. I'm just curious if the mind dragon will

remain in that region," Audrey expressed her thoughts.

"No," Alger and Cattleya replied in unison.

Sitting at the long mottled table, The Fool Klein made a connection to

something else.

The "anchor" of the deities!

He suspected that the region's tradition of dragon worship was an

"anchor" to stabilize the mind dragon's state!

*Before such traditions ceased its practice, that mind dragon likely

doesn't need to worry about the problem of an "anchor." Therefore, after

it leaves, it can hide in a new region's sea of collective subconscious.

It doesn't need to take risks to enter the different dreams to create

faith. This way, the three Churches will lack clues to finding it. After

all, they aren't experts in this domain. Even with the corresponding

Sealed Artifacts, they will, at best, only be capable of entering the

sea of collective subconscious or force the mind dragon out... Instead,

the Psychology Alchemists might be able to figure something

out...* As Klein thought casually, he made The World say, "The

tradition of dragon worship is very beneficial in stabilizing the mind

dragon's condition. You can get people to take note of such matters. If

large-scale changes occur, then it means that the mind dragon is

creating similar traditions in other places."

He originally wanted to mention that he suspected the mind dragon to be

an angel, one at Sequence 2, but on careful thought, he found it

impossible to determine that.

Indeed, when humans reach Sequence 2 and reach the level of an angel,

they will need the "anchor of faith" to secure themselves to prevent

themselves from going mad. But that is a dragon in the true sense of the

word, an ancient Beyonder creature. It has the madness inherited from

its ancestors, and even if it's cleansed and weakened every generation,

it's definitely easier for it to lose itself compared to humans.

Therefore, it might be a Sequence 3, or even a Sequence 4 that needs an

"anchor" to resist its inclination of losing control.

"That folk tradition is beneficial in stabilizing the dragon's

condition?" Audrey asked in doubt and puzzlement.

"Yes." The World didn't give an explanation aside from providing an

affirmative response.

Audrey subconsciously turned her head to look at the other end of the

long bronze table. She began considering if she needed to consult Mr.

Fool and pay the corresponding price.

Upon seeing this, The Fool Klein surveyed the area and said with a

chuckle, "Why do you think the various deities want to spread their

faith?"

This... Isn't it because God loves the world so much... This

standard and orthodox answer surfaced in Audrey's mind.

Following that, she, Alger, Cattleya, and the other members thought of

the second answer.

"Stabilization of one's condition!"

No way... At that moment, Fors found her brain lacking. No

matter how good she was at coming up with stories, there was no way she

could come up with something like that!

*To think that's the case. No, I can't eliminate the possibility that

Mr. Fool is only mentioning one of the possible reasons. "He" is

secretly eroding away the Lord of Storms's authority... This is related

to godhood? I should consult Her Majesty about this in the

future...* Cattleya nudged the heavy glasses on her nose bridge

as she made a guess.

Alger had previously seen the picture, and when he heard such matters,

he no longer had that trembling sense of paralyzing fear. Instead, he

began seriously considering why faith could stabilize the conditions of

a demigod creature.

The other members, including Derrick, felt a little horrified. They felt

that what they had heard was sacrilegious. They didn't dare think too

deeply about it or say a word.

This wasn't something that only involved the evil gods like the True

Creator. It had an intimate connection to the seven orthodox deities and

the existence of the City of Silver Creator!

The Fool Klein didn't say anything further as he allowed them to

maintain their silence while he appeared extremely relaxed.

After about ten seconds, Audrey forced a smile and said, "That's all

I've encountered recently."

What she meant was that that was all from her, and it was the others'

turn!

Fors and Emlyn had nothing they encountered that was worth informing to

the others. They shook their heads, indicating that they had nothing to

say.

Of course, the latter actually wished to flaunt his victory of the

hunting competition that won him the ring made by the Ancestor.

Alger thought for a moment and looked at Gehrman Sparrow.

"Can that picture be shared with everyone?"

He believed that the picture was directly connected with certain matters

that happened in Afternoon Town and the Giant King's Court. It gave The

Sun some prior knowledge of what would be discovered or encountered if

the City of Silver were to continue exploring. From that, he would be

prepared ahead of time, allowing him to avoid danger. And it was because

of this that sharing was a better choice than keeping it to himself.

"I don't mind." Klein had similar considerations as he made The World

reply.

*What picture... It seems to be very important... This is a picture Mr.

Hanged Man and Mr. World saw during their partnership in finding the

Tyrant card?* Audrey waited in curiosity.

Gazes were cast over as Alger obtained Mr. Fool's approval as he

conjured the picture of the City of Silver Creator being eaten by the

Kings of Angels.

The bloody, sinister, terrifying, and dark picture instantly left the

Tarot Club members stunned. Even the knowledgeable Cattleya momentarily

lost her ability to think.

*Who are they? What are they doing? This is way too brutal a meal,

right? Us Sanguine no longer do such things ever since the Fourth

Epoch... We respect life and only drink blood...* Emlyn was

quite stunned by what he saw. As he had never seen the six statues in

the Tudor ruin, he was unable to recognize the three figures.

Back when The World shared the images of the six statues, he had yet to

join the Tarot Club.

However, he recognized the victim from the resplendent cross. "He" was

likely, perhaps, probably the Creator of the City of Silver, the

legendary ancient sun god. In a previous free exchange segment, The Sun

had shared with them the corresponding symbols and Sacred Emblem of the

Lord that created everything.

*I-isn't this the Eternal Blazing Sun, the Lord of Storms, and the God

of Knowledge and Wisdom who Mr. World once presented? Why are "They"

eating a human. No, "They" are feasting on the ancient sun god, the

Creator of the City of Silver!* Audrey was dumbstruck as she

instinctively suspected if someone had distorted or blasphemed the

images of the orthodox deities.

As Fors trembled in fear, she found the picture that was filled with

darkness and evilness to have a form of aesthetics and was of high

artistic value.

In her mind, she had already come up with a title, a title for the

picture: "The Last Supper!"

Cattleya had never seen the six deities' statues before, and she only

knew the ancient sun god. She subconsciously frowned and blurted out,

"Kings of Angels?"

"Yes, at least the three present were," Alger said without any doubts.

However, he wasn't sure who the dark infant inside the City of Silver

Creator was.

As he spoke, Alger glanced at Derrick and noticed that the youth's eyes

were glazed over; his thoughts a mystery.

At this moment, Derrick's mind was filled with misery and despair.

He believed that the one being eaten was the Creator which the City of

Silver believed in. He had also recognized the surrounding three to be

the Eternal Blazing Sun, the Lord of Storms, and the God of Knowledge

and Wisdom!

This made him suspect the term "Forsaken Land of God."

In the various tomes in the City of Silver, they emphasized that God had

forsaken the land due to certain reasons. It made them turn into the

People of the Dark; therefore, as long as everyone repented from the

bottom of their hearts and pleaded for forgiveness, the day would come

when God would truly return to illuminate the entire world with

sunlight.

*That's not right, no amount of repentance or seeking forgiveness can

redeem the City of Silver... Derrick muttered inwardly. That's

because God is dead. Eaten and never to return...*

This meant that the City of Silver's miserable pursuits and hope were

only a mirage, one that would never be fulfilled.

After a long silence, Audrey said, trying to convince herself, "This is

a distortion of the legend of how those three gods were born from the

soul of the Creator?"

Three gods? Cattleya's and Emlyn's eyes constricted at the

same time, having figured out the general meaning of the picture. They

knew what alarming matter it represented.

"Perhaps, but there's no way to explain that infant," Alger replied.

He silently glanced at Mr. Fool, and he realized that this impressive

existence had no intention of speaking. All "He" did was watch silently.

With Audrey silent, the remaining members of the Tarot Club didn't say a

word either.

This silence continued until Alger dispersed the picture and turned to

ask Derrick, "Have you investigated the matter regarding your former

Chief's mausoleum?"