Aunt Fei and Xueyin were already asleep in the early morning. In the Underground City, Aunt Fei was always alert, waking up to the slightest noise at night, and at first, she even kept a knife under her pillow. She had to put on a brave face during the day.
Li Xin knew that when she first arrived in the city, she couldn't sleep because it was too quiet. But as the days became more stable, it got much better for her.
Li Xin shut the door tightly. Since responding to the Twelve Zodiac Star Disc's summons, it was like opening Pandora's Box. The dice had become increasingly active. There was a connection between Divine Relics and these kinds of Divine Artifacts, or perhaps the dice had some inherent relationship with the Star Disc. Regardless, going to the Holy Land to find a solution was the only way at present.
He cleared a spot and took out a delicate silver box. The surface of the box bore the Moon God Church's patterns. Inside was a red, smooth ointment that looked quite appetizing. It sold for two hundred Lira on the market, and such a box wouldn't last many uses.
Spirit Ointment is one of the essential materials for Spiritual Ability Users. It can be utilized in certain arrays and abilities and can also be used for marking. The Night Patrol, Canon Law School, and even the Church may regularly need it. It's a controlled item outside of official circles, requiring black market channels to acquire it, with the price sometimes doubling. Additionally, there's the risk of buying counterfeit goods.
The Night Patrol offers an internal purchase discount of twenty percent, but all transactions must be reported to prevent reselling. As long as the quantities aren't excessive, it's usually not monitored. This particular box was a newcomer benefit, so no money was spent.
Should he use it or not?
The original plan for today was to enter the Holy Land, at least to address the Divine Relic issue. But after hearing Aunt Fei, Li Xin also felt something was off.
Luo Jin was the captain of the Night Patrol, a person with absolute power. Having survived in this position for over a decade, his strength and foresight wouldn't be ordinary. Was it possible he knew about the Divine Relic Li Xin had?
This wasn't just about awakening Spiritual Ability. Divine Relics don't appear out of nowhere; there's always a backstory. And surely, the Night Patrol has investigated his background. All records started from when Aunt Fei picked him up. But what about before then?
This Moon God Medal...
Li Xin took it out again. Could the Moon God Medal have other functions?
He now had two choices: use the dice's ability to predict whether entering the Holy Land would be beneficial, or to predict if he should have a frank talk with Luo Jin.
With his current control over the dice, he could only predict one at a time, including the possibility of rolling a void state. He hadn't dared to use it a second time forcibly, as his intuition told him it wouldn't end well.
Li Xin chose the latter. Entering the Holy Land wasn't yet urgent. Gaining Luo Jin's support could significantly impact his current life, not only for himself but also for Aunt Fei and Xueyin.
"Confessing to Luo Jin seems beneficial."
Li Xin tossed the dice, and it spun in midair, soon landing on eight.
This was an effective determination, indicating a high probability of benefit from being honest with Luo Jin.
This was also Li Xin's judgement. From observing and gathering insights from those around, Luo Jin's personality and character were widely praised. How flawed could a dedicated and solitary person be?
Luo Jin was undoubtedly optimistic about him. There was no doubt, especially from this week's clues, and especially from Ou Ge's hesitant words, indicating it only lacked a final push, which the dice roll confirmed.
The only thing left was how to get through tonight and the next day.
No sooner had he laid in bed than a severe headache struck him, the kind that could tear him apart. It came with intense nausea and dizziness, but curiously, his mind and body were very clear, almost as if his senses were heightened.
The pain had nothing to do with willpower; no amount of mental fortitude could stop it from hurting. All he could do was control himself not to make any noise, as cold sweat began to drip from his forehead uncontrollably. This inward pain was torturous, especially since he couldn't make a sound.
At that moment, the patterns on the Moon God Medal suddenly flashed, followed by a gentle red glow, spreading out and gradually enveloping Li Xin. Under its red luminescence, the severe headache was alleviated. While not fully disappearing, it brought a numbing sensation, like taking a painkiller, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief like a drowning man taking a gulp of air.
Unconsciously, Li Xin fell asleep.
He slept until the sun was high in the sky and woke up to find that his body felt surprisingly normal. It was all thanks to this unique Moon God Medal.
It seemed he needed to have a chat with Old Luo when he went to work on Monday. It would be funny to suggest that he hadn't noticed anything Divine about Li Xin. It's no wonder everyone at the Round Table Conference was so unfazed by the side effects of Divine Relics. Everyone probably had their methods for dealing with them. After all, any power's use follows certain rules, and any issue would have a solution.
With this thought, Li Xin felt quite composed, having spent a pleasant weekend with Aunt Fei and Xueyin.
Early Monday morning, Li Xin arrived at the Night Patrol and prepared his preliminary work. When he arrived at the captain's office, he found that Luo Jin hadn't returned home; he had spent the night there. Li Xin was just about to leave quietly.
"You're here early." Luo Jin was already awake.
"Haha, Uncle Luo, working overtime again? Take care of your health. Work is never-ending. I'm young and can share some of the load." Li Xin said.
Luo Jin sat up, stretching his body. He was long accustomed to the Night Patrol's work, no matter the danger or difficulty. At his core, he found a sort of enjoyment in it. This was his passion and the career he fought for.
Such a person was a natural workaholic. No matter how uncomfortable his body felt, his spirit was elated. If he were idle, he would feel uneasy. Yet, the affairs at the Canon Law School were even harder to adjust to than he anticipated. Being out of his element made him feel stifled.
Rationally, he knew: the Night Patrol's status couldn't compare to the Canon Law School's, which had endless prospects. It was at the Chief Bishop's insistence, given Luo Jin's perseverance, that he got such an opportunity. This wasn't about whether he wanted to do it; he had to do it well. Otherwise, it would not only be a failure for the Chief Bishop but also worsen the Moon God Church's standing at the Canon Law School. A lack of faith was a major failing for the Church.
"How have you been adapting to the Night Patrol's work lately?" Luo Jin asked.
"I'm either drinking tea or reading the newspaper all day. Everyone treats me well, but I feel like I'm not here to work—more like I'm here to retire." Li Xin said helplessly.
Luo Jin couldn't help but laugh. "That's something others can only dream about."
Li Xin paused. "Uncle Luo, there's something I need to be honest about and seek your advice on. I have some circumstances, having unexpectedly contained a Divine Relic. I've barely managed to control it. In the past, even if there were risks, I'd go to the forest alone to alleviate the negative impacts before returning to the Underground City. But here at the Night Patrol, I worry it might affect others."