As Azik drew out the True Creator's aura from Caesar's body, strange illusions gradually engulfed him.
Feathered serpents soared, and bronze doors opened—these were things he had seen before. But as the illusions deepened, more unfamiliar scenes began to appear.
Countless bizarre creatures: decaying corpses, vengeful spirits, skeletons. A mausoleum built downwards, like an inverted, hollowed-out pyramid. Ancient South Continent people burning with phosphorescent flames, praying in extreme agony towards the tomb.
Just then, the illusory scene abruptly expanded. He saw a battlefield reminiscent of a mythical era. Under a lead-gray sky, flying dragons soared, giant beasts roared, and ordinary humans, like tiny ants, slaughtered each other on a land burning with hellish flames. Occasionally, powerful individuals, though small, could effortlessly kill mountain-sized giants with a raise of their hand!
At the end of that battlefield, a tall black throne stood. A black emperor, as magnificent as a mountain, sat upon it, overlooking everything below. He seemed to sense Caesar's gaze; his eyes turned, and with a heavy pressure, he looked towards Caesar.
"Whoosh—"
The sound of the tide rose at the right moment, and the illusions before him, like mist scattered by a strong wind, vanished in an instant.
"Bang!"
The translucent tentacles resting on Caesar's forehead exploded. The undead creature, resembling both an octopus and a jellyfish, let out a mournful cry and, dragging its broken body, fled into the Door. The bronze Door then creaked shut and disappeared.
Caesar opened his eyes and found that everything around him had returned to normal. Only Azik sat on the sofa with his eyes closed, his brows tightly furrowed, drops of sweat seeping from his temples, as if he had fallen into a deep, ancient nightmare.
Should I wake him up?
While Caesar was struggling with this, Azik slowly opened his eyes, his usually unperturbed, weathered gaze now containing a hint of emptiness.
"No, it's not enough."
He mumbled, constantly rubbing his brow, as if trying to forcibly squeeze out deeply hidden memories. After about half a minute, Azik slowly recovered. He gave a bitter smile, looked up at Caesar, and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It's alright, Mr. Azik, are you okay? I wonder if I was able to help you recover your memories."
Caesar said.
Azik shook his head.
"I recalled many past scenes, but… I still don't understand." He noticed Caesar's hesitant expression and smiled, "However, to achieve this level of effect is already beyond my imagination. I will pay the reward as agreed."
"So, what do you need? Or what problem do you need my help with?"
He's directly asking what I lack?
Amazing, as expected of a high-Sequence Beyonder, his words are so generous!
Caesar gasped, admiring him.
But then again, what do I lack now?
Caesar lowered his head to ponder.
Rather than what I lack, it's more about what I need to solve.
Since his transmigration, he had always had a lot of trouble. Aside from those already resolved, the pressing issues now could roughly be divided into short-term and long-term.
There were two short-term problems. One was the unsolved human trafficking case, and the hidden enemy might be unfavorable to him; the other was what Azik had told him: he and Klein both had a strange sense of 'destiny disharmony,' seemingly related to a house with a red chimney.
There were also two long-term problems. The first was the issue of his Pathway being unable to advance; the damned True Creator's influence on low-Sequence Beyonders was too great, and becoming a Listener would turn him into a fanatic who blindly believed in Him. The second was Lanevus; that guy had suffered terribly because of him and must hate him intensely. Until he was eliminated, the opponent would always be a hidden danger.
Among these, Lanevus and the human trafficking case could be temporarily ignored. Both were already on the Nighthawks' investigation list, and the Goddess Church would naturally send people to handle them, so Caesar, as an ordinary Nighthawk, didn't need to worry.
As for the remaining two, they concerned his own well-being. Regarding the red chimney, Klein was already investigating it. His relationship with Azik was better, so it was more convenient and appropriate for him to ask Azik.
After this analysis, the answer was simple—ask Azik how to advance to Sequence 8 while avoiding the True Creator's influence.
Having clarified his question, Caesar looked at Azik, who was calmly waiting.
"Mr. Azik, do you understand my Sequence?"
"Secrets Suppliant? I suppose I know a little."
"The lower levels of my Pathway are easily influenced by the top of the Sequence. When advancing to Sequence 8…" Caesar explained his situation, and after Azik digested it for a moment, he continued, "Please, Mr. Azik, do you have any method to prevent me from being mentally controlled by the True Creator?"
Azik held his cigar, thought in silence for a while, then slowly nodded.
"There is one, but the risk is very high."
There really is one?
Caesar's heart rejoiced, and he quickly asked, "What is it?"
"Skip Sequence 8 directly and forcibly advance to Sequence 7. This requires you to simultaneously consume both the Sequence 8 and Sequence 7 Beyonder characteristics."
"...Huh?"
Caesar was stunned.
The method Mr. Azik suggested was unexpectedly radical.
"This, can this be achieved?"
"Although extremely dangerous, if there's a high-Sequence Beyonder assisting, it's not impossible. However, my current state isn't too good, so I need you to wait for me to improve for a while. Also, you don't have the corresponding Beyonder characteristic formula and materials yet, do you?"
"That's right."
"Mr. Azik, how much confidence do you have in this method?"Caesar asked.
"Not much. If you consume both potions simultaneously, it will likely result in an explosion, a loss of control, or rapid self-destruction. You could describe it as a 'painful way to suicide.' But if I help you, the chances will be much better."
Are you kidding me? Caesar thought. You're just giving me a hundred different ways to suicide horribly.
But he only had this idea now, but the Beyonder characteristic formula corresponding to Listener was still unknown. Obtaining the formula, verifying its authenticity, and then spending money to buy the materials would be fraught with difficulties. Looking at it this way, even if he ignored the True Creator's influence and advanced directly, it wouldn't be an easy matter.
"By the way, Mr. Azik, I have another idea. What do you think?"
He explained his theory to Azik—that is, the method of switching the Listening target from the True Creator to the Evernight Goddess.
To his surprise, Azik slowly nodded after Listening.
"Theoretically, yes, but…"
But, always 'but.' How many good things in the world are ruined by that word?
Azik continued, "Only the True Creator actively spreads whispers to make his believers Listen. If you want to switch your Listening target to the Goddess, you first need the Goddess to actively broadcast her gospel into your ear—such special treatment from a deity is too luxurious. Perhaps only high-ranking members of the Church or the Goddess's favored ones would have such an opportunity."
Favored ones, huh? I'm certainly not one; I don't even count as a believer.
Caesar finished Listening and gave an awkward smile. Indeed, why would a dignified True God cooperate with a small fry like him, a Sequence 8, to digest a Beyonder characteristic for no reason?
But this meant his advancement problem was temporarily unsolvable.
So what should he ask Azik for?
*******************************
I just realized I left out Chapter 47 — my bad!
It's actually kind of surprising that none of you noticed it earlier and pointed it out.