Chapter 87: The Heart of a Demoness
Because Lu Ze had received a bestowal from the Hidden Sage, he immediately felt a surge of confidence.
The intense, tearing pain in his head was gradually fading. Sitting on a chair in the guard room, he pondered to himself.
Ms. M doesn't have a cheat like mine. If she were to be bombarded by the Hidden Sage, she definitely wouldn't be able to bear it. However, she had previously gone through the "Listener" stage, so she's definitely stronger than an ordinary Beyonder when it comes to the impact of an evil god. But even so, that charm could still greatly affect her and significantly reduce her strength.
He lowered his head and looked at the ring again.
Ms. M didn't seem to be able to detect this item, just as she hadn't noticed he had left surveillance earlier.
Lu Ze recalled that the Church of the Evernight's holy scripture, "The Revelation of Night," recorded that the Goddess controlled the authority of concealment. This was probably why Ms. M couldn't detect these things.
It's a pity the Goddess isn't willing to help me too much; I still have to seek the Hidden Sage's help.
Thinking of this, Lu Ze recalled the second useful piece of knowledge the Hidden Sage had bestowed upon him—knowledge that could spare Cecilia from the curse of flesh and blood. It was a method for creating an item to bear the curse in her stead.
Since it couldn't be written on paper, Lu Ze could only commit it to memory:
Life Form in a Bottle.
Effect: Becomes a substitute for the user, capable of bearing curses, interfering with divinations, acting as a sacrifice, etc.
Materials: Various herbs, the user's fresh blood, and a Demoness's heart.
Demoness?
Recalling this, Lu Ze's brows furrowed involuntarily.
The previous materials were all relatively simple; herbs could be bought among ritual items, and while making Cecilia bleed was a bit sad, it was tolerable for the sake of survival. But what exactly is this Demoness?
Wait, I think I've seen this in some files.
Lu Ze recalled a few things.
Hmm, there's an organization called the "Demoness Sect," which was mentioned in some files related to Theosophy Order.
When investigating the human trafficking case, Lu Ze was stabbed by a Beyonder suspected to be from the Assassin Pathway. He then looked up relevant information about them within the Nighthawks. It stated that some Beyonders from the Assassin Pathway came from Theosophy Order, a bloody and extreme organization. And this organization was suspected to be linked to the "Demoness Sect."
However, he hadn't found any specific information about the Demoness Sect at that time.
I must quickly find information about this sect. Tomorrow, when I go to work, I'll check the archives, and I can also ask the Captain. Also, following the human trafficking case might lead to a Demoness, but unfortunately, they are currently in hiding.
Lu Ze thought to himself.
But how could he find a Demoness and obtain materials from her without Ms. M suspecting anything? He could try to link the Demoness Sect to the Nighthawks, making it an official duty. Then, he could claim the Demoness's heart was a ritual material and keep it?
In the quiet, deserted underground space, under the gaslight, Lu Ze continuously pondered, constructing various plans in his mind. He felt no drowsiness and stayed there until dawn.
Just after six o'clock, the Nighthawks resting in the upstairs lounge came down to relieve him.
"Good morning, Lu Ze. The Sun has just risen."
The Sleepless, Cohen Lee, emerged from the corridor, walked up to him, and said with a kind smile, "This is your first time on duty, right? How was it? Did anything happen last night?"
"Unfortunately, nothing strange happened at all."
Lu Ze shrugged and smiled, "To be honest, I almost fell asleep because it was so boring. Luckily, I had the coffee provided by the Captain. At times like this, I really envy you Sleepless, who only need to sleep for a short time each day."
"Nothing happening is a good thing."
Cohen Lee smiled, "When Klein first stood guard at Charnes Gate, the Door opened from the inside and startled him. Later, they analyzed that it might have been because a notebook was temporarily placed behind the Door. I'm not sure of the exact reason."
Something was placed behind the Door, so it temporarily opened?
Lu Ze's heart stirred, and then he asked casually, "Speaking of which, has anything new been placed behind the Door recently?"
"No, not really. If anything, it was just that on the day of the special inspection, the High-Ranking Cleric brought a holy relic of the Goddess inside once."
Cohen Lee replied.
So that's how it is.
Lu Ze thought to himself, leaving his name in the register. He stood up and offered the chair to Cohen Lee.
A monotonous sound of footsteps came from the other corridor. Both men involuntarily turned their heads simultaneously and saw a cold, black-robed elder carrying a gas lamp approaching from the direction of Saint Selena Cathedral. The elder didn't even look at them, walking straight to Charnes Gate, pushing open the iron Door, and stepping into the embrace of black silk threads.
It's the internal guard.
Cohen Lee looked at these retired Nighthawks who had voluntarily dedicated themselves, with an expression of admiration.
At this moment, Lu Ze suddenly had a question.
"Speaking of which, I'm very curious, what exactly is the power that suppresses the Sealed Artifacts behind Charnes Gate?"
He asked Cohen Lee.
"Ah, that, it's said to be different at each stronghold. I don't know what it is at other strongholds, but here in Tingen, it should be Saint Selena's ashes," Cohen Lee explained. That saint was a High-Sequence powerhouse during her lifetime, and her ashes still possess great power after her death.
Lu Ze couldn't help but glance at the black ring on his finger.
So, those were the things that provided me with the shielding last night?
Bidding farewell to Cohen Lee, Lu Ze climbed to the surface. The sky had indeed brightened, and pedestrians were already moving on the street, bustling for their daily livelihoods.
Lu Ze let out a long yawn. Only then did he realize how tired he was. Indeed, he had been thinking all night yesterday; his brain had not rested at all. Now that dawn had broken and the Sun shone, drowsiness surged over him.
I wonder how their investigation is going.
I'll go back to the company this afternoon to ask. Also, I need to find information on the Demoness.
With these thoughts, Lu Ze stepped out of Blackthorn Security Company and, under the slightly dazzling sunlight, took a trackless carriage back to Narcissus Street 6.
As soon as he entered the house, Lu Ze saw Ms. M's beautiful yet annoying figure. Today, she was wearing a women's knight uniform, her two long legs stretched out, rounded and full. Cecilia sat on the other side.
"Cecilia, did you not go to class today?"
"Today is Saturday."
"Ah, right."
Nighthawks rested once a week. Lu Ze had been working for so long that he almost forgot which day was the weekend.
He was about to say a few words to his sister when he saw Ms. M looking at him with a smile, opening her mouth to ask, "What were you doing last night?"
In an instant, Lu Ze's heart skipped a beat.
"I was thinking about how to get rid of you."
Immediately after, he decisively said to Ms. M in a provocative tone.
"Really? I saw you sitting there all night, and I was a little curious about what you were thinking."
Ms. M smiled.
Hearing this, Lu Ze's expression didn't change, but he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The Goddess's power is indeed strong; Ms. M didn't notice.
The material was originally intended to be "Demoness's uterus," but it was changed to "heart" for harmony.
Additionally, the prototype for the Life Form in a Bottle is the homunculus in alchemy.