The Righteous Player(s)

Annan finally understood where Jacob’s title “Lockpicker” came from.

Generally speaking, the status and strength of ritualists were determined by the depth of occult knowledge.

When it comes to occult knowledge above “the Historical Level”, almost any ritual could have a strong effect.

For example, revealing others’ hidden secrets out of thin air, causing the sky to darken as if it were night, inciting a war in a region fraught with disputes… Also, Annan’s aptitude ability “Chill of the Winter Sun” acquired through ritual, was similarly based on the “Historical” level occult knowledge.

Even just telling the secrets of the “other world” was enough to destroy the sanity of mortals. It could also be used to construct nightmares and invade other people’s nightmares.

The secret of creation was even more profound. Merely speaking of them was enough to obliterate the Fallen incarnated as demons. If fully utilized in a ritual, they could potentially confront entities of the Truth Rank.

The occult knowledge that Jacob possessed was not at the highest level of “the Historical Level”. Just general knowledge about “truth” and “rituals”, probably the level of Vasily’s father.

However, by combining these not-heavy secrets and nesting them into each other, he built a secret that was at least equivalent to “the Historical Level”.

…The solo player type, huh?

Annan was certain that he had never seen this ritual used by Jacob anywhere else.

If this ritual became widespread, many barriers would become completely meaningless. To put it more dramatically, even locking doors at home wouldn’t ensure safety; doors and windows could no longer provide a sense of security. Whether it was thieves, robbers, or assassins, committing crimes would become much easier.

Because this ritual involved creating a “door” in a “wall” and opening it. The troubling aspect was that the “occult knowledge” required for this ritual was not significant, implying that even moderately skilled ritualists could use this ritual.

“Remember not to spread even a word on your ritual.” Annan said seriously, “Do you understand?”

“I certainly wouldn’t do that.” Jacob was stunned for a moment, and then he said with great certainty, “If I were to do such a thing, I would have already gone to the United Kingdom or underground to find a territory to raise a group of thieves or assassins. With my abilities, most defensive measures wouldn’t be able to stop me.”

“Group teleportation, object teleportation, walking through walls, nullifying and penetrating barriers… But I won’t do that, Your Majesty. Because I know what is the consequence of the spread of my knowledge.”

Jacob said with a smile, pointing to his temple, “This is ‘poisonous knowledge’.”

“Poison is the key that can open all locks. Poisonous knowledge will also penetrate every joint of the country and society like poison through the human body; it will kill many innocent people just like poison kills flesh and blood.”

“I am not a good person… I am a thief, I am a spy, and I am also a liar. However, at least I am not a demon who likes to watch the world burn. I am more or less a human being.”

“Then, first of all, I wish you to become a good person.” Annan smiled and extended his hand generously, “Maybe you will become a great man in the future.”

Hearing Annan’s words, Jacob was also startled.

The smile on his face gradually faded, and he solemnly extended both hands to grasp Annan’s, saying earnestly, “Then… I take your words as a blessing.”

He was careful not to let his wound touch Annan’s hand. It was probably not because he was worried about hurting himself, but because he didn’t want the blood to stain Annan’s hands.

Under the sunlight, Annan’s fair and slender right hand appeared to shine against the backdrop of Jacob’s rough and scarred hand.

Alternatively, one could say… At that moment, it seemed as if Annan himself was glowing.

After leaving the barrier, the glowing powder that had filled the surroundings was also left inside the barrier.

It resembled a half-sphere of light, like an inverted bowl.

After they left the barrier through the “door” opened by Jacob, the barrier remained in its original place.

This was actually good news — the barrier blocked sound and light, so they wouldn’t know that Count Urie was defeated. This way, at least, they wouldn’t alarm anyone prematurely.

As for the “ball of count”, Annan asked Zorgen to cut a part of it and pack it away. The remaining flesh, including the “rest of” Count Urie, was kindly incinerated by Suuankou.

They would not let the remnants of Count Urie continue to exist in this world.

After all, resurrecting a corpse with curse energy was not impossible. However, without a body, given their level of knowledge and intelligence, resurrecting someone was out of the question.

They had to annihilate the threat from the root.

Through Zoya’s Prophet spell and the information provided by Jacob, Annan’s party quickly found the location of the curse shaft.

The distance to the curse shaft was not far, less than five kilometers. Annan’s party walked for a while and soon reached the location. Strangely, they did not encounter any other armed forces on their way.

This indicated that Count Urie had not prepared any other contingencies apart from himself. Moreover, there were no guards arranged around the area of the curse vault.

“It’s meaningless to have guards here,” Jacob commented.

Soon, Annan and the others understood why.

As they approached the curse shaft, they felt a strong sense of discomfort.

The heart kept trembling, feeling like an irregular heartbeat. There was a throbbing sensation in the brain, and breathing became rapid.

“There won’t be any radiation here, right?” Wandering Child said worriedly, “You won’t be infected by my curse, right?”

“That shouldn’t be the case. Otherwise? The count should have started using curse energy long ago. He wouldn’t have activated the device after seeing us…”

After approaching the curse shaft, they heard an obvious buzzing sound.

What lay within the [curse shaft] wasn’t visible from the outside.

Its entrance was a vertical shaft, similar to an elevator shaft, excavated downwards from the peak of a mountain. The entrance was indeed protected by three layers of barriers, but Jacob easily “unlocked” them.

Inside, there was a roughly diamond-shaped spiral staircase that continued downward. The deeper they went, the hotter it felt… And gradually, a strange pumping sound could be heard, with their hearts beating rhythmically to that sound.

The surrounding black walls didn’t seem to be masonry but like blood vessels.

“Woo…” Russell, who was shrinking in Annan’s arms, whimpered uneasily. Her body was stiff, and she didn’t dare to move.

Previously, when she was bombed by Count Urie, she showed no fear and didn’t even let out a single cry… But now, as they approached the curse vault, she started to tremble. It seemed as if she was wailing, pleading with Annan not to continue descending.

Russell’s entire body stiffened like a rod — out of fright. She trembled incessantly, akin to a vibrating phone set on silent and tucked into a pocket, buzzing so intensely that it caused Annan discomfort in his chest.

After Annan and his group descended beyond a certain critical depth, the world in front of him suddenly became distorted.

It was as if the frame rate was too high, causing the image to tear apart.

Before his eyes appeared fragmented pieces of history. It seemed like someone was doing something in a dimly lit room, pointing at something on a map, or carving something…

However, those images were silent and fleeting, lasting barely one or two frames. Annan couldn’t see them clearly, leaving only a vague impression.

Jacob’s voice became distorted, “As we go further down, we’re about to enter the curse shaft!”

“Be careful. Grab the hands of those around you.” His voice was tinted with a strange mechanical sound.

The “fractured scenes” in front of her eyes also began to increase significantly, and Annan also heard whispers in her ears. But he still couldn’t hear clearly what was being said.

I have to check the recording and broadcast later. Annan thought to himself.

The next moment, Annan suddenly felt a strong dizziness.

His almost non-existent system rarely showed a line of bright red prompt:

[—Warning, you are entering the Black Rock Curse Shaft.]

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