Perhaps Ms. Mania still remembered Lex's 'rudeness' from before, so in response to his greeting, she directly gave him a 'Wraith Shriek'. This wasn't an ability from her pathway, but rather because Mania was currently in a Wraith state, and this shriek was like breathing, stemming from instinct.
Lex had already prepared himself the moment he saw Mania appear. He contracted all his spirituality, not allowing even a shred to leak out, and concentrated it between his ears.
So, when a sharp, hollow, illusory shriek echoed in his mind, he wasn't completely controlled. Therefore, when Mania flashed before him and reached for his heart, a hot, bright flame suddenly rose, blocking the space between Lex and Mania.
Mania's illusory hand recoiled sharply when it touched the flame. At that moment, a majestic voice sounded from the cave entrance: "Imprison."
Suddenly, Lex felt the space around Ms. Mania become viscous, as if that area had turned into a giant amber, or as if an invisible prison had appeared, stilling Mania there, making her unable to move.
Almost simultaneously, a bright, dazzling lightning bolt passed by Lex and struck Mania in the 'prison', engulfing her in electric light and causing her to let out a silent, painful wail.
One lightning bolt after another continuously struck Mania. Lex could smell a burnt odor left in the air as the lightning passed. Although he had restrained his spirituality in advance to resist the 'Wraith Shriek', his limbs were still weak, and he could only retreat from the scene in an awkward posture.
When Lex confirmed his safety and stopped, he looked towards the cave entrance and saw two figures walking in.
One was Bishop Duvale, who held a slender, dark blue wooden staff. The staff was covered with mysterious symbols, and its tip lit up at a very high frequency, releasing a powerful lightning bolt with each flash.
The lightning tore through the air, leaving a series of sparks in its wake, precisely hitting Mania and causing the lady's figure to become increasingly faint. It seemed that with just a few more lightning strikes, she would completely disappear.
Lex was certain that the wooden staff was definitely a Sealed Artifact, and one from the 'Sailor' pathway. As expected, this pathway, whether people or objects, was simple and brutal.
The other person was a stranger, but he was wearing a naval officer's uniform. His square face was filled with majesty, and combined with the ability he had just released, Lex believed this officer was a Beyonder from the 'Arbiter' pathway.
It seemed that Mr. Writer had already notified the Navy and alarmed the high-ranking naval officers stationed on this Sea Island.
"That's enough, Your Excellency Duvale."
The middle-aged officer spoke with authority: "If we keep striking her, she will disappear. We can't let her disappear yet."
Saying that, the officer glanced at Lex, his gaze falling on the storm emblem, and then shifted to Mania: "Release."
Immediately, the invisible prison disappeared. Mania looked at the officer and Duvale with an extremely resentful gaze, her figure fading and vanishing into the air.
Subsequently, all the green glowing figures on the deck vanished one by one, as if they had never existed.
On the vast deck, only Harry was left, still jumping around.
"Harry."
Trollope ran in, nodded to the officer, passed the strange wooden carvings, boarded the deck, and embraced the little boy who was trying to climb the mast.
Trollope finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"How are you?" The tall parish bishop walked over, pulled Lex up with one hand, and smiled, "You did very well, Mr. Relly. You held back the 'black star'. Otherwise, it would have sailed away long ago."
Lex looked at the cave entrance, connected it with Mania's abilities, and suddenly realized: "So it didn't sail in, it Teleported in?"
"Exactly."
Lex asked again: "What about Mania, the Wraith? Did she disappear?"
Duvale shook his head: "Her state is different from ordinary Wraiths. We suspect there's a high-level item on or near her. Although we've suppressed her with the help of a Sealed Artifact, it's not enough to make her disappear. So..."
The parish bishop glanced at the middle-aged officer and whispered: "Heyman's worries are completely unnecessary. Oh, he's from the Navy, a Sequence 6 Judge."
It really is an Arbiter!
"Thank you for your cooperation, Your Excellency Duvale. We'll handle the aftermath from here; you can go back now."
The officer called 'Heyman' walked over and said, smiling at Duvale: "I'll visit Your Excellency tomorrow afternoon to thank the Storm Church for its assistance."
Duvale gave a dry laugh, patted Lex's shoulder, and said: "Then we'll head back first."
Walking out of 'Devil's Throat', Duvale glanced at Lex: "Trollope told you a lot, didn't he, about that ship."
Here it comes.
Now Lex knew why Duvale wanted him to take this mission. The main purpose was to use him to uncover the secrets of the 'black star' and then report them to the Church.
But he didn't want Duvale to know about Rosell's Secret Treasure on the 'black star', even though Duvale also suspected there might be some high-level item near Mania.
However, if the Storm Church knew, their agreement with the Royal Navy might be broken, and most importantly, Lex himself wanted to acquire that Secret Treasure.
He smiled weakly, half feigning, half genuine: "Indeed, Mr. Trollope showed me his research findings, but before that, he asked me to swear by my own name to the God I believe in, that I would never, in any form, reveal any information I learned in that room."
"I have already sworn to the great Lord of Storms..."
After speaking, Lex glanced at the night sky, relieved that the Lord of Storms hadn't rewarded him with a lightning bolt for using him as a shield...
Duvale's expression stiffened for a moment, then he smiled: "It's alright, I was just asking. It's getting late, go back and rest early."
They parted on the pebble beach, Duvale stayed behind, seemingly having other matters. As he ascended the stone steps, Lex saw the parish bishop with Trollope.
Duvale seemed to want to get some information from Trollope, but then the officer Heyman walked out of 'Devil's Throat'.
The next day.
Lex had just finished breakfast and returned to the hotel when he saw the young priest from the Storm Church. He handed Lex an envelope, saying it was Duvale's payment.
After the priest left, Lex opened the envelope and took out 150 pounds.
"How stingy. Last night I held back the 'black star'; adding a zero wouldn't be too much, would it?" Lex put the money away, keeping it as spending money.
Then he went to the ticket office, bought a boat ticket for the afternoon, and then went to Trollope's house.
He pulled the doorbell, and the door opened quickly. Trollope seemed to be busy with something; seeing it was Lex, he stepped aside and said: "Come in."
Lex walked in and saw the living room filled with various luggage. He asked in surprise: "Mr. Trollope, where are you going?"