As Azik drew out the aura of the True Creator within Silas, strange hallucinations gradually engulfed him.
Feathered serpents soaring, bronze gates opening wide—these were things he'd seen before.
But as the hallucinations deepened, more unfamiliar scenes began to appear.
Countless bizarre creatures: rotting corpses, wraiths, skeletons... Tombs built downward like hollowed-out inverted pyramids, ancient Southern Continent people with phosphorescent flames burning on their bodies, praying to the crypts in extreme agony...
Just then, the hallucinatory scene suddenly expanded. He saw what looked like a mythological-era battlefield.
Under a leaden-gray sky, flying dragons soared, giant beasts roared, and ordinary humans, small as ants, slaughtered each other on earth, burning with hellish flames.
Among them were occasionally powerful individuals who, though small, could easily kill mountain-sized giants with a mere gesture!
At the far end of that battlefield stood a towering black throne. A black emperor, as magnificent as a mountain, sat upon it, overlooking everything below.
He seemed to sense Silas's gaze. His eyes shifted, and with heavy, oppressive authority, he looked toward Silas...
"Splash!"
The sound of ocean waves rang out at just the right moment.
The hallucination before his eyes vanished in an instant, like mist scattered by a fierce wind.
"Bang!"
The semi-transparent tentacle resting on Silas's forehead exploded. The undead creature, part octopus and part jellyfish, let out a mournful cry and dragged its broken body back through the gate.
The bronze gate creaked shut and disappeared.
Silas opened his eyes to find everything around him had returned to normal.
Only Azik remained seated on the sofa with his eyes closed, brow furrowed, beads of sweat forming at his temples, as if trapped in a deep and ancient nightmare.
Should I wake him?
While Silas was still debating, Azik slowly opened his eyes. His normally calm and weathered eyes now held a hint of hollowness.
"No, it's not enough..."
He murmured to himself, constantly rubbing his forehead as if trying to forcibly squeeze out deeply buried memories.
After about half a minute, Azik gradually recovered. He gave a bitter smile and looked up at Silas. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It's alright. Are you okay, Mr. Azik? I'm not sure if I was able to help you recover your memories."
Silas said.
Azik shook his head.
"I recalled many scenes from the past, but... I still can't make sense of it all." He noticed Silas's hesitant expression and smiled.
"However, achieving this level of effect has already exceeded my expectations. I'll pay the compensation as agreed."
"So, what do you need? Or is there any problem I can help you with?"
He's directly asking what I need?
Impressive! As expected of a high-sequence powerhouse—even his words are so generous!
Silas drew in a sharp breath of admiration.
But speaking of which, what did he actually need right now?
Silas lowered his head to think it through.
Rather than saying what he lacked, it was more about what problems he needed to solve.
Since transmigrating until now, he'd had no shortage of troubles. Aside from those already resolved, the pressing issues could be divided into near-term and long-term ones.
There were two near-term troubles. One was the unresolved human trafficking case—the hidden enemy might pose a threat to him.
The other was what Azik had once told him: both he and Klein had a strange sense of fate misalignment, seemingly connected to a house with a red chimney.
There were also two long-term troubles. The first was his inability to advance in his pathway.
The damned True Creator's influence on low sequences was too great—becoming a Listener would turn him into a fanatic madman devoted to that god. The second was Lanervus.
That guy had been thoroughly screwed over by him and must hate him deeply. Until he was eliminated, he would remain a constant threat.
Of these, both Lanervus and the human trafficking case could be set aside for now.
Both were already on the Nighthawks' investigation list. The Evernight Goddess's church would naturally send people to handle them—no need for an ordinary Nighthawk like Silas to worry.
As for the remaining two, they concerned his own survival.
Klein was already investigating the red chimney matter, and since he had a better relationship with Azik, it was more convenient and appropriate for him to ask.
With this analysis, the answer was simple: ask Azik how to advance to Sequence 8 while avoiding the True Creator's influence.
After clarifying his problem, Silas looked toward Azik, who was calmly waiting.
"Mr. Azik, do you know much about my sequence?"
"Secrets Suppliant? I suppose I know a bit."
"The lower end of my pathway is easily influenced by the top of the sequence. After advancing to Sequence 8..." Silas explained his situation.
After giving Azik time to digest it, he continued, "May I ask, Mr. Azik, do you have any method to prevent me from being mentally controlled by the True Creator?"
Azik held his cigar and thought in silence for a moment before slowly nodding.
"There is one method, but it carries great risk."
There really is one?
Silas's heart leapt with joy. He quickly asked, "What is it?"
"Skip Sequence 8 entirely and forcibly advance to Sequence 7. This would require you to consume both the Sequence 8 and Sequence 7 potions simultaneously."
"...Huh?"
Silas was stunned.
The method Mr. Azik suggested was unexpectedly aggressive.
"Is... is that even possible?"
"Though dangerous, if a high-sequence Beyonder is there to assist, it's not impossible.
However, my current condition isn't ideal. You'll need to wait for me to improve... Besides, you don't have the corresponding potion formula or materials right now, do you?"
"That's correct."
Silas nodded.
He only had this idea for now, but the potion formula for "Listener" was still unknown.
Obtaining the formula, verifying its authenticity, and spending money to buy the materials would all be extremely difficult.
Looking at it this way, even if he ignored the True Creator's influence and advanced directly, it still wouldn't be easy.
"Oh, Mr. Azik, I have another idea. Could you tell me if it's feasible?"
He explained his theory to Azik—the so-called method of switching the listening target from the True Creator to the Evernight Goddess.
To his delight, after listening, Azik slowly nodded.
"In theory, it's possible, but..."
But. Always a "but." How many good things in this world have been ruined by that word?
Azik continued, "Only the True Creator actively spreads whispers for his followers to hear.
If you want to switch your listening target to the Goddess, you'd first need the Goddess to actively broadcast her gospel to your ears.
Such special treatment from a deity is far too extravagant. Perhaps only high-ranking church officials or the Goddess's favored ones would have such an opportunity."
A favored one... Well, I'm definitely not that. I don't even count as a believer.
After hearing this, Silas laughed awkwardly.
Right, why would a dignified true god cooperate for no reason with an insignificant Sequence 8 nobody to digest his potion?
But this meant his advancement problem had no immediate solution.
So what should he ask Azik for?