Hearing the newsboy's shouts outside, Odis paused for a moment: "The Ruhrenberg Civil War?"
Just as he was about to write a letter to ask about what was going on in Bazel, Viscount Dana Arthur, the deputy ambassador of the embassy, rushed in with a newspaper in a fluster: "Mr. Ambassador, Remburg... there has been a civil war in Remburg."
"Don't worry." Odis took the newspaper from his hand and looked at it, then breathed a slight sigh of relief. It turned out that the governor of the Lundburg-Solothurn region, Selt, had rebelled.
That's not surprising at all.
At this moment, another deputy envoy, Karen Sidri, and several other key embassy officials arrived at the ambassador's office.
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Odis put down his newspaper and said, "Gentlemen, even if it is necessary to quell the rebellion, that is the Minister of Defense's business, not our responsibility."
"In my opinion, it's just one state rebelling, nothing serious."
"However, our embassy needs to be prepared immediately. It is estimated that Remburg businessmen who have seen the newspaper, Rune businessmen who have invested in Remburg, Rune dignitaries, and ambassadors from other countries will all send people to inquire about the situation."
"You must answer their questions calmly and tell them that the embassy has not received any emergency notices, nor has it received any notice that Remburg is in a state of combat."
Odis's composure immediately inspired the embassy staff, and she then methodically assigned tasks, quickly putting the entire embassy to work.
Odis instructed his secretary to stand guard in front of the telegraph machine, so that any telegrams from Rembrandt would be sent there immediately.
He then wrote letters to Bernadette, Bazel, and Sergei respectively, inquiring about the current situation.
Bernadette's reply arrived first. She was unaware that the Remnburg government had declared the Solotour region a rebellion, but in Solotour, people felt that the current actions were a resistance against the tyranny of the Minister of the Interior.
The people of this state are generally unwilling to let Celt be transferred away, thus returning to the era of rampant bandits, so they are relatively supportive of Celt's actions.
Bernadette also said that the demigods of the Remnburg royal family had visited the Solothu region, and upon discovering that Celt was protected by demigods, they left immediately.
Next came Celt's reply, in which he stated that the Solothurst region was currently under his control. Although some people opposed his confrontation with the Remnburg government, the opposition was not strong because he had sworn allegiance to the King.
He heard from his companions in Azshara that public opinion in the capital was currently favorable to the radicals, and the Duke of Bowen hoped to define the radical assassinations and the independence of Solothu as treason as soon as possible, but the king did not seem to have made up his mind yet.
The king's failure to support the Duke of Bowen at this time was tantamount to expressing his dissatisfaction. As a result, under the covert lobbying of radicals, many people opposed defining this matter as a rebellion.
In particular, the Duke of Bowen's rivals were eager to take this opportunity to bring him down.
By this time, Odis had a general idea: this was probably a publicity stunt by the Duke of Bowen to achieve his political goals, and he estimated that the newspapers in the capital city of Remnburg, Assara, had most likely published similar news today.
Then Bazel's reply arrived. He was in Azshara at the time, and just as Odis had predicted, it was indeed under the leadership of Duke Bowen that the Lenburg government was vigorously spreading the news that Solothu was a rebellion.
As for the claim of a civil war, it is likely that the journalists exaggerated. Even if the actions of Solothu at this time were declared as a rebellion, theoretically, a civil war should not have been formed.
After all, Celt only has the power of one state. Even with the support of Vötät and Châteauneuf-du-Chapelle, it is still only three states. On the surface, it is far weaker than the Remnburg government.
Odis smiled, feeling that the Duke of Bowen was courting death, because according to Odis's observation, the current King of Rembrandt, Conrad I, was a man who was extremely obsessed with power.
The Duke of Bowen declared the rebellion a treason while the king was still considering how to use it, effectively forcing the king to make a decision.
It must have been the King's hesitation that gave the Duke of Bowen a bad feeling, which led to this inappropriate response.
Odis estimated that Conrad I would never tolerate such behavior.
So Odis wrote another letter to Bernadette, telling her about the current situation.
He then wrote back to Celt and Bazel, instructing them to spread the word that the Duke of Bowen was very dissatisfied with the King's failure to immediately support him.
At the same time, it is also necessary to spread the news that the King is very dissatisfied with the Duke of Bowen's unauthorized actions.
Finally, Odis analyzed the current situation for them: "It seems that the king's obsession with power has done us a great favor." Conrad I's hesitation was actually a question of whether to abandon the radicals, or whether to use this opportunity to suppress the conservatives.
Such a leader, even if he intends to crack down on the radicals, will not target their core members, because in his view, the state needs checks and balances. He is a master of political maneuvering, and we can exploit this to further confuse public opinion in Azshara.
However, preparations must be made for armed resistance. Even if Conrad I wanted to deal with the Duke of Bowen, it would have to be after the Solothurn region returned to the territory of the Remnburg government.
After sending the letter, Odis sent another letter to Longzel, instructing him to deliver three hundred "extraordinary puppets" to Solothu and hand them over to Bernadette for command.
After all these preparations were made, Odis believed that the matter was essentially resolved.
He then summoned the messenger again and inquired about the enemies they might face on this mission.
Odis was well-prepared for last night's battle, so he easily killed the "rat demigod".
It would be best to make adequate preparations for this operation.
Ellebella also cooperated by explaining the possible opponents and their current condition.
...
Berklund Street.
Klein heard that a violent explosion had occurred at Congressman Macht's suburban estate last night, with the entire yard on fire and a sudden drizzle. This immediately made him realize that someone might be targeting the demigod of the Jacob family.
So Klein used his lunch break to tell the servants not to disturb him, and then he created a sleeping Dawn Dantes using a combination of "paper dolls" and "illusions".
After making all the preparations, Klein traveled to Senator Macht's estate.
Klein's true form hid in the woods, controlling the puppet Zorn to create a puppet from a small bird, and then observing the situation inside the manor from a tree.
The courtyard was in complete disarray; most of the trees were burned, and a large crater had been blasted in the middle of the courtyard, as if a modern battle had taken place there. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
When he saw Hazel, the daughter of Congressman Macht, staring blankly at a charred rat, Klein guessed that the Jacob family demigod had most likely been killed.
But we don't know who killed him?
Just then, a voice suddenly spoke in the ear of the puppet controlled by Zorn: "It seems we're all too late."
Klein immediately felt a chill run down his spine. The little bird, which had turned into a puppet, saw a man in a black trench coat appear beside him at some point.
He had a broad forehead, a thin face, and wore a tall top hat and a very distinctive monocle!
Ah, Monk!
Klein's gaze froze instantly. He immediately had the "winner," Enyuni, return to his side using "Flame Leap," and then they both disappeared from the spot.
According to Klein's plan, if Amon tries to stop him, or if the puppet Enyuni doesn't return to his side quickly enough, he will simply abandon the puppet and use "travel" to escape.
Amon's clone looked at the spot where Klein had disappeared and remarked, "A 'fortune teller,' ha, he's really fast."
...
Odis, who was serving as the ambassador to Remnburg, suddenly received many invitations to balls, and everyone was eager to inquire about Remnburg.
Odis declined all the invitations, intending to wait for the right time to answer everyone's questions in one go.
By evening, Odis had not yet received any explanation from the Remnburg government regarding the matter, so he went back to rest.
In his view, the fact that the king had not yet made a statement was an expression of his dissatisfaction.
However, to avoid the impact of civil war rhetoric on Remnantburg's economy, Odis estimated that Conrad I would declare Solothu's actions as an act of rebellion early tomorrow morning.
It is estimated that the soldiers quelling the rebellion are already on their way to Solothu. Once the king declares Celt a traitor, the army quelling the rebellion will soon enter Solothu.
Odis's next task was to help the radicals hold onto Solothu.
Odis, who had now risen to the rank of "Master of Prophecy," was fully confident in this battle.
When Conrad I sees that the rebels are difficult to eliminate in a short time, he will definitely send an envoy to negotiate with the radicals. At this time, soldiers are needed more on the border of Lenburg, and it is impossible to leave too many troops in Solothurn.
Only then could the radicals completely break through the combined suppression of the king and the conservatives and become a political force in Remenberg.
However, this kind of thing cannot be told to Celt and the others in advance; they need to be given some guidance as the situation develops.
After contemplating the situation in Remnantburg for a while in his room, Odis changed into clothes that were easy to move in, made his final preparations, and then summoned the messenger as promised.
The two had already agreed to explore the island that the messenger Elbera had mentioned that evening.
Before setting off, Odis asked one last time, "Are you sure the place we're going to today isn't the church of the Steam Church or the secret stronghold of the Steiano family?"
"I'm sure." Ellebella smiled. "I should have told you before that a great change occurred in the 'Morse Penitentiary' at the end of the Fourth Age."
Odis was taken aback: "Have you mentioned it before?"
How come he remembers finding it himself?
Elle Bella continued, "Even if it wasn't mentioned, you should have found relevant clues during your exploration of the Stiano family ruins."
She paused for a moment and said, "I used to be an important member of the 'Morse Penitentiary' and I ran some of the 'Morse Penitentiary's' secret outposts."
"After the upheaval, I also perished, and the strength of the 'Moss Penitentiary' was greatly reduced."
Elle Bella smiled and said, "It's not that the number of members decreased greatly because of my death, but rather that many members of the 'Ten Pillars' left the 'Morse Ascetic Order' and took away a large amount of the 'Morse Ascetic Order''s accumulated wealth."
"From then on, the 'Morse Penitentiary' seemed to have only two or three angels, and it was almost impossible for new angels to appear."
"The place we're going to explore today is a secret outpost I used to run, and even my subordinates don't know its exact location."
"After that upheaval, that place became a secret known only to me."
Odis nodded slowly, then asked, "Was it around that time that Prince Constantine also withdrew from the 'Morse Ascetic'?"
"Yes," Ellebella nodded.
Odis asked, "Who else is there besides Him?"
Elle Bella smiled slightly: "I'm not entirely sure about that either, since I was already 'dead' back then."
"I don't know the strength of the 'Moss Ascetic' at this time, but I guess it's only about one-third of what it used to be."
Odis nodded and did not ask any further questions.
He immediately thought to himself: This guy must be a professional at fleecing people, right? He's either fleecing his brother's family or his old employer's.
Ellebella added, "I have observed that stronghold many times. The level 0 sealed artifact, comparable to a 'Knowledge Mentor,' stored inside has already affected the entire island."
"Fortunately, some of the magic arrays are still in operation, and the level 0 sealed artifact is currently unable to break free from there. Moreover, the power it displays is relatively limited. With our cooperation, we should be able to reseal it and transform it into an extraordinary property."
"Apart from that level 0 sealed item, everything else is yours as a reward."
"I remember there were three Level 1 sealed artifacts and about ten Level 2 sealed artifacts there, and over the years, many extraordinary creatures must have been attracted to that island."
Odis was somewhat puzzled: "That island hasn't been discovered yet?"
"Yes," Ellebella smiled. "It's a 'ghost island,' which is inherently difficult to find. With my modifications, unless someone is truly crazy enough to pass through that area, no one can discover it."
Odis nodded, looking forward to the exploration: "I'm ready, let's go."
Elle Bella hummed in agreement, raised her hand, and the two of them transformed into a streak of light, heading south at an extremely fast speed.
This journey was quite long, and it took them about twenty seconds to reach a stretch of sea where a cold wind was blowing.
Odis, suspended in the air, glanced at the starry sky and clearly understood her current location, which was roughly in the southeastern part of the Southern Continent.
With the Eastern Continent sealed away, this place is now located in a "corner of the world".
At this time, it was summer in the northern continent, but winter in this location in the polar sea. So the cold wind howled, blowing up layer upon layer of waves. As far as the eye could see, there were no ships, as if it had suddenly been cut off from all contact with the human world.
Odis asked Elbera, who was standing nearby, "Where is that island?"
Ellebella glanced at the position of the crimson moon in the sky before saying, "Wait a little longer."
Odis said nothing more. A few minutes later, he saw a point of light suddenly appear on the sea, which looked like the masthead of a ship.
Whoosh~
A large ship cut through the waves and suddenly appeared in Odis's field of vision; the point of light was indeed a ship's masthead.
"A ghost ship captured by that level 0 sealed artifact," Ellebella explained. "Although this island is called 'Ghost Island' and few ships pass through this area, some ships have still been affected and are trapped around 'Ghost Island'."
Just as Elbera was speaking, an island suddenly appeared, as if it had entered Odis's field of vision. The island was not very large, and it was completely covered by forests, with three or four not very high peaks.
On the plain, there seemed to be some buildings and a small harbor with several ships moored there, each with its lights on.
At first glance, the island seemed normal, but Odis soon discovered that it was too quiet and that there should be many wild animals active at night.
While thinking, Odis and Elbera went invisible.
Elle Bella said, "During the previous observations, I was afraid of disturbing the sealed object, so I didn't go ashore. I only observed it from mid-air."
"Based on my observation, these ghost ships are somewhat dangerous. The level 0 sealed artifact has given them a certain life force, and they have been trying to break through the constraints of the island's magic array."
"The creatures on the island are relatively quiet at night, but that's only if they don't discover us. Once the level 0 sealed creature finds us, we'll definitely be besieged."
"Besides the extraordinary creatures on the island, there must be some powerful puppets as well."
She paused for a moment and then said, "I have two plans for the specific actions. The first is that you attract the attention of that level 0 sealed artifact, and I will take the opportunity to sneak into the central location of the magic array to check the situation of the magic array."
"Then strengthen and improve the magic array, and reseal that level 0 sealed item."
"The second option is for us to split up and deplete the life force accumulated by that level 0 sealed artifact."
"Yes, the 'Generalist' path is different from the 'Cultivator' path, which can transform spirituality into life force."
"The former's alchemy mainly gives life to objects, but this life is not 'created' by the extraordinary person of this path, but is 'absorbed' from elsewhere and then given life to the object."
"This hasn't changed much even with the angels, so as long as those puppets are defeated a few more times, the life force stored in the level 0 sealed artifact will be used up."
"Although it will still 'absorb' new life force, that's only when its puppet is weak. We also have a high probability of finding its true form and resealing it."
Odis said, "Theoretically speaking, these two actions can be carried out simultaneously."
"That's right," Ellebella said. "But the problem is, that sealed artifact is highly intelligent, and I don't know its exact location right now."
"However, we also have an advantage. That level 0 sealed artifact doesn't know where the key to the magic circle is. Otherwise, it would have shut down the magic circle completely long ago."
Odis nodded slowly: "What other characteristics does that level 0 sealed artifact have?"
"First, they possess high intelligence," Ellebella said. "Secondly, they have the ability to create puppets. Without a wielder, their other abilities are not particularly outstanding."
"However, there is one downside to be aware of: if a voice asks you a question during battle, you must answer it carefully. If you answer incorrectly, all the knowledge in your mind will disappear for 10 seconds, during which time you will be targeted by the puppets."
"If you answer correctly, you will encounter an application question related to that question. For example, a level 0 sealed artifact may ask you how to use fire-type magic. If you answer correctly, you will immediately be attacked by fire-type magic."
"And you must be careful not to make any remarks that disparage the 'Morse Ascetic' or any remarks that denigrate knowledge when answering questions."
"Otherwise, in the next 10 seconds, your memory and knowledge will become confused, and you will almost lose all judgment and cognitive abilities."
Odis laughed, "The negative effects are even more powerful than the abilities."
"You could say that," Ellebella smiled. "The negative effects of seals at this level are also an important means of attack."
She paused for a moment and then said, "As long as I can see the true form of the sealed object, with your cooperation, I can seal it."
Odis hummed in agreement, pondered for a moment, and said, "I've thought of a way. We can go to the center of the magic circle and use that to lure the other party out."
"If a level 0 sealed object is lured out, we will seal it. If it is very cautious and does not fall for the trick, we can reseal it by completing the magic circle."
Ellebella smiled and said, "That's a good idea, but the only problem is that it destroys the magic circle faster than we can repair it."
"That's true," Odis smiled. "Let's stick to your plan."
Elle Bella pointed to the mountainside: "The core of the magic circle is probably there. I'll briefly explain the theory of the magic circle to you. If you have the chance, you can use invisibility to get close to it and enter the core of the magic circle."
"But we have to wait until the level 0 sealed object's attention is drawn, or when it is weakened, otherwise, as I just said, we will definitely not be as fast as it."
Elle Bella raised her hand, and a projection appeared before their eyes—the complete diagram of the magic circle.
Odis was also an expert in magic arrays. After glancing at the entire diagram and hearing the other party's explanation, he roughly understood the theory behind it.
Then Elbera had Odis pull out the "Staff of Gus," and she touched the staff, granting Odis access to the area.
After finalizing their code words for communication and their strategy of first landing on the island to scout the situation before revealing their presence and launching their plan, the two landed on the island from opposite directions.
Odis was very careful, not only hiding himself but also using whistles and magic to erase traces, so that even if he walked on the beach, he would not leave any footprints.
Then he summoned an "invisible servant" that presented a "peeping eye" to the other's face and had it lead the way, with Odis following far behind, a few dozen meters behind.
Entering the woods from the beach, Odis saw fallen leaves scattered on the ground and a sparsely wooded forest.
Soon, Odis saw a rabbit lying on the ground, holding a stick in its mouth and drawing on the ground.
Odis asked the "invisible servant" to come closer to take a look, and it turned out to be writing a complex equation and performing complex calculations.
Clearly, these animals have been affected by the Level 0 sealed artifact and have become very abnormal.
Further on, we encountered some animals such as deer and snakes, who were either standing there motionless in a daze or "writing furiously".
Odis thought to herself: Is this evening self-study?
Just then, the atmosphere suddenly changed, as if something terrifying had appeared in the woods.
Da da da da~
The animals were trembling and shaking, making sounds similar to the clinking of human teeth.
Then, the animals that had been writing furiously suddenly began writing a passage in unison.
Odis saw from afar that the squirrels in the trees, the rabbits on the ground, and even the snakes that should have been hibernating in the hay all seemed to be writing the same thing: "Hands are reaching out from the mist, don't let them catch you, don't let them catch you..."
Odis noticed that several animals that had been standing there motionless suddenly revealed a look of despair in their eyes.
At the same time, fog quickly rose in the woods, and soon the fog became so thick that one could not see their hand in front of their face.
Suddenly, a hand reached out from the mist and grabbed the leg of an owl in a tree. With a pitiful cry, the owl was pulled into the dark fog and soon fell silent.
Next came a wild boar and a rat, their pitiful cries echoing through the surrounding woods. A hand appeared before Odis, but it seemed unaware of Odis's presence and quickly disappeared into the mist.
Odis watched everything in silence. He noticed that the animals that had been captured were the same ones that had been staring blankly at him earlier.
This made him think to himself: Getting arrested for not paying attention in evening self-study? That's even scarier than the knowledge itself.
Odis may not be considered a man of great experience, but such a scene did not frighten him.
He directed the "invisible servant" in the distance to look into the depths of the mist, where it saw a bronze gate with intricate patterns.
That symbolizes the "Gateway to the Underworld".
Recalling the information Elbera provided yesterday, Odis knew that what appeared before him was a Level 1 sealed artifact of the "Death" pathway.
Yesterday, Ellebella detailed the enemies they might encounter during this exploration. Besides the powerful puppets created by the Level 0 sealed artifact, this also included sealed artifacts that had been activated to some extent due to its influence.
Generally speaking, these sealed artifacts are essentially puppets of that level 0 sealed artifact, except that their abilities and power are mainly derived from the extraordinary characteristics of the sealed artifact itself, making them even more bizarre and powerful.
Odis did not make a move immediately; he planned to get a little closer to the central point of the magic circle that Elbera had mentioned, and then launch a sudden attack.
So Odis made the "invisible servant" continue forward, and he continued to follow along.
After walking for a while, they left the foggy area, and their vision returned to normal.
Strange figures appeared in the area ahead, some humanoid, some animaloid, but only in rough outline.
Only upon closer inspection do you realize that these figures resemble flesh and blood sculptures, with clearly visible clumps of flesh writhing on them.
Within the flesh and blood are skin and fur, eyes, tongue and teeth, but they are not in the correct positions.
Odis judged that this should be the area affected by the Level 1 sealed artifact that corresponds to the "Mystic Prayer" pathway.
Odis prepared to quietly pass through the flesh and blood statues, and after walking a little further, several long fleshy tentacles suddenly stretched out from the forest.
The surrounding "flesh sculptures" immediately trembled, as if they had seen something that terrified them, and they all "flowed" to the ground, revealing the stark white bones standing there.
The fleshy tentacles thrashed about rapidly, as if searching for new prey. Odis immediately retreated. Although he was invisible, he was not a phantom and would still be discovered if struck by the tentacles.
But when he turned back, he found that the path he had come from was blocked by the "flesh and blood" that had "flowed" onto the ground.
Odis quickly commanded his "invisible servants" to jump up into the tree with him, preparing to fly away from there.
But suddenly, Odis paused, noticing that the branches beneath the "invisible servant" were covered in fur!
That was clearly a flesh-and-blood monster!
Although the "invisible servant" has almost no weight, it can still be sensed when it touches other living beings.
It was like a spiritual touch. Ordinary people might not notice it, but this flesh-and-blood monster could definitely sense it!
Just as Odis had predicted, the fleshy tentacles seemed to pause abruptly, then began to shake wildly, wrapping around the "invisible servant."
Odis immediately released the maintenance of the "invisible servant," then held his breath and stood motionless on the tree.
But those fleshy tentacles seemed to have sensed the scent of their prey. Several mouths grew out of the tentacles, opened their mouths, and let out a few roars.
The flesh and blood spread on the ground trembled and reluctantly clung together, forming pillars of flesh and blood. These pillars then grew thin tentacles like parasites, exploring their surroundings.
As Odis felt nauseous, she was about to "teleport" away when suddenly a firework exploded in the sky on the other side of the island.
The fireworks were yellow, which, according to his previous coded message to Elle Bella, meant that they had been discovered, but there was no insurmountable danger, and the operation could continue.
So Odis stopped trying to hide his tracks; his main task was to attract attention anyway.
Now he needed to draw the attention of that level 0 sealed artifact. He drew out the "Gus Staff," raised it slightly, and a burst of pure light burst forth from the "Gus Staff."
The light stopped in mid-air, making the surrounding large forest seem as if it were under the midday sun.
The surrounding flesh and blood seemed to have seen something terrifying, and they rushed to turn into "flesh and blood liquid" again, hiding in the shadows behind the tree.
Based on the weakness of the Level 1 sealed artifact that Odis knew, he once again used the "Mythological Magic: Ten Suns in the Sky" ability!