In the reply, it could be perceived that the Mother of the Marsh has regained much of her humanity.
Lu Li didn’t plan to let the Mother of the Marsh cross the Ailen Peninsula because even the Alien God couldn’t guarantee a safe passage across the dark surface. It’s important to know: every church in Midnight City harbors Alien Gods resembling the Mother of the Marsh. They form their own God System based on their types, each system consisting of dozens of similar churches, all governed by the Midnight Lady Church. However, all these powers vanish without a trace when darkness descends.
Shadow Swamp borders the sea to the north and south; Andrea can approach the shallow sea to pick up the Mother of the Marsh and her followers. The sea route is safer and quicker.
The twisted silhouette planned to have the disciples send the ssage, but Lu Li declined. He entrusted rchant Anthony to convey the verbal ssage to Andrea. Minutes later, the people at Agate Lake Camp heard the sound of a ship’s whistle from the bay, as Andrea set sail once more.
Subsequently, until dawn with stars dimming, no more ssages disturbed Lu Li.
No news yet from the reconnaissance in the old sewers about Midnight City’s remnants, but Matthias is gathering new residents that Lu Li needs in Vena Refuge. Andrea won’t reach the Shadow Swamp coast until the afternoon, and without mishaps, she won’t return until tomorrow evening.
The wooden house on Lake Heart Island only has the flooring and one wall done. If the twisted silhouette doesn’t help in the afternoon, it’ll take even longer. However, Lu Li is gradually getting skilled and barring any surprises, by the ti the Mother of the Marsh arrives tomorrow evening, they should et by the warm fireplace of the wooden house.
Provided she can get inside.
The morning mist shrouded the Land of Light. Bidding farewell to Annie, Lu Li sat in the wooden boat, paddling to the shore through the drifting mist on the calm lake without ripples,
where the twisted silhouette awaited him, inviting Lu Li to the church for Old Joel’s "rebirth".
When Lu Li followed the twisted silhouette into the church, "Old Joel" was just clad in the church cloak by the believers, prostrate before Lu Li and the twisted silhouette, mumbling prayers devoutly.
Old Joel still rembered many things, but above all, an indelible thought was imprinted in his soul: to be loyal to his master, loyal to the Twisted Vine Church, loyal to Lu Li, and loyal to the Land of Light.
And also that he was no longer suited to be too close to human residents.
"If all residents beco believers... I can help them reclaim lands..."
Lu Li refused the twisted silhouette’s suggestion. It wasn’t about trust or prejudice, but that there shouldn’t be only one choice. Vena Ice-Free Port and Midnight City were the lessons of the past.
Ideologies should never be extre, nor should one’s actions be dictated by thoughts.
Entering the abandoned Joseph Manor, returning to the empty bedroom, Lu Li realized at this mont that the "redemption" of Midnight City’s souls was taking effect, his emotions indeed changing — he rembered the forr owner here, Baron Joseph, and had the thought to send a letter.
After the Dark Era, the refuge seed to realize that the outside hadn’t improved, but worsened; rchants lost their coordinates, implying the destruction of their eyes.
Yet whether the loss of contact with the refuge was active or passive remains unknown. If the latter, another spark from the Exorcists Association would be extinguished.
The morning brightened, Lu Li hung up his coat, took off his white shirt stained with mud splatters on cuffs and hems, and lay down in the cold bedding, like an elder nostalgically rembering the past events of this land, thinking of past companions as he drifted to sleep.
In the afternoon, the gentle light slanted into the bedroom, coating the dusty, faded room with warmth.
Lu Li gradually woke up, lying in the warm bedding, his black eyes quietly gazing at the cobwebs beyond the drapes on the ceiling.
Fatigue dissipated, Lu Li got out of bed, put on the half-dirty shirt, fastened the tie in front of a blurred dressing mirror, and left the manor clad in a black coat.
So early-woken residents strolled around the camp, briefly as if they returned to an afternoon of the Old Era, the affluent people residing on the Shore of Agate Lake enjoying sunshine and leisure.
Sunshine makes people forget all sorrows.
"Exorcist sir!"
"Lord... "
"Mr. Luli!"
Residents encountering Lu Li seed increasingly accustod to his presence, or perhaps Porter and Mitra reminded them that the Exorcist disliked obeisance; they respectfully yet reverently greeted him,
and Lu Li responded to their greetings, seated into the wooden boat by the lake, loosened the mooring rope, grabbed the oars, and paddled toward Lake Heart Island.
Agate Lake was no longer the impenetrable darkness of night; the sunshine shone down onto the sparkling water, as if revealing the colorful pebbles resting on the lakebed.
Ripples spread out in the wake of the wooden boat, with Lu Li on the water rging with the light.
Splash—
The wooden boat docked at the shore, and Lu Li stepped onto Lake Heart Island, nodded to Annie who welcod him with swaying branches, took off the warm sunlit black coat and placed it on the wooden box, continuing to construct the wooden house.
In the afternoon, the dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves, whispering tales, and amidst them, the twisted silhouette appeared on Lake Heart Island.
"Two insects approached the camp last night... as per your request they remain alive... awaiting your execution..."
"I’ll go shortly."
Lu Li replied. He was installing the fireplace and wanted to finish it in one go.
The twisted silhouette didn’t leave, appearing interested in the construction of the wooden house, despite being a "Divinity".
Having installed the fireplace, Lu Li and the twisted silhouette briefly left Lake Heart Island, slaughtered two grotesque, half-human-high crawlers in the back kitchen, replenishing a small amount of humanity, barely compensating for the energy expended using the Speaker of the Trees’ power twice yesterday.
Returning to Lake Heart Island, from afternoon to dusk, until the sun disappeared over Agate Lake Camp, Lu Li continuously worked on building the wooden house, slotting pre-cut thick wooden planks into grooves, fixing them with nails.
The wooden bridge on the Shore of Agate Lake was also extending. This bridge, less than two ters wide, stretched solitary nearly a mile into Agate Lake, and halted several dozen ters from Lake Heart Island, for the residents feared desecrating their sacred ground, leaving the final segnt to the Twisted Followers.
And when the wooden bridge connected across Agate Lake, it was already early morning the next day.
Having not slept all night, Lu Li formally completed erecting the wooden house. This first wooden house, built entirely by himself, had countless flaws and issues that any old carpenter could easily point out.
Even Lu Li noticed serious trouble — a rainfall would cause leaks everywhere in the house, but Annie wouldn’t let that happen.
The house was imbued with the scent of "rotting corpses", almost letting Lu Li ignore the side effects of the Speaker of the Trees. After having rchant Anthony bring a single bed, desk, bookshelf, and wooden chair into place, the cabin finally had so life.
However, considering the Mother of the Marsh was even larger than Deputy Director Chris, she might not be able to visit the small house.
Stepping out of the cabin, Lu Li surveyed the scorched earth-like Lake Heart Island, realizing sothing was missing.
Another "Annie" appeared behind him, as Lu Li spread soft light around Annie.
In her excitent, plants thrived, forming a patch of lawn around her and the cabin.
Now, Lake Heart Island resembled a Sacred Land in the Land of Light.
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