179: Chapter 109: Fog, Black Mountain Range; Pestilence, Black Sorcerer_3 179: Chapter 109: Fog, Black Mountain Range; Pestilence, Black Sorcerer_3 If there were indeed an issue, he would issue an investigation report and send it to Lundan to be handled by the headquarters’ Scalpel Organization.
It so happened that Bishop Keith from the Heavenly Father Church was visiting, and the two of them hit it off imdiately.
More people ant more power, and if there were any problems, they would have an extra pair of hands, so they set off together.
Another thick fog—could it be the sa fog I ran into?
Wayne pondered for a mont, realizing the problem was significant, and looked at the middle-aged man and asked, “What’s your na?
Can you drive?”
“Andre, I have a driver’s license.”
“You co with to South Cambridge Shire; everyone else continues to work.
Rember to clock in and out on ti, and don’t let catch you slacking off again.” Wayne picked up the phone to call Philark, indicating he wouldn’t be coming ho because he was working overti tonight.
————
South Cambridge Shire, five o’clock in the afternoon.
There was still so ti before sunset, and a thin mist was rising on the country roads.
The mist seed to seep out from the woods, coming from all directions without any discernible source, quite mysterious.
It couldn’t possibly be appearing out of nowhere, could it?
A group of more than ten people walked along a country path, led by two n in sharp suits—Bishop Keith from the Heavenly Father’s Holy See and Deacon Darcy from the Naturalism Church.
With different beliefs, they were supposed to have a rather cold relationship, but these two were clearly exceptions.
As a grassroots deacon, Darcy was focused solely on his career.
Bishop Keith, unlike bishops from other dioceses, did not put on airs, was cordial and pleasant to others, and had no particular predilections, such as for little boys.
Of course, there was another possibility: the Heavenly Father’s Holy See in Windsor was in decline, and he could not afford to put on airs even if he wanted to, let alone indulge in peculiar tastes.
Both n were experienced mages, and following the clues while exchanging thoughts, they quickly sensed the beginnings of sothing.
“I rember the fog outbreaks starting back in July, around the sa ti a significant event occurred—Death Knights appeared in Lundan,” said Bishop Keith.
“Yes, ever since the Dark Knights appeared, The Church suffered heavy losses, the pastor positions remained long vacant, and the covert minions of the evil cult beca less obedient than before,” Darcy said, kicking aside a mound of earth in front of him.
The insects scurried away, burrowing into the soil through the surrounding cracks.
This striped arthropod, resembling a centipede, was nad ‘millipede,’ many-segnted, each segnt bearing a pair of legs.
Millipedes, although carnivorous arthropods, would feed on vegetation when smaller in size and, because of the damage they inflicted on crops, were generally considered pests.
What made people most uncomfortable was the appearance of the millipedes.
Darcy frowned as he watched the millipedes vanish into the earth, “A few days ago, the university released a report.
An entomologist thoroughly explained the millipede outbreak; the reasons were sound, I almost believed it.”
“I’ve seen that report too,” continued the other.
“They claim it’s a new species with a strong ability to reproduce, and the city governnt has even ford a pest control team…”
The two n exchanged glances, shaking their heads.
If it were rely a new species, that would actually be good news.
“Darcy, do you think the fog changed these insects, giving them unprecedented reproductive abilities, or is this the work of heretics?” Bishop Keith asked.
Darcy remained silent.
From each other’s perspective, they were all heretics.
Keith realized his slip of the tongue and corrected himself, “Do the believers of Death and Darkness play with insects?”
“As far as I know, no one likes insects.
There’s a strong possibility of mutation due to the fog…”
Darcy was hesitant to draw a conclusion; after all, he was just an ordinary Silver Mage, and this problem was a bit beyond his expertise.
“I do know a few Evil Gods from Hell that are associated with insects.”
“…”
Darcy looked displeased at Keith; it was better to speak plainly, as playing coy could delay the ti needed to report back, harming everyone’s interests.
“That’s impossible.
The Evil Gods are sealed in Hell; their power can’t affect the mortal realm.
Even if they had followers spreading their creed, the numbers would be pitifully small.
By comparison, I lean more towards two possibilities,” said Keith, outlining his speculations.
First, the fog mutation—there were many such cases; second, Black Sorcerers conducting forbidden experints.
Black Sorcerers were not mages who worshipped the Dark Goddess; rather, they were the Magic Realm’s wanted criminals seeking the so-called true essence of magic and were unscrupulous in their thods.
At first glance, they resembled the freedom-seeking mages, but Black Sorcerers were much more vicious.
Greedy for trendous power, they often conducted cruel and forbidden rites, aiming to gain the favor of Hell’s Evil Gods.
As they walked and talked, they soon arrived at a pasture, where the owner was clearing insects from the fodder.
Upon learning that the group consisted of investigators from the university’s Departnt of Entomology, he imdiately began to complain.
“These insects are no longer content with just fodder; they’ve started eating at.
Last night they sward the cowshed in such numbers that the re thought of it still scares …”
“I heard that a dead body in the neighboring village wasn’t buried in ti.
In just one night, the insects ate half of it, and by the ti it was discovered the next day, the belly was full of bugs.”
The rancher described the scene vividly and even showed the visitors his ‘victory’ from the previous night.
The dead insects were piled up in a small mound, a ter high, with sticky fluids oozing out, emitting a foul stench—a scene guaranteed to kill any appetite.
The group stood at a distance, unwilling to get too close.
Darcy’s heart skipped a beat as if he had discovered sothing, picking up a stick and poking it into the pile of insect corpses.
Wisps of pale, nearly imperceptible mist dispersed, imdiately drawing Bishop Keith’s attention.
The fog and the insects were connected—they could produce the fog!
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