Circle of Inevitability

The figures entering the ancient palace were Black Earth and Bax. Black Earth sported a furry hat and a thick leather mask, while Bax, on the other hand, had opted for just shorts and a brass mask.

Upon spotting Hela, they acknowledged her with a slight nod as a greeting.

Their eyes then roved over Franca, who hadn't tagged her code name, and Muggle, enveloped in a dreamy mist.

"Who's this?" Black Earth, clad like a Hunter from the mountains, pointed at Franca, a note of confusion in his voice.

"Hidden Blade. I rushed and forgot to tag myself," Franca replied.

Black Earth and Bax promptly dropped their suspicions and relaxed.

In a situation like this emergency gathering, it was perfectly normal for Hidden Blade to slip up.

This was her style!

Soon after, other members of the April Fool's team arrived one by one, but Lumian didn't see the five most suspicious targets— I Know Someone, Hisoka, Bard, Mad Lady, and Ultraman.

His expression darkened gradually, sensing that Loki had been resurrected and the problematic members had been alerted.

The dozen or so individuals gathered here were potential pawns. If Loki and his gang went too far and were discovered by other members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society, they could be used as scapegoats for the investigation.

There was nothing to find fault with them, thus ensuring the six true believers in the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings remained concealed.

At that moment, Black Earth and the rest started to realize that something was amiss.

Why were there so few attendees at the emergency gathering?

The agreed time had already passed, and typically, at least half of the society should have shown up by now.

"Hela, what's going on?" Bax, wearing nothing but a mask and shorts, asked in a deep voice.

Lumian sneered, looking at them as if they were a bunch of fools.

If Loki and his crew were evil, then these people were simply fools. They believed they were clever and had uncovered the truth, thinking they were indulging in pre-apocalypse pleasures. In reality, they were just being used as pawns and shields.

Lumian was willing to bet that Loki, I Know Someone, and the other core members of the April Fool's team would mock these fools during their private gatherings.

Hela's tone remained as cold as ice as she began, "I summoned you to this gathering because Loki betrayed us."

Black Earth, Bax, and the others were taken aback. They glanced around, but Loki was nowhere to be seen.

Hela continued, "He believes in an evil god and led I Know Someone and the others to harm numerous Research Society members."

"Such accusations require evidence," Bax instinctively retorted. n(-1n

With the Lie earring on, Lumian spoke in Aurore's voice, "I'm the evidence!

"You must have seen me buy the Soul Summoning Spell. This caused a mental problem and nearly caused me to lose control. Fortunately, I found someone to help me in time and sealed my split personality.

"Before this, I've been seeking treatment from I Know Someone, but instead of improving, my condition only worsened.

"I approached them to reason with them, but they ended up planning to murder me!"

Black Earth fell silent for a moment before saying, "I remember that you bought it from Mad Lady. They lied to you because transmigration should be a matter between two parties, not a one-sided reason. Otherwise, why did you transmigrate to this world and happen to possess such people? The original bodies must have done something to establish the connection between the two worlds. Therefore, before figuring out what caused you to transmigrate, finding the remnant soul of the original body and asking might gain something unexpected.

"Muggle, weren't you homesick back then? How could you believe such a reason?"

As they heard this, some of the April Fool's team members present couldn't help but show teasing and mocking expressions in their eyes.

Muggle had fallen for a trick that could only fool children!

None of them had been fooled by Mad Lady. Even if she claimed to have tried and achieved certain results, it couldn't be considered a clue.

Mad Lady… Lumian repeated the code name inwardly.

A chuckle escaped him as he continued, "I was indeed blinded by the desire to return home, but you weren't any better.

"Take a look. Are Loki, Mad Lady, and Bard here?

"They know what they're doing, and they understand that if they're exposed, they have to leave the Research Society immediately. But you, fools, and idiots, don't know anything and are still cooperating with them!

"Even pigs and dogs are smarter than you!"

The absence of Loki and the others was like Muggle's mocking arrow, piercing the hearts and minds of Black Earth and the other April Fool's team members.

Some of them erupted in anger, feeling humiliated and wanting to retort. Others swayed in despair and confusion, while some felt as if countless insects were gnawing at their hearts. The pain was palpable.

Witnessing this, Franca entered Instigation mode and delivered a decisive blow.

"Don't you understand? You're discarded pawns, abandoned targets, mere agents who have lost their usefulness!

"You've never been core members of April Fool's. You've never earned Loki's trust. They only mock you behind your backs!

"Now that Loki and the others have been exposed, they can hunt down the Research Society members without fear. Who do you think will be the easiest for them to locate and target?

"The only thing you can do is recall the details of your dealings with Loki and the others, including the real-life pranks you executed, so that we can eliminate these traitors as soon as possible.

"Remember, leniency comes with honesty, resistance comes with severity."

Black Earth, Bax, and the others followed Hidden Blade's logic and realized the grim possibility.

They exchanged glances, their hearts clearly wavering. The few who had witnessed Loki and the others' capabilities couldn't help but tremble slightly.

Finally, Franca dropped a bombshell.

"Don't think you can escape the hunt just because you can relocate. Let me tell you, Muggle's experience indicates that Loki and the others seem to have a way to track Research Society members within a certain range through some mystical connection.

"I'll share the specific method with everyone at the next official gathering."

Black Earth gritted his teeth and said, "There are too many details. I don't think I can recall them all in just a few hours."

The other April Fool's team members nodded in agreement.

Hela thought for a moment and replied, "Go back, write down all the details, and send them to me.

"Remember, pack your belongings and stay at a motel or hotel at least five kilometers away."

Bax and the others let out sighs of relief and agreed.

Shortly after, Lumian noticed their eyes closing, as if they had fallen asleep while standing.

He and Franca exchanged thoughtful glances and then realized that Madame Hela's eyes had lost focus before closing as well.

After a moment, Hela opened her eyes and said to Lumian and Franca, "There are no hidden Loki helpers or believers in the Celestial Worthy."

This is a precaution in case Loki had risked leaving an accomplice to gather intelligence… Franca came to a realization.

In the next instant, Black Earth, Bax, and the others awakened simultaneously, reciting the incantation discreetly as they left the ancient and decaying palace.

Lumian dispelled the Niese Face, took off the Lie earring, and turned to Hela.

"Every time we use the incantation at a gathering, we should be tainted by the Sealed Artifacts' Concealment aura, right?

"Can we use this to track down Mad Lady and the others?"

Hela shook her head.

"They no longer have the corresponding auras."

Clearly, she had tried it before.

Lumian remained silent, exhaling slowly and silently.

The trio left the Nation of the Evernight and returned to the uninhabited mine beneath Trier.

Hela put away the Wraith Beyonder characteristic and spoke to Lumian and Franca.

"If we can't uncover Loki and truly eliminate him, you can stay in Trier's market district for another three months at most. When that time comes, regardless of any unfinished business, you'll have to consider relocating."

"Why three months?" Franca inquired, her confusion apparent.

Staying even another week seemed perilous.

Hela provided a simple explanation.

"While Loki has been resurrected with his Beyonder characteristics, he has lost all his marionettes. A Marionettist won't rashly appear and attack others without a marionette, unless they are excessively confident and perceive you as weak. And you've already demonstrated significant strength.

"For a Marionettist without a marionette, acquiring a suitable and powerful marionette requires planning, luck, and frequent replacements. You should have a window of three to six months."

"Understood," Franca replied, deciding to inform Madam Judgment that if no progress was made within two months, she would request permission to abandon the Iron and Blood Cross Order mission and relocate.

Lumian nodded in agreement.

He contemplated whether he could digest the Pyromaniac potion within three months and gather the Conspirer potion formula and main ingredients.

At that moment, Hela pointed at Loki's mushy flesh, twisted maggots, and said, "The dead worms are excellent spiritual ingredients that can be used for many things. However, they also come with hidden issues. They have been corrupted to a certain extent, posing unknown dangers to you."

Franca recalled her terrifying experience of almost becoming a marionette and shook her head, indicating she didn't want them.

Lumian gazed at the countless maggots and the mushy flesh for a moment before suddenly summoning the crimson fireball floating on his shoulder. He directed it towards Loki's remains.

Instead of exploding, the fireball ignited fiercely, casting a crimson glow.

As he watched the maggots and flesh burn, Lumian felt as though he had digested the Pyromaniac potion once more.

This came from his experience of being controlled by Loki and using the near-loss of control to ignite his own body, triggering the resonance of the Blood Emperor's aura.

This led Lumian to formulate his own acting principle for Pyromaniac: Pyromaniacs aren't arsonists. Only by daring to set themselves ablaze can they set others ablaze!

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