“Heavenly-Master-of-Divine-Calculation?” Chandler pronounced the title awkwardly in the language of Yao Country, his brow furrowed in confusion.
His subordinates didn’t need any prompting and immediately began gathering all information related to the keyword “Heavenly Master of Divine Calculation.” The Bureau’s mobilized resources were formidable – in less than half an hour, the relevant information was presented to Chandler.
“...Suspected to be mysterious extraordinaries from Yao Country, active online through fortune-telling services. Their true identities remain unknown. They only provide one reading per day, and only those destined may seek their divination. All fees are donated to charitable organizations and welfare institutions, making them difficult to trace. Those who aren’t destined to receive readings experience various technical issues when trying to contact them – network lag, system failures, blank pages, and other such incidents... Those who try to get refunds after receiving readings often encounter misfortune, presumably due to karmic backlash.”
Chandler quickly reviewed the information about the Heavenly Master of Divine Calculation.
According to those who had consulted them before, the Divine Calculator had the ability to divine heavenly patterns and could directly calculate the key elements needed to resolve supernatural incidents, or help locate potential Spirit Forgers. As for the Heavenly Master, it was even simpler – they were natural enemies to all supernatural entities!
No wonder their informant said finding them would solve everything.
His diligent subordinate continued. “Given the limited time and information, our preliminary analysis suggests these two extraordinaries have approachable personalities and likely hide their true identities while moving freely among ordinary people.”
“...They could be compared to figures from Western mythology – those who might appear as beggars, commoners, or princes, passing by to give warnings to the fortunate ones about to encounter misfortune. Therefore, we recommend making contact and ideally establishing friendly relations.”
Chandler thought to himself: I completely understand.
The ability to divine heavenly patterns must be quite overpowered, even among extraordinaries. The fact that they weren’t affiliated with any official organization and seemed approachable made it obvious to Chandler that he should try to win them over.
However, everything they knew was based on hearsay. The true nature of the Heavenly Master of Divine Calculation, and whether their abilities were really that powerful, remained unknown.
The Bureau Director part of Chandler couldn’t help wanting to test them. Following the information his subordinates had gathered, he found the Heavenly Master of Divine Calculation’s social media account, where today’s “Reading of the Day” was still blank.
It seemed today’s destined person hadn’t arrived yet... Now he could only see if he was that destined one.
With this thought, Chandler opened the private message interface. His network didn’t lag like others had reported, and his message – a simple greeting – went through successfully.
The other side quickly replied: [So today’s destined person has arrived. You must know the rules – what would you like to ask?]
Judging from their tone, they indeed didn’t put on airs. Chandler’s eyes flickered, and he couldn’t resist testing them a little:
[C: I’ve heard you understand heavenly patterns and your divinations are never wrong. Surely you must already know why I’m here?]
The other side replied almost without hesitation: [So, is this your question? Are you sure?]
Chandler keenly noticed the change in their tone.
...Were they unhappy about his test? Probably not. Before the Heavenly Master of Divine Calculation became famous, many people must have tested and doubted them, perhaps even more blatantly than he had.
If they weren’t angry, then had the person responding changed? While considering this, he quickly withdrew his testing attitude and rapidly typed out:
[C: No, I apologize for offending you. I only learned of your existence from others, and your abilities seemed too incredible to imagine for someone like me. I seek your help regarding a matter of life and death, which is why I had to try reaching out. I hope you can understand.]
He was grateful for his understanding of Eastern culture, which helped him choose appropriate words when speaking with these two who were likely ancient beings hundreds of years old.
As they had predicted earlier, their personalities weren’t so easily offended by such minor testing. The person who had first responded seemed to return: [No need for such formality. I already know why you’re here.]
At the far end of a distant world, two people who were strolling through an apricot blossom forest paused their steps. A young man dressed in fine silk robes slightly raised his head and extended a hand from his sleeve.
With a turn of his wrist, countless flower petals took flight, spinning and dancing in the air like countless stars in the night sky moving under an invisible force, weaving into an intricate star chart based on the Eight Trigrams.
“When punishment begins to take effect, it is called great power, governing matters of light and majesty,” the young man’s eyes flickered. “Are they government officials? High-ranking ones?”
The ethereal star chart rotated in mid-air, with the Western Pole lighting up.
“...Is it the Chenxing Empire? Is the cause related to me? No, to be precise, it’s related to Joey.”
Suddenly, as if seeing something, his expression changed to one of realization, with all the intelligence and clues pointing to one thing.
“Could it be because of ‘The Sabbath’?”
And it was at this moment that the castle door suddenly opened.
Layers of dark clouds had gathered in the sky, casting vast shadows on the ground. Beyond the opened door, the light remained dim. A figure walked in through the gloomy shadows.
He wore a short cloak in the style of the last century, with silken black hair falling down, his distinctive mixed-race features possessing a classical beauty. His eyes of the same dark color gazed over, with faint silver seeming to flash in their depths.
His gaze met directly with the mother and daughter’s, seemingly ignoring everyone else in the castle as if they were air.
“Found you, ‘The Sabbath.'”
Slash!
Suddenly, lightning seemed to streak across the clouded sky outside, the silver-white flash blindingly bright. The sky torn by lightning was like an illusory painting with a corner ripped away, revealing the reality hidden beyond the scroll. In the instant the lightning tore through the sky, an overwhelmingly brilliant sunlight flashed through.
The entire castle was illuminated by this moment of true light.
Thus, all false illusions shed their disguises, revealing the truth to those who had been deceived—
The deep red carpet, pristine walls, elegant decorations, and brilliant crystal lamps all dissipated like bubbles in water, replaced by destruction, decay, desolation, and deep red blood smeared across the walls and floor.
...Like a long-abandoned crime scene.
The four people who had been confused suddenly felt as if ice water had been poured over their heads, jolting them awake. That layer of false memories clouding their perception instantly shattered, replaced by everything they had encountered since entering the castle.
Their faces turned deathly pale.
Andre’s entire body violently trembled. He looked down at his hands in disbelief, seeing only raw red flesh without skin, and then down further...
“That dream... was real...”
The moment he realized what had happened to his body, an indescribable agony suddenly spread throughout Andre’s entire body, making him unable to stand. He collapsed violently to the ground.
“Andre!” His three companions instinctively wanted to go to him but were paralyzed by his horrifying appearance. They could only hover uncertainly around him, watching as this humanoid form convulsed violently on the ground, losing breath within moments.
This finally drew a glance from the mysteriously arrived person.
He remarked with interest. “Living ignorantly in falsehood when blinded by illusion. The moment truth is realized, true death descends? I must say, such technique is quite brilliant, befitting the Association’s once-unique dark scripture.”
“Your growth has exceeded my expectations, ‘The Sabbath.'”
—Those collapsed on the ground noticed that he consistently addressed the mother-daughter pair as ‘The Sabbath,’ his tone devoid of any emotion, as if addressing a soulless object.
“However, this tedious running away from home should end now.” He walked step by step toward the mother and daughter, suddenly extending his hand, his tone matter-of-fact, “You should return.”
“No!” The mother and daughter instinctively stepped back, then, seeming to realize this action showed weakness, quickly stood their ground, both pairs of eyes staring fixedly at him, “You’re the one who should leave!”
As their words fell, the entire castle began rapidly deforming, as if being compressed from three dimensions, gradually becoming flat.
Blood flowed through the transforming castle, like a blood-soaked painting about to unfold.
Two overlapping female voices emerged. “Get out!”
These layered voices seemed to echo several times, accompanied by sharp, piercing invisible screams, shaking the entire scroll.
Then endless blood surged up, transforming into an ocean that could overwhelm heaven and earth. Bloody thorns, ghostly faces, and countless sharp arrows all rushed toward the young man approaching them.
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