Chapter 269: Godbearer Cult

Chapter 269: Godbearer Cult

“Have a seat,” Dragon said as the host. “White Rabbit, make everyone coffee and tea.”

“Understood.” She quickly walked out of the meeting room.

“Be at ease.” Surnamed Li echoed the sentiment. “Tonight, we put our heads together for a solution.”

Qilin waved a hand at the Elders behind him too.

The core members of the three organizations sat down by their respective leaders. Soon, each organization began an internal discussion. They hadn’t lowered their voices to avoid getting overheard though, and the meeting room became boisterous at once.

A few minutes later, White Rabbit entered with a small cart, serving everyone coffee and tea.

The internal discussion took close to twenty minutes. Then Qilin raised a hand slowly, quieting the room and drawing everyone’s attention.

“We’ve come to a hypothesis, everyone. We’ll share it to start the ball rolling.” Qilin turned to Gao Yang after saying that. Gao Yang nodded. The initial posting of this chapter occurred via noovelllbbin

In the last twenty minutes, Gao Yang had come up with a hypothesis based on everyone’s speculations, which earned the approval of Qilin and the other Elders.

He stood up and cleared his throat. It felt like he was making a presentation, and without being conscious of it, his choice of words became more formal and careful. “Everyone, you must have been informed of the fact that former Elder Black Tortoise of the Qilin Guild was found to be a spy.”

Gao Yang turned to Qilin. After getting the go-ahead, he continued, “Black Tortoise was working for an evil organization we referred to as the Godbearer Cult. They followed the one they called the Heavenly Godbearer, and Black Tortoise was the Cult’s archbishop, their second-in-command.”

“I’ve encountered their members a number of times. When they were cornered, they injected themselves with an insidious solution that would transform them into powerful monsters, with the side effect of losing their sanity. And they usually chanted the same prayer as the transformation took place like it was a source of comfort for them.”

“I’m going to repeat the prayer. Please think carefully if you have encountered something like it.”

“O omniscient and omnipotent Heavenly Godbearer, the great and merciful overlord of all...”

“Forgive my ignorance and purify my blood...”

“Save me from this weakness and these sins of mine...”

“Grant me the sacred blood and great power...”

“I swear to forever follow you, submit to you, devote myself to you...”

“They have,” Surnamed Li answered for them. “And I can vouch for them.”

“Are you 100% sure, Madam Li?”

Surnamed Li spoke in a maternal tone, “They are my confidants, and they stay close by my side. You haven’t forgotten about my Talent, have you?”

Gao Yang understood what she was saying. If Chen Ying and Colorless were spies, Surnamed Li would’ve spotted something with her ability to randomly predict what would happen around her over the past ten years, during which they had been spending most of their time with her.

“Good.” Vermilion Bird smiled relaxedly. “Then I’m certain that there is no spy from the Godbearer Cult in this room.”

Unless Black Tortoise’s body lied to me, she thought. But bodies don’t lie.

“Then,” Gao Yang took over. “May I continue?”

“Please.” Surnamed Li nodded.

“Over the years, the Godbearer Cult has planted spies in the three major organizations, moving discretely and staying out of sight. At the same time, however, a series of murders were committed in such a dramatic manner, and they even left the symbol of the Cult at the crime scenes. The two ways of doing things seem at odds.”

“Right. On one hand, they have been sneaking around, worried about attracting attention, but on the other hand, they seem to be actively seeking attention like someone shouting into a megaphone.” War Tiger made a relatable analogy.

Gao Yang nodded. “But upon reflection, the two aren’t necessarily in conflict.”

There was a second of silence.

War Tiger gave Gao Yang a figurative eye roll. Are you messing with me, you brat? I respond to you for your sake! But it turns out to be a verbal trap! Is this how you repay your teacher?!

Gao Yang didn’t have the time to placate War Tiger. He said level-headedly, “The spies were planted ten years ago. They stayed as sleeper agents for ten years, and when the series of murders were committed this year, Mad Red, Ghost Horse, Yellow Butterfly, and Black Tortoise began making their moves as well.”

“Wait!” Chen Ying was stunned. “Ghost Horse and Yellow Butterfly were also spies?”

Stop interrupting me, Gao Yang grumbled silently. And isn’t the Hundred Rivers Union too poorly informed?

“Ghost Horse was a double agent,” White Rabbit explained. “He appeared to be a spy the Godbearer Cult planted in the Twelve Zodiac Signs, but he was actually the spy we planted in the Cult.”

“Yellow Butterfly was an actual spy. She showed her hand in the Rune Cave in the Eleventh High School, and Seven Shadow dealt with her.” Azure Dragon provided the additional information. “We didn’t disclose the information.”

“Ha.” Colorless had a complicated look on her face. “If not for the Crimson Tide, who knows how much more we are going to keep from each other?”

That’s why an information broker like Liu Qingying runs such a thriving business, Gao Yang added in his head.

“If you don’t have any other question,” Gao Yang went back to the topic at hand, “I’m going to continue.”