"What are they doing?" In the small square in front of the hostel, I pointed to the clergy who were hurrying on the mountain road below, and asked Celine with some puzzlement, "What religious activities are there today? Or is it because we brought Pagan intelligence?"
Celine's face was also very confused: "Today is not a religious gathering, and the heretics... The information we brought should not be so serious. I think the cardinals have been dispatched. Huh? It seems that all gathered The bishops who are responsible for deciphering ancient documents and managing the reliquary, and the priests who are in charge of fighting are not moving, did they discover some new large relics?"
It seems that Celine, a fringe person who has been out all the year round, doesn't know much about the things in the holy capital. Just at this time, a young priest who didn't seem to be summoned passed by us (seemingly preparing to watch the fun?), I stopped him : "Excuse me, what are you planning to do with the noise below? What activities are there today?"
The young priest seemed to know about us, and recognized the person in front of him at a glance as a guest who came here to meet the Pope today (I think he should have recognized it when he saw Sandora, this feature is too obvious, "the glow that floats around "Ball" is a wordless ID card), smiled slightly and said, "Are you the two guests who just arrived today? This is the Pope summoning experts on sacred objects. It is said that the forge of the gods came three days ago." The apocalypse, which is rare in a hundred years, the Pope urgently called everyone to decipher the meaning of the apocalypse, and there was a round of meetings every day, which is the third day. But I don’t know the specific situation, I am in charge of city defense.”
The "Apocalypse" from the God's Forge? I suddenly remembered the ruins that Sandora and I discovered on the edge of the galaxy a few days ago: the time was just right! So that piece of ruins is indeed the forge of the gods? And it can also report to the Lost God Sect on this planet
In all likelihood, something was triggered when Sandora and I explored the ruins. I just don’t know how these Lost God members who have been completely trapped in a low-tech society can deal with this kind of alarm. They still have usable files. Spaceship failed
However, the young priest in front of him really didn't know too much about the situation. After chatting for a few words, he ran to continue to watch the excitement, but Celine was quite concerned and exclaimed: "The revelation of the god's forge? It is said that the last time I talked to the god The enlightenment related to the forge was almost two hundred years ago, I really didn't expect that I would just catch up with this situation this time, and it was not a waste of time."
This incident is just a small episode for the time being, we rested on the Stone Platform of the Windcaller for a long time, quietly waiting for the night to fall, and after dinner (by the way, let Sandora Ball soak in the vegetable soup) Then a group of clergymen in heavy robes came to greet the visitors. Celine tidied up her black robes nervously, and then boarded the rune carriage with us to the cathedral. Magic Vehicle, courtesy of the Pope of Magic). This city built in the mountains is indeed the highest treasure of the entire planet. I don't know how much manpower and material resources the Lost God Sect spent to build such a large building complex in the mountains after losing high-tech support. From the Windcaller Stone Terrace to the cathedral, there is actually a wide stone road with almost eight lanes that can be directly reached. Among other things, the paving of the road must have been strenuous enough.
The "heresy incident" is an equally important matter for both technology and magic in the entire church, so the Pope of Technology and the Pope of Magic have to deal with this matter together, but what surprised me is that this meeting is not in the solemn and solemn throne of the Pope Before, it was not under the witness of a large group of cardinals, but in a relatively private environment: after we entered the cathedral, we were directly taken to a small reception room on the second floor of the church. Except for the three of us, There were only two popes and a few elf bishops—the two popes came out in person, so it can’t be said that they didn’t pay much attention to it. Then this kind of relatively private small scene should be the habit of the church. Anyway, I’m quite satisfied, so it’s easy.
This small reception room is an oval-shaped long hall, a bit like a meeting place for some companies on the earth. Two huge emblems are hung on the curved walls at both ends of the reception room: the chain and gear logo on the technology side , the six-pointed star and the eye symbol on the magic side represent the two branches of the Lost God religion, and on the wall facing the door are some religious murals, which seem to depict the rise of the church after the ancient war, except Other than that, there is nothing to see. The barely spacious room contained only a long square table and a circle of chairs: even the furniture seemed very simple.
The guards were all driven outside. It seemed that the pope didn't want to spread the news about the heretics in advance, and he didn't worry that outsiders like me were actually assassins hiding their identities (in fact, I think the Sandora ball in my arms looks like explosives), and the first thing I noticed when I entered the room were the two popes vaguely surrounded by several elf bishops: from the emblems on their robes, we can see their respective identities, the technological popes It is a young male tree elf with a slender body, short emerald green hair, and a manly face that is relatively rare among elves (most male elves can’t tell if they are men before they speak) Females, some pseudo-girls are even more powerful, and you can’t tell the difference even after speaking), and the magic pope is a younger-looking female tree elf, who is also thin and has long green hair, and I don’t know if it’s an illusion ... I always feel that she looks a bit similar to the Pope of Technology, but with a softer face. Could it be that this is still a brother-sister party
The passers-by A, B, C, and D behind the pope have nothing to introduce. There are five elves in total, four of which are already old and out of shape, and the last woman looks too young. She seems to be younger than the magic pope, but considering that the pope It only has a lifespan of a hundred years, so the youngest here should still be the two popes. Three of the five elf bishops are tree elves (including the young one), and the remaining two are other elves. Sandora and I are quite familiar with tree elves, so we can see this from the details . The appearance of other species of elves among the high-ranking bishops seems to confirm one thing: tree elves are not the only race that knows the ancient secrets, and other long-lived species also participated in the formation of the church. The abandonment of civilization was indeed a joint decision of multiple races of.
"Welcome, sisters from afar, and two distinguished adventurers who have made great achievements," the Pope and several high-ranking bishops greeted him proactively, and it was the Pope of Technology who spoke, "The summoning tonight may be a bit hasty, you guys After all, it has been two days of fatigue, but the heresy incident is really serious, I hope you can understand."
Celine quickly saluted respectfully: first drew a strange symbol on her chest, then bowed, and then said nervously: "It is my honor to meet the Pope, we... eh, Mr. Scholar, why don't you salute?" ?”
I didn't think about it at all. I was busy studying the murals on the opposite wall at this time. I didn't react when I heard the words: "What did you say?"
"Don't be polite, don't be polite, just treat it as a private meeting," the magician pope waved her hand with a smile, and then pulled us to sit at the long table. After everyone sat down, she looked curiously at The Sandora ball on the table, "This... is that Miss Sandora who is said to have suffered an ancient curse?"
"Yes, Miss Sandora was turned into this by strange magic while exploring the ancient ruins," Celine never forgot to help us find a way to "remove the curse", and immediately seized the opportunity to mention this, "Hope His Majesty the Pope can help this ill-fated lover, Miss Sandora has not eaten for two years... "
My voice was out of tune at the time: "Don't mention this!"
Well, Celine is really touched because of an excuse that Sandora and I said casually, but you don’t know that the most complaining about Sandora now is the problem of eating. I managed to make her like this If you haven't paid attention to this matter for two days, which pot you don't open and which pot you carry!
"Ancient magic that turns people into balls of light?" An old elf bishop who hardly looked like a man spoke slowly and hoarsely. There seemed to be a flash of light in his cloudy old eyes, and he had six-pointed stars and eyes on his body. The robe with the logo shows that this high elf (not the tree elf) is a member of the magic sect, "I don't remember any ancient magic that can turn people into such a curse, but I have never seen such a life form... Is this really a magical effect?"
"This is indeed the case. If you don't know the reason, then I don't know." I waved my hand, and then confirmed with Sandora in the spiritual connection, "What happened to those two popes? It is true that they only have a hundred years of life span Or use the method of reincarnation once in a hundred years to maintain eternal life?"
On the way, I suddenly thought of a situation that can explain the Pope’s hundred-year lifespan, that is, to maintain eternal life through continuous reincarnation, because I met a similar example in the world of Gemini. I had to let myself live forever, but Sandora finally denied this guess after scanning the physical and mental conditions of the two young elves: "Their souls have not been reincarnated, and their bodies are indeed aging rapidly. As elves, they really just have a dramatically shortened lifespan."
"What's the reason? Can you find out the 'cause'?"
"A concealed implant device was detected in their body. This implant device is connected to the brain and acts on the soul at the same time," Sandora said in a serious tone. "It should be that this device has excessively consumed the energy of their body and soul." Double power, and only elves can barely bear this thing. If it is installed on short-lived species, it may drain a person in a few months, or even die on the spot. But I don’t know why their lifespan is compressed In exactly one hundred years, this equipment does not seem to kill its own host regularly, how long the host can survive should depend on their own strength, the equipment only shortens the lifespan... but these issues are all details."
So this is the reason why the popes of all ages were short-lived? Do they still have such a thing in their bodies? !
I couldn't help but look curiously at the two young elves who looked like brothers and sisters across the table. There was nothing unusual about them from their appearance. They spoke normally, frowned, and talked with Celine about strange things It seems that the implanted devices rooted in their brains did not cause them any pain, but they should be aware of what happened to them, even if they don't understand the device They can only live a hundred years—a normal lifespan for short-lived species, but not even a first cry for elves. They are selected from the sequence of saints and put on the robes of the Pope. Dying before experiencing life as an elf, they don't even know who their parents are! What exactly is it worth them doing to this degree? Something to do with the God Forge
"The Technological Renaissance faction has not been very active in the past two years. We have been guarding against their secret development and growth, but we did not expect that no matter how strict the prevention is, there will still be loopholes. They have penetrated into such a wide area, even near an ancient ruins. Built a stronghold," the male pope is very young (especially among the elves), but he speaks with a sense of calmness and reliability, his tone is soft but not exaggerated, and he also knows church affairs very well in his speech, which is not what I imagined Because he is too young, he is just a show pope, "So many people will not disappear out of thin air, but they may use forbidden knowledge to hide the first level of the encirclement circle. Check the situation, as long as they are still in this world, they will definitely show their feet."
"Why are the technology revivalists so persistent?" Celine couldn't help expressing her own doubts after reporting what she knew, "They called aliens, made flying tools, and tried to dig out the 'origin equipment' from the depths of the ground , but none of them succeeded, and it turns out that they don’t have the strength to fight against the church at all, why are they still wasting their energy?”
"Maybe our attitude is too gentle?" The female pope (magic pope) shrugged, she seemed to be more lively than the technology pope, and she spoke quickly, "After all, they also have a lot of connections with the church. But we still have to Suppress these guys, they don't know anything, they don't know how the world is walking on thin ice..."
The Pope of Technology immediately looked at the fast-talking female Pope sternly: "Morrowind, this is not what we are talking about."
The female pope named Chenfeng spread her hands: "I know, brother, don't be so nervous."
I was stunned: I just said it casually before, but it turned out that this is really a brother and sister combination? !
"Pay attention to your identity, don't call me brother," the Pope of Technology looked at his sister sternly again, and I thought his next sentence must be "call me Pope on a formal occasion", but he said, "Call me Pope." My elder brother!"
Me: "..." Why do I suddenly feel that instead of worrying about the safety of the world, I should consider whether there is something wrong with these two popes
Celine had only so much to report, and soon she explained the situation before and after the incident, and told what she found in the underground stronghold. The two popes looked at each other and nodded, and Chenfeng became curious. Turning his gaze to my side: "Now it's time to hear about your... mystic Mr. Scholar. It is said that you and this... Miss Egg bravely tracked down a pagan with holy clothes for a whole night ? This is beyond the courage of ordinary people. You are the only two people who have seen the appearance of one of the heretics with your own eyes. Your intelligence is very important."
The Sandora ball slowly floated up. She has completed the body scan of the Pope, and just discovered some interesting situations underground in the holy capital. Now we have met someone who theoretically knows the secrets of this planet. Time to get down to business.
"What we are going to talk about is not about heretics," Sandora's indifferent but majestic voice came from the ball of light, "What's the matter with the technological blockade? There is also the shielding of this world and that weird god Forge... who among you is an insider?"
I glanced at Sandora, and I thought she was at least setting the stage for the atmosphere and finding a topic to start with. I didn’t expect that Her Majesty is Her Majesty, and once she started working, her vigorous style immediately appeared—she asked enough Straightforward, in one sentence, there are four old men on the scene ready to draw their guns: Can this sensitive question be spoken directly
But Sandora's resolute action saved me trouble, at least I don't have to bother to think about how to sort out this bunch of annoying problems in order. Celine found that the atmosphere at the scene suddenly became weird, and more importantly, she vaguely realized that we seemed to have asked some incredible questions, and she looked over in surprise: "Mr. Scholar, this is..."
"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous," I waved to Celine, and said to the four elf old men who were about to suffer from a heart attack, "We are not technology revivalist, we are much more complex than their composition, this has never been Where do I start... How about Celine, you go out first?"
Celine is just a very ordinary grassroots person, and she can't play any role here. Instead, it may make it difficult for the Pope and the archbishops to speak, so it's better to invite them out, but obviously the people on the other side haven't thought of this yet. , an archbishop with a beard that almost reached his chest stood up tremblingly: "Celine is a member of my church, but you two... It seems that you are not a so-called adventurer or scholar?"
"Are you sure you can let Celine listen in here?" I have often faced this kind of scene over the years, so I am not at all stage frightened. Anyway, it is definitely right to throw out a lot of information before the other party thinks wildly. It's easy to talk, "Then I'll say it: there is a space base on the border of the galaxy, this universe is blocked by something, all or part of you come from other universes, as far as I know, at least the tree elves ran out of the empire area back then , the god of technology and the god of magic are actually fundamentally..."
The four elders on the opposite side (it seems that at least the four oldest bishops are insiders) suddenly said in unison: "Celine! You should avoid it for a while!" RS