Ronan and Bamboo Pole exchanged a look. Both of them had grasped something.
Ronan also sent over the image footage taken at the branch laboratory. Unlike the plantains growing unchecked in the Wilderness, no non-professional would have been able to identify the species of this seedling in the lab. Yet atop its tender green stems and leaves flowed a firefly-like glow, similar to the strings of green capsules on the plantains.
Bamboo Pole stared at the pictures and footage in the Virtual Work Area, pondering. "There's an external source of influence. The greenery is only a surface phenomenon. Since it involves faith power, that's the only possibility."
"So you kept samples of the soil and surrounding environment?" Ronan asked.
"Yes. They've all been sent to the lab. We can compare them with the samples from the last 'Subway Station' incident."
"After we eat, we'll go to the lab first, then check out the site depending on what we find?"
"You're forcing me to work overtime." Bamboo Pole pulled a bitter face, clearly somewhat reluctant. "You know as well as I do that the soil and such definitely aren't the primary cause. Any extraordinary factor carrying faith power would at least be a Temporary Configuration in the Mental Ocean, right?"
"That's why we need to see the site."
"Fine. You're the Boss, you're the great divine one. Of course I'll listen to you." Bamboo Pole was still puzzled. "It seems it could only be something at the Mental Ocean level, though? A permanent or semi-permanent configuration in the Abyss Zone shouldn't be so... Wait, didn't you say last time that this had something to do with the Amaterasu Order?"
Ronan gave a quiet hum. "Mora took a commission from Pope Baiji."
"That makes even less sense." Bamboo Pole shook his head