Fooling People Doesn't Cost a Life

Jing Yan overheard the conversation behind him and found it quite amusing.

He took another look at the description of his recent check-in reward, discovering that after checking in at the Goethe Hotel, he would not only obtain a Curio but also unlock more options for "conquest" targets.

He had already learned from the system that the standard for successfully conquering someone was reaching 90% favorability, though he wasn't yet sure what the reward for success would be; he estimated it would provide some form of support for his divine power.

Furthermore, there was the hope of gaining the target's faith.

Jing Yan pondered this for a moment and froze, stunned by his own thought.

Previously, as a down-and-out existence fleeing the pursuit of the Aeon of Elation, Aha, his understanding of his own Aeon-level power was limited to this: he could regain his lost divine power through check-ins, then familiarize himself with and utilize fragments of that power through his own comprehension, but...

He realized now that Aeons could actually possess followers, and perhaps he could use this method to have his power fed back to him.

Of course, this was merely a hypothesis.

Even if he couldn't gain a massive influx of power from followers, being able to bestow his own power upon others was a fine thing in its own right.

After all, other people's minds differed from his own, and the power they could develop would likely be different as well.

Take Natasha, for instance.

Or perhaps someone from Belobog like Gepard.

Among the people of Belobog, aside from the Supreme Guardian who had already betrayed them in her heart, almost everyone held faith in Qlipoth, the Aeon of Preservation. However, even so, because they walked different Paths, the power they obtained was not necessarily the power of Preservation from Qlipoth.

One who bestows power does not necessarily require the recipient to believe in a specific Aeon; Aeons are not stingy, and as long as someone walks the same path as them, it counts.

However, Jing Yan's Path seemed to exist independently, outside the eighteen known Aeon Paths, so...

Perhaps as long as someone's favorability toward him reached 90% and they received his blessing, they could become his Emanator.

Emanators completing tasks could provide assistance to their Aeon, and as an Aeon himself, Jing Yan's capabilities should function in the same way.

Of course, there were gaps between Emanators, and their strength varied according to the different blessings bestowed by their Aeons.

Some, like the Emanators of Nous, the Aeon of Erudition, such as certain members of the Genius Society, relied more on their own intelligence and talent.

For them, the blessing was more like a form of recognition; even without it, they had already made significant contributions and achievements on their own.

"Rest assured, I am not a human trafficker," Jing Yan said, lifting his head to address the trio from the Astral Express behind him.

"However, I still hope you can answer my question from earlier."

"Uh, huh?"

March 7th was startled upon hearing this, and the expression on her face turned somewhat nervous.

She cast a suspicious glance at Jing Yan's back, then said with concern, "That stuff you said earlier—about enjoying tonight and suffering tomorrow night—you don't mean that enjoying tonight is just a smokescreen, and that after we fall asleep, we'll wake up tomorrow to find our kidneys have been harvested, right!"

"I, I'm warning you, our Express isn't someone to be trifled with! Our Express navigator, Ms. Himeko, is famous throughout the entire galaxy. Even the master of the Herta Space Station, Ms. Herta, holds our Ms. Himeko in high regard, so..."

Hearing March 7th's words, Stelle and Dan Heng beside her both wore helpless expressions.

On one hand, it was one thing for March 7th to be suspicious, but she had actually voiced her inner thoughts aloud!

If Jing Yan really were a human trafficker, would he just admit it?

Furthermore, when March 7th invoked Himeko's name to use her reputation as a shield, her voice was stuttering, clearly exposing her inner timidity.

If Jing Yan were truly a trafficker or a "kidney-thief," he might have been intimidated by Himeko's name for a moment, but now he might just be emboldened to commit a crime.

Jing Yan, however, didn't mind; he just found March 7th quite interesting.

"Well, it's like this."

Jing Yan turned back, smiled, and explained, "You are guests of our Belobog, and you've come from far away to help us solve our problems, so naturally, I want to treat you well. However, due to my status as a mere doctor in the Underworld, I don't have any connections in the Overworld. Because of certain other reasons, you can stay at the most luxurious Goethe Hotel in all of Belobog tonight, but you won't be able to continue staying there tomorrow night. That is why I specifically reminded you—I hope you can be prepared so the contrast won't be too jarring later."

Hearing Jing Yan's words, March 7th's eyes lit up, and she turned to Stelle with excitement, saying joyfully, "See what I told you? He's definitely not a human trafficker. If he were, he wouldn't be willing to treat us to the best hotel."

Stelle, however, just shrugged helplessly and said casually, "What if this has already become a whole industrial chain?"

"Maybe this most prosperous hotel is built upon the accumulated bones of its victims!" Stelle said, wearing a cryptic expression as she spoke.

It was as if she were telling a horror story.

"Oh, right." Hearing this, March 7th's brows furrowed again, and she began to worry once more.

"Alright, enough with the nonsense. The steel fortress of Belobog is just ahead."

Jing Yan pointed toward the fortress in front of them. "From here on out, you must listen to me."

"O-okay, definitely," March 7th replied.

Her tone didn't sound very cooperative.

It was likely because of how Jing Yan had trapped the Silvermane Guards earlier, making him look like an "outlaw."

"Now, rush in and shout: 'Cocolia, come out here!'"

"Then we can enter the city smoothly, and you'll be able to stay at the hotel tonight."

"Eh..." Stelle looked confused, seemingly not trusting Jing Yan.

"So, who is this Cocolia? And besides, what about you? Why are you walking so fast?"

"Naturally, to go to the hotel and wait for you in advance," Jing Yan said with a smile.

The trio from the Astral Express remained unconvinced.

They had returned to the city's defensive perimeter.

Jing Yan successfully used his ability to slip through, his presence so subtle that the Silvermane Guards, lost in their own emotions, did not even notice him pass.

However...

When it was the Astral Express trio's turn, they were spotted immediately and intercepted on the spot.

"Where exactly did you come from?"

A Silvermane Guard soldier asked with a stern expression.

"From beyond the sky," March 7th replied with a sheepish grin.

"Oh, right—do you guys happen to know Cocolia?"