The center of the whirlpool

In District 14, within the Botanical Garden, stands a wooden cabin belonging to the administrator.

This was Safe House that Lumian had prepared before going to Morola. He didn't rent it; instead, he bribed the Botanical Garden manager, telling him that when he needed to use it, he had to give it up and pretend that he was still living there.

After observing the lush green trees around her, Franca looked away and walked over to Ludwig, who was sitting at Wooden Table munching on a donut. With a deliberately sly smile, she asked, "How about I give you some homework?"

Ludwig looked up sharply, staring warily at Franca, and instinctively shifted his body back.

Franca laughed immediately, muttering to herself:

I felt the Angel's Pain, and I felt the "Pain" Potion being digested a little more!

"Why are you bullying a child?" Jenna said, amused.

"What kind of child is this?" Franca explained with a smile, "I had been guessing that letting Ludwig experience the Pain of studying and doing homework would also help me digest the Potion, but I didn't dare to try it, afraid of ruining Lumian's 'training' of Ludwig and making him want to run away from home. Now, the Whirlpool may be approaching soon, so digesting as much as possible is good. Anyway, Ludwig won't be able to form a tacit understanding with us so quickly."

Ludwig looked at Franca, his brown Eyes clearly conveying a single message:

You Witch!

After careful consideration, Jenna felt that what Franca said seemed to make sense. Once Lumian completed her advancement and she reached the "Witch of Pain" stage, this could be one of the ways to process the changes.

Ludwig's gaze shifted back and forth between Franca and Jenna several times before he said in a reassuring tone, "I will try my best to develop a rapport with you both!"

"Not bad." Lumian clapped his hands and said to Franca and Jenna, "You two also have the potential to be ' Conspirer.' Now Ludwig isn't opposed to teaming up with you."

But I didn't expect it to turn out like this... Franca looked around, feeling as if Lugano and Anthony's eyes were saying, "See? You've driven that kid to this point."

Lumian tossed a piece of chocolate wrapped like Gold Coin to Ludwig, and asked thoughtfully, "After eating that Cook's Stomach, you must have recalled quite a bit of knowledge, right?"

Ludwig quickly peeled off the chocolate wrapper and answered quite frankly, "Yes!"

The training was quite effective... Franca looked at Ludwig with a mixture of surprise and admiration as Lumian became more obedient.

Lumian pulled up a chair and sat down, asking in a suggestive tone, "Do you know anything about the ' Broker ' Pathway? Do you know what they call the Whirlpool?"

During this time, Lumian was busy training Ludwig and giving him tasks. He almost forgot that Ludwig was Evil God Angel from Outside the Barrier and might have some understanding of the "Broker" Pathway.

After learning about Whirlpool Plan, before going to Morola, Lumian asked Ludwig a similar question. At the time, Ludwig shook his head and said he didn't remember, but now he has recovered somewhat and is much more obedient.

Ludwig chewed on his chocolate, his mouth constantly lost in thought.

After several seconds, he said uncertainly, "It seems to mean something more complicated, involving more Trader, not just one-on-one."

As he spoke, Ludwig took a stack of Bread slices from the side and placed them on the table one by one, acting as different Trader.

Then, the little boy pointed to the Bread slices and said, "Transactions can happen in any of these groups, or they can be three-way, four-way, or even more-way transactions. When you connect the corresponding lines, it's like weaving a spider web, or creating a Whirlpool that draws in many people."

Lumian understood Ludwig's meaning and pondered for a moment before saying, "So it seems that the deal between the ' Mother Tree of Desire ' and the ' Great Mother ' was just one link in Whirlpool. But where is the center of that Whirlpool?"

Outside the Square District, in front of the detached Villa of several members of the "Rose School" Indulgence Faction.

Angoulême de François and a group of "Purifier" had already arrived nearby.

For this mission, he borrowed a Sealed Artifact from the Inquisition in the Market District, the "Sword of the Sun," a level 1 Sealed Artifact he was used to using. It was now stuck in the Spine of the Gray-White Humanoid Machine creation.

Angoulême glanced at the sky, dotted with white clouds and bathed in gentle Sunlight, then looked around and said, "First squad, follow me in. Second squad, lie in ambush in the Underground Trier. Third squad, go around to the back door..."

After giving instructions to his team, he slightly opened his arms and said, "Saint Viève and Saint Plessy are watching this place. We will surely win!"

Praise the Sun!

"Praise the Sun!" every "Purifier" responded.

Once the different squads were in position, Angoulême, wearing a brown wool coat, turned and ran towards the Villa, with the Gray-White Humanoid Machine creation following closely beside him.

Angoulême wasn't too worried about this mission, which supposedly might involve Half-God from the "Rose School." This was because Archbishop Saint Plessy of Trier and the Guardian Angel Saint Viève of Trier were not merely observing; they were already nearby, ready to purify the evil. Their main objective was to force the bloodthirsty members of the "Rose School" to leave their hideout. If necessary, they could destroy the entire Villa, purifying both the Beyonder and the Ordinary Person worshipped the Evil God.

Although Angoulême felt that there might still be a chance to save those Ordinary Person —some of whom might not have such a deep faith in the "Mother Tree of Desire"—the prerequisite for saving them was that the safety of his team members was guaranteed.

As the Team Leader, his first responsibility is to his subordinates!

With a series of thuds, Angoulême rushed through the garden and arrived at the main entrance of the Villa.

Just then, he saw a thin, white mist rising inside. The mist Distortion and turned, revealing one Pain face after another on the Glass Window and walls.

Angoulême stopped, preparing to summon "Holy Light" to purify the mist.

Suddenly, Depths the thin White Fog, in a room on the second floor of the Villa, beams of light resembling Crimson Moonlight shone forth.

They quickly sketched out a stiff, sluggish, Distortion, and blurry figure.

For some reason, upon seeing that crimson figure, Angoulême and his teammates all felt a sense of awe at the ultimate beauty.

They watched with fascination as the crimson figure slowly made its way to the window from the Depths of the White Fog, completely forgetting what their mission was.

The cries of babies filled their ears.

Accompanying the crying was a sinister voice, neither male nor female:

You've come at the perfect time.

Depths Primitive Island, where the trees abruptly disappear.

Bernadette, the "Queen of Mysteries" who circumvented her father's "ban" with the help of a certain person, once again saw the black Mausoleum built by hollowing out the mountainside.

This black Mausoleum is mostly part of the mountain range itself, with only a small portion showing signs of human intervention. Its surface is free of Weeds Vines, and it stands hundreds of meters tall, displaying the utmost grandeur.

Here Slumber Bernadette's father, the former emperor of the Intis Empire, Roselle Gustav, who ushered in a new era.

The surface of the Mausoleum is inscribed with the Civil Code drafted and promulgated by Roselle, as well as the new social customs he created and the items he invented.

Emperor Roselle forcibly switched from the "Mystery Pryer" Pathway to the "Lawyer" Pathway in an attempt to become the "Black Emperor" of Sequence 0, but perished during the Apotheosis Ritual.

This was the effect he deliberately wanted to achieve, because he had been to the Moon once in his later years and suffered severe, hidden Corruption. He could only think of the fact that the "Black Emperor" could Resurrection and return if his nine Mausoleum remained intact and the order he established did not perish, in order to get rid of that Corruption.

After he is killed, his original Beyonder Characteristic belonging to the "Mystery Pryer" and "Generalist" Pathway will be completely released. When he Resurrection, only the pure "Black Emperor" Beyonder Characteristic will be summoned and return to his body. He will not fall into a state of Half-Mad like the "Blood Emperor" of the Fourth Epoch That One forcibly switched to a non-adjacent Pathway.

Unfortunately, Roselle, who had already completed the "Black Emperor" Ritual and attained the status of True God, discovered that the hidden Corruption could not be escaped even in death.

It is constantly Rebirth.

So, Roselle, who was neither completely dead nor truly alive, sealed himself away to avoid being completely altered by that Corruption.

Bernadette had visited the "Black Emperor's " Mausoleum once before. With the help of a level 0 Sealed Artifact and Mr. The Fool, she further sealed and protected her father.

Her purpose in coming today is to use the method of balancing the various forms of Corruption to help her father initially escape his current state and Resurrection. After that, she can wait for Mr. The Fool to awaken and seal the Corruption in the best way possible. In this way, even if it is not Mr. The Fool who awakens, but "Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth", her father can still barely maintain his balance by relying on his own abilities.

Therefore, she was willing to take the risk of promoting some shady deals. Of course, she also made many preparations based on her Future to prevent the situation from deteriorating.

Unlike before, Bernadette did not encounter any obstacles or attacks on her journey and arrived at her father's Mausoleum without any problems.

She used this to determine who one of the Trader brought in by the "Broker" Perle was.

And this deal may involve more than two parties!

"The Ritual can begin now, allowing the Corruption you desire to enter the Mausoleum," the Supervisor Perle said with a smile to the "Queen of Mysteries" Bernadette. "But I need the ' Wishing Lamp ' as a medium."

"0-05", "Wishing Lamp!"

Bernadette said calmly, "That's not part of the deal."

Perle sighed and laughed, "That would make the Ritual simpler and more effective."

"But it's alright. The deal you made to get me here pleased my Lord. I've received a new Gift, and I can try to complete the Ritual on my own with the corresponding items."

As he spoke, Perle opened his arms, and his body gradually turned into white mist. The mist expanded, slowly swirling and forming a Whirlpool.