Cthulhu Gonfalon

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Sui Xiong knew about Crick's situation.

Although Crick's problems were a little difficult, they weren't unsolvable with Sui Xiong's ability. However, after careful consideration, he gave up on treating Crick.

As his incarnation, Crick had undertaken the task of experiencing life and understanding the world from the perspective of a Hill Lord of Aristocracy. Of course, there would be a variety of ups and downs, sorrows and joy, and death was also inevitable.

Sui Xiong could only be an onlooker in Crick's life. If he interfered too much, it would certainly affect Crick's attitude and ideas—cooperation with the Church of the Void Mask was enough to change Crick's ideas a great deal. Sui Xiong didn't know whether these changes were good or bad, but he didn't want to see any further changes.

It was cruel, but the result of his "research" would be used to determine a God or a church government. Sui Xiong could only apologize to the ignorant "traveler."

There was a famous saying from an unknown author that the progress of medicine depended on countless sacrifices. Actually, the progress in other fields was probably the same. Sui Xiong was unwilling to make so many sacrifices, so he could only sacrifice himself. As a "traveler," he observed and experienced the world from all angles of society so as to gain a comprehensive understanding of the whole world and find the right way to promote its development.

He felt very sorry for Crick, but since it was he who wanted to understand the world and push it forward, it was he who should shoulder the responsibility.

Every "traveler" who had died was Sui Xiong himself under certain conditions. At the moment of "traveling through time," he had followed different possibilities, and thus produced different processes and obtained different results.

Their own choices followed their own principles and consciences. In other words, supposing that Sui Xiong on earth hadn't become a big jellyfish after traveling through time, but an ordinary person, the outcome would probably have been like this.

So… there was nothing to complain about…

Shortly after waking up, Sui Xiong watched far afar and returned to his wheelchair, pretending to be as weak as Crick and sighing deeply.

He could see that Crick was dying.

Crick intended to do big things before his death, clearing up obstacles as much as possible for his relatives, friends, and territory so that he could rest peacefully.

All of his performing was for this purpose.

"Good job!" Sui Xiong praised himself and laughed. "If I were him, I would also use this kind of cunning style. "

He thought for a while and decided to help him a little bit from the dark.

Soon, a rumor spread quickly throughout the Duchy of Thunder.

Crick Keane, the former Hill Lord of the "Pearl of Thunder" Keane baronet, was too ill to stand up. He often fainted and could die at any moment.

When the news of his illness spread, many people with high aspirations were greedy for his territory.

Although Crick had been married for several years, he hadn't had any children, probably because he had been badly injured on the battlefield on the Sun's Extinction Day. At present, the current Keane Baron, Anna Keane, who was also his sister, was the only heir to the Keane Hill.

Miss Anna was fourteen years old and could only be regarded as comely, not beautiful or charming, in terms of her appearance, but she had one of the most prosperous Baron Hills in the Duchy of Thunder as a dowry. More than one businessman had assessed that although the Keane Hill was just a Baron Hill, it could accumulate as much wealth as any Viscount Hill!

With such a big dowry, even an ugly person could be transformed into a beauty. Even if people discriminated against hideous appearances, a big dowry would be enough to make people ignore any defects in appearance. Moreover, Miss Anna at least had regular features that could be considered beautiful compared to noble ladies whose mothers had probably fornicated with ogres or goblins. Even many people would marry those noble ladies for their big dowry not to mention such a beauty Anna!

Therefore, many young talents set off in a hurry to impress Miss Anna so as to gain her heart and win her dowry.

Of course, if they couldn't have both at the same time, they wouldn't mind too much, as long as they had the dowry…

"What? Do they really think so?" After listening to Rena's report, Crick didn't become angry, but smiled and seemed very calm.

Rena nodded. "I watch and read their lips while they're drinking and chatting."

Crick chuckled twice, shook his head, and said with some regret, "I had hoped that there would be outstanding young people among them, and if some of them had been talented or virtuous enough that they would mesh well with Anna's temper, I wouldn't mind giving this dowry, which could be the most valuable currently, to them."

"What a pity!"

He sighed deeply and regretted that those young men hadn't lived up to his expectations.

"Maybe I'll go and check again for more outstanding people…" Rena said tentatively.

Crick nodded. "Then you shall take on the task. I really can't manage all these things with my limited energy."

Rena nodded with hesitation and asked, "My lord, how is your body…?"

Crick laughed. "It's getting worse, but I'm not dying just yet."

"So… those rumors… What's going on?" Rena frowned and felt worried. "I noticed that these rumors all appeared at almost the same time. I'm afraid there must be powerful men spreading them around."

Crick's eyes shone suddenly and his voice became heavy when he said, "Did you find any clues?"

He knew that Rena would never guess at random when she mentioned something. She must have found some proof before reporting this to me.

Rena sighed and said, "I investigated carefully and found that these rumors came from middle and low-level people. When I continued my investigation, I couldn't find any further information. I even caught a person who had spread the rumor and used cruel means to force him answer my questions. But he was also at a loss, and I finally came to the conclusion that he figured it out while drinking…"

Crick sneered, "Figured it out while drinking? It's not surprising that one or two people are like this, but it's very strange that a lot of people are acting this way. Do you think they're under a spell?"

"I feel like they're under the effects of 'memory weaving.'" Rena said with some worry. "But… 'memory weaving' is an esoteric spell that many advanced mages cannot cast. That person would have to have cast this spell on such a large scale. Could it be that there's a powerful man who's been in the Legendary Realm for many years so he could organize a group of advanced mages?"

The more she said, the more worried she became, a cold sweat even breaking out on her forehead.

Although Rena was also powerful, she wasn't the kind of hero who had survived hundreds of battles. Once she was under great pressure, she couldn't take any more.

Since the great war on the Sun's Extinction Day, senior adventurers had either died in the war or retreated. Now, all the adventurers on the Main Plane were decreasing in both numbers and strength. For a new generation like Rena's, most of them lacked experience—not in risk taking, but in dealing with adversity.

It was very understandable that most of the experienced and courageous men had gone to participate in the great war. In the end, they either died in the war or were discouraged into retreating. Even the reliable predecessor Nikolas, whom people had thought would never retreat, had left and lived in seclusion. The next generation, including Rena, still lacked the experience and strength of the pre-war era.

For example, if Rafael had heard the news, he would only have sneered and said a few words like, "It's a little troublesome to kill a lot of people." He would never have been as nervous as Rena.

(After all, she was so young!)

Crick sighed deeply upon seeing Rena's nervous face.

Maybe Rena would become stronger in a few years, but he was afraid that he wouldn't see that day. When Rena became stronger, she could be a reliable assistant to his sister, helping her deal with both open and covert attacks.

"Those rumors are good for me," he said confidently. "I'm planning to create the illusion that I could die anytime, and I've made a lot of preparation for it. Although I don't know who has spread the rumors, since he's so powerful that even you couldn't find any clues, we should stop investigating this matter."

"How can we stop it?"

Crick sighed slightly and asked, "Rena, if the world was going to go extinct today, would you be able to stop it?"

Rena shook her head in a daze.

"That's right. When things are beyond our abilities, it makes no sense to worry about them too much. " Crick smiled and said, "If this person is assembling a group of advanced mages who know how to cast 'memory weaving' and could cast this spell many times in a short time, they are far beyond our abilities. If such a powerful man really wanted to deal with us, do you think we could escape?"

Rena thought for a long time and nodded in frustration.

"Think about it another way. If you were such a powerful man, would you take so much action just to deal with a baron?"

"Of course I wouldn't. I would just kill him," Rena answered immediately, then realized suddenly.

"Hahaha, yeah, it's very simple." Crick laughed, "So you don't have to worry about it too much. If he didn't come to us directly, then his target is probably not us."

When Rena was relieved and ready to leave, he lost his smile, but showed a glint of cunning in his eyes.

"Perhaps… I can also borrow their powers…"