The leaders and bishops of the Church of the Four Gods are to gather on a ghost ship returning from subspace for a meeting - the kind of thing that is too explosive at any given time, the kind of thing that someone shouts like this in the city-state, and everyone who hears it has to think for a long time whether they should report it to the Inquisitor or to the mental hospital.

But now it's really happening.

The Lost arrived at the appointed place at the appointed time—off the coast of Breeze, in the calm waters near the Cathedral of the Storm, where it docked, and then the "visitors" from the four pilgrimage arks arrived in small boats.

Shirley lay behind a railing on the aft deck, probing her head into the middle deck as they were nervously looking around or trying to calm down, and muttered to the shadows beside them as she watched, "How dare they come...... Did you see that bald uncle? His head is so bright, and his head is sweaty......"

A dog's voice came muffled from the shadows: "It's too scary...... In the past, in the city-state, let alone meet this level, we had to hide and walk when we met a few guards......"

"It's not what it used to be...... That's what the word says, right? Shirley smirked, "Now they're going to hide from us—at least on the ship." Hey, do you want to jump out and scare them? It's a rare opportunity......"

"I can jump out, but you might get beaten by the captain when you turn around—I really jumped?"

"Don't don't make me kidding......"

On the deck, the puppet Luni who followed the hostess to the Lost Country was methodically guiding the "visitors" through the central deck to the door leading to the cabin, the clockwork doll glanced back in the direction of the aft deck, and turned to explain to a deep sea priest in a bishop's robe: "That's Miss Shirley, she's the old master's 'student', you don't need to be nervous." ”

"But I felt the aura of a dark demon...... "The nervous Bishop of the Deep Sea couldn't help but say, "right next to that 'Miss Shirley'......"

"That's Mr. Dog, Miss Shirley's guardian dog," Lunny explained calmly, "and a student of the old master, so you don't have to be nervous." ”

Bishop of the Deep Sea: "......? ”

Luni didn't care about the strange eyes that the other party suddenly revealed, she clapped her hands, looked up and introduced to the priests who had just boarded the ship around her: "Let me emphasize some common precautions-

"The ropes on the boat sometimes move suddenly, and if they are tied, don't worry, they are tied and played, and they will be released with a little hello; Don't worry about buckets rolling around, they might just be transporting things; If you pick up a silver-haired puppet's head and you can't see the puppet's body nearby, take the head to the mainmast and give it to a talking pigeon, who will help return the head;

"Also, don't go to unopened areas, and if you get lost, stay where you are; It is not forbidden to pray to the gods on board, but the gods will not help you get out of the locked cabin, so keep in mind the 'rules' I mentioned earlier, if you see an individual suspected of being an heir of the deep sea in some part of the ship, stay calm and leave, they are fish, and do not care about the sudden appearance of a strange shadow in the mirror or in a dark corner, it is Lady Agatha who is taking a walk - she will not enter the visitors' lounge......

"Always remember that the boat is safe and friendly, and if you feel like you're dying, repeat this in your mind: the boat is safe and friendly, and reflect on whether you're acting against the rules, rather than questioning that something is wrong with the environment......

"Finally, I wish you all a great day aboard the Great Lost – meals will be served after the conference. Rest assured, they are all substances that can be consumed by humans. ”

The clockwork figure smiled and bent down towards the visitors.

"Come with me, let's go to the hall."

The priests who boarded the ship were either nervous, suspicious, or cautious and vigilant to observe this ghost ship that haunted countless strange legends and dangerous atmospheres, and the "safety tips" given to them by a clockwork puppet on the deck did not reduce the tension in the hearts of these normal people, but only added to the strange atmosphere they felt here - but driven by mission and responsibility, they could only dispel the worries in their hearts, and honestly follow the guidance of the strange clockwork puppet, and walked in the direction of the cabin.

Standing far away under a mast, Vana looked at Luni in the distance with some concern, and couldn't help muttering, "I don't think Miss Lucrecia should have arranged for Lunny to be the 'reception'—it would be better for me and Mr. Maurice to go......"

"But I think it's good," Helena's voice sounded from the side, the graceful female pope stood beside Fanna, with an inexplicable smile on her face, her gaze fell on the distant deck, and there was something pleasant in her tone, "It will make them realize in the shortest possible time why I will emphasize to them 'not to make a fuss' before they get on the ship, and make them "take everything on the Lost Land for granted." ”

She paused and looked thoughtfully at the massive silhouettes of the ark ships on the sea in the distance: "...... The bishops are knowledgeable and highly skilled, but they have been on the ark of 'normal' for too long, and this 'normal' will not last forever. ”

Vanna sensed that there seemed to be some deep meaning in the Pope's words, but before she could open her mouth to ask, Helena spoke first: "Are you still used to this ship?" ”

"Uh...... Very good," Vana replied in a moment's frustration, "everyone is very kind, and I have access to a lot of knowledge that I have never heard of, and I am constantly gaining experience in confronting heresy and blasphemy. ”

"That's good," Helena smiled, and before Vana could speak, she was already walking towards the cabin on her own, "Let's talk after the meeting is over - don't keep the 'captain' too waiting." ”

Vanna froze for a moment, and then she noticed what seemed to be a gaze falling on her.

She followed the feeling and looked in the direction from which her gaze came, only to see a particularly tall figure standing out among the crowd looking at her on the distant deck.

It was a senjin man dressed in a simple robe, with skin like gray and white rocks, and deep and calm eyes.

It's the leader of the firebearers, Frem.

The little giant-like Senjin Pope nodded from afar, and then left in silence.

Vanna was in a trance, and the moment her gaze met those silent eyes, she couldn't help but recall the endless desert and the old giant who trekked with her in the desert......

The next second, Vana suddenly woke up from her trance, and after a brief hesitation, she also walked in the direction of the cabin.

The captain's call was ringing in her heart—the time was up.

Everyone gathered in the largest cabin in the upper section of the Lost Land.

It was said to be a "meeting hall", but it was actually just a restaurant on the Lost Homeland - Lucrecia's servants had roughly cleaned it up, rearranged the tables and chairs, and arranged it to look like a meeting place.

Compared with the magnificent temples and magnificent temples on the Ark of Pilgrimage, this "assembly hall" is obviously not very ornate.

But the people gathered here clearly did not dare to pay attention to the so-called "shabby" problem.

This is the Lost Place, a shadow returning from subspace, the "Fifth Ark" revealed by the four gods—any inconspicuous corner of this ship has a different meaning for this world.

Just being able to board this ship is enough to be an experience that one will never forget...... Even if they are respected bishops, they are the "inner court priests" on the pilgrimage ark.

The unrelated personnel had retreated, and the puppet minions sent in from the Bright Star to "support" closed the door as they exited the hall.

The ordinary priests sat on the periphery of the assembly hall, dozens of bishops divided into four areas according to the gods they followed, and in the center of the hall were a circle of chairs, with Helena, Frem, Banster, and Lune sitting on four of them, and opposite them were the true owners of the ship, and their "followers".

Duncan deliberately asked Lucrecia to set up the venue like this.

He could notice that all eyes were focused on himself—those gazes were complicated.

The tension never dissipated from these people.

But he didn't care.

"We meet again," his gaze first fell on Helena opposite—the "Pope of the Deep" was the first Orthodox leader he had come into contact with in this world, one of the starting points of his contact with the civilized world, "Welcome to my ship—I fulfilled my promise and am still on the side of 'civilization'." ”

Helena returned the salute politely and decently, but at the same time, her eyes involuntarily fell on Vanna, who was not far away next to Duncan.

The Pope's expression was always calm and serene, but there was something strange in the depths of her eyes.

Vanna was naturally sitting on the side representing the Lost Country just now......

The Storm Saint and the Deep Sea Inquisitor did not hesitate.

But soon, she put away this weird emotion, and after briefly sorting out her expression, she opened her mouth to break the somewhat frozen atmosphere of the scene.

"It's a closed-door meeting, and the nature of the meeting is already well understood – let's cut out all the red tape and get straight to the point.

"Let's talk about what has happened in our world, and what is about to happen."

She turned her head, her gaze falling on Rune beside her.

"The most learned of us brought something that might help explain to some of those present who do not yet know the truth what ...... 'Great Annihilation' is."

Rune nodded, then beckoned to the side.

A scholar immediately stepped forward and handed him something covered in a black cloth.

Duncan watched the scene curiously—he saw that Luan had opened the black cloth, and what was underneath surprised him for a moment.

It was a birdcage.

In the cage was just a small black bird that looked unremarkable.

However, Lune's expression became serious, and he raised the birdcage in his hand and showed it to everyone in the room.

"It's a black-feathered puffin, and it has a well-known name that is well known in scholarly circles.

"Mad Bird – In 1726, the famous 'Hippa Incident' gave this little bird its chilling name.

"Regarding the 'Great Annihilation', I want to start with this little bird."

(End of chapter)