My name is Green Hibiscus, 414 years old, living in the northern area of the Grotto-Dust Inn delve, unmarried.
A hundred years ago, after passing the introductory test of copying the Thousand-Armed Merciful Medicus Salvation Scripture fifty thousand times, I underwent layer upon layer of arduous trials. Finally, I successfully joined the organization and obtained my own codename.
Green Hibiscus!
Today, Green Hibiscus arrived at a dimly lit, deserted street corner as usual, finding a secluded spot to squat down.
His sharp eyes occasionally glanced around, observing the expressions of the rare passersby, searching for any frustrated souls who might be pulled into the organization.
The Xianzhou ranks highly among all interstellar civilizations, prosperous and wealthy. But while this place is full of opportunities, the fierce competition often pressures people to the point of breathless suffocation.
After passing the coming-of-age exam, Green Hibiscus stepped into society filled with lofty aspirations, only to be ruthlessly beaten down by reality.
originally full of confidence, he gradually realized that he was fundamentally nothing.
Just as he was preparing to accept a monotonous life—screwing himself into the machine day after day until he became Mara-struck and was sent to the Hall of Karma for scrapping—Green Hibiscus encountered the Merciful Medicus!
Green Hibiscus was thoroughly enlightened.
How ignorant and unbearable are the Xianzhou people?
To foolishly regard the Mara-struck state of ascending to immortality as a disease?
Ridiculous!
That is clearly the most advantageous evolution for the Xianzhou people, the immortal path of eternal life!
With the help of the Master, the members of the organization possess the power of the Mara-struck yet are able to maintain their own sanity.
What 'Plagues Author'? The Merciful Medicus is the true faith of the Xianzhou people!
Those who currently follow the footsteps of the Plagues Author are nothing but a group of despicable villains who burn bridges after crossing them!
With like-minded partners and his thoughts validated, Green Hibiscus became increasingly devoted to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. His sincerity also gained the organization's recognition.
His status within the organization continued to rise, improving rapidly.
Green Hibiscus voluntarily took on the important task of recruiting newcomers for the Exalting Sanctum branch.
Do not look down on it just because it is recruiting newcomers; this is by no means a task that an ordinary organization member can handle!
After all, the Cloud Knight hyenas and the followers of the Reignbow Arbiter hate the Medicus's envoys to the bone. The magnitude of the crackdown on the organization is no ordinary crime; if one's tail is caught even slightly, the losses are heavy.
This is a heavy responsibility that only a trusted assistant of the person in charge, a veteran Disciple, can undertake.
"Sigh, although the attention of the hyenas has been diverted recently, the number of Outworlder tourists has also decreased because of it."
Gazing at the crowd coming and going, Green Hibiscus sighed with melancholy.
Difficult as it was, his eyes still swept over the passersby without stopping for a moment, searching for targets who might share his aspirations.
There are techniques and methods to roping newcomers into the organization.
To contact those who look like they are living and working in peace and happiness carries a high probability of being treated as a suspicious criminal by the other party and reported to the followers of the Reignbow Arbiter.
Not only must one not approach such people, but one must also stay as far away as possible.
There are three main categories of search targets.
The first: Outworlders who have exhausted their fortune coming to the Xianzhou to seek the path of immortality, only to be told by the followers of the Reignbow Arbiter that immortality is a taboo; and Xianzhou people whose lifespans are approaching the limit but who remain attached to the mortal world.
These people possess a powerful obsession with immortality or crave long life. They are potential stocks for core members; once absorbed, they will definitely be loyal!
The second: Those with bitter and worried faces, eyes listless and numb—fellows beaten down by society and frustrated with life.
These people are bound to be dissatisfied with the status quo of the Xianzhou and are the mainstay level of the organization.
The third: Those who commit crimes and violate the law, who absolutely cannot associate with the Cloud Knights.
There is absolutely no possibility of these people reporting or exposing us. Accustomed to disregarding traditional rules and resisting security and law enforcement personnel, they can be absorbed as peripheral personnel, with subsequent observation of their performance for promotion.
Developing believers according to this method is basically one hit for every pull.
However, these three types of people are not very common. Green Hibiscus hasn't found a suitable target for development for many days.
But one cannot be anxious. One must absolutely guarantee the purity of the organization; better to leave a position vacant than to fill it with someone substandard. Only in this way can the possibility of exposure be reduced.
Perhaps Green Hibiscus's conscientious work attitude moved the Merciful Medicus, for after coming up empty for several days, he finally discovered an unusual target.
Green Hibiscus gazed in the direction of the dark alley corner, where two figures inconspicuous in the night were present.
A man and a woman.
The young man wore a black trench coat and a black fedora, his face half-obscured by the hat and his bangs, his temperament cold and arrogant.
The young girl wore a black suit, also wearing a black hat and sunglasses. Her face couldn't be seen clearly, and her temperament was cool and indifferent. Judging by her behavior, she was also inexplicably a bit goofy.
With Green Hibiscus's eyesight, he could tell at a glance that the young man was in the dominant position between the two.
More importantly, the scent of that black-clothed youth made Green Hibiscus feel somewhat familiar.
That was the scent of a criminal!
Should I follow them and take a look?
Staring at the figures of the two walking into the alley while maintaining vigilance, Green Hibiscus's mind raced. If they were the third type of people, they could be absorbed into the organization to become peripheral members first.
Amidst his thoughts, Green Hibiscus, who hadn't had a harvest for days, immediately decided to follow and see.
He moved with light and quick steps, quietly tailing the two men in black.
After winding through the old district of Exalting Sanctum, they arrived at a rarely visited small park, in the shadows behind a certain large building.
"Kept you waiting, Miss Seven."
The black-clothed girl carrying a black handbag walked out of the dark path, arriving in front of a petite figure wrapped very tightly, revealing only her face.
"So slow, so slow! I've already been waiting for two hours."
Hiding at the corner of the building, Green Hibiscus peeked sideways at this scene.
The surroundings were very quiet, and he could hear the conversation between the two clearly.
Although he couldn't see the petite figure clearly, he could hear from the voice that it was a female. Her age was hard to judge; this was the Xianzhou, after all.
The petite female seemed very dissatisfied with the lateness of the two people in black, yet she dared to speak but dared not truly get angry. Her tone was very flustered and a bit nervous.
"Did you bring the stuff?"
The woman addressed as Miss Seven asked the two people in black uneasily, her emotions visibly agitated and urgent:
"Quick! Give that thing to me, quick!"
Hearing this, a gleam of understanding flashed in Green Hibiscus's eyes as he watched.
These people appeared to be conducting some illicit transaction prohibited by the Xianzhou. What could it be?
"Don't be nervous. Hand over the money first."
The black-clothed girl looked calm and unhurried, smiling with considerable amusement.
"Take it. You have nothing to say now, right?"
Miss Seven took out a suitcase, opened it, and showed the interior to the black-clothed girl.
"That is... Ancient Strale? There's actually so much?"
Green Hibiscus, spying on the wealth inside the suitcase from the dark, was startled.
The official currency of the Xianzhou is called Strale, which has been digitalized for thousands of years. But the Strale in Miss Seven's suitcase was Ancient Strale.
That stuff is celestial gold coinage minted when the Alliance was first established. Every single piece is an antique, extremely valuable.
"The value must be in the millions, I'm afraid."
Green Hibiscus was astonished and continued to observe.
"Very good. In that case, it's a deal."
The black-clothed girl took the suitcase full of Strale.
"Then hurry up and give me the stuff!"
"Sure, no problem."
Laughing with a strange jie-jie sound, the black-clothed girl fished the trade goods out from the inside of her black suit under Green Hibiscus's increasingly serious gaze, handing it to Miss Seven.
"What is that thing?"
Green Hibiscus gripped the corner of the wall with both hands, standing on tiptoe and raising his line of sight, attempting to see the object in the black-clothed girl's hand. He succeeded in seeing it, yet felt somewhat baffled.
The item in the black-clothed girl's hand looked like a book.
Is it some secret manual, or something recording hidden intelligence?
Green Hibiscus muttered in his heart.
"Hahaha~ I finally got it!"
Miss Seven, having received the item from the black-clothed girl, was so excited she almost jumped up, letting out a laugh of wild joy.
"The recorded precious illustrated records of the early days where the magnificent Lord Medicus instakilled the Reignbow Arbiter! The Ultimate Collector's Edition that allows one to comprehend the true meaning of immortality! I finally got it!"
"What!?"
Hearing Miss Seven's cheer, Green Hibiscus's pupils contracted violently as he hid in the corner. What did she just say?
Precious illustrated records of the early days where Lord Medicus instakilled the Reignbow Arbiter?
In just one short sentence, the volume of information made Green Hibiscus's brain CPU whir wildly.
The despicable and shameless Xianzhou people usually address the Merciful Medicus as the Plagues Author, but this Miss Seven's form of address was the 'Magnificent Lord Medicus'!
Absolutely no follower of the Reignbow Arbiter would do that!
But if one were to say that Miss Seven is a companion who believes in the Medicine King, she also referred to the Plagues Author as the 'Reignbow Arbiter' (Imperial Bow), which confused Green Hibiscus about her attitude.
But the even more explosive information was: Precious illustrated records of Lord Medicus instakilling the Reignbow Arbiter?
Did Lord Medicus ever have such a heroic battle record?
Why haven't I heard anyone mention it?
Or could it be that it is a segment of history erased by the followers of the Reignbow Arbiter?
The Medicine King is so powerful! As a Disciple, Green Hibiscus was naturally agitated. As expected of the god he believes in, as expected of the Merciful Medicus.
At the same time, Green Hibiscus felt an extra responsibility on his shoulders: to obtain that precious illustrated record and propagate the Great Power of the Medicine King within the organization.
Even more unbelievable was that Miss Seven said the so-called 'Ultimate Collector's Edition' could allow one to comprehend the true meaning of immortality!
Just what kind of data is that?
Precious data regarding the Medicine King... capable of allowing one to comprehend immortality... These two key factors caused the rhythm of Green Hibiscus's heart to gradually lose control, beating like thunderous drums.
Just as Green Hibiscus was pondering whether to go out and participate in the negotiations right now...
"By the way, what about the gift? Didn't you say that buying the Ultimate Collector's Edition would come with a gift blessed by Lord Medicus?"
Miss Seven's words made Green Hibiscus's eyes snap open.
What did she just say!?
A gift blessed by Lord Medicus!?
"Relax, we won't short you on your things."
The black-clothed girl teased faintly, then took out a suitcase, opened the lid, and showed it to Miss Seven.
"Here, the gift is here."
"That is!!"
Green Hibiscus's pupils quaked once again. He saw a flower and a fruit in the box.
Possessing the power to control the Mara-struck body, Green Hibiscus could clearly feel the powerful life force contained within the flower and fruit—the Power of Abundance!
"Immortal Spirit Fruit!?"
Just a gift!?
Just who exactly are those people in black!?
Why would they have this kind of thing!?
Just as Green Hibiscus was greatly shaken and briefly lost in a daze...
"Hey, friend. Your detective game is over."
A cold voice suddenly sounding from behind made Green Hibiscus's whole body go cold.
Green Hibiscus shivered and instinctively looked back.
It was the cold and arrogant youth among the people in black. Bad!
The two were so focused on the transaction that they forgot to pay attention to him!
Before he even had time to explain, Green Hibiscus saw the black-clothed youth raise the Curio Bat in his hand and smash it down fiercely.
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