Chapter 311: Chris Fisher
This Spark is naturally very effeminate. Zhou Ning suspected that if the other party were a female NPC, he would have probably already been able to pursue her. He nodded and said, "It's me. What... is going on here?"
Spark moved his lips a few times, sighed, and said, "I encountered myself and my brother at home. The Miracle Study Society members who were killed in the jungle are still alive, but they aren't themselves. I don't know what kind of monster is pretending to be them."
Zhou Ning listened expressionlessly as Spark recounted his recent encounter, which also confirmed his earlier suspicion: the Silent Cult was indeed up to something. It seemed they were trying to infiltrate the high ranks of the Kingdom of Bryston by replacing noble heirs. But what exactly was their ultimate goal?
After a few seconds of silence, Zhou Ning asked, "I have some connections with the Sunwatchers. Do you want me to introduce you to them, to seek their help?"
"No, no need. My father and the West family are political enemies, and I don't trust the Sunwatchers. Can you take me to the St. Raymond Cathedral? I need to perform a purification ceremony. My unease is growing stronger, as if something major is going to happen any second. I'll visit my father tomorrow evening; he should still be on his way back from the ruins of Ruins. Don't worry, once I meet with him, I'll reward you handsomely," Spark said.
At that moment, the task panel displayed another notification:
[You triggered the B-rank side quest: "Protect Spark Lambert II." Do you accept? Yes/No.]
The rewards for this chain quest were pretty substantial. Just moments ago, Zhou Ning had received a "One Punch Man" reward—there was no reason not to accept it. But did Spark really not know? The Sunwatchers and the Silent Cult were practically one and the same... Zhou Ning casually clicked "Yes" to accept the task and smiled, saying:
"Alright, but don't forget your promise."
"Don't worry. The Lambert family motto is pride. A proud person never breaks their word," Spark replied with a joyful expression, answering without hesitation.
The St. Raymond Cathedral wasn't far away, and since tomorrow was December 17th, the Sun Goddess' Christmas Parade, there would be plenty of Silent Cult members in the church square or inside, holding large and small masses overnight. Being in the cathedral should be safe.
After waiting for a while, Zhou Ning and Spark flagged down a public carriage and arrived at the Withershire Church Square in the Seton River District, near the city center.
This time, the journey went smoothly without any issues.
Though it was snowing outside, the Withershire Church Square, covered by an alchemical array, was always bright and sunny, like it was daytime. Countless white birds, called "Day-Chasing Birds," would fly up in flocks and sometimes land, creating quite a majestic sight.
These birds were said to have appeared when the Sun Goddess was born and only fly on sunny days, chasing the sun. This symbolism was also reflected in the statue of the Sun Goddess, where a Day-Chasing Bird always perched on her shoulder.
Because of the proximity to Christmas, even though it was already 9 PM, the square was filled with devout believers and various food stalls. Normally, setting up stalls here was forbidden, and even feeding the Day-Chasing Birds was illegal, but today was the only day of the year when such activities were allowed.
Walking through tents selling bread, pancakes, and alcoholic beverages, Zhou Ning suddenly stopped. He felt someone watching him from nearby. When he turned his head, he was momentarily stunned to see several young men in noble attire staring at him intently.
Zhou Ning immediately recognized them. They were members of the "Miracle Study Society" who had been part of the previous adventure. Although their gaze made him uncomfortable, this wasn't the place to act, and they didn't seem capable of threatening him. Zhou Ning didn't stop walking, chuckling lightly as he moved through the crowd toward the white marble spire of the cathedral.
Inside the cathedral, there was no lighting, with murals on both sides. The color scheme was mainly gold, with colored glass embedded, creating a dim and mysterious atmosphere.
After encountering the Dark Spider Mother, Matalita, and having some exposure to similar-level hidden entities and the secret history of the War of the Gods, Zhou Ning no longer felt the same reverence for the Sun Goddess as before. However, he didn't show this and lowered his head like the other believers, moving quietly into the cathedral.
At the front of the cathedral was a large altar, and behind it stood a statue of the Sun Goddess—graceful and dignified, dressed in a classical robe, her hands folded before her, with a Day-Chasing Bird resting on her shoulder. Directly ahead were several rows of long benches arranged in a semicircle for the believers to sit.
The benches were now filled with worshippers attending the large mass, with a priest dressed in white ceremonial robes standing behind the altar, silently observing the faithful.
Zhou Ning took off his hat and held it against his chest, found an empty spot, and sat down, bowing his head in earnest prayer. Beside him, the Silent Cult members' synchronized prayers filled the air:
"Sun Goddess, give me light, so I do not fall in this dark world. Sun Goddess, warm me, so I do not suffer from hunger or cold..."
In this solemn and reverent atmosphere, Zhou Ning silently prayed on behalf of the soul he had encountered at the Fisher Estate, fulfilling his promise to him.
After some time, Zhou Ning felt a slight spiritual escape, but he wasn't alarmed. This was a normal occurrence in the "Apocalypse World," as any believer praying in the cathedral would experience similar spiritual leaks, which would gradually accumulate, providing power to the gods they worshiped. This was also the reason why the Dark Spider Mother, Matalita, had sought to occupy the statue of the Elf Goddess.
Time passed, and when the prayer ended, Zhou Ning felt Spark Lambert stand up beside him. He opened his eyes and saw Spark walking up to speak with the priest. The two then headed to a side room of the prayer hall, likely to perform the purification ritual.
Zhou Ning had previously issued the [Undead's Trail] quest to the players, and after they completed it, he had received a small booklet filled with demonic writing. This could now be handed to the Sunwatchers to complete a hidden task, while also allowing them to investigate "Chris Fisher's" whereabouts.
After a moment of thought, Zhou Ning placed the Sunwatcher's insignia on his chest and stood up, heading toward the large door leading down into the cathedral's basement.
He wasn't stopped on the way, and after walking down the stairs for three minutes, he arrived at an office where he found Kien West. He knocked on the door.
"Wayne, what brings you here? Anything urgent?" Kien asked, looking up in surprise.
"I found this thing at Jeremy Wayne Aiden's house, related to the previous commission," Zhou Ning said as he handed the booklet from the "Wolfhound Team" to Kien. "In addition, I recently visited South Westshire and found a mansion similar to the one on Canary Street. The owner is 'Chris Fisher,' the director of an orphanage in Darkland. I suspect he might be Jeremy Aiden."
After quietly listening to Zhou Ning's account, Kien nodded while flipping through the booklet. "Chris Fisher... I see. Thanks for the help. By the way, are you interested in continuing this investigation? I can have Sherlock assist you."
This was clearly the follow-up to the hidden quest. It was obvious that Zhou Ning was interested, and he immediately nodded to accept it.
The panel immediately displayed the following updates:
[Your B-rank hidden quest "Undead's Trail" has been updated to "Find Chris Fisher." The task difficulty has been adjusted to B+.]
[Quest Description: After investigation, the focus has shifted to Chris Fisher. You must find him as soon as possible.]
[This is a timed quest. The faster you complete it, the better the rewards.]
As expected! Zhou Ning felt a surge of joy, but there was still the matter of Spark Lambert to deal with... He wasn't sure if he should mention it to Kien West.
There were too many things involved, and Spark Lambert was also unwilling to cooperate with the Sunwatchers. Zhou Ning hesitated for a moment before deciding to speak up.
After all, this situation was far-reaching.