Chapter 150: Aha (making a money-counting gesture): "This is quite a dilemma..."
"Is five hundred times a lot?"
Aha's eyes widened, his face contorting into an expression that screamed, 'How can you be so unappreciative?' He even produced a pink silk scarf from thin air, dabbing theatrically at the non-existent tears welling in the corners of his eyes.
"Sigh! The old rules started at fifty thousand times! Back in my day… ahem, back in the day, which of our esteemed predecessors didn't copy until their hands went numb?" he lamented, his voice thick with mock sorrow. "It is only because our leader feels such deep compassion for the suffering of the masses that the rule has been specially lowered to a mere five hundred times!"
'What's that? You say you just joined today and haven't copied it at all?'Leon mused from his vantage point.'Oh, that's not important.'This rule was actually quite brilliant. Perhaps he should apply something similar in his tavern.'New members must copy the Joy Rules ten thousand times.' Yes, that had a nice ring to it.
Stelle and Caelus listened to the dramatic speech, exchanged a look of deep exasperation, and simultaneously turned to leave.
"Hey?! Stop! Where do you think you're going?!"
Several fierce-looking members of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus guarding the entrance immediately moved to block their path, surrounding them with hostile glares. "The trial isn't over yet! You can't just come and go as you please!"
Stelle and Caelus silently pondered their options. It was looking more and more like they should just blow their cover, engage in some good old-fashioned physical persuasion, and bring this undercover mission to an early close.
Copy a rulebook five hundred times?
'Copying is impossible,'they both thought.'Absolutely impossible in this lifetime. The only way to resolve this is with our fists.'
Just as they were about to act…
"Come here. Stop copying, come over here, quickly."
A low voice hissed at them. Turning, Stelle and Caelus saw someone dressed in a full Cloud Knight uniform beckoning them over.
Stelle and Caelus:???
Since when could a Cloud Knight just hang out in a Disciples of Sanctus Medicus stronghold so openly? And… did the other cultists just not see them? This was beyond absurd.
"You are…" Caelus leaned in, his voice a confused, hushed whisper.
"You guys finally arrived!" The Cloud Knight lifted their helmet's visor just enough to reveal a delicate, familiar face. "I recognize you! You're General Jing Yuan's honored guests, aren't you?"
"You've got the wrong person!" Stelle and Caelus's hearts skipped a beat as they frantically waved their hands in denial.
Oh no. Had their cover been blown already?
"Oh, come on, you have to trust me!" The Cloud Knight blinked, her voice soothing and conspiratorial. "I know, you must be here undercover, right?"
Fuli: Surprised? Unexpected?
"It's you!" Stelle and Caelus suddenly wore looks of dawning realization. She was a Cloud Knight? They really hadn't seen that coming.
"Actually, I am…" the woman continued to explain in a whisper, trying and failing to suppress a giggle. "I'm a Cloud Knight from the Exalting Sanctum garrison. Today, while on patrol, I saw that guy named Sampo acting suspiciously and spreading heretical ideas everywhere. I found it odd, so I followed him here to go undercover and investigate."
She let out a sigh, her tone turning aggrieved. "I didn't expect to be suspected the moment I arrived… Sigh!"
Stelle and Caelus stared at her. 'You're wearing a full suit of Cloud Knight armor. How could they not suspect you? How have you not realized that?'
"Why did you come wearing your military uniform?" Stelle couldn't help but ask the most crucial question.
"You're bound to be suspected like that!" Caelus nodded vigorously in agreement.
"I spent a great deal of effort to barely convince them that I genuinely wanted to turn over a new leaf and join the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus!" the woman puffed out her chest, her voice echoing from under the helmet with an inexplicable sense of pride.
"Well, I figured that for an evil organization like this, when they're recruiting, they would mostly hope that new members could exert some influence within the law enforcement team, right?" she explained. "So I came wearing my armor! This is what you call fully understanding user needs!"
Stelle, Caelus: "..."
She really was a member of the Genius Society.
"You really are… a Genius Society member," Stelle said, giving her a thumbs-up of grudging respect.
"So, what's your plan now?" Caelus also gave a thumbs-up, deciding it was probably best to hear this particular genius out.
"Shh…" The woman quickly put a finger to her lips. "Keep your voices down! These guys aren't pushovers! If they find out we're undercover, none of us will be able to escape today!"
She glanced left and right before leaning in even closer. "Come on, give me the manual. I'll copy it for you!"
"Don't worry! Before becoming a Cloud Knight, I worked in the Seat of Divine Foresight for over a hundred and fifty years in an administrative role! Copying? For me, it's a piece of cake!" Her tone was brimming with confidence. "Let's get this straight, though. Once I finish copying the scriptures for you, you have to cover for me! I need to find a chance to slip out and report back to the Seat of Divine Foresight!"
"Oh… okay! Thanks!" Stelle and Caelus, only half-believing what was happening, handed over the Joy-Spreading Manual of the Hundred-Faced Jesters.
Not far away, Aha took in the entire exchange, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. He had to force a stern, straight face to maintain his role as the solemn examiner.
"Please calm your minds," he announced to the room. "Copy slowly, and contemplate the supreme goodness and beauty contained within the Joy-Spreading Manual…"
A short while later, Stelle and Caelus returned the freshly copied manual to Aha.
"You've finished copying it already? So fast?"
Aha took the thick stack of paper and made a show of flipping through it, clicking his tongue in amazement. "You've finished it all? And you copied it… so quickly and so well! The handwriting is neat and has quite a bit of character!"
He looked up, a gratified smile spreading across his face. "It seems the two of you have quite the 'destiny with immortality'! Don't be impatient, don't be impatient."
"The initiation trial consists of two steps, and you have already completed the first. Now… there remains the final, and most crucial, step."
"Alright, then let's proceed to the next step," the undercover Cloud Knight interjected. "However, could we wait until tomorrow? I snuck out during my shift, and if I don't go back soon, my colleagues in the garrison will get suspicious."
"No need to worry." Aha waved his hand dismissively, his smile never faltering. "The second step is very simple and can be finished very quickly."
His gaze slowly swept over Stelle, Caelus, and the woman in armor. "Our principle for employing people in the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus is simple: do not employ those you suspect, and do not suspect those you employ."
"Therefore, this final step is this: I ask the three of you to engage in a 'friendly'duel right here. Ultimately… the two who survive will be able to officially become glorious'Sowers'."
"Wait a minute! Wait a minute!" the woman immediately cried out in "panic."
"Don't! I came here seeking immortality, not to seek death! Making me duel so suddenly… this is quite a dilemma for me!"
"It's not exactly mandatory that you must fight to the death," Aha quickly reassured them, before his tone shifted. "You don't have to duel if you don't want to. But in that case… it will be impossible to let any of you leave. After all, knowing our stronghold but failing to prove your loyalty—this is quite a dilemma."
As Aha spoke, he casually brought his thumb and index finger together, rubbing them in a universal gesture for counting money.
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