Chapter 651 An Unfulfilled Conspiracy
In the beige, four-story patrol team building, Camus had managed to break free from the poker card's influence. He discovered Sow sprawled in a pool of blood, brutally torn apart by two zombie-like undead creatures.
In neighboring rooms, another patrol team member, under Twanaku's control, put up a stubborn resistance. His comrades had already fallen victim to the relentless assault.
Camus, catching his breath, hadn't anticipated stumbling upon an assassination plot within the patrol team, putting his own life at risk.
His gaze fixed on Deputy Captain Reaza, a middle-aged man in a sleek black suit controlling the undead creatures. Confused, Camus inquired, "How did Sow end up joining the Rose School of Thought?
"And why are so many members under their control?"
Despite Camus resisting the poker card's influence, Jenna's earlier shout lingered in his mind.
Reaza, surveying the scene of blood and undead, responded after a moment of contemplation, "It's likely Twanaku's doing."
Twanaku... Camus recalled the questions raised by Louis Berry.
Was Twanaku truly responsible for the serial murders four years ago?
Could he be a Devil in disguise?
Frowning, Camus grumbled, "Keeping a Zombie on the team was already a significant risk. Just because he can show restraint doesn't clear him from suspicion of being a Rose School of Thought member. He might indulge at specific times."
Reaza, with a stern demeanor, spoke in a deep voice, "We'd confirmed he defected from the Rose School of Thought. He believes in The Fool."
"The Fool, the temperance faction?" Camus asked in surprise,
not expecting such a revelation.
...
In the dream's interrogation room, housed within the ancient and crumbling palace of the Nation of the Evernight, Hisoka couldn't contain his amusement at Lumian's question.
"If you had sought the Tarot Club's assistance, I could have killed you!"
Hisoka's laughter reverberated, and his black shadow danced on the wall, morphing into curved goat horns and colossal bat wings.
Lumian caught a whiff of a conspiracy and asked in confusion and curiosity, "Why do you think so?"
Hisoka rose, a murderous glint materializing in his eyes.
"If you involve the Tarot Club, they'll undoubtedly seek my aid in your investigation."
At this point, Hisoka's lips curled into an unusually flamboyant smile.
No longer conscious in the dream, he revealed his innermost self.
Lumian raised an eyebrow, asking, "Are you a Minor Arcana card holder?"
Hisoka shook his head, replying with a radiant smile, "I'm a member of the temperance faction, a devotee of Mr. Fool."
The Devil burst into laughter, bowing and exclaiming, "Praise The Fool!"
Lumian, finding it absurd and amusing, instinctively analyzed the situation.
Hisoka is actually a member of the Rose School of Thought's temperance faction? A flamboyant and malicious Devil is actually a member of the temperance faction?
Logically speaking, this was clearly impossible!
Yet, in this dream crafted by Hela, unless Hisoka possessed unique abilities to deceive, lying was unlikely.
The only plausible explanation: he had infiltrated the temperance faction through deception and deceit!
On the surface, Hisoka seemed to be a Beyonder of the Prisoner pathway, displaying a level of restraint. As a non-core member of the temperance faction, he might have gone unnoticed with his issues.
Right, is this why the Matani patrol team allowed a Prisoner pathway Beyonder to join?
This was more than four years ago. Back then, Hisoka was merely a Sequence 8 Lunatic of the Prisoner pathway, not yet a Mid-Sequence Beyonder. As a peripheral member of the temperance faction, he likely operated without much scrutiny.
Moreover, he probably joined the temperance faction before this, when he was weaker and less noticeable.
Later, he faked receiving resources from the temperance faction and the Rose School of Thought's attack to advance. In reality, did he rely on the Mother Tree of Desire's boons? Where did those resources go? Were they secretly sold or crafted into a mystical item? That poker card?
Why did he infiltrate the temperance faction and worship Mr. Fool?
His main goal clearly isn't resources...
Faith in Mr. Fool…
With this in mind, Lumian suddenly had a guess.
Hisoka's true aim was to infiltrate the Church of The Fool through a certain pathway and have faith in Mr. Fool!
This revelation came from Celestial Worthy!
Hisoka genuinely believes in the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings. However, that Celestial Worthy is resisting Mr. Fool. He can clearly influence the Seer, Apprentice, and Marauder pathways…
Hisoka used a specific technique during prayer. On the surface, he seemed to be praying to Mr. Fool, but in reality, did he receive a message from that Celestial Worthy? This way, he wouldn't face the risk of a false premise…
That's very likely… Madam Magician mentioned that if I don't follow the procedures when praying to Mr. Fool, the response might not be from him, but from the Celestial Worthy…
Why did Celestial Worthy make Hisoka do this?
Marauder… Steal… Could It be that He intends to gradually steal Mr. Fool's identity and faith through this method?
When many believers genuinely believe in Mr. Fool, but they equate him as the Celestial Worthy, the Celestial Worthy becomes The Fool?
Hiss, the more I think about it, the more terrifying it becomes…
Hisoka can't do it alone. There must be many others who share similar beliefs…
Impressive. If the Celestial Worthy usually gathers followers, the Tarot Club would wipe them out at the slightest hint. Yet, if their followers outwardly professed faith in Mr. Fool, not only would they escape destruction, but they'd also gain protection…
How devious…
Lumian swiftly deduced the situation, sensing the ominous pressure from the hidden Celestial Worthy.
Once marked by Him, failure could creep in unnoticed and strike him down unexpectedly!
Considering this, Lumian recalled Port Pylos and grasped Hisoka's confidence. He also comprehended why Hisoka had opted to remain and wait patiently.
Freshly arrived in the Southern Continent and stepping into Port Pylos for the first time, Lumian lacked resources, companions, and even knowledge of Dutanese. There was a high likelihood that he'd seek aid from the Tarot Club standing behind him.
The Major Arcana card holders of the Tarot Club wouldn't personally intervene without a clear target due to the uncertain timeframe. They would likely dispatch a Minor Arcana card holder familiar with the Southern Continent or a faction member to assist.
Under these circumstances, who better to meet the requirements than Twanaku Tupián, a Church of The Fool's temperance faction member from Matani, well-versed in the local situation, holding the appropriate official status, and reaching Sequence 6.
In that scenario, Lumian and Hisoka would investigate Hisoka. The other party would gradually grasp the situation, assess potential traps and their effectiveness. Hisoka could then seize the opportunity for a surprise attack, assault the mind, and trigger desires!
Contemplating this, Lumian acknowledged that if he failed to detect Hisoka's malice during the investigation, the chances of succumbing to Hisoka's hands were 100%. He'd be a spectator as the Devil faced off against Termiboros in the form of a soul fragment.
Hisoka, informed by Loki, should have made preparations to deal with the dangerous creature within the seal. Perhaps relying on the Nois family's Demon or his status as a Blessed of the Mother Tree of Desire.
Thankfully, Madam Magician kept reminding me that a Hunter can't rely on high-ranking individuals behind an organization for everything. I need to hone my skills, familiarize myself with conspiracies and battles. Otherwise, I might have sought guidance from the Tarot Club as soon as I arrived in Port Pyro…
That would have been dangerous…
Grande Soeur and Emperor Roselle both mentioned that the most dangerous places are often the safest. Now, I must add that those who seem the safest and most reliable might pose the greatest risk…
It's not that they're no longer trustworthy, but the enemy will exploit this sense of security.
Yes, Madam Magician has also emphasized that if anything seems awry with her orders and suggestions, I should ignore them. Quickly contacting the other Major Arcana card holders to confirm the situation is crucial.
Lumian gazed at the flamboyant Hisoka and smiled.
"If I hadn't received help from a special trace expert, if Hidden Blade hadn't been more familiar with your persona, and if I hadn't had a Psychiatrist to profile you, and ultimately failed to find any clues or direction, I would have sought the Tarot Club's help and looked for a guide familiar with the local situation."
Hisoka fell into silence. After a few moments, he spoke up, "I get everything else, but why the sudden need for a special trace expert?"
Lumian chuckled.
"Because it's a gift from a true god."
The more time Lumian spent with Ludwig, the more he felt that letting such a dangerous individual escape the Church's control wasn't a decision a high-ranking member of the Church of Knowledge would make. There had to be a revelation from the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.
Certainly, Lumian couldn't be sure. As far as he knew, the Knowledge pathway, also known as the Reader pathway, excelled in prophecies at high Sequence.
Hisoka fell into silence for a moment before unleashing a roar, much like a wild wolf howling beneath the moon.
Lumian reviewed the entire incident, realizing that this revenge was a clash of conspiracies. Unfortunately, Hisoka didn't grasp his personality and style well enough, nor did he comprehend his companions. He could only rely on the sea prayer ritual and Loki's first death as a guide. Consequently, there was a deviation, shattering his expectations despite a high likelihood of success.
Phew… Lumian exhaled and inquired, "Who were the ones causing havoc on the patrol team's side?"