When the plot-skips players into the game world

The Codex Book that records hidden knowledge is not limited to just one copy.

The "Secret" in "Secret Continuation" refers to "mystical knowledge," while the root of "Continuation" here implies connection, continuity, and extension.

——This is a free translation from the Herasel Countries.

If translated directly using the language from the Dream Traversing Monk's origin, the Horus Empire, its original meaning is actually a combination of "propagation" and "rescue," which means rescuing and promoting some lost knowledge.

Therefore, the Codex Book itself is meant to be handed to different peoples and cultures, and naturally, it would be written in different languages.

Precisely because it hides not just words, but concentrated, living, pursuing "secrets" themselves, only one Codex Book can exist in any given language.

Although Aiwass destroyed the Avalon version of the Shepherd's Nurturing Secret Sequel, there are surely other places with the Shepherd's legacy.

For example, here.

"No wonder..."

Aiwass gazed from afar at the Benevolent Lords Adil sitting on a palanquin, as if residing in a shrine, suddenly understanding many things.

Because Adil possesses the Shepherd's legacy, he performs such acts of generosity — he freely provides the residents with the food and water they consume, which is his Shepherd's "flesh and blood."

Now that Aiwass has come personally to Heaven City, he knows the slaves also have access to water. They are only prohibited from eating but not from drinking.

The Parthians worship water, so the water they drink contains no coloring. That means the slaves can also obtain free drinking water.

Providing such large-scale water supply to the city undoubtedly requires massive sacrifices. Whether it is from directly taking people from the city's slaves in batches or buying slaves from outside the city for sacrifice, it would result in a loss of vast wealth.

It's evident that Adil could never accumulate wealth through this method.

He can only continue and continually lose money.

Even if the slaves underground continue to work, it is difficult for them to earn back the money spent on purchasing them. How can a slave work in such a way that they earn enough to repay their own purchase price? The saying goes, buying is not as shrewd as selling; if slaves could quickly create wealth, why would the seller sell them? Keeping them would surely be more profitable.

In this country, the number of slaves is equivalent to water, equivalent to money, equivalent to the strength of the city. And water equates to everything, equating to life itself.

"For Adil to ensure the water supply for the slaves means he is bound to continue losing money — no matter how he operates, he cannot catch up — the contract from the Abyssal Celestial Envoy is a bottomless pit. This level of personnel loss will only lead to a decreasing population... even monsters from the river only require one pair of young boys and girls each year."

Only by relying on external population can the gap be filled. And this means Adil must dedicate his own wealth to maintain this operation.

In other words, since Heaven City began operating under this rule, it means Adil's wealth has been continuously draining.

... This is the truth behind "generous Adil."

Truly generous.

And the people's veneration of him can thus be understood —

Just like the Shepherd's Nurturing Skill controlling the Phantom Demons...

The "nurturing" Adil conducts every day, without the involvement of Path's power, precisely generates loyalty without the involvement of Path's power!

That old ballad still chants repeatedly: "Who will be sacrificed?

"What will be ended?

"Which utterance will last eternally?"

With the chanting of those words, a purplish-red Radiance slowly emerged in the eyes of both Aiwass and Adil as they looked at each other.

——They gazed at each other.

Both sides clearly perceived the other's existence.

It was a resonance from similar power.

Not just dedication and transcendence...

Even the Dusk Power!

Aiwass felt a silent and wordless silence.

His fingertips gripped a crystal card, pursing his lips, ready to throw it at any moment.

The entire world around them quieted down. And he remained silent, as if that silence could continue forever.

"——Pause for a moment."

Suddenly, Adil spoke.

He looked about forty or fifty years old, so his voice did not sound old but was calm and firm.

The moment Adil spoke, the moving palanquin halted instantly, and the old ballad also abruptly stopped. It was as neat as pressing a pause button, and even the surrounding chorus of the populace immediately closed their mouths, not misunderstanding his "pause" to refer solely to the palanquin rather than the song.

"I am their Shepherd."

Adil looked at Aiwass and slowly spoke, "I shall not let the lambs lack.

"——Oh Shepherd from afar, generous Adil wishes to become your friend."

The moment Adil's voice fell, Aiwass suddenly sensed a sort of "connection feeling."

That feeling was akin to a mobile phone that had been off data mode suddenly connecting to the local wifi, and instantly it rang incessantly — people who worshiped Adil immediately transferred or duplicated this veneration onto Aiwass.

The originally "strange" affection suddenly transformed into respect and even admiration.

... What a dangerously clever person.

Aiwass thought.

If those people ignore him, or even oppose him, then Aiwass wouldn't care about their lives at all either.

But if they're very respectful and friendly to Aiwass, then Aiwass couldn't just abandon them.

Did they see through my personality in an instant upon meeting?

—Or, perhaps, he's such a person himself?

Where did he obtain his Shepherd's inheritance? Clearly, he has a profession in the Path of Devotion, but he's not a Church Priest, and most likely not a Demon Scholar... Judging from the symbols all around Heaven City, he should be a Curse Ritual Magician... or a Great Sorcerer.

"Dedication, Transcendence, Dusk... a Transcendent of three Paths."

Aiwass murmured.

He couldn't sense Adil's Path fluctuations or hostility at all.

This implies either that he possesses something that can obscure the Path perception in front of the Fifth Power Level... or it means at least his Path of Devotion is at the Fifth Power Level. And his Transcendence Path level, Aiwass had already known previously to be the Sixth Power Level.

He is at least of level 456, or possibly 556 — a bona fide world-class powerhouse.

And Adil was still chanting the words from the "Nurturing Secret Sequel":

"I am the Serpent of Secrets, coiled body like a snare: and within this coil lies delight.

"I am the axle within the wheel, the square within the circle. 'Come to me' are the sayings of a Fool — for I am the one who advances forward."

Hearing this, Aiwass suddenly understood.

...Oh, I get it.

Is this a secret signal?

Thus Aiwass spoke in turn, responding with words from the "Nurturing Secret Sequel": "O Prophet, you learn these things with malice. I see your hatred for the hand that writes, but I am superior; for you do not recognize me within you.

"Why? Because you are both the knower and I myself.

"Veil the shrine now — and let the Radiance consume the ignorant, blind the multitude!"

This is the language of the "Nurturing Secret Sequel," and also words from the "Book of Law." Since the translation of its language is quite crude, it is awkward and difficult to read — after all, once finished reading, the knowledge will naturally surge into one's mind.

What it expresses is the notion that "I and you are originally one."

This is the content the Demon tells the Shepherd when summoned by the Shepherd. Essentially, "I know you can't stand me, but you needn't be so tense, we're on the same side, don't overly trust worldly words."

Evidently, Adil understood.

His expression suddenly brightened up.

Indeed, as Aiwass had said, he covered the "shrine" and enthusiastically jumped out of the vehicle, coming forward to give Aiwass a strong hug.

Aiwass frowned in resistance, yet did not retaliate.

He evidently realizes that Adil is from the Serpent Celestial Marshal... or possibly even the Angel Envoy of the Serpent Celestial Marshal!

From this point of entry, there surely is a way to collect intelligence about the Serpent Celestial Marshal!

Thus Aiwass withdrew the Phantom Card in his hand back into his sleeve.

For now, he's holding back, seeing what plans Adil has.

Clearly, Adil doesn't possess the abilities of a Great Sin Scholar, so he doesn't recognize this Phantom Card. He merely glanced at it with curiosity but said nothing.

"Change the command," Adil turned back and said solemnly, "This is my long-lost blood brother — the dazzling sun. But he is not only my brother, you must treat him as me. If I am ever gone one day, then you all belong to him."

At this point, Adil politely asked Aiwass: "May I ask, what is your name?"

Even if such a level of politeness is quite rare for the Benevolent Lords... Aiwass still found Adil's words too absurd.

—How can they be blood brothers?

Their appearances are completely different — and you don't even know what my name is!

For some reason, Adil's words made Aiwass inexplicably think of "entrusting the orphan." He seems to foresee impending Death, otherwise, given the Benevolent Lords' arrogance, he wouldn't show goodwill for no reason.

Although not quite understanding, Adil's words evidently carry weight in Heaven City.

After Adil finished speaking, people uniformly bowed toward Aiwass.

Even passersby stopped and knelt down together, beginning to respectfully kowtow to Aiwass.

It was full-force kowtowing, intensely as if their minds were enraptured.

And the floor of Heaven City is made of high-quality bricks, just a few bows would cause heads to swell and turn red and blue. Initially, the sounds of kowtowing and praise were a bit chaotic, but after several bows, they quickly aligned, becoming as orderly as the synchronized stomping of goose-steps.

The alignment of the kowtowing was as if puppets on strings, extremely bizarre!

Evidently, if Aiwass doesn't tell them to stop, they might even kowtow themselves to death here.

This made Aiwass's head tingle.

This is almost like mental control... but Shepherd's Nurturing should not have this effect!

Yet at this moment.

Aiwass suddenly felt an inexplicable and strong sense of danger from the kneeling pedestrian beside him—