Above The Sky
Chapter 409 - 409 380 Holder of the Huai Guang Office

409: Chapter 380: Holder of the Huai Guang Office?

Huai Guang Investigator!

(1/3) 409: Chapter 380: Holder of the Huai Guang Office?

Huai Guang Investigator!

(1/3) To tell the truth, Ian found it difficult to explain that he actually wasn’t there to dig up bodies—he had no idea that there were bodies there in the first place.

He was simply searching for clues regarding “Baron Leyan’s premature harvesting of Shimmering Dawn Grass.”

The Two-Year Shimmering Dawn Grass, despite having accumulated nutrients, has its maximum medicinal effect only when harvested at the end of autumn.

It was only early summer now, and there definitely had to be a reason for Baron Leyan’s early harvest.

Now it seemed that these bodies might be one of the reasons.

They somehow spurred the growth of the Shimmering Dawn Grass, allowing for the early harvest of Spirit Energy Plants with sufficient medicinal effects.

Unlike Ian, Radiant Nun was investigating from another angle.

Since she was not a Spirit Energy User, she couldn’t see the clues that were obvious to Ian, yet she had uncovered some equally crucial evidence.

So, exchanging information was a mutually beneficial choice for both parties.

“Alright.”

Retrieving her shovel, the nun promptly hung it at her waist and eagerly agreed to the request.

The two of them exchanged information.

Yingguang was a formal cleric of the Huai Guang Church.

She had come because of the abnormal disappearances that had occurred around the Agate Stone Plains during the past three years.

This wasn’t anything surprising.

After all, it was common for people to disappear while out and about; finding remains was the true oddity.

In the Terra Ecosphere, there are plenty of creatures that could fully consume bones, leaving nothing behind.

So on this land, a disappearance isn’t just a disappearance—it also carries the potential implication of ‘no remains left’.

Normally, the Huai Guang Church wouldn’t pay attention to such trivialities.

After all, if even Magical Beast attacks were under their jurisdiction, would there be any need for local nobles and the security brigade to exist?

What’s more, such matters are beyond anyone’s control, let alone within the church’s realm of governance.

That being said, the recent incidents had become more frequent and severe.

Starting a year ago, there had even been a strange occurrence where an entire small caravan disappeared completely before it even passed through the Indigo Mountain Gorge Entrance, and the caravan was organized by a devout Huai Guang Believer.

Due to the overwhelming number of complaints and requests from believers, the church was compelled to step in and investigate what exactly was happening.

Fast forward.

After several months of tracking and investigation, Yingguang, who was tasked with this case, pinpointed the source of the disappearances to the Leyan Territory.

She discovered that a refugee settlement in the West Frontier Plains, which had once existed within the Leyan Territory, had completely vanished.

The deserted camp was devoid of a single soul and had fallen into at least a year of decay and ruin.

This was highly abnormal.

Owing to its standoff with the Fiery Flame Land, the constant construction of fortresses and military strongholds, and the various harsh laws, refugees kept pouring into South Ridge from the West Frontier Plains.

Even if the harsh environment of South Ridge quickly killed off those refugees who lost their homes, there would always be new refugees every season, or ordinary people longing for a new home, making their way there.

After all, a tyrannical government is worse than a fierce tiger.

Radiant Nun believed that this might be related to another incident concerning a ‘South Ridge Cult’, and so she came here, openly negotiating with Baron Leyan, who had mountain people roots, in an attempt to detect any clues from his words and actions.

But Baron Leyan didn’t show the slightest slip, and without evidence, she could only return to the church in the city.

After negotiating with the local personnel and using the method of treating diseases to extract information, she finally obtained a clue from a flower plantation husband’s mouth.

She found out that last autumn, after the harvest of Shimmering Dawn Grass, the Viscount had rearranged the plantation area, making the Flower Sea even more thriving.

That’s why she started digging.

A standard investigative procedure.

Ian nodded slightly.

Radiant Nun was clearly professionally trained, following traces all the way with each step being evidence-based, quite different from someone like himself who relied on Spirit Energy and Prophet abilities to directly use Clairvoyance.

And he also relayed to the Radiant Nun what he had seen and heard in the Leyan Castle, any news about Baroness Leyan and the child, as well as the theft of the Shimmering Dawn Grass by those guarding it.

Of course, he left out any information related to the Prophet.

“…The news obtained in the city all confirmed that the Baron indeed has a child, it’s just that the child has been unwell, so he remains within the castle.”

Opening her red eyes in surprise, the female monk fell into contemplation.

She pondered the information in Ian’s report and then nodded slightly, “I’m sorry, six years ago I was farming in a village around Holy Mountain, so I am not very aware of the news from you Southerners.”

“But if Baron South’s child had died six years ago, and you perceived that there are four children inside the castle, yet you only saw three…

may I speculate that the Baron used some method to confuse the cognition of everyone within Leyan Territory?”

Farming?

A real country girl, no wonder she’s so good with farming tools…

And I thought she came from an archaeological team.

Amazed in his heart, Ian raised his head; he looked at the torrential rain and the clouds, and then at the pitch-black Leyan Castle atop the distant cliff.

He spoke slowly, “This is a private message within the circle of Nobles, circulated internally within South Ridge.

Even if you were a Southerner, it’s highly unlikely that you would know.”

“As for the method…”

After pondering for a while, Ian continued, “It’s very possible indeed, after all, he is a Lord.

There’s always a way.

Ordinary people won’t care too much, or perhaps, they dare not care about such gossip.”

“Once the busy farming season starts, all sorts of wild thoughts will dissipate.”

——Most importantly, the Baron has three Spirit Energy children by his side.

Who knows if they possess the kind of Spirit Energy that can rewrite memories?

Rather, it’s certain they do, for the old butler’s unhesitating speech was so convincing that even Ian could not tell that he was lying—obviously, it’s a lie that has been deeply believed from the heart.

If even the old butler who lives together with them can be deceived, then what about ordinary people?

“Let’s summarize the current situation.”

The Radiant Nun was very efficient; she took out a small board from the pack behind her, then started taking notes with a waterproof pen.

This action caused Ian to glance sideward, thinking to himself ‘Do all Huai Guang Church enforcers also have a side job as investigators?’.

She concluded, “The Baron’s family has three children with physical and mental disabilities, and there’s also an ‘offspring who should be dead but can be sensed through Spirit Energy’.”

“Missing persons cases frequently occur around Leyan Territory, a portion of the victims’ bones appeared under Leyan Flower Sea, most residents of Leyan City have memory abnormalities concerning the Baron’s family situation, and recently towns nearby have also reported children going missing.”

“The Baron himself has Mountain People blood, and his wife is also from a noble line among the Mountain People; they may indeed possess Sublimation Skills related to the Mountain People’s ancient Sacrificial Rites or even Cult rituals.”

“He has peculiar relics related to the Mountain People’s Spirit Energy Inheritance…

wait, is he trying to resurrect his child?”

Upon summarizing this, the Radiant Nun had a shocked expression: “But this would only create a fearsome monster…

an immortal Vengeful Spirit…”

“This is troublesome…”

With a slight frown, she unconsciously ground her teeth, “The situation is serious, I think we should first request assistance from Holy Hall.”

This was a very normal speculation, similar to that of Viscount Grant, just with a different subject.

“I also think we should report it to Huai Guang Church, but to be honest, it might already be too late.”

However, Ian spoke, expressing some regret, “The Baron’s plan has been going on for several years, but it’s only in the past three months that it was discovered by you.

And it just so happens that a large quantity of Shimmering Dawn Grass was harvested in advance some time ago, which is the raw material for Spirit Energy Nourishment Extract…

The plan is now in its final stage.”

He squinted his eyes, a water-colored halo flowing around, gazing at the distant castle: “Although my Spirit Energy can’t see that far, my Prime Material Perception tells me that there’s no one left inside the Leyan Castle.”

“He has already set out.”