377 An Earlier Transmigrator
Facing Lumian’s greeting, the dozen or so members of the April Fool’s team fell silent.
Among them, several people’s gazes and body language gave Lumian the distinct feeling that something was amiss.
There was “Bard” wearing stockings to conceal his appearance, “Hisoka” with a half-mask, vertical red hair, and teardrop and star makeup on his face, “Mad Lady” sporting red, yellow, and white clown paint, and “Ultraman” in comical attire.
Some of these April Fool’s team members appeared surprised and puzzled, while others subtly shrank back. Some narrowed their eyes, and others changed their postures, becoming even more vigilant than before.
If Lumian hadn’t sought guidance from Psychiatrist Anthony Reid during this time and focused on observing the guilty’s reactions when they realized their victim was still alive, he wouldn’t have been able to discern these differences so clearly. He might have missed something important.
In contrast, Lumian’s earlier suspects, “Loki” and “I Know Someone,” had more normal reactions.
The former was the founder and leader of the April Fool’s team. If anything unusual occurred within the team, the chances of him remaining unaffected were slim. According to Franca, he was believed to be a member of the Spectator pathway, possibly a Psychiatrist. However, Aurore’s understanding of this pathway was notably deficient. Her grimoires didn’t align with the details uncovered in the dream.
Dressed in a black circus divination-style robe, Loki obscured his face with the shadows of his hood, seemingly unconcerned about being identified.
After a brief silence, he expressed his surprise, saying, “Muggle, you’ve reappeared.
“I thought you lost control and went mad after hearing the Hidden Sage’s cram school classes, and that’s why you haven’t attended any gatherings for months.”
“Rap, it’s rap, not cram school classes,” corrected Bard with a smile.
Lumian had learned from Franca that “rap” was a strange form of music that some members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society liked to compare to the ravings of unknown entities.
Muggle’s thin red lips curled up slightly in response.
“I did show signs of madness, but I managed it.”
In the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society, this was a common topic. Many members had lost control for various reasons, turning into monsters or even dying. As a result, Psychiatrists could make a killing by treating their companions’ psychological or mental problems during gatherings.
Dressed in a white coat and wearing a bird-beak mask, I Know Someone nodded.
“Last year, I assessed your mental and psychological state. There wasn’t much of a problem, but you haven’t had regular assessments in nearly a year. You need to be careful. I know someone who was careless and overconfident and ended up in an asylum.”
This Psychiatrist appeared normal enough and was genuinely concerned about his patient’s condition. However, his membership in the April Fool’s team raised some suspicions for Lumian. At the very least, his mental state didn’t seem entirely healthy.
As a prankster, Lumian didn’t despair about the future or made it his life’s mission to seek fun. Having such circumstances would undoubtedly put a toll on their psychological well-being.
Loki didn’t press further about Muggle’s absence from numerous gatherings. He spread his hands and addressed all the members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society in the April Fool’s team’s spot.
“Everyone, I’ve recently come across another transmigrator from history!”
“Who is it?” Bard with stockings blurted out, and the other members turned their attention to Loki.
Taking note of everyone’s gazes, Loki gestured meaningfully and continued, “I’ve obtained ancient texts that mention the existence of an Ancient Sun God in the Third Epoch.
“Haven’t we always been puzzled by the scriptures of the various Churches, especially the Eternal Blazing Sun Church? Don’t they bear a striking resemblance to the religious texts of our world?
“Now, I believe I’ve found the answer.”
As the leader of the April Fool’s team spoke, he tapped his chest four times—top, down, left, right—as if indicating a religion from his homeland.
Lumian’s eyelids twitched.
Mr. K had made the same gesture while praying to that entity!
Was it merely a coincidence, or was there an inevitable connection?
Furthermore, wasn’t the Ancient Sun God the father of the angel at Salle de Bal Unique?
Loki continued in an exaggerated tone, “Yes, just as you suspect. The scriptures of the various Churches are derived from the Ancient Sun God, but they have different focuses and have altered certain details.
“I’ve only managed to find a few of that entity’s books, but I can confirm they’re from our world.
“I hope you can gather more information about the Ancient Sun God and eventually confirm that He too is a transmigrator, possibly even predating Roselle. If you wish to see the books I’ve obtained, remember to request a trade later. 100 grams of gold or an equivalent currency for a copy is a very reasonable price, don’t you think? We’re all on the same side, and this discovery holds the key to our hopes of returning home. Otherwise, I wouldn’t sell it for such a small amount of gold.”
The comical-looking Ultraman let out a sigh and said, “It’s all rather pointless. I believe you think that this entity, who has become a deity, must have a better understanding of the world’s truth than us. He might have already unraveled the secret of transmigration and the way back. But according to your information, didn’t He also fail to return?”
“See the light!” Loki’s lips curled up. “And I suspect that the reason that individual couldn’t return is because He perished in a divine battle.”
“Sounds intriguing,” Hisoka, dressed in clothes with poker card patterns, suddenly chimed in.
Loki slowly scanned the members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society and flashed a smile.
“The information about that entity and the ancient books related to it has been deliberately erased, with only a small number of them circulating in secret. Most are hidden underground near the source of power left behind by that entity.
“It’s said that in those places, the higher your Sequence, the more dangerous it becomes. It’s easier to lose control. Ordinary Beyonders like us stand a chance to approach. Perhaps it holds the truth about the connection between our two worlds and a way to return to our homeland.”
At this point, Loki’s gaze passed over Lumian’s masked face.
Is he subtly encouraging Aurore and the other members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society to venture underground? Lumian maintained his vigilance against any potential “pranks.”
However, there was another reason why he sensed a potential issue instantly. Madam Justice had mentioned that the higher one’s Sequence, the more dangerous it would be when approaching the Samaritan Women’s Spring. She had also explained the nature of the problem.
This led Lumian to suspect that the Ancient Sun God’s location mentioned by Loki might be a place similar to the Samaritan Women’s Spring. He knew firsthand how perilous and terrifying the Samaritan Women’s Spring could be!
Inciting others to explore underground in their quest to return home while avoiding the risks himself, or is this merely a prank that could harm others without benefiting Loki? Lumian glanced at Loki’s profile and deliberately interjected, “I’ve been pondering a similar question lately.
“Why do many myths and legends in this world involve an illusory river associated with the domain of death, just like in our homeland?
“Could it be the result of some senior who transmigrated back?”
Given Lumian’s knowledge of Aurore, he knew she couldn’t resist getting involved if she caught wind of any leads regarding returning to her hometown. Since he had questions of his own, he needed to steer the conversation away from Loki’s direction. Finding a relevant topic was his best strategy.
This was a lesson Lumian and his sister had learned through their battles of wits and pranks over studies, homework, exams, combat, and pranks.
Mad Lady, adorned with red, yellow, and white clown paint, chuckled and remarked, “Human nature, my dear, humans tend to blend their own experiences into myths and legends. In ancient times, they relied on water for survival, so they believed there should be a river in the afterlife. Likewise, when they dug graves, the deeper they went, the more likely they’d encounter an underground river.”
Lumian, emulating Aurore’s tone, responded, “Your explanation is quite scientific, but I think it lacks mysticism. And if we aim to return, mysticism might be just what we need.”
He recounted the legend of the River Styx, which he had recently acquired from the Purgatory team, and concluded, “I believe this could also be a path worth exploring.”
Loki’s face remained hidden in the hooded shadows as he chuckled and remarked, “Although the Underworld should be somewhere in the spirit world, I believe it must be closely related to the underground. In numerous folklores from the Northern and Southern Continents, ‘hell’ is often depicted as being hidden underground.
“That’s why our investigation needs to be centered on the underground. Whether it’s the remains of the Third Epoch’s Ancient Sun God or issues related to the River Styx, we must delve deep underground to truly connect with these mysteries.”
Lumian couldn’t help but mutter to himself, You just want everyone to meet their end faster…
He pretended to be engaged and continued sharing information about the Ancient Sun God, underground exploration, and the River Styx with Loki, I Know Someone, and the other members of the April Fool’s team.
After almost twenty minutes of conversation, Lumian decided to step away from the April Fool’s team’s vicinity.
He had already sensed abnormal reactions from at least four members of the April Fool’s team. The next step was to leave this to Hidden Blade Franca.
If there was indeed something awry with the April Fool’s team, they would be highly cautious when dealing with Muggle. They wouldn’t readily engage or probe, fearing they might fall into a trap.
Their primary objective should be observation and indirect information gathering at this point.
When it came to Hidden Blade, they could play pranks without reservations. Later on, Franca could use those pranks as an excuse to locate the April Fool’s team members in the real world and confront them individually. She could win the support of other members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society. Whether they could extract any significant information during these confrontations remained to be seen.
As Lumian took a few steps away from the gathering, he spotted the 2.4-meter-tall president, Gandalf, approaching the massive stone chair and addressing the group with a resounding voice, “Everyone, I have something important to discuss.”
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