Lord of Prayer - Chapter 93 - 83: Cyan Whale

Chapter 93: Chapter 83: Cyan Whale

On the afternoon of the ritual.

Zhou Chen unexpectedly received a message from Li Xiaoxiao, who invited him to a mixer.

The location was the Blue Diamond Manor on the outskirts of Jinzhu. There were no restrictions on status—anyone could attend as long as they had an introduction.

Clearly, the Eternal Fire planned to disguise the ritual as a party. This would effectively conceal the purpose of gathering people from different classes and professions. After all, many young people enjoyed such social events, so it wouldn’t arouse any particular suspicion.

As for the attendees of this “mixer,” they were surely all cultists of the Eternal Fire.

“At a critical time like this, they’re still thinking of holding a ritual. Aren’t they being a little too bold?”

In his office, Zhou Chen sprawled on the sofa, an orange cat perched on his head. He typed out a reply accepting Li Xiaoxiao’s invitation, puzzled by the Eternal Fire’s actions.

“For the cultists, one of the purposes of the ritual is to seek the protection of their Gods. With their plans hitting a snag, they naturally want help from above. Besides, meeting in person is far more convenient than passing secret messages back and forth. It’s much better for coordinating their next move.”

Jiang Che glanced at Zhou Chen, who was sprawled lazily on the sofa, and then at the orange cat flicking its tail in boredom on his head. She sighed helplessly, praying that he would do his part and not mess things up.

“By the way, what about Gentleman and Lover? Still no sign of them?” Zhou Chen recalled the two Fallen Paradise members. After a single, brief appearance long ago, they had vanished without a trace.

“The intelligence department found several puppets under Lover’s control, but there’s no sign of Lover himself. As for Gentleman, you know how good he is at hiding. He’s practically impossible to find unless he wants to be found.”

Jiang Che said, “However, we can confirm that the Essence Fluctuation you encountered at Li Xiaoxiao’s place was deliberately released by Gentleman to test you.”

“So he’s really lurking around Li Xiaoxiao?”

“Yes. After all, Li Xiaoxiao is one of the few cultists who can contact ’Cyan Whale.’ But since Gentleman hasn’t dared to make a move on her all this time, Li Xiaoxiao is probably more formidable than she appears.”

“Since he’s been hiding close to Li Xiaoxiao, then at this ritual…”

Jiang Che nodded. “He’ll definitely show up when the time is right. The suppression unit is already prepared to deal with him and Lover.”

·

That night, before heading out for the operation, Zhou Chen did a final check of his equipment.

There was a limit to what he could carry. Conspicuous weapons like the Bloodthirsty Chainsaw and the Vibrating Hammer were out of the question. Fortunately, he had plenty of other easily concealable equipment.

The Alchemy Flintlock Pistol, Alchemy Round Shield, C-027 Blindfolded Sunglasses, C-093 Soul-Shocking Copper Whistle, Helandy Defense Type Single Soldier Armor V8.0, and his implanted Transformation Array.

This loadout was considered quite luxurious among Tier One Ascenders. Even if he ran into a Tier Two Ascender, he could rely on the Defensive Single-Soldier Armor to stay alive for a time and use the Soul-Shocking Copper Whistle to buy an opportunity to escape.

At the appointed time, Zhou Chen met Li Xiaoxiao at the entrance of Jinzhu University. She was carrying a small shoulder bag and naturally linked her arm with his. Then she pulled out a set of car keys, dangling them in front of him. “Ta-da! I have a car, bet you didn’t expect that. Senior, can you drive?”

“I can.” Zhou Chen nodded and took the car keys.

’Driving? He was an expert, in more ways than one.’

「Half an hour later.」

They arrived at the Blue Diamond Manor.

The moonlight was bright and clear. Clouds gathered in the night sky, revealing patches of twinkling stars in some places while obscuring them in others. Pushed by the wind, the cloud cover drifted slowly, as if vying with the cosmos for territory.

Through the deep darkness, a sprawling, luxurious private manor gradually came into view. The estate featured a horse stable, a golf course, and an outdoor swimming pool, among other amenities. From a distance, its brilliantly lit buildings looked as magnificent as a nobleman’s castle.

As they drove toward the manor’s parking lot, they were surrounded by other cars also arriving for the party. Meticulously manicured gardens and landscaping lined both sides of the road, creating an immediate impression of beauty and fresh air.

“This manor belongs to the Wei Group, I believe. They’re a Fortune 500 company,” Zhou Chen remarked, observing the estate and recalling what he knew about it.

“Too bad the Wei Group’s heir is a total waste of space. The entire Wei Group will probably collapse within a few years after his father dies… But he provides most of our operating funds, so I guess the idiot has his uses. We might even help him stabilize the company when the time comes,” Li Xiaoxiao said from the passenger seat.

Zhou Chen asked, his hands on the steering wheel, “The waste of space you’re talking about… you mean the chairman’s son, Wei Zifang?”

“Mhm. A spoiled playboy who does nothing but drink, party, and chase women all day. He can’t even hold a candle to you.”

At this, Li Xiaoxiao flashed a radiant smile. “Speaking of which, the ritual will end very late. Do you have time to come over to my place afterward? I bought a very sexy swimsuit…”

“…” Zhou Chen rejected her flatly, his expression unchanging. “Sorry, I don’t have time.”

“Don’t be so cold, Senior. I’ll be giving you the Star Mango soon. Even though we can’t set up the accompanying Advanced Matrix, you’ll at least be able to fully heal your Soul. Isn’t that worth celebrating?”

As Li Xiaoxiao spoke, she extended her index finger and gently caressed the back of Zhou Chen’s right hand, which was resting on the gear shift. The touch was light and ticklish, a clear and deliberate tease.

“…What is it you see in me, anyway?” Zhou Chen asked abruptly.

“Hmm…” Li Xiaoxiao considered it for a moment. “It was probably lust at first sight. I mean, you’re handsome, young, and powerful. In any case, I just really like your cold, aloof type.”