Chapter 30#

Temple of the Burning Lamp 1#

The light around them suddenly shifted.Yu Feichen looked up. A round moon hung low in the oppressive sky. In front of it stood a brightly lit square building, its outline sharp and clear. And he was standing on a long white stairway leading upward. The steps had sharp but not very hard edges—limestone.Moments later, a sound came from behind, followed by a loud “AHHHHH!”“Shut up,” Yu Feichen said.From that panicked tone alone, he knew it was Bai Song.Sure enough, the person behind him said, “Brother Yu?”Bai Song quickly came up beside him, and they finally saw each other. Yu Feichen tugged aside Bai Song’s collar slightly and indeed found the same mark, ‘A1407’, on his collarbone.Bai Song told him, “Brother Yu, your appearance has changed a bit from when we were at Paradise, but the general look is still the same.”Yu Feichen didn’t care much and only grunted. Bai Song’s features had changed somewhat as well, and both of their outfits were now completely different.—Not just different, even somewhat extravagant.Yu Feichen now had short blond hair and wore light knight’s armor woven from metal plates, silk, and gold thread. At his waist hung a gem‑inlaid longsword, and an elegant embroidered platinum cloak draped over his shoulder.This wasn’t battlefield gear. It was more like attire for a banquet or formal assembly.Bai Song’s outfit was similar but lacked the cloak, and was overall simpler in detail.Bai Song drew his longsword and examined it carefully. “This is so cool, Brother Yu. My childhood dream was to be a knight. Are we really going to go into battle as knights this time?”Yu Feichen looked around.Aside from the building above, illuminated by the pale moon, everything else was swallowed in misty darkness. No details could be seen—only faint undulating outlines at the horizon, like a ring of mountains enclosing them in shadow.Overall, it felt unreal.Before they came in, the Gatekeeper’s hint had been : Intensity 4, Amplitude 7, out of 10.If “Intensity” referred to power levels, then “Amplitude” was likely the degree of chaos. Higher chaos meant this was probably not a complete world, but a small fragment with limited terrain.The Gatekeeper had described fragment worlds as dangerous hunting games, full of the unknown and full of death.After he explained his guess to Bai Song, the young man immediately abandoned any knightly dignity he should have had on his first day and clung tightly to Yu Feichen’s arm.“Brother Yu, please carry me.”(T/N : Not literal carry, means bring the noob with him to clear the mission with YFC doing the heavy lifting)Carry him he would—but this was also Yu Feichen’s first time in such a world.He scanned their surroundings again, confirmed there was nothing else nearby, and said, “Let’s go up.”That brightly lit building seemed to be the only thing here of value.The stairway was long and steep. As they approached the top, the outline of the building grew clearer.In the moonlight, tall white pillars encircled the building. Each bore a statue of different form, tilting slightly inward as though guarding the structure.A thick religious atmosphere washed over them.At the top of the stairs, outside a limestone wall gate, stood an old man with a hooked nose, wrapped in a black cloak, holding a bright lantern.“Knight Commander Yu Fei, Knight Bai En, you have finally arrived.” The cloaked elder welcomed them in. His voice was hoarse yet resonant. “Everyone has been waiting a long time.”Yu Feichen, cautious, stayed silent. The old man turned and led the way, and the two followed. The corridor was lined with round pillars and torches. After two turns, they entered a square hall whose walls were packed with lit candles.The overlapping candlelight softened all shadows to the faintest blur.A long marble table stood in the center. More candles burned upon it, along with several serving trays covered with metal lids. Eleven high‑backed chairs surrounded the table; three were already occupied, all on the left side.Yu Feichen and Bai Song were seated on the left as well, Bai Song inside, Yu Feichen outside, just around the corner. As he sat, Yu Feichen felt the weight of probing gazes from around the table.He remained expressionless as he surveyed the others. Next to Bai Song sat a middle‑aged man in judge’s robes. Further in was a man dressed like a scholar, and at the innermost seat was a young woman shrouded in black robes.All looked solemn; the scholar’s posture even betrayed a trace of unease.After seating them, the cloaked old man left again.Soon, through the walls and hallways, his distant voice carried in: “Lord Jude and Lady Djuna from afar, you have finally arrived. Everyone has been waiting a long time.”Faint voices followed, the wordunclear. Moments later, he led a man and woman into the hall and seated them on the right side.‘Lord Jude’ wore a chestnut suit and held a cane; the dark‑haired woman wore a matching gown, a veil, and carried a parasol.But the man’s hand trembled slightly on his cane, and the woman’s face beneath her veil looked pale. Their steps were unstable, breaths short, the climb had clearly drained them.The old man departed once more.“What is this place? Who are you all? How did you get here?” Jude asked anxiously, questions spilling out one after another.Lady Djuna wiped her eyes with a lace‑gloved hand and whispered, “We were just playing a holo‑game… then suddenly ended up here…”No one answered. Silence blanketed the table.Until Jude, unable to endure it, twitched as if ready to slam the table.The scholar cut him off.“Behave,” he said in a deep, cold, intimidating tone. “Don’t do anything stupid.”His voice silenced the couple. They exchanged uneasy looks but said no more.Bai Song nervously scratched the table until Yu Feichen gave him a mild glance, and he instantly withdrew his hand.Yu Feichen recalled the Gatekeeper’s words: there were three types of outsiders in fragment worlds.He and his partner.Other visitors with unclear motives.And innocents captured by accident.In other words, unexperienced newcomers like him and Bai Song, experienced veterans, and regular people who had stumbled in unknowingly.This lord and lady were clearly the third type. The others were the second.The old man’s voice came again. This time, a rotund man in resplendent robes and a crown entered, addressed as “His Esteemed Majesty King Schiller.”After he sat calmly, the next was “His Esteemed Majesty King Shadi,” a rugged young man with curly black hair.Now only two seats remained—one on the left, and the one at the head of the table.About ten minutes later, sounds finally came again.“Ruler of Casablanca, Her Exalted Majesty Empress Elisaveta, you have finally arrived. Everyone has been waiting a long time.”The clicking of heels echoed in the corridor. Two entered this time. Leading was a tall woman in a dark red gown with long gloves, flaxen hair pinned up beneath a silver crown—clearly the Empress. Behind her was a plain gray‑clad male attendant.The Empress took the last left‑side seat—directly across from Yu Feichen. The attendant stood behind her.Yu Feichen sensed that the atmosphere at the table tightened noticeably as the two appeared.Only the head seat remained. He reviewed the lineup.He and Bai Song were Knight Commander and Knight. On the right: judge, scholar, and a nun‑like woman.On the left: a lord, lady, two kings, and an empress.These were roles from a primitive medieval setting. Their hierarchy was unclear, but it rose steadily from lord to emperor.If so—what role would sit at the head?This time, the wait was much longer.No one spoke. Only the lord and lady glanced around nervously.Finally, half an hour later, a voice rang out again—“Messenger beneath the Sun, Protector of Casablanca, His Exalted Holiness Pope Ludwig, you have finally arrived. Everyone has been waiting a long time.”A brief silence. Then came new sounds.A heavy creak. A dull thud. The metallic clank of a bar being locked.—The main gate had closed.Then the final guest entered. Everyone lifted their heads. Yu Feichen also turned.—First appearing was long silver hair, then dark‑green eyes and slightly pale skin.The newcomer was far younger than expected—only around twenty‑five or twenty‑six. Tall and slender, wearing a black high‑collared robe embroidered with intricate silver patterns, and holding a scepter.Perhaps due to his cool features and detached expression, his bearing was especially noble and composed. Though an outsider like them, he truly looked like a young pope with real power.The old man guided him to the head seat. “Please sit, Your Holiness.”Everyone was now present.The old man then walked to the end of the table where no chair stood. He cleared his throat.“To summon everyone so urgently at this hour is because a grave, urgent disaster has struck the temple.” His expression was solemn, face pale. “The Holy Son has been gravely wounded.”He paused, scanning the room, as if expecting shock.But beneath these shells, everyone was an outsider. No one reacted as they should. They only looked thoughtful—except Lord Jude, who managed a confused, “…Huh?”The old man seemed not to notice. Like an NPC following a script, he continued with rising tension:“He suffered cruel torture by evil spirits, and the temple physicians say he has only three to five days left. If the Holy Son dies and no one offers prayers, the entire Casablanca will cease to exist.”“You are the noblest, wisest, and most learned people in Casablanca. You must help the temple overcome this crisis.”The scholar asked, “How do we do that?”The old man either didn’t hear or ignored him and continued passionately:“Right now, the priests are deciphering the recipe for the ‘Elixir of Life.’ Starting tomorrow, they will decode one ingredient per day. When they do, please help search for the required items.”“Secondly, within the next three to five days, we must—absolutely must—find the culprit who harmed the Holy Son!”“Otherwise…” The old man shut his eyes in fear. “The gods will punish us.”“Because this happened suddenly, the temple has only prepared a simple supper. After eating, please rest in the next room in order. I will return after breakfast tomorrow.”“And lastly, since the culprit has not been caught and the evil spirits remain hidden, please be cautious. Do not wander around the temple at night.”With that, the old man left.“Hey!” Lady Djuna stood and shouted after him. “What is all this? At least explain it clearly!”He walked off as though deaf.“Hey!” she shouted again.Yu Feichen glanced at Bai Song from the corner of his eye.Bai Song sat properly, eyes darting slightly but otherwise obedient and quiet.—Not bad.“Shut up,” King Shadi said irritably. “Low‑level NPCs don’t respond to people.”Hearing that, Lady Djuna suddenly relaxed, even laughed, and smacked Lord Jude. “Idiot! Itoldyou, you picked the wrong game!”Then she looked around the hall, let out a soft hiss, and said, “Still… the details and lighting arewaytoo good. This is creepy as hell, I really thought we got transported to another world. Scared me to half to death.”As she gestured and turned, her movements stirred the air, making the candle flames dance and her faint shadow flicker across the opposite wall.“Madam,” Pope Ludwig spoke suddenly.His voice was soft, but each syllable was clear; cool in tone with a hint of huskiness, ethereal and elegant. At the first sound, Lady Djuna froze.“Silence is a virtue,” the Pope said gently. “Since you are here, sit down.”Lady Djuna looked bewildered. Her eyes stayed on him as she gave a blank “oh” and slowly sat.A moment later she seemed to gather herself and whispered to Lord Jude, “Let’s just play by the rules for now.”Lord Jude rubbed the table edge repeatedly, pale‑faced, and muttered a vague “Mm.”Yu Feichen took in the whole scene. He also noticed the Empress across the table first observe coolly, then curl her lips in faint amusement.Those who entered the fragment world clearly kept to themselves, cold toward others. Djuna and Jude had been noisy from the start, and though the scholar and King Shadi had spoken, it was only to scold or warn—never to assist.The Pope was a slight exception.Yu Feichen wasn’t sure if the Pope spoke simply because he was annoyed, or if he had subtly stepped in to rescue Djuna.Either way, silence returned.The Empress gave a graceful yawn. “Let’s eat.”