Night had fallen. A solitary moon hung high, and the cool evening breeze swept across the vast yellow-sand wilderness. Under the shadowy night winds, the land revealed only a desolate expanse, the darkness broken only by a few scattered points of firelight hinting at signs of life. This was Monte, one of the major cities in Addus, located in northern North Ufiga. Monte served as the region’s most important transportation hub—nearly all railway lines in northern Addus converged here. Any railway entering Addus from Kankdal would inevitably pass through Monte, making it a necessary stop for any visiting Church delegation. As the city gradually quieted down for the night, the scene at Monte’s train station was anything but silent. Soldiers in standard uniforms stood in formation, civilians in all kinds of clothing celebrated joyously, and amidst their anticipation, a massive iron train slowed to a halt at the platform. With the hiss of released steam and the opening of train doors, uniformed guards raised their rifles in salute upon command. Amid cheers from the crowd, Sister Vania, clad in white and flanked by her attendants, stepped out of the carriage and onto a red carpet that had been laid out in advance, walking slowly through the mist of steam. Wearing her usual gentle smile, Vania advanced while acknowledging the crowd on either side. As she looked around the station—one she had visited just over half a year ago—she noted the transformation. The once-damaged floors had been replaced, bullet holes were gone, and the signs of war had been nearly erased. The station bustled with far more civilians than before, and the once-disheveled revolutionaries now stood tall in neat uniforms. Escorted ceremoniously by two lines of guards, Vania walked through the steam and applause to the end of the red carpet, where she saw a familiar figure waiting. A young man in a high-ranking officer's uniform smiled as she approached, then extended his hand. “Long time no see, Sister Vania. Welcome back to Addus.” “Thank you for welcoming me in person, Lord Shadi,” Vania replied, extending her hand to shake his under the flashes of numerous cameras. … Having once again arrived in Monte, the Church delegation led by Vania was greeted personally by General Shadi, the current de facto ruler of Addus and leader of the Addus Revolutionary Army. Upon learning the Church delegation's travel itinerary, Shadi had made preparations well in advance and traveled from Yadith to Monte himself to offer a reception of the highest honor. Since the Thunder Judgment upheaval, Shadi had spent months suppressing unrest and had now firmly established control over Addus, finally bringing peace to this long war-torn nation. In the past several months of stability, Addus had at last begun rebuilding in earnest, with significant, visible progress. As the country stabilized, foreign nations began cautiously reestablishing contact with the new Addus government—some sending low-level envoys. But Vania’s visit marked the most high-profile diplomatic mission since the stabilization of Addus’ political situation. After all, her status now far surpassed what it had been during her last visit. Though she had yet to officially reach Crimson-rank, her ceremonial rank within the Church had already reached near-archbishop levels. Shadi could not afford to treat her visit lightly. After greeting Vania at the station, Shadi led the key delegation members to a hotel where a banquet had been prepared. At the conclusion of this brief but dignified event, they finally began to discuss matters of substance. “So then, Sister Vania, you don’t intend to stay long in Addus this time?” Shadi asked curiously, seated in a wide and elegant hall, facing her across a small side table. Vania nodded slightly. “That’s correct. While we do plan to conduct a pilgrimage through Addus, that won’t begin until after we return from Busalet. We’ll head there shortly after resting in Monte. Once we return from Busalet, we’ll make our way to Yadith. I’ve heard there are no usable railways within Busalet, so I would appreciate it if Your Excellency could arrange transportation and supplies for our journey.” “Understood. I’ll make the necessary arrangements,” Shadi nodded. After a short pause, he continued, his tone sincere. “I’m truly heartened to see that there are still people like you in the world, Sister Vania—someone who genuinely cares for the people of North Ufiga. Last year, your mission to Addus brought peace to this war-ravaged nation. And now, you are heading to Busalet, long tormented by chaos, to bring relief. For those of us on the fringes of the main continent, international attention has always been scarce. You are one of the rare few who truly care and take real action. On behalf of the people of North Ufiga, I thank you.” “You flatter me, Your Excellency… All glory belongs to the Lord. I am merely Their servant, enacting Their will. As I traveled, I saw the rebuilding taking place across Addus—I believe the Lord, too, would be pleased to see this country regaining its vitality.” Vania pressed a hand to her chest, speaking devoutly and politely. “We will certainly not betray the Lord’s expectations. We’ll continue to do our best to rebuild the nation,” Shadi replied, then added seriously. “It’s a good thing that you’re heading to Busalet to provide relief. But I must warn you—Busalet is far from stable. It’s always been a chaotic place, full of hidden dangers. And recently, due to a plague, things have gotten even worse. When you arrive, please remain extremely cautious.” “I’ve heard vague reports about an outbreak in Busalet,” Vania replied, curious. “But I don’t know the details. Since it’s so close to Addus, I assume you would know more. Could you explain the situation in detail?” Shadi paused for a moment, then spoke with a grave expression. “To my knowledge, the plague in Busalet has been ongoing for some time, and the situation appears quite grim. “Busalet has long been a haven for bandit groups that raid surrounding North Ufigan nations—including Addus. During the civil war, their incursions were especially severe. Once I stabilized the country, I focused on addressing the border threat, organizing patrol squads to monitor the frontier and prevent raids. “At first, my patrols clashed frequently with raiders from Busalet. These bandits were fierce, and my original patrol forces had a hard time suppressing them. I planned to send reinforcements—but before I could, the raiding suddenly stopped. In their place came waves of refugees flooding toward us. “They claimed that a devastating plague was ravaging Busalet. Many tribes and settlements had been stricken. Even the most notorious bandits were so sick they couldn’t hold their guns. I never expected the border raiders would be dealt with by a disease.” Shadi spoke candidly, and Vania’s brows furrowed slightly as she asked. “Do you know when the outbreak began?” “I’m not sure of the exact date, but it hasn’t been long. Refugees first started arriving at the Addus border about half a month ago. About a week ago, signs of illness began appearing among them. Since then, I’ve been doing everything I can to intercept and quarantine Busalet refugees at the border, to prevent the spread of infection deeper into Addus. “Unfortunately, the plague seems highly contagious. Some of my deployed troops and even certain border villages have begun showing signs of infection. I’m doing everything in my power to contain it.” Shadi spoke solemnly to Vania, his expression grave. Hearing his words, Vania continued in a serious tone. “What are the symptoms of this plague?” “According to reports from the border, those infected suffer from fatigue, pain, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and loss of appetite. At first, the symptoms are mild, but they worsen over time. Eventually, the infected become completely incapacitated—left to lie in agony, wailing in pain, unable to do anything. Several of the first wave of refugees have already progressed to this stage.” Shadi continued to describe the current situation on Addus’s borders. The more Vania listened, the deeper her frown became. She then asked again. “Have you been able to confirm how this plague spreads?” “We’ve only been dealing with it for less than two weeks, so there’s still a lot we don’t know. The transmission method is still under investigation. Addus has a severe shortage of experienced medical staff, let alone veteran physicians. Figuring this out on our own in a short time is nearly impossible…” Spreading his hands slightly, Shadi spoke with a hint of helplessness. After a short pause, as if something had occurred to him, he added. “While we don’t know much, there’s one thing we’re certain of: the plague spreads incredibly fast, and its emergence was abrupt—suspiciously so. “Also, based on some intel… we’re fairly certain that the Savior’s Advent Sect holds considerable influence in Busalet. They have several Beyonders who follow the Holy Mother Path. Normally, if they were acting swiftly, the spread of the plague wouldn’t have gotten this bad. People of the Savior’s Advent Sect wouldn’t normally pass up a rare opportunity like this to preach and perform miracles in the face of a strange plague. But strangely, the infection has continued to spread uncontrollably.” As Shadi spoke, Vania fell into thoughtful silence. “That’s true… if this were an ordinary illness, then with the Holy Mother Path’s abilities, they should have been able to locate the source and suppress it quickly. It shouldn't have gotten to this scale. Could it be they don’t have enough people? Or is something else going on?” Her tone was uneasy, as if she had begun imagining a darker possibility. Shadi paused for a moment, then responded gravely. “Whatever the reason, the situation in Busalet is now more chaotic and dangerous than ever. I know you’re well-prepared, Sister Vania, but you must still be extremely cautious. I have a strong sense… that a power far beyond ordinary has already intervened in Busalet. “If it weren’t absolutely necessary, I would advise against choosing Busalet as the site of your relief efforts…” Shadi gave the warning earnestly. Vania paused slightly, then replied firmly. “I understand. Thank you for your concern. But I won’t change my mind. Busalet may be more dangerous now than ever before—but that also means it needs aid more than ever before. In such times, the Lord would not allow me to retreat.” Her tone was resolute. Hearing this, Shadi let out a long sigh before silently nodding. … Time passed quickly, and the banquet Shadi had arranged to welcome the Church delegation came to a close—mostly filled with hollow pleasantries and empty formalities. After finishing his meaningful private conversation with Vania, Shadi instructed his aides to escort the delegation, including Vania, back to their residence for rest. He then returned to his own quarters in Monte. But once home, Shadi did not go to sleep. Instead, he stayed in his room reading in silence until late at night. When the entire city had sunk into true darkness and silence, he finally put the book down and quietly left his room. Alone and unguarded, Shadi slipped into the empty streets of Monte, the young ruler of Addus walking in silence through his nation’s capital. Eventually, he arrived beneath a tall clock tower. Without hesitation, he entered and climbed the stairs calmly until he reached the top. There, he saw a familiar figure waiting. “You finally arrived, General. It’s been a while since our parting in Kanak. You look more like a true commander now.” Standing atop the tower was a man with deep-set eyes, a high nose, pale skin, and dressed in a trench coat and formal hat. He removed his hat and gave Shadi a smiling salute. Shadi, looking at the man, spoke dryly. “It’s you again, Nei. Has your sect designated you as my permanent liaison or something?” “Well, it’s just that you and I are more familiar, my lord… That’s why they sent me. This meeting with you is very important to us.” Nei smiled, then added meaningfully. “After all… the intel you hold about Heopolis is of significant importance to us.” As Nei spoke, Shadi—and the ancient soul residing within him—listened in silence.