Chapter Ninety-Five: The Messenger Tower

After the meeting ended, Chen Qi accepted the task concerning the cannibal and returned to his room to launch the New Day game.

The Raven Witch’s knowledge could help him complete this assignment. As the chief disaster messenger of Black River Prison, she should know enough about the calamity known as the cannibal.

In the game, he soon arrived at the Tower of Disaster Messengers.

[As someone who has heard the Night Watchers tell many stories, you put your own talent for invention to work, describing certain details about the white-robed figure and sharing them with the apprentice disaster messenger.]

[The apprentice disaster messenger silently memorized those details.]

[The Raven Witch also pricked up her ears.]

[Heh...]

[Haa...]

[You looked out the window. The great raven was descending steadily, and at the edge of New Capital, District Eight, atop a mountain peak, you saw a towering ancient castle rising into the clouds.]

[A lively disaster messenger introduced it to you: that was the place where they, the disaster messengers, lived—the Tower of Disaster Messengers!]

Chen Qi rubbed his hands together. At last, the tower was in sight.

[The tower stands upon a steep mountain peak. Without a flying mount, reaching it would require traversing those perilous stretches of terrain.]

[You rise and look out the window. In your entire life, this is the first time you have seen a building so high above the ground...]

[Disaster messengers in black hats and black feathered robes carry out their duties, then return to the tower aboard black ravens.]

[The great raven slowly slowed and landed upon the vast raven platform.]

The Raven Witch closed her book and pushed open the door.

"Welcome to the Tower of Disaster Messengers, herb gatherer. Come with me."

[You step out from the room on the great raven. Wind-driven snow strikes your face.]

[You look down into the abyss below the tower, a depth without end.]

[You place the longsword behind your back and look at this ancient castle. It is far more magnificent than when seen from afar in the sky, and compared with the Tower of Herbs, this tower is even more solemn.]

You followed the Raven Witch into the Tower of Disaster Messengers.

[You pass through layer upon layer of stairs and make your way toward the upper levels of the Tower of Disaster Messengers.]

[You cross a corridor and arrive at the Messenger Library, where row after row of bookshelves come into view.]

[The Messenger Library is where the disaster messengers consult references. Many books concerning calamities are stored here.]

There is actually a library!

Chen Qi was startled.

In New Capital, libraries are very rare buildings. This is related to the laws of New Capital: without permission from the Daylight Clock Tower, one may not privately construct libraries or bookstores.

Most players’ books come from traveling book merchants, or from players who make a living selling books.

This library is worth a look.

[You look ahead. In the center of the library is a massive book suspended in the air.]

Chen Qi paused. This book could be clicked to view its information.

[Central Book of the Library

Building-type item.

Aspect: Book

Effect: Within one hundred meters, learners’ attention will become more focused, and the learning efficiency of most arts will increase.

At the same time, if the appearance of a book is written into the Central Book, the Search Book will retrieve the desired volume from the bound book repository for you.]

Search for books, and it can even improve learning efficiency.

Not a bad effect at all.

Chen Qi looked at the function of this building-type item, and thought that if he could get one of these, that would be ideal.

"Please sit."

The Raven Witch walked up to the Search Book and stated the title of the book she needed.

Immediately, a blood-red volume with a wolf-mouth cover flew out from the shelves and landed in her hands.

The Raven Witch handed the book to you.

[You have obtained the Calamity Book of the Cannibal.]

Chen Qi examined the book. It recorded in detail the terror of this bloodline calamity, along with a number of finer points.

[The Raven Witch told you that the white-robed figure you encountered was the one known as the Cannibal, and that they had long been pursuing this monster!]

[The Cannibal itself carries a strange, bloody odor, one that is exceedingly difficult to dispel.]

[The Raven Witch looked at you and took out a crimson scale.

This scale was found in the corpse of the fallen giant raven. They suspected it was related to that Cannibal.

You may wish to read the book first.

She wanted to ask whether you could smell the blood-scent of that white-robed figure from the scale.]

A scale?

Chen Qi rested his chin on his hand. What exactly did that white-robed figure look like beneath that robe?

[Sniff the scent?]

Yes.

[You carefully stroked the scale, then sniffed it, and confirmed that you had smelled this odor before on the white-robed figure.]

When Little Ghost split the white-robed figure in two, the figure had spilled some blood. His game character must have caught some of that scent then.

He could be certain that this scale belonged to the white-robed figure.

"Just as suspected, this scale came from the same person..." A glint of cold light flashed in the Raven Witch’s eyes. They were nearly certain now that the owner of the scale was the Cannibal.

[As long as they can confirm that this scale belongs to the white-robed figure, and rely on the methods for searching the Cannibal recorded in the book, they will be able, through divination, tracking, and other means, to lock onto a general direction.]

The Raven Witch put away the scale and told you that this incident was filled with mysteries. The corpse of the Hunter Prisoner had gone missing, and no one knew why they needed it.

[Then the Raven Witch asked you for some information about the Mist Storm. This terrifying calamity, which first appeared twenty years ago, has now emerged once again.

Although it is far weaker than it was twenty years ago, its sudden appearance is still a dereliction of duty on the part of the disaster messengers.

Twenty years ago, the previous Raven Witch personally investigated it, but found no trace of the calamity in Mist City.

The Mist Storm may not be the most powerful of calamities, but the force of false semblance within it is the bane of the Hunter Prisoners!]

[The Raven Witch cast you a curious look and stared at you...]

[You told the Raven Witch about some of the manifestations of the Mist Storm.]

"Thank you for your help, herb gatherer."

The Raven Witch thanked you. Your ability to remain conscious within the Mist Storm, and the calamity information you provided, had helped them greatly.

The Raven Witch told you that she was willing to offer you a reward, whether in Daylight Coins or some other form.

You looked at this library, thoughts swirling in your mind. Make your choice.

[1. Request the floating book as your reward.
2. Request Daylight Coins as your reward.]

Could that floating book be taken as a reward too?

As a building-type item, it could increase the efficiency of learning arts. Chen Qi was quite tempted.

I choose one.

[You told the Raven Witch that, if possible, you would like a reward similar to the book in the center.]

[The Raven Witch’s dark eyes turned to you. She told you that such a book is called a Floating Book. As long as it is placed in a room, it can increase mental power and improve learning efficiency.

However, this book is not suited to a traveler. Such a book must be placed in a stable location in order to achieve its best effect.]

[The Raven Witch told you that, if you were willing, she could instead give you a full six Daylight Coins as your reward.]

[Do you still choose this item?]

It needs to be placed in a fixed location...

Chen Qi thought it over. He had the space within the Traveler’s Box, so that was not a problem.

I want the Floating Book.

Yes.

[The Raven Witch considered it for a moment. Though books of this kind are precious, she had given her word and would not go back on it.]

"Very well."

The Raven Witch snapped her fingers. A feather fell from her headpiece and transformed into a raven, which brought you a book in its beak.

[You have obtained the Floating Book.]

Chen Qi accepted the book. This was a building-type item, and it could be used in the Traveler’s Box.

"I still have work to attend to, so I must take my leave. On the second floor of the tower, there are guest rooms where visitors may rest."

The Raven Witch told you that with the arrival of the chill winds, and with criminals having escaped, the disaster messengers were extremely busy. If you wished to return to the Tower of Herbs, you might need to wait for a while.

Of course, you could remain here for a few days. The disaster messengers welcome those aligned with lantern light, and they hope you will enjoy your stay.

The Raven Witch departed.

After she left, Chen Qi chose to have the game character return to the guest room.

He first set aside his urge to stir up trouble and explore. He needed some time to digest his newly acquired items.

If he could fully absorb these powers, his strength would rise substantially.

At that moment, he checked the forum and found that a task group had been formed.

After review, all players had joined the group.

The main person in charge of this mission was the elite player Sea Bird. Major incidents in White River District and the surrounding areas were generally handled by Sea Bird.

Sea Bird: Hello, everyone. Anyone participating in this task, if you have any leads, please post them directly in the group chat.

The chat immediately erupted with passionate messages from the players.

Mighty Bear: Kill! Kill! Uncle Sea! I swear I’ll avenge my blood debt and wipe out the Cannibals! Let them see what true blade-blooded spirit looks like!

Sea Bird: This matter requires careful long-term planning. Also, I’m still young, so please don’t call me Uncle Sea.

Flame Archmage: Understood, Uncle Bird. We’ll wait for your news. My inferno blast is already starving for action! I heard the Cannibals’ warehouse is full of good stuff!

...

Chen Qi leaned back. To his surprise, the players who had taken this task did not generally possess clues about the Cannibals; most of them were in fact victims of the Cannibals!

The first time they saw the game pop up with the aura of their own kind, they had assumed the other party was some kind of ally and had gone up to them.

Then they were ambushed, stripped of quite a bit of gear, and lost their lives as well.

This whole group of players could not swallow that bitter grudge.

Most of the players joining this mission had come for revenge.

The End.