The squad of Redback Bear warriors still appeared rough, powerful, savage, heroic, and ferocious to the naked eye. Yet, when Charlot activated Eye of Insight, what he saw were lifeless creatures—grayed fur, ghostly white flames flickering in their hollow eyes—monstrous bears completely devoid of vitality.
Charlot had not anticipated that the labyrinth guards would be such entities.
Had he known, he would rather have killed these redback bear warriors outright than transform them into labyrinth guards.
Charlot even witnessed the Bear Commander lifting a barrel of ale and drinking heartily. Liquid continuously seeped from its chest and abdomen, a stark reminder that this creature’s body had become so decayed it could no longer retain food.
A shiver ran through Charlot's soul.
The Old Continent had both Orthodox Gods and Evil Gods.
Whether it was the ancestral god of vampires or Agmirlas, they were all classified as Evil Gods.
They were called Evil Gods not due to a lack of power but because their strength originated from corruption energy.
In the mortal realm, only one type of entity could be categorized under corruption energy: Malevolent Spirits.
Malevolent Spirits were not living beings. Though they possessed all the characteristics of life, they lacked actual vitality. They could not reproduce, think, or feel. They operated solely under strange and immutable rules and harbored no desires...
Vampires, in truth, were also a form of Malevolent Spirit—an exceptionally unique one.
From the moment Charlot transmigrated, he had known that his predecessor perished while attempting to summon an Evil God. He also knew that the technique he cultivated, Blood Glory, was a bizarre ability aligned with corruption energy. However, the sheer absurdity of transmigration overshadowed these details, causing him to overlook them.
Two volumes of diaries were born from the clash between Agmirlas, the overseas labyrinth Evil God, and Karnstein, the vampiric Evil God. These diaries, though capable of triggering the reappearance of the Evil Gods at any moment, had brought Charlot numerous benefits.
Whether it was the heightened spirituality from confronting Evil Gods, the rapid progression of Blood Glory, or the increasingly mysterious labyrinth power...
For a long time, Charlot had even felt that Evil Gods were not as terrifying as they were made out to be.
As for disadvantages, Charlot had yet to experience any.
But at this moment, Charlot suddenly realized he was deeply entrenched in this predicament, inching ever closer to unfathomable darkness.
Charlot retrieved the Diary and was struck by a thought he had never entertained before:
“Why do I trust this diary so completely?”
“I believe that mastering fifteen labyrinths and crafting the sixteenth will prove myself and prevent Agmirlas from ever descending.”
“I believe that perfecting the vampiric secret art of the Adonis Clan across seventeen pages will render Karnstein powerless against me.”
“I take pride in my progress, reveling in the convenience brought by the vampiric secret arts and labyrinth powers, convinced I will ultimately avert the Evil Gods’ return.”
“But... since when have Evil Gods ever spoken the truth? Since when have they ever been honest?”
“When has this diary ever been trustworthy?”
Staring at the redback bear warriors, now turned Malevolent Spirits, lifeless yet guarding the labyrinth, Charlot was overwhelmed by a profound sense of fear.
An immense fear.
This fear reminded him of when he devoured Lord Leo’s blood thrall and suffered a backlash from the thrall’s Origin Blood Ignition. The mysterious vampiric Evil God had unexpectedly assisted him in mastering Blood Clan Verbal Spellcasting.
Why would an Evil God act so benevolently?
Since his transmigration, Charlot felt entangled in a vast conspiracy, so well-concealed that he could discern no trace of it.
The reason he now began to question and react was not due to heightened vigilance or discovering anything amiss. It was simply that, as a transmigrator, he could not bring himself to accept turning living beings into Malevolent Spirits.
Charlot had not known the labyrinth guards were such entities.
He had assumed they were akin to labyrinth NPCs, capable of issuing and accepting tasks, detectable within a certain range, and otherwise indistinguishable from ordinary people.
He did not realize this transformation was an act of "harming life and causing death."
Charlot abruptly activated Swiftstep Technique, leaping to the highest vantage point nearby. Gazing at the lively, bustling scene below, where people lived peacefully as though in Silver Dove Castle, a horrifying thought emerged:
“Will there come a day when these ‘NPCs’ also turn into Malevolent Spirits?”
Charlot dared not think further.
With a sudden leap, he sprinted out of Machubi, racing into the wilderness and shouting at the top of his lungs:
“Grandma Saint Karen, I have questions!”
“Grandma Saint Karen! May I meet with you?”
“Grandma Saint Karen! Grandma Saint Karen! Grandma Saint Karen…”
For two hours, Charlot called out desperately, but Grandma Saint Karen did not appear. His heart turned cold, and he returned to Machubi.
...
Within minutes, Charlot arrived at Silver Dove Castle.
He knew that in the Old Continent, where gods and the supernatural existed, someone could surely answer his questions.
If Grandma Saint Karen was unavailable, another Saint rank individual might suffice.
Silver Dove Castle housed a significant figure who could unravel his doubts: High Priest Auguslatin.
Despite the considerable risk, Charlot headed to Silver Dove Castle without hesitation.
Facing a Saint was far better than confronting an Evil God.
High Priest Auguslatin had purchased a derelict estate in Silver Dove Castle, converting it into a Temple of Radiance during his brief stay.
His visit was not solely to guard the emperor’s brother-in-law but also to recruit believers for the Radiant Lord.
The Temple of Radiance already attracted a small group of faithful who came daily to pray.
Charlot paced outside the temple for a quarter of an hour before finally resolving to enter. Upon crossing the threshold, he first noticed a group of young boys learning the Radiant Breathing Technique.
His visit had another purpose. Suppressing his wandering thoughts, Charlot addressed a temple attendant:
“Charlot Mecklenburg, Head Overseer of the Lukavaro District Patrol Army and West Wind Knight Order Captain, requests an audience with the Archpriest.”
The attendant regarded him with a peculiar expression and whispered, “The Archpriest has been expecting you. Please proceed directly inside.”
Resisting the urge to explain that he was not there to offer special devotion, Charlot entered the temple.
In a small, quiet meditation hall, Charlot found High Priest Auguslatin seated alone in contemplation.
Before Charlot could determine how to explain himself, the Archpriest smiled faintly and said, “My child, what troubles you?”
Taking a deep breath, Charlot replied, “Yes, I feel unsettled.”
“I once witnessed…”
“A painting said to depict the true visage of an overseas Evil God.”
“It was at an auction.”
Charlot quickly added, fearing misunderstanding.
The Archpriest maintained his warm smile and replied, “Ah, I know the painting. It is currently in the possession of a lady residing at 25 Mignan Street.”