Chapter 579

Four Hundred and Twenty-One: Influence

In a tone of relief, Jorde said to the investigator, who replied with a comforting tone.

“Nevertheless, Sir Jorde, you and your companions ultimately defeated that monster and protected Navaha. The Lord will not abandon warriors who fight for protection.”

“No… It wasn’t us who defeated that monster… It was the dragon?” Jorde replied seriously to the investigator, who was taken aback and then looked at him in disbelief.

“A dragon? Are you sure?”

“Yes… I’m sure. It was a dragon, a legendary one, said to exist only before the arrival of the Savior…” Jorde answered somewhat dazedly. Listening to Jorde’s words, the investigator spoke gravely.

“Sir Jorde, are you certain you saw a dragon? Was it an illusion or a dream? You mentioned that monster had the ability to induce sleep and manipulate dreams…”

“Dreams? Perhaps… Of course, I was attacked by that monster, so my mind became confused. It’s hard to distinguish what’s real from what’s a dream… I can only vaguely feel some unclear images… But what I want to say is that even if that dragon existed only in a dream, it was certainly a dragon that could freely move within the Dream Realm, not just a figment of my imagination. Because besides me, Santos and the others also saw that dragon. Something imagined solely in my own dream would not be seen by others…”

“So that dragon definitely exists. It’s not just someone’s fantasy. It appeared and saved us when we were in the most danger, defeating the monster. We even suspected whether this was the Lord’s messenger sent to save us…”

Jorde said to the investigator with a weary voice. After hearing Jorde’s words, the investigator immediately responded sternly.

“Please be careful with your words, Sir Jorde. The Sacred Text does not mention any dragon-shaped messengers among the Three Saints. What you just said is very dangerous.”

The investigator reminded Jorde, who immediately responded.

“Oh… You misunderstood. We naturally remember the Sacred Text. We did not mean to consider that dragon as the Lord’s messenger. This is merely our reflection after surviving such a perilous event…”

Jorde explained to the investigator. However, the investigator’s wary expression did not lessen much. He continued with a stern tone.

“Just reflection? Hmm… I understand. Thank you for your explanation, Sir Jorde. I now have a clearer picture of the situation last night. Regarding the matter of the dream moth and the dream dragon, I will report it immediately.

“The severity of the incident in Navaha is high. We need to send more people to investigate thoroughly. For the next period, Sir Jorde and the other three warriors who participated in last night’s battle should stay in Navaha temporarily to assist with our investigation.”

The investigator said to Jorde through the mirror. It seemed that Jorde’s words had triggered a sense of caution in the investigator, who looked at Jorde with a hint of wariness. Jorde was momentarily stunned but continued speaking.

“We four… staying here? That won’t do, sir. We have escort duties. Devout believers need to go and worship the Holy Mother. Our task is to escort them. We’re here only to wait for you all to take over the case involving the Abyss Cult and to rest a bit… We’ve waited long enough. According to the schedule, we cannot wait any longer.”

Jorde said to the investigator, indicating that he and his team had tasks to perform and could not stay to assist with the investigation. However, the investigator dismissed Jorde’s argument.

“I’m sorry, but this extraordinary event is extremely serious. You are all key participants. Without you, our investigation would be difficult to proceed… We need you to stay here…”

The investigator said sternly to Jorde. Hearing this, Jorde frowned deeply.

“But, our mission…”

“Your mission can continue. We only need the four of you who participated in the battle to stay. The rest can continue their pilgrimage. This fleet is large; losing four people shouldn’t affect its departure…”

The investigator told Jorde. Jorde responded helplessly.

“That’s true. The fleet can still depart without us. But among our escort team, we are the only four White Tiers. If none of us are there, the risk of the fleet’s journey would greatly increase…”

“You don’t need to worry too much about that. The distance to Iwig isn’t far, and the routes are safe. Even ordinary ships can sail safely, let alone a fleet. Besides, it seems you four are still suffering from aftereffects of the battle. Your mental state isn’t good. In such a condition, commanding might lead to more problems. So staying here to cooperate with our investigation and resting would be the best choice. The fleet can appoint experienced officers to sail to Iwig. I’ll report to higher-ups and explain your situation. This is a special case, and you won’t be held responsible.”

The investigator said earnestly to Jorde. After listening, Jorde seriously considered his current mental state, which was indeed unsuitable for command. Sighing, he said to the investigator.

“Alright, we’ll stay. The fleet can continue its journey.”

…

In the afternoon in Navaha, in a room filled with dust and cobwebs, a young man with a haggard appearance and thin clothing wandered around. He wore a look of bewilderment as he gazed at his surroundings.

This young man was a painter living alone. A year ago, he was sent to a psychiatric hospital due to Hypersomnia. This morning, he woke up on the streets of Navaha.

Following his vague memories, the young man returned to his home, which he hadn’t visited in a year. Stepping on the creaky floorboards, he looked at the dilapidated furniture and the many dusty paintings.

As he walked, he came to a locked door. After finding the hidden key in a vase, he unlocked the rusty lock and entered, climbing up a staircase to a hidden attic.

When he entered the attic, he saw rows of hanging paintings. All these paintings depicted various bizarre moths.

These paintings ranged from abstract to detailed, from meticulous to rough, but all depicted moths. These were the works created during his period of devotion to the moths, after he received his revelation.

The young man slowly approached the end of the attic, where a large easel stood. On the canvas, there was an unfinished painting of a moth. After looking at it for a few moments, he seemed to want to continue working on it, but hesitated. After a brief pause, he reached out and tore down the painting, then replaced it with new paper.

Then, the young man began his creation. Since the paint beside him had dried, he picked up a pencil and quickly sketched on the paper. Upon returning home, creating a new painting was his first priority.

Under his manipulation, lines danced and arranged themselves continuously on the large sheet of paper, forming shapes. Driven by his creative passion, the emaciated young man seemed tireless. As time passed, an image gradually emerged on the paper.

This image was completely different from the bizarre moths filling the attic.

With sharp teeth, claws, spread wings, dense scales, and long spines, it was clearly a mighty dragon with wings ready to fly. Under the young man’s skillful hands, the dragon’s invincible and powerful form was vividly portrayed. This style was entirely different from the bizarre and eerie moths. The paper showcased pure strength, ancient and majestic.

After completing the painting, the young man breathed a sigh of relief, then dropped the pencil and slumped into a chair behind him. Gasping for breath, he stared at the paper, mesmerized by the dragon he had drawn.