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墨書 Inktalez
The Mercedes-Benz drove along the winding driveway lined with Poplar Trees towards the villa in the suburbs. As the car turned onto the wide, curved driveway, the villa came into view. The three-story villa was surrounded by a spacious green Lawn, with a white fountain in the center, water splashing from it, and beneath it lay a shimmering surface of water.
The two got out of the car and walked along the curved cobblestone path, crossing the Lawn and the fountain, arriving at the black wrought-iron gate on the first floor. The antique iron gate had a large brass knocker. Cheng Yuping was about to grab the knocker when the door swung open.
A neatly dressed Butler stood before them, wearing a white tie and a black suit. He appeared to be around fifty years old but had a serious expression.
He nodded towards Cheng Yuping, clearly indicating that she frequently visited this house, and said loudly, "Bishop will be down shortly. He is changing; please come in."
The first-floor hall was spacious and grand, with a crystal chandelier hanging from the high dome, its brilliant light refracting from various angles to illuminate the exquisite European-style living room.
The seating and cabinets were in a classical European style, with gold as the main color mixed with white, creating a bright and elegant appearance. Swirling patterns combined with classical figures showcased traditional historical traces and rich cultural connotations, exuding an extraordinary demeanor.
The sofas and coffee tables leaned more towards Italian style, with nearly all cuts following the golden ratio, presenting an inherent beauty.
However, on the first-floor floor lay a thick heavy rope that clearly clashed with all this opulence. A yellow rope was tied in a knot, with faint dark bloodstains visible on it.
Qiluo Ling's heart skipped a beat; she never expected Cheng Yuping's next action would leave her dumbfounded.
Cheng Yuping hung her coat on the night rack by the door, knelt on the ground, and solemnly prayed in silence. After finishing her prayer, she picked up the rope from the ground, grasped one end of it, closed her eyes with a smile on her face, and forcefully swung the rope over her shoulder, striking her right back before swinging it to her left back. Thus, she knelt on the ground repeatedly whipping her own flesh until her clothes soaked in blood. Finally, she struggled to stand up from the ground and swayed as she left the hall.
Before long, a man descended from the staircase on the second floor. He was about six feet three inches tall and wore an ankle-length black hooded robe. His hair was dark brown, and his hazel eyes scrutinized her sharply. His gaze sent chills down Qiluo Ling's spine.
However, as he slowly walked down the steps, a smile appeared on his face. When he reached Qiluo Ling, he extended his broad hand. On his thumb was a large golden ring set with blue crystals that sparkled brilliantly.
"Hello, Miss Qi!"
"Hello, Bishop." Qiluo Ling felt nervous as she sweat while shaking his hand.
"Miss Qi, please have a seat." He slightly bent forward and politely gestured to the sofa beside him.
She sat on the sofa, feeling uneasy and unsure of what to say.
"Miss Qi, you don't need to be nervous. I invited you here today to thank you," he said gently.
"Thank me? Thank me for what?" She was a bit confused.
"Of course, I am thanking you for your Sheet Music."
"Thanking Sheet Music? I don't quite understand," she said, staring at him in bewilderment.
"Thanking your Sheet Music for destroying our enemies and upholding justice."
"Who are you referring to?" A vague answer lingered in her mind.
"Of course, it's Eric. However, this is also his own doing," Bishop said with a cold smile.
Qiluo Ling couldn't help but gasp, listening intently as Bishop recounted the events.
Eric was born into a devout farming family in a remote mountain village in Germany. He grew up surrounded by an atmosphere filled with mysterious spirits and supernatural beings. From childhood, he had always been fascinated by the supernatural arts, but eventually, he became enamored with music, particularly playing the piano.
Eric devoted himself entirely to art, but he only liked pieces related to Muse. He longed to believe in fairies, imagining beautiful melodies intertwined with ethereal and wondrous goddesses; all his passion was as fragrant as the scent of flowers. Since childhood, he had been an eccentric child. While other boys were full of youthful vigor, he exuded an inexplicable aura of strangeness.
Even when he went to university, he remained increasingly immersed in his desire for the supernatural. One autumn, his Widow sent word through someone else, hoping he would come home for a visit since it had been two years since he last saw his mother.
Before he returned home, his mother was a strong and robust middle-aged woman. She was also a devout believer who never missed a prayer. On the first Sunday after Eric returned home, she joyfully took him to church with her. For years, she had longed for this day when her son would kneel beside her in the small village church, gazing at the benevolent God and basking in His grace.
But unexpectedly, her son hid upstairs, playing that strange and sharp music. Holding the Bible in her hands, she called out his name loudly. However, Eric ignored her cries and continued playing his darkly mocking music. The crisp and solemn chimes from the Village Entrance were drowned out by the bizarre music.
When she heard her son resolutely refuse to go to church, she nearly fainted. He declared that going to church was simply a waste of time; the hymns were old and jarring, and he no longer wanted to endure such torment at church. His attitude was firm.
His mother was terrified; from that Sunday onward, her heart lost its previous peace. She hurriedly confessed to the young pastor seeking comfort, hoping that God would forgive her actions and that her tormented soul would find relief.
The young pastor's cold and serious demeanor left her deeply disappointed. From that moment on, a tremendous fear and pain took root in her heart, impossible to shake off. She was restless day and night, trapped by a gray beast that confined her soul. She was consumed with worry about whether her son's soul could be saved and whether she would meet God after her death.
One day, after realizing that her petition to the Holy Mother, written through the pastor, had failed, she decided to embark on a pilgrimage to a distant holy land. During a frigid journey, she eventually became exhausted and fell gravely ill, passing away unexpectedly.
This pitiful woman finally got her wish; she could follow the revered Holy Spirit and had the opportunity to atone for her rebellious son before the Holy Spirit, seeking forgiveness for his contempt of the church, refusal to pray, and rejection of following the Holy Spirit.
After her death, Eric was filled with grief. Not only did he not feel guilty, but he also intensified his curses against the Holy Spirit from deep within. He sold off valuable items from his home and focused solely on seeking worldly fame and glory.
In the end, he killed his wife and successfully imprisoned her soul within a magic ring using sorcery, thus gaining fame throughout the world. Once Eric became well-known, he allied with global anti-religious forces and made shocking statements questioning the existence of the Holy Spirit, even using his mother's death to attack the Bishop's sins, particularly targeting accusations against the ascetic Black Robe Order.
Due to his worldwide musical appeal, he quickly garnered support from many factions. In this era of rapidly developing online media, fans responded en masse, making the influence of the Black Robe Order a focal point of public skepticism.
The Black Robe Order had no choice but to accept media interviews. A reporter sharply asked on the spot: "Many people say that the Black Robe Order is a cult organization that brainwashes people. Some say you are an extremely conservative secret society. Which one are you?"
The black-robed Bishop repeatedly explained: "The Black Robed Clergy Association is neither of those; we are a branch of the Roman Catholic Church. We are followers of the Roman Catholic faith and consider adhering to its doctrines in our daily lives as our top priority."
"Does 'God's good deeds' necessarily include swearing to maintain one's chastity, self-flagellation, and wearing a Suffering Belt for atonement?" The reporter questioned again.
"Austerity is mainly aimed at restraining desires, especially overcoming contrary temptations to holiness. It also expresses repentance and atonement; under such circumstances, prayer is believed to more easily touch God's heart. In medieval times, asceticism was prevalent among hermit communities with practices like flagellation (about once a week) and fasting; these were deliberate and harsh practices designed not to endanger life while setting limits based on individual constitutions. Generally, it manifests in a frugal lifestyle nowadays. Such phenomena are rare now; if someone wishes to practice austerity, they must obtain approval from the superior to avoid health issues due to excessive asceticism."
However, these explanations proved futile. The media continued to fixate on asceticism. As tensions escalated, they felt compelled to devise a plan to destroy Eric. Thus, they easily orchestrated his demise using Qiluo Ling's Sheet Music.
"Isn't your religion supposed to promote love? Why resort to killing—albeit indirectly—to create conflict?"
"You should know that there is no absolute love in this world; there is only relative love. Eric slanders us; he slanders God. Those who defame God will inevitably face forceful retaliation—a steadfast response. For two thousand years, we have defended our faith against various enemies attempting to attack it."
Qiluo Ling thought inwardly that the love he preached was merely self-serving love. Once interests were involved, religion ceased to embody love; it wore the guise of love while being rooted in force and bloodshed.
"How can you be sure that the Sheet Music will lead to his death?"
Bishop smiled slightly and said, "Of course I know, you are the heir of Devil's Music, and that Sheet Music has a certain allure."
"You mean to say you already knew that Sheet Music could release Eric's wife's soul?"
"Of course."
"How can you be so sure?"
"My best friend Gale told me."
"Who is Gale?"
"Gale is the CEO of Yuna Corporation, the largest record company in the world. He is knowledgeable about all kinds of music, including religious music, even the Devil's Music you have in your hands."
"What about the content of Devil's Music?"
"Yes, he has a massive library where every piece of music can be found. As long as it has appeared in the world, even if just once, there is a trace of it in his collection."
"Where is Yuna Corporation located?"
"Its headquarters is in New York Manhattan District, USA. However, there is a branch in Shanghai, near the Bund. Coincidentally, this CEO is inspecting the Shanghai branch these days. You are lucky; you might meet him."
Qiluo Ling nodded, glanced at the time, decided not to stay any longer, and stood up to take her leave.
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