Exorcists have also experienced extremism.

When the Exorcists Association split into Exorcists, Night Watchers, and Investigators.

But that was forced by the times; the Exorcists Association couldn't clean up the growing number of weird phenomena in an increasingly deteriorating world, just as Exorcists, Night Watchers, and Investigators were disbanded in the Weird Times.

The Land of Light should not be extreme.

The Exorcists Association had demonstrated this for them, as did Vena Ice-Free Port and Midnight City—at the cost of their existence.

"...The greatest lesson humanity has learned from history is that it never learns from history. The Land of Light cannot make this mistake again, because there will no longer be a chance for future generations to recover!"

Desa Rothschild Langeler, the young man with the cumbersome name, passionately spoke his views for several minutes, so heated that even the Mother of the Marsh couldn't help but turn her gaze.

However, the ones enduring his viewpoints were plant-like and dull. In private, residents would joke, "It's hard to tell if strange plants react first or they do when a fire comes" about the Vine Cultists.

But the Vine Cultists did not do nothing. They sought out the person who could truly make decisions, Lu Li.

"Exorcist Sir! I am Desa Rothschild Langeler, Desa comes from my mother, Rothschild from my father. They hope I inherit all their virtues."

Once Lu Li appeared, Langeler began his relentless introduction.

If being talkative were one of the virtues.

The situation wasn't complicated, Desa Rothschild Langeler was one of the students taking the Mysticology Level 1 test this afternoon. He recently approached the Vine Cultists because the exorcists test list didn't include him—

Langeler privately asked all the students, checked the correct answers, and believed himself not wrong, thus approaching the Vine Cultists to question.

"What were your answers to the last two questions?" Lu Li asked him.

"First was to control it and dissect part of its body tissue to study if it was an Alien transformation; second was to try to drag the Uninvited Guest into the room to evade the ritual."

"What are your parents' occupations?"

"My father is a scientist, my mother a butcher."

Lu Li turned his gaze to the Vine Cultists: "Any similar answers?"

"No."

"You may participate in tomorrow's exorcist test." Lu Li approved of Langeler's answer, ignoring his verbosity and leaving.

However, soon after, other students who learned of the matter approached Lu Li. Han Zoro, a member marked "Brotherhood" by Matthias, was more daring than other residents in approaching Lu Li, being part of the sixth batch of residents.

"Mr. Luli, I want to know why I didn't pass the test..." Han Zoro sincerely asked.

"What was your answer?"

"To show no hostility and wait for it to wake up, and to use gestures to invite the Uninvited Guest in."

Lu Li understood the reason for his failure: he did nothing.

"Hope for survival should not be placed on the possible mercy of the opposition."

Lu Li answered his choice.

"Radically confronting the weird and gently facing them are both extremes."

...

At noon, Lu Li customarily handled letters from Vena Ice-Free Port and the old sewer. Matthias's suggestion came with today's newspaper and logistics list.

He believed it unwise for Lu Li to form exorcists now, though they all knew time was pressing, and people shrouded in despair need more hope, yet selecting exorcists in a week was too fast.

"They need steps." Lu Li wrote in the reply.

"What do you mean?"

"They need guidance."

Exorcists weren't based on theory. Even the most learned investigators are at the forefront of encountering the weird. Instead of having all residents learn for months before handling their first weird incidents, first training some exorcists or apprentice exorcists to teach others would be more efficient. Like Lu Li's past relationship with Tesla as both teacher and friend.

The three-year program of Giant Tree Academy wasn't applicable.

Matthias's blessing followed: It seems the exorcists have ideas, good luck, Vena Ice-Free Port will help without reservation.

Later, the Vine Cultists brought the list of people participating in tomorrow's exorcist test.

Including Desa Rothschild Langeler, there were ten residents.

They all maintained caution rather than aggression towards the wounded weird, and their responses to Silent Moments and the Uninvited Guest in the second question reflected their style.

Most used gestures to let the evil spirit in or tried to escape the room, only Langeler chose to attack the Uninvited Guest, standing out.

In the afternoon, the Mother of the Marsh visited Lake Heart Island.

She was concerned about the exorcist selection: "Have you thought of the test content?"

"Yes."

Lu Li was routinely inquiring about Andrea's location: Midsection of the Ailen Peninsula. She would return at midnight carrying five Banyan Tree Guardians and dozens of Twisted Jungles.

"What content?"

The Mother of the Marsh didn't intend to leave it at that.

"It's a long story."

Lu Li didn't want to spend a few minutes recounting the story.

"It's related to whether I can maintain my humanity... You should help me, you promised."

Lu Li had no choice but to briefly outline the trial prepared for the ten residents who were not yet apprentice exorcists.

"Introduction to Investigator Trials," the initial ghost book crafted by exorcists contained many stories; though "Introduction to Investigator Trials" was lost since entering the Weird Times, Lu Li owned one of the stories, the one he "experienced," the story of the Raimy Jimmy siblings.

Lu Li used this story not only to test the residents.

Originating from "Introduction to Investigator Trials," the Jimmy siblings might be independent, but they might still be connected to the ghost book, now possibly in Paradise Valley, deep within the Eternal Forest. Doing so might enable Lu Li to connect with "Introduction to Investigator Trials," or the Jimmy siblings.

After explaining the reason, Lu Li was also compelled to narrate the story of the Jimmy siblings to the Mother of the Marsh.

Perhaps she was using the excuse of maintaining humanity to listen to the story.

Lu Li tried to keep the story concise to end it quickly, but after the twisted figure arrived, he was forced to slow down until they began their afternoon tea.

Returning to the log cabin, Lu Li methodically dealt with today's affairs.

Checking the Sunshine Box profits, communicating with allies, observing the dynamics of Old Belfast, reviewing existing supplies in Vena Refuge, checking the camp's food storage.

These tasks took Lu Li anywhere from one to two hours, responsibilities he hadn't passed on to others.

Because power breeds selfish desires.

Perhaps one day the population at Agate Lake Camp would swell to the point where management became necessary, but until then, maintaining the status quo was best.

The camp was growing, stored supplies were sufficient to sustain years even if isolated, and the farms were thriving.

Unless an irresistible disaster suddenly occurred, nothing could destroy the camp—

A scarlet beam abruptly poured from the sky, from the depths of the clouds obscuring the land, a massive scarlet eye, stretching from the Main Affinity Continent to the Lennon Islands, from the Barren Lands to the Tillage Garden, slowly opened, filling the sky.

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