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Cui Ming and Eva bid farewell, and after accompanying Cui Ming to the professor's grave, they made their way to the dock in Dawn City to purchase tickets for a ship heading to the Eastern Continent that day.
On the ferry, Eva expressed her gratitude for Cui Ming's help. Although this matter had nothing to do with him, Cui Ming still selflessly assisted her, and she was very appreciative. In response, Cui Ming said, "Don't rush to thank me; I have something I need your help with." He recounted his background and mentioned a person called the Doctor. Cui Ming suspected that the Doctor was a cross-continental crime lord who controlled many criminal gangs. It was likely that he had been kidnapped by the Doctor's child trafficking ring. Many years had passed since then; perhaps the Doctor was already dead, or there could be other possibilities. However, Cui Ming hoped that Raefus could investigate this matter through his network of ordinary criminals.
Eva immediately agreed, saying it would be no problem. She had heard of the Doctor as well. Currently, due to limitations in communication and other factors, it was difficult for the police to conduct joint operations against crime across countries and continents. The police would not be able to assist in this matter, but Raefus's network should have no issues. Moreover, it wasn't about having Raefus confront the Doctor; it was simply about uncovering information related to him. The most important reason was that Cui Ming didn't like owing anyone favors. Since he had this matter on his mind anyway and knew Raefus could handle it, he decided to ask Raefus for help in return for a favor.
Of course, Cui Ming had limited experience in the cultivation world. He had only gone to Twilight City with Beiyue once and met quite a few people during the Assessment Match, learning a lot of things. However, his knowledge was still limited. Cui Ming hoped to communicate more with cultivators and travel around. Besides, he didn't know where else to go; visiting the Eastern Continent would be nice. The Pilgrimage Day, held every four years, was quite a lively festival.
What kind of person was Eva?
In Cui Ming's eyes, Eva was not a kind person; she wasn't like Zhao Wei or Beiyue, who appeared tough on the outside but were kind-hearted within. Eva had principles but grew up on Bit Island and ventured into both the underworld and legitimate society with Raefus during her teenage years. She had killed more people than she knew personally and had seen a lot of things. She was well-versed in matters between men and women. However, due to the pride of cultivators and other reasons, although she had fallen morally in thought, she remained physically clean.
Although Eva wasn't very old, she possessed a certain seductive charm typical of mature women. She placed great importance on her appearance and took special care of her skin. Her clothes were expensive, and her diet was restricted due to her figure requirements. Occasionally interacting with Cui Ming, she enjoyed teasing and bullying him; yet during prolonged contact, she could also display her cultured and indifferent side.
To say Eva was indifferent meant she showed apathy towards other beings; she ignored them entirely. She lacked compassion; those who deserved sympathy in her eyes were as good as nonexistent. On the ferry, a wealthy man attempted to flirt with her but after being rejected by Eva threw a gold watch on the table. Eva still ignored him, prompting a crew member to intervene. The wealthy man remarked that she looked like a whore pretending to be pure. That very night, he died—along with his son and daughter-in-law.
Cui Ming didn't ask if Eva was responsible; she acted as if it had nothing to do with her either. When questioned about the incident by the first mate, she showed no desire to respond and used her Alliance credentials.
The Alliance credentials had been issued a year prior after the existence of Force Practitioners became accepted by society. The Force Alliance provided unified credentials to each member of the alliance, which held privileges higher than diplomatic ones. Reflecting on this matter, Eva felt somewhat contemplative; after Force Practitioners were exposed, some bureaucrats thought they could hide or deceive as much as possible. Such governments generally lack integrity; even when they tell the truth, citizens remain skeptical. Conversely, organizations like the Force Alliance and Eternity Alliance fully disclosed real facts to the public, granting them the right to know. Indeed, allowing complete transparency might cause panic among citizens or shake many governments' authority; however, most current rulers are merely entrusted by citizens to manage state affairs—akin to property management in communities—so gaining public support is paramount.
Eva stated that if Raefus's New Island were to become a City-State, it would certainly follow Dawn City's model rather than that of Double Bridge City. While Double Bridge City appeared impoverished on the surface, its rulers lived very comfortably and were quite wealthy. In contrast, Dawn City was quite different. Their conversation then shifted towards the Ding Family and Ye Family—two prominent cultivation families—while Liu Family and Cao Family were widely regarded as somewhat nominal at this point. Now that both Cao and Liu families recognized this situation, they were forming comprehensive alliances and collaborations; thus they should now be considered part of the Three Great Families: Ding Family, Ye Family, and Cao Liu Family.
Cui Ming belonged to the pragmatic faction. Since he had decided to go on a pilgrimage to seek out practitioners of the Fire Cult, he needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of it. Over the past few days, in addition to posing as a journalist and engaging in humble conversations with a visitor from the Fire Cult on a ferry, he had also reviewed a considerable amount of material.
Whether it was Buddhism or the Cult of the Gods, their doctrines had undergone reforms and changes. First, they must not harm the interests of the rulers; second, they must not jeopardize social stability; and finally, they aim to attract followers. However, the Fire Cult was different. The Fire Cult had never altered its doctrines. It was divided into moderates and radicals; the moderates believed there was no need to interfere with ignorant heathens, while the radicals harbored hostility towards all non-believers. Most importantly, the Fire Cult was harsh on its own members. If you were born into a Fire Cult family but did not believe in it, you could face imprisonment. If you converted to the Cult of the Gods, you would be deemed a traitor and sentenced to death.
Then there was Ramadan, an absolutely significant occasion. For one month each year, adherents abstained from eating and drinking from dawn until dusk. Many years ago, a World Cup had taken place during Ramadan, and to maintain their stamina, many players violated the rules. When this came to light, several athletes were labeled as traitors; even though they brought home good results, they were still not forgiven. Ultimately, several players who broke the rules were imprisoned for ten years by the authorities. Ordinary people in the Fire Religion Nation during Ramadan could also be arrested for drinking water, eating food, or smoking in public during daylight hours. At the Fire Temple, free food was provided at night.
The pilgrimage was not mandatory. It lasted for a week, and if conditions did not permit, rituals could be performed at home without needing to go to Holy Mountain for the pilgrimage. Holy Mountain housed the largest and oldest temple of the Fire Cult, built atop its peak with structures sprawling halfway down its slopes; it covered an extensive area. Soldiers were stationed around Holy Mountain, and one kilometer away lay Twilight City’s territory. During each pilgrimage, Twilight City would withdraw border soldiers fifty kilometers back as a sign of respect for the Fire Cult. Ironically, many within the Fire Cult believed that Twilight City’s actions stemmed from fear of divine punishment, hence their voluntary retreat—a notion that gained considerable traction.
The Pope of the Fire Cult was elected; each region had one Bishop who would then select the Pope from among themselves. The Pope served for life and resided less than three hundred kilometers from Holy Mountain in The Holy See. This area was an absolute no-go zone; during festivals—especially on Pilgrimage Day—the Pope would appear at the Holy Mountain temple to represent everyone in prayer to the deity. His appearance occurred on the last day of Pilgrimage Day at nine in the morning for a ritual that was irreplaceable; historically, even gravely ill Popes were required to attend.
Cui Ming checked his calendar; April 17th marked the last day of Pilgrimage Day. However, only those with status within the sect could reach above halfway up the mountain, where security was extremely tight. This posed a challenge; if he infiltrated as a practitioner and got discovered by other practitioners, there would be no recourse for him if they killed him on the spot. If he suppressed his own Force and disguised himself but got found out, it would lead to certain death. For the Fire Cult, this would be considered a desecration of faith—something they would never forgive.
Cui Ming asked Eva, "Is there any way in?"
"The majority of Fire Cult city-states are imperial nations where kings pass their thrones to princes," Eva replied. "Even if some countries have prime ministers, they still need approval from The Holy See." She continued, "We have connections with high-ranking officials from several countries whose children live in developed nations like Dawn Empire and Twilight City. Tempted by material wealth, many violate Fire Cult regulations while we ensure their children can do as they please abroad. These Fire Religion Nations are puzzling; they are rich beyond measure with gold everywhere yet frequently collaborate with us—even commissioning us to arrange mistresses abroad..."
Cui Ming curiously asked, "Do they trust you?"
"Of course! Haven't you heard of Ray Intermediary?"
"What? Ray Intermediary is yours?" Cui Ming exclaimed in shock. Ray Intermediary was known as the strongest Eternity intermediary involved in smuggling, theft, murder—essentially any illicit business imaginable—as long as you had money.
Eva smiled with satisfaction at his astonished expression. "I appreciate your surprise."
Cui Ming said, "You are indeed impressive. This kind of global network is unique; there are no other branches. How did you manage to scale it up so extensively?"
Eva replied, "Every organization is divided into four levels: upper management, middle management, lower management, and the base level. The most crucial level? The answer is middle management. As long as the middle management does not betray the upper management, the organization will not perish. There are far fewer people in middle management than in lower management. We provide substantial benefits to them while also demonstrating our capabilities as cultivators. Those in middle management would rather die themselves than betray us and see their entire family perish afterward. It's useless; Raefus and I want revenge, and ordinary police cannot stop us. The Force Alliance doesn't want to get involved in these matters, nor do they have substantial evidence to present to the Force Alliance. So it's not that we are particularly capable; it's just that we are using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Sometimes I feel a bit embarrassed thinking about it."
They are somewhat special; they have ideals. Other cultivators already possess considerable privileges and do not need to establish any criminal networks to achieve their goals. (To be continued.)
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