CHAPTER 979: CHAPTER 172: SMALL TOWN SUSPICION

The rolling black clouds churned like an inverted sea, raising waves. Lightning crackled within the clouds, hinting that a storm was imminent.

Despite the weather being as foul as the rainy season, the bitter winter cold was kept at bay.

Andrea paused at the edge where the mist allowed her to faintly glimpse the sprawling, gray, desolate town.

Going any further might expose them to the eyes of the beings dwelling here.

The nest is always the safest place—but for the ones who challenge its inhabitants, it is the most dangerous.

Before discussing how to infiltrate Insmouth and bring back Katerina, those on Andrea observed the town that dispelled the mist.

The buildings clustered together along the hillside, with many collapsing houses giving the town an air of lifeless omens. Two half-spires stood on the hill’s waist, one broken at the midsection and collapsed. The remaining spire tips and the other two reached toward the night sky, as if seeking the secrets beyond the stars.

The attention of those on Andrea was drawn to the weeds and trees lining the coast and between the houses, the figures moving on the narrow winding streets, and the factories by the bay spewing light smoke into the sea.

The source of the algae remnants surrounding Katerina’s ward now became clear—

It’s only natural that the plants still thrive in these waters, since even the eternal night and Mist of Strangeness cannot penetrate them.

Regardless, sailing straight into Insmouth Town would be a terrible idea.

Ophelia, after observing for a while, turned her attention back to Lu Li, who was holding a single-tube telescope.

"Found... anything?"

"Humans."

The removed telescope revealed eyes as dark as the deep sea.

Walking through the town’s alleys were all humanoid figures, dressed in civilian clothes identifiable by profession.

Were they, like Katerina, Believers with twisted consciousness?

But they could be something else entirely. No one was certain if there existed some strange beings with identical human reminders and clothing habits.

They must get closer.

Andrea approached the coastline along the mist’s edge, the area where Mist of Strangeness was dispelled being large enough for them to draw near the shore without disturbing the distant town, semi-grounded a hundred meters from the beach.

Five wooden boats carried everyone, sequentially lowering from the ship’s side into the pitch-black waters churned by waves.

Bishop Jone grabbed the oars, and only when the other four boats spread out around them did he begin rowing.

Lu Li held the oil lamp, turning his head towards the sea’s surface. Ink-like seawater reflected the faint light, revealing nothing.

However, if Heretics drew near, Bishop Jone and the Tentacle Cultist would immediately sense it.

When fifty meters from the shore, a series of terrible knocking sounds came from the bottoms of a few wooden boats as large knuckles struck their hulls. It was merely a false alarm, some debris floating near the coastal waters, such as bone-like junk and dead fish corpses.

Lu Li gazed through the monocular at the storm-eye-like center, worried that prolonged observation might get noticed; he lingered on the town for just a moment before turning back to the sea.

On the horizon, a slightly elevated black line emerged from the distant waters.

That place was Devil Reef, once a rock formation surrounded by various eerie legends, but now it seemed that those stories might not just be wild tales.

The boat underneath suddenly jolted forward, striking a shoal.

Cloaked in black robes, the Shadow Church believers were the first to disembark, appearing like a group of black specters in the sea breeze.

For reasons unknown, all who stepped onto the gray-brown sandy beach were gripped by strange anxiety and unease, as if something ominous was about to occur.

The Shadow Church followers quickly drew an Array on the beach, while the Tentacle Cultist and its underlings anxiously roamed. As adversaries of the Heretics, they felt it more intensely.

Lu Li set foot on the beach that did not welcome them, the coarse sand mixed with jagged shells and fish bones, ensuring bare feet would be shredded into bloody messes if tread upon.

"What... to do next," Ophelia asked.

Lu Li was still pondering. The figures observed in town through the telescope inspired a new idea: infiltrating the town.

No one objected, but disagreements arose during detail discussions.

Even without considering the Tentacle Cultist’s belief in old deities and the Lord of the Deep’s ancient enmity, the Cultists themselves would also be mutually hostile.

Because of beliefs and distrust.

Even if Insmouth Town truly housed humans, they would be the Lord of the Deep’s Believers.

Allowing either the Shadow Church or unknown ancient god cults to approach it would entail unleashing conflict—although that was their purpose.

Only the unbelievers, Lu Li and Ophelia, were suited to get close to the town.

Not even Puxiu could.

The point of contention was whether Lu Li should enter the town.

Everyone unanimously agreed that Ophelia sufficed. As a wraith, she had higher immunity to contamination, and her powers counteracted these apparent water-affiliated Heretics.

Yet Lu Li insisted on entering Insmouth Town himself, and even Ophelia concurred.

"Wisdom... is important too."

Even if communication with town humans were possible, it would be troublesome for Ophelia to converse.

Under Lu Li’s insistence, no further objections arose.

The Tentacle followers didn’t particularly care for Lu Li’s life, while the Shadow Church believers who did dared not question or impede.

They would remain on this beach, setting the Array to assist Lu Li and Ophelia.

Lu Li placed the gun holster at his back waist, the black coat obscuring the outline of the Spirit-Calling Gun.

"Mr. Lu Li, you must bring Miss Katerina back!" Puxiu’s human face glinted with resolute trust.

Ophelia waved to him and followed Lu Li towards the distant town.

With disaster kept at bay, the edge of the mist preserved a rather primitive ecosystem. Dense undergrowth and trees piled atop each other, entwined with thick vine-like snakes, forming an abyss-like forbidden zone.

The forest was eerily quiet. No insects, no birds or beasts, resembling a green silent hell, which made Ophelia nostalgic for real plants unseen for two decades—

Lu Li’s experiences were slightly different, as the Cursed Title of Speaker of the Trees let him perceive the forest’s vitality and a subtle sense of closeness.

Unfortunately, they weren’t strange enough to inform Lu Li about Insmouth Town’s secrets.

As they approached the increasingly clear outlines of the distant town, signs of human habitation began to emerge.

Deadwood stumps and muddled footprints.

But among them lay many unsettling sightings.

For instance, the enormous beached whale-like skeleton and fluke-like foot impressions cluttering the sands.

Nevertheless, Lu Li and Ophelia encountered no one, human nor Heretic, on their journey as if everyone hid within the town or the bay.

Only the tranquil roar of the surf heightened the inner unrest. Whether this unease was merely psychological or genuinely brought on by the nearing town remained unknown.

Whatever the case, they had now reached this settlement known as Insmouth.