Three days passed, and with the help of The Association, Xiaoxi and Xiao Keke successfully established a connection with the Seeking Truth Society.
However, what Xiaoxi didn’t expect was that the Seeking Truth Society’s activity location was merely a Room rented in an office building, lacking any of the secrecy typical of a cult organization.
The Astrologer’s original words were that The Association couldn’t be entirely certain there was a problem with the Seeking Truth Society precisely because they acted so… openly.
However, the speed at which this Seeking Truth Society grew and the slogans they used to attract members were somewhat off, which was why The Association wanted to send people undercover to investigate without alerting them.
“Oh, you must be the sisters who scheduled a visit today, right? Welcome, welcome.”
Not only did the location not look like a cult, but the person responsible for opening the Men to welcome them was a kind-looking, plump middle-aged auntie.
She was very enthusiastic and chatted with them quite familiarly as she greeted them.
“I heard from your recommender before that you two sisters have a very good relationship. You’re still living at Home together, right? What about your parents?”
The auntie seemed to be making small talk, but her words intentionally or unintentionally pried into their situation.
She sized up the two people before her; the grey-haired older sister looked a bit more composed, while the white-haired Sister looked a bit more timid, shrinking shyly behind her older sister.
“Our parents at Home passed away quite early, and my Sister’s health isn’t very good, so we’ve been living at Home these years so it’s easier for me to take care of her.”
Xiao Keke spoke up generously, using the persona they had prepared in advance.
The Association’s investigation found that most people who joined the Seeking Truth Society were those whose lives weren’t going well or who had encountered some great misfortune, so they had arranged such a setting.
“That’s really… you two girls are very strong. Oh—look at me, once I start chatting, I forget about business. Quick, come in first.”
Now they could finally investigate this Seeking Truth Society.
Xiaoxi looked around the Room curiously; one had to know that in order to infiltrate this place, she had endured quite a bit of mental torture over the past two days!
Soothing light music played in the Room, which had almost no decorations.
However, quite a few people had gathered there, all sitting on cushions on the floor.
A middle-aged man stood behind a simple podium and was speaking, looking like he was at some sort of sharing session.
“Hello, brothers and sisters. Today I’m here to share the story of my entrepreneurship…”
The auntie led Xiaoxi and Xiao Keke to sit in a corner without much explanation. Xiaoxi was originally somewhat wary, but after a short while, she couldn’t sit still—there were no shady cult dealings going on here at all, okay?
The Divine Summon Order’s previous style was to hide in unreachable bases and secretly research anti-social and anti-human projects.
But this uncle with a strong desire to talk… Xiaoxi listened for a long time and only understood that he was talking about his experience of being cheated by partners and failing in his business.
After he finished speaking, everyone in the audience clapped, interspersed with a few words of encouragement.
The originally haggard-looking uncle also showed a smile.
“Thank you, everyone. After speaking out, it feels like some burden has been removed from my body. It really is much more relaxing.”
Then the next person took the stage, and after just a few words, it was another story of an unlucky person’s disappointment.
Xiaoxi frowned… This was it? This could be called a cult organization?
She had thought the Seeking Truth Society’s activities would be somewhat shady, but from the look of it, it was just a mutual-aid sharing and venting session.
But it made sense. If there were something immediately wrong with the Seeking Truth Society’s activities,
The Association would have taken more forceful measures long ago instead of letting them come in as undercover agents.
Before long, the sharing session ended.
Xiaoxi listened and observed very carefully, but unfortunately, she still couldn’t see anything.
However, as everyone stepped off the stage, their originally furrowed brows relaxed a bit.
In that sense, the Seeking Truth Society seemed to be doing a good deed.
“Wait a moment, everyone. Today we have two new brothers and sisters joining the Seeking Truth Society. Let’s welcome them—”
The auntie took the opportunity to bring the two of them onto the stage and briefly introduced them to everyone.
When she pushed them toward the podium, a small mirror placed on the podium happened to catch their reflection and seemed to flash for a brief moment.
As they stepped down, Xiaoxi’s sharp eyes noticed the mirror placed neatly on the podium.
However, there were various other items scattered on the podium as well, so that mirror didn’t look out of place or conspicuous sitting there.
Afterward, the auntie took them on a tour and briefly introduced the activities of the Seeking Truth Society. Xiaoxi more or less understood; the activities of this Seeking Truth Society basically boiled down to two things—sharing sessions and meditation.
The sharing sessions were for people whose lives weren’t going well to gather and vent their experiences to one another.
Meditation was for everyone to gather and meditate inward to examine themselves in search of inner stability and peace.
That was why the Seeking Truth Society’s slogan was “Seek Truth Within, Know Yourself.”
The auntie also took the two of them to visit the meditation Room next door.
This place seemed to have originally been a dance studio, as there were Mirrors on all four walls.
This arrangement was equally natural and beyond reproach.
The people of the Seeking Truth Society seemed to usually meditate while facing themselves in the Mirrors, seeking their inner selves or something…
To be honest, Xiaoxi didn’t quite understand the things the auntie said afterward.
In her opinion, this kind of “pursuit of a spiritual journey” was not as good as pouring a vial of peace afterward.
And so today’s visit came to an end. The two of them did not participate in the meditation.
After coming out of the Seeking Truth Society, Xiaoxi and Xiao Keke instinctively glanced at each other.
They had thought there might be some danger on this trip today, but in the end… it was over just like that?
To be honest, Xiaoxi never expected today’s infiltration to be like this.
Moreover, in her view, a gathering like the Seeking Truth Society was no different from practicing “Human Body Magnetic Field” or “Human Body Energetics”—they were all unreliable pseudo-sciences, without even a hint of religious elements.
After leaving the Seeking Truth Society, the two of them were supposed to meet up with the Silverflame Dragon Princess, who was prepared to support them outside.
However, after arriving at the designated location, what surprised Xiaoxi was that the person sitting there was actually Qiuli.
“Eh? Why is it you?”
Qiuli was sitting leisurely on a bench in the snack street, holding several snacks in her arms.
Xiaoxi did not see the figure of the Silverflame Dragon Princess anywhere around.
“That person can’t exactly walk around this neighborhood in such a grand manner, right? What if there are eyes from the Divine Summon Order around? So, I came to meet you.”
“As expected of [Silverflame Dragon Princess] Senior, her considerations are indeed thorough!”
Although she said that, Xiaoxi had already guessed it.
It was probably just that Silver Bell was too embarrassed to appear in front of so many people, so she had Qiuli wait here in her stead.