When Xiaoxi and the others arrived at the Tianqi Church, the Astrologer had already arrived and started negotiating with the Archbishop.
Qiuli was standing beside her, her hair messy, seemingly summoned on short notice.
During the journey, Xiaoxi became more convinced that the Divine Summon Order was using a diversionary tactic.
The livehouse where the fan club was held was half a city away from the Tianqi Church—there’s no way that was a coincidence.
Moreover, the Archbishop had been nitpicking the Association’s reinforcements, causing the Association to withdraw its Magical Girls. With the Judgment Scales absent as well… In Xiaoxi’s view, if the Divine Summon Order made a real move, the current Tianqi Church would become a paper tiger that crumbles at the slightest touch.
As soon as they arrived at the Tower of Commandments, they heard the Archbishop’s sarcastic voice.
“Astrologer, there’s no need to make up such false lies to fool me, is there? Do you think I don’t know what the Association is after? There’s no way I’ll let anyone into the core area of the Tower of Commandments!”
The Astrologer still spoke calmly, reasoning: “I’m serious, Archbishop. The Association just wants to go in and check if the Divine Summon Order has infiltrated. It won’t harm the Church…”
“Enough, enough, no need to check,” the Archbishop confidently interrupted the Astrologer.
“To tell you the truth, the Divine Summon Order can’t steal the core of the Tower of Commandments. Do you really think such an important item would be placed somewhere conspicuous like the top of the tower?”
The Archbishop pulled out an ornate key from his bosom: “The Divine Summon Order would never guess that the core is hidden in Space Magic—the ‘Labyrinth’ of Hidden Bone Hall’s magical machinery. Without the ‘Key,’ they can’t even find the right entrance, let alone the correct path to the core!”
Xiaoxi slapped her forehead.
‘How could I have forgotten that the Archbishop is someone who won’t listen to reason?’
She never expected the emergency to be stalled by him.
Xiaoxi actually didn’t want to help the Church at all, but since it involved the Divine Summon Order, she couldn’t convince herself to stand by.
‘But come to think of it, the last time the Divine Summon Order attacked the Church, it was also as reckless as this fan club event—they retreated at will. Wait, if that’s the case, could it be that last time was also a case of “having ulterior motives”…’
Connecting that to the Archbishop’s words just now, Xiaoxi had no time to hesitate and rushed over to cut into the conversation.
“Last time the Divine Summon Order attacked, did you check the security of the core, Archbishop?”
“Of course! I checked the place where the core was stored immediately after the attack last time. There was no problem at all. So there’s no way anything can happen this time either. How dare you speak to me like that…”
Xiaoxi didn’t listen to the rest of the Archbishop’s rambling. She suddenly realized what the Divine Summon Order was plotting—
‘If a person who hides treasures comes home and finds the house in disarray, what would his first reaction be?’
‘The answer is that he would most likely subconsciously check if his hidden treasure was stolen, right?’
‘But what if the thief only faked the signs of a burglary and hid in the shadows?’
‘That means at that moment, the eager-to-check homeowner hasn’t realized he has voluntarily exposed the treasure’s hiding place to the thief. Then, as long as the storm settles or an accomplice diverts attention, the thief can easily steal what he truly wants!’
‘Indeed, when the Divine Summon Order caused chaos in the Church last time and then decisively retreated in front of everyone, wasn’t that the same principle?’
Xiaoxi’s analysis finally got through to the Archbishop. The Astrologer chimed in as well.
“My people are here now, Archbishop. Let them go in and check. If there’s no problem, I’ll have them come out immediately. Is that okay?”
She patted Qiuli’s shoulder: “Take Qiuli along too. Her abilities are quite useful in Space Magic.”
Qiuli didn’t say anything, seemingly unconcerned with the current situation. She just casually waved at her friends.
The Archbishop’s cloudy eyes scanned the group one by one, pausing a few seconds longer on Ye Xinglan.
He seemed finally convinced and reluctantly handed over the “Key.”
The Archbishop recognized Ye Xinglan as the Blood Moon Witch. All these people were going in to check, meaning the Blood Moon Witch would be joining them, right?
With the Tower of Commandments as the center, a barrier enveloped the entire tower.
The Archbishop inserted the ornate key into the keyhole of the tower gate, and a vast wave of magical energy spread out.
‘So that’s it! I thought that vintage keyhole was just decoration last time, but it’s actually the real entrance to the Tower of Commandments.’
The Archbishop handed the key to Xiaoxi and snorted coldly: “Don’t try any tricks!”
Behind the door was no longer the spiral tower seen during the previous worker visit, but a pure white light.
As they stepped inside, the tower gate slowly closed by itself, and everything returned to normal.
But when Xiao Keke, who was at the back, tried to enter, the Astrologer gently stopped her.
“The remaining operation is too dangerous, Xiaohongmao. This is not something a C+ Magical Girl like you can participate in. You’ve done well today. You can go rest.”
The Astrologer subconsciously touched Xiao Keke’s head, then immediately withdrew her hand.
Xiao Keke paused in her step, said a disappointed “Oh.”
‘After all, Sister Xinglan and Senior Silverflame Dragon Princess are both very powerful. Someone at my level seems really not qualified to enter… Huh, that’s not right?’
‘Then isn’t my sister just a B-Rank Magical Girl? Why didn’t Lady Astrologer stop my sister too?’
“……Excuse me, I also need to go arrange the Church’s Magical Girls for preparations.”
The Archbishop left those words and departed. The Astrologer watched his hurried retreating back, squinting slightly.
……
At that moment, inside the Tower of Commandments, the blinding white light faded. The group stood in a pure white, boundless soft space.
Under their feet was a small patch of equally white platform, with no other foothold.
In the surrounding air, complex symbols and interlocking gears floated.
Looking up, countless spiral staircases that stretched endlessly in unknown directions intertwined, creating a special aesthetic.
‘I observed the surroundings. So this is the space magic ‘Labyrinth’ of Hidden Bone Hall?’
‘Hidden Bone Hall is indeed skilled in magical machinery. Without the ‘Key,’ it seems impossible to find the correct path to the core.’
‘And those mechanical gears around—are those probably the real components that maintain the Tower of Commandments?’
Xiaoxi remembered that Lady Delta of Hidden Bone Hall had once asked her to investigate what the Church’s core technology really was.
She never thought she would end up entering the Church’s confidential area on such an occasion.
Qiuli, standing behind, sighed: “Ha, I never thought I’d have a chance to come here again. This place brings back memories.”