The Righteous Player(s)

Chapter 608: Thoreau Nick

Chapter 608: Thoreau Nick

Legendary curse vessel.

Annan recalled the days with senior.

The first time he learned about the existence of the legendary curse vessel was when Salvatore told him about it.

The legendary curse vessel was even more powerful and rare than the curse vessel with a deity name.

The legendary curse vessel was even capable of “miracles” such as resurrection from the dead and creation out of thin air.

According to the Paper Princess… the strength of a legendary curse vessel was roughly equivalent to a completed Secret of Creation. Although the user might be far less powerful than a Book of Truth holder with a complete collection or a saint who had fully fused with the sacred bone… the unique feature of the legendary curse vessel was its “mystery”.

How influential was the legendary curse vessel?

Nobody had the answer.

This mystery was the embodiment of deterrence.

The rulers of the five major countries retained control of the country under the threat of the transcenders, priests, and the Fallens because they had the legendary curse vessel.

There were six legendary curse vessels in Yaselan Empire. Three pieces were inside the imperial capital, and three were outside the imperial capital, forming an overlapping triangle resembling a star.

After the collapse of the empire and the sinking of the imperial capital into the sea, three of the six legendary curse vessels initially controlled by the Yaselan Empire were replaced by the closest and fastest responding King Noah, Austere-Winter’s Grand Duke, and King Denizoya during that time. They immediately implanted the curse that controlled its activation into his blood.

At that time, the Noah Family relied on the strength of this curse vessel to follow the general trend and built the Noah Kingdom; while the Denizoya royal family relied on the curse vessel to conquer the entire large archipelago; the Austere-Winter family did not act at all because their family guarded this curse vessel for generations.

As for two of the remaining three pieces, they were immediately controlled by the pope of the Bone Burying Grandma and Mr. Ray. They were in the imperial capital when the Great Barrier was shattered. However, after they became powerful to their level, even the disaster that destroyed the imperial capital and killed almost all the elves could not kill them.

They immediately rescued two of the legendary curse vessels that sank into the bottom of the sea along with the imperial capital.

Even a pope could only possess one legendary curse vessel at a time. So, they could only see the last one fell into the bottom of the sea and was buried in water with the old empire.

The two popes were old friends for many years.

They did not want to fight each other.

Instead, they decided to unite with popes from other upright deities, find a piece of land to rekindle life, and jointly guard these two legendary curse vessels—relying on the popes of the seven deities to take turns serving as the Supreme Pontiff. They formed a unified supreme governing body: “House of Purity”.

As for the underground world…

They were the only nation that did not have a legendary curse vessel. In the beginning, they were a gathering place of a group of losers—because there was no royal family or rulers, and the city-states were governed independently. Therefore, there was no need to rely on the legendary curse vessel to maintain their rule.

Other countries had no reason to invade them.

The Digger and the Wise could be bribed and threatened. Controlling them was equivalent to controlling territory in the underground world. It was easier to maintain power than a kingdom.

It was normal for different cities to be close to other earthly countries—just as Sporeggar Mill was close to Austerian.

After all, they were too close.

While doing business frequently, there was no conflict of interest. It was also expected that they would be pro-Austere-Winter.

This was why the underground world had no legendary curse vessel but had never been attacked or hostile by any country.

There was no meaning to that.

There were things that could be bought with money.

Supposed Philip got old once.

Then, his attitude of yearning for a young body and reckless enjoyment could be explained.

It was like a person who survived the desert. After seeing the water, he couldn’t help but drink it.

Philip’s wanton enjoyment of life proved that he had already endured the pain of aging once.

But…

Was it because of the power of the legendary curse vessel that turned him from young to old and then young again?

Or was the aging due to some kind of curse? Did he rely on the legendary curse vessel to return to youth?

“May I know what legendary curse vessel this is? Where does it come from? What effect does it have? What is its name?”

Annan was silent for a long time, but he still couldn’t help but ask Tragedy Writer.

Tragedy Writer laughed and said, “If I answer your question, I will charge forty engravings.”

“But, are you sure you want to ask me that question?”

“…”

Annan frowned.

Annan did have something more to ask.

However, this matter was also important…

Annan took a deep breath and asked in a deep voice, “Then, what do you think I was going to ask you?”

“Thoreau Nick… right?”

Tragedy Writer smiled slightly, and he said without hiding it.

…The Tradey Writer was right.

Annan was silent for a moment.

A traitor to Winter’s Hand, Thoreau Nick, was a leader of the Ice-shredders. He should still have information about his teacher “Vladmir”, but he was much easier to deal with than Vladmir.

Thoreau Nick and Vladmir’s plan against the Austere-Winter Dukedom was undoubtedly a conspiracy. Then, the Tragedy Writer should have a clear knowledge of it.

If Annan got his hands on accurate Thoreau Nick’s information, Winter’s Hand could dispatch a to arrest Thoerau Nick. Naturally, he could also ask for Vladmir’s information. Then, Annan could still foil the conspiracy between the two of them.

Once this opportunity was missed, it would be difficult to hunt them down, like finding a needle in a haystack.

The underground world was vast.

Relying on players to search was unreliable. Whether he was still in the underground world was still unknown.

So was the information about Philip’s legendary curse vessel important? Or was the information about Thoreau Nick that affected Austere-Winter Dukedom more important?

“Oh yeah.”

Then, Annan realized despite it being a choice between two beneficial options, both were free. At the same time, it was also a dilemma of “which one was better”.

This was a trap.

Tragedy Writer looked at him with a smile because He wanted to watch Annan make painful choices.

However, Annan wouldn’t be fooled.

If one was perplexed by these two questions and positioned oneself as already having both things, thinking that the choice was about “which one would be less unpleasant to lose,” it became difficult to choose. Worse still, one might end up selecting the wrong answer.

However, in reality, no matter which option was chosen, it was given immediately.

In other words, Annan only had to choose the information that “could immediately benefit him”.

Then, there was one and only correct answer.

Annan, who was about to succeed as the Grand Duke, would soon inherit a secret about the legendary curse vessel; if the information about Philip’s legendary curse vessel referred to Noah’s legendary curse vessel, then Annan believed that after Kafni would tell him after she succeeded the throne.

Moreover, Annan and the players were both underground. The teleportation circle had been established. Once he learned about Thoreau Nick, he could act immediately no matter where he was. However, if Annan learned about the legendary curse vessel, it would not benefit Annan.

Therefore, there was only one choice.

…But.

Could He have even guessed this?

“As you said.”

Annan tried his best to stay calm, and he said slowly, “I will still choose Thoreau Nick.”

“You must be wondering why Thoreau Nick suddenly disappeared?”

Tragedy Writer replied with a smile, “The answer is simple. That’s because he contacted Professor Wolf, who had just been reborn at that time.

“Professor Wolf gave him a new name, a new body, a new identity. [Thoreau Nick] is, of course, completely dead.”

“His… or rather, her new name is [Celecia].”

Tragedy Writer showed the happy expression of the magician when he uncovered the red cloth.

“That’s right. That is the answer you want! An answer that you have never expected!”

“She may not be the strongest, but she is undoubtedly the most famous Gold Rank transcender in the underground world. The legendary explorer ‘Captain of the Stone’, Celecia, appeared in legends and dramas. She commands the magical Stoneheart Ship, sailing through the rocky layers as the captain, the digger among diggers, and the Periwinkle flower in the deep caverns. She is the former Austere-Winter fugitive, leader of the Ice-shredders, Thoreau Nick!”

After Tragedy Writer gave the answer that shocked Annan, he laughed and cut off the video call.