Deep Sea Embers

Chapter 70 “I’m One Of You”

How do ordinary people survive in a world with supernatural visions, where the lands are blocked by endless oceans and where anomalies and city-state are constantly engaged in endless fighting?

Duncan still lacked knowledge of the world, but at least in the places he saw, the ordinary folks of this place still lived in an environment of relative stability and order.

They worked, they studied, they rested, they run their own shops, they mingled, they go out on their days off, they go to the theaters and restaurants, they go to the parks and ports, they visited museums, they gossiped with their neighbors after dinner, they did everything a person would when living a not so exciting but nominally secure life.

Duncan sat in his seat, curiously observing everything around him as the ordinary folks went about their daily lives. From what he perceived, they’re not much different from those on Earth aside from the supernatural bits.

The bus stopped again upon approaching the Crossroad, and this time many passengers boarded.

Duncan continued to stare curiously out the window at this location. There are plumes of steam coming out of the chimney chutes, as well as crisscrossing pipes connecting the various buildings along the streets. But suddenly, the man was alarmed when an inexplicable surge of heat rose from his chest.

Glancing down, he realized it had come from the sun talisman hanging around his neck!

Naturally, Duncan was stunned by this discovery. Out of reflex, he touched the spot covered by his shirt and felt the temperature with his fingers. It’s not only hot but actually slightly vibrating.

He didn’t know what was going on, but it was clear that the talisman resonated with something nearby—through the connection he had established with the item, he quickly locked onto a figure outside the car window speeding through the crowd.

The person wore an ordinary black coat that gave no sign he was any different from the passersby; however, Duncan’s certain the talisman was pointing at him.

Without hesitation, he immediately got up from his seat and marched towards the exit while sending a mental message to Ai. The bird immediately jumped off the bus roof and landed on the man’s shoulder.

The conductor standing near the door watched in amazement, and only after Duncan got off the bus did she mutter: “How did he train that dove…”

But then this little episode of daily life quickly receded from the conductor’s attention as the wave of passengers boarded the steam bus: “This spot to buy tickets. Children also need to buy. Hey, this kid is taller than one meter…. Four years old? This can’t be four years old. Look, he must buy a ticket if he crosses this measuring line!”

By now, Duncan had already marched into the crowd and entered an intersection while tracking that black coat.

The suspicious individual clearly had a purpose in how swift and agile he moved through the dense collage of people. In fact, it didn’t take more than a minute for Duncan to lose sight of the black coat.

Thankfully, the resonance from the sun talisman remains, and the feedback from the item told the antique shop owner which direction he needed to go.

Duncan thought quickly as he followed the guidance.

There is no doubt that the black coat is suspicious, and this talisman must have sensed something to react so strongly… Perhaps, it perceived a homologous power from the “real sun god”.

From the goat head, Duncan had already learned that the talisman had the function of identifying and blessing fellow citizens who followed the black sun. However, under normal circumstances, only the faithful could use this function or perceive the guiding effect of the talisman.

Duncan had usurped control of the item with his ghost fire, but at the time, he thought that his flame had destroyed most of the talisman’s abilities, but now it seems… the recognition ability of this thing was still there!

It’s just that this recognition ability was now being used at his own discretion….

Guided by the talisman, he gradually left the main road crowded with passersby and gradually walked into a deserted path after three turns.

Here, Duncan saw the suspicious figure again—the person was speeding past the intersection ahead, seemingly oblivious to the addition of a tailing tracker behind himself.

Then the talisman on his chest grew a little hotter again, and the resonance became clearer as well.

Duncan quietly drove the ghost fire inside, reading the information from this sun talisman with his mind.

It felt subtle—even though the item had no thinking properties, Duncan could feel the excitement from the talisman conveying through himself. It’s telling him where the other believers are to the point that Duncan wants to remind the thing to be more reserved. For real, not long ago, this sacred relic still belonged to a heretic of the black sun. It doesn’t need to be so excited to rat its former creators out.

At the same time, Duncan became more and more confident that he was approaching a secret meeting place where many followers had gathered. This proves his theory that the gathering in the sewer was no more than a small slice of the bigger pie.

He didn’t know what the cultists were trying to do now, but he did know one thing – they knew more about the ancient history of this world than Nina’s history teacher.

To understand the deeper secrets of this world, it was necessary to contact the forces of the transcendent realm. The authorities and church would be difficult to approach, but cultists on the other hand are much simpler to mingle with….

If anything, he could just beat them up if they refused!

It’s then his train of thought came to a halt. In front of him was a dead end, and the sneaky black coat had slipped into a nearby alley. On top of this, more “siblings” were coming up from behind – at least that’s what the talisman sensed.

Duncan silently pulled up the lapels of his coat, hiding half of his face in the collar with the process. Almost the next second after the action was done, a series of footsteps could be heard from the nearby buildings.

One after another, figures appeared.

It was about a dozen people wearing attires no different from any common citizen. Like an assassin wouldn’t walk outside in broad daylight, these cultists wouldn’t hold a sign claiming to be heretics either. Nevertheless, the constant heat and directional signal from the sun talisman was all the convincing Duncan needed to confirm their identity.

While he examined the group, the group was also eyeing him warily until a young tall, and thin man whispered something to his companion on the side.

“This is private land. What are you sneaking around here for?” The tall and thin man spoke. He seemed to be trying to create an impression that they’re all good-abiding citizens, and Duncan was in fact the suspicious trespasser.

Duncan murmured inside that he was really not cut out to be a spy because he didn’t know what lie he should make in this situation. But then a naughty idea popped up in his head. What if he acts stupid and refuses to leave? Would these cultists attack him? Or would they pretend to be thugs and mug him?

“Didn’t you hear me?” The tall and thin man frowned and said impatiently. At the same time as his voice fell, the figures around him quietly took half a step forward, faintly forming an encirclement, “I’m talking to you…”

Duncan shrugged his shoulders, casually touched the sun talisman from his chest, and said sincerely: “I’m one of you.”

Let’s mingle in first. Maybe I can get something out of them. No need to waste this chance.