In the ensuing days, Extreme City brimmed with vitality and vigor.
This once-dreary place transformed into a bustling hub due to the influx of numerous outsiders.
The pace of reconstruction in the town was astonishing, with the defenses against the monsters on the wasteland further fortified.
Many magical technologies from Noah Academy, still in experimental stages and untested in practice, were employed in enhancing these defenses.
This could be considered a fortunate boon; once these magical arrays reached maturity in the future, obtaining them would prove exceedingly difficult.
Given the current state of the wasteland defenses, any improvement made would be seen as a gain.
Chu Yan often awoke from slumber, walked to the former slum area, and found himself questioning whether he had strayed into the wrong place, as the transformation was remarkable day by day.
Even the exceedingly rare "mobile NPC" traveling merchants made an appearance recently, adding a touch of charm to the city.
However,
Despite the flourishing developments in various aspects, the most significant hidden threat remained unresolved.
—The restoration of the suppression array.
Under Chu Yan's guidance, the team of scholars had already entered the lord's castle three times for exploration, yet, regrettably, they had uncovered nothing.
The white elf scholar, Anjia, expressed it succinctly:
"There is indeed a magical array within the castle; the taboo forces here resemble fish washed ashore, yet we cannot find any trace of the array."
Chu Yan wished to retort, having witnessed a fish washed ashore that was both fierce and enchanting, singing as it summoned whirlwinds.
Today, he had successfully obtained permission from a few familiar taboo inhabitants to allow the scholars to enter their rooms for inspection, searching for any signs of magical arrangements.
Some magical arrays do not require explicit circles to be drawn on the ground; specific artifacts can be placed in designated positions instead.
It's akin to the art of indoor feng shui.
Positioning a cat figurine at the entrance could attract wealth, while placing a particular token at the bedside could summon a succubus.
"Well, after visiting these two rooms, have you found any clues? We cannot explore more rooms as they tend to be shy."
Chu Yan refrained from expressing his hopes, not wanting to pressure them.
The elfin scholar, adorned in white silk stockings, shook her head gently, blending regret with apology:
"There are none; the rooms lack any special items, and even the floor tiles are the most ordinary materials, insufficient to form a concealed array."
For the moment, Chu Yan led them out of the castle, inquiring:
"Then what do you believe is the source of the castle's suppressive effect on the taboo inhabitants? Do you have any hypotheses?"
The scholars exchanged glances, seeking any overlooked details from one another.
One of them proposed a different theory, stating:
"Lord, my suggestion is rather obscure, but certain unique objects possess a peculiar power that can sometimes influence the environment.
Thus, the condition of the castle may not necessarily stem from a magical array."
"Are you implying artifacts of holiness or relics?"
"Precisely."
Some powerful weapons, when placed in a particular location, could emit holy light and invoke blessings.
Yet the castle was devoid of wealth; most remnants of the past had been sold off long ago.
Anjia added: "However, within the realm of magic, many unknowns exist. Perhaps it is as the legends suggest—angels or deities, upon witnessing the dire state of this land, sighed and left behind their miracles."
"Then it seems we must accept our fate. Well then, I appreciate all your hard work these days; you may freely explore Extreme City, aside from the castle. Should you wish to return, you are free to do so."
...
"Truly, the most critical matter has made no progress whatsoever!"
Bidding farewell to the scholars, Chu Yan retreated into the castle, heading directly to the second floor and entering the rooms of the nuns to allow them some mobility.
Having bound them for an extended period, even the softest bodies would become stiff, necessitating regular changes in their restraints.
Today, he utilized one method; tomorrow, he would employ another to suspend them, while the day after, they would be bound for riding on a wooden horse.
In the room, the nuns, their mouths gagged, occasionally emitted pitiful "muffled" sounds.
Alas, no one would come to their rescue.
The next batch of church carriages would not arrive for at least another month.
"So, what means does the church employ to siphon the power of the magical array here?"
Chu Yan muttered in frustration.
It was evident that even the church could not replicate or "relocate" the array's power.
Otherwise, they would not resort to such cumbersome methods, periodically dispatching individuals to pilfer the "miraculous energies."
Just as Chu Yan finished re-binding them and prepared to leave, he heard Aunt Nancy's voice behind him; she utilized her teleportation magic to appear in the room.
"I wondered why you were being so secretive about the conditions on this second floor; it seems you've turned the nuns into this state."
Nancy gazed at the disheveled, weeping nun, who looked at her with tear-streaked eyes, as if enduring immense humiliation and suffering.
Yet, Nancy did not assist the nun in her release; instead, she turned her attention to her younger relative, a boy whose delicate features resembled that of a tall young lady.
"Actually, I'm a good person..."
Chu Yan raised his hands in surrender, confessing, though his expression bore no remorse.
In truth, upon learning from the scholars that there was no solution for repairing the suppression array, he had intended to inform his aunt of the matter.
He recounted the entire sequence of events and then said:
"Aunt, even if given a second chance, I would still act in this manner. The nuns' acts of theft exacerbated the situation at that time.
...So what should we do now?"
"What are you referring to? Are you asking about the restoration of the array, or how to explain the situation to the church in a month?"
"Both aspects, but I see you do not seem perplexed by the church's 'theft' here. Do you know the reason behind it?"
"Sigh..."
This sigh affirmed Chu Yan's suspicions; Aunt Nancy indeed knew something.
The woman with crimson hair closed the door, leaving behind the helpless, tearful nun in the room.
She led Chu Yan to the lord's level and, at the terrace, brewed a cup of tea before unveiling the secrets.
"The church's theft of 'miraculous power' stems from two primary reasons.
The first reason is that certain individuals within the church, endowed with powers, have begun to lose control. They have never dabbled in taboo forces yet have consistently stood at the forefront of hunting dark mages."
"Are there priests within the church experiencing power loss?"
Although this was somewhat ironic, Chu Yan had no intention of mocking them.
Indeed, many taboo inhabitants within this lord's castle had their benevolent sides, yet a majority of dark mage factions were undeniably malevolent.
Utilizing their formidable magical powers to attack, plunder towns, disrupt tranquility, and steal resources.
In this regard, the church was indeed performing good deeds; even if their methods were tinged with ridiculous arrogance, their commitment to combatting evil mages was indisputable.
"Yes, for reasons unknown, this condition has prevailed for quite some time, and in recent years, it has intensified. The church 'steals' powers from here to stabilize those uncontrollable priests."
"What about the Sea of Death's border?" Chu Yan felt a surge of frustration.
If they were concerned about the church, then the taboo inhabitants at the Sea of Death's border need not stabilize their powers, right?
The supply carriages came sporadically, merely to offload goods.
The result was an arbitrary increase in the difficulty of resisting the creatures of the Sea of Death, without sending reinforcements or assistance.
If they could just dispatch a contingent to assist in purging the monsters, Chu Yan would feel that the church still possessed a modicum of shame.
Nancy poured him a cup of tea, calmly revealing the underlying situation:
"The church cannot concern itself with such matters because this layer of the world is nearing its end. In the next five to ten years, all races must relocate to the upper layer of the world.
Rather than allowing the 'miraculous power' to remain in this layer, it is better to use it to maintain the stability of the priests.
Weylin's maritime expedition, at its core, involves her own worries regarding the relocation."