1283 Gradually Deepening (2/2)

After watching the matron of the Evernight cloister leave, Klein quickly sorted out the information he had just obtained and gained some understanding of the possible developments that were to come.

Combat wasn't the main point. The crux of the problem was whether he could find 0-02 in time and think of a way to seal it.

During this process, what they would face as foreigners would become more and more complicated. They would find it increasingly difficult to abide by the rules and the citizens that were controlled.

With this in mind, Klein cast his gaze to Roy and company not far away. He asked with a smile, ”What are your thoughts on what you just heard?”

Roy exchanged looks with Pasha and said, ”We don't know what a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact is, but we can guess that 0-02 is a very terrifying item. It can set the rules and even change reality to a certain extent. Furthermore, this anomaly seems to change as time passes.

”Also, the chief shepherd of the Church of the God of Combat should be a very powerful Beyonder.”

Klein gently clapped his hands and smiled.

”That's about it. If we don't work hard and hope to avoid danger by hiding, then there will be more and more things that we need to take note of. If we aren't careful, we might commit a crime. Heh heh, perhaps in the end, we will be executed on the spot because we stepped out the door with our left foot first.”

His words left Pasha, Biles, and the others in a panic.

It was indeed funny to hear the possible developments, but on second thought, they could sense the extreme horror hidden within!

A few seconds later, Pasha said with a solemn expression, ”Furthermore, the citizens can use any means to deal with us, but we are unable to fight back. This is because killing and voluntarily causing harm are very serious crimes…”

”We can try to deceive their senses, but we can't use it too many times,” Klein said casually. ”What we need to do now is to quickly summarize the rules that 0-02 follows. That way, we can find it and seal it before it comes to life or awakens to gain true intelligence. What are your thoughts?”

Marauder Phil thought for a moment and probed, ”It doesn't seem capable of attacking us directly. It can only punish us when we violate the rules and commit crimes.”

Klein snapped his fingers and said, ”That's right. I can summarize this law for now: 0-02 cannot punish those who do not commit crimes.”

Biles blurted out, ”But it can make the citizens arrest foreigners. Foreigners aren't considered criminals.”

”This does contradict the previous law from before,” Klein replied with a smile. ”However, in history, many cities have come up with laws that include discrimination and the expulsion of foreigners in the different stages of their development. Did you decipher any deeper laws from this matter?”

The four Beyonders frowned one after another, unsure what the powerful magician opposite them was trying to express.

After a brief silence, Pasha, who thought of the question he had asked—asking whether a particular action was considered fraud—hesitated and said, ”The rules issued by 0-02 must match the public's understanding and be acknowledged to a certain extent?”

”That's a good idea,” Klein praised. ”This is a guess thanks to the law regarding the arrest of foreigners. It has been verified from your previous feedback, so we can temporarily list it as its second law. This can help us determine which actions are crimes and which aren't.”

Seeing Pasha receive the praise of the powerful ”magician” twice, Roy hurriedly added, ”It will constantly increase the number of laws, reaching a certain level of complexity, thereby limiting us. No matter what we do, we will be punished. Yes, on the basis of arresting foreigners, clauses such as the trespassing of private property and the prohibition of defecation or urination in public will make life harder for us with the passage of time.”

Just as Klein nodded in agreement, his spiritual perception was triggered.

He instinctively raised his head and looked at the noticeboard. He realized that a goatskin parchment had appeared on it at some point in time.

”Curfew Order…”

”This…” Pasha and the others also noticed this change and their eyes widened.

It was already late at night. If they stayed outside for some time, they would violate the curfew and suffer some punishment. Then, the punishment would worsen each time until they were sentenced to death.

”Let's go. We haven't got much time.” Klein pressed down his tall hat and said with a smile, ”Our target is most likely a book. It might still be with the chief shepherd, or it might've already been hidden somewhere. My intuition tells me that it might be the latter. This is because, to anyone, that item is too dangerous, and it will only become more dangerous. Of course, the premise is that the chief shepherd hasn't gone crazy—only using 0-02 to create a chance to escape pursuit.

”By the way, I forgot to tell you that the chief shepherd is a Grounded Angel.”

Angel… Roy, Pasha, and the others, who had just begun to move, froze.