I upgraded and added points in the Holy Inquisition

While waiting for the students to prepare the carriage, Jenkins got out of bed, got under the bed regardless of his identity, and took out a locked wooden box from inside.

Opening it, there was a black and white metal chessboard lying inside.

This is the mysterious ancient relic [Chess Game], which Jenkins firmly regards as the pride of his life, believing that it is related to the future and destiny of mankind.

The chessboard was made of a special metal that he couldn't find after searching all the books. It looked very heavy, but was extremely light in his hand, as if it had no weight. However, when he touched and tapped it with his hands, it had a solid and heavy feel.

The black and white on it are still clear, and have not been worn away even after thousands of years, but they are no longer neat and neat, but show a strange distortion, as if they have been put into water, and the black and white follow. The ripples of the water twisted into strange shapes.

Something has clearly gone wrong...

But Jenkins didn't dare destroy it.

Once you participate in the 'Future of Humanity Seminar' through [Chess Game], you will form a mysterious binding connection with it, which is likely to involve a sensitive and dangerous subconscious level, making Jenkins completely afraid to act rashly.

He may risk his own life, but he must think of other members of the Society.

Besides, he really couldn't bear to destroy it.

Even after encountering today's changes, he did not shake his determination and views. He still firmly believed that this ancient relic would be related to the future of mankind.

That was the [destiny] he glimpsed after paying a heavy price.

"Teacher, the carriage is ready."

The voice of the proud disciple came from outside the door again.

"It'll be ready soon."

Jenkins said, holding the [chess game] and walked to the wall, took off a landscape painting hanging on the wall, revealing a safe behind it.

He locked the [chessboard] in, held the key tightly in his hand, then hung the painting back to its original position, then changed his clothes and walked out of the room.

The student outside the door was holding a kerosene lamp. When he saw Jenkins' blood-red eyes and pale face, he was immediately frightened.

"Teacher...are you...are you okay?"

"It's okay for now..."

Jenkins shook his head.

The carriage sped along the empty and dilapidated streets. There were no street lights on the roadside, only the oil lamp hanging on the roof of the car provided some light.

The Eternal City, which remains unchanged, has no electricity and almost no products of modern technology can be seen.

This is a city that has locked itself into that era forever.

The carriage finally stopped in front of a rather imposing mansion, and Jenkins got out of the carriage with difficulty with the help of his students.

When the two gatekeepers saw it was him, they opened the door for him without asking any questions.

Jenkins walked to the living room here with ease, found the wine cabinet skillfully, took out a bottle of old wine, and poured a few sips into his mouth without ceremony.

It didn't feel like he was visiting someone else's house, it felt more like he had returned to his own home.

After a while, the living room became brighter under the illumination of dozens of candles and several oil lamps. An old woman in pajamas walked down from the second floor, sat in front of Jenkins, and stared at him quietly.

"Please help me conduct a mental evaluation."

Jenkins whispered, looking away again, not daring to look at the old woman at all.

The other party didn't say anything, but took out a pure white figure from behind and placed it between the two of them.

This is the statue of the Redemption Saint of the Eternal City. It is carved from a unique kind of white jade. It is completely snow-white and exudes a faint aura of holiness.

The image is of a man with a blurred face, covering his head with both hands, as if he is thinking about something or controlling something.

The saint's statue should feel hard and cold to the touch, but it shows signs of melting on the surface, as if the wax statue has been burned by high temperature, and is covered with traces of wax oil flowing.

It's not because of poor storage, but because the statue of the saint itself was carved into this melted state.

Jenkins held the statue of the saint without saying a word, and the old woman also held his hands without saying a word.

After a moment, she asked:

"What happened to you?"

"I'm not sure, and I don't dare to imagine, but I hope He is the legendary [Supreme One], the existence I have been looking for..."

"It seems you are truly crazy and still believe this nonsense."

"This is not nonsense, but..."

Jenkins wanted to argue, but he shrank back when he spoke. He took out the key to the room safe from his pocket, placed it on the table between them, and pushed it in front of the old woman.

"I may die at any time. When the time comes, the future and hope of mankind will be entrusted to your hands..."

The old woman didn't even look at the key. She waved her hand coldly and knocked it away into the corner.

Then he ignored Jenkins and went upstairs alone.

"Ugh……"

Jenkins sighed, walked over silently, bent down, picked up the key again, and then left dejectedly.

There is no trace of the dignity and pride of a fifth-level powerhouse in him, but he looks more like a down-and-out ordinary person who is experiencing a mid-life crisis.

After walking out of the living room, students who were pacing back and forth anxiously outside immediately came over to greet him. Note that Jenkins' condition was much better than before.

"Teacher? Are you okay? It seems that your wife...oh no, I mean the bishop, she..."

"Okay, okay, stop talking."

Jenkins waved his hand helplessly and walked towards the carriage.

At this moment, his mood was very complicated. He was a little worried, a little happy, a little excited, and also aggrieved because he couldn't understand.

After experiencing the danger just now, he only needed simple treatment to recover. This made Jenkins believe that the mysterious existence did not have any malicious intentions, and it was not the Bishop's superb skills.

But humans also have no ill intentions towards ants, but if they accidentally step on them or twist them for observation, they will bring irresistible disaster to the ants.

Jenkins felt like the ant on the chessboard...

Fortunately, this 'human' method was relatively gentle and he did not twist himself to death on the spot.

It may also be that the protective effect of [Chess Game] has taken effect, which is a kind of protection that can protect the mind and rationality at the conscious level. Future seminars will rely on this to dare to discuss some topics that are not dared to be mentioned outside.

Although the mysterious 'spectator' controlled the [chess game], he did not turn off this layer of protection. Obviously he did not want to really kill people, which could be regarded as an expression of goodwill.

It is precisely because of this that Jenkins is further convinced that the existence is the [Supreme One] he is looking for.

Although the [Supreme One] only exists in human speculation and imagination, and is considered by many to be absurd and stupid 'street stall literature', Jenkins firmly believes in it.

He must also firmly believe in this to prove that his purpose and philosophy are correct.

[Chess Game] is my pride and my biggest trump card. Even the Saint of Redemption cannot shake it, but it is easily controlled by the mysterious 'audience', which shows that He has surpassed the shackles of the Saint and ascended to the highest level.

So after Jenkins returned to his residence, he did not bother to sleep. Instead, he buried himself in his desk and began to write letters to other members of the society.

If they can't communicate through [Chess Game], they can only use this timeless method. With the distance between several cities, they don't know when they will receive the letter.

I don’t know if they came out alive...

But Jenkins still explained his findings in his heart with enthusiasm, and still tried to boost morale.

“Since the [Supreme One] really exists, then the purpose we have always believed in is correct. The hope and future of mankind have already arrived in front of us!

It’s just... if we can safely communicate with this [Supreme One], we still need to find a safe way...

If you are still alive and can read this letter, please tell me what you think. "

After writing the letter, Jenkins went to the basement of his home, locked the door, lit the oil lamp, and then dragged out a large box of materials.

He is about to perform a dangerous but necessary divination.

It's definitely not to divine the 'audience', that's obviously seeking death.

Instead, I want to divine myself and see what I will encounter in the next few days, so as to make insinuations.

This is also a common method used in divination.

Jenkins spent several hours arranging an extremely complex ritual in the basement to ensure the effect of divination and protect his own safety.

Hundreds of mirrors have been placed on the floor, with a candle lit in front of each mirror, and they all face Jenkins, reflecting the candlelight and his figure.

Jenkins took out a palm-sized crystal ball from his arms. A light blue substance was injected into it. It had a satin-like texture and looked a bit like a large marble.

"Will I be able to sleep for the next few days?"

Jenkins repeated this simple, seemingly unrelated question as he stroked his crystal ball.

The more dangerous the divination, the more it must be done step by step like this, starting from simple questions and gradually making insinuations, rather than eagerly looking for answers.

When Jenkins repeated it for the tenth time, the crystal ball responded and began to rotate on its own in his hand.

Then, he heard the sound of glass breaking.

Then one after another, one after another.

The mirrors on the ground began to break one by one, and the candles lit in front of the mirrors were extinguished one by one.

As the candles were extinguished, darkness began to spread, attacking Jenkins layer by layer.

When the last candle was extinguished, the crystal ball shattered in Jenkins' hand and scattered on the floor.

Jenkins stood frozen in the dark basement, not daring to move.

My mind seemed to have fallen into a dark abyss, leaving only despair...

Until an hour later, he heard a student's voice:

"Mentor? Are you still in the basement?"

Only then did Jenkins come back to his senses as if waking from a dream.

In his eyes were intact mirrors, in front of which were burnt candles, and in his hands was an intact crystal ball.

Jenkins shuddered and fainted.

I recommend a book by a friend, who is also a very strong veteran author, and his style is somewhat similar to mine.