Chapter 839 — Why Not Make Use of It
Blade of Dawn · Page 3 of 4
"Lady Mapel, find more effective means of blocking the mind network; find a way to thoroughly uproot the imprint within the Sleepers' minds. Then make the news public: say that the Empire can save those who strayed into the wrong path by accident—that they were merely bewitched by a dark cult, bound by a curse from which they could not escape, and that we can help them break it. In this way we can reduce to a minimum the resistance people feel toward 'dark cultists,' and draw in many Sleepers who are unwilling to go to Cecil.
"Trust me, there will be no small number of such people—Lord Beaumel is a typical case. Most Sleepers are Typhonians; what drives them to flee to Cecil, apart from the Outlander Wanderer's orders and intimidation, is in large part the fact that their identity as dark cultists leaves them no foothold in Typhon. Now we offer them a foothold and help them escape the Outlander Wanderer's threat—many will be willing to stay."
Windsor opened her mouth, some doubt still upon her face, but before she could speak Luo Yan went on: "Lady Mapel, knowledge itself is blameless—or rather, even if some hold that certain knowledge carries 'original sin,' for the Empire's sake we must master it, because beside us lies Cecil, and Cecil's ruler... has already gone ahead of us in many fields.
"Some things, if we do not strive for them, others will take them up—and in this, the Cecilans will show us no courtesy."
Windsor nodded slowly—she had been persuaded.
"Your Majesty, I have one concern," she said. "If we make the news public, the upper ranks of the Long Dusk cult may respond with extreme violence—they are plainly loyal to the Outlander Wanderer. For their master's interests, might they simply kill all the 'traitors' who refuse to evacuate as ordered and instead come over to us? As an Ashen Hades cult... they are capable of such things."
"But they cannot," Luo Yan said, shaking his head. "If they could still maintain psychic surveillance over every believer, Lord Beaumel would never have reached the Obsidian Palace. According to Beaumel's intelligence, this Ashen Hades cult has taken a severe blow in this affair as well; the 'mind network' is evidently in a wretched state at this moment, which is why informants have succeeded one after another in reaching outsiders. We need only seize this gap—before the Sleepers rebuild their mind network, to 'separate' from their web as many believers as are willing to serve the Empire—and our aim is accomplished."
"I understand, Your Majesty. When I return I will set arrangements in motion at once. With Lord Beaumel as a reference, and with today's successful 'blocking' here, I believe I can find a more thorough solution to the 'curse'—and even if I cannot for the time being, I will lead the high mages into action and keep as many Sleepers as possible."
Luo Yan gave a slight nod, then added: "Also, we cannot merely wait passively for defectors—many believers may miss the chance out of fear and suspicion. That is precisely why I had Lord Beaumel stay. Using the list the lord provided, arrange for the secret mages to actively approach and secure the believers who have not yet had time to flee—then spread outward from there, and bring as many believers in Aldernan under control as possible."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Only after all these arrangements were made did Luo Yan let out a long breath. Then he rose and slowly paced over to the crystal-glass window at one side.
Beyond the window lay the Obsidian Palace's inner courtyard; a few well-placed lamps dispelled its dim, eerie gloom, and the magical barrier enclosing the whole courtyard kept it as warm as spring, where lush plants grew wild and unchecked.
They had flourished all winter long, and now that spring had come and the barrier was about to close, the flowers and grasses of the courtyard would pass seamlessly into the next blooming season—such is human wit contending with nature.