NOVPUBChapter 60: Chapter 59 For the Paradise in the Heart
Chapter 60 -59 For the Paradise in the Heart
Jenny was invited to Dane’s residence once again.
She had heard that the detective had something new to discuss with her.
Sitting in front of the low table, Jenny’s mind was not quite present… wondering what else the other party might want? More bodies were something the Yeni Temple could not come up with in the short term. Yet, she also knew that the medical mysteries he imparted were not something a few bodies could avail.
Both emotionally and logically, she should offer more.
She wasn’t worried about being swindled by him because he was a person Judy trusted. More importantly, Judy had once revealed to her that he served a great divinity. Such a figure was unlikely to haggle over every last bit like a dishonest merchant.
What she was more concerned about was the Temple becoming worthless in his eyes.
At the same time, Jenny felt a deep regret stirring within her heart. He had granted her wishes, yet she still had not found a way to lead the Temple out of its quagmire.
Perhaps she had overestimated herself.
If so many sisters couldn’t do it, what made her think she could?
The door creaked open, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Seeing Chaoyang sit down opposite her, she subconsciously lowered her head.
“The reason I’ve asked you here is that I want to sign another contract with you,”
“Eh?” The nun blinked her eyes.
Chaoyang didn’t beat around the bush, “The previous contract was incomplete, and I’ve realized that your wishes were not fully addressed. The new contract is quite straightforward: I will resolve the root issue troubling Yeni Temple, ensuring that you are no longer beholden to corporate control.”
Jenny’s heart skipped a beat.
He… understood the true issue at the heart of the sisters’ troubles?
Why?
Was it because of a revelation from that divinity?
“Then… what must I give in return?”
“This time it’s just wishing power, with no other conditions attached,” Chaoyang answered. He had a premonition that this was going to be a losing deal. The other party’s wishing power was already scant, and the task he had ahead would consume a considerable amount, leaving a deficit of at least a thousand points. The wisest course would have been to forget about the whole affair after fulfilling the first stage of the contract and not bother with it again, yet he had chosen the path of maximizing his losses.
Upon reflection, the reason was probably singular.
This was the first time someone had wished to ‘him’.
It wasn’t someone else’s wishing power, nor was it wild wishing power…
It was wishing power aimed at him from the get-go.
It might sound strange, but it truly felt like his own child.
“If there’s no issue, sign here,” Chaoyang said, condensing the contract into a scroll and laying it out in front of her.
“Could you… wait a moment for me?” Jenny clenched her fists.
“Hmm?”
“Although I don’t understand what wishing power is, if I have it, the other sisters in the Temple surely do as well! Please let them also sign their names, it’s our collective wish!”
Before Chaoyang had a chance to respond, Jenny had already grabbed the contract and rushed out of the room, as if afraid he might change his mind.
“What happened?” Judy asked curiously, poking her head out from behind the door.
“It’s nothing…” Chaoyang shook his head helplessly, “Could you make me another cup of tea, please? Thank you.”
He couldn’t bother to stop her now.
Regardless, such an act was futile, the contract only came into effect if both parties recognized the content; scribbling names on it was more of a statement and could not activate the contract’s binding power. However, writing on it did no harm; after all, any graffiti couldn’t distort the content of the contract—as long as Jenny accepted it, that was enough.
Half an hour later, the nun returned, panting heavily.
“I apologize for the wait!”
She carefully unfolded the contract in her arms, her movements so gentle as if she were handling a treasure.
The paper was covered with various types of handprints; most of them weren’t even names but thumbprints—clearly, many of these nuns were illiterate. Because it had been handled by so many, the paper even looked dirty, with corners stained with droplets of medicine.
As expected, it was of no use, Chaoyang thought, for he felt not a hint of the contract’s binding force.
“Finally, it’s my name.”
As Jenny spoke, she solemnly wrote down her signature.
“Well, with this our contract can be considered complete…” Chaoyang began, but suddenly froze, seeing at the moment Jenny stopped writing, every bit of writing on the scroll began to glow! In an instant, the contract, bearing the marks of hundreds, emitted hundreds of hues of light. Some were deep, some faint, and against the contrast of light and shadow, the scroll appeared as a twinkling black-and-white painting!
Countless commitments surged into Chaoyang’s chest like an entanglement of vines, wringing his heart. This was the materialization of constraint, and for the first time, Chaoyang felt the heft of a contract so clearly.
How could this be…
Some of them clearly couldn’t even recognize the characters, let alone comprehend the content of the contract…
“What’s wrong?” Jenny asked, seeing him motionless, she couldn’t help but express concern, “Is there something incorrect with the contract?”
“No, it’s perfect,” Chaoyang folded and stored the contract. He knew she couldn’t see the changes on the paper; to ordinary people, it was just a piece of paper full of various marks, but it held the hopes of Yeni Temple. “I have a question for you. Which divinities do the nuns in the temple believe in?”
“If we are talking about the past… I suppose it would be the Goddess of Mercy, Meyer, and the God of Knowledge, Ninata.”
So that was the origin of the Yeni Temple’s name? “What do you mean by ‘the past’? Has no one believed in them anymore?” n𝚘𝚟𝚙u𝚋.co𝚖
“No, many people still pray to them, but it’s been a very long time since any divinities responded to their believers… probably for a hundred years now.”
That long? Chaoyang remembered that Magnificent Castle also had only about a hundred years of history.
“With no response for so long, the temple gradually began to admit other believers until now praying to divinities has become more like a habit, and no one cares which divinities the sisters pray to. For instance, influenced by my mother, I always pray to Lady Meyer, but if there’s something else…” She suddenly stopped.
“Something else what?”
“No, nothing,” Jenny said with an apologetic shake of her head, “Please forget my disrespectful remarks just now.”
Had she been disrespectful? Chaoyang didn’t quite understand, but at least he learned one thing: the nuns did not all belong to any one doctrine or, put another way, they were more like believers lost in confusion. The temple became a place for them to seek warmth and sanctuary, which might explain why their signatures took effect—the Yeni Temple had become indistinguishable from their home.
After sending Jenny off, Judy and Dane promptly sat down in front of Chaoyang.
“Please tell us, what do you plan to do next?”
“Judy… that’s rather impolite to ask…”
“But you want to know too, don’t you? So let’s just ask His Excellency Chaoyang directly!” Judy leaned forward earnestly, “I overheard you talking about a contract—does Miss Jenny have new demands, right? How do you plan to handle this? Can you tell us?”
Quite bold, openly admitting to eavesdropping. So, during his conversation with the nun, these two had been sticking by the door?
“Why are you so eager to know?”
“Because we are also servants of the Paradise Master, uh——” Judy was nudged by Dane halfway through.
The journalist coughed twice, “Because we want to help you, just as you helped us before!”
“But this matter might be a bit serious.”
“Is attacking the residence of the police chief not serious?” Dane insisted, “I used to try to expose injustice and evil with just a pen, always falling short of expectations. Now I understand, a pen alone has no strength; only someone like you, who possesses strength, and the entity you serve, can truly make the enemy fear. So, please let me offer my help, no matter what it takes!”
