Chapter 59

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Chapter 59: For the Paradise Within One’s Heart

Jeanne found herself once again invited to Dunn’s residence. She had been told that the detective wished to discuss something new with her.

Sitting at a low table, Jeanne remained somewhat preoccupied… What more could he possibly want? The Yeni Cathedral couldn’t easily provide more bodies for the time being. Yet she also knew that the medical knowledge he shared with her far exceeded the value of a few bodies.

Both emotionally and logically, she should continue to contribute.

She wasn’t worried about him extorted; after all, he was someone trusted by Zhu Di. More importantly, Zhu Di had confided in her that Chaoyang served a great divine being. Such a person would not behave like a deceitful merchant haggling over every detail.

Her greater concern was whether the Cathedral had any remaining value in his eyes.

At the same time, Jeanne felt a deep regret. Even though the stranger had granted her wish, she still hadn’t found a way to rescue the Yeni Cathedral from its predicament.

Perhaps she had overestimated herself.

If so many of her sisters could not achieve it, why should she believe she could succeed where they had failed?

The door creaked open, interrupting her thoughts.

As Chaoyang took a seat across from her, Jeanne instinctively lowered her head.

“I’ve invited you here today because I want to sign another contract with you.”

“Huh?” The nun blinked in surprise.

Without wasting words, Chaoyang continued, “The previous contract was incomplete, and I realized that your prayer was not fully answered. The new contract is also straightforward: I will address the root issue plaguing Yeni Cathedral and ensure that you are no longer restricted by the company’s influence.”

Jeanne’s heart raced.

He… understood the true concerns of her sisters? And why was that?

Was it due to divine revelation from their patron deity?

“And what would be my role this time?”

“Only Wish Power is required; there won’t be any additional conditions,” Chaoyang replied. He already expected this deal to be unprofitable. The nun had limited Wish Power, while his upcoming actions would incur significant costs. Conservatively estimating, he would be at least a thousand points shorts. Ideally, after completing the first phase of the contract, he should have ignored further involvement and never looked back. Instead, he chose the option that would maximize his losses.

After pondering, there could only be one reason for this decision:

This was the first time someone had directly prayed to ‘him’.

It wasn’t borrowed or wild Wish Power…

Rather, it was Wish Power that had been intentionally directed towards him from the beginning. Although it was a little strange, it truly felt like nurturing one’s own child.

This Wish Power was directed towards him from the very beginning.

Although it might sound strange, it genuinely felt like the wishes of his own children.

“If there’s no issue, please sign here.” Chaoyang condensed the contract into a paper scroll and spread it out in front of Jeanne.

“Could you… wait for a moment?” Jeanne clenched her fists tightly.

“Hm?”

“I don’t quite understand what Wish Power is, but if I have it, surely the other sisters in the Cathedral must possess it too! Please let them sign as well; this represents our collective wish!”

Before Chaoyang could respond, Jeanne had already grabbed the contract and rushed out of the room hastily, as if she feared he might change his mind.

“What happened?” Zhu Di asked while curiously peeking from the door.

“Nothing much…” Chaoyang shook his head helplessly. “Could you please make me another cup of tea? Thank you.”

He didn’t bother stopping Jeanne. After all, any attempt would be futile. A contract only becomes valid when both parties agree to its contents. A casual signature without understanding merely signifies intent and cannot activate the binding constraints of the contract. However, there is no harm in having additional signatures, as scribbles cannot distort the terms of the contract-Jeanne’s acceptance alone is enough.

Half an hour later, the nun returned, panting.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!”

She carefully unfolded the contract from her embrace, handling it as delicately as if it were a precious artifact.

The document was covered with various handwritings; most were not names but thumbprints— a clear indication that many of these individuals could not read or write. Because it had passed through so many hands, the paper was somewhat dirty, even stained with traces of potions at the corners.

As expected, Chaoyang thought, feeling no trace of binding power within the contract.

“And finally, my name,” Jeanne said solemnly while signing her signature.

“Hmm, now our contract is complete…” Chaoyang began, but stopped abruptly in mid-sentence. The moment Jeanne lifted her pen, all the writings on the parchment glowed! Immediately, this contract signed by over a hundred people emitted hundreds of distinct lights, some deep, some faint. Against the backdrop of light and shadow, it resembled a shimmering black and white painting!

An overwhelming tide of commitment surged into Chaoyang’s chest, entangling his heart like a burst of intertwining vines. This was the tangible manifestation of binding constraints, and for the first time, he vividly felt the weight of a contract.

How could this be…

Obviously, some of them couldn’t even read this contract, let alone understand its content…

“Is something wrong?” Jeanne noticed his prolonged hesitation and expressed her concern, “Is there something wrong with the contract?”

“No, it’s perfect.” Chaoyang carefully folded the contract and put it away. He knew that Jeanne couldn’t see its transformation; to ordinary people, it would just appear as a sheet filled with various marks. Yet, it bore the hopes of Yeni Cathedral. “I’d like to ask you a question: Which divine beings do the nuns at the cathedral worship?”

“If we’re talking about before… probably the Goddess of Charity, Mei Ye, and the Goddess of Knowledge, Ninata.”

So, is this where the name Yeni Cathedral originates from? “What does ‘before’ mean? Are they no longer worshipped now?”

“No, many still pray to them, but these two divine beings haven’t responded to their believers for quite some time… probably about a hundred years now.”

A century? Chaoyang recalled that Glorious Fortress itself had only about a hundred years of history.

“Because of this long lack of response, the Cathedral gradually began to accept followers of other faiths. Nowadays, praying to the gods has become more of a habit, and no one really cares which deity the sisters pray to. For example, influenced by my mother, I always pray to Lady Mei Ye, but if someone else…” She stopped suddenly.

“What do you mean, ‘someone else’?”

“Oh, nothing,” Jeanne shook her head apologetically. “Please forget my inappropriate comment.”

Was it really inappropriate? Chaoyang wasn’t sure, but he did glean one important fact: the nuns were not all devoted to a single faith. Rather, they seemed to be lost souls seeking solace. The Cathedral became their sanctuary where they found comfort in unity, which perhaps explains their signs remained effective—Yeni Cathedral had become like their home.

After bidding farewell to Jeanne, Zhu Di immediately pulled Dunn aside and sat down in front of Chaoyang.

“Could you please tell us what your next steps will be?”

“Zhu Di… isn’t it too rude to ask such questions…”

“But you are also curious as well, aren’t you? So why not just ask Lord Chao directly?” Zhu Di leaned forward, her expression very serious. “I overheard the word ‘contract’ earlier. Miss Jeanne has new demands, right? Could you tell us what you intend to do?”

Wow, she didn’t even bother to hide her eavesdropping. This means that while I was talking with the nun, these two were pressed against the door all the time.

“Why are you two so eager to know?”

“Because we are also, uh…” Before Zhu Di could finish, Dunn nudged her gently with his shoulder.

The journalist cleared his throat, “Because we want to help you, just like you helped us before!”

“This time, the situation is quite serious.”

“Isn’t the attack on the Police Chief’s residence just as serious?” Dunn insisted. “In the past, I tried to use my pen to expose injustice and evil, but the results were never satisfactory. Now I understand that a pen alone has no power. Only individuals like you, with true strength, and the entity you serve, can instill true fear in our enemies. Therefore, please allow me to assist you, no matter what!”