Chapter 347: 'great acting'

THE High Priest stopped walking and turned towards a blank wall. He put his hand on it and just like earlier, a faint green light appeared on his palm. As expected, the wall in front of him opened up. Although there was light coming inside the room, it was dim. That's why Luo Yan still couldn't see anything inside clearly. So, when the High Priest entered the room, he quickly followed.

What faced him was a room with white walls. These walls almost seemed like they had a yellowish hue because of the slightly dim light around the room. There was no furniture inside. And in one corner, an elf with messy blond hair was sitting listlessly. His pair of green eyes had no focus. As if they belonged to someone with a very simple mind. He didn't even move when outsiders entered his room. 

There was a black smoke circulating around him. It seemed to be alive and wanting to fly out. But it was stopped by a barrier giving out a green light, just like the color of the High Priest's Mana. The barrier surrounded the elf like a protective shell. And over the barrier, there were strange glyphs floating. 

Luo Yan had no doubt that this elf was Rhys. 

"I know that you wanted to talk to him, but as you can see, I don't think he's in the right state of mind to tell you anything properly," the High Priest said with pity in his voice. "The dark magic that rebounded when he casted that forbidden spell was not only slowly eating away his life force but his consciousness as well. He probably wouldn't even respond to you."

Luo Yan stared at Rhys once again. The black smoke surrounding the NPC was probably the dark magic the High Priest was talking about. He certainly looked like someone who didn't have all his faculties intact. But how could he just give up because of that? Especially since they were already on the last leg of this task. The only step left was to make this Rhys talk.

And once again, he was back to the question of how he should do that.

Shen Ji Yun, who had been silent for a while now, finally spoke. 

"I have an item here that could project memories of an NPC," he whispered to Luo Yan, so the High Priest wouldn't hear. Although the 'memories' he was talking about in this context was the memories programmed to the NPCs.

Luo Yan turned to Shen Ji Yun, his eyes brightened. "Really? That's great, Brother Ji Yun."

Seeing those bright eyes, Shen Ji Yun's feeling of uselessness decreased a tiny bit. He was suddenly thankful that he had the foresight to buy this item last week. Because he had a feeling that it might help them in their two tasks. Even if he spent a high amount of crystal coin to obtain the item, it was definitely money well spent. 

And then his eyes clouded again when he thought of the conditions to activate the said item. First, the NPC should be in a heightened emotional state and thinking of something or someone closely related to the memory that the one who used the item wanted to see. And second, a talisman that was part of the item should be attached to the target NPC.

Shen Ji Yun looked at the NPC inside the barrier. The elf looked like he was now only an empty shell. Could he still be emotionally agitated when there's no longer anything inside him? Not to mention the barrier. How could they attach the talisman on him when he was inside that barrier? With the talk about the dark magic and stuff, he was certain that the High Priest wouldn't allow them to lift up the barrier. Even if temporarily. 

"Brother Ji Yun, what's wrong?" Luo Yan called when the other didn't respond to what he said earlier.

Shen Ji Yun returned his gaze to Luo Yan. And with an almost cramped expression, he told him about the conditions to activate the item. 

Luo Yan quickly understood the other's worries and he fell into a deep thought. To bring out the memory they needed, Rhys had to be in an emotionally heightened state. Not only that, but he should also be thinking of Finnea. In the elf's condition right now, could that even be possible? 

Regarding the talisman thing, he already had a way to fix that. So, the only problem was Rhys' current state. The only thing that could probably agitate him right now was Finnea. He stopped. An idea suddenly entered his mind. 

The light in this room was very dim, they could barely see the face of each other. But his white hair was still pretty noticeable. One could immediately tell that he was a moon elf. Perhaps, just maybe… 

To test his guess, he walked towards Rhys' line of sight. And then to everyone's surprise, the elf's body suddenly trembled. The eyes that were out of focus suddenly had a faint glimmer. He even raised his hand towards Luo Yan's direction.

Luo Yan smiled. He was right. With this room's condition and in Rhys' muddled state, it was easy for the other to mistake him as 'Finnea'. Then the next step would be easy. 

He moved back to where Shen Ji Yun was. Not seeing him, Rhys was back to his sluggish state again. 

"Did he just mistake you for Finnea?" Shen Ji Yun asked. With Luo Yan's series of movements, he also understood what he was thinking.

"Yes," Luo Yan said, confirming what the other thought. "Brother Ji Yun, can you take out the item you were talking about?" 

Shen Ji Yun didn't waste time and took the item from his Items Tab. In just a second a transparent crystal ball appeared on his palm. And on his other hand was a pure black talisman. There was nothing written on it. Just like an ordinary rectangular black paper.

Luo Yan took the black talisman. Then he glanced at the little fox sitting comfortably on his shoulder.

[Eclipse, do master a favor and transform into me. Walk into Rhys' line of sight and do everything you can to agitate him.]

The effect of that transformation could only last for 10 seconds. So, Luo Yan had to move as quick as possible.

[Okay, Mashter. But how would Eclipse agitate him?] – the little fox asked.

[Act as if you're Finnea and guilt-trip him.]

Eclipse nodded cleverly. [Eclipse understand, Mashter. Eclipse will definitely not fail Mashter.]

Luo Yan chuckled and ruffled Eclipse's fluffy head. [Okay. I'm counting on you. Go and transform when I give you the signal.]

[Yes, Mashter!]

And Eclipse jumped from Luo Yan's shoulder then he walked to Rhys' line of sight just like what his master did earlier.

Luo Yan, on the other hand, walked to the opposite side. He looked down the floor and when he saw that his shadow passed through the barrier, he let out a relieved breath. 

[Eclipse, now!]

A black smoke suddenly surrounded Eclipse and from where he was standing, another 'Noctis' appeared. Once the skill [Mirror Image] took effect, this 'Noctis' suddenly bent down and cried hysterically while staring murderously at Rhys.

"How could you do this to me?!" 'Noctis' cried out.

And Luo Yan almost fell over when he saw Eclipse's 'great acting'.