Deep Sea Embers

The interior of the antique shop was just as Duncan had guessed—it was chaotic, decadent, and business-bleak. Purely going by how much dust had piled up near the window, it wouldn’t take much for one to imagine how bad life must’ve taken the owner.

He first saw the table near the walls that are placed with large vases, sculptures, and totem-like things of unknown meaning. Meanwhile, the wall behind the storage table was decorated with a shelf, which had been used to place relatively small “goods” in the store. There’s also a long bar counter directly opposite the front door where the owner would receive guests. However, instead of the shelf behind the counter being filled with products, it’s only adorned with some dusty picture frames and small ornaments – likely sentimental items by the owner.

There’s also a staircase leading up to the second floor right of the counter, which was groggy and difficult to make out due to the darkness. But Duncan did have some recollection of this area because there’s also an out-of-sight door below the staircase. It leads to the warehouse in the back of the shop, which was mostly filled with clutters and stuff.

Truly, it was hard to imagine how someone could make a living in this decrepit shop and even have money to offer the sun god religion.

Duncan walked toward the counter to further examine the area. As he moved his foot carefully, the wooden creaking of the floor eventually caused him to pause, and that’s when he noticed the lamp fixed to the wall.

It was an electric light bulb.

Duncan’s brow immediately frowned at the recognition.

The style of the lamp was unfamiliar with that wrought iron frame and grayish lampshade design, but in any case, the structure of the tungsten light bulb inside was immediately recognizable at a glance.

Electricity is already this prevalent in the world that civilians in the lower sector of town can also afford it? Then why the gap and oil lamps in the underground sewers? They even used torches in some parts….

Huge questions arose from the conflicting information, especially about the arrangements in the underground sewers.

He had assumed those gas and oil lamps were due to the world’s technological limitations, but that’s clearly not the case. Instead, it was deliberate by the management of the city.

Diving deep into his fragmented memory, Duncan tried to seek out the corresponding knowledge in his head. Sadly, the only answer he got was that “it’s common sense” and “urban planning is so”.

Either this knowledge was not made public, hence the reason why his body here didn’t know anything. Or, the knowledge was so basic that it left no impression on the cultist’s mind.

With momentary confusion in his heart, Duncan reached out and turned on the electric light. With the click of the switch, the bright light immediately illuminated the area near the staircase and counter.

There’s also a switch on the opposite wall that controls the lights in other storefront areas on the first floor, but Duncan wasn’t going to move it for the time being.

It’s late at night, and a small light in an antique shop that has been closed could be explained as the owner getting up for a stroll, but lighting up the whole establishment would surely attract unnecessary attention.

With the limited light near the staircase, Duncan’s gaze first swept over the nearest goods and caught onto the wooden figure – it was less than half a meter high with a strange face pattern of red and blue paint. Then next to it were antique vases that looked like ceramic. These things looked shabby and old, but the outrageous price tag hinted at a different story.

The original price was 420,000, and the discount was 36%….

Duncan’s gaze quickly shifted away and swept through the store. According to his assessment, he suspects there’s not a single item that was genuine, and if there were, he would commit suicide by banging his head against the Vanished.

It couldn’t be any more fake. In fact, Duncan was confident no normal human being would ever believe this shop sold any real antiques. If anything, the oldest relic in this entire shop would be that signboard outside the door based on how shabby it looked….

But Duncan wasn’t surprised such a store existed in these parts. If the owner knew he was selling fakes, then why not? And if the customers knew they were here to buy fakes, then even better, right? This was the lower sector of the city, the area where commoners lived. Who could afford real antiques anyways? So, the signboard hanging outside the shop was merely a formality. Only the informed would visit.

Anyways, regardless of whatever crummy lifestyle this body had before death, Duncan only had one thing that concerned him right now: could he use this place as a “foothold” to transverse between the Vanished? He needed a safe location to transport supplies with Ai’s ability. If this shop could provide shelter from prying eyes then that would be perfect.

Duncan came behind the counter and sat down in a chair to comb through the memories in his possession. He’s deliberating if the plan would work and the dangers that might entail.

First, the original owner was a sun god believer, no doubt about that part, but only at the lowest level. He’s a grunt, a nobody. And due to the city-state authorities cracking down on cult activities in recent years, it’s become increasingly more challenging to take part in the events arranged by the organization.

Even better, the “middle man” in charge of contacting him with the higher-ups were all dead from the previous spirit walk Duncan did, effectively destroying any connection between him and the other cultists. They wore masks during the gatherings so no one saw his face.

Now, if he did have to consider a hidden danger that bothered him, Duncan would say it’s the reason behind why the sun cultists are sacrificing people everywhere they could.

Four years ago, the city-state of Pland attacked the sun cultists when they attempted to create a mass sacrifice at the city’s heart – supposedly to resurrect their so-called Sun God.

It would’ve ruined the city if that did happen. Luckily, the authorities and the Church of the Deep Sea (Storm) vanquished the heretics before then. However, Duncan understood that the event was only a prelude to something much more terrible.

He had no affection for Pland, but this city was too important to let it be destroyed by some fanatics.