Chapter 10 — Beyond the Milky Way: The Miner Who Became a God of War

Three days after the secret meeting in the abandoned maintenance room, Bốc Vấn Sơn finally decoded most of the data Tinh Nhược had copied. He managed to arrange an emergency meeting with both of them that night, at an old supply warehouse deep under the logistics area of the Abyss Arena, where he could enter and exit freely as a temporary employee.

"I have decoded most of the content," Bốc Vấn Sơn said as soon as the three gathered, his voice trembling with emotion and anger. "This is an internal transportation record of the Holy See, recording the movement of a 'top secret special item' from an area with coordinates matching Tà Huy Village, straight to the power center of the Holy See, just three days after the massacre occurred."

"Is that item a Blood Seal?" Lam Vũ asked, his voice tense.

"I believe so," Bốc Vấn Sơn replied. "The records do not clearly state the name of the item, only a code number, but the exact coincidence of time and place cannot be coincidental. And what is more remarkable, the person who signed the transport order was not an ordinary low-level official."

"Who is it?" Tinh Nhược asked, her voice holding her breath.

Bốc Vấn Sơn pointed to a decoded electronic signature line on the device screen. "This signature belongs to the Great Patriarch Kha Baiyun himself, who at that time held a lower position in the Council of Elders. He personally ordered the transport of the items immediately after the massacre, which shows that he not only knew about the incident, but that he was likely the one who directly directed the entire operation."

Both Lam Vũ and Tinh Nhược were silent for a moment, the weight of this discovery weighing heavily on the atmosphere of the room. The leader of the entire galaxy, who is revered as the incarnation of god, turns out to be the one who ordered the murder of an innocent village to obtain a mysterious artifact.

“This changes everything,” Tinh Nhược said, her voice taking on a new fierceness. "If we can find more authentic evidence, enough to convince public opinion and even part of the Elder Council, this could be the strongest blow to Kha Bạch Vân's power throughout the history of his rule."

“But we need to be careful,” Bốc Vấn Sơn warned. "This is just one piece of the puzzle. We don't yet know the true use of the Blood Seal, and we don't know why it is so important that Kha Bạch Vân had to massacre an entire village to take it over. If we announce this evidence too early without the last piece of the puzzle, we may have the Holy See distort the truth, turning us into slanderers." Lam Vũ nodded, clearly feeling the importance of caution in this situation. "Then we need to learn more about the Blood Seal. Is there any way to know its true uses?"

"I think there's a possibility," Bốc Vấn Sơn said, his eyes thoughtful. "In the remaining records, I see mention of a location called the 'Repository of Antiquities', deep in the central area of power of the Holy See. If the Blood Seal is truly stored there, perhaps there are also related research documents stored with it."

"But how can we reach the heart of the Holy See's power?" Lam Vũ asked, feeling that the task seemed beyond the reach of the three of them.

"That's why Dai Tri Luyen is more important than ever," Tinh Nhược said, her eyes flashing with a decisive light. "The winner of the Great Trial will not only receive the Aurora Crystal, but will also be granted a title and certain access to high-level areas of the Holy See, including direct audiences with the Council of Elders. If you win, you will have the opportunity to get closer to the center of power we need."

Lam Vũ clearly feels that the weight of the goal has now doubled - not only to save his mother, not only to exonerate Tinh Nhược, but also to expose one of the darkest secrets of a power system that has dominated the galaxy for decades.

"I will win the Grand Trial," he said, his voice filled with unwavering determination. "For your mother, for Tà Huy village, for all those who have suffered under the false rule of the Holy See."

Bốc Vấn Sơn looked at him, his old eyes shining with a deep pride mixed with an indelible worry. "I believe in you, Lam Vũ. But you must remember, the road ahead will become more and more dangerous. Kha Bạch Vân has proven that he is willing to do anything to protect his secret, including massacring an entire innocent community."

"I understand," Lam Vũ replied. "But I have no way back anymore. I will go to the end."

Tinh Nhược placed her hand on his shoulder, her eyes filled with sincere support. "You are not alone. We will go down this path together."

That night, when the three people parted ways to return to their positions before curfew, a common resolve was strengthened more firmly than ever. They know that the road ahead will be full of dangers, that the enemy they face is a force that has ruled the galaxy through lies and violence for generations. But for the first time, they feel they hold part of the key to overthrowing that seemingly invincible force.

Lam Vũ returned to the cabin, lay down and looked up at the familiar stone ceiling, his mind reeling with what he had just discovered. He thought about Kha Bạch Vân, the man who ordered the murder of his entire village just to usurp a mysterious artifact, the man who was still sitting on the throne of power, worshiped by billions of people as the incarnation of god. The fire of indignation in his heart smoldered, mixed with the determination to protect those he loved, forming an inner strength that he knew, sooner or later, would be tested to the ultimate limit in the remaining rounds of the Great Trial.

Before saying goodbye that night, Tinh Nhược also told one more thing that made Lam Vũ think about it for a long time. "From now on, you need to be extra careful with the people around you, including the people you trust the most in the old mining team. Once the Holy See has noticed you, they will not hesitate to install people to closely monitor you, even people you have known for a long time."

"Are you suspicious of someone in particular?" Lam Vũ asked, a bit startled.

"There is no specific evidence yet," Tinh Nhược replied cautiously. "But in my experience, organizations like the Holy See always install surveillance long before they need to be used, especially in communities that are at risk of harboring remnants of events they want to hide, like Tà Huy Village. I don't want you to be so suspicious that you alienate people, but I hope you always maintain a degree of vigilance, even with those closest to you." Lam Vũ nodded, even though in his heart he did not want to believe that anyone in the mining team, especially Tiệp Phong, the friend he had grown up with since childhood, could be a potential threat. But Tinh Nhược's warning was still deeply engraved in his mind, like a small seed of doubt waiting to germinate.

Bốc Vấn Sơn, before leaving the material warehouse, lingered to give further instructions about the next plan. "I will continue to find a way to decode the remaining data, and try to learn more about the Archive of Artifacts I just discovered. If I find more clues, I will find a way to notify you immediately, no matter how risky it is."

"You have to be careful," Lam Vũ said, his voice filled with worry. "If you are discovered, the consequences will be dire."

"I survived the Thôn Tà Huy massacre, survived twenty years of running and suffering," Bốc Vấn Sơn replied, his voice low but determined. "I'm not afraid of danger anymore, I'm only afraid that I will die without seeing justice done for those who have fallen."

The three people parted ways at night, each carrying their own burden but sharing an inextinguishable fire of determination.

Far away in the power center of the Holy See of Quang Nguyên, in a closed room with only crimson light shining from the box sealed with the Blood Seal of the God of War, Kha Bạch Vân stood quietly, his eyes looking at the report he had just received about the candidate with signs of unusual energy at this year's Great Trial Training. A cold, calculating smile softly appeared on his lips.

He ordered a subordinate to wait outside the room door, his voice low and emotionless. "Carefully investigate the background of the contestant with the registration number related to the last match. I want to know exactly who he is, where he comes from, and most importantly, where his true bloodline comes from. If my suspicions are correct, we cannot let such a threat exist any longer."

"It seems," he whispered to himself in the darkness after his subordinates had retreated, his hand gently caressing the cold sealed box, "the bloodline I thought was extinct twenty years ago has finally reappeared."