FALLEN ORACLE

**Chapter 5: Meeting the Headmaster Again (2)**

"Madam, please step over here." When it was Chen Yi's turn, a guard directed him.Disguised as Mary, Chen Yi suppressed his inner unease and excitement and stepped under a magic mirror.A purple flash of psionic magic appeared. The guard glanced at the mage operating the mirror. The latter nodded, and the guard turned back: "You may enter."Once inside Redblade Avenue, Chen Yi let out a long sigh of relief. Though he was confident in Tiya's magic and his own training, this was the first time he had been tested.If he had failed, it would have cost more than his own life.Looking at the orderly government district before him, he could not help but reflect: if not for the atrocities committed against the lower realm and against Tiya, the upper realm would be quite a nice place.---Soon, Chen Yi walked along Redblade Avenue to the entrance of the Magic Net Department building. He steadied his mind and stepped inside.In truth, he had hesitated about whether to transform into Lynde or Mary. He knew nothing about either of them except that the insignia on their uniforms indicated they belonged to the Lower Realm Management Office of the Magic Net Department.It was only a few days ago, when he had spotted them in the queue, that he even confirmed their workplace was in this building on Redblade Avenue.After much deliberation, he decided to enter as Mary. Her rank was lower, and presumably her status was lower accordingly.Thus, fewer people in the building might know her than would know the higher‑ranking Lynde, reducing the risk of exposure.His plan was: if he encountered an area that Mary's rank could not access, he would transform into Lynde and enter.According to his earlier investigation, this sixty‑storey Magic Net Department building housed over twenty subordinate agencies. The offices of the Lower Realm Management Office were on the first three basement levels, B1 to B3.Though Mary and her colleagues might grumble about the lack of light in the basement, such an arrangement seemed quite fitting for a department that "managed the lower realm."---Once inside the building, Chen Yi entered a lobby with a ten‑metre ceiling. The lobby, dominated by brown and grey tones, was not particularly splendid, but was certainly dignified and imposing.At the far end of the lobby were a dozen enhancement magic shafts. When staff entered them, the embedded cores would cast enhancement magic, allowing them to fly quickly to their desired floor.It was said that this design was also inspired by the Demons' technological achievements. After all, in an upper realm where mana equalled money, the government could not reasonably expect staff to spend their own mana travelling within the building.The basement floors, by contrast, could be reached by ordinary stairs. At the entrance separating the shafts from the stairs, Chen Yi faced the second security check."Mary, coming in to work on a rest day?" After he passed the psionic identification, a security officer smiled amiably."Yes. A bit of unfinished business," Chen Yi replied offhandedly.He felt a flash of alarm. It seemed this "Mary" was somewhat well‑known within the department. He could only hope that the security guard was simply familiar with everyone's identities, and that if there were too many acquaintances in the department, trouble might follow.Fortunately, as it was a rest day, there were not many people in the Lower Realm Management Office.Chen Yi knew that in the eyes of ordinary Celestial citizens, the Lower Realm Management Office was one of the more unremarkable branches of the Magic Net Department. Its main duty was to monitor the lower realm and the Fallen Race, transmitting trivial intelligence to the Council of Elders.In the *Suss Daily*, the office could carve out only a small space each week to announce its meagre findings.After all, with the two realms now cut off and no teleportation magic, the lower realm was not even a "neighbouring country." Who cared about neighbours who might as well live in another star?But Chen Yi, coming from the lower realm, knew that this so‑called "Lower Realm Management Office" was far from as simple as it appeared.Given the symbol at the Star Gate's exit and the likelihood that the Pope was assigned by this department, it might well be the real manager of the lower realm.---Though he had taken Mary's form, Chen Yi still wanted to keep a low profile.He did not want to leave such a strong impression on Mary's colleagues that they would later say to the real Mary, "How was your overtime work on your rest day?" If things unravelled, the one in trouble would be Chen Yi.And using the Forgetfulness spell recklessly in this heavily guarded building, filled with unknown magic circles, was extremely dangerous.Chen Yi carefully made his way down the corridor, intending first to learn the layout of the building.B1 contained about a dozen offices, each with neatly arranged desks and filing cabinets. Most of the offices were closed; only a few where people were working had their doors open.From his Psionic Locks, Chen Yi knew that Mary's office was on B2 and Lynde's on B3. To wander into an office on B1 without being able to explain his purpose would be unwise.So, though he was very interested in the contents of the filing cabinets, he patiently went down to B2 and B3.But then Chen Yi was stumped. The doors to Mary's and Lynde's offices were locked. None of their office‑mates were working on the rest day.A miniature magic circle was engraved on each door. Chen Yi could not unlock them. Even if he tried a little, he risked triggering unknown alarms.Was he just going on a sightseeing tour of the Magic Net Department? To return empty‑handed was not his style, but now he seemed helpless.Just then, a seemingly solid wall on B3 split open. The c***k grew wider. A man walked out right in front of Chen Yi's astonished eyes.The man did not seem to know Mary well; he nodded slightly and left quickly.How could Chen Yi miss such an opportunity? He quickly slipped in before the wall closed, and found a stairwell.The Lower Realm Management Office, which supposedly occupied only three basement floors, actually had a B4?Of course, this was not surprising to Chen Yi. If they did not hide their secrets well, how could they maintain such an innocuous public image?---Chen Yi's curiosity grew as he descended. When he came out of the stairwell, he found himself in a huge, brightly lit underground space.Before him was a suspended walkway. Below the walkway were several transparent rooms. Anyone on the walkway could see into these rooms perfectly.Chen Yi saw that one of the transparent rooms contained something.He looked more closely. Inside that otherwise empty room was a body of light and flame, and a dark cyan stone shining at an empty spot.Chen Yi immediately recognised it: this was the "Sanctuary" that Carl had described – the place where everyone went during their Divine Communion.