Apostle’s Introduction: Quests, Keepers, and Infernal Bureaucracy

After the main quest updated, I also found information about Daily and Weekly quests. However, these tasks were still locked. The only ones I could currently complete were three newly unlocked Side Quests.

[Side Quest: Campus Ghost Stories.]
[Quest Description: Every school seems to have its own collection of ghost stories. While most are nothing more than baseless rumors, there is often a glimmer of truth hidden within them.]
[Quest Reward: ????]
[Completion Conditions: ????]

This side quest had been triggered when my best friend, Fatty, told me about the school’s haunting. Yet, for some reason, both the quest reward and completion conditions were displayed as question marks.

When I inquired about it, Ling Chen explained, “This quest is not something Sister can complete right now, so the information remains hidden from you for the time being.”

“Is this side quest difficult?”

“Extremely difficult. Sister, it would be best if you focused on completing your main quest first. Only after you’ve enhanced your strength should you consider taking on this task.”

“But if these ghost stories are true, won’t my classmates be in danger?”

“Didn’t your best friend mention students seeing ghostly figures at school? If that’s all there is to it, then this particular ghost story is still under control. Rest assured, I can tell you that our school actually has Keepers actively investigating this matter. However, I’ll keep the identity of that Keeper a secret for now.”

Our school has Keepers?

This piece of information sent my mind racing. What would a real-life Keeper look like? Could I possibly know a few of them already?

Still, it’s unlikely anyone close to me is a Keeper. I should probably pay more attention to the strangers I encounter in my daily life and discreetly observe their actions.

Such a distinguished existence as a Keeper must surely be out of the ordinary.

[Side Quest: Dust to Dust.]
[Quest Description: ‘By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.’ Many people depart suddenly amidst their busy lives. Please help their weary souls, which continue to wander in the mortal realm.]
[Quest Reward: Experience Points, Random Skill Book, Faith Points.]
[Completion Conditions: Exorcise Wandering Souls (0/6).]

This side quest seemed rather straightforward to complete. Coupled with the slight experience I had already gained in exorcising wandering souls, I decided to tackle this one first.

[Side Quest: Rookie on the Road.]
[Quest Description: An Apostle who cannot fight is not a good Apostle. Embrace your first battle!]
[Quest Reward: Experience Points, Random Skill Book, Faith Points, Exclusive Weapon.]
[Completion Conditions: ????]

More question marks. Do I truly need to engage in combat?

I’m not interested in an action-packed shounen narrative! Couldn’t I have some occasional, out-of-the-ordinary school romance instead?!

However… the prospect of an ‘exclusive weapon’ certainly piques my interest.

When thinking of the most suitable weapon for a beautiful girl, one couldn’t help but picture a katana. The stark aesthetic contrast of a slender, delicate girl wielding a cold, bloodthirsty katana is incredibly appealing!

Yet, as a semi-military enthusiast, I much prefer firearms over melee weapons. If I can ambush someone from afar, I would never confront them head-on. As long as I survive to the end, I can deal the most damage!

Following this logic, people need to stop complaining about squishy ADCs being hard to play. Just try a tanky ADC build instead! I tried it once in a MOBA. The opposing team cursed me out ruthlessly, but the sheer joy of face-tanking them while shooting was undeniable!

Wielding swords and staves feels too barbaric. Why not choose the civilized path of modern firearms?

“Sister, I’m coming in.”

With a click, the light from the hallway instantly flooded my retinas. I covered my eyes and cried out, “Ugh, close the door! It’s too bright!”

“Sister, you’re not a vampire. Why do you like staying in the dark so much?”

“I was sleeping!”

Ling Chen switched on my room light, watching me squirm under my blanket. He sighed helplessly. “I’d be relieved if a degenerate night owl like you could actually manage to sleep before midnight, Sister.”

Gradually, my eyes adjusted to the light. I slowly opened them, noticing Ling Chen holding something in his hand.

“What are you holding?”

“This?” Ling Chen held up a plain-looking envelope. “I found this envelope at the door just now. It’s for you, Sister.”

“For me?”

Curiously, I took the envelope and examined it closely. It seemed no different from any standard envelope you could buy at the market. I pulled out the letter inside, which contained only a single line of printed text:

“Welcome, Miss ‘Apostle,’ to your new post!”

Aside from that one line, the letter bore no signature. I looked at Ling Chen, puzzled. “What is this?”

Before I could finish speaking, the letter in my hand suddenly grew scorching hot. Instinctively, I flung it away.

In mid-air, the letter spontaneously combusted into black flames—ominous and sinister. In an instant, it was completely annihilated, leaving not even a speck of ash behind.

I patted my chest, still shaken. “Hey! Whose sick prank was that? What if it had ignited something and caused a fire?! That was way too dangerous!”

“It seems like a show of force,” Ling Chen chuckled. “I didn’t expect Sister to be targeted so quickly.”

Still reeling, I tilted my head and asked, “Targeted?”

Ling Chen nodded. “It appears someone has recognized Sister’s identity as an ‘Apostle.’”

My face fell. “No way! I don’t know anything, I haven’t even figured out what an Apostle’s job fully entails, and I’m already being targeted by some mysterious people?! They wouldn’t try to harm me, would they?”

“No, no, they couldn’t possibly harm Sister. Only those from Hell could so quickly detect your identity.”

I grew increasingly bewildered. “Hell?”

“If God exists, what’s so strange about Hell existing? However, in this modern era, Heaven and Hell aren’t exactly mortal enemies; they’re corporate competitors.”

I suddenly recalled the System’s mission description: ‘Better to work yourself to death than let your competitors starve.’ Could they be the competitors?

“So, by becoming an Apostle, I’m stealing work from those guys in Hell, which makes them unhappy, so they’re giving me a warning?”

Ling Chen snapped his fingers. “Bingo!”

I replied, exasperated, “Who wants to compete with them for work? I’d much rather slack off!”

“Haha, Sister, you still haven’t grasped the reason for their warning. Let’s put it this way: those from Hell are the ordinary employees toiling away at the grassroots level, while you, Sister, are a highly connected individual who was parachuted directly into a leadership position by the CEO. Naturally, they wouldn’t take kindly to you.”

“So, my status is higher than theirs?”

“More than just higher. Sister, you are essentially an imperial envoy directly subordinate to God, while they are mere low-level officials who have likely never even met their own boss, Satan.”

“Then why do they dare to threaten me with a warning?!”

“A mighty dragon cannot suppress a local snake, let alone when the ‘companies’ you work for are different. They naturally act without restraint. Also, insubordination is a traditional art among those from Hell. They wouldn’t even obey a Great Demon, let alone you.”

I pondered this. “They’re incredibly bold, aren’t they? Won’t they be punished for defying their superiors?”

Ling Chen chuckled. “Sister, entities from the Inner World find it very difficult to enter the Surface World. If Hell were to lose the people working here in the Surface World, Hell’s entire bureaucracy might become paralyzed. Therefore, the grassroots employees of Hell who remain in the Surface World receive even better treatment than some of the bigshots back down below. If angered, they would collectively go on strike under the leadership of their self-formed unions, and the consequences would be unimaginable.”

I retorted, “That’s so incredibly modern. They even unionize and go on strike.”

Ling Chen continued, “Thus, even though they work themselves to death at the grassroots level, they have no desire to return to Hell. Instead, they desperately wish to remain in the Surface World. Many of them have even married and had children here.”

“They can get married and have children?!”

It seems this world is truly riddled with supernatural infiltration. I seriously worry for humanity.