Universe Infinite Canteen

```

Two pieces of Golden Equipment, one priced at 100,000 and the other at 80,000 Atonement Points.

While purchasing new equipment, Ma Lu heard something that caught his attention.

Last time, he and Li Wei brought back the damaged Magic Wand belonging to the Shrike to prove her death, which sparked great interest among the researchers at the Weaponry Department.

The equipment used by Fallen Witches usually came from Witches they had killed or from defective products that had managed to leak out of the Holy Temple City through some indescribable channels.

This meant they did not manufacture equipment themselves.

However, the Weaponry Department couldn't find any information on the Shrike's Magic Wand in the Armory.

—This was a brand-new weapon.

The Church's higher-ups took this matter very seriously, as it suggested that the Witch Alliance might have already mastered the art of weapon manufacturing.

Moreover, the Weaponry Department's research found that the quality of the Magic Wand was even superior to that of the Church.

This discovery caused a stir in the department.

It gathered the brightest minds of the entire Holy Temple City, who had access to an unending supply of money, materials, and equipment from the Church. Yet, their research on Witches' equipment lagged behind that of the traitors outside the city who lived day-to-day.

This was something they simply couldn't accept, so almost all the researchers put aside their current tasks and devoted themselves to analyzing and testing this wand.

The more they studied it, the more it shocked them. The complexity and advancement of the weapon far exceeded their imaginations.

It was so powerful it seemed out of place in this era; fortunately, the Shrike had been taken out by a missile before she could use it, or even someone as strong as Li Wei might not have been able to defeat her.

This description made Ma Lu think of his own Blue Mini Drill.

Could it be that the Shrike, like him, had found a relic left by the Pointy Hat?

But the Shrike didn't have a Traveler's Bracelet like he did, to check the messages that Pointy Hat had left behind hundreds of years ago.

Besides, Pointy Hat was just a PhD student, not some intelligence agent or secret operative; having one backup with some spare items was common sense, but multiple safe houses were unlikely. If he had been that cautious, he wouldn't have been so badly betrayed by a good friend.

And Ma Lu was sure that no one had entered the secret backup before he discovered it.

So, where could the Shrike's relic have come from?

Ma Lu had some guesses, but he wasn't too keen on wading into those murky waters. After collecting his new armor and buying new equipment from the Weaponry Department, he returned to the sixth-floor hall.

The man who called himself the Messenger, a Monk, was already waiting there for him.

The promotion ceremony for Master was not complicated. When all the senior members of the Sacred Order of Knights had assembled, someone began by reading out Ma Lu's accomplishments as a Knight.

However, since he had only recently joined the Sacred Order of Knights, his list of accomplishments was noticeably meager compared to the other 12 Masters.

Li Wei was well aware of this fact and thus deliberately allotted more credit for the killing of the Shrike to Ma Lu. In his statement to the Church, he claimed that Ma Lu had fought alongside him against the Shrike and played a crucial role.

With Ma Lu having recently eliminated a group of Fallen Witches hiding in the Redstone Grand Canyon, his record of achievements just barely passed muster.

```

Afterward, the leader of the Sacred Order of Knights, Martin, stepped forward and personally presented Ma Lu with the Master's Medal and a longsword.

It was the first time Ma Lu had seen this titular head of the Sacred Order of Knights.

Martin was very old, appearing to be at least in his seventies, with a full head of white hair and deep wrinkles on his face. However, he stood very straight, his enunciation was clear when he spoke, and there was no slowness in his movements.

As an elderly man, his body was undoubtedly still healthy.

However, as the leader of the Sacred Order of Knights, being healthy was clearly not enough. Ma Lu had even heard rumors that Martin no longer had the strength to wear his own knight's armor and had not been to the front lines for about twenty years; in recent years, he had left the daily affairs of the Order to others.

No wonder Li Wei harbored ambitions to replace him.

Besides Li Wei, the Sacred Order of Knights also had a deputy leader who was about a decade younger than Martin and still in his prime—sadly, he had health issues and had spent most of the past few years seeking treatment.

Therefore, Li Wei had essentially become the de facto head of the Order.

Martin handed the sword to Ma Lu and then patted him on the shoulder, smiling and saying,

"Congratulations on being promoted to Master, Knight Ximu. I hope you will continue to serve the Church and the Sacred Order of Knights. May the light of the Master of Order shine upon you forever."

Ma Lu couldn't tell if it was his own misconception, but it seemed like Martin had laid particular emphasis on 'Church' and 'Sacred Order of Knights.'

He took the sword, nodding and saying, "I will."

Afterward, Ma Lu took his oath, and the other twelve Masters came forward one by one to bless him and welcome him into the Round Table Assembly.

After such an ordeal, Ma Lu finally completed the entire promotion ceremony and officially became a Master of the Sacred Order of Knights.

Once the ceremony concluded, Martin approached him at the first opportunity, quite warmly inviting him to the office on the 33rd floor to discuss the future development of the Order of Knights with him.

However, Ma Lu tactfully declined, and then Martin saw Ma Lu walking towards Li Wei right in front of him, his expression suddenly turning quite ugly.

Contrastingly, Li Wei seemed quite pleased with Ma Lu's attitude.

"Good. It seems that you have kept a clear head even after becoming a Master; this is rare. Remember, just as I had the power to make you a Master, I can also strip you of your title."

He paused, and his tone softened a bit, "Now that you're a Master, don't just focus on completing missions. You should also be involved in the management of the Order of Knights. I've already arranged your specific duties, and the appointment will be announced in due time.

"But there's no need to rush. Before that, take some time to relax. Oh, and next week, there will be a celebration in the city to commemorate the 230th anniversary of the establishment of Holy Temple City. The Church will temporarily lift the prohibition, and we might even have a drink together then."

Unlike Martin, Li Wei did not speak in a tone of negotiation. The aura of the deputy leader of the Sacred Order of Knights was even more formidable than that of the titular leader, as if everything was under his control, brooking no questions.

With the elimination of the Shrike, Li Wei's prestige within the Sacred Order of Knights had reached its peak, completely overshadowing Martin.

Ma Lu speculated that he must also have prepared for a takeover. The rift between him and Martin was now completely exposed. Based on Ma Lu's observation, most of the other twelve Masters had also made their choices, with the majority clearly supporting Li Wei.

Perhaps in a few months, the Sacred Order of Knights would truly see a change of power.

But this was of little consequence to Ma Lu. His title of Master had come without effort; he was indifferent to keeping or losing it. At worst, he would just lose the title again.