When the plot-skips players into the game world

"So big!"

After descending, Isabel couldn't help but exclaim, "This is almost as big as half of the Hall of Silver and Tin!"

Unlike ordinary churches, the Lam Champagne Church has a remarkably large basement.

Of course, if you compare it to the Vandome family's castles, it's not comparable. But the size of the Hall of Silver and Tin is not even a sixth of the Lion Heart Hall. As Aiwass would recall, it's like three floors cut out from a five-star hotel. Besides the Round Table Hall and Banquet Hall, which occupy a large area, there are only small rooms like bedrooms, studies, and storage rooms.

"At its core, it's because this Holy Temple itself was converted from a champagne warehouse,"

Sherlock provided the answer from the side.

The basement of this Holy Temple was once a giant wine cellar.

"Because the process of champagne making requires secondary fermentation to produce bubbles, during the bubbling phase, suitable temperature and humidity must be maintained. Hence, a substantial wine cellar is necessary. After successful bubbling, it requires maturing with lees—directly aging with the yeast bred inside the bottle, waiting for them to die and decompose to produce new aromas.

"Usually, this process needs to continue for at least a year, which is also key to producing champagne's unique fragrance. The basement of Lam Champagne Church has a soft and dense chalky limestone shell, extremely suitable for this process."

Sherlock said quietly.

He didn't stop walking but kept tapping the ground gingerly with his cane, cautiously probing every potential trap or mechanism.

Their handheld lanterns had dim light. Even though everyone present had night vision, it wasn't enough to relax their vigilance just because they could "see."

For Sherlock, the trickery of the Lam Company at this level was as simple as being exposed to sunlight.

"They're willing to transfer this wine cellar to the church. In my view... It's not entirely for laundering their reputation.

"Just like Arsene mentioned earlier—they used industrial fragrances. As far as I know, they hired a Stibium Alchemist, who directly mimics the aroma precisely with the fragrance after secondary fermentation."

At this point, Sherlock glanced at Aiwass: "Just like... Master Nobel. Both couldn't accept the atmosphere of the Royal Alchemy Association and were driven out as alchemists. But... ha. The knowledge in their heads is treasure for other nations."

"Indeed,"

Aiwass nodded slightly and said softly, "After proving their abilities, a batch of alchemists then faced assassination attempts from Stibnite spies who wanted to escape Stibnite. Before that, Stibnite people hadn't realized how talented these alchemists, who weren't prominent domestically, really were, because they had so many alchemists... Even if choosing the best, those who could rise were all exceptionally talented."

"When reading books before, I also studied winemaking knowledge."

Sherlock didn't respond, instead speaking directly: "Secondary fermentation only requires two months, but maturing with lees needs at least a year. If the alchemy process can skip this step, they can explode with enough product volume quickly to capture the low-price market.

"Why they handed the wine cellar to the church, they also considered it.

"If it was handed to anyone, it might be sold at a high price because the wine cellar quality is good enough to Saint Reilo Champagne or other champagne manufacturers. It might even become evidence of 'Lam Brand using industrial fragrances' and cause public opinion. Only the church is different—once the above-ground church is built, the church will never move it or sell the land."

This is naturally the case.

—If any church bishop sold the Holy Church for a high bid, it would be a matter enough to alarm the Holy Nation.

Even at the most disgraceful point, it hasn't reached this level of embarrassment!

"And as sponsors, they can continue to use the wine cellar to mature high-quality Lam Brand Champagne to open the high-end market. From this perspective, the church becomes their guards and security—few dare to sneak into a church for theft or poisoning. Even if someone does, it's not their problem but the church's. They can also ask the church for help in purification... It's just donating another batch of funds. The church of Irisflower People is not like Avalon; they must break even on their own, without funding from the Holy Nation and Royal Family."

"In my view... They can even launch a new brand, like 'Blessed Brand Champagne' or something, to sell this batch of champagne purified for long by Holy Light, which may have some extra effects."

Sherlock chuckled, "It's only unclear if they have smart people."

"Hmm?"

Isabel was somewhat puzzled: "But that should have no use, right?"

Though she became a transcendental half a year ago, Isabel is no longer the clueless newbie she once was.

This is simple reasoning—if the purification by churches could fundamentally change the wine, then churches everywhere should have stockpiled wine to sell for funds long ago. Or they could use it as gifts to garner relationships with those in power.

"It's indeed useless,"

Aiwass, the most authoritative person present, provided a definitive answer: "It's merely stored underground in a church; purification of this level can't produce a lasting effect on the liquid—whether underground or even inside the chapel, it won't work.

"If a Blessed Ceremony is used for blessing, like Candle Master Days, its lasting time is typically no more than three days, like Holy Water's preservation time. Even if they wait for it to mature, the champagne might expire before it's distributed to their distributors."

"I'm talking about psychological effects, Fox,"

Sherlock shook his head, "Not everyone understands your Contributor's sanctity process inside out. Most wealthy people are idiots outside their expertise. Business doesn't belong to the Path of Wisdom. Business requires a little... intuition, luck, management, principle, resolve... but none of them are essential. Even without one, it can be compensated by other aspects."

"After all, business also belongs to the field of Balance."

Isabel nodded.

"—Wait."

Suddenly, Arsene's expression changed, and he shouted loudly.

Everyone immediately stopped and looked at him. Sherlock gripped his staff tightly, igniting the blue pupils of Fool's Praise Technique, ready to instantly cast different spells to respond.

Aiwass also clutched Don Quixote's card, cautiously inquiring, "What's wrong, Arsene? Did you sense something?"

Although Arsene, as a "Phantom Thief," doesn't have the Path of Adaptation level... Everyone's opinions and feelings are important, and Aiwass is not the type to disparage a teammate's clear premonition.

Arsene stared intently at the wall, slowly walking forward.

He didn't particularly like this topic.

Just as he always enjoyed teasing corrupt businessmen, he also was reluctant to analyze what the plans, arrangements, or thoughts of the opposite party were. Not to mention those who dared use Contributors... So he hadn't engaged in conversation.

Hence, he focused his attention nearby.

When Sherlock mentioned the wine cellar's "soft and dense chalky limestone shell," he mischievously grabbed a handful, slowly crushing it in his hand—a feeling akin to putty or dry paint. The sensation of crushing felt quite good, so he grabbed another handful after crushing it.

And this time, he felt something unusual...

He crushed those limestone shells and found a thin and delicate tube inside.

Although he could see in the dark as a high-level transcendental, distinguishing colors wasn't easy. But the sensation felt ominous.

"Aiwass," Arsene whispered, "Could you kindly provide some light?"

"Be careful, adjust slowly."

Aiwass reminded everyone.

He didn't even bother to reach out; instead, a dim light blossomed from the antlers on his head. It was the kind of reading light you'd find on a desk lamp, in brightness and color temperature.

In that light, the surroundings appeared like a bare room with unadorned grey walls.

Arsene reached forward, digging out a piece of limestone forcefully.

Unveiling the densely packed tubes beneath. Perhaps due to the exposure to light, or being revealed, they shivered slightly, like nerves in a tooth… Some recoiled subtly as if they were alive.

Bright red, dark red. Interwoven, hidden beneath the earth like electric wires.

"...It's blood vessels."

Sherlock's expression shifted dramatically, blurting out, "These are all human blood vessels!"

As soon as he spoke, those blood vessels began to twitch violently!