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Chapter 385: A Story About Love

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Looking at the dark sky being lit up by streaks of lightning, Derrick didn't knock on the doors of the few acquaintances he knew. Instead, he walked along the broadest road and walked all the way to the training field at the edge of the City of Silver.

After each exploration team returned, they were forced to stay here for a certain period of time. Not only would it be convenient for them to communicate and report on the things they encountered in the darkness, but they would also be quarantined in a tactful manner to guard against strange things that might latch onto any member's body and suddenly erupt after a certain amount of time.

This was the result of the City of Silver's two thousand years of experience. It wasn't that complicated, but it was quite useful.

As soon as he entered the training ground with the Axe of Hurricane stuffed behind his waist, Derrick Berg's eyes suddenly lit up. He saw the gorgeous Elder Lovia, who seemed to be in her thirties, as well as two familiar faces that were his age.

Due to the City of Silver's limited environment, its population was unable to grow any further. The number of people of a certain age group was an adequate number, and although Derrick wouldn't dare say he knew all of them, he had seen a majority of them before. He was classmates and partners with some of them during general education classes and on the practice grounds.

The person Derrick was most familiar with on this expedition team was Darc Regence, who had once been his patrol teammate.

The youngster named Darc was of medium height and was slightly chubby. He was strong, optimistic, and cheerful. His face often beamed with a friendly smile. Currently, he was a Sequence 8 Gladiator of the Giant pathway.

At this moment, the two parties were separated by a translucent wall that was as hard as steel, making it impossible for them to make any effective form of contact. They had to wait until the members of the exploration team were confirmed to have no problems before they could meet directly.

Derrick, who had become silent and withdrawn since the death of his parents, waved to Darc.

Noticing this, the Gladiator turned his head to the side and looked over.

"Darc, how was it? You didn't encounter any danger, did you? " Derrick shouted.

The material used to create the black wall in that area came from somewhere that wasn't far from the City of Silver and was called Dark Amber. It was hard as steel, but at the same time, it possessed a certain degree of transparency and had properties that made it good for transmitting sound. Derrick's speech went through unobstructed.

Derrick imagined that Darc would definitely smile brightly and wave his arms out of habit, saying, "Take a look, I'm not injured at all, so shouldn't it be obvious that we didn't meet with any danger. It was nothing!"

Hearing his voice, Darc walked a few steps closer to the wall and answered with a smile, "No, everything went smoothly."

Looking at his smile without any faults, Derrick suddenly felt a chill run through his body. It was just like he was camping in a ruined tower or a ruined city at night. Darkness was all around him as they accumulated into overwhelming horror.

…

Inside the Quelaag Club, Klein and Dr. Aaron agreed on the remuneration: two pounds!

I have to say that a doctor's money sure is easy to earn… If it were me in the past, such a request would have cost at most 10 soli… Klein, who already had the intention to take the mission, sighed in his heart.

He remembered that during his time with the Nighthawks, he had heard Corpse Collector Frye mention that famous doctors had very high incomes.

At the time, in a response that was unlike the poet, Leonard Mitchell, he said that as far as he knew, if a house was bought in a busy borough in Backlund for a storefront, the quickest option would be to turn it into a clinic.

They agreed to call on Will Auceptin's place after dinner. It wasn't three o'clock in the afternoon, so the equestrian teacher, Talim, gathered the three of them together at a table, and they began playing a game of Upgrade, the game which was invented by Emperor Roselle.

What I expected was to play tennis, practice shooting, flip through the books in the library, and live a healthy life… But why did it become like this… Klein spontaneously thought in between the card game.

Frankly, with his current accomplishments in "magic," he could've easily cleared out all the money Dr. Aaron, Reporter Mike, and Talim had on them.

But I'm an honest man, and I believe more in my skills and luck… As the red-vested attendant shuffled the cards, Klein picked up a cream cracker and took a savory bite.

He couldn't help but marvel from the bottom of his heart, This is life!

During the game, Klein noticed one thing—the equestrian teacher, Talim, was no longer in a daze or as upset as he was before.

Has the matter of his friend falling in love with someone he shouldn't have been resolved? Klein thought curiously as he sipped the marquis black tea.

As a detective, he knew that this wasn't something he should ask in front of others, so he restrained himself and concentrated on his card game.

By five o'clock, Mike Joseph had to go back to his company, so the game was suspended and Klein won five soli.

My luck has been quite good recently… While Klein sighed with relief, he saw Dr. Aaron leave the table for the washroom. He controlled his voice and said with a low laugh, "Talim, has your friend's problem been settled?"

Talim, who was throwing the cards in his hands onto the table, paused for a second before sighing with a smile.

"You could say so."

He added with a certain desire to continue, "Actually, it wasn't too serious. It was because I was thinking too much at the time.

"Simply put, it was an illustrious young gentleman who fell in love with a commoner. You should know that a man of such status has to marry a noble lady. Heh, to him, not even the daughter of a rich man can do."

So that's how it is… To think that I made up all sorts of contrived and bizarre stories, such as falling in love with a man, a monster, or a person that isn't permitted because of moral principles… Klein was disappointed and said with a laugh, "As far as I know, gentlemen of high society don't mind having a mistress."

"No, Sherlock, you don't understand. Love, do you get it? Love! That young gentleman only wants to marry that commoner woman," Talim exclaimed with a sigh.

No, I don't understand, I'm just a bachelor dog 1 . Klein opened his mouth, unable to respond.

Talim sighed to himself.

"For the sake of that young gentleman's future, I once thought of asking you to find people with some miraculous abilities to covertly, heh heh… Anyways, I'm a law-abiding citizen, so it was just an idea."

"How was the matter resolved afterward?" Klein asked with interest.

Talim picked up his highlander coffee and took a sip.

"The solution was much simpler than I thought. I went straight to the lady and told her of the dilemma. She sensibly expressed her willingness to leave the gentleman and asked for my help.

"I must say that she's truly a considerate, kind, refined, and beautiful girl. If it wasn't for the consideration of my identity, perhaps I would've knelt in front of her and kissed the back of her hand."

"Well, it seems like I couldn't have helped." Klein picked up the golden-rimmed white porcelain cup of black tea.

As a visitor from Earth, he was completely uninterested in the task of breaking up couples.

However, listening to gossip was another matter altogether.

…

After having dinner at the Quelaag Club and tasting the limited-supply of Sonia Lobsters, Klein and Dr. Aaron took the latter's carriage to Will Auceptin's house at 66 Dalton Street in North Borough.

This was the address that Dr. Aaron had long since memorized. He didn't return to the hospital to look up the appropriate medical records, and according to Klein's conjecture, any relevant information pertaining to Will Auceptin would likely have been taken away by the Nighthawks.

As a former Nighthawk, I know exactly how they do things… Klein smiled bitterly and sighed.

Pulling the doorbell, the two waited for a while before they saw the door open. A maid in a black and white dress puzzledly asked, "Gentlemen, who are you looking for?"

Seeing that Aaron was still as cold as usual, Klein took the initiative to speak up.

"We're looking for Will Auceptin. This is his attending physician. He came back to check on his health."

"I-I don't know him. I've only been here for a few days… I'll get my master. Please wait a moment," the maid answered blankly.

While they were waiting, Aaron suddenly said, "I almost believed the reason you came up with just now."

"This is a basic quality of being a detective." Klein chuckled.

At that moment, an old gentleman in his fifties walked to the door and said with a deep voice, "Will Auceptin and his family have already moved away on…"

He gave a date.

Aaron did a slight count before frowning.

"Why would they go through the trouble to move two days after being discharged from the hospital after the operation?"

He acted like he was really on a follow-up visit.

Klein was slightly puzzled and asked, "Sir, how do you know the date so clearly?"

Typically speaking, subsequent tenants would only move in after a certain period of time.

That old gentleman snappily replied, "Someone came to ask before, and I even went to look for the landlord just for that."

The Nighthawks… Klein asked without much hope, "Do you know where Will Auceptin and his family moved to?"

"No," the old man said tersely.

"Did they leave anything behind?" Klein hesitated for a moment before continuing with his questions.

"Some stuff," the old man took a deep breath and continued, "but they were all taken away by the previous group of people!"

Meeting colleagues truly is a helpless matter… They can always think of the things you think of ahead of time… Klein couldn't help but sigh.

Seeing that there were no further clues, Klein and Aaron politely excused themselves and left 66 Dalton Street.

"It seems like you'll have to wait a long time before you can resolve your doubts." Klein turned to Dr. Aaron.

Aaron was silent for a few seconds, then he slowly let out a breath.

"After what happened just now, I'm not so troubled anymore. I'm just a doctor, and it's good enough to mind my own affairs. I should return to do a follow-up check-up and not question the situation, what other people think, or why they're not kind. That shouldn't be something I should be concerned with. In the future, I should just try to maintain the relationship between a doctor and a patient as much as possible."

"It's for the best that you can think this way." Klein agreed from the bottom of his heart, then he casually asked, "At the time, what was wrong with Will Auceptin's left leg?"

"His left calf grew a strange tumor that coincidentally formed a ring that pressed down heavily onto his blood vessels." Dr. Aaron recalled as he said, "But the kid didn't look too upset, just a little scared, and we wanted to preserve the leg at first, but it was getting worse."

Chapter 386: A Nightmare

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

City of Silver.

Derrick Berg had no idea how he got home. All he remembered was the indescribable horror.

Darc Regence's character and behavior didn't appear too different from his former self. However, it was true that there was a change to him that was unsettling. Derrick was afraid that the City of Silver would be targeted by the evil god, the Fallen Creator; afraid that the City of Silver would be obliterated before he could become The Sun, saving it from its more than two-thousand-year-long curse; and give hope and sunshine to the residents here.

At that moment in time, he hated himself for not being strong enough—that he was still only at Sequence 8.

No! I can't just watch idly! Derrick suddenly stood up, and he prepared to rush to the spire and tell the other elders of the six-member council and Chief Colin Iliad of what he had discovered.

However, Derrick knew that such anomalies weren't suspicious. Every time they explored the depths of the darkness, the members would have a period of intense tension lasting for days, tens of days, or even more than a month.

In addition, the uninhabited desolate plains and the hopeless journey would bring about extreme depression. In addition, in order to be safe, the members of the exploration team wouldn't be allowed to release any sexual urges that had been pent up during their excursions, which caused them to act differently after every exploration. If they ended up with more than half the team ending up dead or injured, a huge change in personality wasn't a rare occurrence.

The manner of handling such people could only be dealt with via the usual quarantine and treatment with almost zero exceptions.

The City of Silver had the first three Sequences of the Dragon pathway, so there was no lack of Psyche Analysts.

Derrick rushed to the door and suddenly slowed down.

He knew that this method of reporting to the six-member council might not be effective. It would likely arouse suspicion, and there might even be the threat of being targeted by the Shepherd, Elder Lovia.

After pacing back and forth for more than ten seconds, Derrick gritted his teeth and pulled the door open.

He felt that he had to warn the elders of the six-member council, even if it would be a huge risk for him!

For the vast majority of the residents of the City of Silver, sacrificing their lives to maintain the existence of this city and the continuation of this civilization was the belief that was ingrained into their bones.

Selfish people often didn't live long in such environments regardless of whether it was outside or inside.

Of course, Derrick wasn't completely reckless. Under the tutelage of the members of the Tarot Club, especially The Hanged Man, he clearly understood that there were times when one had to be patient, protect himself properly, and avoid unnecessary sacrifices in order to better defend the City of Silver.

I'll only talk about the abnormality I observed. It shouldn't be dangerous… Derrick consoled himself, running faster and faster.

Finally, he saw the spire that represented the highest authority in the City of Silver.

He found a Beyonder on duty and made a request to meet with the Chief.

To Derrick's surprise, the Beyonder didn't ask the usual questions. After simply passing on the information, he was led up the stairs to the Chief's room.

Very strange… It's different from before… Derrick felt that the changes in the details made him more uneasy.

Entering the room, he saw Chief Colin Iliad standing in front of a wall.

This tall elder, with his deep blue eyes and messy white hair, had his back facing two swords that hung on the wall. He wore his usual flaxen-colored shirt and brown coat, and it was hard to believe that he was an expert who had successfully hunted many devils and monsters.

"Derrick Berg, what matter would actually require you to tell me it, face to face?" Colin asked in a deep voice.

"Your Excellency." Derrick saluted. "I met the team that was sent to explore that temple at the training grounds today. I-I found that the Darc Regence I know has experienced a strange change. He's no longer as cheerful as he was before, and his smile is as polite as a stranger's. Also, Elder Lovia doesn't frequently change the way she speaks like she usually did."

Colin looked deeply at Derrick and asked in a low voice, "Just these two things?"

"Yes, yes." Derrick lowered his head. "I think there might be something unusual about that."

Colin waved his hand and said, "I got it, I'll get Aiflor to do an investigation. You may return. In the future, you just need to report such matters to the guardian of the spire directly."

Aiflor was the City of Silver's most experienced Psyche Analyst who was closest to Sequence 6. It was a pity that there was no potion formula after Sequence 7.

After receiving such an answer, Derrick left gloomily.

Looking at Derrick's back as he disappeared by the door, Colin sighed in disappointment.

…

After talking to Dr. Aaron about Will Auceptin's situation for a while. Klein got off the carriage and took the steam metro. After three stops, he arrived near Minsk Street and switched to a trackless public carriage to return home.

As it was still early, he used divination to confirm that the previous tenant wasn't lying, and then he diligently continued to study the Book of Secrets.

Ever since he had obtained this mysterious book, Klein's use of the mysterious space above the gray fog became more and more ingenious as he completed many more outstanding techniques.

"What limits me now is my own Sequence, my own strength, and spirituality." Late at night, Klein hid the Book of Secrets and went to the bathroom to wash up, in preparation for bed.

That night, he slept soundly. Even the church bells in the morning only made him turn over.

Winter is the best time to stay in bed… Klein grunted and got up.

To reward the Hero Bandit Dark Emperor, he had a sugared hard-boiled egg and strawberry jam he specially bought to match with white bread.

Just as he was enjoying his meal, the doorbell suddenly rang.

"Didn't I tell Mike to come after breakfast?" He took a sip of the sweet soup and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

According to his agreement with Reporter Mike, he would only arrive half an hour after breakfast before they began interviewing the rescued girls of East Borough. If Mike didn't appear after half an hour, then it meant that the matter would be delayed by a day.

Klein walked to the door, but before he could reach out his hand, the outline of a visitor appeared in his mind. He wasn't Reporter Mike Joseph but Dr. Aaron Ceres.

"Good morning, Aaron. Did you sleep late last night?" Klein noticed that Aaron's face was pale, so he quietly activated his Spirit Vision to take a look.

Aaron took off his hat and cane and started to take off his coat, but the cold air in the room stopped him.

Klein laughed dryly and said, "As you know, I'll be going out today. Mike might come looking for me, so I didn't light up the fireplace."

Aaron nodded and didn't say anything else. He followed Klein into the living room, found a seat and sat down.

"Sherlock, I had a nightmare last night. I dreamed about that child, Will Auceptin!"

Nightmare? This is within the limits of my knowledge… I'm a professional when it comes to interpreting dreams, far more professional than deduction… Klein leaned forward, clasped his hands, and said, "What kind of nightmare?"

Aaron recalled and said, "There are some details and processes that I can't remember. What I remember most is a tall, pitch-black steeple with a huge silver snake coiled around it. It was moving slowly, looking at me with its cold, merciless red eyes.

"I don't know why, but I entered the steeple, and I would go up the stairs and, at other times, down the stairs, going through walls after walls, and one locked door after another. Finally, I found the child called Will Auceptin in a dark corner. He hopped a few steps on one leg and curled up against the wall, with tarot cards scattered everywhere beside him.

"When he saw me, he was scared and happy. He called out, 'Dr. Aaron'… The whole dream was roughly like that before I woke up."

Klein listened attentively and thought for a while before asking, "Did Will Auceptin say anything else?"

Aaron frowned in thought before suddenly saying, "Yes, he said, 'Dr. Aaron, a snake wants to eat me!'

"Following that, a giant silver snake hung down from the ceiling, its head facing me…

"Its mouth was very big, but it has no teeth, no tongue, and it was completely blood-red!"

Silver giant snake… A pitch-black steeple… Will Auceptin protected under layers of protection… Klein said to Dr. Aaron in a measured voice, "It's not a very strange dream. It likely has you subconsciously sensing some kind of predicament he was in while you were talking to Will Auceptin, that he was being threatened by something. That's why you dreamed of something like this: a child hiding in the depths of a tall steeple, behind countless walls and doors, huge silver snakes coiling around the top of the steeple…

"Heh heh, as a detective, we know a little bit of psychology. It's also often talked about in the newspapers.

"What I don't understand is why you didn't have such a dream until today."

Klein didn't lie about his interpretation, but he didn't reveal the possible true reasons behind it.

Aaron opened his mouth and said, "I was in too much of a hurry just now and forgot to mention something."

As he spoke, he took out a leather wallet and took out a fairly exquisitely folded paper crane.

"After realizing that Will Auceptin and his family had moved away, I remembered that he had given me this before he left the hospital, saying, 'Doctor, this will bring you good luck.'

"I didn't pay much attention to it at the time and casually threw it into the office drawer. After parting with you last night, I went to retrieve it and put it in my wallet. As a result, I had a nightmare that very night."

Klein looked at the paper crane, nodded thoughtfully and said, "Dr. Aaron, it looks like Will Auceptin didn't deliberately bring you bad luck. He had made up for it later. The paper crane invented by Emperor Roselle is meant to act as symbolism for wishing you well; besides, he said it would bring you good luck."

Aaron subconsciously asked, "Origami was invented by Emperor Roselle?"

I don't know if it's him, but I think it's likely him… Klein smiled.

"Probably."

Chapter 387: The Uniqueness of a Spirit World

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Aaron was relieved by Klein's explanation and reassurance, and he prepared to observe for a few more days to see if there were any more nightmares such as this.

After sending the famous surgeon out of the door with a smile, Klein's expression suddenly became solemn, as if he was thinking about something.

There was no problem with his interpretation of the dream. The pitch-black steeple, the walls and doors that blocked his path, and the giant silver snake, they all symbolized that Will Auceptin was in a situation where he was threatened by something that symbolized the child's fear and helplessness, as well as his attempts to hide behind layers of protection.

But the problem was that this was unlikely to be a revelation Dr. Aaron's spirituality had received on its own. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had such a dream only until last night, or when he found the paper crane. A similar development should've taken place long before Will Auceptin was discharged, back when his spirituality unconsciously became aware of the particularly strange developments, allowing him to have similar experiences as he had now.

Therefore, Klein suspected that the medium which instilled the dream into Dr. Aaron was the paper crane!

Klein activated his Spirit Vision to carefully observe this handicraft, but he didn't find any spiritual brilliance. However, his spiritual perception and intuition told him that there was something strange about this piece of origami. Certain magical aspects that might involve the most illusory, most difficult to comprehend, and most worthy of fear and reverence—fate.

That child called Will Auceptin isn't simple… It seems like the most amazing thing wasn't the tarot card, but rather he himself… The giant silver snake is a symbol of danger, and this matter is related to bad luck, good luck, and other elements. Could it be that it represents the Snake of Mercury, Sequence 1 of the Monster pathway?Klein's thoughts wandered, but he couldn't be certain of anything.

He turned to question the problem of how the dream was instilled.

With Klein's accomplishments in mysticism, this wasn't something that was too complicated or difficult to understand. He quickly came up with an idea.

The first thing to do was to rule out the influence of specters and wraiths, which would've stained Dr. Aaron's aura with a blackish-green color of varying degrees, and I didn't see any sign of that just now.

There are two main ways of instilling information without causing the owner of the dream to appear abnormal. One of them is using the Beyonder powers of a Nightmare like Captain. An objective is met through guidance, and it wouldn't involve the culprit; otherwise, traces would similarly be left behind. The second method would be even more ingenious and advanced.

The principle of a dreamland is that of Astral Projections traveling through the spirit world, and the details that one would normally unwittingly notice, under external stimulation, would turn into a symbolic revelation. Or, they can obtain some enlightenment directly related to themselves from external sources. Then, their Spirit Bodies and psyche would be informed of this, and because the owner of the body was in a state of sleep, this will appear in the form of a dream.

So the second way is to instill it into the spirit world!

First, use some magical method to create the revelation that one will need, and then naturally let the target's Astral Projection obtain and feedback the information while roaming the spirit world. That way, the target will be able to dream of the scene that others would want them to dream of, and there will be no superficial traces.

This is something that I'm currently unable to do, even if it's a Spirit Body that's able to partially wield some of the power above the gray fog.

Klein paused for a moment and then added another possibility.

A seed was planted in Dr. Aaron's subconscious through the paper crane, and once he found it, he would have the corresponding dream.

That's easy to confirm. As long as I use mediumship on Dr. Aaron, I should be able to find traces of it… However, would it be unfriendly to use mediumship on him? Or should I borrow the Mental Terror Candle from Father Utravsky? No, the one who recognized me was that vampire, the zealous figurine lover, Emlyn White, not the muscular, giant-like Father Utravsky… Klein reined in his thoughts and considered his subsequent actions.

He decided that he would wait until he went above the gray fog to divine the level of danger. If it was an acceptable level, he would sneak into Dr. Aaron's house tonight, use the Dream Charm and other methods to secretly observe him, and see if the source of the dreamland was a result of direct guidance or an indirect fabrication.

However, with Klein's strength and level, it would be difficult to find traces of the latter. Even he himself didn't have much confidence.

This didn't mean that his Astral Projection could travel the same spirit world as Dr. Aaron's Astral Projection by sitting next to him and entering Cogitation. This required a sufficient amount of locking on to do so.

According to the descriptions in the Book of Secrets, the existence of the spirit world was quite magical. It completely overlapped with the real world, so everyone could obtain revelations from the spirit world at any time. However, the spirit world didn't distinguish between directions, and the past, present, or future could even intersect there. It was like infinite knowledge, information, and illusions were spiritually gathered and compressed into a strange sea. It was different from the "world" as one would imagine according to usual concepts or logic.

As a result of this, the revelations that one received from the spirit world could only be a variety of symbols, not direct answers. And precisely because of this, every Astral Projection's experience of traveling in the spirit world was not only related to their physical location and time, but it was also dependent on the current state of their body and the mind. Without locking on to the corresponding location, it made it impossible to lock onto and find a person's Astral Projection in the spirit world, even if one was physically next to them.

This was also the reason why the Astral Projection's movement in the spirit world was limited and one doesn't dare to venture too deep. Once it got lost and was unable to return to its body, its owner would become a retard and, even more seriously, a vegetable.

It was even more difficult to use the spirit world as a springboard for transference. If one wasn't careful, then they would lose their way and never be able to return to the real world until they rot to death.

Phew… Klein exhaled, temporarily throwing the question to the back of his mind.

He took out his pocket watch and looked at the time. He realized that he had been thinking too long, that his breakfast had already turned completely cold, and that the fact that Reporter Mike hadn't arrived yet meant that the commission was likely to be delayed by a day.

In the spirit of not wasting anything, Klein finished the rest of his meal and then went above the gray fog to make a divination. He was surprised to find that there were no revelations indicating danger at all.

After doing all of this, the appointed time had passed. Without any hesitation, he changed into a heavy jacket, put on his cap, grabbed the vocabulary book, and left 15 Minsk Street.

His initial plan was to accompany Mike Joseph to East Borough for an interview and find an opportunity to hint at Old Kohler to not mention his promise of helping Liv find her daughter.

As for Liv's family, he let Old Kohler do the reminding.

And now, after Mike had pushed back the interview by a day, Klein was even more at ease, no longer worried about any mishaps or mistakes.

…

With the address mentioned by Old Kohler, and according to the revelation from divination, Klein entered the depths of East Borough, and under the watchful, wary, numb, or greedy gaze of the crowds, he found the room on the third floor.

There were two bunk beds here, and there were also some old and worn bedding on the floor. Every empty space was filled with sundries.

Klein looked directly at the bottom bunk of the innermost bunk and called out, "Old Kohler."

With a swoosh, Old Kohler sat up and leaned towards the door in pleasant surprise, "You really came. After sending you that letter yesterday, I already guessed that you would come looking for me today, so I didn't go to the dock. I've been waiting at home all this time."

Well, I don't have to think about how to fabricate the lie about why I came straight here to find you… Klein looked around and said, "Old Kohler, with your current income, you can definitely rent a better room and move to a better place. Why did you only change your bed from the floor to a bunk bed?"

"Most of the money is for gathering information for you." Old Kohler laughed. "And I'm no longer young. I need to save some money for the future when my future health wanes."

Klein was silent for two seconds before saying, "You can consider buying some insurance, such as a Single Elder Aid Policy. They can give you the money that can at least fill your stomach and a room for you to sleep in every week when you're really old.

The insurance industry of this world had sprouted in the Fourth Epoch. After being promoted by Emperor Roselle, it had matured quite a bit. There were various kinds of insurance such as the various insurances for maritime trade, fire insurance, injury insurance, long-term care insurance in different names, and so on. They were mostly targeted at the rich and the middle-class.

"I know. When I was a worker, I paid a premium of three pence a week, but after I lost my income…" Old Kohler sighed.

His biggest problem now was that his income was unstable, and he wondered when the money he received from the detective would be cut off.

Klein couldn't promise anything either. He pointed outside and said, "Let's go to Liv's house and return the vocabulary book to the girl."

After leaving the room, Klein casually mentioned, "What a joke. I was talking about doing volunteer work the day before yesterday and volunteered to help find Daisy, but she ended up being sent back by the police yesterday. Please don't mention it again, I don't want to be laughed at."

"Alright." Old Kohler agreed first, then he said, "No one will laugh at your kindness."

After walking through the dirty streets, they arrived at Liv's house. Klein saw that the girl who had just been rescued had started ironing again, and he saw that the clothes here were hanging down and dripping with water. It was just as it was before. He was momentarily at a loss as to what to say.

"Daisy." After a while, he said, "Your vocabulary book."

Daisy's eyes lit up, but she was too busy to leave. After busying herself for quite a while, she stopped working and went to the door, thanking him profusely.

After Liv and Freja had also put down their work and come over to express their gratitude, Klein repeated what he had just said to Old Kohler.

After receiving positive responses, he took out the two pounds worth of change that he had prepared and handed it to Liv.

"There will be a reporter coming to interview Daisy tomorrow. This is the advance of the payment he's giving, but don't mention it in front of him; otherwise, things will become complicated. Heh heh, maybe he will give more tomorrow, but not that much."

"This, no—I'm willing to expose that bad guy's evil deeds. I don't want money!" Daisy shook her head.

Klein let out a soft chuckle.

"This is a rule. You can't break rules, understand?"

He looked at Liv and said, "Take it.

"Your belief is right. It's only if Daisy and Freja learn more words and learn more things will you all escape from this situation."

He was going to suggest that Liv's family should move to the edge of East Borough. Customers who could afford to hire others to do their laundry wouldn't live in East Borough, but in the end, he didn't mention it.

He had intended to provide them with more help, but he restrained himself.

There were thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people like Liv and her family in East Borough. Even if one was a wealthy banker who wanted to help them, they wouldn't be able to make a splash. Besides, this was just East Borough. There was still the entire Backlund and the Loen Kingdom.

"… Thank you, and help me thank the reporter for me." Liv was silent for a moment, then she took the money.

Klein didn't stay for long. He quickly left as if there was a ghost that would devour his soul.

After walking outside with Old Kohler, he turned around and suddenly sighed. He said in a low voice, "There has never been a savior…"

Chapter 388: Exploring the Dreamland

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"What?" Old Kohler asked, not hearing him clearly.

Klein looked at the potholed road in front of him and said in a self-deprecating manner, "Nothing.

"I hope Liv's family can get out of this situation and live in better conditions."

He had indeed voiced out his thoughts. Being one of the inheritors of the Foodaholic Empire's new era, it was perfectly normal for him to think of a revolution, to mobilize the masses, and to change the world. However, when he thought about the details, he felt that he couldn't save himself just by relying on the poor. This was because Beyonder forces existed in this world. Furthermore, they were relatively supernatural and couldn't be resolved simply by firearms. For instance, Sequence 5 of the Mutant pathway.

That was just one aspect of things. Another aspect of things was due to the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Conservation. Due to the limited access to ingredients, Beyonder forces couldn't become commonplace, making it difficult to convert the advantage of numbers into effective combat power. And even if it could be spread, as long as the problem of losing control wasn't resolved, then it would still bring about disaster.

If there weren't any High-Sequence Beyonders, then there would actually be ways to deal with all of this to a certain extent. However, in the real world, not only were there demigods, but there were also Sealed Artifacts that could kill people without them even knowing how they died. Besides, deities were real and they stood high and lofty.

In this way, the poor would use strikes and street protests to fight back. However, once they took up weapons and established an army, they would be met with an unstoppable counterattack. It wasn't impossible for a large-scale natural disaster to occur, one that would affect people psychologically.

The only ones that were on par with the official Beyonder organizations were mostly secret organizations. Typically, they were related to evil forces, so by joining hands with them, death might not even be the most tragic ending. Therefore, to embark on the path of revolution, the most hopeful road to success was to get the support of one or more Churches.

How many concessions could be obtained through simple strikes and street protests while still meeting the vested interests of those involved? Bribery would be much easier… However, the incident regarding the True Creator, who almost made use of the miserable situations of the poor to descend upon Backlund, has seemed to stir the Church of the Evernight Goddess and the nobles who were aware of the situation. I can see that from the investigation mission that Mike had accepted and the information provided by Miss Justice… Klein's thoughts lingered on East Borough, the dock area, and the factory district.

In the end, he couldn't help but let out a laugh and sigh in his heart.

After all the ideas that come to me, it seems that only through the threat of an evil god's descent can the poor's situation be improved.

However, the evil gods are also the ones who can't wait to draw on their flesh and blood, existences that devour their souls; they're the ones most likely to bring a disaster that no one can escape from.

What wonderful irony.

…

In Empress Borough, the opulent villa of Count Hall.

As Dr. Escalante had upcoming matters she had to attend to, Audrey had brought forward her second psychology lesson for the week.

Susie, more excited than she was, had long rushed into the study, even leaving the ball game she usually loved the most aside.

Audrey purposely displayed her curiosity during this lesson, occasionally asking Escalante about psychology related to mysticism.

At the end of the lesson, Escalante finally spoke after some deliberation, "Miss Audrey, we've organized a seminar on this subject. Many members have specialized in the intersecting field of psychology and mysticism. Are you interested in joining?"

"Of course!" Audrey nodded and answered without the slightest sign of hesitation. It perfectly matched her predetermined innocent and curious personality that she had set for herself.

Escalante smiled.

"Remember to keep this a secret. You know that your elders have a strong prejudice against the study of mysticism. I'll bring you there for the next lesson."

"No problem." Audrey gave her consent with a hint of excitement.

After sending off Escalante, whose hair reached her waist, out the study, she closed the door behind her, faced the mirror by the bookcase, and remained silent for two seconds.

Following that, she lifted up her skirt and took a step and did a swirl from a court dance. Then, looking at herself in the mirror, she sweetly smiled and said, "Audrey, you're great!"

Audrey knew that she had taken the first step in entering the Psychology Alchemists. Although the seminar was most likely an outer circle, and there would definitely be a lot of tests to follow, this really made her open the door to the Psychology Alchemists.

In the process, she didn't borrow strength from the outside world, but instead, she relied solely on her observation and performance to perfectly hide it from Psychiatrist Dr. Escalante. Therefore, she was very proud of herself.

"That seminar sounds interesting." Susie leaned over and wagged her tail. "Audrey, can I join?"

Join? Looking at this golden retriever with its wicked round eyes, Audrey immediately sank into deep thought.

She dragged out a terse acknowledgment.

"I can't do it at the moment, Susie. Y-you're too conspicuous…"

At this point, she changed the topic of their conversation and said with a slight smile, "But I can bring you along."

…

On Saturday night, taking his Master Key and his black cane, Klein walked out of 15 Minsk Street. Without the latter, he didn't think that he would be able to return today.

He was going to "find" Dr. Aaron, enter his dream, and find out how the nightmare regarding Will Auceptin came about.

As for where Dr. Aaron lived, he had already found out yesterday—3 Burningham Road, Hillston Borough.

By the time Klein arrived, it was past eleven o'clock and the neighborhood was dark and silent.

After tossing a coin and performing a divination, Klein passed through the outer bars, walked around to the side, and used the Master Key to open up an invisible passage through the wall into the dark corridor.

With his agile steps, he quietly went up to the second floor and hid in an empty guest room.

When it was clear that Dr. Aaron and his wife were asleep, Klein entered their bedroom through the wall.

The first thing he did was take out a Slumber Charm and mutter the incantation, making Dr. Aaron's wife really fall asleep, preventing her from suddenly waking up and disturb what he would subsequently do to her husband.

Then, Klein sat down on a chair in front of the dresser, held the Dream Charm in his hand, and whispered a word in ancient Hermes, "Crimson!"

As soon as he finished saying that, he felt the charm in his palm become light, as though it had become a weightless illusion.

As his spirituality poured in, a transparent flame wrapped around the charm, burning a deep and serene black.

Driven by Klein's will, the blackness spread out, enveloping both Dr. Aaron and himself.

Klein quickly entered a Cogitation state and saw the endless darkness and the single oval-shaped light.

His spirituality extended out and touched that illusory and hazy object.

The world around him suddenly turned upside down and twisted, and Klein found himself on a barren plain, with pitch-black stones at his feet and not even a blade of grass.

In the center of the plain stood a black steeple with a huge silver snake coiled around it. It had its head reared up, and its red eyes stared coldly in their direction.

Unlike what Dr. Aaron had described, the silver serpent had no physical scales, and its body was covered in dense patterns and symbols. They were all connected to each other into what seemed like wheels, and there were different symbols around each wheel.

The giant snake's tail and head's wheels were each halved, looking incongruous, as though they could kill a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder, but Klein imagined that if the giant silver snake could bite its own tail with its mouth, the wheel would be complete. It wouldn't be disconnected, and there wouldn't be any more changes.

Next to Klein, Dr. Aaron stared blankly ahead, moving closer and closer to the dark steeple.

I can now confirm that no one is guiding Dr. Aaron… That excludes Nightmare Beyonder powers… Klein quickly made a judgment.

He didn't stop Dr. Aaron, but he followed him towards the black steeple and the silver snake.

The two of them had only taken a few steps when their target had already appeared before them. The giant silver snake had its upper body bent down, as though it was considering how to enjoy the dessert that was delivered to its mouth.

Its mouth opened wide, but there was no putrid smell coming from it. Its red eyes were cold and merciless, looking at everything like they were nothing more than prey; yet, it didn't have the slightest hint of bloodlust or cruelty.

In front of it, everything seemed puny and equal because of their insignificance.

In the end, the serpent didn't launch an attack. Klein followed Dr. Aaron through an old, rotting wooden door and into the darkness of the tower.

As Aaron had told him, the layout was abnormally confusing and chaotic. The stairs spiraled up and down, and the halls, libraries, and rooms were normal, inverted, and some were embedded in other parts. It was a building that couldn't possibly exist in the real world.

After passing through the doors and walls, Klein had no idea where he was in the black tower. Perhaps he had reached the top or perhaps the basement.

In the rich darkness, he suddenly noticed a figure curled up in the corner in front of him.

The figure, sensing Dr. Aaron's approach, scrambled to its feet, hopping over on one leg.

It was only when the figure was very close did Klein clearly see him. He looked dignified and strong, in his early teens, and had an expression of obvious fear.

The figure was about 1.4 meters tall, and his left calf was missing. It was obvious that he was the child who had undergone surgery, Will Auceptin.

In his hand was a deck of tarot cards. His pitch-black eyes were filled with surprise and joy, as well as fear and horror.

"Dr. Aaron, a snake wants to eat me!"

Suddenly, he let out a blood-curdling scream as the image of a huge, mysterious silver snake was reflected in his eyes.

Whoosh!

The tarot cards in his hand fell to the ground, leaving only one card tightly gripped in his palm.

Klein focused his gaze over it and saw that there was, similarly, a wheel on the card.

It was the Wheel of Fortune card.

Whoosh!

The dream shattered instantly, and Klein found himself still sitting in a chair in front of the dresser.

Chapter 389: Nighthawk

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The crimson moon outside the window was obscured by the clouds, its moonlight that penetrated through the curtain barely outlined the large objects in the bedroom. The darkness and intensity became the main theme of the room.

Klein sat in such an environment and was in no hurry to leave.

He looked at the sleeping Dr. Aaron and began to analyze the images he had seen in the dream.

Will Auceptin eventually held the Wheel of Fortune card in his hand. And in such a dream, everything symbolizes something. It's a revelation obtained by one's Astral Projection… In other words, Will Auceptin's matter is related to fate. Furthermore, that giant silver snake might very well represent the Snake of Mercury. This child might actually be related to a High-Sequence Beyonder, be of the Monster pathway, or some strange Sealed Artifact…

Does his danger stem from the Snake of Mercury or the result of greed due to the strange Sealed Artifact?

But the Snake of Mercury is Sequence 1. It's an existence closest to that of a god. Just its name on its own is an embodiment of "His" high level. It's impossible that "He" can't do anything to a child like Will Auceptin. That Amon who is of an unknown Sequence number—perhaps Sequence 1, 2, or 3—could even invade the space above the gray fog with just an avatar…

This matter doesn't seem to be that simple. There must be a huge secret behind his matter.

At this thought, Klein had already decided to pull back completely.

It's obviously a very dangerous matter. Furthermore, that tarot card might not be a mystical item. What's special might very well be Will Auceptin himself. Yes, apart from having nightmares, Dr. Aaron's troubles are already settled. There's no reason for me to get involved in it. To proactively act on this and challenge the impossible is nearly identical to suicide… Hmm, yes, I must follow what my heart tells me! Klein pushed the surface of the dressing table with his black-gloved right hand and slowly stood up.

Having just entered the dream, he was completely convinced that Dr. Aaron's nightmare came from a revelation that his Astral Projection had received in the spirit world. And that revelation had been deliberately created and provided by a high-level existence. The paper crane was just a tool for locating him.

According to a chapter in the Book of Secrets, Klein could also try to use the paper crane to find Dr. Aaron's Astral Projection in the spirit world and observe the source of the revelation, but he had already decided to not get involved.

Stretching his body, Klein flipped through Dr. Aaron's leather wallet with the last of his curiosity, and he took out the paper crane.

He placed the paper crane on the tip of his cane, and he held them simultaneously. Then, his eyes turned deep as he softly muttered to himself, "Will Auceptin's current location."

After the divination sentence was repeated seven times, a breeze suddenly blew in the room, bringing with it a cool feeling as if it were blowing on one's soul.

Klein let go of his right palm, and the cane stood firm before falling down with the paper cranes, pointing diagonally at the bed.

"There…" Klein frowned and moved to another position. He repeated the divination and successfully received his feedback.

And the intersection point of the two divinations was Dr. Aaron!

Will Auceptin's position overlaps with that of Dr. Aaron… That's interesting… Klein said to himself, amused and amazed.

His curiosity was piqued to the extreme.

Although he didn't intend to get involved in this matter, he wanted to know why there was an overlapping situation such as this.

Hmm… Why don't I bring the paper crane above the gray fog for divination. With the gray fog's obstruction, there won't be any accidents… Klein quickly came up with a new idea.

Since it wasn't convenient for him to summon himself in Dr. Aaron's bedroom, he decided to take the paper crane home first.

He had actually long prepared for this. Before coming, Klein couldn't confirm the seriousness of the matter, and he had hoped to find Will Auceptin, seeing if he had the opportunity to obtain the tarot card. Therefore, he had prepared another paper crane to replace the real one. It made it easier for him to do all sorts of divination, and he could switch it back once the problem was resolved.

As soon as he thought of it, Klein took out the paper crane he had prepared.

He had deliberately folded it above the gray fog, just in case Dr. Aaron had suddenly decided to hand over anything related to Will Auceptin to the Church of the Evernight Goddess, allowing his counterfeit to be divined.

Taking into account the overall picture and the details would make things much easier… Klein praised himself.

With the help of the faint moonlight, he carefully compared Will Auceptin's paper crane and his, to see if there were any clear differences.

Upon comparing them, Klein immediately fell silent.

His handicraft skills weren't even comparable to a child's…

In fact, they're all paper cranes, so there isn't much of a difference. Mine is only a little cruder. As long as Aaron hadn't studied the original one carefully, then he wouldn't be able to tell that it has been swapped… Klein muttered silently to himself, took out a coin, and used divination to make a final confirmation.

After receiving a revelation that confirmed this, he put his paper crane back into Aaron's wallet and returned it to its original position. He then took care of the scene, bringing Will Auceptin's paper crane along with him and left 3 Birmingham Road.

With the help of the dowsing rod, Klein successfully returned home. While he was taking a bath, he summoned himself and brought the paper crane along with the Master Key above the gray fog.

Sitting in the quiet and empty palace hall, he picked up the paper crane and carefully examined it for a few seconds, but he didn't discover anything abnormal.

Then, with a pen and paper, Klein wrote the same divination sentence as before: "Will Auceptin's current location."

This time, he switched to using dream divination, and he was pleasantly surprised to see an image appear in the world of the gray fog.

It was a dark room. A strong and dignified Will Auceptin leaned against the desk with the help of a chair by the window, and he looked out at the scenery with his pitch-black eyes.

He held a stack of tarot cards in each hand, and beside them, there was a pile of wooden blocks.

The wooden blocks formed a ring-shaped snake that connected itself from head to tail.

The scene outside the window was just as dark, and there was the faint sound of flowing water.

The dream ended here without a sound. Klein opened his eyes, tapped the edge of the long bronze table with his finger, and he said to himself, That Ouroboros-like snake is indeed the Snake of Mercury? That means it's the Snake of Mercury which represents fate…

There was the sound of running water outside the window. Does that mean that Will Auceptin's current position is close to the Tussock River?

Previously, when I divined his position, was the overlap with Dr. Aaron caused due to interference by fate?

Seeing that divination above the gray fog could only receive a revelation of this degree, Klein was no longer troubled by curiosity. He barely interpreted the situation and planned to exchange the paper crane tomorrow night. He would then find an opportunity to guide Dr. Aaron and have him go to the Church of the Evernight Goddess to tell the bishop about this matter.

It's best to leave such matters to the officials… Klein let out a chuckle and returned to the real world.

After taking a leisurely bath, he didn't get busy and crawled into bed.

After an unknown period of time, Klein suddenly realized that he was clearly dreaming. He was in the living room, reading the Book of Secrets.

This… this familiar feeling… He turned his head to look at the door like he usually did.

The door creaked open, and a figure in a gray coat walked in.

He was about thirty years old, with a long, thin face with a broad forehead, and dark blue eyes that looked intelligent.

It's not the Captain… Klein suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh, let out a silent breath, and turned the Book of Secrets in his hand into a copy of Ladies Aesthetic.

He flipped through the magazine, casually greeting the newcomer.

The man in the gray coat took off his hat and sat down across him, seemingly casually asking him, "Aaron came to see you this morning?"

It's really is a Nighthawk, a Nightmare… Klein resisted the urge to sigh and replied with a smile, "Yes."

He had already figured out why the Nighthawk had suddenly entered his dream.

The Nightmare in front of him was likely the Captain of the Nighthawks team responsible for the matter regarding Will Auceptin, but they had yet to find any useful clues up to date.

In this case, Dr. Aaron and Detective Sherlock Moriarty's act of visiting to ask about Will Auceptin's whereabouts must've been made known to them last night or this morning. At the same time, they discovered that Dr. Aaron rushed over to Minsk Street, shortly after he finished his breakfast, to visit Detective Sherlock Moriarty.

In the spirit of professionalism, entering a person's dream at night was the most natural and normal development. As for Dr. Aaron, his situation was rather sensitive, so rashly entering a dream might cut off clues, so there was no doubt that a certain detective became the first choice.

"What did he encounter?" the captain of the Nighthawks team asked "casually."

Klein answered honestly, "He had a nightmare…"

Klein described the pitch-black tower, the giant silver snake, and Will Auceptin under layers of protection, and other scenes. Finally, he said, "Before this nightmare, Aaron had gone to Will Auceptin's place to find the child, partially because he was worried about his health but also because he was puzzled over his bad luck. Unfortunately, the Auceptin family had moved away. However, Aaron recalled that the boy had given him a paper crane that the boy had folded himself and had wished him luck.

"Perhaps agitated by these two events, he had such a nightmare."

The man in the gray coat looked pleasantly surprised.

"Paper crane?"

"Yes." Klein nodded slightly. "The child gave it to Aaron before he was discharged, and Aaron threw it into his office drawer. He forgot about it until last night."

"I understand. Thank you for your explanation." The captain of the Nighthawks team stood up and bowed with his hand against his chest in a very polite manner.

Suddenly, there was a ripple in the dreamland, and he disappeared from the room.

Looking at the position where he had sat, Klein deduced what would happen next.

The Nighthawks might go to Dr. Aaron's tonight and enter his dream for investigations and take the paper crane away. However, a question arose. The paper crane was folded by Klein, and the real thing was above the gray fog.

Forget it. Regardless of which paper crane they use, they'll never be able to divine the answer. It doesn't matter if I switch it back or not… Klein said to himself.

He gathered his thoughts and continued to sit there. He wasn't in a hurry to leave the dreamland, and he stared blankly for a long time.

After a while, the corners of his mouth curled up as he softly sighed.

How nostalgic…

Chapter 390: Anticipation!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

On Sunday morning, shortly after Klein finished his breakfast, he heard the doorbell ring as he had expected.

But to his surprise, it wasn't just Reporter Mike Joseph. Dr. Aaron was with him as well.

"Sherlock, I had that nightmare again last night. I don't think it's normal." Aaron didn't keep matters a secret even with Mike around, revealing it the moment he entered the living room.

Without waiting for Klein's reply, he took out his wallet and took out a paper crane.

"Do you think this is the problem?

"Ever since I found it and started to carry it with me, I've been having nightmares."

Klein nonchalantly glanced at it when his expression froze suddenly. If he hadn't been a Clown in the past and had great control over his facial muscles, then he might've revealed an undisguised smile in front of the reporter and doctor. Yes, a smile.

This… this paper crane is even uglier than the one I made… This was the first thought that came to Klein's mind.

At that moment, he had the urge to cover his face and sigh.

Could having poor handicraft skills be a tradition of the Nighthawks?

There was no doubt that the paper crane in front of him was the result of another switch. After receiving accurate information from Klein, the Nighthawks had seemingly sneaked into Dr. Aaron's bedroom without any delay and switched their folded paper crane for the one in his wallet.

But what they didn't expect was that the one in the wallet was also a fake. It was folded by Klein above the gray fog and appeared rather crude.

I feel an inexplicable sense of joy… Klein glanced at Dr. Aaron, who didn't notice it, cleared his throat, and said, "Perhaps. I suggest that you go to the cathedral again and talk to the bishop you previously talked to. We need to believe that the gods that we believe in are always watching over us."

As he spoke, he drew a triangular Sacred Emblem on his chest.

After the Nightmare had left last night, Klein had specifically gone above the gray fog to divine if it was dangerous having switched the paper crane. The result was that it was very safe. Thus, he was now able to make this suggestion with great interest, in an attempt to tease his former colleagues.

I wonder how they would feel seeing the paper crane that they didn't fold very well return to them… Klein placated Dr. Aaron in all seriousness and turned to the reporter and said with a smile, "Mike, to tell the truth, what I really want to advise Aaron to do is to go see a psychiatrist, but faith can certainly soothe his soul."

"You're not being frank at all." Mike laughed. "All right, let's go."

The next day, Klein accompanied the Daily Observer reporter into East Borough to interview the rescued girls.

With a full pound as payment for the interview, no one refused it, not even some of the abused girls.

In this interview, Capim's sin was the main focus. The current situation of the girls was another main focus. The former made people angry, while the latter left people feeling heavy.

Daisy was actually lucky enough to be able to return to work when she got home and use her labor to barter for food. Less than a third of those who were rescued were like her, and most of them were the kinds with some savings at home, and they were in a position that allowed the traumatized women to heal and have time before they sought out suitable jobs.

As for the other two-thirds of those rescued, they had to continue working hard in order to survive. And in the face of the mass unemployment of textile workers, they were often only able to find temporary jobs with low wages. Those with parents and siblings who hadn't lost their jobs were still okay; at least, they were able to help each other, barely filling their stomachs. The families in less optimistic situations had already begun to walk the path of street girls, as though they had never been rescued. Their act of betraying their bodies once was perhaps only for some food.

This caused Mike to turn silent like before, and it was only when it was dark and once he left East Borough before his spirit returned. He thanked Klein.

"Sherlock, it's all thanks to you. Otherwise, I definitely would've been blackmailed today by those rogue gangsters."

"Isn't that why you hired me?" Klein smiled politely without any complacency.

With Old Kohler informing them beforehand, Old Kohler and Liv's family hadn't revealed that he had helped search for Daisy for free. Especially when Daisy, who was pretty smart, was asked if she knew any relatively special people, she answered directly, "Mr. Reporter and Mr. Detective."

Mike nodded sluggishly and walked on in silence for a long time.

Before he boarded the carriage, he suddenly let out a sigh.

"I would like to make a call in this report for the government to use Capim's estate to set up a bursary fund, which will use the annual income to help the rescued girls and others who have been harmed by Capim to get them out of their predicament.

"Although Capim's safe had already been robbed clean by the Hero Bandit, his greatest wealth is the property he bought. Th-these should have all been obtained illegally."

Klein listened carefully, gave Mike a deep look, and said in sincere praise, "You're the best reporter I've ever met."

"There are plenty of reporters like me. There are always idealists in the world." Mike sighed.

With that, he paid 10 pounds to Klein and took off his hat and waved it.

As he watched the reporter get into the rental carriage, Klein was about to take a public carriage in the other direction when Mike suddenly opened the window and asked with a jibing smile, "Sherlock, I'm not the only reporter you know, am I?"

Klein was stunned for a moment, then he laughed.

"Guess."

…

City of Silver.

Like a trapped beast, Derrick Berg paced around the room in anxiety.

He felt that the Chief wasn't paying enough attention to his report. He was worried that the exploration team members, who had been affected by the Fallen Creator to an unknown extent, would cause devastating damage to this city that had lasted for 2,582 years in the darkness after their quarantine.

In such a situation, he was eager to obtain advice from Mr. Hanged Man, Miss Justice, and company, who were rather familiar with the Fallen Creator.

This was the Tarot Gathering he anticipated the most.

Wait a little while longer, just wait a little longer. If Mr. Fool doesn't summon me, I will pray directly to him… Derrick tried to calm himself down, but his pacing didn't slow down one bit.

Suddenly, he saw the endless gray fog and heard the messianic voice say, "Prepare for the gathering."

With a sigh of relief, Derrick sat down on the edge of the bed carefully and lay down, pretending to be ready to sleep due to exhaustion.

After silently counting a thousand rapid heartbeats, he waited for a while before he was engulfed by the illusory dark red light.

At that moment, Derrick's room was abnormally quiet. Lightning streaked across the sky outside his window, keeping the darkness away from the land.

Suddenly, by the corner of his bed, a black figure squirmed and extended, taking the shape of a human!

The dark figure quickly grew tall and quietly looked down at Derrick.

He carefully observed him for nearly a minute, then withdrew without gleaning anything.

In the corner, the shadows remained the same, unchanging.

…

The endless gray fog lingered beneath his feet as usual. The long bronze table in front of him was mottled with green rust, but it didn't seem to be rotten at all. The first things that Derrick saw were Miss Justice and Miss Magician sitting opposite him. The familiar, jovial greeting sounded in his ear.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"

"Good afternoon…"

Klein, shrouded in gray fog, nodded slightly. He seemed to respond leisurely to Miss Justice and the other members' greetings, but in reality, he was busy manipulating The World, making him appear like a real person.

After yesterday's interviews with Reporter Mike, it was already dinner time. Klein went to a restaurant that served Feynapotter cuisine, and he was so overwhelmed by the spiciness that he voluntarily ordered a cup of desert beer.

After eating his fill and returning home, he didn't go out again for the rest of the day. Neither did he study the Book of Secrets or prepare his own food. That eased the heavy emotions he felt whenever he went to East Borough.

Without realizing it, the afternoon had arrived, and his thoughts shifted to the Tarot Gathering.

After the greetings, Justice, Audrey, restrained her curiosity and excitement, and she was in no hurry to inquire about the truth behind the Capim incident.

Mr. Fool might not answer, but how would I know if "He" wishes to answer if I don't ask? Well, I hope "He" makes a request of equal value, and I'll do my best to fulfill it…Audrey looked around at the other members and observed the states of the other members.

As a Telepathist, she very quickly discovered something strange.

Eh, The Sun appears very anxious. Did something happen to the previous exploration team captain? Did he encounter Amon?

In addition, Fors is in an indecisive state of wanting to ask but not daring to… She must've seen the papers and guessed from the tarot cards that our Tarot Club was involved in Capim's death. But she's curious who the Emperor card represents… She seems to be even more in awe of Mr. Fool. What happened?

Mr. Hanged Man seems to be in a very good mood. He's finished digesting his potion… He seems to be anticipating something…

Mr. World is still as gloomy and reserved as before, and it's hard to read his thoughts. He really is the nemesis of the Spectator pathway…

Derrick, didn't try to hide his anxiety, but he didn't consult the other Tarot Club members directly.

He knew perfectly well that the initial time belonged to Mr. Fool, unless there were no so-called Roselle diary entries.

There's no need to rush. The gathering has already begun… If Mr. Fool is in a good mood, he might be able to answer some questions… Derrick consoled himself.

Alger looked up and humbly said, "Honorable Mr. Fool, I've found three new pages of Roselle's diary."

Diary? Roselle's diary? Fors pricked up her ears.

Klein smiled and replied, "What do you want to exchange them for?"

Glancing at the card next to Mr. Fool's hand, Alger suppressed his eagerness and said, "I want to know what that card you have next to you is."

Chapter 391: The Great Seafarer Roselle

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

I know that… Audrey's eyes were half-turned, and her chin was slightly raised. She happily cast her gaze diagonally across her, towards a stone pillar that supported the dome.

She quickly withdrew her gaze, ready to admire the reaction of Mr. Hanged Man after he heard the answer.

Fors vaguely realized one thing: The so-called Roselle's diary can be exchanged with Mr. Fool for answers to certain questions, and maybe even some items!

Roselle's diary? Is it referring to the notes that are written with Roselle's unique symbols that no one can interpret? They were actually diary entries? Mr. Hanged Man's tone sounded very firm and Mr. Fool didn't retort him…

I've encountered many, but I've never bought any of them because I wasn't interested. Ah, yes, Miss Audrey has quite a few! She's a fanatic when it comes to this! B-but that dog of hers… last week, no—maybe last week, I don't remember it too well… Basically, it tore up many books and notes, including all of the diary entries from Emperor Roselle!

The sudden surprise and disappointment that emerged had filled her heart and made her want to raise her hands, cover her ears, and scream.

That wasn't enough to express her current feelings!

I hate dogs! Fors bitterly thought.

The Hanged Man's request was somewhat beyond Klein's expectations. However, it was the easiest for him to complete. He chuckled and said, "Sure."

"Do you want everyone to hear it, or do you want to be the only one to know it?"

Alger replied without hesitation, "Only myself."

He didn't have the spirit of selfless devotion to others.

Klein laughed and blocked the senses of the other members, which made Miss Justice very upset. She was waiting to see Mr. Hanged Man's stunned and shocked expression, as though she had done something great herself. Although she couldn't proclaim it out loud, she still looked forward to the subsequent reaction after Mr. Hanged Man knew the answer.

But now, that detestable Hanged Man has deprived me of this happiness! Audrey grumbled inwardly.

Of course, she was very clear that his request was absolutely justified.

But I already know the answer… she pursed her lips and thought.

At this moment, Klein leisurely flipped over the Card of Blasphemy and held it vertically, allowing The Hanged Man to directly see the black-armored, crowned, and caped Roselle.

It was common to see the portrait of Emperor Roselle, so Alger recognized him immediately. More importantly, there was a clear sign on the card saying: "Sequence 0, Dark Emperor!"

Indeed! It's the rumored deck of cards, which contains the paths of the divine, made by Emperor Roselle. It's the original prototype of tarot cards! Sequence 0, Dark Emperor… Is this the Lawyer pathway to becoming divine? Mr. Fool has been collecting Roselle's diary all this time, apparently in order to find clues to this deck of cards, and in a matter of months, "He" has already acquired one… Alger was surprised and delighted, as well as excited and agitated.

All of a sudden, he inexplicably felt that the future of the Tarot Club was incomparably bright.

Previously, he had only been intimidated by the mysteriousness and potency of Mr. Fool, and he had only held the notion of using the Tarot Club to exchange information and goods. But now, he began to think of the advantages that he and the other members could reap when Mr. Fool managed to collect all of Emperor Roselle's cards.

At that time, the Tarot Club might become the most powerful secret organization!Alger couldn't help but look forward to the future.

Then Klein said slowly, "A Card of Blasphemy."

He then immediately removed the isolation barrier.

As soon as she regained her senses, Justice Audrey immediately turned her gaze towards The Hanged Man. Through the blurred image, she could vaguely "read" the remaining shock, joy, and yearning from the other party.

That's more like it… Audrey was immediately greatly satisfied.

A Card of Blasphemy… Indeed, it's related to the Blasphemy Slate… Alger bowed his head in thought for a few seconds and began to conjure the three pages of Roselle's diary.

Soon, the three yellowish-brown goatskin parchments were in Klein's hands.

He casually lowered his gaze and started reading at a moderate pace.

"15th March. I really am the protagonist. With just some archaeological clues and folklore, I've found a ghost ship left behind by the Solomon Empire in the Fog Sea's boundary at the Aurak Archipelago, the Dark King!

"It's really cool!

"There are some ancient books on it, including a treasure map pointing to some nameless island. That's the final settlement of a great noble of the Solomon Empire who was defeated and left the Northern Continent. Everything that he left behind is there!

"This treasure will definitely belong to me!

"19th March. After much deliberation and consideration, I've finally decided to set out on a long voyage. After that, I'll enter the Royal Army as an officer, so it will be hard for me to have an opportunity such as this again.

"Edwards and Grimm are willing to take the risk and follow me into that foggy sea.

"Actually, I don't just want the treasures. I also wanted to verify something—from the sun, the red moon, to the trajectory of the stars in the sky, as well as the changes in four seasons, all sorts of signs and different data to prove that the world I'm on should be a planet. In that case, it shouldn't only be the Northern and Southern Continents. Based on the various data, the land mass occupied by the two continents totaled up isn't even a tenth of the planet's surface area. Could the rest of it be the sea and islands?

"To the west of the Northern and Southern Continent is the Fog Sea; to the east is the Sonia Sea. I suspect that there are other continents at the end of these two seas, just like how the Southern Continent is at the end of the Berserk Sea. Maybe I can find a brand-new continent, the Western Continent!

"Let's go, great seafarer Roselle Columbus Magellan Gustav, go and verify your conjecture!"

The Emperor sure was reckless when he was young. He actually dared to go on a voyage just because he received a treasure map that he had no clue about its authenticity, or if it held any danger. No, he's as rash as he was when he was young, even in his old age. The Cards of Blasphemy are evidence of this… Klein couldn't help but lampoon.

The diary entry seems to be linked to a page or two that he had seen before, separated by at most one or two other diary entries, so Klein was almost certain that Roselle had lost his way in this voyage and ended up finding a primitive island just outside of the safe sea routes. On it, there were a number of Beyonder creatures. In the process, he had also teased Grimm and Edwards, who were following him to sea, using the memes of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the Pirate King.

In addition, Grimm, who had been praised by Roselle as the smartest of them all, became increasingly stranger after discovering the primitive island, and he ended up dying in the Fog Sea.

Speaking of which, the idea that the world is a planet is now widely accepted and confirmed by astronomy… Klein turned to the second page of the diary.

"18th April. I discovered the term Western Continent in an ancient book on the Dark King!

"There really is a Western Continent!

"However, even during the Fourth Epoch, in the Solomon Empire, when the gods were still walking the lands, the Western Continent was only a rumor. Legend has it that it was the homeland of the elves, and it was related to the ancient god named Soniathrym.

"The problem with that is that the elves ended up on Sonia Island and later scattered themselves over the mountains and the numerous islands in the seas, and there is no legend that they have ever tried to return to their homeland.

"In short, the end of the Fog Sea might be the Western Continent, the homeland of the elves. Then, what's at the end of the Sonia Sea? Is there really an Eastern Continent? Where is it hidden in the books of myths? Could it be the ethereal Forsaken Land of the Gods?

"Proceed onward, Roselle. You're about to reach your destination!"

The Western Continent, the Eastern Continent… Roselle guessed that the latter might be the Forsaken Land of the Gods… Yes, Mr. Hanged Man once said that many members of the Aurora Order were searching the Sonia Sea for the True Creator's holy residence. And he suspects that the holy residence is the Forsaken Land of the Gods… This is in line with Emperor Roselle's thoughts… This world has many secrets… Klein lowered his gaze towards the last few paragraphs of the page.

"20th April. All signs indicate that we're about to reach a continent, not the land from an island!

"There's actually a benefit to being lost? Could it be that I've discovered the so-called Western Continent?"

"21st April. I saw the abyss."

Abyss? Did Roselle see the Abyss, the Abyss in the sense of mysticism? Klein's pupils shrank as he quickly turned the page.

But the third page of his diary made him doubt his life and his many years of Chinese education.

It was filled with the following sentences: "Ah, f**k hungry please people in manor."

This… Klein realized that this was probably a subsequent forgery of Roselle's diary entries. They had randomly pieced together a bunch of sentences based on the original "symbols."

At this moment, Klein felt like he was seeing intelligible characters and had the urge to curse those forgers.

He wanted to know if the abyss mentioned in Roselle's diary was the Abyss to which the terms "source of evil," "land of corruption," and "home of devils" referred to.

The true Abyss is the Dark Side of the Universe where even gods can be corroded. It should be independent from the real world, just like the spirit world. At the very least, this is what the Book of Secrets and the books which I came into contact with during my time with the Nighthawks say… If it's not the true Abyss, then what did the Emperor mean by "abyss?" Klein thought about it, over and over again, but was unable to come up with an explanation. He felt extremely dissatisfied, just like when a novel was dropped by the author at the most critical moment.

With a single glance, he calmed down and let the diary entries disappear from his hands.

"You can begin." Sitting at the head of the long bronze table, he chuckled.

Alger turned his head immediately towards The Sun, asking indifferently, "Have you gotten anything from the former captain of that exploration team?"

Chapter 392: Listening to Little Sun's Story

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Derrick was originally anxious to ask about the Fallen Creator, but when he heard The Hanged Man's question, he answered honestly, "He's dead."

"He's dead?" Justice, The Hanged Man, and The Magician expressed their surprise at the same time.

They really didn't expect this turn of events. After all, the former captain of the exploration team had been locked up for decades without any problems. Who would've thought that he would die right after they discussed about him!?

At this moment, aside from Mr. Fool, only the gloomy and reserved The World maintained his original state.

Derrick nodded and said, "Yes. After I returned to the City of Silver, I wanted to glean more information from the former captain using Mr. Hanged Man's suggestions, but he suddenly appeared behind me, asking me if I was looking for him."

Upon hearing this, Audrey suddenly drew a short breath.

Although The Sun obviously lacked the ability to tell a good story, his simple descriptions still gave her the feeling of reading horror novels late into the night. It was as if someone was standing behind her, also asking, "Are you looking for me?"

Fors was as frightened as she was excited, having found the feeling she had as a child listening to her mother's recount of a ghost story. Despite covering her ears in fear, it felt like someone had possessed her and pried open the gaps between her fingers, allowing the voice to be transmitted into her brain.

This passage can be written into a novel! As a best-selling writer, she had outstanding professional instincts!

Alger, being experienced and knowledgeable, subconsciously asked, "Doesn't your City of Silver's dungeon have seals targeting Rampagers? Is there no barrier between them? I remember that last time you said that there was a very powerful and mysterious item at the core."

"Yes, but I don't know how or why he came to my room. He had completely lost control of himself—his head had split open in the middle and fluid kept flowing out. There were many cracks on his body, and each crack was a mouth," Derrick said, describing the scene in passing.

"Then, how did you survive? How did you escape from his, no—its jaws?" Fors felt immersed, and it was also a question which Audrey was concerned about.

Alger's reaction was very different from theirs. He thoughtfully murmured, "It doesn't make sense to put you—a person who only shows signs of losing control—next to such a dangerous fellow.

"From the looks of it, the upper echelons of your City of Silver, the members of the six-member council, deliberately made you interact with him, hoping to gather useful information from him and observe any corresponding changes.

"So, which elder saved you?"

Derrick's mouth gaped a little, feeling as if Mr. Hanged Man had personally seen and heard everything that had happened.

Just based on the situation I described, he was able to guess the truth. How amazing!Derrick answered with admiration, "Yes, just as you said, the Chief appeared just in time and used the mystical item to deal with the Rampager."

Noticing the respect and admiration from The Sun, Alger let out a chuckle.

"It's quite an obvious case. As long as one is experienced enough, you'll easily be able to notice this."

I didn't think of it… Audrey muttered to herself, somewhat depressed.

I couldn't tell… Fors ran her hand through her hair, ashamed.

I didn't think in that direction… The World repeated Mr. Fool's sigh.

After saying that, Alger frowned slightly and slowly asked, "You said that not long after you returned, the former Captain of the exploration team lost control?

"He didn't lose control for decades, but he suddenly lost control after you returned?"

At the same time, Mr. Hanged Man raised his head and looked at Mr. Fool. Seeing that Mr. Fool was very calm and without any hint of abnormalities, his mood immediately eased. All the uneasiness he had just now turned into questions.

The Amon family is known as Blasphemers. Could it be that that person discovered the Tarot Club and the secret above the gray fog, but he was easily finished off by Mr. Fool?

Derrick nodded seriously and said, "I guessed two reasons. One was because I chose the Sun pathway, and you said that the Amon family was the descendant of an ancient sun god. The other reason is that he noticed that Mr. Fool was pulling me in to attend the gathering, so changes happened to him, and it was proven to be the latter."

"How was it proven?" Alger pressed, leaving no stone unturned.

Someone sensed that Mr. Fool was pulling him in to attend the gathering? Someone can really detect it? How terrifying… As expected of a Blasphemer… Audrey was astonished and shocked.

She couldn't help but glance at the end of the long bronze table, and she was immediately comforted by Mr. Fool's calm and indifferent attitude.

It's just a trivial matter. To Mr. Fool, it's just a trivial matter… Audrey thought with joy and relief.

So it turns out that someone is able to discover the Tarot Club's gathering… As expected, with so many pathways and so many Sequences, there would always be a Beyonder power that can detect this… But for me right now, this is a very bad thing… I'm still too weak. I have to advance my Sequence as soon as possible… Fors was momentarily surprised and frightened.

Derrick truthfully described the events, "I saw Amon's shadow when the Rampager was finished off by the Chief. It should be him. This is what he looks like."

With the approval of Mr. Fool, Derrick conjured a light screen depicting Amon.

A black classic robe, a matching pointed hat, a crystal monocle, a broad forehead, a thin face, black eyes, black curly hair…

"Have any of you seen him before?" Derrick asked hopefully.

The Hanged Man, Justice, The Magician, and The World shook their heads in unison.

Without harping on the matter, Derrick continued, "Amon's shadow was eliminated by the Chief with the help of the mystical item, leaving being a translucent worm.

"The Chief told me that it was only an avatar of Amon…

"He explained to me the reason for arranging it so I lived beside him. After confirming that I was fine, he allowed me to return home. I was a little afraid, unaware of any subsequent actions Amon might take. Therefore, the moment I reached home, I prayed to Mr. Fool…"

"Wait," Alger interrupted The Sun with a frown, "you said that you just experienced such a strange and terrifying incident, and the Chief let you go home just like that? And the moment you returned home, you didn't do anything but first pray to Mr. Fool?"

"Yes," Derrick answered blankly.

What's wrong with that? He found Mr. Hanged Man's attitude rather odd.

Audrey vaguely felt that what The Sun had done wasn't right, but she couldn't immediately figure out what was wrong. She just believed that if she were in his shoes, she definitely wouldn't have done that. But at that very moment, Fors had already covered her face.

Too careless… I was like that in the past, and the price of that was to use up a stone on my bracelet and start bearing the curse of the full moon… The best-selling writer sighed in her heart.

Alger glanced at Mr. Fool again. Seeing that he remained indifferent, he forced himself to relax. He held his fist against his nose and said, "After having such an interaction with that strange Amon, do you think the Chief will just do a cursory inspection and be completely reassured about you?

"If that's really the case, that former captain of the exploratory team wouldn't have been imprisoned for forty-two years.

"In my experience, the Chief has definitely sent someone to secretly monitor you, and you've undoubtedly exposed your own uniqueness!

"Don't doubt this. If the Chief isn't that careful, then there's no way your City of Silver can last till this day under such abject environments."

This… Derrick's eyes widened, being even more convinced that Mr. Hanged Man was truly knowledgeable and that what he said made a lot of sense!

Th-the Chief discovered something abnormal about me? So, that's why he had such an attitude when he heard my report? What should I do? What should I do… Derrick immediately became nervous and frightened.

Noticing his concern, Alger scoffed.

"However, you don't have to worry about it for now. I just thought about it, even if your City of Silver's Chief found out about your abnormality, he would only suspect that you were possessed by Amon, that you've been contaminated by him, and wouldn't think of the Tarot Club. You still have time, so you can slowly think of a way to resolve this problem."

Derrick calmed down a little and honestly said, "Back then, I really was possessed by Amon."

"What?" Alger blurted out.

He nearly left his seat, taking on a combat stance to fend off any accidents.

Audrey and Fors immediately tensed up. Only the gloomy World showed mere surprise.

Startled by the reaction of Mr. Hanged Man, Derrick quickly added, "Mr. Fool discovered it while I was praying."

As he spoke, he conjured the scene which Mr. Fool had sent to him back then. Dressed in a pointed hat and a crystal monocle, Amon's illusory figure was coiled around his Spirit Body like the ghost of a python.

Seeing Justice and Magician trembling from the bottom of their hearts, The Hanged Man immediately pressed on, "What happened next?"

"Later, Mr. Fool taught me a ritual. Through the ritual, 'He' sent his angel to purify Amon's avatar," Derrick replied without embellishing or simplifying anything.

Angel? The Hanged Man looked in shock at the end of the bronze table.

He hurriedly lowered his head when he realized that his actions were impulsive and impolite.

Angel? Audrey was momentarily left dazed.