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Chapter 874: I Didn't Say Anything

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Leonard Mitchell clasped his hands together and leaned in slightly.

"We have restored the scene Cuarón saw before his death.

"This didn't directly show the murderer, but the glass on the oriel window happened to reflect Baron Syndras's figure."

After a pause, Leonard added, "This is too simple and unconvincing. A powerful banker and noble at Baron Syndras's level wouldn't need to personally take action or be present to watch if he wants someone dead, unless he has some special fetishes.

"And as you know, there are many ways to replicate such scenes, be it via an illusion or disguise."

When he mentioned "disguise," he looked up slightly and glanced at Dwayne Dantès. It was as though he was implying that the latter's present appearance was unlikely his true appearance, just like Gehrman Sparrow and Sherlock Moriarty.

What a simple and direct way of framing someone. It's really suspect if the murderer behind the scenes really wants to frame Baron Syndras… Hmm, I should process everything from the beginning. First, assuming that I, in other words, Dwayne Dantès, act like an ordinary person… Anyway, I won't mention the conclusion and only raise questions to guide his train of thought. If the final answer isn't right, that must be because my dear poet misinterpreted it and was unable to figure out what I was getting at… Klein smiled as he raised his porcelain cup and took a sip of black tea.

"Let's not consider this problem first. If the person who wasn't embroiled in this matter wasn't me, how would the case have developed?"

Leonard raised his clasped hands slightly as he tapped his index finger.

"As a suspect, Dwayne Dantès would be remanded at the police station, but his butler, servants, neighbors, and friends will be able to testify that he has never made contact with Cuarón's family. Hence, the testimonies from both sides will contradict strongly. The police will be unable to handle it and request the Nighthawks to intervene.

"Using mediumship means, we will see the scene Cuarón had before committing suicide; thus, obtaining Baron Syndras's figure…"

As he spoke, Leonard suddenly fell silent. After a few minutes, he continued speaking under Dwayne Dantès's smiling gaze.

"Regardless of the unconvincing, odd, and simplistic nature of the clue involving Baron Syndras, we will follow protocol and make contact with him and begin the relevant investigations… And this will lead to certain problems related to him being noticed by us?

"Baron Syndras is involved in matters involving the Beyonder domain, so he can't stand up to further scrutiny from the Nighthawks?"

The more Leonard spoke, the more certain he became. It was as though he had figured out the mastermind's line of thought.

He, or they, might not care if their trap is seen through. As long as they get the Nighthawks to do a routine investigation on him, their goal will be achieved. This is because Baron Syndras hides a rather serious and easily discoverable problem!

Yes, that's the same conclusion I have. This is actually closer to sounding the alarms by providing a tip-off, but it's more mild. It looks like a trap that will make the Nighthawks definitely investigate things while hiding their existence… Of course, I won't directly acknowledge your guess. Wouldn't it be awkward if I was actually wrong? Klein crossed his right leg over his left and laughed.

"Baron Syndras, who has been alerted, definitely won't show any problems now."

Leonard slowly nodded and said as though explaining to himself, "This baron's experiences are rather legendary. He has been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy a few times, but he managed to turn the tide and ended up reaching a new height.

"Perhaps, in one of these instances, he had sold his soul to the devil, an evil god, or some other secret existence out of desperation?

This story is quite reasonably crafted… Klein didn't comment on the accuracy of Leonard's guess before asking, "On the other hand, how would the Nighthawks treat the real murderer that led to Cuarón's suicide?"

Leonard temporarily put aside all his previous thoughts, and he began following the train of thought based on an "ordinary development."

"The designed trap is too crude. The cuing, guidance, and memory implants were done in an insufficiently concealed and mild manner. It's easy for people to discover problems. Therefore, it's unlikely to be done by Mid- or High-Sequence Beyonders from the Spectator pathway. It looks more like it was done by a Beyonder from another pathway who relied on a mystical item to pose as a Spectator…"

Before he finished his sentence, Leonard fell into silence again; his thoughts a mystery.

Klein maintained his faint smile as he calmly looked at the poet. It was as though he had everything under control, but he wasn't going to say a thing. Everything depended on what Leonard figured out.

This is very similar to what Old Man said from before… Is it really done by some Mid- or High-Sequence Beyonder from the Spectator pathway? His seemingly crude and flawed setup was actually a precise consideration of everyone's reaction. Everyone's response at every step of the way was taken into consideration, with the only mistake stemming from Dwayne Dantès's experience and wisdom? Leonard felt that he had already figured out the truth as he got up and coughed gently.

"Thank you for your advice."

Klein immediately chortled and said, "I didn't say anything."

Without waiting for Leonard's response, he said, "Your former colleague got me to ask you how he should inform you if he were to discover traces of Ince Zangwill."

Leonard, who had planned on getting up to bid farewell, sat back down. Colored with a complicated expression, he said after more than ten seconds of silence, "Pass the information in the form of a letter to 7 Pinster Street."

This means that he won't be leaving Backlund anytime soon? Or is it that no matter how far he goes to carry out missions, he will have the means to monitor 7 Pinster Street and read the letter remotely? It might be the latter assumption. A Marauder pathway's angel definitely has many magical secret techniques. Leonard can definitely use one of them… I can't ask, or else it will lower Dwayne Dantès's level and destroy my setting… Klein wore an unperturbed expression as he said with a smile, "I'll inform him."

Leonard didn't immediately leave as he opened his mouth, paused, and asked, "If I wish to contact him, how should I do it?"

His green eyes were deep as they spoke volumes when he asked.

Klein was already prepared, so he said with a smile, "The spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the friendly creature that can be subordinated, the messenger that belongs to Gehrman Sparrow.

"You can ask Pallez about the exact ritual if you aren't too sure."

Leonard knew that Gehrman Sparrow was Sherlock Moriarty who was also Klein Moretti. He nodded indiscernibly and stood up.

"Thank you for informing me. Please pardon me for my intrusion."

With that said, he retreated to the door, opened it, and left the dream.

Hey, you left just like that? As a Nightmare, or as a former Nightmare, shouldn't you consider how there might be problems with your memory? You remembered it just from hearing it once? You aren't putting enough weight on this matter! Klein couldn't help but lampoon when he saw Leonard's figure disappear.

He shook his head in exasperation, ended his afternoon nap, and began busying himself over the matter regarding West Balam.

…

On the Golden Dream, Danitz, who had finally finished his mission, drank some iced light beer because of the recent hot weather.

If it wasn't because the creation of ice needed Beyonder powers, and that there wasn't much to go around, he felt that he could finish half a bucket of ice in one go.

"That's what I call life!" Danitz guzzled the remaining liquid in his cup.

At this moment, he saw grayish-white fog appear before him as Gehrman Sparrow's voice began echoing in his ears:

"…Please inform Danitz that he is to immediately head to West Balam. Figure out the situation of the areas under the control of the two native generals, Maysanchez and Katamia. He should take special note of any signs of Rose School of Thought activity…"

H-head to West Balam? With a cup in hand, Danitz stammered Gehrman Sparrow's request repeatedly.

He had once headed there with the Golden Dream crew to seek out treasure. He had also obtained rather detailed intel from his captain; therefore, he knew how chaotic and dangerous West Balam was.

Furthermore, I have to go alone! Danitz uttered a sound as he found his future bleak.

Primitive forests with all kinds of hidden and terrifying creatures, native tribes who believed in Death and had all sorts of peculiarities, paths filled with bandits and rebel armies, villages with wraiths and shadows haunting them, and cities that had gunfights or even Beyonder battles surfaced in his mind.

No, I have to say no to Gehrman Sparrow. Say no… He should at least send me a helper! Eh… Ordinary people can survive in West Balam and become rich, having their own manors. This means that it's not as horrifying as I imagine it to be. I'm just frightening myself… Besides, Gehrman Sparrow just requested me to figure out the situation, not to contact anyone… Danitz quickly forced a smile and requested Mr. Fool to inform Gehrman Sparrow that he would immediately take action.

Then, following Gehrman Sparrow's instructions, he set up a bestowment ritual to pray to Mr. Fool.

When the ritual came to an end, he saw an illusory door open. A dark golden Sunbird-shaped brooch flew out, landing on the altar.

Sun Brooch!

In the Southern Continent, in a kingdom once ruled by Death, the Sun pathway was one of the most effective Beyonder pathways!

Directly giving me such a precious item… It's not bad working for Gehrman Sparrow… However, he said something about it being borrowed? Danitz picked up the brooch and felt his surroundings turn hot and humid.

…

After handing out a mission to Danitz, Klein was just about to open the door to instruct Richardson to get him a cup of iced water when he felt his spiritual perception trigger.

Immediately, he activated his Spirit Vision and saw Reinette Tinekerr walk out of the void. She held the four blonde, red-eyed heads in her hand, with one of them having a letter in its mouth.

Who's it from? Leonard? Klein reached out his right hand in suspicion.

Chapter 875: Mummy

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

7 Pinster Street. Leonard Mitchell came to his desk and unfolded a piece of paper.

He then picked up a fountain pen and lowered his wrist in preparation to write.

However, just as he dipped a dark blue spot onto the paper, his fountain pen paused. He attempted to move his wrist in order to write a few times, but all his attempts ended up stopping due to hesitation.

He raised his wrist, lowered the fountain pen, and repeated this action again and again. Finally, he froze his wrist in midair.

Pa! Leonard threw down his fountain pen, crumpled the piece of paper, and accurately threw it into the trash can.

…

At 160 Böklund Street, Klein received a thin letter from one of Miss Messenger Reinette Tinekerr's heads.

He felt the weight in his hands and only when his spiritual intuition didn't send him any warnings did he tear it open and retrieve the letter inside.

There was only one page, and on it were two lines of text written in neat, beautiful handwriting:

"I have something that will require your help. Let's discuss it in detail, face-to-face.

"Sharron"

So it's Miss Sharron… Klein had his questions answered as he took out a gold coin and did a simple divination in front of Reinette Tinekerr. Then, he took out another piece of paper and wrote one word:

"Tonight."

After he folded the letter, he asked Miss Messenger as he handed it to her, "Can you still locate her?"

If it wasn't possible, he planned on giving her Sharron's mailing address.

Hillston Borough, 126 Garde Street, Ma'am Maryam.

"Yes…" One of Reinette Tinekerr's blonde, red-eyed heads gave an answer.

The head then opened its mouth and bit down on the letter.

After Miss Messenger vanished from the room, Klein immediately held a ritual, planning to bring Creeping Hunger back to the real world from above the gray fog. He then planned on Traveling to the various archipelagos in search of a lucky pirate.

Creeping Hunger hadn't been sealed yet, so it still required feeding once a day. All Klein could do was barely use it, feeding it whenever he needed to use it. He would then throw it back above the gray fog when the next feeding time was at hand. He wasn't planning on making up for the difference.

If Creeping Hunger dares to make a fuss about it, I'll feed it mushrooms! After ending the ritual and clearing up the scene, Klein wore the thin human-skinned glove, turning his body translucent until he vanished from his spot.

…

He had his dinner, and after waiting for Creeping Hunger to finish its howling above the gray fog, Klein went to retrieve it by using the excuse of having an upset stomach to enter the bathroom. He then used this opportunity to Teleport to the area outside the Bravehearts Bar in the Backlund Bridge area.

During this process, he had already changed his appearance, turning into the black-haired, mustached, and bespectacled detective, Sherlock Moriarty.

Bending his back and rolling up his pant legs, Klein gave a self-deprecating laugh. He lowered his hat and nudged open the heavy wooden door to step into the bar.

After asking the bartender, he held a cup of Southville beer and went to Billiard Room 3 where he knocked on the locked door.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Amidst the rhythmic knock, the door creaked open a tiny gap.

The red-eyed Ian peeped his head out before breaking out into a smile.

"Sir, please come on in."

As the weather was turning warm, he no longer wore his old coat. Instead, he wore a simple linen shirt.

Klein nodded with a smile and quickly entered the billiard room where he took in the surroundings almost instantly.

Maric, with his hair a little messy, was wearing a white shirt, black vest, and black pants. He was holding onto a cue stick and had his back bent to play billiards.

Perhaps having a deep impression of causing chaos for Sherlock Moriarty, he didn't summon his zombies to play cards with him.

"Long time no see," Klein greeted first.

Meanwhile, Sharron, with her small black bonnet and black, regal gown, appeared beside the billiard table, sitting on a high stool.

"Good evening, Ma'am." Klein moved his gaze over and bowed with a smile.

Sharron seemed to float up as she stood up before raising the hem of her skirt to do a slight bow as a polite response. As for Maric, he lowered his cue stick and said in a gruff voice, "From the looks of it, you're still in Backlund."

His face was as pale as ever, but the evil look in his brown eyes had lessened significantly. It seemed to be evidence of the effective temperance he had in recent times.

It was apparent that his acquisition of the Scarlet Lunar Corona prevented him from almost breaking down on every full moon, so much so that he didn't need to frequently switch to new types of sedatives.

Klein didn't directly answer Maric. Instead, he walked to the billiard table and put down his beer. Smiling, he said, "I'm very sorry. I was planning to sell a Wraith Beyonder characteristic to you, but unfortunately it was lost."

Sharron's blue eyes didn't move, nor did she probe for a reason. All she asked was a simple, "Are you alright?"

She knew that the Wraith Beyonder characteristic Sherlock Moriarty mentioned belonged to Admiral of Blood Senor. And he was also Sherlock Moriarty's marionette. By losing the Wraith Beyonder characteristic, it also meant the loss or destruction of his marionette. This was a significant loss for such a Beyonder.

"I'm still alright. At least I didn't suffer any harm," Klein said with a sighing smile.

"No wonder I didn't see Senor this time…" Maric muttered in enlightenment.

Maric and Miss Sharron don't seem too bothered about the lack of that Wraith Beyonder characteristic… They have other means or methods to acquire one? Klein sharply grasped this point and switched to asking, "Is there something this time?"

Maric immediately glanced at Ian. The staid teenager didn't ask further as he quickly left the billiard room and closed the door.

Sharron's doll-like face didn't show any emotion as she allowed Maric to speak.

"Tomorrow, there will be a ship from the Southern Continent arriving in Pritz Harbor. It is intimately tied to the Loen army.

"This ship carries with it treasure and relics plundered from the Star Highlands, Paz Valley, and Haagenti Plains. Among them is a mummy. It's the 19th king of the ancient Haagenti Plains, Tutanssess II.

"The Southern Continent's original language didn't stem from ancient Feysacian. It had its own structure. In the ancient highlander language, 'King' also has the special term, 'Kadiev.' It was translated by Emperor Roselle as Pharaoh. It's a mystery what he was thinking. Also, 'Mummy' was named by him too. In short, the meaning of Pharaoh is the son of God, king of humans.

"Tutanssess II was once a High-Sequence Beyonder. However; after his death, the corresponding characteristic was taken away, leaving only his corpse behind to be made into a mummy.

"To other Beyonders, this is a material filled with spirituality, an excellent choice for creating a zombie. But to us, it has another meaning, a very important meaning. Our goal this time is to obtain that Tutanssess II mummy."

Another meaning? The corpse of a High-Sequence Beyonder without any Beyonder characteristic. Apart from using it as a material, there's another meaning to it? Klein's heart stirred as he suddenly thought of Ma'am Hermit's request to purchase a drop of Mythical Creature blood.

Could it be the ritual requirement to go from Sequence 5 Wraith to Sequence 4 Puppet? Miss Sharron already has the formula and has digested the Wraith potion? From the way she acts, she's practically acting as a Wraith all the time. Who knows, she might've digested it a long time ago… However, when we were in the underground ruin talking to the evil spirit, it was evident that she didn't possess the Puppet potion formula. Yes, everyone has their own circles. It's not strange for her to be able to obtain it… Klein swept his gaze at Sharron while in thought, but he failed to discover any obvious changes from before. She was still more like a doll than a living person. However, she didn't show any signs of being even darker and creepier.

Sharron silently sat there and watched Sherlock Moriarty and Maric intently, listening into their conversation.

"If it's just a High-Sequence mummy without a Beyonder characteristic, the level of protection can't be too high. Just the two of you shouldn't find it difficult to snatch it away." Klein raised a suspicion.

From his point of view, a Sequence 5 Beyonder could be considered quite a powerhouse. Unless the ship had a demigod escorting it, it was very difficult for Beyonders at the same level to put up any effective resistance if her target was solely a mummy. After all, there were too many items the Beyonder guards had to look out for. Furthermore, they might be scattered in different cabins due to the different means of storage.

This time, it was Sharron's turn to provide the explanation. She used her succinct manner of speech as usual.

"We're worried that it's a trap the Rose School of Thought is using to target us.

"If there's nothing, 1,000 pounds. If there's something, we will be in charge of drawing attention while you take away the mummy. Depending on the level of danger, it will range from 5,000 to 10,000 pounds."

I see… Klein didn't immediately reply as he thought and asked, "Do you know of Spirit World Plunderers?"

A Wraith was also a type of Beyonder who could effectively move through the spirit world.

Sharron nodded slightly and said, "I can use the cash and the relevant information about Spirit World Plunderers as payment."

Klein tersely acknowledged.

"I'll consider it. I'll write to you before midnight."

As an excellent Seer, he would head above the gray fog to confirm the level of danger regardless of what it was. However, he could confirm that this was definitely not a trap targeted at him since he had no need for a mummy.

"Alright," Sharron replied with a deadpan expression.

Klein didn't immediately bid them farewell as he walked to the door and informed Ian to enter. He then asked, "Are there any news worth taking note of recently?"

Ian thought for a moment and mentioned pieces of information that were relatively important.

"…Someone is trying to find out about the organization that believes in The Fool…"

Klein was somewhat surprised as he asked with a smile, "A young man with black hair and green eyes?"

He suspected that it was Leonard Mitchell.

Ian shook his head.

"No, black hair and black eyes."

Some mister from the Aurora Order? Klein considered for a moment before asking, "Can you draw who it is?"

"…" Ian was taken aback before he said in a self-deprecating manner. "You might never be able to recognize him if that's the case."

At this moment, Sharron said, "I can help you."

"Alright." Ian first heaved a sigh of relief before following the instructions to prepare a rather simple ritual.

Then, his body trembled as he drew a sketch while being possessed by a Wraith:

It was a young man with curly black hair, black eyes, a wide forehead, and a thin face while wearing a monocle.

Amon!

Blasphemer Amon!

Chapter 876: Art of Diverting Trouble

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Amon!

Klein's pupils constricted, and although he looked normal on the surface, he tensed up significantly with his heart churning with waves of alarm.

Although he had kept using Amon to scare the grandpa in Leonard's body, as well as the Marauder pathway demigod beside Hazel, he was only using the name. He never expected that this Blasphemer, a King of Angels, would arrive in Backlund so quickly. "He" was even looking for the organization that believed in The Fool!

In fact, although it's surprising, it's understandable. With Backlund having an angel and demigod of the Marauder pathway, it's only a matter of time before Amon arrives based on the law of Beyonder characteristics convergence… The only problem is that "He" has been searching for something in the Forsaken Land of the Gods for so many years, so it's unlikely he would suddenly abandon his search. Besides, "His" mausoleum in the outskirts of Backlund has been destroyed by the Machinery Hivemind, making it difficult for "Him" to come and go as he pleases… Therefore, this isn't "His" main body, but an avatar? An avatar that exists in the Northern Continent? Hmm, an angel of the Marauder pathway should be good at using Worms of Time to create avatars. Amon must be stronger than "Them"… Klein's thoughts raced as fast as lightning as he gradually came to a certain conclusion.

At times, he even suspected that the Mythical Creature of the Marauder pathway was a bunch of Worms of Time that combined together via a certain method.

As a Marauder pathway's King of Angels before the Cataclysm, Amon definitely knows what the name "The Fool" means and can detect the corresponding aura… "He" might even wish to steal control over the gray fog… "He" came here for The Fool this time. This is really going to be a headache… After his initial shock, Klein gradually composed himself.

What he was most afraid of now was that he would end up encountering Blasphemer Amon because of the law of Beyonder characteristics convergence. And Amon was clearly able to detect his uniqueness. When that happens, it might not even cause a stir before the so-called The Fool had to consider if he could be resurrected. After all, this was a King of Angels, an existence just second to a true god. Furthermore, the Marauder pathway was always known for their deceit and concealment. Amon wasn't necessarily afraid to take action, even in Backlund. Perhaps stealing the fate of others was a strength of "His."

From the looks of it, temporarily leaving Backlund to head for West Balam might not be a bad choice… Anyway, the biggest problem stems from myself. If I had already advanced and become a Bizarro Sorcerer, I'll be able to hide the gray fog's aura. Even if I encounter Amon, I won't have to be afraid of exposing anything… Klein drew a silent breath as he once again felt a sense of urgency.

He needed to quickly push open the door to Sequence 4, change his existence, and become a demigod!

For this, he needed to work harder, be it making another marionette, acting at a deeper level to speed up his digestion, or gathering the corresponding ingredients!

Phew… Backlund really is a terrifying place. If Ouroboros hasn't left, or if he has already returned, just the ones I know would number four, no—five angels, including two Kings of Angels! I haven't included the royal family and military who use Backlund as their base. I haven't included the underground evil spirit whose whereabouts are unknown. A former King of Angels that fused with the wills of two other angels… If the Rose School of Thought's Abomination Suah comes in pursuit of Gehrman Sparrow, that would really be a bustle. This would be nothing compared to the demigod-level battle outside Bayam City… Klein looked at the sketch drawn by Ian as he vaguely shook his head.

"Okay, got it."

He shook his head. To Ian and Maric, he had said so because he didn't know the monocled man, but in fact, he was expressing his exasperation.

"I'll have to leave. I'll reply to you before midnight." Klein took off his hat and bowed, slowly walking out of the billiard room. He then teleported back to 160 Böklund Street from a secluded alley outside the Bravehearts Bar.

Inside his master bedroom, the first thing he considered wasn't Miss Sharron's and Maric's request, but on how he was to deal with the problems that Amon brought with "Him".

In such aspects, being rather experienced, he quickly came up with an idea.

It was to find something for Amon to do to draw "His" attention away!

As for what that was, it was definitely something "He" found irresistible, something that he would definitely be interested in; for example, an angel from the Marauder pathway, Pallez Zoroast!

Perhaps this was key to Amon's ability to become a Sequence 0 true god. It would be something far more important than finding the organization that believed in The Fool.

Of course, Klein definitely wouldn't directly sell out Leonard's grandpa, because "He" had yet to show any ill intent to date.

His thoughts were simple. It was to inform this matter to Pallez Zoroast that Amon was already in Backlund. He wanted to see the reaction of the angel who had survived since the Fourth Epoch; then, he would follow up based on the situation.

If that grandpa is helpless against Amon who's likely only an avatar, he can only get Leonard to use the excuse of a mission to leave Backlund to hide from Amon. As for me, I'll have to bring forward my trip to West Balam. I'll just say that it has something important to do with my network. I'll secretly teleport back for the placenta blood when Snake of Fate Will Auceptin is born… Klein arrived at a decision as he took out a piece of paper and wrote:

"Amon has arrived."

Folding the letter and putting it into an envelope, Klein took out the adventurer's harmonica and blew hard.

When Reinette Tinekerr appeared, he took out a gold coin from his pocket and pressed it on the envelope.

This was one of the ten gold coins that he had gotten Richardson to exchange for him in the afternoon. It was to maintain his image of Dwayne Dantès to being equal to someone at the level of Pallez Zoroast. Even when Klein informed Leonard Mitchell of the method of contact, he didn't inform him that the payment of a gold coin was needed.

This shows that face is something you buy with money… As Klein sighed, he said to Miss Messenger who was wearing a dark, complicated dress.

"Send the letter to 7 Pinster Street. Oh, just throw it into the mailbox. There's no need to send it to the addressee."

As he wasn't certain of Pallez Zoroast's true intentions and character, Klein wished to hide more of his trump cards in front of "Him"; therefore, before Leonard wrote to Klein Moretti, he had no plans on letting the poet see Miss Messenger.

The blonde, red-eyed head in Reinette Tinekerr's left hand was raised up as it sucked the letter and gold coin into its mouth. However, she didn't immediately disappear. Instead, she floated at her spot, looking at Klein silently with all eight eyes.

"What's wrong?" Klein was taken aback before coming up with a guess. He asked with an odd expression, "You don't know where 7 Pinster Street is?"

Only then did he recall that a messenger's delivery of letters depended on their mysticism-based location. It was based on the person they contracted with and people they had formerly delivered letters to. Therefore, once the latter left a detectable range, the messenger would not be able to find them.

Upon hearing Klein's question, two of Reinette Tinekerr's heads nodded in unison, indicating that she didn't know.

Klein immediately coughed lightly, pulled out the drawer, and took out a map of Backlund. He then used a fountain pen to circle out North Borough. Following that, he circled Pinster Street.

"When you're here, you will see the unit number on the buildings." Klein folded the map and handed it over.

The head in Reinette Tinekerr's right hand immediately opened its mouth and bit down on the map. Then, her figure phased away and entered the spirit world.

Upon seeing this, Klein heaved a sigh of relief. He turned and walked out of his master bedroom and headed for the half-open room with the balcony to read the papers and magazines.

Late into the night, he took four steps counterclockwise before soaking into the bathtub and entering the mysterious space above the gray fog.

"Helping Sharron and Maric obtain the Tutanssess II mummy is dangerous." Klein took off the topaz pendant on his left wrist and let it hang to perform a divination.

This time, the spirit pendulum rotated clockwise with a weak amplitude and relatively slow frequency.

This means that the danger isn't too great… Furthermore, even if it's a trap targeted at Miss Sharron and Maric, there's no need for the present me to be too afraid… Klein beckoned with his hand as he made a translucent miniature black crystal card fly to him.

This was the Fate Siphon charm.

Klein had used a Worm of Time to create a demigod-level high-level charm!

Right on the heels of that, he summoned Creeping Hunger and the Sea God Scepter. Wearing the former, he picked up the latter and recorded Lightning Storm and Hurricane.

The mutated and upgraded Creeping Hunger could use Mr. X's soul and characteristic to record two demigod-level Beyonder powers that didn't exceed Sequence 3. With this, Klein no longer needed to borrow Leymano's Travels anymore. Furthermore, it was more convenient. After all, flipping a spellbook affected his use of Death Knell and the Fate Siphon charm, unless he grew another two hands.

After making his preparations, Klein returned to the real world, pulled out a piece of paper and wrote simply:

"Exact time, location, and plan."

…

At 1 a.m., Leonard, who had slept two hours, woke up energetically. He prepared to leave 7 Pinster Street and head for the Saint Samuel Cathedral's basement.

Just as he stepped out the door, he suddenly had his spiritual intuition trigger before he subconsciously cast his gaze to the side.

A look of puzzlement flashed in his eyes as he walked over and opened the mailbox.

During dinner, he had cleared the newspapers, bills, and letters inside. Typically, there wouldn't be any items in the mailbox until daybreak. After all, the mailmen would've clocked off work and returned home. However, at this moment, there was a thin letter waiting silently at the bottom of the mailbox.

"Old Man, you didn't inform me of a new letter," Leonard said softly as he picked up the letter.

The slightly aged voice in his mind replied, "The person didn't enter."

Leonard knew that Old Man's senses were limited to his body; hence, he didn't speak further. He tore open the envelope and took out the letter, flicking it flat.

The letter was mostly empty with just one short line:

"Amon has arrived."

Amon has arrived… Leonard's pupils dilated immediately.

At the same time, he heard the Parasite in him gasp for the first time.

Chapter 877: Whose Trap

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Towards Amon, Leonard didn't have a strong, direct impression of him. All he knew was that it was the most feared enemy of the Parasite in his body. "He" was the culprit that left this mysterious and powerful Old Man injured to this day. Therefore, he quickly calmed down and asked with a suppressed voice, "What do we do now?"

In his mind, the slightly-aged voice sounded after three seconds.

"The one that came probably isn't Amon's actual body but one of 'His' avatars."

"He"… Indeed, Blasphemer Amon is an angel, and probably a Sequence 1 angel. After all, Old Man is suspected to be a Grounded Angel… As Leonard absorbed the information to verify his theories, he listened to Pallez Zoroast continue, "If Amon's actual body appears in Backlund, it might very well cause a deity's descent."

A deity's descent? How many years has it been since something like this happened? Since the Fifth Epoch, occurrences like these were legends that were recorded in the internal canon. They had never publicly happened before! Could this mean that, even among Sequence 1s, Amon is one of the most powerful existences? It's no wonder "He" is called a Blasphemer… In just a few words, Leonard came to realize how terrifying the angel named Amon was.

Standing in front of the mailbox, his thoughts wandered when he suddenly had an idea. He hurriedly suppressed his voice and said, "Since Amon has such importance placed on him by the deities, shouldn't we try to find a way to inform the Church of the news of 'His' appearance in Backlund…"

From Leonard's point of view, The Church of Evernight and Storm, which was born in an earlier epoch and existed through the entire Fourth Epoch, had rich experience in resisting angels. They were the best choice at dealing with Amon.

In his mind, Pallez Zoroast chortled.

"It's useless. It might even be something Amon wishes to accomplish.

"To 'Him,' it's just a loss of an avatar. It will just waste a bit of his strength but not deal 'Him' any actual harm. And 'He' can use the death of 'His' avatar to see the corresponding changes in fate. From that, he will be able to see the source of the stir or the creation of the waves. Although this doesn't allow 'Him' to directly lock onto you and me, he will be able to greatly reduce the circle, creating the conditions for 'His' actual body to deal a lethal blow.

"Besides, do you think there will only be one avatar of Amon in Backlund?

"Based on 'His' habits and style, 'He' might only have one avatar that 'He' doesn't hide, but in fact, surrounding this 'beacon' are several, dozens, or even more than a hundred avatars.

"When we attempt to eliminate the one that's out in the open, it might very well be the case that a few, dozens, or more than a hundred Amons will appear from every spot. 'He' could be a passerby, a bird on the roof, an ant on the ground, and 'He' could also be an insect in wooden logs, microbes in the air. One who isn't a demigod wouldn't notice it even if 'His' avatar invades their bodies…"

As he listened to Old Man's detailed description, Leonard felt a chill run through his back. He suddenly had a feeling that the surrounding air was filled with countless Amons.

"You're afraid now?" Pallez Zoroast chuckled. "If you understand how Amon can steal away your fate without showing any anomalies, you will be even more terrified."

"What do you mean by stealing away my fate?" Leonard asked, feeling wary and puzzled.

Pallez's old voice sighed.

"'He' will follow you back. Then, you'll discover that your parents will be making 'Him' their son. Your wife will view 'Him' as her husband. Your child will treat 'Him' as their father. Your friends, everyone you know, will treat 'Him' as you. And you will be the unlucky one. You will lose all connection with the real world and slowly die."

"…Would such a theft be permanent?" Leonard couldn't help but draw a gasp.

Pallez Zoroast sniggered.

"Before a thief is caught, will he volunteer to return what he stole?

"Unless 'He' has had enough fun with it."

Leonard instantly fell silent. He felt that an enemy at Amon's level was no longer someone one could defend themselves against but was completely unfathomable.

After a few seconds, he asked, hardly being able to hide his hoarse voice, "Then what do we do?"

He didn't share his own thoughts because they were most likely unpragmatic.

Pallez Zoroast fell silent for a moment before saying, "Let's watch and see."

…

Inside the Bravehearts Bar.

Maric was waiting at Billiard Room 3 according to the agreement.

Since Sherlock Moriarty had agreed to provide help, discussing the operation's details face-to-face was necessary.

It wasn't something that could be figured out via an exchange of letters.

Guzzling down a mouthful of beer, Maric raised his hand to comb his hair. His pale face was drained of the color of blood. The demented look on his face was a lot less than before.

At this moment, his heart stirred. He looked up to the side and saw a figure in a top hat and formal suit outlined quickly. It was none other than Sherlock Moriarty.

Teleport? Maric's heart palpitated as his pupils constricted. He instinctively raised his level of wariness.

This wasn't because he didn't trust Sherlock Moriarty, but a natural reaction for a creature when facing a higher existence on the food chain.

At the same time, he noticed through the corner of his eye that Sharron's doll-like figure had appeared on the high stool.

Klein pressed down his hat and bowed at the two. He said with a smile, "What I'm most concerned about is the amount of intel you have.

"If there's sufficient intel, the chances of success will be higher and the risks lower.

"Let me raise a simple example. Do you believe that Tutanssess II's mummy doesn't have any problems? Can you confirm which coffin it is in? If you can, I can teleport over before the guards react, traveling with it through the spirit world. That way, the problem will be resolved."

Just as Maric tried recalling, he heard Sharron say in a calm tone, "It can be confirmed which coffin it is, but we cannot confirm if there are any problems with it."

Klein nodded and pulled a chair over to sit.

"Apart from that, what else do you know?"

Sharron's blue eyes moved slightly.

"It might be a trap by the Rose School of Thought, or it might be a trap by the Loen military."

You didn't mention the second guess previously… That's right, before obtaining any confirmation of cooperating together, even I wouldn't divulge too much… Klein thought as he questioned, targeting the latter point.

"A trap meant for the Rose School of Thought?"

Maric answered this time. He said in detail, "In the ancient Highlands Kingdom, creating a mummy was the tradition for an esteemed person. It's considered sacred, and the Pharaoh's mummy is not something to be blasphemed against. Back then, before the Loen, Intis, and Feynapotter allied forces attacked this kingdom, the Pharaoh's descendants had moved the most important batch of mummies, including the remains of the Pharaohs of past dynasties.

"This time, one of the Highlands' rebel armies had their secret base stormed. The Loen army found the Tutanssess II mummy at the lowest level and plan on delivering it to Backlund to hand it to an unknown military organization for research.

"To the Pharaoh's descendants, this is an insult of the greatest order. They have a sufficient motive to snatch Tutanssess II's mummy back. And among these descendants, there's a demigod named Mahmosi. He's both one of the main leaders of the rebel army and is also an important member of the Rose School of Thought. He's the student of Abomination Suah."

Klein nodded slightly and answered, "That is to say that Tutanssess II's mummy might be bait for the Loen army to fish out Mahmosi. Of course, this doesn't exclude the possibility that the Rose School of Thought is deliberately sacrificing a Pharaoh's remains to eliminate you."

He originally wanted to say that as a Sequence 6 and 5, there was no need for the Rose School of Thought to go to such an extent. But when he recalled that the present main faction of the Rose School of Thought was "indulgence," with them not holding back when it came to their desire for revenge, he believed that he couldn't make a decision using an ordinary person's point of view.

Furthermore, Miss Sharron and Maric were able to escape the Mother Tree of Desire's restrictions and successfully escape from the Rose School of Thought. Apart from luck, they might have someone supporting them in secret… If there is such a person, that person is definitely a target the Rose School of Thought wants to be uprooted… Klein's mind naturally formulated these thoughts, but he didn't say it out loud.

"Yes," Maric said as he rubbed the corners of his eyes. The large amount of words he said had made him feel perturbed both in mind and desire.

Klein thought for a moment before saying, "If it's the former, the situation might be more troublesome than I imagined.

"To deal with a demigod, a demigod with companions, the Loen army will have at least two Beyonders at the same combat level as Mahmosi lying in ambush. Apart from that, they will definitely have some redundancies to prevent any accidents. For example, they will prepare a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. In short, if this isn't near Backlund or made into a joint operation with the three Churches, it might not be possible to so easily set up such a trap."

Sharron's chin moved slightly as she nodded in agreement with Sherlock Moriarty's judgment.

Klein didn't emphasize the difficulty as he said, "Therefore, we have to obtain more accurate and detailed intel. From that, we can make more targeted preparations. This will allow us to achieve our goals."

Without waiting for Sharron and Maric to say a word, he added, "I know of a secret existence for magic mirror divination. 'He' strictly adheres to a principle of reciprocity. If you do not mind your privacy or actions that will bring about intense humiliation, you can obtain answers to many questions from 'Him.'

"Are you willing to try?

"I'll perform the summoning."

In dark divination, whoever did the summoning typically suffered the greatest risk.

"What happens if I refuse to divulge my private matters or reject doing such actions?" Maric asked with narrowed eyes.

Klein sincerely replied, "You'll suffer a lightning strike, causing quite significant damage."

Lightning strike… Maric originally believed that with a Zombie's toughness, it wasn't too big a problem to suffer any direct damage, but he had never expected it to be lightning which was relatively strong against the dead.

He hesitated for a moment and glanced at Sharron. After receiving an affirmative nod, he exhaled and said, "Okay."

Klein didn't speak further. He took out a piece of paper from his pocket as he instructed, "Prepare a mirror."

Just as he said that, a palm-sized makeup mirror appeared on the billiard table.

A regal-styled makeup mirror… Klein glanced at it and drew a symbol that was a mixture of concealment and mystery prying.

Chapter 878: Arrodes's Question

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

With Klein finishing his final stroke, the lights in Billiard Room 3 dimmed.

On the dainty makeup mirror, aqueous patterns rippled out before turning into a dark scene.

Immediately, one bloody word after another appeared:

"Raise your questions."

This scene was filled with a sense of supernatural horror. Even though standing there was a Wraith and a Zombie, they couldn't help but feel overwhelmed as they momentarily didn't dare say a word.

Only Klein continued wearing a smile as though he was accustomed to all of this.

He had previously exhorted Arrodes to not raise questions that were too difficult or private, and also to not act like a servant. If it wasn't because Sharron and Maric could ask much more targeted questions as a result of understanding the situation better, Klein was more inclined to handling it himself and not exposing the reality of having such a "helper."

After a few seconds of silence, Maric took two steps forward, came to the billiard table, and opened his mouth.

At this moment, Sharron gentle but emotionless voice sounded:

"I'll ask the questions."

Without waiting for Maric to answer, she floated up into a standing position and looked at the mirror.

"Is the Tutanssess II mummy a trap that the Loen military set up to target the Rose School of Thought?"

The mirror's blood-red words melted away and slid down, dragging away the stains, barely leaving two words behind which wriggled to form:

"That's right."

It is indeed a trap the Loen military set up for the Rose School of Thought. We can preliminary eliminate the situation that it's a plot the Rose School of Thought has to target Miss Sharron and Maric. After all, the risk involved exceeds the value of a Sequence 5 and 6 combined. Even if the Rose School of Thought can't curb their desire for revenge, they wouldn't be this crazy; unless, they were already planning on dealing with the Loen military and decided to involve this matter as well. If that's the case, the best place to have such a matter unfold would be in the Southern Continent or at sea, and not somewhere in the vicinity of Backlund. Who knows what kind of terrifying fellows are hidden here… Amidst his thoughts, Klein saw the surface of the mirror turn dark again as new blood-colored words appeared:

"Based on the principle of reciprocity, it's my turn to ask a question.

"If you answer wrong or lie, you will be punished."

Rather obedient. He didn't make the request of doing artistic actions… Looking at the billiard table, Klein nodded indiscernibly.

At this moment, the words from before slowly vanished, presenting new words:

"You…"

As the bloody word froze for a full three seconds, it followed up:

"…are to answer with the relationship between the Chained God and the Mother Tree of Desire."

For some reason, Klein felt that the remaining parts of the sentence had its blood-colored text darken significantly. Thankfully, the question wasn't too out of place, and it was something he would like to know.

Sharron looked at the mirror and replied in a deadpan manner, "Since the Fifth Epoch, after the perishing of Death, the Eggers family gradually lost control over the Star Highlands and Paz Valley, allowing those places to have their own Beyonder organization, the Rose School of Thought.

"In the beginning, there wasn't the Mother Tree of Desire, only the Chained God. The Rose School of Thought advocated temperance and established a religious ritual system, including laws. Formal members led ascetic lives to deal with the repercussions of receiving powers.

"One day, a divine revelation added terms about indulgence. Many people slowly changed and restored ancient but bloody primitive sacrificial traditions. Later, the School of Thought's upper echelons began secretly calling the Chained God the manifestation of the Mother Tree of Desire."

By the sound of it, the Chained God was corrupted by the Mother Tree of Desire bit by bit or replaced… If this entity was once a Sequence 0, then the Mother Tree of Desire is truly terrifying. It's no wonder it's viewed as an enemy by all the other deities… However, the Chained God might not be a Sequence 0. There's a small possibility of being a Uniqueness that has fully come to life, or a King of Angels with two Sequence 1 characteristics, or even someone weaker. There's currently not enough information to verify the matter… Klein frowned slightly as he began thinking about the matters regarding the Mother Tree of Desire.

At this moment, Sharron had switched to asking, "What problems does the Tutanssess II mummy possess?"

On the mirror's surface, the blood-red text squirmed and changed into a complete sentence:

"It's filled with hexes, a manifestation of hexes. It has the possibility of automatically becoming a Zombie."

This mummy is comprised of hexes? As expected of a corpse left behind by a High-Sequence Beyonder… How should this be resolved? Klein turned to look at Sharron and Maric and discovered that they were sufficiently calm without any hint of surprise, as though they already knew that. And this also meant that they had the means to resolve the matter. Of course, Sharron didn't have much of an expression regardless of the matter. She was as calm as she always was.

After Arrodes answered, it followed the principle of reciprocity and raised its question:

"You…"

"…have been trying hard to increase your Sequence. Why do you do so?"

This time, it had used the same bloody text as the opening, but the words that followed after a few seconds didn't appear that bright.

Does this mean that Arrodes is hesitating and struggling, resisting its own urges? On the one hand, it finds it difficult to curb its wishes to raise difficult-to-answer questions, but on the other hand, it's taking my instructions into considerations and thus holding back? Klein thought in amusement.

Sharron stood there in silence before gently moving her lips.

"In the beginning, it was to not be bullied by others. Now, it's to have the strength to protect myself and my companions, and revenge, as well as spread the principle of temperance… If everyone can temper their desires, to not have wars and killing, there will be less misery."

Klein was surprised by what he heard. His impression of Sharron was that she was a woman of few words.

It wasn't that she couldn't say that many words, but that even if she had much to say, she held back greatly and didn't provide any additional descriptions. For example, in her answer to the first question, she had simply recounted the situation, and although she appeared to say a lot, she hadn't said one word more or anything subjective. The words she added towards the end was a relatively talkative act based on her character.

This is something that's been on her mind, a point of view that she has been repressing for a very long time? Klein suddenly imagined the chaotic reality of the wars in the Southern Continent.

They were lands with plenty of slavery. There were batches of people from the lower class who died of hunger and sickness. There were constant wars and live sacrifices.

If I were born in the Southern Continent and could live to this point, I'll definitely wish for world peace and happiness to the people… Speaking of which, Miss Sharron and Maric do not look like they are of Southern Continent descent. That's right, before Death perished, passage between the Northern and Southern Continent was allowed… Also, Sharron mentioned revenge. That word was said without conviction, as though she doesn't hold out hope for it. Or does she not have that strong of a desire for it? Klein sighed silently as he watched Sharron raise detail after detail and answer question after question.

After learning of the situation regarding the Tutanssess II mummy, Sharron asked again, "Apart from Mahmosi, who are the High-Sequence Beyonders that will appear in this trap?"

The mirror surface's aqueous wave rippled and formed a bright light, one that enveloped everything. Nothing else could be seen.

With Arrodes's powers, it likely involves an angel or Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. That's why it wasn't able to provide an accurate answer… Klein retracted his gaze and said to Sharron and Maric with a smile, "From the looks of it, it's as I guessed. The Loen military has prepared plenty of redundancies."

Sharron nodded slightly as she continued staring at the mirror, awaiting the secret existence to raise "His" question.

The blood-colored text squirmed and no longer paused like before. Everything appeared at once.

"What are your thoughts regarding your teacher?"

Teacher? Miss Sharron has a teacher… That's right, as part of the temperance faction, to not be influenced by the Rose School of Thought which had changed internally, and to keep to her original path, someone must've provided her with help… This is also one of the reasons why she and Maric could escape? Enlightened, Klein anticipated Sharron's answer.

Sharron pursed her lips.

"I respect 'Her'."

…She used 'Her'? Klein nearly couldn't maintain his smile from the shock.

Including the orthodox Churches and the various major Beyonder organizations, Grounded Angels were very rare. There might only be one or two. He originally imagined that Sharron's teacher was a Sequence 4 or 3 saint with a peak strength equivalent to Sea King Jahn Kottman. To his surprise, she had used "Her" as a pronoun. In Loen, ancient Feysac, and even Jotun and Elvish, this pronoun was very different from his, her, its!

After his shock, Klein suddenly sighed deeply. Miss Sharron's current situation largely implies that her teacher is probably not around. She and Maric escaped perhaps due to the final struggle of the temperance faction within the Rose School of Thought. And to the Mother Tree of Desire, either it's corruption or decimation to create a Sealed Artifact. There will not be any other choices.

The mirror turned dark again as the bright red text vanished.

After a while, new words appeared again.

"Continue."

"I no longer have any questions. Thank you for your help," Sharron curtsied as she said slowly.

With her saying that, the mirror returned to normal. The lighting in the billiard room wasn't dim any longer.

Sharron looked at Klein and said in a tone without any abnormalities, "We shall forgo this matter."

Clearly, she also understood the meaning behind the blast of light that appeared during the hidden existence's final answer.

Klein shook his head and smiled.

"There's no need to rush into a decision. Let me ask you a few more things. Perhaps there might still be a chance that doesn't require us to take too much of a risk."

At least my divination results say that it's possible! he added silently.

"What is it?" Maric couldn't help but ask.

Chapter 879: Dual Purpose

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Upon hearing Maric's question, Klein picked up the piece of paper with the symbol that summoned Arrodes and shook it as he wiped away his smile. He said in all seriousness, "Tell me the detailed process for creating a Pharaoh mummy in the ancient Highlands Kingdom."

As he said that, the piece of paper was engulfed in scarlet-red flames, turning to ash.

Maric glanced at Sharron and replied after some thought.

"First step, lay it down for three to five days and use some auxiliary methods to make the Beyonder characteristic naturally seep out and not become a Sealed Artifact from fusing with any parts of the Pharaoh's body.

"Second step, hold a cleansing ritual. Place the corpse on an altar, pray to the Chained God, and hope that half the deceased's spirit remains in the body. This won't affect the return of the son of God, and it can also allow the created mummy to maintain a long period of spirituality.

"Third step, using Beyonder powers or actual technology, remove the corpse's brain, innards, and bodily fluids, leaving only the heart.

"Fourth step, stuff the corpse with perfumes and medicine that's filled with spirituality and completely dehydrate the body…

"Fifth step, stuff the perfumes and medicine inside again. Arrange some preparations for a ritual on the corpse's surface, then wrap it up in linen bandages before putting it into a sarcophagus.

"Sixth step, the organs which were handled in a similar manner as the fourth step will be used as materials for the ritual. They will be placed in the four corners of the sarcophagus. Likewise for the brain and bodily fluids. The former will be stirred into mush, mixing with the latter. And the sarcophagus will have some preserved circulatory tracts that mimic the deceased state before death… This can gather spirituality from the spirit world and the surroundings, making the Pharaoh mummy an ingredient rich in spirituality even after more than a millennium. It can be made into a rather powerful zombie…"

Sounds like it has nothing to do with enhancing one's ability in that area. I wonder how Apothecaries turn such rot into a miracle. Yes, there seems to be a difference in the way Egyptian mummies are made on Earth. The level of mysticism involved is a lot greater… Klein finished listening carefully and quickly analyzed if there was anything that could be used as part of the plan.

Regardless, Tutanssess II's mummy is something with extreme research value. Unless it's necessary, no one is willing to destroy it… Klein fell into deep thought for a moment before looking at Sharron who had returned onto her high stool. He asked with a solemn expression, "What's the furthest distance you can travel with Mirror Blink?"

Sharron sat there and answered without any hesitation, "300 meters."

That's far enough, much better than my Flaming Jump. However, this is expected. After all, a Wraith's main trait is to come and go without detection, while Flaming Jump is just part of a magic show… Hmm, not bad. This can be used… Klein couldn't help but inwardly make a poignant remark.

Although he once had a Wraith marionette, he didn't know the limits of Mirror Blink, because before it could reach its limit, it would slip out from his control radius. Once that happened, the marionette was equivalent to a dead object. The blink would fail midway.

Klein asked a few more questions and formulated a general plan. After looking at Sharron and Maric separately, he said with a steady tone, "We still have a chance of snatching Tutanssess II's mummy away. There is a risk, but it won't be high.

"Yes, that's on the condition that the two of you listen to my instructions. Let me lead this operation. Of course, if you believe it's unacceptable, you can choose to terminate the operation midway and choose to return. That's your freedom. Just remember to pay me."

If this was in the past, Maric would've rejected the proposal without a thought. He and Sherlock were considered very experienced Mid-Sequence Beyonders, so how could he listen to a newly-advanced Beyonder who had once sought their protection before? But after the previous cooperation effort, the intelligence, adaptability, and the mysterious items Sherlock Moriarty possessed had left a deep impression on Maric. He couldn't help but consider him as equals. When news of Gehrman Sparrow continuously reached Backlund, he had been shocked, being even more convinced that he was one of the strongest Beyonders below that of High-Sequence Beyonders. In mysticism, this was a form of authority when it came to Beyonder combat.

Since he possessed authority, it meant abiding by it!

He can still teleport… Maric recalled the way Sherlock Moriarty appeared, and he had a strong sense of confidence bolstered within him. Perhaps there was a chance of success.

He turned his head and looked at Sharron.

The two nodded in unison.

"Alright," Sharron responded, her blue eyes not showing any signs of hesitation.

Klein immediately revealed a smile.

"I'll go into the specifics when we rendezvous at the scene."

Apart from defining the problems and obtaining a more accurate account of the situation, his deliberate appearance using Traveling and providing a "secret existence" to obtain intel was also to establish his image. It boosted the way they viewed him, giving him the ability to be in charge.

As a Marionettist, even without a marionette for the time being, he had to control others to complete a targeted act!

To Klein, this operation was partly to help Sharron and Maric, but he also had hopes of using this grand act and his directing of puppets to further accelerate the digestion of his potion.

It had to be said that the immense pressure of Amon's appearance in Backlund and his recent interaction with Spectators had allowed the marionette-less him to greater understand the Marionettist principle he had previously concluded. With his marionette as a lead, he could control his enemies to put on a puppet act in real life.

His current idea was:

Even without a marionette, he could use his dominance, language, and the settings he designed, or a combination of these factors, to control his target, putting on a puppet act in real life.

Marionettists weren't only controlling Spirit Body Threads!

And what he did previously was merely a small attempt.

Just like Amon, a simple appearance is enough to put many matters into motion. It makes me and Pallez Zoroast appear to be waiting for "Him" to signal with a wave of the conductor's baton… Klein silently sighed as he heard Sharron and Maric answer in unison, "Okay."

…

In the evening at Pritz Harbor, there were elegant gas street lamps made of black metal. They illuminated the various streets with the light they emitted.

At this moment, most of the ships had moored. Silence was the main tune of the area.

At the top of a warehouse, there were many wooden crates circling an area. Three figures suddenly appeared from the void. They were none other than Sherlock Moriarty in his formal suit and top hat, Maric in his white shirt and black vest, and Sharron who always wore a black bonnet and regal dress.

With the help of Teleport, they directly traveled from Backlund all the way here. There was quite a distance between them and the dock where the ship that carried the Tutanssess II mummy was moored at.

Klein pressed down with his right hand as the bottom of his feet stepped on the wood. He nimbly leaped above the crossbar and, like walking on flat ground, quickly arrived by the wall.

There was a tiny air vent here.

He then took out the telescope provided by Sharron, and he looked at the dock based on the intel.

All the building roofs were occupied by soldiers with steam backpacks and thick-barreled rifles. They patrolled the area and were alert of their surroundings, prepared to shoot at any trespassers who dared come near. Only one warning was to be given.

Apart from them, there were a few exaggerated robot monsters parked around the dock. They were entirely metal, and their height had exceeded that of giants. At the top of them, cold machine guns could rotate, and a steam chimney stood erect. The bottoms were grayish-white in color, with many parts exposing rivets, nuts, and gears. They looked rather crude.

In addition, in front of the robots was a very thick cannon. Situated underneath it were two rows of metal wheels with rubber treads.

They were obviously manned, but Klein couldn't see who they were, making it impossible to determine if they were Beyonders or not.

Close to these steel monsters, above the dock was a dark black metal tower standing at a height of more than ten meters. It had a complicated pulley system that seemed to lack any sophistication. Drooping down were steel cables and a hook.

On the surface, it doesn't seem too simple, but it can't be considered a high-level military operation… Klein retracted his gaze and threw the telescope to the approaching Maric so that he could observe the situation.

Before they started taking action, they had come to an agreement. It was to not use Beyonder powers, relying on non-mysticism methods to spy on their target to avoid sounding off any alarms. After all, it was very likely that a demigod was lurking in the dock district.

Of course, Klein had adjusted the powers recorded inside Creeping Hunger. He had matched Paper Angel with Hurricane instead of Lightning Storm.

After Sharron was kept up to date with the situation, Klein, who was standing by a wooden frame, revealed a seemingly relaxed smile.

"We only have one purpose today. It is to make an attempt if there's a chance. If there isn't, we'd rather observe by the side and even evacuate ahead of time.

"Any questions?"

"No," Sharron calmly replied. Maric shook his head, expressing the same intent.

Klein nodded and looked at Maric.

"How many mirrors have you brought?"

"Nine." Maric showed his preparations as he pointed to his eyes. "These also count."

"Alright." Klein pointed in a direction. "When I leave, you are to head for Pritz Harbor. Along the way, throw these mirrors."

Maric gaped as though he wanted to ask why. But soon, he understood Sherlock Moriarty's intentions and nodded seriously.

"I'll follow your instructions."

Klein smiled as he extended his hand in midair.

"I hope for a pleasant partnership."

Maric hesitated for a second before extending his right hand to struck palms with him.

After doing this, the tense feelings in him felt relieved for some reason.

Klein turned to Sharron, took out an iron cigar case, and passed it to her.

"Take this. After receiving my cue, fly towards the lighthouse.

"Following that, silently count down from three before removing the wall of spirituality.

"During this process, as well as after it's completed, you must not stop flying. Try to fly as irregularly as possible, regardless of the methods employed.

"When you see me create fireworks, immediately isolate the cigar case with a wall of spirituality, and do a Mirror Blink in Maric's direction. Use everything you have.

"After you meet up, flee all the way without waiting for me. I'll teleport to you."

One of the core items in the operation tonight was Azik's copper whistle!

Stealing the Tutanssess II mummy is difficult, but I can get it to run towards me!

Chapter 880: The Silent One

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After hearing Sherlock Moriarty's plan, Sharron didn't say anything apart from nod her head once in agreement.

Klein immediately took out a steel-gray metal mask and wore it, only revealing his eyes and nostrils.

Similarly, Sharron and Maric wore similar masks as well.

However, they had different reasons for the disguise. For the Wraith and Zombie, it was solely to prevent themselves from being recognized by the Loen military; thus, curtailing their ability to be active in Backlund. As for a Faceless, the act of wearing a mask hid his pathway's trait of being able to change appearances. It was a form of misdirection for the Loen military's and Rose School of Thought's subsequent investigations. After all, they would follow normal logic. Since your face was fake to begin with, why would you do the unnecessary act of wearing a mask?

After waiting for a while, a dull whistle sounded as a ship cruised into the port in the darkness.

Klein returned to the vent, raised the telescope, and cast his gaze at the heavily guarded harbor.

He soon saw a hybrid sailboat with a chimney slowing down as it docked. Meanwhile, two squads of soldiers in red tops and white pants ran over in an orderly fashion with rifles in hand before standing on two sides of a path.

Before long, a gangway was lowered, and people from the ship began alighting.

First were sailors carrying wooden crates. Following that, it was a young man dressed in a major's uniform. He held a small casket made of crystal with a heavy expression. Surrounding him were several members of the ship's crew.

The crew were holding lanterns, illuminating the casket from various angles; thus, accentuating what was inside.

In it was a human skull without any flesh and blood left. It had a strange luster swirling under the light!

The group of people moved at a rather slow speed, as though they were constantly taking note of the angles of illumination to not leave any dark spots.

After they got off the ship, they followed the path to the nearest cargo rail where a steam locomotive was waiting there like a giant serpent. In the cabin behind, a man in a black formal suit walked out.

He was carrying a huge iron bucket, and diagonally above, one could see that it contained layers of ice blocks.

For a second, Klein nearly imagined that there was a bottle of wine inside the ice blocks, just like how alcohol was presented amongst high society and high-end restaurants. However, he soon saw what was embedded in the ice.

It was a hand made purely out of gold!

Unlike the group of people, the man carrying the bucket moved very quickly. Beads of perspiration kept dripping from his forehead as the contact between his palms and the metal surface produced mist.

He seemed to be worried that the ice would completely melt before he arrived at his destination.

The military managed to plunder quite a number of Sealed Artifacts at the Star Highlands, Paz Valley, and Haagenti Plains… Klein sighed poignantly as he patiently waited for Tutanssess II's sarcophagus to appear.

Another ten plus minutes passed when, situated in the distance, Klein, Sharron, and Maric heard heavy footsteps.

It was like a giant walking over a hollow deck.

Right on the heels of that, the cabin's side door opened. Four "knights" in black full-body armor carried a golden sarcophagus as they slowly walked out. Their footsteps clinked and clanked, reverberating.

The sarcophagus's surface was engraved with symbols like strange birds, serpents, feathers, and masks. It appeared ancient and mysterious, with the rich flair of an ancient Highlands Kingdom. It was none other than the Tutanssess II mummy's resting bed!

Sounds of metallic chains grinding against each other sounded as a pitch-black metal capstan slowly rotated, lowering the steel cables and hook down. People began securing them against the corners of Tutanssess II's sarcophagus.

Then, a complicated gear system began operating as the heavy sarcophagus was hung up, moving towards a topless carriage outside the harbor.

The four black, full-bodied-armored "knights" had the pressure on them relieved as they sat on the deck, letting out heavy panting.

Amidst the panting, one of the "knights" suddenly grunted.

In a crevice of his armor, dark red blood streamed out in increasing amounts. Towards the end, tiny black armored worms began crawling out of it.

Thud!

The "knight" fell backward, his helmet falling off, revealing mangled flesh and a head whose eye sockets were empty. Countless black armored worms crawled out.

A hex… Tutanssess II's mummy is a manifestation of hexes itself… Even when wearing armor with augmented blessings, it's unable to completely avoid being cursed… Klein sighed silently as he cast his gaze to the golden sarcophagus which was being slowly lowered onto the carriage.

The carriage outside the harbor didn't have any horses. Standing around the carriage were four "knights" in the same outfits as the ones before.

With the sarcophagus landing, they approached the carriage in preparation to pull it.

At this moment, the wheels of the carriage suddenly begun spinning as it maintained its balance and began moving towards the side.

At that moment, it seemed to come to life!

Klein's mind tensed up as his gaze turned intense.

Pa! Pa! Pa! The wheels spun rapidly, slamming into the rocks, logs, and steps on an irregular path. The carriage without any horses dragged the golden sarcophagus as it moved towards an empty spot of the harbor.

This scene looked like a scene as described in a horror story.

Close to the harbor, a steel monster with a chimney, cannon, and machine gun turned around as a deep voice was heard from the inside without any obstacles.

"Possession is prohibited here."

Just as this was said, the carriage which was moving by itself lost its drive. After drawing out two long tracks, it steadily came to a halt.

At the same time, a figure wearing a white robe with golden threads was outlined in midair. He had pale-yellow curled hair, with his eye sockets clearly recessed. His face was thin to the bone.

This was a middle-aged man with mixed heritage from the Southern and Northern Continent. His brown eyes had irrepressible maleficence and madness. His rather thick lips were pierced with dense, patterned golden nails that sealed his mouth. He exuded a sinister and terrifying feeling.

According to Sharron's and Maric's description of the characteristics and portrait, Klein instantly recognized him to be an important member of the Rose School of Thought, one of the leaders of the Highland's rebel army, Mahmosi, who had the nickname, The Silent One.

Just as Mahmosi appeared, he cast his gaze to the steel monster that had issued the command. He completely ignored the Tutanssess II sarcophagus that was staying put diagonally beneath him.

His previous attempt was apparently to determine the location of the Loen military's demigod!

In a snap, Mahmosi raised his right hand and pulled at the corner of his mouth.

The golden nails that pierced through his lips shot out like bullets as they no longer sealed his mouth.

Following that, Mahmosi opened his mouth.

Klein didn't hear any sound, nor did he see any light. He discovered the gigantic steam chariot seemed to warp like it was melting. In a blink of an eye, it had transformed into a goat.

A goat with glazed eyes and messy wool!

With a spurting sound, blood spewed out of the goat's abdomen as a blob of flesh rolled out. Embedded in it was a white glove and a golden mask.

A beam suddenly shot out from the flesh, cleaving through all the chaos and evilness. The squirming flesh and blood began forming a humanoid figure, returning to its original appearance.

It was a black-haired, golden-eyed man with a mask.

At this moment, Mahmosi raised his palm, causing all the guns and cannons that were aiming at him to rise into the sky as they shot into the air.

Then, he took out a cloth doll.

The doll seemed to be made of old cloth. There were obvious stains and specks of blood. Its eyes had been dug out, leaving two empty holes.

The moment it saw light, its face began transforming. Its target of reference was none other than the demigod from the Loen military. Its eye sockets were aimed straight at the man in the golden mask!

When the Loen military's demigod saw this, he immediately made the ring on his right hand emit a crystalline beam of light as he vanished from his spot, phasing to the back of Mahmosi.

However, the doll's transformation didn't stop at all.

Meanwhile, to the side of Tutanssess II's sarcophagus, the space around it warped as a translucent mouth spanning more than ten meters was outlined.

The mouth suddenly opened and sucked in, creating a terrifying gale that swept up the sarcophagus and the carriage together.

It was suspected to be a spirit world creature!

It was about to devour the Tutanssess II mummy's sarcophagus!

Suddenly, the bullets and cannonballs that shot into the air turned brilliant as they gathered together, transforming into a grand sea of light that inundated everything.

Klein felt a stabbing pain in his eyes, and even though he closed them in time, tears still flowed down.

Two seconds later, he opened his eyes again and saw the spirit world creature that was only a gigantic mouth had disappeared. Tutanssess II's golden sarcophagus remained sitting silently on the other carriage. Mahmosi's figure had blinked away to the other end of the harbor thanks to a metallic surface. The dirty doll in his hand had been restored to its original form while the masked golden-eyed man did a short-distance teleport as he engaged in tight pursuit.

And the spot where the two were originally standing, a female figure in a black evening gown appeared. She too was wearing a golden mask, and on her head was a crown folded from thorns.

On the crown, pure light quickly swirled, amassing an "ocean"; however, it was in a dim state.

At this moment, Klein saw a hand—a hand wearing a black glove.

It was hidden in the shadows, reaching out as it grabbed at the sarcophagus where Tutanssess II's mummy was stored.

The sarcophagus suddenly vanished, appearing right in front of the palm!

The Rose School of Thought hadn't sent one demigod, but two. Furthermore, they brought with them a Sealed Artifact from the Marauder pathway!

Upon seeing this, Klein immediately turned his head and shouted to Maric, "Run!"

Maric had been awaiting his orders, so he leaped up the moment he heard that, rushing out of the warehouse as he dashed fervently out of the harbor.

Klein immediately turned around and yelled out to Sharron, "Begin!"

Sharron didn't hesitate as well. Holding the iron cigar case, she flew towards the lighthouse. As a Wraith, the walls and obstacles along the way were nonexistent.

The commotion she and Maric created had probably been detected, but as it was far from the harbor and far from the battlefield, no one paid attention or bothered.

Klein quickly retracted his gaze, extended his left hand, and aimed his palm at the ventilation hole—right where Tutanssess II's golden sarcophagus was.

In less than a second, a blurry book materialized before him as an ethereal, distant chant sounded in his ears:

"I came, I saw, I record."

The pages flipped before landing on one page.

Hurricane!

This was a demigod-level Beyonder power that had a wide area of effect!

Chapter 881: A Play

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The Rose School of Thought demigod, who was hiding in the shadows, wore a hooded black robe and a golden mask with red and black patterns smeared across it. His figure couldn't be made out, but he was definitely not short, standing at a height of 1.8 meters.

He used the Marauder pathway's Sealed Artifact to steal Tutanssess II's sarcophagus, placing it before him. Immediately, his body phased away and drew out an extended form as though he had turned into a thick, long, and soft rope.

This transparent and nearly ethereal "rope" quickly bound the heavy sarcophagus in a bid to bring it into the spirit world.

At this moment, a strong gust of wind sounded in the Rose School of Thought demigod's ears. They clashed in the air, forming an explosive-like stir.

Boom!

Tutanssess II's golden sarcophagus was sent flying as the transparent "rope" around it unfurled, shrinking back into a humanoid form.

This Rose School of Thought demigod floated diagonally downwards in an uncontrollable manner before turning into a wraith, no—an evil spirit's form. He allowed the intense winds to blow through his body without making any additional movements.

He saw eddies in the air swirl up rapidly as an unrestrained hurricane suddenly appeared, sweeping up the rocks, gravel, trash, and parts of the harbor's roof into the air. Even the carriage which had been autonomously moving before flew up because of its proximity. It was torn into pieces amidst the strong winds.

Seemingly lucky, but in fact an expected outcome, the shadows where the Rose School of Thought demigod was hiding didn't have any Loen soldiers and was far from the main path.

The lady in the black evening gown and crown of thorns was obstructed by the hurricane as her body involuntarily wavered backward. She was unable to immediately rush to the golden sarcophagus that had been thrown up into the air, and she could only use her momentum to turn her body sideways, casting her gaze to a warehouse that stood far away outside the dock district.

Immediately after that, she turned her head to look at the Rose School of Thought demigod because he wasn't affected by the hurricane.

"Confinement!" The lady who was also wearing a golden mask raised her left hand and grabbed at her enemy's figure within her sights.

The Rose School of Thought demigod had formidable spiritual intuition. As he sensed the danger with the help of his spiritual intuition, he did a Mirror Blink ahead of time, leaping onto a piece of glass about eighty meters away.

At this moment, the hurricane seemed to stabilize itself and rapidly calmed down.

Pa! Pa! Pa! The items that had been swept up fell to the ground, including the golden sarcophagus that contained Tutanssess II.

Bang!

It slammed open a crater as it completely broke apart after suffering the wrath of the hurricane.

The lid at the top flew up, scattering the gold and gems that were sealed in the top two layers of the sarcophagus as burial items.

Then, the lower level of the sarcophagus tumbled a few times, dropping golden boxes and jade containers that stored the desiccated organs.

A corpse that was bound in yellowish-brown cloth tumbled out. Its surface was covered in a dark red, oily liquid.

This was none other than the mummy created after Tutanssess II passed away. It was extremely thin, and its face had a golden mask with patterns covering it just like the mask worn by the demigod from the Rose School of Thought. Embedded in its eye sockets were two abnormally pure onyx gems.

The moment the mummy appeared, the surroundings seemed to dim. The sarcophagus's main body stopped as dark red liquid flowed out of it, soaking the nearby soil.

When the Rose School of Thought demigod with the Marauder pathway's Sealed Artifact saw this scene, he was first enraged before he thought of something. The look in his eyes turned into pleasant surprise.

His figure vanished from the glass fragment, phasing into the two onyx "eyeballs" of Tutanssess II. Then, he possessed the mummy and attempted to pull it into the spirit world!

Suddenly, he sensed that the mummy in his Evil Spirit Vision had vanished.

Simultaneously, the Tutanssess II mummy with a slanted golden crown on its head suddenly bounced up, turning its onyx-embedded face towards the only lighthouse in Pritz Harbor.

This Pharaoh, which had been dead for centuries, produced an inhuman cry from its throat. Bound with yellowish-brown bandages, it freed its shriveled leg, strode and ran off!

It seemed to be running towards freedom, but it had forgotten one thing. It was just a corpse. It should be lying down in silence.

Tap! Tap! Tap! The Tutanssess II mummy finished accelerating just as it began.

Upon seeing this, the lady with the crown of thorns raised her right palm and aimed at the mutated mummy.

"All the dead will receive their eternal peace," she said a few words in ancient Hermes.

Bang!

The Tutanssess II mummy exerted strength in its legs as it leaped up, jumping into another direction, escaping the region that would make it enjoy its eternal rest, doing so in a way that didn't adhere to a zombie's agility.

Further away, the black-haired, golden-eyed man, who was pursuing Mahmosi, narrowed his eyes as his ring once again emitted a crystalline beam of light.

His figure teleported in front of the mummy as he attempted to stop the deceased from moving away.

However, Tutanssess II changed directions once again, charging out from a different angle.

It kept changing its direction, as though its goal was to approach the lighthouse by following an irregular route!

Mahmosi's heart stirred as his body suddenly vanished, flashing onto a piece of glass not far from the mummy.

He used this as a springboard and finally appeared in the two onyx in Tutanssess II's eye sockets!

Although the Loen military's demigod had restricted Possession, the Highlands Kingdom's Pharaoh was no ordinary item. It had some spirituality remaining!

Seeing his partner succeed, the demigod with the Marauder pathway Sealed Artifact didn't hesitate to extend his black-gloved left hand, aimed it at the lady in the evening gown, and gripped his hand into a fist before turning it half a circle.

The lady immediately felt her thoughts go adrift for a second. Following that, she was bound tightly by her own gown. Almost at the same time, the Loen soldier far away on the warehouse rooftops found it difficult to control their rifles as they aimed in her direction and pulled their triggers.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The steel monsters with thick cannons also unleashed their cannonballs at the lady.

The golden-eyed demigod didn't attempt to save his partner. Instead, he looked at Tutanssess II's mummy which had come to a stop because of Mahmosi's possession. He gripped his right hand into a fist and waved it abruptly.

"Execution!"

A look of joy flashed past his eyes because it didn't matter if the mummy died again, but Mahmosi couldn't afford that!

Elsewhere, just as the bullets and cannonballs were to hit the lady, they suddenly slowed down as though they had sunken into a quagmire formed of air. They were repelled by a power that stemmed from laws.

On the lady's head, the crown of thorns lit up suddenly, using up more than half of the accumulated "ocean of light."

The hooded Rose School of Thought demigod immediately discovered this as he vanished from a location far away from it, as though he was fundamentally wiped away. This also meant that he had "arrived" in front of the lady and saw her raise her right hand.

Gathered within her right hand was pure condensed light. They transformed into a blazing spear that had two pure white wings sweep out at its tip, enveloping the spearhead like an angel's embrace.

The Rose School of Thought demigod's eyes widened immediately as he heard the footsteps of death. He attempted to use Mirror Blink to leap away, but he found that his surroundings were sealed by the pure white wings.

An intense sense of fear surged within him and inundated his reason, making him abandon his resistance towards his roots to his being and strength.

At this moment, a shrieking wail sounded as the lady's eyes temporarily turned turbid.

The blazing spear in her right hand deviated to the side as she failed to maintain its stability. It collapsed into a gorgeous blast of light as it was swept up in the air like a hurricane.

And in the vicinity of the Tutanssess II mummy, Mahmosi had stopped his possession. Beside him, a dirty doll fell to the ground.

The doll's chest had a tear that nearly penetrated it.

It stood up and its eyeless face seemed to come to life, turning abnormally warped and gruesome. It continuously wailed with a shrieking tone, causing the nearby Loen golden-eyed demigod to feel an invisible hand grabbing at his neck as he kicked and struggled in midair.

It was because of this doll's existence that Mahmosi wasn't "Executed." Likewise, the other Rose School of Thought demigod wasn't struck by the blazing spear.

When the latter saw this, he immediately used Mirror Blink to approach the Tutanssess II mummy that was still focused on moving in the direction of the lighthouse. He planned on using this opportunity to join forces with Mahmosi to achieve the goal of their operation.

At this moment, the lady in the evening gown erased the distance, appearing directly above them. The crown of thorns on her head emitted the purest of light.

She pressed down with her right hand and said, "This place will have the mysterious weakened and the real strengthened!"

Just as she said that, the blood-stained doll immediately lost its expression and stopped shrieking. The golden-eyed demigod from the Loen military finally had a chance to catch a breather. He forcefully pulled away the hexed hand that was grappling his throat.

From that moment, their demigod powers rapidly declined as attacks that stemmed from reality were rapidly boosted.

This also meant that the Loen soldiers at the top of the warehouse and the steam chariot that was slowly approaching on its treads were the victors in this battle!

To the Loen army, this was a situation where their advantage was extremely amplified!

Mahmosi and the other Rose School of Thought demigod immediately reacted. One of them tried to possess the mummy, while the other attempted to pick up the eyeless doll. They planned on escaping before their strength decreased to a certain threshold.

Of course, the lady with the evening gown and the golden-eyed demigod couldn't allow the enemy to do as they wished, but just as they were about to take action, a light streaked into the sky and exploded into dreamy fireworks.

Right on the heels of that, the two demigods felt their spiritual perception trigger simultaneously as they looked into opposite directions.

A hand wearing a transparent glove reached out from the void beside Tutanssess II's golden sarcophagus, grabbing a handful of soil that was soaked with dark red liquid.

The liquid was a mixture of Tutanssess II's brain matter and bodily fluids. It was a ritualistic material used to maintain its spirituality, and the latter contained its blood!

Mahmosi and the Rose School of Thought demigod, who wielded the Sealed Artifact also looked over, and they happened to see a figure wearing a formal suit and top hat appear.

This figure was bending his back to pick up the soil soaked with dark red liquid.

During this process, he kept his right hand to his left breast, as though he was bowing towards the demigods. Then, maintaining this pose, he looked up to reveal his metal-gray masked face before rapidly fading away into nothingness.